德州小鎮之鄉村音樂

瓦沙哈琪，德州午後

今午隨同德州州農業廳長米勒，一同前往位於達拉斯以南的小鎮——Waxahachie。這裡正舉辦一年一度的鄉村嘉華年會。車子一進入鎮區，耳邊便傳來輕快的吉他旋律，空氣裡瀰漫著烤肉與玉米餅的香氣，像是一場味覺與聽覺的盛宴。

小鎮的主街被封起來，臨時搭起的木舞台上，當地的樂團正唱著經典的鄉村歌——那是一種樸實無華卻深情的旋律，唱的多是關於土地、家園與自由的故事。人群隨著節拍輕輕搖擺，老人戴著牛仔帽，孩子追逐著氣球，婦人們則端著冰鎮檸檬茶微笑交談，整個場景充滿了生活的溫度。

街角的藝術畫家正在作畫，筆下的畫布上，是這片德州土地特有的寬廣與蒼茫。另一邊的小攤販架上，陳列著當地農產品、蜂蜜與手工皂，這一切看似尋常，卻凝聚了鄉村的勤勞與驕傲。米勒廳長一如往常地與居民熱情寒暄，他的笑聲與音樂交織在一起，顯得格外真切。

午後的陽光灑在紅磚老屋與白色穀倉上，光線柔和而溫暖。遠處的風車緩緩轉動，像是替這座小鎮輕輕伴奏。站在街頭，我忽然感覺，這樣的地方，才是真正的德州靈魂——自由、勤奮、帶著泥土氣息的浪漫。

在這樣的午後，音樂不只是旋律，更是一種生活的信念。它提醒人們，無論世界多喧囂，心中總要留一方原野，讓風聲與吉他聲，唱出最真實的生命節奏。

Country Music In A Texas Town

Waxahachie, Texas – Afternoon

This afternoon, I joined Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on a trip to the small town of Waxahachie, where the annual Country Fair was in full swing. As we drove into town, the sound of guitars drifted through the warm autumn air, mingling with the smoky aroma of barbecue and the sweetness of cornbread. It was a feast for the senses — a true celebration of rural life.

The main street had been closed off and transformed into a festival ground. A wooden stage stood at the center, where a local band played familiar country tunes — songs about land, family, and freedom. The music carried a kind of honest tenderness, unpolished, but deeply human. People swayed gently to the rhythm; old men in cowboy hats tapped their boots, children chased balloons, and women sipped iced lemonade while chatting in the sun. Everything felt simple, joyful, and full of life.

At the street corner, painters were capturing the town’s rustic beauty on canvas — red brick houses, wide skies, and windmills spinning in the distance. Nearby, stalls displayed jars of honey, handmade soaps, and local produce, each item carrying the pride of hardworking hands. Commissioner Miller, ever approachable, greeted townsfolk with a firm handshake and a hearty laugh, his voice blending naturally with the country melodies echoing throughout the street.

The afternoon sunlight bathed the old buildings in a soft golden glow. The air shimmered with warmth, and the whole town seemed to hum like a slow, steady song. Standing there, I felt that this — more than any grand city or monument — was the real soul of Texas: free-spirited, hardworking, and quietly romantic, steeped in the scent of the soil and the rhythm of the heart.

In that moment, I realized that country music is more than about carrying a tune. It is a way of remembering — a belief in simple joys, in open skies, and in the enduring harmony between land and life. Amid the laughter and the twang of guitars, I heard not just a song, but the heartbeat of Texas itself.