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Some people celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks and fanfare. In my older age, I celebrate it with music that makes me want to bake a pie, sit in a lawn chair, and wave to the neighbors (ha!). You know—more of the slow and simple kind of celebrating.
This isn’t exactly the playlist you’ll want to blast from your pontoon boat. This is the one you play while slicing a pound of fresh strawberries for dessert, or listening to the grand-babies run through the sprinklers, or watching the sky turn cotton candy pink from the rocking chair on the front porch (which creaks a little while you’re rockin’).
It’s part patriotic, part nostalgic, part “was that Willie Nelson or did I just hear heaven?” (My dad would be so proud.) There’s no agenda here. Just good tunes, a little twang, and the kind of warmth and comfort you can only get from an old Patsy Cline song.
It’s called Old-Fashioned Fourth of July and it’s a whole vibe. Here’s a little sneak peek—
- America the Beautiful – Ray Charles
- Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
- This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
- Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
- Jolene – Dolly Parton
- (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
- The Weight – The Band
- American Honey – Lady A
- Chicken Fried – Zac Brown Band
- You Are My Sunshine – Johnny Cash
There are so many other good ones too. You can listen to the full playlist right here on Spotify or right here on Apple Music.
I made this for the in-between moments—when the pie’s cooling on the counter, the monsoon clouds are rolling in, and you’re busy sneaking one (or four) more deviled eggs before dinner. You know…the good times.
It’s for people who celebrate freedom by slowing down. Who believe music and memory go hand in hand. And who always, always, cry just a little during America the Beautiful (even if they pretend it’s just allergies, which it totally is). I really hope you enjoy it.
Here’s to a Fourth of July that feels like the best kind of summer memory—cozy, simple, and just the right amount of sparkly. ✨
