

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) speaks to a crowd at Liberty University on Monday. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Like any good presidential candidate courting conservative Republican voters, Ted Cruz is a country music fan.

In an interview with CBS News Tuesday, Cruz said he grew up listening to classic rock, but became a country fan after 9/11 because of how musicians responded to the attacks.

"I actually find this intellectually curious, but on 9/11, I didn't like how rock music responded, and country music collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me, and I just have to say just at a gut level, I had an emotional reaction that said these are my people," he said.

Country music was very patriotic following 9/11. Songs like "Only in America" by Brooks & Dunn, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" by Alan Jackson, and "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" by Toby Keith were all hits on Billboard's Country chart.

So, how did rock respond?

In October 2001, rock musicians like Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and the Who performed at The Concert for New York to benefit victims of the attacks; the Super Bowl halftime show in 2002 was a 9/11 tribute performed by U2.

There were also several musicians released songs about the attack:

Paul McCartney: "Freedom"

From the album: Driving Rain released November 2001

Sample lyrics: "I will fight / for the right / to live in freedom"

Also: He performed it at a New York benefit a month after the attack.

Bruce Springsteen: "The Rising"

From the album: The Rising released July 2002

Sample lyrics: "Sky of blackness and sorry / sky of love, sky of tears / sky of glory and sadness / sky of mercy, sky of fear"

Also: It was written about a NYPD firefighter climbing the World Trade Center tower after it was struck.

Neil Young: "Let's Roll"

From the album: Are You Passionate? released April 2002

Sample lyrics: "No one has the answer / but one thing is true / you've got to turn on evil / when it's coming after you."

Also: The song was inspired the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. Todd Beamer said the phrase "let's roll" over a phone on the plane before rushing the hijackers.

Wu Tang Clan: "Rules"

From the album: "Rules" released December 2001

Sample lyrics: "America, together we stand, divided we fall"

Also: It's not rock, but it's an example of another genre responding to the attack. Note that the lyrics may not be suitable for the workplace.

It's not as if rock didn't respond to 9/11, but you could argue, as Cruz seems to, it was a different type of support. Holding a benefit concert is a very pop/rock thing to do. Meanwhile, country music responded with songs that were unabashedly pro-America, something the genre was steeped in well before Sept. 11, 2001.

It's also worth noting that Cruz is more likely to get Toby Keith or Alan Jackson to okay their songs to be played at his campaign stops than Macca or the Boss.