Howdy, I'm a Black female rabbi with Southern roots living and loving life in North Carolina. I am on a journey of learning, discovery, and embodying the music that came from my ancestors who were slaves in this land. I don't remember a time when I did not love Blues music. I can hear the sadness and history of the blues in my mother's voice singing in the kitchen. And the joy and the hope from my Dad singing blues-influenced country songs. Over the years, I've grown to love other types of roots music that grew out of the American South, such as Bluegrass and Country music. Roots music comes from the lived experiences of ordinary people, many of whom in our society are defined by race, class, and gender. Music has often been a way for black, brown, and white people to come together and transcend our social limits imposed by segregation, racism, and sexism.