I grew up in a house filled with music and have listened to it from an early age. I grew up hearing a steady diet of Southern Rock from my dad and soft rock from my mother. In my teens I listened to a lot of heavy metal and later made the move to alternative.

Today, my tastes in music are quite broad and don't fit easily into any one category, but mostly I listen to rock and some country. What I listen to depends in large part on my mood. If I'm energetic and doing something like cleaning my house, I'll put on something up tempo (like Cyndi Lauper or some fast 80s music). If I'm working late at the computer and I need a "pick me up" it's got to punk music. If I'm working on something and don't want to be too distracted by the music, I'll play some classic country like Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson.

My MP3 player is loaded up with all these and set to shuffle so when I drive it is a great mash of songs. So if you see me at a stop light don't be surprised if the music goes from Duran Duran to Alan Jackson.

I also try to make it to a few live shows each year. I prefer small club shows to big arena events so my playlist also includes a few local bands.

Songs I might suggest:

The Gaslights and their song "Last Dollar" http://www.thegaslights.com

Kristie Stremel and her song "The Right Name" http://www.kristiestremel.com/news/

Hank Williams Sr. and his song "Lost Highway" http://www.hankwilliams.com/