It looks like I'm going to be a country rock star tomorrow night! 

This will be way the F out of my comfort zone, but my friends are stranded, and it'll be a lot of fun.

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWjYEpBNG8VMp227gKeeGnkvgj6xqgUoWZJN4njxsEJnp/image.png)

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#### Serendipity:
####
One of my favorite memories from Austin last week was a night at a two-step bar with live music and traditional dancing. 

It felt so genuine, respectful, peaceful and happy.  You know, older people dancing with younger people who welcomed it with a smile, not a restraining order.  The music was positive, soothing, and a fun genre to play for people to dance to. The culture moved me because it's vastly different than where I live - a judgmental and paranoid metropolis filled with immature, shallow and insecure people.

I remember talking that night about how fun it is to play for people live, how it's one of the best feelings I know. I envisioned myself up there drumming...

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#### The Surprise Challenge:
####
Fast forward to an hour ago when I just got a desperate call from a friend who has a country music band based in my city.

I've only played with him for an hour in a studio once for fun, but we've hung out a few times, and on the baseball diamond in recent months. 

Crazy enough, his drummer _just_ broke his elbow and can't play for a while. 

#### _He asked if I could bail him out by filling in on a 3-set gig tomorrow night at a country bar in a big casino, as the only act of the night._
####
_Woah..._

This means that I'd have to skip the major league baseball game I had a ticket for, change all of my plans, stay over at the casino hotel, and, oh yea... 

#### _...learn 41 cover songs overnight to play in front of a crowd that will be dancing to my beats!_
####
It's crazy how the universe's law of attraction works, isn't it?

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#### Let's Do It: 
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Without committing immediately, I asked for the song list and started listening. I needed to make sure that I got a gist of the style of songs they were playing to know I could play them naturally.

It's all stuff I can play through generally enough by ear since country is a straight forward style.  I'll have to play a lot by feel and by reading the 3 guitarists and bassist for their energy and cues. It won't be easy on short notice, but I'm going to have fun with it, and be so happy to have a crowd to play for again. It's been a few years since I felt that rush.  Also, instead of the  single 35-45 minute sets I was primarily used to, we'll be the only act for 3 hours!!!

After hearing enough of the first set, I called back and committed. I don't want them to get screwed and it'll help me grow as a musician in a new genre.  It'll also get me way the heck out of my comfort zone, by not being fully prepared. 

I love playing in front of anyone, it's just that I don't know most of these songs yet... That's going to be the biggest fear to overcome... just getting up there and relying on decades of practice and experience to solve each song like a puzzle, on the fly, naturally, and smoothly to make sure people dance and have fun... I can do it. I'll make it happen and have a good story to tell.

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#### The set list (with a few medleys):
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1. Down On The Farm - Tim McGraw
2. Play Something Country - Brooks & Dunn 
3. Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen
4. Springsteen - Eric Church
5. Take it Easy - Eagles
6. Tequila - Dan & Shay
7. Living In Fast Forward - Kenny Chesney 
8. Walking In Memphis - Mark Cohen 
9. Wish You Were Beer - Phil Vassar
10. How Country Feels - Randy Houser
11. Castle On A Hill - Ed Sheeran
12. Stand By Me/That Summer - Drifters/Garth Brooks
13. Boston / Wonderful Tonight - Kenny Chesney/Eric Clapton
14. Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash
15. Heads Carolina, Tails California - Jo Dee Messina 
16. Red Dirt Road - Brooks & Dunn
17. Somebody Like You - Keith Urban
18. Medley - Starts With Shouldʼve Been A Cowboy - Toby Keith
19. Johnny B Good - Chuck Berry
20. Pick Up Man - Joe Diffie
21. Something Like That - Tim McGraw
22. Beer Money - Kip Moore 
23. Bottoms Up - Brantley Gilbert
24. Stay A Little Longer - Brothers Osborne
25. Suitcase - Steve Moakler
26. Drunk Me - Mitchell Tenpenny
27. She Got The Best Of Me/Talladega - L. Combs/E. Church 
28. Time Off For Bad Behavior - David Allen Coe
29. We Are Tonight - Billy Currington
30. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow
31. Cruise - Florida Georgia Line
32. Body Like A Backroad - Sam Hunt
33. Break Up With Him/Letʼs Get It On - Old Dominion/Marvin Gaye
34. When It Rains It Pours - Luke Combs
35. Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
36. Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw
37. Boys 'Round Here - Blake Shelton

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If only I went cowboy shirt shopping with @aggroed in Austin, I'd be a big step up in the game here.

![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfArcy22pyuLxxaTEieRhzXnDMbxwFAG9nu9LpzK2Kr9A/image.png)

#### Time to get to work!!
####
Wish me luck,
@steemmatt