My Soundtrack

Whether we realize it or not, our lives are like a movie. There is a soundtrack playing behind everything we do. We can ignore it. We can acknowledge it and move along to the beat. We can crank up the volume to drown out all the noise around us and get lost in it. My soundtrack is eclectic, if small. (or at least I thought it was small until I started typing it up....it's not even all inclusive. yikes.)

the Early years - Pop, soft rock, Christian.
the music we listened to at home and that spoke to me through the radio...
Belinda Carlisle
Debbie Gibson
New Kids on the Block (yes, I admit it. and FYI Donnie was my favorite)
Steven Curtis Chapman (had every album on cassette and met him twice)
Michael W. Smith
Amy Grant
Paula Abdul (that chick has moves!)
David Bowie (introduced through Jim Henson's movie "Labyrinth")
Bruce Springsteen
Europe (don't judge, they may be Swedish, but I was 10. and in the effort of full disclosure my friends and I performed a self-choreographed routine to "The Final Countdown" for our 4th grade talent show, while wearing jams. yep. we were cool.)

the Dating years - Country, old school rock, Christian pop, Christian Hip-Hop
my man grew up on rock but was in a Country phase when we met, and I was a cheerleader, thus explaining the hip-hop flava....
Alan Jackson
Garth Brooks
George Straight
Eric Clapton (my man's favorite guitarist. Wonderful Tonight was "our song")
Drivin' N Cryin' (a Georgia original and some of Southern Rock at its best, although they were really showing their age when we saw them live at the 40 Watt in Athens - late 90s)
Steve Miller Band
Bryan Adams (the soundtrack to "Robin Hood" with Kevin Costner.... mmm. mmm. mmm.)
dc Talk
Audio Adrenaline
Jars of Clay
Steven Curtis Chapman
Alanis Morrisette
Jimi Hendrix
Bad Company
Lynyrd Skynyrd (the definition of Southern Rock)
Third Day (the new band in our collection. first heard them at the Camp of all places. they were playing for their church's summer youth camp. this is now my favorite band of all time)
whatever music my cheerleading squad was using for routines

the Early Married Years - Christian ONLY
my man, being the spiritual leader that he is, was called to lead worship at our church and felt convicted that he needed to only put in music that praised the Lord in order to lead the people in worship. and with kids on the way we knew that we didn't want our toddlers singing "I'm going straight to Hell" or "rock my world little country girl" because of us. man, that change was HARD!
Third Day
Jars of Clay
Jennifer Knapp
Chris Tomlin
Point of Grace
Avalon
FFH
Wes King
Newsboys
Salvador (oh, those Latin rhythms. and when they sing it all in Spanish I really couldn't care less what they are saying. slow dancing to that is some good foreplay. just sayin')
anything played on Christian radio

Present Day - anything that makes me want to move and sing at the top of my lungs (in private of course. don't want to torture anyone.) but have to admit I am soooo over country music.
as my man and I have aged and grown in our spiritual walk, we feel that we are now able to appreciate good music without letting it affect us like it did when we were younger. this has freed us to dust off the old stuff and rock out while letting Pandora tell us what is out there now that we will like. but I still keep it on Christian radio or CDs when my kids are within earshot.
(almost) all the artists listed above are now back in the playlist, but here are some new additions
new Christian favs:
Superchic[k]
Barlow Girl
Kutless
Skillett
Francesca Battistelli
Hillsong
David Crowder* Band
Passion
Pillar
Thousand Foot Krutch (this is the kids' - and Russel's - favorite, without contest)

new secular favs:
really only know a few of the artists that sing the songs I like
Katy Perry
Black Eyed Peas
Pink
Bruno Mars
Five Finger Death Punch
Breaking Benjamin
Kelly Clarkson
Carlos Santana
Charo (this chick can play!)
some of the songs I have heard on my dancing shows (Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance) like: "My Chick Bad", "Bleeding in Love", "Otta Your Mind", "Mercy"

Dec 2012 -- I have discovered Halestorm (lead singer Lizzie Hale). Oh my. That girl can rock!

this list will grow and expand as I get to know who is singing what I like