If there’s a person with a wider and more interesting mix of characteristics than Matthew McConaughey, I’d sure love to meet them.
The Hollywood A-Lister, author, University of Texas Minister of Culture, and layman’s philosopher seemed to be everywhere over the past few year since he ramped up social media presence to launch his Greenlights book (which I highly recommend to anyone who’s not yet read it.)
Using a combination of Texas wisdom, herbal supplementation, and a good old fashion love for life, McConaughey has grown from just your favorite actor, to a full fledged American cultural icon.
Of course, there’s a lot of his plate, trying to balance (probably) starring in the next Yellowstone spin-off, getting involved in political conversations, and doing his best to inspire the Texas athletic programs, so it only makes sense that he has an outlet to maintain balance in his crazy life.
And that outlet is nothing other than country music.
McConaughey has long been a country music lover, having starred in Jamey Johnson’s “Playing The Part” music video back in 2010 and most recently teaming up with Zach Bryan for the upcoming “Nine Ball” music video.
But when he’s not participating, he still settles in to enjoy our genre’s best, which he spoke about on a small project he released on Spotify during the Greenlights launch.
In episode one, titled “Finding Your Frequency,” he speaks about music’s role in bringing you to level ground.
Here’s what he said:
“You know, a theory that has helped me out and I think it can help us all out sometimes is “Finding Our Frequency.” Daily, with ourselves, with others, in life… Sometimes our differential is split, or off balance, out of rhythm, out of tune… and we do not hear the music of our own lives… What do we gotta do?
We got to find our frequency, balance the EQ, get rid of the treble, bring up the bass… What I’m about to share with you are some tunes I have found my frequency too the last 50 years… All songs that got me back in line and on time, so I could find my frequency again…”
If you didn’t read that in his drawl, you’re a liar.
He then mentions some artists that he personally turns to, including U2, Dwight Yoakam, John Mellencamp, and Ali Farka Touré, but also spent some time on an artist that probably deserves a heck of a lot more credit than he gets for the resurgence of quality country music over the past decade or so.
Before playing “It Ain’t All Flowers” from Stu’s earth shattering record Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, McConaughey lays down this intro:
“Time to put your seatbelt on, bring your chin strap and your mouth guard cause we got scars to earn in this rodeo called life.”
If there’s a better song for finding your frequency, I have yet to hear it as “It Ain’t All Flowers” speaks on the requirement of pain to find life’s beauty.
“Cleaning out the darkest corners of my mind
Taking all my full circles, and making straight lines
Been getting to the bottom of the bottom getting to me
Holding up the mirror to everything I don’t want to see”
Sturgill and McConaughey have a similar charm. A wild behind the eyes, physically reserved but spiritually expressive. They don’t raise their voice, they let the words speak for themselves. Hard to sum up but, when given the time, easy to understand. Two heavy souls with an open heart, rebels done with running.
In this spirit, let’s all do a bit of leveling out today, crank up some Sturgill Simpson, and remember to just keep livin’.
