Music is a common thread, a universal expression that connects us all. It reaches us with shared experiences and emotions, something we all understand, and it blooms through camaraderie with fellow listeners. Every nation celebrates something unique about its character through music, and within each region and state there are identifiable subcultures and personalities. New Orleans has jazz, Nashville is country, Memphis has the blues, the Pacific Northwest was home to grunge rock, and so on. The music represents the area and the people.