Hip hop. Rap. Pop. Even oldies. Tell someone you listen to them and people will, for the most part, respect it regardless of whether they listen to it themselves. Tell someone you like country music, however, and you receive a very different response. For whatever reason, there seems to be an unusual amount of stigma around being a country fan. However, whenever I question these passionate country music haters about what country they don’t like specifically, they’re often unable to name more than one artist, if even. So today I’m making a rather bold claim: people who don’t like country music simply haven’t given it a chance, and deep down inside every country hater is a diehard George Strait fan waiting to be born. My goal is not to convince you I’m right and you’re wrong, but rather to broaden your horizons and allow you to experience the wonderful blessing that is country music by breaking down the stereotypes and misconceptions that decades of prejudice have created. Firstly, country is not all about beer. Or other variations of alcohol. Or trucks. Country music is about anything and everything: love, heartbreak, family, home, and every aspect of life. Every song tells a story that anyone can connect with personally. Can you personally connect with rap? If so, are you a drug dealer? Zoey Nichols (10) said, “My favorite part about country is the flashbacks it gives me to my childhood.” Even if you didn’t grow up on country music, the ideas of staying true to your roots, loving your hometown, and putting your family first can inspire a sense of nostalgia in anyone who listens to the lyrics. My brother Luke Orr (9) was once an avid country opposer. Then I started driving him to school, and he conceded that the driver should choose the music. Soon, he came to realize he had judged country music quite wrongly. He said, “Country is easy to think it’s bad at first, but once you give it a chance, it’s actually really good.” So I implore you: let go of your pride, let go of your preconceived ideas, and allow yourself to enjoy the best genre of music.