Country Mike Blog

Apolitical honky-tonkers

Mike Sudhalter  |  June 26, 2007

I think it's the apolitical people who have the must fun! That's what I gathered from my recent trip to Nashville, and other recent observations.

I had so much fun hanging out in all of the Nashville honky-tonks during the festival. A lot of places don't have great live music like that, and you can thank ultra-liberals and ultra-conservatives for that.

You see, I don't drink or smoke, but I love the atmosphere of the Broadway honky-tonks. And I also believe in live and let live, something these aforementioned folks don't.

I recently read a story where New York City, the place that never sleeps, wants to impose new noise violation rules that would fine nightclubs if their music got too loud.

You see, ultra-liberals, want to protect you from yourself.

They don't belief in listening to music in moderation or wearing earplugs. The people outside the show are more important than the paying customer, to them. If those people are so upset, why do they live right next to a nightclub?

They also want to impose their will on the entire population when it comes to the environment, smokers and fattening foods. They don't trust ordinary people to make the right decisions, so they condescendingly make them for you.

Ultra-Conservatives, wipe that smug look off your faces, because I'm not happy with y'all either.

I met a college student from Alabama during the CMA Festival, and he informed me that the state's nightlife is less than spectacular. The best bar scene in Alabama is probably a couple hours north of the state line on Broadway in Nashville.

Hank Williams, the man who sang about honky-tonks and heartaches, would be disheartened to know that his home state is full of so many goody two-shoed, squares.

This wasn't the first I'd heard of Alabama as a no-fun zone. I remember hearing about the state's most famous export, the band Alabama, singing about crossing over to bars on the Georgia side to perform. I also remember hearing about Alabama native Ty Herndon relocating to Texas, so he could play honky-tonks.

You can blame dry county laws that should have been overturned years ago and a low tolerance for the honky-tonkin' lifestyle if you want to know why Alabama isn't a honky-tonk paradise.