Welcome! I’m delighted to welcome back, Callie Carmen with a ‘Music Monday’ themed guest post!

MUSIC MONDAY

COWBOY SONGS

By Callie Carmen

To celebrate the publication of the Cowboy Desire Romance Anthology, I thought it would be fitting to put together a cowboy/cowgirl music blog. Listed below are a few cowboy songs from the beginning of what we now call bro-country music. This is one of my favorite types of tunes. In case you didn’t know, bro-country was first recognized by that name in 2010. There were a few songs that were included in that movement in country music from 2009, like Hillbilly Bone.

If you are a romance writer, I’ll let you in on a little secret in case you haven’t figured it out on your own. If you get writer’s block or you just need a little writing inspiration, turn on some bro-country music. You’ll end up with at least a couple of romance theme ideas, and you might just hear a song that touches your heart.

Music plays a role in all of my novels because it is so important to me. So, imagine my shock when I went back to look for the songs I referenced in my latest novel AVA and only found one song, Hillbilly Bone by Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins.  

AVA is one of the many stories in the Cowboy Desire Anthology by talented Black Velvet Seductions authors Nancy Golinski, Alice Renaud, Starla Kaye, Jan Selbourne, R.M. Olivia, Callie Carmen, Virginia Wallace, Alan Souter, Dee S. Knight, Suzanne Smith, Estelle Pettersen, Eileen Troemel, Zia Westfield and Patricia Elliott. 

Here is a blurb from the Hillbilly Bone scene in AVA.

AVA Music Blurb

By Callie Carmen

Mr. Maples gazed at me, “If the rest of your work is anything like this one,” he swooshed his hand towards my “Better Days,” painting, “then I’d be happy to look at your portfolio.” 

I puffed out the breath I’d been holding. He pulled out the seat in front of his desk and I sat. “Wonderful.” I squeaked. 

“While I study your creations, tell me about your career as an artist so far and your plans for the future.”

I calmed my racing heart and dove right into my education, then the successes I’d had while in Michigan. I even gave him a list of business references. He didn’t give me any signs of how he felt about my work as he flipped the pages and studied my work. I put my hand in my sweater pocket and felt the business card I had placed there. I rolled it over and over again. It helped a bit with my nerves.

“Very interesting. Now tell me about your overall game plan, your vision for the future? What motivates and inspires your creative process?”

I gazed over at Colton, who seemed to take an interest in our discussion. My stomach tightened. 

I told Winston about my new studio. 

“It’s beautiful, Dad. The natural lighting is killer.”

He was helping me. I felt tingles run up my spine, but then he ruined it with a wink, and his father saw it. Ugh.  

“He’s right, it is wonderful. Since I’ve gotten back to Kentucky, I’ve devoted myself full time to art and plan to do so going forward.” 

He closed my book and slid it in front of me. “Do you have a significant body of current work that hasn’t been exhibited elsewhere?” He shook his finger at me. “That includes other galleries or online.”

I explained that I’d been working nonstop for the past six-months on a wonderful collection. Some of which were in my portfolio. They included photos, watercolor and oil paintings and a few sculptures. 

At the mention of my sculptures Colton piped in, “Hoo doggie her horse sculpture is―”

His cell phone went off playing Hillbilly Bone with Trace Adkins and Blake Shelton.
It made me giggle inside. I’d seen them perform that song in concert and it had been a blast!

He looked at the screen and gave me a half smile. “I’m sorry I have to take this call. It’s from my whisky company rodeo team sponsor.” He combed his fingers through his hair and paced while I answered Winston’s questions. I did however snoop and listen in on Colton’s conversation at the same time. It was an old trick I’d mastered while eating with the ranch hands. There were always at least three conversations going on at once, and I could chime in on all of them. 

CALLIE’S LIST OF BEST COWBOY SONGS

Ain’t Always the Cowboy by Jon Pardi

It talks about how it isn’t always the cowboy that rides away from a relationship. Sometimes he’s ready to settle down, but she’s already had it with him, and she leaves. (2020)

In Ava, Colton is trying to start his own company so he can settle down in one place and maybe have a family. But to do that, he has to keep on working the rodeo circuit to earn the money needed to start the business. If Ava falls for Colton, will she be willing to stick around while he leaves her again and again? 

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Cowboys and Angels by Dustin Lynch

No matter what her family thinks about her being with a cowboy, she still wants him. They will be together. (2012)

Could Colton and Ava make a long distance relationship work?

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Cowboys Like Me by Coffey Anderson 

This song tells all about cowboys manners and how you shouldn’t take those manners the wrong way. It doesn’t always mean he loves you. It could just be how he treats all women. (2020)

When Ava first meets the cowboy Colton, she decides he’s lacking in the manners department. And to top it off, he’s a bit too broody for her liking. 

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This Cowboy’s Hat by Chris LeDoux

  It tells a story about an older cowboy that has seen it all. He has memories tied up in his hat and he’s not willing to give it up. Not even to a motorcycle gang. (2012)

When Ava first sees Colton, he doesn’t have his usual cowboy hat on, so she gets to see his full head of jet-black hair. Even though he rubs her the wrong way at that first meeting, she still wants to comb her fingers through his thick locks. 

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Cowgirls Don’t Cry by Brooks & Dunn

The cowboy father in this song teaches his cowgirl daughter that she should never cry. Which is a little hard to accomplish when that same Dad is dying. (2009)

Ava never learned that lesson from her father. She’s tough and takes care of herself. But when the man she loved from the time they were kids tells her he loves someone else, she cries like a river. 

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Like a Cowboy by Parker McCollum

He wants her to know that he’s going to ride out-of-town like a cowboy. (2020)

Colton does the same thing. How could that kind of relationship ever work? Would Ava put up with it? 

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Ain’t That Kind of Cowboy by Trace Atkins

He’s done the cowboy on the run. Never settling down until he meets the one. When that happens, he knows it’s time to change. He doesn’t want to leave her alone. (2020)

That’s all Colton wants. He plans to start his business and to end his life on the rodeo road and settle in one place. 

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Hillbilly Bone by Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins

Colton, from AVA, has this fun song as his ring tone. After seeing Trace and Blake sing this song in concert, I had to add it to the list. Some may not count this as a cowboy song. I do because honky-tonks are where many a cowboy hangs out. (2009)

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Like a Cowboy by Randy Houser 

He’s in love, but he can’t stay long. But if she’ll wait for him, he’ll love her wildly? (2014)

Colton dreams of having a woman that could do that for him. Would Ava be the one? If she was, he’d be sure to love her wild. 

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Cowboy Logic by Michael Martin Murphey

It spells out how a cowboy treats a woman, his work ethic, etc. It seemed true to what I’ve always believed about cowboys. (2013)

It’s pretty much how my character Colton behaves in my story AVA.

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Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy by Chris LeDoux and Garth Brooks

A fun song about being with your first cowboy and whatcha gonna do when he leaves in the morning. Or one that stays. (2010)

Colton was always getting back on the road to ride in the next rodeo, but he was thinking about hanging up his hat. If he does hang up his hat, will he want Ava along for the ride?

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Cowboy Up by Joni Harms

This song is about how the cowboy on the rodeo circuit like Colton has to be tough. If they fall off the horse or the bull, they get up and do it again. Pretty amazing. (2009)

PURCHASE LINKS

PATRICK books2read.com/u/3krqEW

NICOLAS http://books2read.com/u/mqVGQv 

JOSEPH https://books2read.com/u/3npADB

ANTHONY https://books2read.com/u/bx81ze

JOSHUA https://books2read.com/u/bxjYko

MYSTIC DESIRE https://amzn.to/322Ziq3

CRAVING LOYALTY http://getBook.at/CravingLoyalty

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011326206882 https://www.facebook.com/CallieCarmenAuthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/Callie_Carmen

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/calliecarmennovel/

MeWe https://mewe.com/profile/5aea84c00dc9f110e68a9373

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17829431.Callie_Carmen

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/callie-carmen-72ba98156/

Tumblr https://calliecarmenauthor.tumblr.com/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/calliecarmennovel/

Website link https://www.calliecarmen.com/

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07BN5PXDF

BookBud https://www.bookbub.com/profile/callie-carmen

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I’ve also chosen to cross post my Monday “Movie” Book Trailer Swap with the lovely lady Lauren @AlwaysMe (blog) ‎@SunSoar25 (Twitter), the English gentleman, fine and dandy Drew @The Tattooed Book Geek (blog) @SarcasticEnigma (Twitter) and musical maestro Mischenko @readrantrockandroll.com (blog) @J_Mischenko (Twitter). Here are the rules:

Every Monday share one or two of songs you’ve been enjoying lately.  It doesn’t have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favourites – just something you’d like to share with others.  If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).

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