North Carolina: “Rowing Song” — Patty Griffin

Most of my life I felt out of place in the south: too big for it, too loud. When I finally decided it was time to leave the security blanket with a million holes in it that North Carolina was for me, I stood on the edge of my driveway listening to country music until 4 in the morning every night. I don’t think anyone had ever made me feel shame for my love of country music and I’m glad they didn’t.
Years later after I’d left the state, a music critic reviewing my band It