Hi, I’m Crystal—a ’90s country music nerd from a small town in rural West Tennessee.
By day, I work in marketing and communications. I have a B.S. in Journalism from Belmont University and am currently pursuing a master’s in strategic communication at the University of Tennessee at Martin. My résumé shapes how I write, but my blog is about my love of country music and the storytelling that defines it.
Roots & Rhinestones is a passion project inspired by a golden era—when superstars like Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Reba McEntire lifted the boats of equally brilliant artists like Suzy Bogguss, Bryan White, and Tracy Lawrence. I’m not a music critic and won’t pretend to be. I’m a fan, and this blog honors the artists, songs, and albums that shaped my formative years and continue to soundtrack my life.
Every column is personal. Every artist spotlight includes my Top 5 favorite songs and bonus album cuts. And every post is written with the hope that you’ll remember a forgotten favorite—or discover a new one.
I love music and reading. My dream job? Getting paid to talk about country music. But with a face for radio and voice for print media, I’m happy to write about it here—one memory and one melody at a time. No money down.
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