Outdoor Arts & Culture

Country music has its rotation of cherished subjects –– trucks, cornfields, romances beginning in bars. For lovers of the outdoors, country songs also celebrate some of our favorite pursuits: afternoons on the river, early mornings in a deer stand or the duck blind. These 20 country songs are tributes to the great outdoors and the best ways to spend time in it — stellar candidates for your next pre-trip playlist. If you’re like us, you’re all for huntin’, fishin’, and lovin’ every day.

Blending tradition with nuance and creativity is no easy task in the world of music. Chris Pandolfi – banjo player and vocalist for the Grammy-winning Bluegrass band The Infamous Stringdusters – sat down with us to talk about the development of an outdoor mindset and the importance of remembering your roots in both Bluegrass and fishing.

Avid outdoorsman and fine artist Derek DeYoung draws inspiration from nature to create vibrant, captivating pieces that celebrate the pursuit of fish and wildlife. This article explores DeYoung’s roots, his profound connection to the natural world, and his ability to bridge his experiences with his creative vision.

From the early days of his youth to a career as a professional athlete, Ben Sweat has always loved the discoveries and growth afforded to him by time on the water. Over the course of his career playing for professional soccer clubs across the country, Ben has found his own unique outlet through fishing. For him, fishing acts as an important counterbalance to the constant travel, rigorous training, and complete focus required throughout his season. Now — as a defender for Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution with more than 10 years of professional soccer under his belt — Ben has begun to truly appreciate the value of his time on the water. We sat down with Ben to learn more about his journey through the not-so-disparate worlds of fishing and professional soccer.

It's easy to see how Martin Gerdin's creations could be mistaken for magic. Since the pandemic began, he has hand-blown dozens of meticulously detailed wild fish recreations from his glassblowing studio in Colorado.

Not many folks understand outdoor art like Michael Paderewski, owner of The Sportsman’s Gallery. Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Michael did some schooling stints in urban areas, but his head was always in the outdoors. “I grew up hunting with my family, and was very passionate about fishing too. In boarding school, my roommate taught me to fly fish and tie flies, and I actually began guiding trout in Colorado during summers in college. I guided a couple years after that and ran a fly shop for a bit as well.”