As Halloween creeps around the corner, we couldn't resist asking some Country Music artists to spill their spooky season favorites.
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Last spring, I pointed out that none other than Johnny Cash considered the 1931 Universal Monster classic Frankenstein among one of his most beloved flicks.
I even speculated that Boris Karloff's all-black threads as the monster may have influenced Cash's "man in black" persona (sure, he has a song about that, but I digress).
That said, here are some modern Country Artists' ghostly picks they enjoy in October.
Slashers Kick Off the Halloween Favorites of Our First Country Artists
"Country Barbie" Becca Bowen kicked things off with a hallmark of the season.
"The "Halloween" movies are definitely my favorite scary movies to watch when October hits!" she gushed to Wide Open Country.
For Becca, part of the appeal of the venerable franchise (which has 13 installments and counting) is seeing hero final girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) going up against killing machine Michael Myers.
"It doesn't start feeling like Halloween to me until I watch Jamie Lee Curtis giving an incredible performance in this series of movies," Becca added. "It's become a tradition to watch them every Halloween."
To top it off, the Halloween movies even inspire Becca to conjure up her own scares with the help of that iconic Myers mask...
"I have the Michael Myers mask, and I always try to scare someone every year with it on Halloween night," Becca teased.
Meanwhile, Country Music's "Disco Cowboy" Adam Mac told WOC that he's a "bit of a baby" when it comes to watching horror movies. However, he discovered the Scream movies via his fiance and took to the meta-humor and over-the-top thrills of the long-running franchise. "I just recently watched them, which is crazy because they have been out since we were kids," Mac admitted of the slasher series, which kicked off in 1996.
Mac pointed out the scares come along with knowing laughs, serving as a gateway horror film for the Country artist. "So, I'm really into the cult, campy-classic-ness of the Scream franchise," he added.
Disney Halloween Favorites Also Make the List
Shifting from slashers to laughs, "Raised in a Barn" singer Erin Kirby picked a more recent Halloween offering.
"My favorite Halloween movie would have to be Hubie Halloween," she told us. The 2020 Adam Sandler flick offers up yucks and plenty of spooky season vibes.
"I chose this one because I am a big Adam Sandler fan," Kirby explained, adding, "He made this Halloween movie hilarious and not too spooky!"
Nashville-based artist Callie Twisselman went off the beaten path to conjure up a Halloween favorite with a romantic slant. "My favorite Halloween movie would probably be Practical Magic," she told WOC.
The 1998 romantic comedy featuring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sisters (and budding witches) has become something of a cult classic over the years. It's even been slated for a belated sequel.
"I love a good movie with some magic in it. Also love Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman," Callie added.
Next, we had some Halloween favorite quick shots from a trio of Country artists. Teenage crooner Jordana Bryant picked the 90s Disney favorite Halloweentown. Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Tori Rose aligned with another 90s Disney Halloween favorite, Hocus Pocus.
Breaking from the Disney fare was singer Amy Jack. The Oklahoma native picked The Nightmare on Elm Street movies as her favorite Halloween season watch, noting Freddy Kreuger as a stand-out horror villain.
Another Country Artist's Favorite Takes Us From Halloween to Christmas...
Rounding us out is prolific songwriter and singer Skip Ewing, who instantly picked The Nightmare Before Christmas as his must-watch come October. It makes sense that the lyricist would appreciate a musical Halloween offering so much.
"I think it's so well written and so well performed," Ewing said of the 1993 stop-animated classic. Skip also had a lost of praise for the music, written and performed by Oingo Boingo singer and film composer Danny Elfman. "I'm a huge Danny Elfman fan too. He's brilliant, you know."
Sure, The Nightmare Before Christmas is technically a Christmas season film. However, it does kick off with one of the best sequences about Halloween around ("The is Halloween"), and the movie all but takes over at places like Spirit Halloween during the spooky season.
PLUS, let's be real... most stores have switched out their Halloween Stuff for Christmas fare the last week of October anyhow, so it's only fitting it closes out this list...
