Honoring Freedom

 

Happy July 4th!!!!

 

Yesterday in church, we unexpectedly got to sing "I'm Proud To Be An American", or, as the actual title of the song is: "God Bless The USA". I say unexpectedly, because it was at a church service, but, it really was very, very fitting and that is why I say 'we got to sing' as in 'had the privilege to sing'. Because it is a privilege to be, to exist, to worship and praise God and your country at the same time along with others that feel the same way.

Have a Safe and Special Celebration today!

Foot note: Speaking of privilege ... I once had the pleasure of hearing Lee Greenwood play "The Star Spangled Banner" at the opening ceremony at Nissan Stadium (then LP Field) in Nashville, TN for the CMA Festival nightly concerts. He played the saxophone at that particular occasion.

"Music" Kriz Rogers First Official Music Video

I'm excited to share with you and the world that I have released my first official music video!

The song is "Music", which was recorded over in Sweden and released on my Kriztina Åhs & Countryfied project, but the video itself was recorded in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I wrote the song about the feeling, thrill and magic of enjoying - you guessed it! - music.

I hope you find it as enjoyable to watch and listen to as it was for me to sing it.

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.

Two Kinds of Crazy

One is crazy cute and adorable - talking 'bout videos for goodness sakes! - and the other is a crazy kind of lonely captured in a song. The latter does offer a solution and a reflection on our own responsibility for our situations though (found in the last line of verse two. Lyrics provided).



 

Kriz Rogers wrote this song when going through a divorce. She performed it live with her band Countryfied at the Swedish Masters of Country Music in September of 2008.

Driving Me Crazy

Lyrics - Copyright Kriz Rogers

The ones I loved before gave me what I asked for

A bunch of lies and heartaches that made me walk the floor.

But, they were honest, told the truth 'bout what they did so I knew.

What a difference it was, not anything like you.

Driving me crazy

To the edge of the world.

My heart is not driven in a way it deserves.

Living by anger - praying for love.

Driving me crazy

to the edge of the world.

At times I touch the sky. Countless days I crawl on ground

so dirty it's like darkness there maybe I belong.

But I'm not stupid, I can see if I stay here I do me wrong.

There's no one who'll rescue me: not anyone but me.

I'm driving me crazy

To the edge of the world.

My heart is not driven in a way it deserves.

Living by anger - praying for love.

Driving me crazy to the edge of the world.

Driving me crazy to the edge of the world.

Here's where to download: Kriz Rogers (former Kriztina Åhs) song "Driving Me Crazy" on Amazon

And now you can scroll up to watch the crazy cute cat video again! Please :-)