德州小镇之乡村音乐

瓦沙哈琪，德州午后

今午随同德州州农业厅长米勒，一同前往位於达拉斯以南的小镇——Waxahachie。这裡正举办一年一度的乡村嘉华年会。车子一进入镇区，耳边便传来轻快的吉他旋律，空气裡瀰漫着烤肉与玉米饼的香气，像是一场味觉与听觉的盛宴。

小镇的主街被封起来，临时搭起的木舞台上，当地的乐团正唱着经典的乡村歌——那是一种朴实无华却深情的旋律，唱的多是关於土地、家园与自由的故事。人群随着节拍轻轻摇摆，老人戴着牛仔帽，孩子追逐着气球，妇人们则端着冰镇柠檬茶微笑交谈，整个场景充满了生活的温度。

街角的艺术画家正在作画，笔下的画布上，是这片德州土地特有的宽广与苍茫。另一边的小摊贩架上，陈列着当地农產品、蜂蜜与手工皂，这一切看似寻常，却凝聚了乡村的勤劳与骄傲。米勒厅长一如往常地与居民热情寒暄，他的笑声与音乐交织在一起，显得格外真切。

午后的阳光洒在红砖老屋与白色穀仓上，光线柔和而温暖。远处的风车缓缓转动，像是替这座小镇轻轻伴奏。站在街头，我忽然感觉，这样的地方，才是真正的德州灵魂——自由、勤奋、带着泥土气息的浪漫。

在这样的午后，音乐不只是旋律，更是一种生活的信念。它提醒人们，无论世界多喧嚣，心中总要留一方原野，让风声与吉他声，唱出最真实的生命节奏。

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.