As I was looking at my website data recently, I was blown away to learn that NOCO is now getting nearly 350,000 hits every month. It’s an awesome number, for sure, and I’m so grateful to everyone who’s reading. But at the same time, I’m also thinking, “Who the hell are all these people?”

Of course, local tradition should spur me to ask you, dear NOCO fans, where you went to high school – as if that will provide some deep insight. But I’m not interested in knowing who you were. I want to know who you are. Today. That’s why I’m launching a new column…

The Music of NoCo is basically a showcase of North County, as told through the music that people here love. I don’t know about you, but every memory of my life is naturally interwoven with the music I was listening to then. And if somebody wants to know where I’m “at” for the moment, they need only scan my iTunes playlist.

Music moves us. It brings us together. It opens our mind to new possibilities. So I want to know, North County: What are you listening to right now? From a musical standpoint, who are the people of NoCo?

Send me the name of your current favorite song, a note on why you love it, and a photo of yourself, and I’ll feature someone new every week or so. Bonus points if you can provide a link to the song. And yes, original music is welcome too. You can email submissions to shannon@NOCOstl.com (yep, cut & paste), and please put “Music of NoCo” in the subject line.

(Blue, Martin, Tim Gorry at KCFV – if you don’t send me something, I’m going to ask you anyway!)

In the mean time, I’ll kick things off with a song that is currently sending me over the moon: Chinese Translation by M.Ward, which is available at St. Louis County Library. I love, love, love so many things about this song – the Johnny Cash-style drums, the simple beauty of the lyrics, the clip-clop woodblock, the gritty warmth of the vocals from a vintage microphone.

There’s also a vaguely tropical feel that reminds me of a wonderful Hawaiian guitar CD my husband got from FOX2 weatherman Dave Murray, strangely enough. The whole thing makes me long for an open road and a new adventure. It also makes me wish I hadn’t left the M.Ward stage at Austin City Limits to go sit in the baking sun and hear a band whose only good song is now in a car commercial. Oh well.

I think Chinese Translation is a lovely, hopeful song, perfect for winter. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you’ll submit your favorite music too! I’m open to any genre and any time period. By the way, February’s edition of another new column, The Gardens of NoCo, will be posted soon!

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