Metal Mondays: Music reflects political contexts, personal relationships

The first time I remember listening to Tanya Tucker’s song “Delta Dawn” was at a restaurant in the Florida panhandle called Redd’s. It was a gas station-restaurant-karaoke bar amalgamation my family had read about online, where the only singer was a woman named Redd, who I assumed was the owner. Instead of those dining in walking up to sing, you could pay Redd to sing a song chosen from a book reminiscent of a Cheesecake Factory menu. 

In the crammed, dimly lit bar that seemed to be held together by wooden planks and red wallpaper, Redd weaved through the labyrinth of tables, singing. My cousin requested “Delta Dawn,” and although I knew the song, the earliest memory I have of hearing it is in Redd’s titular and surreal station.