Where "Thank You Song" comes from

Inevitable, there are trials in life. It is a common belief that they will grow you and make you stronger.

"Thank You Song" comes from a place like that. It was a day like any other day (way before this thing in 2020 hit us), and why an event triggered me to write it, is a mystery, just like Life itself, but what I do know is that my husband was still hooked on narcotic pain pills at the time, and the unpredictability of each moment was a constant cloud hanging over us and me. He had had one of his out-lashes and it was  after that moment "Thank You Song" came about.  I turned to my consolers God and music and reached for my guitar and simply started strumming and singing. The words and the melody instantly started flowing through from my heart and the Holy Spirit . There is no other explanation when a song simply starts seemingly out of "nothingness". The purpose for me that evening was to find strength in life's weakness to connect with a feeling of gratitude, so that I could turn a resentment into something uplifting.

In this day and time, when we all are more or less in an adaptive stage of living, my hope is that you will find strength and inspiration from hearing this song.

PS. There is a dictionary on my facebook page that explains some of the terminology I use in the song: https://www.facebook.com/krizrogerscountrymusic/photos/p.10157202566266470/10157202566266470/?type=1&theater

and I would like to add that "Bigger Scheme" refers to God's plans for not just you and me, but for human kind as a whole.

With A Love For Country Music - R.I.P Mats Rådberg

He was one of the reasons I started loving country music. My dad had already introduced me to country music at a very young age, but my interest started blossoming when I first heard the Swedish country artist Mats Rådberg sing his version of "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys". And now he is gone and it's hard to believe. The fond memories are many, because Rådberg was the biggest name in Swedish country music ever since he had his breakthrough, and he also was the emcee at the country's biggest country music festival for several years. That very festival had a talent show and someway, somehow I was entered. One day in my fourteenth year of living here on Earth, the phone rang, and my mom answered. After just a few seconds she called on me saying in a very puzzled voice: "There's a man on the line and he wants to talk to you".  After taking the handset and curiously saying "Hello?", the voice on the other end said "Hi, this is Mats Rådberg ... ". I wish I remember the rest, but what I do remember is that I sat down and listened, not believing my ears. He called to say I had been selected to sing at the talent show! Since I was under age, my mom took over from there. To meet my hero and to sing in his presence was extremely exciting to say the least. It did happen, but not at the talent show, because my mom thought it was on the Sunday of the festival weekend, but it actually was on Saturday. So, when we arrived, the talent show had already taken place. The producers - including Rådberg - of the show were kind enough to let me sing anyway in between sets that day, and it still is a special memory that I hold dear in my heart.

Thank you for the music Mats Rådberg! R.I.P.

Swedish and American Words: "Kultur" vs. "Culture"

Today I have some thoughts about the difference between the American word "culture" and the Swedish word "kultur".  They do not carry the same meaning at all.

Today's thoughts started as I read a Swedish news article about Max von Sydow.  If you haven't heard of him: he was a Swedish actor, most famous for his role as Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" (one iconic scene is when Antonius plays chess with Death).

Try to stay on topic now Kriz!  Okay, so, after I had read the article, I saw suggested ones appear and one of them had the Swedish word "kultur" as part of the headline.  "Kultur" in Swedish would translate to "The Arts" in English.  It has everything to do with anything that is creative - like music, dance, art, theater and the like.  If you say "fin-kultur" (or "finkultur), it would encompass the higher forms of arts like opera, classical music, poetry, classical plays and paintings and art that are very expensive.  "The Seventh Seal" would be considered "finkultur".

Now over to the English meaning of "culture".  That can be described as things one particular group of people would do/say/listen to because it is part of their culture and heritage. Let me give you some examples: Americans often eat hamburgers as it is part of their culture.  Swedes celebrate Midsummer because it is part of their culture.

I hope that clarified and explained the distinction between the two words.





For a deeper dive into the understanding of culture, go to this wiki: Wikipedia's article about culture
If you'd like to read the Max von Sydow IMDb bio, you can find it here: Max von Sydow IMDb bio


A video I made to explain part of the Midsummer celebration in a musical and visual way: