“Goodbye summer, goodbye fall / You’re a sweet memory I still recall / My heart’s to blame, it’s my fault / It’s better to have loved you then never at all.”
I’ve written many times about my childhood in a household where 1960s and 1970s country music was often spinning on the family turntable. The odds are favorable that I was warbling along to choruses from Johnny Cash and Charlie Rich tunes long before reciting the alphabet (speculative on my part – but just painting the scene here). This genre was etched into my DNA from Day One – and try as we may to scrub away our connections to the genre, it’s still very much there…
I have also a vague recollection of a weekly show on British TV that offered highlights from The Grand Ole Opry performances from Nashville – aired around the late 70s or early 80s when British TV was still limited to three channels (how primitive life was back then). Essential viewing in our household, although as the years passed, this ‘old country music’ was becoming uncool for this pre-teen who was now discovering rock and metal. But resistance is often futile – even in the here and now – when something as simple as hearing the wails of vintage pedal steel can bring those memories flooding back.
With the GDW email inbox filling regularly right now with new music releases, NB-based roots band Jessica Rhaye and The Ramshackle Parade knew exactly how to bypass all obstacles and filters by tossing out key phrases such as 50s country to get their latest single pushed to the front of the pack. Combining old school country vibes with an artist who has not received any dedicated GDW coverage since 2024 – well, consider all essential boxes checked for inclusion here today.
“My Heart Belongs to You is a fun love song that echoes the spirit of 1950s country music and is inspired by a sweet love letter that I received as a teenage girl,” Jessica shares. “Though I never returned his feelings or his words, I kept that beautiful letter all these years, knowing someday it would become inspiration for a song…[that] turns that long-lost note into a toe-tapping tale of young love, heartbreak and longing that lingers with a smile.”
Accompanying the single is a fabulous music video that oozes vintage, time-capsule worthy visuals reminiscent of the heydays of those old WSM television broadcasts. “Set in the vintage charm of the Hampton Middle School Auditorium – with its original brown curtains and cozy stage – this music video captures the nostalgic heart of My Heart Belongs to You,” Jessica adds. “Styled like a 1950s country rockabilly band, we aimed for the feel of an old Grand Ole Opry variety show, complete with cowboy hats and fun, hand-crafted papier-mâché props.”
Photo Credit: Mark Hemmings
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
