Becoming a father doesn’t necessarily take a lot of talent. But being a good dad – well, that is a tough undertaking. And just when Pop gets it figured out, the kid gets a little older and treats him differently. Or another one comes along and changes up the family dynamics.

Parenthood is actually a rich vein for songwriters to tap, and with Father’s Day upon us, it’s a perfect time to run through some of the best songs that deal with the old man. Some of your favorites might be missing. You could argue, for example, that the Mac Davis song “Watching Scotty Grow” belongs here or that “I Saw God Today” is a better fatherly entry from George Strait than “The Breath You Take.” But hey, that’s what lists are for: starting up a conversation. If you don’t see your favorite on here, let us know what’s missing!

In no particular order, here are 20 country songs for dads everywhere:

“Love Without End, Amen,” George Strait (1990) – The father/son relationship is often used by the church to explain God. George makes those allusions here, portraying Dad – and the guy upstairs – as someone who’s strict, loving and ultimately forgiving.

“That’s My Job,” Conway Twitty (1987) – Dad as protector, Dad as financier, Dad as inspiration from the grave. It sounds heavy, and it is. Beautifully so, with Vince Gill on supporting vocals.

“Drive (For Daddy Gene),” Alan Jackson (2002) – If your dad spent a lot of time under the hood of the car in the driveway, then Alan likely hit the nail on the head for you. There are plenty of car and boat parts in the song, but they’re just a vehicle to show how Dad steered you right.

“Seein’ My Father In Me,” Paul Overstreet (1990) – “I notice I walk the way he walks / I notice I talk the way he talks.” Get used to it, guys. Unless you work really hard at it, you’re going to be more like dear old dad than you ever expected.

“Daddy What If,” Bobby Bare (1973) – There’s something distinctly schmaltzy about this quasi-lullaby that Bobby recorded with his son, Bobby Bare Jr., who was all of seven years old when it was released. That schmaltzy quality, coupled with the obvious affection between Sr. and Jr., is exactly why it works. Continue Reading

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Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame added four new people to its rolls Sunday night. They’re four people whose names are more likely to be in parentheses in an album’s liner notes than on a marquee. But without writers such as Paul Davis, Pat Alger, Steve Cropper and Stephen Foster to come up with the words and the melodies, many of the folks with a microphone in their hands would have nothing to sing.

And the artists know it. That’s why Tanya Tucker, Jimmy Wayne, T. Graham Brown and Garth Brooks were among the acts who took part in Sunday’s induction ceremony at the Nashville Renaissance Hotel.

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Rosanne Cash photo courtesy of myspace.com/rosannecash.

Ronald Reagan, the DeLorean and parachute pants.

The 1980s were kind of strange — and we’re still paying for the greed-is-good mentality that the ‘80s movie Wall Street embraced.

Nevertheless, there were numerous artists worth their salt in that decade who still matter: Reba McEntire, Dwight Yoakam and George Strait had their first hits, for example. And several acts — including Rosanne Cash, Paul Overstreet and the Desert Rose Band — are still making their presence felt.

Here’s a look at some of the artists who reached their commercial peak during the ‘80s who are making a creative difference in slightly different ways:

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Big Kenny photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

You hear them every day on your radio or watch their videos on GAC. But country stars get involved in lots of things outside of country music.

Gretchen Wilson’s taking part in a big sports event, Kathy Mattea’s taking an environmental stance, Larry Gatlin and the Oak Ridge Boys are politicking and Big Kenny’s effort to find a lost friend came to a tragic ending.

Here’s what’s happening with some of your favorite stars outside the studio and away from the concert stage:

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Jason Michael Carroll photo by David Bean, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

To be a female celebrity is to undergo a constant evaluation of the latest hair style. Kellie Pickler’s shift from blonde to red and back to blonde? All over the ‘Net. Carrie Underwood’s new ‘do on the CMAs? Lots of folks registered opinions. Taylor Swift’s newly straightened locks? In some quarters, it gets more hits than stories about health care.

Hair is sort of a thing with male singer Jason Michael Carroll these days. When he came to prominence with a mop that wasn’t all that different from, say, a 1988 version of Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, Jason’s rock-star image — enhanced by the Steven Tyler-bred scarves hanging from his mic stand — cut a unique figure in country circles.

With the release of his Growing Up Is Getting Old album earlier this year, he’d mowed it all to a more manageable level. But when he hit the stage at Nashville’s Exit/In on Thursday, Jason evinced an even leaner cut. The back of his hair barely brushes the bottom of his collar, and the worldly soul patch is completely buzzed. The new JMC is cleaner, less brooding and… well, if you didn’t know he was born in 1978, you’d swear he was only 22.

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