Creative Compilations: A Look at the Mixtape.

  "She listens like spring,
 and she talks like June."
-Train


 As May decided to dance into the arms of 2015 and out of our own-- summer calls on June. The sweet, sifting pastel skirt of spring grows a little shorter to reveal dancing shoes. As we lose a bit of worry and gain tan lines instead something else evolves with the sunshine. Sweet music. We pay tribute to...

THE MIXTAPE. THE SOUNDTRACK. THE JAM SESSIONS.

In my town the track list is devoted to one genre: Country. It is not even because we are "country" it is because we are from it, and we love it. Most of us do not live on farms but we appreciate those that do. I eat Grainger County tomatoes like they are candy. Our local dairy cow mascot is named "Maggie." We all have a little south and small town underneath our suburban psyche.  Afterall, "country must be country wide."

Like the delicious differences between Frank's and Texas Pete, our summer soundtracks play on. Those warm hours swim in endless humid melodies. With every song we learn to savor-- our town, our time, our hard work and our lives.

Further, in honor of the mixtape, I will share a past mix. It is from the summer of 2009. I was 16 and incredibly classy because I titled it, "Mixed Up Summer." The creativity is overwhelming; mostly because I think I thought it was "Mixed tape" not the actual mixtape. Either way it is a CD and kind of hilarious. Shout out to my cousins, I am pretty sure this was influenced by your playlist.

1. "Incomplete" The Backstreet Boys

2. "Arms Wide Open" Creed

3. Due to skips= unavailable

4. "Don't Stop Dancing" Creed

5. "My Sacrifice" Creed

6. "Listen To Your Heart" D. H. T.

7. "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" Fuel

8. "Best I Ever Had" Gary Allan

9. "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" Gary Allan

10. "The Anthem" Good Charlotte
11. "Bleeding Love" Leona Lewis
12. "This I Promise You" NSYNC
13. "It's Gonna Be Me" NSYNC
14. "Bye Bye Bye" NSYNC
15. "What's Left of Me" Nick Lachey
16. "I'm Alright" Phil Vassar
17. "Bye Bye" Phil Vassar

What are your past mixtapes? What does this summer sound like? Are you celebrating? Are you dancing poorly? Are you dancing well? Even the sad and hard moments need background music. Here's to you and all those who dream in music videos all day.

Summer makes us the dreamers we have always been.

Dream on.

"Well I'm a-gonna raise a fuss,

 I'm a-gonna raise a holler
About workin' all summer just to try an' earn a dollar
Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do
Cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues."

"Summertime Blues," Alan Jackson/ Eddie Cochran