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That's grand, Jazzgirl, thank you!
I did not realise it was so well known, and so well spoken about.

Rusty, don't sweat it, we've all been there.
I hope you don't mind my saying that your posts are really poetic, they read like a country song entitled "Up on the downs" - I don't know if that horrifies you.
"Then I got married, then I got married.. I don't know how I did that , I wonder if the California is still there?" Terrific!

Gwladys,
I had to find out what "don't sweat it" meant!
Yes, the Downs are uplands, strange to say!
I was only married once.
I did not mean, or even realise, that I had entered it twice.
The Cali has gone!
It is now a housing estate.

Rusty, Yes, I saw your reply to Jazzgirl, but it was the unconscious repetition that grabbed me - and "up on the Downs." it was like a "found" poem.
First, my mind went drifting to "ups" and "downs" in songs - "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most"; "Been Down So Long, It Feels like Up to Me", and so on.
I like a bit country music now and again, and just this morning I'd been listening to Dwight Yoakam, singing "The Heart That You Own", and then I read your post. Thus the musing, and the post to you.

My late husband and I often used to go "up on the Downs" with our dogs. The ridge of the Albury downs, part of the North Downs, near to where I live. An amazingly beautiful place.

Gwladys,
I like Dwight Yoakam, too.
Especially The Streets of Bakersfield with Buck Owens.

Jazzgirl,
Had a wee look at the Downs on Google.
"Awfy bonnie", as we would say up here!

Rusty, I agree. I found the tribute Dwight Yoakam did at Buck Rogers's funeral very moving.
I don't know if you're familiar with James McMurty, a Texan singer-songwriter? My son put me on to him. I don't know what you'd call it, C & W doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps there ought to be a category headed "Americana." If you don't know him, have a look at the official video of "How'm I Gonnna Find You Now."
Talking of Dwight Yoakam and his like,
I wonder if your experience echoes mine?
When I was a stripling, and tyro jazzer, the battle lines were drawn: nothing else existed but trad jazz; we were "mouldy figs" and proud of it, and if you even hinted at a liking for pop or rock, or heaven forbid, modern jazz, you were cast into musical outer darkness.
Today it's such a change; you can be as eclectic as you like and the hell with it.
Mind you, some remained hard core jazzers - it is said that when Buddy Rich was about to be wheeled into the operating theatre for open-heart surgery, after an excellent prognosis, he was still very agitated. His wife said, "What's bothering you now?" Rich said, "Country music."

I don't know James McMurty, Gwladys.
Could it be country-rock music?
I quite like that. I was a fan of the late Gram Parsons, and Emmylou Harris.
Nowadays, I like different kinds of music, but avoid pop.
Some great stuff out there!