Sugarland is one of the best new up coming bands in country music. Their hit song Baby Girl came out in the summer of 2004. Most of the video takes place inside a small café in a small town, one of which looks exactly like a small café called “The Western” in Schuyler, Nebraska. As a child, countless hours were spent sitting and eating their famous chicken fried steak and watching my grandparents drinking coffee. Eventually, time took its toll and eventually childhood faded. Throughout high school, numerous lunches were ate sitting at the dark red glittery counter with fancy bar stools. After home sport events, all the students could be found in The Western eating their favorite dish and slurping down milkshakes. Entering The Western is like entering into the world as it was seventy-five years ago. The inside is decorated with pictures of John Wayne and old cowboys. Every different type of person could be found inside. Watching the video is like sitting in the same café I sat in as a child. It is extremely similar and it seems like my memories have been collected inside the video instead of inside The Western. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
Shannon Brown is not as famous as most artists, but she sang the anthem for farm kids everywhere in the summer of 2006, Cornfed. The video takes place in the middle of a corn field in what appears to be a very small town. Everything in this video reflects on my life. The lyrics, “Green fields for miles and miles; Ain’t nothin’ but country on the radio dial,” and seeing the corn, old barns, combines, and tractors, takes me back to Schuyler, Nebraska. All of the equipment is used on every farm throughout Nebraska. Combines are particular pieces of machinery that farmers, including my father, use to harvest their crops. Most of the crops grown in this state is corn, however beans and alfa alfa are also found. In rural Nebraska, everything in this video can be seen. Combines are found everywhere in Colfax County in the fall. During the spring and summer months, planters can be seen. Planters are used to put the crop into the ground. This machine enabled me to spend countless hours with my dad. Hours flew by as I sat shot gun in our Case IH Combine. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
Ashton Shepherd is one of the newest country stars on the map. Her first single, Sounds So Good, came our earlier this year. In small towns, there is not a lot going on. So, finding things to do is a challenge. However, there are some things that have and will always be a tradition of the summer. For example, getting a cooler and going to the river. In the video, the first thing they do is get a cooler, load it in a truck, and head to a river for the day. The Platte River runs directly through Schuyler. The “Colfax Boundary” runs from two miles past Columbus and seven miles out of Schuyler. Air boats and fishing poles are obvious tools found at each cabin. Volleyball courts, basketball hoops, boats, docks, swim suits, and dogs can also be found. The Platte River is becoming much smaller and shallower each year. Most of the river is less than seven feet deep. The Platte River has aided in nine-teen years of summer fun. It holds most of the memories made with friends and family. Holidays and summers are all held here. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
Firecracker came out in the fall of 2007. It was the third hit for the new comer, Josh Turner. Most of this video is taking place inside a fire work stand. Every Fourth of July weekend, getting to watch one of the states best fire work displays is at the top of everyone’s list. The display lasts for about forty minutes. Thousands upon thousands of dollars are spent on these fireworks annually. Different kinds such as, rockets, fountains, air bombs, roman candles, wheels, and shot cakes are all fired into the dark night. Finding people sitting everywhere along the river and in our park is very common during this time. The firework display is ran by local fire fighters to ensure safety. Every single summer time is spent waiting for this beautiful display. For about forty minutes getting lost into the deep black sky with bursting colors is one of the most amazing sights that can be seen. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
Trace Adkins is known for singing Swing. The video is shot in the middle of a baseball field. The bleachers and diamond are obviously shown in the video. In the song, “swing” is stated too many times to count. However, at Merchant Park in Schuyler, “swing” can be heard twice as much. Schuyler is home to the minor league baseball team named the Merchants. In the “glory days,” they were unstoppable. They won every single game by more than five runs. The team was stacked with five players who eventually went semi professional. The park itself is just like all of the originals. Walking through the front gate, the cash is taken through the window. Once the ticket is given, heaven waits for you through the next blue gate. The smell of pop corn over takes the air as the sound of crunching sunflower seeds comes from underneath feet. The team itself is always dressed in a blue top with gray striped pants topped with a blue hat with a “M.” Watching all of these games is a huge part of my past. Now that I am getting older, I actually know everyone playing, which makes it even more fun. Merchant Park is one of the best, most visited parts of town. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
Jason Aldean came out with the farmer’s anthem in 2006. Amarillo Sky is a song that says everything a farmer lives by and believes in. The video is taking place on a farm in the middle of the country. Tractors and combines are everywhere in the background, as well as corn. They also show farmers throughout the video. These people are exactly like my brother. He does the same work that is shown in the video. Our farm has been apart of our family for four generations, Clint plans to keep it that way. It amazes me on how much he loves being on a farm, he would hate going off of it. He just turned twenty-two and does the same work that my father does. It is in his blood. The words, “He takes the tractor another round, Pulls the plow across the ground, He says I never complain, I never ask why, Please don’t let my dreams run dry,” is exactly what Clint thinks every day. He is one of the most hard-working, dedicated people many have ever seen. He is determined to keep this farm going in the tough times we are having in our nation today. Regardless of the prices of fuel and crops, he will stay strong and make our family proud. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
The legendary Brooks and Dunn have many songs that have become famous over the years. However, Red Dirt Road is one of their best. The video takes place on a deserted road. Having to be creative in planning every Friday night after hometown football games, a random dirt road became one of the first choices to hang out. After the Schuyler Warriors took on their opponents on the football field, the chit chat throughout the student body was to head out to “The Road.” Even though it was just named The Road, everyone knew it meant in the middle of Road 15 and 16. Every kid would carpool into the middle of the country to sit and talk to friends. The Road is still undiscovered by the police. (Well, as far as we know it is!) Almost every single Friday night was spent this way. That old dirt road has seen everything from break ups to hook ups, from sober to non sober, and from hellos to good-byes. Things like this can only be found in my hometown.
