0707 CLM - Country Line Magazine

4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
IN THIS ISSUE
F E AT U R E S
CD spotlight:walt wilkin’s
& the mystiqueros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
martina mcbride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
keith urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
DEPARTMENTS
Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
by Sandra Greaney
Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Movie Reviews
Recipe & Grandma’s Hints
by Shirley Baker
on the trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
by Kendall Hemphill
Cowboy Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
On Pit Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
by Chuck Licata
The Texas Outdoor Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
by Larry LeBlanc
Fishing Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
by Don Gordon
w w w. c o u n t r y l i n e m a g a z i n e . c o m
5 1 2 - 2 9 2 - 1113
MAILING ADDRESS
9508 CHISHOLM TRAIL • AUSTIN, TEX. 78748
LETTERS & COMMENTS
[email protected]
OR MAIL TO ADDRESS ABOVE
PUBLISHER & EDITOR |
T. J. Greaney
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Chuck Licata, Don Gordon, Kendall Hemphill,
Larry LeBlanc, Sandra Greaney,
Sheryl Bucsanyi, Shirley Baker,
I
Roof Leaks, Flat Tires
and Other Fun Things
I was driving down the road early one
morning not long ago and came to a stop
on the freeway in traffic. Frustrated and
aggravated, I looked around and saw a guy
in a small compact car with a nice starch
shirt and tie on, drinking a cup of coffee. I
imagined he had to be a work at 9 a.m.
and was early. His car was clean on the
outside and I fantasized he must have
gone through the carwash as part of his
routine on Saturday. In my mind he
worked a government job that did not
require him to have a cell phone after 5
p.m. or weekends. I thought about how
nice it must be to not have those worries.
I thought he probably lives in a home or a
new loft maybe. He has a lawn service and
a maid or even no lawn at all!
I was in my truck headed to buy some
roofing materials for my home. I had a roof
leak for a while and needed to tear it all out
and replace it. My day started early with
some tear out, so I was covered with dirt and
grit. The day before a tire had shred on the
truck, and I had to deal with it out in the
country on an old gravel road. The truck
was dirty and I felt sweaty and grubby
already. All in all none of this was in my
planner for this week.
Now I am not one to be whining about
being dirty or hard work. I have done and do
my share. But as I am getting older, it appeals
to me less. I can still get in there with the big
boys and make it happen — I just don’t like
to. I don’t mind it so much early in the
morning with a cigar, that part I kinda like,
but in limited amounts. I have had my time
in the construction field.
What I was doing that morning
watching that fellow was probably
something everyone does. The grass is
greener on the other side, nobody has the
problems I have, I hate my life and more. I
have been there plenty of times — and that
day on the drive to the supply house — I was
wallowing in it good. Self pity and woe is me
to the core.
Sometimes to get past these burdens we
have to look for medical assistance,
medication, therapy and more. I have done
them all at one point in my life or another.
Today I still struggle, but I know from past
experiences things get better, it will pass. I
know that the crisis of yesterday is a memory
I cannot recall. How could that be?
In the Bible there is a story of a guy
named Job. He was the man, for years. He
had land, horses, goats and lots of camels. He
had it all. Then he lost it all — he got sick
and was cast out from his family and friends.
F
I mean, if you want to read a story of someone
who hit bottom — he did. But through it all
he never blamed anyone, never screamed
cuss words at God. He took responsibility,
not really knowing what he did or did not do,
and dealt with it.
To me there are too many people who
blame others for their hard times or
misfortune. They blame others for the lack of
happiness or opportunity in their lives. They
don’t like their lives. Martin Luther King Jr.
said once, “The ultimate measure of a man is
not where he stands in moments of comfort
and convenience but where he stands at
times of challenge and controversy.”
We all do it to some degree, we covet
thy neighbor’s “whatever,” new vehicle, yard,
house, girl or boy friend. We dislike our jobs
for all kinds of reasons. But I can tell you that
whatever you do or whomever you are, there
is someone who would covet your gifts,
property, lifestyle, medical treatment
opportunities or job.
The back porch flooded last night so I
have to dig a ditch and put in some pipe. The
wet vac won’t work and the starter rope on
the pressure washer broke off inside the
carriage. But you know, all in all — the grass
looks good from all the rain. I love the sound
of the rain and how it does slow the world
down temporarily. I am also blessed to have a
house to work on.
By the way, Job did get all he lost back
— and more. He was faithful and honorable
and God blessed him. It was hard and he
could have buckled, but he didn’t. I don’t
know if I am that strong — and I pray I don’t
have to be. But I can dig a ditch, re-roof a
garage and next time I might do it in a tie,
with a cigar of course.
God bless,
T. J. Greaney
Publisher
[email protected]
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 5
DR. PEPPER COUNTRY!
Question: What do you get when you
combine America’s oldest major soft
drink, today’s hottest music artists, and the
world’s largest retailer?
Answer: A win-win-win situation
where dedicated fans pack their local WalMart store to meet their favorite
performers, buy their latest music and
sample Dr Pepper products.
Since September 2004 The
Consortium,
an
entertainment
management, marketing and consulting
firm in Nashville, has coordinated the
marketing efforts and logistics for this
successful series of artist appearances. The
series’ 150th event was held Saturday, June
16, with Charlie Daniels in Santa Fe, New
Mexico.
Daniels calls his multiple series
appearances "the best, most pleasant instore appearances I’ve done. It’s wonderful
to see that this far into my career, there are
still people who relate to the music and
want to come out and say hello and shake
my hand. Plus, I got to drink all the Diet
Dr Pepper I wanted.”
Other artists who have participated in
the Dr Pepper-sponsored events include
Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rodney
Atkins, Sherrié Austin, Jeff Bates, Dierks
Bentley, Tracy Byrd, Deana Carter, Mark
Chesnutt, Billy Currington, Charlie
Daniels, Billy Dean, Emerson Drive, Erika
Jo, Hootie & The Blowfish, Tracy
Lawrence, Little Big Town, Los Lonely
Boys, Neal McCoy, Lorrie Morgan, David
Lee Murphy, Jamie O’Neal, Ricky Skaggs,
Aaron Tippin, Darryl Worley and Chely
Wright.
The events often coincide with an
artist’s album release and tour dates,
providing
additional
marketing
opportunities, including an occasional
live, acoustic performance inside the WalMart store.
The events are also used to celebrate
store grand openings and other special
events. In October 2005 Chely Wright
appeared on the former site of a Wal-Mart
store in Waveland, Mississippi, to salute
the brave residents in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina with a free concert and
lunch provided by Dr Pepper.
MERLE HAGGARD’S
NEW ALBUM
Cracker Barrel is proud to present
Merle Haggard’s newest album, Working
Man’s Journey. This gritty blue-collar
album is meant to target those men and
women who spend every day of their lives
wiping the grease from their hands and
digging dirt from their fingernails.
Haggard’s 40-plus year career has been
nothing short of amazing. He has had 40 #
1 hit songs and has won three Grammy
awards. He has received 15 awards from
the Country Music Association and the
Academy of Country Music, including
multiple Top Male Vocalist and
Entertainer of the Year awards.
Working Man’s Journey includes
twelve songs, six of which are new
numbers. The Hag has never sounded
better!
6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
SUZY BOGGUSS
RELEASES NEW CD
Multi might be the best adjective to
describe talented singer/songwriter Suzy
Bogguss. Multi-award-wining, multiplatinum, and as her new CD Sweet
Danger so expertly proves, she’s multifaceted. She co-produced the album with
famed jazz/pop keyboardist and producer
Jason Miles, who’s worked with Miles
Davis, Luther Vandross and Sting. The
two brought together Nashville and New
York musicians, culling the best of both
worlds to create an instantly engaging,
groove-oriented record infused with jazz
rhythms and Bogguss’ signature vocals.
This highly anticipated album will be
released September 4th on Loyal Dutchess
Records.
She says recording the album was one
of the most challenging and freeing
experiences of her career. “I love the
sweetness of making a snap decision and
the danger of living with the
consequences. When I went to New York
the first time and we started to record I
thought, ‘Oh my God, what is this music?’
I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t know
how to control it. But then I just let go,
enjoyed the process and followed the
music wherever it needed to go. I came
home with these tracks that were new and
different and that was so exciting. I
couldn’t wait to get started writing the rest
of the album.”
Fans will soon be able to share her
enthusiasm. Sweet Danger, like all of her
previous work, is filled with songs full of
emotional integrity. She covers Chicago’s
“If You Leave Me Now” and creates a
totally new vibe by stripping the song
down to its emotional core and rebuilding
it with a tight acoustic ensemble. “No
Good Way To Go” is a tongue-in-cheek
lesson in “the break up” delivered in a
bluesy, whispered rap. She turns to
husband/songwriter Doug Crider for “In
Heaven,” the emotional centerpiece of
the album written about some of the
couple’s best friends.
Throughout her career Bogguss has
shown a knack for blending songs of
substance and depth with mass-market
appeal. Songs like “Aces,” “Drive South,”
“Someday Soon,” “Outbound Plane” and
“Letting Go” took her to the top of the
country music charts. Along the way she
won raves from critics and her peers. She
won the Country Music Association’s
Horizon Award in 1992 and Album of the
Year Award in 1994.
Sweet Danger is a natural evolution
from the universally-praised album, Swing,
which she recorded in 2003 with Ray
Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, and
Simpatico, her earlier much loved
collaboration with Chet Atkins. Still, as
the title of the new album implies, she had
to risk following her muse into uncharted
musical territory in order to find these
newest treasures.
With great risk comes great reward,
and discerning music lovers are the real
winners here. Suzy Bogguss dares to take
the road less traveled and that has made all
the difference.
OUTDOOR RADIO
LIVE
IN
AUSTIN
The Texas Outdoor Zone Radio Show
www.texasoutdoorzone.com
Exclusively on 1300AM The Zone
6 - 8 am
Every Saturday
Morning
J•U•L•Y
4-WED 4th of July Picnic
15+ bands, noon-1am
RICKY CALMBACH
Ricky Calmbach has given Texas Music its George Strait for the 21st
century. The first time I heard him sing I knew he would be a powerful
voice for this generation of Texas Outlaws. —Cory Morrow
Wed, July 4 . . . . . . . . . .Giddings FD 4th of July Fundraiser
Fri, July 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lone Star Saloon (Uvalde, TX)
Sat, July 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cotton Club (Granger, TX)
22308 HWY 71 WEST
SPICEWOOD, TEX.
512/264-0318
5-THU
Douglas Warrier
6-FRI
Pauline Reese, special guest
Monty “Hawkeye” Henson
Texas Boogie opens
7-SAT
Tahni Handal
13-FRI
Slim Richeys Dream Band
and Jitterbug Vipers
14-SAT Phillip Glyn
Voted on of the Top 20 Places to
Visit in Austin . —Austin Chronicle
21 AND OLDER
TUESDAYS
The Troubadillos
WEDNESDAYS
Open Mic Night
w/ Fond Kiser
20-FRI
Dixie Beal
21-SAT Ray Wylie Hubbard
Magnolia opens
22-SUN Wes Harris’ Famous Peanut
Butter Pork Chops Sunday
Music on the Deck
26-THU Tony Barker
28-SAT K.C. Edwards
Rip Lorick opens
Fri, July 13 . . . . . . . . .Rockdale Jubilee Days (Rockdale, TX)
Sat, July 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Texas Hall of Fame (Bryan, TX)
Check out our menu, music calendar and events at
W W W. R I C K Y C A L M B A C H . C O M
WWW.POODIES.INFO
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7
by Pauline Reese
SUNNY SWEENEY
NOMINATED AWARD
The Americana Music Association
has announced Big Machine Records
artist Sunny Sweeney as a nominee for
the 2007 “New and Emerging Artist”
Award. The 6th Annual Americana
Music Honors and Awards will take
place on Nov. 1st at the historic Ryman
Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.
Sweeney is in very good company —
she has been nominated alongside Amy
LaVere, The Avett Brothers and Uncle
Earl for the coveted award. Nominees
are chosen by members of the
Americana Music Association and
eligibility is based on work released
during a 12-month time period from
June 1, 2006-May 31, 2007.
“The nominations reflect the
diversity and ever growing popularity of
Americana Music,” says AMA
Executive Director Jed Hilly. “Today’s
nominees are responsible for some of the
finest music being made and I am
confident the awards show in November
will be a musical night to remember.”
For more information on Sunny
Sweeney, visit sunnysweeney.com
LUCIE DIAMOND
DUETS WITH
DELBERT MCCLINTON
Lucie Diamond joins a star-studded
list of female singers including Bonnie
Raitt, Tanya Tucker and Martina McBride
who have all sung duets with multiGrammy winner Delbert McClinton.
The Texas-born roots star added his
worldclass vocal skills to Lucie’s debut
album I Wanna Be Rich at the end of May
in a top Nashville recording studio, on
the rocking song “Closed Curtain.”
Having previously only dueted with
one European artist before — a
Norwegian in 1992 — Lucie is the first
non American to sing with Delbert in
more than 15 years, and the only British
artist to ever duet with him.
Winning a Grammy for his last CD
Cost Of Living, and a prolific songwriter
8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
with his songs covered by a host of big
names in country and blues, Delbert is at
the top of his game and delivered a
blistering soul-soaked vocal to add to
Lucie’s raunchy delivery on the song.
Some of Nashville’s finest A-list session
players provided the music on the track.
“It is funny, but there was only ever
one man who we knew was the right
choice to sing this song with me. We
both agreed Delbert could make this
song sound fantastic, it would be a
unique pairing and we both absolutely
love his voice. The producer has a stack
of Delbert’s CDs, and names him as one
of his all-time favorite singers in any
genre of music.
“When he turned up at the studio in
Nashville and sang the song, it was just a
wonderful day and Delbert was a really
lovely guy and so easy to work with. On
a duet there must be chemistry, and we
all think there is with us on this song. I
just had a big grin on my face all day as it
was so, so cool to work with Delbert.
I Wanna Be Rich is to be released on
July 14th, the same date Lucie headlines
the biggest country music festival in
Europe to at least 40,000 people in France
— the only British artist to ever headline
that festival in its 15-year history.
Pre-release signed copies of her new
CD can be ordered from Lucie’s official
Web site luciediamond.com, at her
forthcoming
shows
and
from
myspace.com/luciediamond
CLINT BLACK BACK
IN THE STUDIO
Equity Music Group’s Clint Black
has reunited in the studio with longtime
friend and producer James Stroud to coproduce Black’s latest recording.
Together Black and Stroud created some
of the artist’s biggest hits, including five
#1 singles from Black’s debut album,
Killin’ Time.
Black’s brand new single, “The
Strong One,” is on the radio now and is
from his forthcoming full length album
expected for release this fall. For
additional information on Black visit
www.clintblack.com.
TEXAS MUSIC CD SPOTLIGHT
WALT WILKINS
Diamonds in the Sun
PA L O D U R O R E C O R D S
Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros,
the legendary Texas songwriter and his
new group of exceptionally talented
musicians, will release on July 24 on
Tex-centric label Palo Duro Records
their debut album, Diamonds In The Sun.
The CD was produced by Lloyd
Maines, recorded at The Zone Studio
in Dripping Springs and mastered at
Terra Nova Digital Audio in Austin
with Americana gems like “Trains I
Missed,” which is already creating a
buzz, “The Shape I’m In” and “Stand
Up Seven.”
The album includes six tracks by
Wilkins, two by band members, and
three covers by the likes of The Band,
Davis Raines, Ray Stephenson & Bob
Dipiero. Live performances are already
drawing comparisons to The Eagles,
but the band also reflects influences
such as Poco, The Lost Gonzo Band,
and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Joining Wilkins on acoustic guitar
are Bill Small on bass, percussion and
acoustic guitar; John M. Greenberg
and Marcus Eldridge on electric
guitars; and Ramon Rodriguez on
drums and percussion. All five are
singers, four are songwriters and each
has made his own records. Maines also
contributed turns on steel guitar,
baritone guitar, acoustic high-string
guitar and mandolin.
A week before the release of
Diamonds In The Sun, Palo Duro
Records will re-issue, first only digitally
then manufactured for retail, three of
Wilkins’ earlier albums, 2002’s
Rivertown, made while he worked in
Nashville; 2004’s Mustang Island, with
its “tunes ... like the wind and the river
and the rain”; and “the genuine,
meaningful” Hopewell from 2005.
Wilkins, a gifted songwriter, has
earned comparisons to Guy Clark and
Kris Kristofferson. His credits include
“Songs About Texas,” the single that
launched Pat Green’s career, Ricky
Skaggs’ “Seven Hillsides” from the
Grammy Award-winning Soldier Of
The Cross and Ty Herndon’s “Big
Hopes,” which was the title track for
that record. Most recently, Grammy
Award-winning artist Pam Tillis
recorded on her new CD his
“Someone, Somewhere Tonight” from
Hopewell.
Catch Wilkin’s live here in Austin
… July 11 at Hill's Cafe (KVET Free
Concert Series) and on July 24 at
Antone’s for his CD Release Party &
Show.
For more info, visit Walt’s Web
site: www.waltwilkins.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9
MARTINA MCBRIDE WILL BE
“WAKING UP LAUGHING”
A
I N A U S T I N O N S AT U R D AY, J U LY 14
AFTER 16 MILLION IN SALES AND
22 top 10 singles, some artists might be
afraid to tinker with success and tempt
fate. But not Martina McBride.
McBride released Waking Up
Laughing on April 3 and she’ll be
bringing her powerhouse voice along
with special guest Little Big Town to
the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday,
July 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Since her debut in 1992, McBride
has maintained constant presence on
the country charts and has also
enjoyed crossover success in the pop
and adult contemporary genres. As
one of country music’s most consistent
stars, McBride has another strong
outing with Waking Up Laughing and
her debut single, "Anyway," is the
fastest rising single of her career. For
this album, McBride breaks new
ground by serving as producer, writer
and artist and the result is being called
“her best creative effort yet.”
Little Big Town is a quartet
consisting of two women, Karen
Fairchild and Kimberly Roads, and two
men, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet,
each taking turns as the lead singer
which is unique in the
country music world.
Their latest album
Road to Here just
celebrated platinum
sales status this past
week.
Tickets for Martina
McBride with special
guest Little Big Town at
the Frank Erwin Center
Saturday, July 14 at 7:30
p.m. are $39.75, $49.75,
$59.75
10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
KEITH URBAN
K
L O V E , PA I N & T H E W H O L E C R A Z Y T H I N G
KEITH URBAN’S MUCH ANTICIPATED
return to the concert stage is set for
Tuesday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Frank
Erwin Center with special guest The
Wreckers. Tickets went on sale in
February.
“I’m looking forward to getting
back on the road, to reconnecting with
everyone and to doing what it is that I
love to do,” said Urban. “To finally be
able to present the songs from Love,
Pain & the whole crazy thing live, is
something that I’ve been looking
forward to doing since recording the
album.”
The first leg of the “Love, Pain &
the whole crazy World Tour” began
Friday, June 8 in Phoenix, Arizona
before arriving in Austin. The 33-city,
36-performance arena tour promises
Urban’s trademark electrifying shows,
world-class production and a concert
that is sure to feature the hits from his
recent multi-platinum release, Love,
Pain & the whole crazy thing, as well as
many of the #1s that have defined his
career. Sure to be included; “Better
Life,” “Days Go By,” “Who Wouldn’t
Wanna Be Me,” “You’ll Think of Me”
and his record breaking songs
“Somebody Like You” and “Once In A
Lifetime.”
Keith Urban grew up in Australia
with parents who loved American
culture, especially country music. The
first records he heard were by Charley
Pride, Dolly Parton, Don Williams and
Jim Reeves. He picked up a guitar at age
6 and knew by 7 that he would go to
Nashville to play country music. By age
8, he was winning country music talent
shows and had steady work in a band as
a teenager. After hearing the music of
Dire Straits, he bought the band’s
albums and learned every song note by
note. He began to throw what he
learned into his solos onstage. The
resulting fusion of rock-style guitar
work with country music has become
Urban’s signature style.
In what has been a relatively short
period of time Urban has amassed seven
#1 singles and 13 Top 5 singles. His
latest album, Love, Pain &
the whole crazy thing,
debuted at #1 on the
Billboard Country Album
Chart giving him his
second consecutive #1
album. The first single
from the album, “Once In
A Lifetime,” set a record
as the highest debuting
song in the history of the
Billboard Hot Country
Singles Chart. His latest,
“Stupid Boy,” recently
entered the Top 5.
The Wreckers are
on tour promoting their
first album Stand Still
Look Pretty. Former
solo artists, Michelle
Branch and Jessica Harp have put
together an album that focuses on
expressionism of a young heart using
the sounds of the banjo and mandolin.
The result is modern country at its best.
Tickets for Keith Urban with
special guest The Wreckers at the Frank
Erwin Center Tuesday, July 3 at 7:30
p.m. are $39.50 and $49.50
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 11
12 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
by Sandra Greaney
J
F July is usually a time when family
and friends come into to town for a
visit and we forget all that Austin has
to offer. Usually it’s because we have
gone to these events and places so
many times we tend to take them for
granted. There is bat watching or
going to the Bob Bullock Museum,
maybe a climb up Mount Bonnell or
catching a Zilker Hillside Theater
production. There is so much to do
here in Central Texas — here is a little
memory jogger for us all.
9991 theshadygrove.com/unplug.html
J U LY- N O V E M B E R B A T W A T C H I N G
Bat Watching is always fun here in
Central Texas. As a matter of fact from
April thru Nov. it’s one of the most
popular attractions here in Austin.
The 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed
bats that live beneath the Congress
Avenue Bridge take flight in a mass
exodus each night at dusk. It’s an
awesome sight!
J U L Y 5 - 2 6 N A T U R E N I G H T S offer
around austin
ALL SUMMER (THRU AUG 4)
S P L A S H P A R T Y M O V I E N I G H T S at Deep
Eddy Pool have been a popular escape
from the heat here in Austin. Catch a
movie and take a swim all at the same
in the spring-fed pool or lay on the
lawn. 512/472-8546 | July 7: Over the
Hedge (PG13) | July 14: We are Marshall
| July 21: Charlotte’s Web | July 28:
Happy Feet
ALL SUMMER (THRU AUG. 22)
B L U E S O N T H E G R E E N at Zilker Park.
These summer concerts bring in some
of Austin’s finest musicians every other
Wednesday at the Zilker Park Rock
Island (on the north side of Barton
Springs Road). They’re also free except
for $3 parking off Stratford Drive
under the Mopac Bridge. Showtimes
are 7:30-9:30pm
ALL SUMMER (THRU SEPT) C L A S S I C
F I L M S E R I E S at Paramount Theater. You
can enjoy more than 80 classic films as
they were meant to be seen. 512/ 4725470, austintheatre.org
ALL SUMMER (THRU SEPT 27) K G S R ’ S
U N P L U G G E D A T T H E G R O V E each
Thursday at Shady Grove, 1624 Barton
Springs Road. Musicians perform
acoustic sets at 8 p.m. on the
restaurant’s tree-shaded patio. 512/474-
outside the
city limits
ALL SUMMER (THRU LABOR
D A Y ) C O R R A L T H E A T R E See the stars
under the stars at Wimberley’s walk-in
outdoor theatre! Movies showing this
month include Spiderman 3, Surf’s Up
and Bridge to Terabithia. Visit their Web
site for show listings, corraltheatre.com
ALL
SUMMER
CANYON TRAIL
CHUCKWAGON SUPPER AND COWBOY MUSIC
SHOW at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Hill
Country at Canyon Lake. Treat the
familyl
to
some
“family-style
entertainment, some homespun humor,
served up with true western flavor!” As
a family we have been to a similar
event in Colorado a few years ago and
had a blast, so I’m looking forward to
checking this one out too. 877/9643731. jellystonehillcountry.com
JULY
13-14
THE MCDADE
W A T E R M E L O N F E S T I V A L 512/273-0018
J U LY 2 0 - 2 1 A NIGHT IN OLD
F R E D E R I C K S B U R G Family fun in
downtown Fredericksburg … where
the fun never sets. Great German food
and drink, German music, arts and
crafts, kids area, historical exhibits,
and more. Friday, 6pm-midnight;
Saturday, 11:30am-midnight. $6 per
person; 2-day pass $10; $1 for kids 12
and under. Location: Marktplatz (100
block W. Main). For more info, call 1866-TEX-FEST (839-3378) or visit
tex-fest.com.
As we celebrate Independence
Day let us all remember those who are
fighting for our freedoms that we all
get to enjoy. Not to mention that they
risk their lives to save not only ours but
the innocent lives of those who live in
the war torn zones. May God bless you
now and always.
E-MAIL YOUR EVENTS TO
[email protected]
F O R C O N S I D E R AT I O N . S PA C E L I M I T S
O P P O R T U N I T Y.
an
exciting
and
interactive
opportunity for children and their
families to explore the animals, plants
and the ecology of Central Texas. Join
the folks at the Lady Bird Johnson
Center every Thursday from 6-9 p.m.
Cost: $1 per person and with each
program you’ll explore new topics that
feature a habitat hike, thematic crafts
and activities galore! wildflower.org
JULY 7-AUG 11 SUMMER MUSICAL
P R O D U C T I O N “ M Y F A V O R I T E Y E A R ” This
family friendly event runs from July 7
through Aug. 11. It is a great way to
spend a summer evening, after a
relaxing afternoon next door at Barton
Springs Pool. zilker.org
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13
by Shirley Baker
BOOK
Bluegrass Odyssey: A Documentary
in Pictures and Words, 1966-86
CARL FLEISCHHAUER AND
N E I L V. R O S E N B E R G
Congress’s Office of Strategic
Initiatives. Grammy Award-winner
Neil V. Rosenberg is the professor
emeritus of folklore at Memorial
University of Newfoundland. He is the
author of Bluegrass: A History and
coauthor of The Music of Bill Monroe.
BOOK
The Music of Bill Monroe
N E I L V. R O S E N B E R G A N D
CHARLES K. WOLFE
14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
G R A N D M A’ S H I N T S
?
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle of your wash to soften clothes
Need to remove grass stains from white clothing? Pour full-strength
white vinegar on the stain, let soak, then wash
Out of toothpaste? Sprinkle baking soda in your hand, then dip your
wet toothbrush into it and brush.
To soften cuticles, soak fingers in baking soda and water mixture.
Dip cut flowers in solution of baking soda and water to sustain their life.
Neutralize battery acid by applying baking soda to the area.
?
The music and culture of bluegrass
as revealed through striking photographs
and commentary
“This book is about not just the
musicians but also the devoted fans, the
streets and stores and offices, the buses
and pickups and festival sites and
musical instruments and traditions that
reveal the cultural landscape of
bluegrass. Rosenberg’s narratives set the
stage for Fleischhauer’s compelling,
black-and-white
photographs,
photographs that invoke a remarkable
intimacy in the revealing faces, the
intensity and stillness, at the hillside and
nightclub, in the parking lot jams or at a
peaceful mountain gravesite.” — Choice
The fruit of four decades of
collaboration between bluegrass
music’s premier photographer and
premier historian, Bluegrass Odyssey is
a satisfying and visually alluring
journey into the heart of a truly
American music. Combining Neil V.
Rosenberg’s commentary with more
than
two
hundred
of
Carl
Fleischhauer’s photographs, this
elegant visual documentary captures
the music making together with the
culture and community that foster it.
Carl Fleischhauer coordinates
digital library projects in the Library of
Spanning over 1,000 separate
performances, The Music of Bill Monroe
presents a complete chronological list
of all of Bill Monroe’s commerciallyreleased sound and visual recordings.
Each chapter begins with a narrative
describing Monroe’s life and career at
that point, bringing in producers,
sidemen, and others as they become
part of the story. The narratives read
like a “who’s who” of bluegrass,
connecting Monroe to the music’s
larger history and containing many
fascinating stories.
The second part of each chapter
presents the discography. Information
here includes the session’s place, date,
time, and producer; master/matrix
numbers, song/tune titles, composer
credits, personnel, instruments, and
vocals; and catalog/ release numbers
and reissue data. The only complete
biodiscography of this American
musical icon, The Music of Bill Monroe
is the starting point for any study of
Monroe’s contributions as a composer,
interpreter, and performer.
Grammy Award-winner Neil V.
Rosenberg is the professor emeritus of
folklore at Memorial University of
Newfoundland. He is the author of
Bluegrass: A History and coauthor of
Bluegrass Odyssey. The late Charles K.
Wolfe (1943-2006) was professor of
English at Middle Tennessee State
University. Author of the awardwinning A Good-Natured Riot: The
Birth of the Grand Ole Opry, he
produced many other books on aspects
of southern American music.
?
Each month Country Line has the opportunity to review lots of music. We also
have been blessed to preview many new books and movies over the last few
years and in the next few months there will be a lot of opportunities for you
to relax with one of these great books or films. Here are a few favorites we
picked to review this month. These are hand picked for the whole family.
This month I am going to deviate from the usual
recipe column and invite you to join me in a fabulous
outdoor cooking feast! With the weather being so hot
and humid, cooking indoors is not even a current
thought so we have come up with this meal we hope
you try and enjoy with us.
We have recently found a new steak! It is called
the Flat Iron Steak which is cut from sections of
larger roasts using a new cutting method and believe
me, tender doesn’t even begin to describe this steak.
We rub the steak with our favorite store bought rub, or come up with your
own concoction. Grill the steak turning occasionally to avoid burning. Here the
chef is on his own but we like rare and juicy meat. Beside the steak, rub asparagus
spears with olive oil and grill next to portabella mushrooms, onions and firm
tomatoes. We let our imaginations run rampant with vegetables to grill beside the
steaks as everyone seems to have their favorite veggie.
All our friends want to know when
they are going to be invited over again just
to taste this succulent meal. We jokingly
say we serve a deliciious meal, your
favorite libation, great conversation,
relaxed atmosphere and NO TIPPING.
Let us know your favorite gathering meal
cooked outdoors in the summer. We’d love
to hear from you. [email protected]
?
MOVIE & BOOK REVIEWS
by Kendall Hemphill
summer hunting camp for boys, he asked
me to teach orienteering, which is
navigating with a map and compass. I
tried to get him to let me teach
something the boys would be able to
understand a little easier, like quantum
Austin, and publishes Country Line
Magazine. He is one of the most
dedicated outdoor communicators I
know, and is always looking for a way to
get kids involved in hunting and fishing.
His motto is “No child left inside.” I’ve
known TJ for almost ten years, and every
time I see him he’s smiling, but I’ve
learned to overlook petty faults like that.
Travis Gray, one of the camp guides
and a darn fine guitar picker, helped me
physics or investment banking or
neurosurgery, but he already had
someone lined up for the simple stuff.
TJ designed the camp specifically for
boys who don’t get many opportunities to
enjoy the great outdoors, or don’t have a
dad or other man around to teach them
about essential stuff like hunting, fishing
and exaggerating. The first camp session
ended up with five fairly bright,
energetic, enthusiastic boys, and after a
week with TJ I fully expect all of them to
be experts at spending long hours in the
woods without actually accomplishing
anything.
TJ is the host of the Outdoor Zone
radio program on Clear Channel 1300 in
set up an orienteering course at the
camp. We drew a simple map of a
clearing, marking in a road and a fence,
and then hung markers in trees around
the edges of the open area, so they would
be hard to find until you were pretty close
to them. We marked the spots on the
map to indicate where the markers were,
and drew in an indicator to show which
way north was on the map. Nothing to it.
Back at the camp I sat the boys down
and explained how a compass works.
These fellows were all about ten to
twelve years old, so they had a little
trouble getting the hang of the rotating
dial, since it wasn’t attached to a video
game. But I kept explaining, and after
The Five
Orienteers
T
F When TJ Greaney decided to start a
about fifteen minutes I had them
thoroughly confused.
Then I explained to them that the
easiest way to navigate with a compass is
to first orient your map with the world.
To do that you find the ‘north’ indicator
on the map and line up your compass
with it, and then rotate the map and
compass until the red compass needle
points north. Of course, you also have to
allow for declination.
Declination is the difference
between true north and magnetic north.
A compass needle points to magnetic
north, which is a spot in Canada about
1,000 miles south of the North Pole. And
you thought Canada was useless.
If you’re in Florida the declination is
zero, since true north and magnetic north
are lined up from there. In Texas the
declination is about ten degrees east,
which means the compass needle points
ten degrees to the right, or east, of true
north. So you have to turn the map until
the needle points to ten degrees, and
you’re square. So far so good.
Then, without moving your map,
you line up the edge of your compass
along your route. Sometimes you need a
ruler or other straight object to reach
from your starting point to your
destination, and then you place the
compass against that, so it’s lined up just
right. Then, holding your map and
compass still, you turn the dial on the
compass until the red needle is inside the
red markers on the dial. Your heading is
now the number on the dial that’s lined
up with the indicator line on the
compass. The indicator line points
straight at your destination. It even has
an arrow to tell you to go that way.
Simple.
Once the boys had that figured out
we went out to our compass course. I
gave them each a map and told them to
orient it and find the markers, indicated
by the dots on the map. At first they
started walking off in random directions,
and some of them would probably have
ended up in Louisiana, or maybe Canada,
if we hadn’t stopped them. But once we
went through the procedure again they
did pretty well. There was one boy who
should definitely stay on well-marked
trails for the rest of his life, preferably
with a guide, but the rest found the
markers OK.
I also explained to them that, if you
don’t have a compass, you can find north
at night by looking for the North Star.
And you can find true south during the
daytime with a watch, as long as it’s set to
regular time, instead of daylight savings
time. Holding a watch flat, you aim the
hour hand at the sun. True south lies
halfway between the hour hand and the
12 on the dial.
Once we were done I was confident
that all the boys could navigate with a
map and compass anywhere in the world,
as long as they followed my Number One
Rule: To keep from losing your compass,
attach it to something heavy, such as the
Washington Monument, or the Alamo.
As Buckaroo Banzai said — No
matter where you go, there you are …
KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR
HUMOR COLUMNIST WHO GUIDED
EDMOND HILLARY ON HIS SUCCESSFUL
S U M M I T O F M T. E V E R E S T. W R I T E T O H I M
AT P. O . B O X 1 6 0 0 , M A S O N , T X 7 6 8 5 6 O R
J E E P @ V E R I Z O N. N E T
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19
by Linda Anderson
Technology Team
Shows 4-H
Firmly Focused
on Future
N
F Now Texas 4-Hers are more likely to
be into Apples and Blackberries — also
Macs, PCs, digital cameras and all kinds of
other electronic gadgets and equipment.
Just ask Eugene Holub of Rockdale,
Mason Frye of Glen Rose and Kathryn
Marburger of Lexington. They are three of
the 18 members of the Texas 4-H
Technology Team.
A lot of teamwork — heavy on the
‘work,’ the members said — goes into the
project but so does a lot of fun.
“We do a lot for not just 4-H but for
the community,” Holub said. “We teach
the young and the old (about) new ideas
and new programs and all these newly
incorporated techniques that come from
technology — this rapidly developing
technology. We teach them how to use
that in their everyday lives and so it makes
things easier on them. ... We benefit the
people by teaching them a little bit of
what we know.”
“That takes time and effort,”
Marburger said. “There’s a lot of work in
it,” she said. “You have to pull your weight
(and) make sure you meet deadlines, but
while you’re working you have a lot of fun.
... It’s more than a team, it’s a whole group
of friends, so while you’re working you
have fun too.”
Frye agreed that the work is hard but
rewarding. “But you’re also involved on
the front line of a new thing that’s being
incorporated into 4-H and you get to say
that you were one of the first to start it,” he
said.
The team was organized about three
years ago, said Dee Lee Smith, Texas
Cooperative Extension agent in Van
Zandt County. Smith, who has a master's
degree in educational technology, said she
was so taken with the concept of the team
that she immediately volunteered to be a
member of its adult leadership team.
To become a member of the
technology team, a 4-Her must be
between the ages of 14 and 18, and fill out
an application to join, said Dr. Toby
Lepley, Extension 4-H and youth
development specialist and one of the
16 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
team’s advisors.
“Team members are required to
participate in monthly AIM chats,” he
said, “attend a majority of the face-to-face
meetings held three times a year and
provide leadership on various events.”
Those events include Texas 4-H
Roundup and Texas 4-H Congress.
In addition, each member — alone or
with a team — is required to develop a
technology-based “Workshop in a Box”
each year, Lepley said. These workshops
help teach such subjects as Web page
development, digital photography, use of
Excel and computer building for county
agents and 4-H members and adult
leaders.
Team members also “teach workshops
and sessions at 4-H and Extension
activities such as 4-H Ambassadors
training, Ideas E-camp workshops and
Spring Fling senior camp at the 4-H
Conference Center,” he said.
Lepley credits Kevin D. Wentzel,
technical marketing manager in HewlettPackard’s Consumer Notebooks Global
Business Unit, as providing the inspiration
for the Texas team.
Along with one other adult and three
young people, Wentzel said, he helped
establish the California 4-H Computer
Corps in 1998.
Wentzel worked with the California
team until he moved Texas in 2003, he
said. The Texas team “was developed
using the conceptual structure that the
California Computer Corps was
developed on, hence the importance and
influence of Kevin to Texas,” Lepley said.
“I wanted the team to have a strong
flavor of youth-adult partnership,”
Wentzel said. “This means that the adults
are not just advisors or ‘leaders,’ but that
roles of the youth, the adults and the staff
include doing the work, planning and
making decisions. All should feel that they
have a voice in team discussions.”
Holub, Marburger and Frye also credit
another trio of adults for encouraging
them to join: their mothers.
“I’ve always been interested in
computers and technology, and I’m really
big into 4-H,” Holub said. “My mom
found this application (for the technology
team), and it’s a new project area — first
couple of years it's been happening — and
it’s a way for me to use all my experience
and all my knowledge of technology and
incorporate it into 4-H.”
Frye’s introduction to the team was
similar. “I took a few (technology) classes
my freshman year in high school and I like
computers,” he said, “and my mom
brought home an application for the
technology team so I figured it would be
fun and filled it out, and that's how I got
started.”
Marburger had some experience
working with software before her mother
told her about the team. Now she is
planning her future around technology.
“I start Texas A&M (University) in
the fall,” Marburger said. “I’m going for an
accelerated (five-year) master’s degree ... in
international marketing.”
Technology is going to be part of
everybody’s future, she said, including 4H’s.
“Right now technology is soaring like
crazy,” Marburger said. “They’re coming
out with new things every year, if not
sooner. I think that at some point 4-H will
have a whole group just based on
technology — not only the team but other
projects in 4-H that are just technology
based like robotics or GIS — because in
the future we’re going to need them.”
For more information about the 4-H
technology team, visit http://tx4h.tamu.edu/technology
by Chuck Licata
Hendrick strikes
gold — and
Junior gets a legit
chance at a
championship
T
F This is why you “never say never”
when it comes to NASCAR.
For the past 30-some days, talk
concerning where “free agent driver” Dale
Earnhardt, Jr. would go centered mostly
on Richard Childress Racing (RCR).
After all, Junior’s dad drove for RCR and
the possibility that Junior would/could
run the famous #3 (which his father, Dale
Earnhardt, Sr. etched into history) raised
a lot of Dale Earnhardt fans.
Plus, how in the world could Junior
end up at Hendrick Motorsports? After
all, they already have four drivers (the
maximum soon to be allowed by
NASCAR) — and each is locked into a
multi-year contract.
Besides — Hendrick has four-time
champion Jeff Gordon, defending
champion Jimmie Johnson and up-and-
coming star Kyle Busch (along with
Casey Mears). The “no room at the inn”
motto certainly applies here, wouldn’t
you think?
So much for common sense.
Junior announced Wednesday, June
19 that he would indeed run with
Hendrick, starting next year for the next
five years. As for the “full house,” no
problem — it was revealed Busch would
be let out of his remaining two-year
contract with Hendrick after this season.
As of this printing, Busch would
become the next highly-rated free agent
of 2007, although it’s obvious he is
already in negotiations with other teams
(most likely, he’ll end up at Dale
Earnhardt, Inc. or Ginn Racing).
At this printing, it wasn’t known
whether Budweiser — Junior’s current
title sponsor at DEI — would jump to
Hendrick with the famous driver. One
reporter stated Budweiser was looking at
its options, including the possibility of
joining Kasey Kahne (driver of the #9
Evernham Dodge).
No doubt, Junior accomplished what
he said he wanted — to give himself a
better chance to win the drivers’
championship. Hendrick drivers have
won 10 of the 14 races this season already
— and the organization owns six
NEXTEL Cup championships since
opening its doors in 1984.
There will be rumblings among
Junior fans — after all, they’re prevalent
among the fans who threw beer cans at
Jeff Gordon earlier this season when
Gordon tied — then broke the tie —
with Dale Senior with his 76th and 77th
career victories (the “Dupont Dude” has
since won two more races). For some
stupid reason, Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. fans
have a dislike for Gordon — even though
Gordon and Senior had a working
relationship back in 1991-92 at the
height of the “Senior-Gordon rivalry.”
It’d be hard to believe Junior fans
wouldn’t make the “jump” over the
Hendrick with their driver starting in
2008, whether Gordon is there or not.
I’m certain Hendrick will not only
continue piling up on-track victories, but
the money he’ll make from the sale of
Junior memorabilia will pay for itself —
no matter how much he pays Junior and
no matter how many wins (or lack
thereof) Junior scores.
Other notes: Don’t be surprised to
see several NEXTEL Cup teams change
drivers next year … Keep an eye on Brad
Coleman, the native Houston driver
who placed second at the NASCAR
Busch Series race in Kentucky on
Saturday, June 16. Brad’s making waves as
the part-time driver for the #18 Carino’s
Italian Grill Joe Gibbs Chevrolet, and
he’s on the fast-track to both fame — and
a shot at a NEXTEL Cup ride … KMAC Sports is proud we have both
arenas of racing — dirt and asphalt racing
— covered in its Saturday morning
lineup. Catch “Dirt Track Insider” at
Noon Central time on kmacsports.com,
followed by “Track Smack with Dawn
Murphy.” Enjoy!
THE YEAR WHO COVERS HIGH SCHOOLS AND
MOTOR SPORTS FOR THE ZONE (KVET-AM 1300,
AUSTIN) AS WELL AS THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT.
HE IS ALSO A CO-OWNER OF K-MAC SPORTS
PRODUCTIONS OF AUSTIN (KMACSPORTS.COM), AN
ONLINE BROADCASTING COMPANY. HE CAN BE
REACHED AT [email protected].
CHUCK LICATA IS THE 2007 TABC SPORTSWRITER OF
True Texas spring water bottled right
here in Austin. Don’t buy bottled
city tap water when you can enjoy
natures pure refreshing spring water.
KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL!
Home or Office Delivery
Call Today! 512/280-4037
Official Water of
The Texas Outdoor Zone
Texas Proud!
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17
by Larry LeBlanc
Texas has more
than lakes for
fishing
W
firearm, but it is always best to make
sure you are legal before approaching
the acquisition of any wildlife.
Another point to remember about
garfish is they have teeth and a solid
Fishing around deadfalls in a creek with light tackle is a nice change bone in the top of their mouth and
that means that if they hit one of lures
from a bass boat in a lake.
they can tear it up with their teeth and
were a lot of fun to catch on a light fly of the gars I have brought in were straighten the hook out if it hits the
rod and even though they were small either taken by shooting them with a top of their mouth.
If you get to the point where you
rifle or handgun, shooting them with a
they really fought.
are
getting
a little tired of fishing our
When it comes to fishing tackle bow and arrow or caught on a trotline.
unless you are specifically after some Before you go shooting them with lakes and would like a different angling
large catfish or garfish light tackle is anything check the county regulations challenge take to the creek, rivers and
the way to go. A light weight fly rod or in your TPWD annual to make sure bayous. You will have to do some fine
ultra-lite spinning outfit will generally there is no legal objection to shooting tuning to your approach when fishing a
in the water. Archery is not as bad as a different environment, but it well
fill the bill.
worth the experience.
Also when fishing our rivers and
creeks keep in mind the temperature
range the fish prefer. Most pan fish and
bass will prefer a temperature in the
mid 70 degree range, therefore in hot
weather look for the holes and shady
areas around deadfalls and under
overhanging
trees
where
the
temperature is likely to be a little more
to there liking.
Dead trees lying in the water are
excellent places to drop your hook,
especially on the down river side where
the water will be quieter. Black bass
and yellow catfish, both hunters of live
prey, will hide in areas such as that and
ambush passing prey from hiding.
Many of our rivers and creeks
closer to the coast will have garfish of
varying species.
Most
The small mouth bass or Guadeloupe
bass is just ne of the many fish you
may find in Texas’ creeks and rivers.
18 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A R R Y J. L E B L A N C
F
We have so many lakes in this
great state of ours that we sometime
tend to forget that there are any other
places to fish. There are literally
thousands of miles of rivers and creeks
in Texas that team with fish and if we
do not get in on some of the action it
is because we are not out there fishing
those rivers and creeks.
Texas offers such a diversified
geography that when you start to
discuss river or creek fishing you can be
describing everything from mountain
or desert environments to the bayous
of our coastal marshes. Let’s look at
some of the differences one encounters
when they are fishing creeks and rivers
as compared to some of our reservoirs
that we so lovingly refer to as lakes.
One item that will be immediately
noted is the fish in most of our rivers
are still bass, perch, crappie and catfish
as we find in the lakes, but the verities
may be different. For instance, most of
our lakes have been stocked with
Florida bass. The creeks and rivers
have not been, but some will find their
way from lakes and move up or down
stream along with the native bass. You
may run into small mouth bass or
Guadeloupe bass in addition to the
native and Florida largemouth of the
lakes.
The pan fish will be numerous and
many different varieties will be seen. I
was canoeing with some others on
Village Creek in the East Texas, Piney
Woods one time and we were fly
fishing along the way. We caught some
of the most beautiful sun perch I have
ever seen. They were colorful and had
a clean, clear look to them.
Beside that
t h e y
by Don Gordon
S
F Skeeter Bass Champs’ last event of
the 2007 season was held June 9 on
Lake Choke Canyon in Three Rivers,
Tex. A saying from my childhood —
save the best for last — came to mind
while pre-fishing this tournament.
Brandon Day and Aurbrey Balfor
might have felt a little discouraged
when they drew a take-off number of
186, but that didn’t last long. When
they arrived at their starting water they
were surprised that it was unoccupied.
They immediately went to work
throwing Texas rigged ten-inch power
worms into trees flooded in fifteen feet
of water. The fish were scattered so it
took the team all day to catch a limit.
Brandon and Aurbrey lost one big fish,
but held the lead with a total weight of
35.70lbs.
Second place went to Jody Jackson
and Loy White with a weight of
31.20lbs. I met Jody on Thursday
before the tournament and gave him an
assortment of Grand Bass Rattlesnakes
to use on Saturday. Jody and Loy
caught all of their fish on Texas rigged
Rattlesnakes. They positioned their
boat in fifteen feet of water and threw
to isolated bushes in twelve to fourteen
feet of water. Jody said, “This is the
second time we’ve used these baits —
they’re just incredible!”
Rich Shock and Jared Poole broke
the record for Skeeter Bass Champs
“Big Bass” by landing a 13.02lbs hog.
Rick caught the fish in thirty-five feet
of water fishing a “drop-off” using a
three-quarter ounce jig. He said that
the fish gave him about “three heart
attacks — the two times she jumped
and then when she was netted.”
1st Brandon Day/Aurbrey Balfor
35.70lbs
$20,000
(Skeeter Bonus)
$5,000
(Please Release Me Bonus)
$200
2nd Jody Jackson/Loy White 31.20lbs $3,000
3rd Eugene Rewell/Donald Crisp
27.22lbs
$2,000
4th Ryan Erskine/Glen Erskine
25.32lbs
$1,200
5th Gregg Perkins/Ted Sprencel
23.30lbs
$1,100
6th Dale Read/Chris Mattice 23.08lbs $1,050
Twenty-three places were paid. A
$1,000 Big Bass bonus went to Rick
Shock and Jarad Poole. Skeeter Bass
Champs 2007 Anglers of the Year,
Charles Gerhart and David Shuster,
won free entries for the 2008
tournament season.
Last month, when I mentioned the
extreme weather of the 2007 season I
spoke of the cold and the wind, but the
one element left out arrived … rain!
The final event of the Fishers of Men
tournament trail had to be relocated
due to flooding Lake Belton. The new
lake chosen was Lake Buchanan. It
had recently filled, and the floodgates
were running on Friday, the practice
day before the tournament. The
rapidly falling water turned the fish off,
and all of the fishermen I spoke to were
struggling for a bite. Accordingly, the
results are not as large as they could
have been, but all in all good work on
a hard day.
1st M. Van Broklin/R. Grounds 13.79lbs
2nd D. Read/P. Carmen 11.48lbs
3rd L. Wenmohs/M. Clark 10.04lbs
4th T. Sink/D. Bailey 8.45lbs
5th P. Smith/G. Smith 7.18lbs
6th R. Jacoby/K. Howell 7.10lbs
Anglers of the Year 2007
1st D. Read/P. Carmen
2nd L. Wenmohs/M. Clark
3rd M. Van Broklin/R. Grounds
4th P. Smith/G Smith
5th R. Crabb/M. Garret
6th E. Olson/T. Turner
7th R. Jacoby/K. Howell
8th D. Gordon/J. Patureau
9th J. Meredith/J. Meredith
10th B. Burns/J. Roberts
CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE AT
CAPITOLVIEWGUIDESERVICE.COM.
BUILT BY DARRIN LEBLANC, 512-736-6552.
FOR CURRENT FISHING REPORTS ON AREA LAKES
AND MORE — LISTEN TO THE TEXAS OUTDOOR
ZONE RADIO SHOW, SATURDAYS 6 – 8 A.M.
ON 1300 AM, THE ZONE OR VISIT
TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM.
CHECK OUT THE TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG FOR NEWS
AND TIPS AT TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM
June 9th, 2007 at Choke
Canyon: Rick Shock with the
All Time Record for the largest
fish ever weighed in during a
Bass Champs tournament.
13.02 lbs.
Skeeter Bass Champs Championship Tournament
Oct 27-28, Lake Sam Rayburn • 1st Place: $30,000
For more info visit basschamps.com
Dodge Mega Bass
July 29 Lake Sam Rayburn
1st Place winners every hour: a Dodge pick-up truck!
For more info, call 817-439-3274, or visit basschamps.com
Fishers of Men Regional Tournament
October 26-27, Atchafalaya Basin — Morgan City, La.
For more info, call 512-413-4178, or visit fomcentex.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19