Sherri Cornelius

I have no idea what most singers on the radio look like, and I don’t care. Image gets in the way of my enjoyment of the music, so I just listen. Because of this, sometimes I’m liking several songs by the same artist and have no idea.

With that in mind, here’s a little story. I’m cooking dinner, and one of my new favorite songs come on, “It Won’t Be Like This for Long.” (Some of you already know where this is going.) There’s something familiar about the guy’s rich, beautiful voice, but I can’t place it. Every time the song comes on I run through all the country artists I can remember, and none match up. So last night I don’t try to figure it out, just slice potatos and let my subconscious do its work.

Hootie. Of Hootie and the Blowfish.

I walk into the living room, chef’s knife in hand, and tell my husband, “There’s this new country song on the radio and the guy sounds exactly like Hootie. Exactly. Same vibrato, same timbre, everything. A really beautiful voice.” Hubs replies, “Huh,” and I return to the kitchen, slide the potatoes in the oven, and go a-googlin’.

Now, I know Hootie is not the guy’s real name, but since I don’t pay attention to such things, I don’t know his real name. I know he’s a black guy, I know he’s handsome, I know he has a great voice, I know I haven’t heard from him in a while. That’s about it. But for some reason, I think of him as an old friend. I love Hootie. I have no idea why, since I didn’t even own a Blowfish album, but I’ve always liked him. Maybe he just seems like a nice guy.

So I find the song I’m looking for, and see the name Darius Rucker. Familiar. And yeah, he’s a black guy. Not jumping to any conclusions, I confirm that Darius Rucker is, indeed, Hootie. I’m ecstatic.

“It’s Hootie!” I yell down the hall. “Hootie’s singing country!” Hubs ambles up and says, “Huh. Really?” And I play “It Won’t Be Like This for Long” on YouTube. Then I find out another song I like even more is also by him: “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”

And that’s my story. I give you Hootie–er–Darius Rucker. (Yay!)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_lUnFjXg8&hl=en&fs=1&]

I try to hide my sappy side, but I don’t think I do a very good job of it. I thought I’d share some of the songs that get me right here. I’m ashamed to admit these songs make me cry. I’m so weak.

I don’t know how to imbed music here, so I’m imbedding the videos. For me, a video lessens the impact of a well-crafted song, so do me a favor and don’t watch the videos. Close your eyes and listen to the words.

I remember the first time I heard “Don’t Take the Girl.” I worked at Wal-Mart’s electronics department, back when it first came out. Early nineties. We always had a display radio playing, resenting when a customer changed the station. Well, that day a customer changed it to a country station, and my co-worker said, “Oh, I love this song. Sherri, have you heard this?”

Let me just skip to the end of the story where I’m sobbing in the middle of Wal-Mart, asking a lady customer to wait while I got myself under control. She just nodded with a smile of understanding.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP1G5i5q-hk]

“What Might Have Been” still makes me cry, too, but I don’t remember when I first heard it. It reminds me how bad I am at letting go of people. Even when it’s for the best. Heck, maybe because it’s for the best.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBx9a71BZq4]

And the ever-classic “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” ‘Nuff said.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu2DA4I4TGw]