Like the bee that pollinates just about all the produce we eat, I love it when a musician works with a lot of different genres. Â The epitome of that may just be Ryan Koening, who does everything from roots rock as a sideman to Pokey LaFarge, to blues with the Rum Drum Ramblers, to old timey cowboy with Southwest Watson Sweethearts.
 Koening is about to release a solo album, Two Different Worlds, and we’re proud here at Twangville to be able to premiere one of the songs, Strugglin’ With A Lot.  The album itself is kind of a shout-out to country music from a previous generation and I can hear influences from Doug Sahm, Tom T. Hall, and Buck Owens.  Strugglin‘ is a classic tale of a working farm woman and the struggles she endures.  It also has a classic country two-step sound.  You can just imagine couples twirling around on the dance floor while the lyrics tell you this woman is going to persevere and nothing will bring her down.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.