0807 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
K
Kennedy loves to read. She reads big
F
books, like Harry Potter. For her age, 9, I
F E AT U R E S
mexico and the influence on country music . .10
artist of the month:jason boland
& the stragglers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
conservation programs win in legislation . .15
DEPARTMENTS
Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
by Sandra Greaney
on the trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
by Kendall Hemphill
Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
by Shirley Baker
horsing around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
by Laura Haugh
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
Don Gordon, Kendall Hemphill, Larry LeBlanc, Sandra
Greaney, Sheryl Bucsanyi, Shirley Baker
COVER PHOTO
Katie Garcia
think she is pretty smart. I have watched
her grow up over the last several years,
and there has always been something
that has drawn us together. It might
have been the big fish she caught that
we talked about for months or maybe
the special candy treats at Sunday
school, I am not sure, but we are friends.
One of my pastors, Jody, is an older
sage who is well spoken at the pulpit. He
is a pastor with experience and senior in
age at our church among the staff. His
message recently struck a note with me
and caused me to consider how I think
on a day-to-day basis.
A part of Pastor Jody’s message that
Sunday was about a guy who spent a lot
of time moaning how things were not
going his way. The guy was always down
on himself and he just couldn’t get to
the other side of it. One of his friends,
finally tired of his complaining told him
to “stop it.” He was startled, but his
friend again said loudly, “stop it.” Pastor
Jody yelled it out to us, illustrating how
it was delivered originally. It was a
defining moment for the guy who
struggled with not allowing himself the
potential he held inside.
I think there are a
lot of times I could use
that voice telling me,
“stop it,” “don’t you
talk to me like that.” I
know anytime I get
hungry, angry, lonely or
tired, I begin to lose my
strength
and
confidence. There are
so many things to
define our success —
good looks or if we are
somebody important
— how can you not get
confused at some point?
Actor, author, speaker Bill Cosby
co-wrote a book last year, Come On,
People!, with a powerful message that
relates exactly to what I am talking
about. In the book he addresses people
who are stuck because of feelings of low
self-esteem, abandonment, anger,
fearfulness, sadness and feelings of being
used, undefended and unprotected.
Cosby says these feelings often impede a
person’s ability to move forward. I can
hear him yell, “Come on people!”
That Sunday as we left the
auditorium, Kennedy showed me her
latest Harry Potter book.
“I am reading Harry Potter,” she
explained to me as her mother stood
nearby. “I am going to read them all.”
I told her I thought they were big
books, and I would be very proud of her
if she read all of them.
Then I told her I loved to read but I
was not a very good reader. Immediately
as the words left my mouth Kennedy
shouted, “Stop it!” I was stunned; her
mom was ready to discipline her — then
we both realized she had heard what
Pastor Jody had taught. She heard me
talking down about myself and she was
using the message to teach me not to do
that. I was absolutely amazed; I was
shocked; I was caught.
The point I am trying to get to is
that we all can be our
own worst critics. We
can miss the fact that
our family is healthy or
our car is running well
and focus on the
annoying
neighbor
next door who has not
mowed their lawn in
two weeks. Why do I
look to criticize others
so quickly? I see the
spec in their eye and
miss the plank in mine.
My little bubbly
Kennedy reminded me that I am okay
even if I don’t read Harry Potter. I am
often amazed at how God delivers his
messages to me. That Sunday it went
from Pastor Jody to Kennedy to me. It
took that order for me to hear it clearly.
Wow, how cool is that? Thanks,
Kennedy.
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
GEORGE JONES’
STOLEN GUITAR
RETURNS AFTER
46 YEARS
George Jones and his 1957 Martin
000-18 acoustic guitar were reunited
after 46 years of separation.
In 1962, Jones and the guitar parted
ways … but not on mutual terms. The
guitar was stolen, by two boys looking to
sell it for “beer money,” from Jones while
he performed a series of shows at Panther
Hall in Ft. Worth, Tex. A short time
after stealing the guitar from Jones, the
two youngsters sold it to a man by the
name of Larry Berry. The guitar,
equipped with a strap that includes
Jones’ name bordered with streaks of
“White Lightning,” was sold to Berry for
ten dollars. Now, almost 50 years later,
the guitar was returned to its rightful
owner.
Larry Berry recently contacted Tom
Perryman of 104.1 “The Ranch”
(KKUS-FM) in Tyler, Tex., in attempt to
reach Jones regarding the stolen guitar.
The attempt to contact Jones was
successful.
“When I got that call from Tom, I
thought it was just a radio station playing
a joke like they always do, but as it
turned out, it was the real deal,” says
Jones. “I just can’t wait to get it back and
start pickin’!”
Berry returned the guitar to George
Jones during his concert at Diamond
Jacks Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana
on June 14th … but only under one
condition … in exchange for the guitar,
Berry wanted his ten dollars back.
BRAD PAISLEY
FOLLOWS SEVEN
CONSECUTIVE #1
SINGLES WITH
RELEASE OF “WAITIN’
ON A WOMAN”
Reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the
Year and recently crowned two-time
ACM Top Male Vocalist Brad Paisley
recently loged multiple weeks at #1 with
the playful “I’m Still a Guy,” from his
million-selling album, 5th Gear. The disc
has now launched four chart-topping
hits in a row — including “Ticks,”
“Online,” and “Letter to Me” — with
“Letter to Me” and “I’m Still a Guy”
tallying a collective seven weeks at #1 —
more than twice as many weeks at #1 as
any other country artist this year.
Now with seven consecutive, nonseasonal #1 hits to his credit, Paisley
continues a chart-topping streak
unmatched by any country artist in more
than five years — and the flow of great
music continues, as today also marks the
arrival at country radio of Paisley’s
newest single, “Waitin’ on a Woman.”
Considered an overlooked gem from
his previous collection — the ACM and
CMA Album of the Year winner, Time
Well Wasted – “Waitin’ on a Woman”
was an across-the-board favorite among
fans, critics, and Paisley himself, but the
scheduled release of his 5th Gear album
had initially precluded the song’s release
as a single.
Known for his award-winning music
videos, including the most recent ACM
and CMA Video of the Year winner,
“Online,” Paisley will bring “Waitin’ on
a Woman” to life with the help of special
guest star, Andy Griffith.
Paisley says, “One of the greatest
moments in my career was getting to
shoot this video with Andy Griffith and
getting to know him. I’ll cherish this
video and opportunity to become friends
with this wonderful and influential man
for the rest of my life. ‘Waitin’ on a
Woman’ is one of the most important
songs I’ve recorded; it’s a masterpiece
written by Wynn Varble and Don
Sampson, and the video demanded
excellence and art to match the
composition. Andy was my #1 choice for
the video — he is the perfect person that
embodies wisdom, years, and personality
of the character in the video.” The video
will debut in late June.
RANDY TRAVIS TO
DEBUT LATEST ALBUM
AROUND® THE BEND
ON QVC
From the top of the music charts to
the silver screen, Randy Travis has been
entertaining audiences with his brooding
baritone and rugged swagger. Now,
almost 25 years later, with nearly 30 top
10 song hits, 20 feature film roles and
countless television appearances, Travis
will, once again, be delighting fans his
latest album Around the Bend.
“It’s a pleasure to have an icon like
6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Randy Travis on our QVC Presents
QSessions Live series,” said Rich Yoegel,
director of merchandising for QVC. “To
offer our viewers this special live
performance as well as the opportunity
to purchase Around the Bend with the
bonus disc before its release is exciting.”
Around the Bend is Travis’
triumphant return to country music after
spending nearly a decade focused on his
successful gospel and acting careers.
Produced by the legendary Kyle Lehning
(Reba McEntire, George Strait, Alan
Jackson), the album is reminiscent of his
early years when his ethereal voice and
gritty guitar-playing made him an instant
star in the country music world.
“My career has really come full circle
with this release,” said Travis. “To be able
to go to back to my roots and record a
tried-and-true country music album was
amazing. Having the opportunity to
share my music with QVC’s millions of
viewers makes the entire experience
even better.”
DARRYL WORLEY
WOWS FANS AND
ANNOUNCES PLANS
FOR TENNESSEE
RIVER RUN
The 200+ Friends of Darryl
Worley Fan Club — Worleybirds as
they’re affectionately known — who
attended the star’s fan club party
recently received two special treats.
They got to hear Darryl’s new single
“Tequila On Ice,” and more
importantly, he and his wife Kimberly
delighted the crowd by showing off
their
eight-week-old
daughter
Savannah.
Darryl proudly introduced his
father, a pastor in West Tennessee,
who opened the party with a prayer.
The fan club kicked things off by
presenting Darryl with a check for
$9,000 for The Darryl Worley
Foundation, Inc., a 501c3 public
benefit corporation organized in 2002
to help serve the needs of the people of
Hardin and McNairy Counties in West
Tennessee and the surrounding areas of
Northwestern
Tennessee,
West
Alabama
and
Northeastern
Mississippi.
He and his band then took
requests and performed acoustic
versions of his #1 hits and other fan
favorites. He introduced his parents
and especially bragged on his mother
for being able to walk into the party.
She had a leg amputated due to
circulation problems and was recently
fitted with a new prosthesis.
Darryl also announced the dates
for his seventh annual Tennessee River
Run in Savannah, Tenn., which has
become one of the most anticipated
events of the year in West Tennessee
and
the
surrounding
areas.
DarrylWorley.com
THE LOST TRAILERS
“HOLLER BACK”
Fans will get a chance to “Holler
Back” at The Lost Trailers on August 26
when the album, Holler Back, is released
nationwide. The album is fueled by their
hit single of the same name, which is fast
climbing the radio singles charts and a
favorite on the digital sites as well.
For The Lost Trailers, it’s been
quite a journey to releasing the album.
Lead singer Ryder Lee and
writer/guitarist Stokes Nielson formed
the band in high school, and Willie
Nelson’s annual Fourth of July picnic in
2001 was the launching pad for the
Holler Back Boys. Along the way,
they’ve had three equipment trailers
stolen (hence the name) but built their
fan base the old-fashioned way, on the
road, one at a time.
The band played any club they could
get into, and those years on the road
strengthened their sound and kinship.
They sold copies of their independent
albums while playing in roadhouses and
clubs and signed to BNA Records and
recorded their self-titled debut in 2006.
Producer Brett Beavers (Dierks
Bentley) captured the live Trailers
sound on disc, and the success is the
resulting hit single and soon to be
released album, Holler Back. The album
is a testament to the band’s commitment
to write and record songs that celebrate
all aspects of life.
Between now and the release of the
album, the band is doing what they do,
on the road and making the world safe
for country music.
MONTGOMERY
GENTRY’S BACK
WHEN I KNEW IT ALL
Montgomery Gentry felt at ease
recording their new album Back When
I Knew It All at Ardent Studios, one of
the world’s most storied studios. “Eddie
and I and [producer] Blake Chancey
were talking about some of the history
of the music we grew up on, the artists
we covered in clubs and the places
where some of our favorite records
were cut,” explained Gentry. “The
name that rose above the rest was
Ardent Studios in Memphis. Steve
Earle did ‘Copperhead Road’ there, ZZ
Top did ‘Tres Hombres’ — there’s all
kinds of great stuff that’s come out of
there. Knowing some of the people we
looked up to had recorded there gave
us a real sense of comfort.”
Eddie Montgomery and Troy
Gentry consider their newest album the
quintessential Montgomery Gentry
CD. “We’ve always been consistent
about choosing songs that deal with the
working class, songs people can identify
with,” said Gentry. “We’ve stayed true
to that on Back When I Knew It All.”
JESSICA SIMPSON’S
NEW SINGLE MAKES
BILLBOARD COUNTRY
CHART HISTORY
Columbia Nashville’s Jessica
Simpson made country music chart
history recently with her brand new
single, “Come On Over,” which
debuted at the No. 41 spot on
Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
Racking up 2.1 million impressions at
67 monitored stations in just 5 short
days, this marks the highest chart
debut among a solo artist with no prior
history on the country chart.
Written by Simpson, Rachel
Proctor and Victoria Banks, “Come
On Over,” is all about the excitement
of a new crush. “It’s about that feeling
you get when just can’t wait to see the
person you’re crushing on,” says
Simpson. “You feel like you’re going to
burst if you can’t see them right then
and there.” This fun, up-tempo record
is from Simpson’s highly anticipated
country album due out this fall.
jessicasimpson.com
COUNTRY MUSIC
LEGEND JOE DIFFIE
AND THE DIXIE’S
DAM COUNTRY BAR
May, at Hooters Casino Hotel. Michelle
Nunes, Miss Hooters International
2006 and 2008 Hooters Calendar Cover
Girl, and some of Hooters’ Rack Pack
girls were also on hand.
Inside the Strip’s only country
dance hall, the all-female wait staff were
decked out in orange-fringed halter tops
and denim mini-shorts while the ladies
behind the island bar wore pink-fringed
halters and denim mini-shorts.
There were plenty of country fans
in the audience, also, decked out in
cowboy hats and jeans. One gentleman
with a handlebar moustache stood at
the bar with his cowboy hat, drinking a
beer and chewing tobacco, cheering on
Diffie's performance. Others enjoyed
the show from their seats, while twostepping on the dance floor or
watching four monitors over the bar
displayed the action on the stage.
FAITH HILL’S LONGAWAITED CHRISTMAS
ALBUM
The much rumored, highly
anticipated Christmas album from 5time Grammy Award winner Faith Hill
will bring Joy To The World on Tuesday,
September 16. The 11-song CD, which
already has the industry buzzing,
combines some of the season’s most
recognizable and beloved classics, with
one of America’s most respected
vocalists.
The recording, which was two years
in the making, features The Nashville
Orchestra as well as the London-based
choirs Metro Voices and The London
Oratory School Boys Choir. Grammy
Award winner David Campbell (Paul
McCartney, Rolling Stones, Johnny
Cash, Beyonce) provides a newly
composed full orchestration for “Joy,”
which gives such classics as “Santa
Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Little
Drummer Boy,” “Winter Wonderland”
and “Holly Jolly Christmas” a fresh,
unique and, at times, big band groove.
“I had a very clear vision for the
type of Christmas album that I wanted
to make,” said Faith. “Indicative of the
big band orchestras of the 40s and 50s,
with a full compliment of horns, stings,
woodwinds, percussion and chorales.
David’s orchestrations were a gift.
They embodied everything that I could
have imaged; unique and beautiful, and
yet they seem as though they were
always intended for these songs.”
Country music legend Joe Diffie
played to a packed house of 300 at the
opening of Dixie’s Dam Country Bar in
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7
I heard it while riding the range …
WADE BOWEN has his new Web
site up and wow — there is a lot to see.
I think it may be the most interactive,
cutting-edge site going for the Texas
music folks (wadebowen.com). Be sure
to check out the Wade Bowen
Adventures comic book — very cool …
PAULINE REESE has a new web
page as well. Reese spent June in
Europe, good gig if you can get it. She
will be back in the states and at
Copeland Dancehall on July 17.
The KVET 98.1 WEB SITE is
changing and it is looking a lot better,
even that annoying chick that talks to
you every time you visit is pretty cool —
I guess Country Line Magazine is going
to have to fall in line! kvet.com
BRANDON RHYDER’S
A DADDY
Congratulations to BRANDON
RHYDER and his wife as they
celebrate the newest addition to their
family, Mahala Grace Rhyder. Born on
Wednesday June 11, 21 inches long
and 8lbs 8 oz. Rhyder also celebrates
the announcement of signing a
songwriting contract with Harlan
Howard Songs, Inc.
“The first time I heard Brandon’s
music, I knew he was special. His songs
showcase a distinctive songwriting
voice, yet he’s really honest and
relatable. I was instantly drawn to
him,” says Melanie Smith-Howard.
Harlan Howard Songs, Inc. is
among the most respected publishing
houses in the industry yet the addition
of songwriters to her small roster is
rare. “We never wanted to be the
largest publishing company on the
block, says Howard. “We did, however,
want to be among the most respected.
Brandon fits in perfectly.”
BEST DAYS FOR
MIRANDA LAMBERT
ROGER CREAGER is about to
get that new album out. A new single,
“I’m From the Beer Joint” is on Roger’s
MySpace page. And don’t forget, the
new album, Here It Is, is in stores
August 26. They’ll be doing a pre-sale
on rogercreager.com And Country Line
Magazine will be talking with him for
our August issue.
CORY MORROW is getting some
GAC play, The video for “He Carries
Me” will be in rotation on “The Edge of
Country” on GAC beginning on June
20. Check your local TV listings to see
when it will be on in your area.
Country Line Magazine has been
talking with several Texas country music
stars that have offered to help raise
money for the restorations of the
TEXAS GOVERNOR’S MANSION,
which was heavily damaged earlier this
month in an arson fire. Country
performers Tracy Byrd, Marc Chesnutt
and Clay Walker, all from the Beaumont
area, want to help — stay tuned
for more. —TJ GREANEY
I F YO U H AV E A N Y N E W S O R I N F O, S E N D
I T TO T J @ C O U N T RY L I N E M AG A Z I N E . C O M
MIRANDA LAMBERT was
surprised by Sony BMG Nashville’s Joe
Galante and Butch Waugh backstage
recently with a gold plaque for her
album Crazy Ex Girlfriend, which won
ACM’s 2008 Album of the Year.
Galante said this is her second gold
record and she’s sold about 1.5 million
albums. (Her first, Kerosene, went
platinum.) “We are just about to have
our biggest charting record. In our
opinion the best days lie ahead of her.”
He attributed much of her success to
touring, with support coming from
radio airplay.
WIN JACK INGRAM
SHOW TICKETS
So you want to win tickets to
JACK INGRAM in concert and a
chance to help him write my set list? It
is really quite easy — it is on all his
Web site.
All you have to do is email him
your answers to the below questions
with your email address, a phone
number, your address, zip code and
your top three choices for the shows
you would like to attend. Your answers
8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
says songwriter Jamie Wilson. “Really,
we’re just proud of this record, and we
want to get it in more people’s hands.”
“In short, we’re giving it away
because we can,” adds co-writer Shane
Walker. Wilson and Walker are backed
by bass player Cody Foote, drummerpercussionist John Ross Silva and lead
guitarist Lance Smith. thegougers.com
OLD FRIENDS …
WILLIE NELSON
& FREDDY POWERS
will be submitted in a random drawing
and they will contact you if you win.
1. When you come to see me play
a show what is the one song you want
to hear (don’t say “Freebird!”)?
2. What is the one song that
you’ve always wanted to hear me play
live that you have not heard?
FREE ALBUM
DOWNLOAD FROM
GOUGERS
The Austin-based alt-country
band whose fall 2007 album, the
independently released A Long Day For
The Weather, continues to wow club
audiences and critics with its depth,
energy and edgy sound is offering fans
a way to download 11 great tracks.
Fans can follow simple directions to
swiftly acquire the tracks of the CD
which spent more than a month in the
Top 10 on the Americana airplay. Top
fan favorites include “Everybody
Knows,” “Manheim Station,” “Old
Crow Scarecrow,” “Sleeping Pills” and
“Michael.”
“We’re giving it away so that
people can afford to get to the show,”
The Freddy Powers Parkinson
Organization (FPPO), will benefit as
Willie Nelson reopens Carl’s Corner
bringing friends, music and bio-diesel
together. Willie Nelson, the Freddy
Powers Band and more, will perform at
a private concert on June 30 at Willie’s
Place Theater. Ray Wylie Hubbard and
David Allen Coe perform on July 1 and
2 at the Whiskey River Saloon and an
all day free event with The Legends,
Willie, Merle Haggard and Ray Price
including the Freddy Powers Band and
more will be held at Carl’s Corner on
July 3. The Saloon and July 3 concerts
are all free event. When queried about
a charge or suggested donation the
organizer said “Willie said to let
everyone in and the ones that can
donate will and not to worry if they
can’t pay. That’s the Willie Way.”
FPPO Executive Director, Lee
Duffy, says “It’s so great that Freddy’s
friends, such as Willie, step up to the
plate to help out. The benefit gives the
FPPO the resources to help folks with
Parkinson’s, and raise awareness about
the disease and how to find support.”
Gibson Guitars will auction off a
special edition Freddy Power’s Les Paul
guitar at the June 30 event.
June 30: Willie’s Place Theater,
Private Concert with Willie Nelson
benefiting the Freddy Powers
Parkinson’s Organization.
July 1-2: Whiskey River Saloon 8
p.m.-midnight, David Allan Coe &
Ray Wylie Hubbard (Free)
July 3: Willie’s Place Theater 10
a.m.-10 p.m. with Willie Nelson,
Merle Haggard, Ray Price, the Freddy
Powers Band, Mike Siler, Heather
Myles, (Free)
Singer/songwriter/producer/musici
an, Freddy Powers’ songs, “Natural
High,” “Let’s Chase Each Other
Around The Room Tonight,” “I
Always Get Lucky With You” and
many more, have been recorded by
such legendary artists as Merle
Haggard, George Jones, Willie Nelson,
and the late great Ray Charles. Freddy
holds many awards including CMA’s
Triple Play Award, Texas Heritage
Songwriters Hall of Fame and Texas
Guitar Assoc. Lifetime Achievement
Award. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s
Disease in 2004, Freddy vows to help
other Texas Parkinson’s patients.
The Freddy Powers Parkinson’s
Organization (FPPO) was founded in
April 2006. The FPPO benefits Texans
with Parkinson’s Disease and their
caregivers. Go to FreddyPowers.org to
see how you can help.
Willie’s Place at Carl’s Corner is a
roadside truck stop oasis providing
great service, unforgettable food, live
music, and alternative fuels including
BioWillie®
Premium
Biodiesel,
(earthbiofuels.com.) Located on
Interstate-35 near Hillsboro, Tex., the
town was founded by Carl Cornelius, a
local truck stop owner and long-time
friend of Willie’s for the purpose of
legalizing alcohol sales in the
otherwise dry county.
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9
Mexico and the Influence on Texas Country
Mainstream Country and Tejano Music
I
F In the classic westerns, Mexico is
often depicted as a barren, desert
landscape full of ruthless outlaws.
This supposed ‘lawlessness’, along
with Mexico’s relaxed attitude to life,
is what often entices American
criminals on the run to head south of
the border. Films such as The
Terminator, The Shawshank
Redemption, No Country for Old
Men and Thelma and Louise all
portray the figure of the lonely,
wanted fugitive fleeing to Mexico to
escape the US authorities. Other
films, particularly American teen
comedies, show Mexico, (especially
beach resorts like Cancun) as a land
of partying, drinking and sex.
In American country and Tejano
music, Mexico is portrayed in much
the same way and is the inspiration
behind entire songs. Many of these,
particularly from Texas, show Mexico
as a land of beautiful beaches, tequila,
cheap beer, relaxed, care-free attitudes
and dark, slightly mysterious women
who love the ‘gringos’. The figure of
the wanted fugitive on-the-run also
features in country music songs, as does
the lonesome drifter seeking to escape
his or her dull or depressing life.
The songs either recount
experiences of Mexico, or simply
focus on powerful images of Mexico,
common in the American (and
especially Texan) consciousness, for
example: the Rio Grande, lively
music, tequila and drinking beer with
lime. In many cases, instruments
associated with Mexico (the Spanish
guitar, accordion, mariachi trumpets
etc) are used to try and fully re-create
that authentic ‘Mexican’ feel.
Due largely perhaps to its
geographical proximity, the majority of
Texan musicians traditionally tend to
be influenced by Mexico in some way.
When I met Shooter Jennings in
London, he told me that he’d hung out
with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top a few
times and that “all that guy wants to do
is eat Mexican food, listen to mariachi
music and talk about the guitar.”
Many Texas-based artists, from
The Texas Tornados to Gary P.
Nunn and Dale Watson, have also
sung in Spanish and crossed over
into Tejano. Tejano music, also
known as Tex-Mex, is the name
given to the music that originates
from the Hispanic population of
southern and central Texas. It
combines elements of country, rock,
blues and folk, as well as traditional
Mexican and Latin American music,
such as the accordion-heavy norteño
which is particularly popular in
northern Mexico.
She Never Spoke Spanish to Me
by Texan legend, Joe Ely, is a song
about a young man’s encounter with a
Mexican girl “laughing sad and young
in a smoky room no-one could see.”
The theme of the song is that various
people, from poets to saints and
sinners “all agree that Spanish is a
loving tongue,” but unfortunately, the
girl “never spoke Spanish to me.” In
her innocence, she asks him: “If
you’re from Texas son, where your
boots and where’s you’re gun?” He
finishes the song by stating that he
“left her in old Mexico,” presumably
because of her refusal to speak
Spanish to him.
Somewhere between Texas and
Mexico by Pat Green reached number
42 on the American Country Chart
in 2005. It contains beautiful visual
images (a “kingfisher jumping”) of an
undisclosed area “somewhere between
Texas and Mexico.” The feeling of
freedom and of being lost in the
outdoors runs throughout the song:
“Stars on the ocean will find me I
know, somewhere between Texas and
Mexico.”
Corona con Lima, an ode to
Mexico’s most famous beer, by Texan
hero, Gary P. Nunn, also contains
lyrics sung in Spanish. It is the perfect
song to listen to while drinking beer
at the beach. The lyrics are simple
and there is no real story: “Corona
con Lima, Corona with lime, todo el
tiempo, all of the time.” It is not clear
if he is drinking Corona in Mexico,
but it is not relevant. It is merely a
celebration of the Mexican tradition
of drinking beer with lime. This
catchy, up-tempo song includes steel
drums, a Mexican-style guitar and
even a Mexico-style grito (cry) just
before the guitar solo.
Tequila and Teardrops by Dale
Watson is a foot-tapping Tejano-style
tear-in-the-beer romantic ballad
incorporating mariachi-style trumpets,
10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Spanish lyrics and strings. The main
chorus is: “Tequila and teardrops, they
both taste so salty as they touch my
lips and I think of you.” These lyrics
are then sung in Spanish, which adds
to the Mexican flavour: “Tequila y
lagrimas, ambos saben tan saladas
cuando tocan mis labios y pienso en
ti.”
Dance by the Rio Grande by Cory
Morrow is a feel-good Tejano-style
song describing the elation of being
away from it all in Mexico. In the
song, a girl (presumably a Mexican)
“took my hand in hers and led me
away.” The night provides the beauty
and the entertainment: “The
moonlight found us a place where the
music did play.” The chorus captures
the feeling of freedom and of letting
go:
“Let’s dance south of the border
Let’s dance barefoot on the
Mexican sand
Let’s dance tonight by the
moonlit shadows
Let’s dance tonight by the Rio
Grande”
A strong Mexican accordion and
guitar sound can he heard on the
track which help give it that extra
special lift.
Mexico Or Crazy by Oaklahoma’s
Jason Boland and the Stragglers was
also recorded live at Billy Bob’s and is
about a man declaring that he “might
go crazy” and “might go to Mexico.”
He sees himself as “a lonely gringo, a
lazy desperado” and decides that
“Mexico or crazy, it’s the same to me.”
He realizes that as he rows across the
Rio Grande to Mexico, that “it’s not
as wide as the rift ‘tween you and me.”
El Paso, written and performed by
Marty Robbins in 1959 is one of the
most popular country songs of all
time. In it, he sings about a cowboy
(himself) meeting a Mexican ‘cantina
dancer’ called “Feleena” in the “West
Texas Town of El Paso,” a town with a
very high Hispanic population. When
another man makes a move on
Feleena, the cowboy shoots him dead
and subsequently flees to New Mexico
to escape a revenge attack by the
victim’s friends. A Mexican guitar
features heavily on the song, which
gives it an authentic ‘western’ feeling.
As we have seen in this short list,
Mexico has provided countless ideas
and inspiration to generations of
country artists. The songs address
feelings of love, loss, freedom (both
spiritual and physical), fear,
happiness, sadness, anger, despair,
desperation and hope. For whatever
reason a person feels the need to go
down to Mexico, “nobody ever goes
and comes back the same.” Viva
Mexico! —ADRIAN PEEL
ADRIAN PEEL IS WORKING ON A BOOK
ON THE INFLUENCE OF MEXICO ON
C O U N T RY M U S I C , H E W O U L D LOV E TO
H E R E F R O M Y O U. E M A I L Y O U R
FAVO R I T E S A N D T H O U G H T S :
B R I TA G E @ H O T M A I L . C O M
ADVERTISE IN
15 years, over 2 million copies, a Texas Tradition
as little as $99 per month
512-292-1113 • [email protected]
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
A
ARTIST OF THE MONTH
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
F Although they got their start in
Stillwater, Okla., Texas hasn’t wasted
any time in claiming Jason Boland and
the Stragglers as its own.
Though Jason is the primary
songwriter and singer, this is no oneman show. “Outlaw Band,” a track on
their new album Comal County Blue,
narrates the vision to which Jason
Boland and The Stragglers have always
been true: that of self-reliance,
determined
professionalism
and
bringing the best music possible to fans.
The song showcases the Stragglers’
Noah Jeffries on searing fiddle and
mandolin parts, while the rhythm
section of Brad Rice (drums) and Grant
Tracy (bass) provide an unfailing
foundation. Roger Ray (guitar, pedal
steel) also lets loose on the dobro,
perfectly complementing the groove
that is sure to raise the roof at future
Stragglers’ shows. The song captures the
musicality at the core of the energy that
is Jason Boland and The Stragglers.
While at first glance Jason Boland
and the Stragglers’ music may seem easy
to stereotype as Texas or Country, intent
listening makes it harder to categorize
their music easily, revealing the
influence of the land and life that got
them to where they are. Boland knows
he can’t shy away from questions about
how to classify his music but simply
states, “The Chinese don’t call it
Chinese food, its just food. I’m just
making music.” When asked what the
record is about, Boland steams, “It’s
about drinking, it’s about being sober, it’s
about replacing vices with vices, it’s
about divorce, it’s about the silenced, its
about the sacrificed souls of Americans,
its about Galileo being right! And it’s
about working harder than we’ve ever
worked.”
Country Line Magazine asked Jason
Boland a few questions for this month’s
Artist of the Month feature.
Where is the most unusual place
you have ever played? We did some
gigs for Armed Forces Entertainment
— they sent us to play “the top of the
world” at Greenland Thule Airforce
Base. It was Arctic conditions, it was
beyond freezing — the kind of cold
where your lungs can freeze. It was a
unique gig, but an honor to play for
the troops.
What or who inspires you to do
what you do? Being freaked out by
everything — my art is fueled by my
emotions. So just being freaked out by
all the things going on in the world,
on large and small scales, affects those
emotions and fuels and inspires what I
do for a living. With so much going on
lately, I’ve been working harder then
ever.
If you weren’t a musician, what
would you want to be? I always
thought I’d be a happy fisherman.
How do you spend your off time?
That goes hand in hand with the last
question. I love to fish!
How do you want people to
remember you? Peacemaker
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 11
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12 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
by Sandra Greaney
S
F
Summer fun is the name of the game
this month, but with the rising cost of
fuel, food and entertainment, folks are
searching for things to do and vacations
they can take that won’t break their
bank accounts. After much research and
planning of my own, I want to share
some ideas on weekend trips that feature
inexpensive and FREE events for you to
consider.
We started our family vacation with
a week in Port Aransas at the Dunes
Condominiums. What a place this is,
right on the beach with wonderful
facilities to boot! Read in this issue
about Surf Camp and the rest of our trip.
With that being said, the Texas Coast
Line has so much to offer like the USS
Lexington and the Texas State
Aquarium in Corpus Christi and you
can drive it in a few hours.
Galveston Island also is a short drive
and provides an experience beyond sun,
sand and surf. From sandcastle-building
contests to Moody Gardens this island is
a paradise! galveston.com
Maybe take a drive over to Cleburne
on a 28-mile paved drive through rolling
north Texas terrain to a place where
dinosaurs once roamed. Special
attractions include the Dinosaur Valley
State Park, Cleburne State Park, Brazos
River, where dinosaur tracks, hiking,
camping, boating, fishing are abundant.
tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/di
nosaur_valley
Did you know?
Independence Day is observed in
the United States on July 4. On that day
in 1776, the Continental Congress
adopted
the
Declaration
of
Independence.
The phrase Dog Days or “the dog
days of summer,” refers to the hottest,
most sultry days of summer.
in town
EVERY SATURDAY A U S T I N FA R M E R S
M A R K E T Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and
Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m. at Republic
Square Park (4th and Guadalupe). Buy
fresh fruits, vegetables and more from
local growers. austinfarmersmarket.org
S U N S E T VA L L E Y FA R M E R S M A R K E T
offers fresh local fruits and vegetables
at the Tony Burger Center. 512-2801976, sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org
S P L A S H PA R T Y M O V I E N I G H T at
Deep Eddy Pool. Enjoy family movies
and take a dip in the pool on a hot
summer night. Adults $3, 11-17yrs $2,
under 11 $1. 472-8546
EVERY THURSDAY NATURE NIGHT at the
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Each Nature Night features various
activities, including a habitat hike and
crafts. Plus, every visitor receives a free
treat from the Center’s store!
JULY-AUG 9 D I S N E Y ’ S B E A U T Y &
T H E B E A S T presented by Zilker Park
Theatre Productions. Performances
run Thursdays through Sundays, July
1-Aug. 9 at 8:30 p.m at the Sheffield
Zilker Hillside Theater. Admission is
FREE! 512-479-9491, zilker.org
JULY 4 4 T H O F J U LY F I R E W O R K S A
favorite way for locals to catch the
fireworks and the Austin Symphony all
at once at Auditorium Shores at the
Long Center. 512-476-6064
JULY 9, 16, 23, 30 CHILDREN'S DAY ART
PARK at Symphony Square (1101 Red
River St). 50¢ a child, adults free with
child. Featuring local musicians,
dancers, storytellers, magicians, mimes
and crafts people. Youngsters can visit
the Instrument Petting Zoo (where they
can see, touch and try to play the
instruments), talk to symphony
musicians and hear them play their
instruments, see a Ballet Folklorico, hear
a Latin jazz band, follow a real Pied Piper
along the Lemonade Trail to the Magic
Oak Tree and try their hands at different
art projects under the Art Tent.
austinsymphony.org
JULY 9, 23 BLUES ON THE GREEN at
Zilker Park’s Rock Island. Free familyfriendly concerts sponsored by KGSR.
9th Los Lonely Boys, 23rd Marcia Ball,
kgsr.com
JULY 26 FAMILY FISHING FUN DAY
Celebrate “Free Fishing in State Parks”
which means that no fishing licenses
are needed inside state parks. This
event is more than free fishing; it also
features cool prizes, learn to fish
classes, a fishing derby and a raffle
where fishing equipment and other fun
outdoor gear will be given out. 9 a.m.noon, 512-243-1643
site for show listings, corraltheatre.com
JULY 4 I N D E P E N D E N C E D A Y
C E L E B R AT I O N in Georgetown. Join
everyone in San Gabriel Park.
georgetownsertoma.org/4thofjuly.htm
I N D E P E N D E N C E DAY C E L E B R AT I O N
in Kyle. Join everyone in Gregg-Clarke
Park. kylepard.com
4 T H O F J U LY PA R A D E & J U B I L E E in
Wimberley. wimberley.org
S U M M E R F E S T in San Marcos will be
held in San Marcos Plaza Park this year.
Festivities include children’s activities,
a patriotic program, live musical
entertainment and food followed by a
spectacular fireworks display. 512-3935900, toursanmarcos.com
JULY 5 2ND ANNUAL UGLY DOG
CONTEST in Granite Shoals. Music,
children’s games, and the ugliest and
cutest dog contests. This should be a
good one! 830-598-7933
JULY 11-13 BIGFEST in San Marcos.
Celebrating Texas Music and benefits
Cheatham Street Music Foundation,
which serves to preserve and perpetuate
Texas music and assists songwriters.
This event is being held at the Historic
Cheatham Street Warehouse. 512-353-
3777, cheathamstreet.com
JULY 22 PIONEER FUN DAYS in
Dripping Springs. Hands-on activities
and old-time games for kids of the age
five to 12 being held at Dr. Pound
Pioneer Farmstead Historical Museum.
drpoundpioneerfarmstead.com, 512858-2251
coming soon
AUGUST 16 I C E C R E A M F E S T I VA L at
Waterloo Park. Featuring games,
contests, live entertainment and tons
of ice cream! 512-441-9015
I F Y O U AT T E N D A N E V E N T L I S T E D H E R E ,
P L E A S E S H O OT M E A N E - M A I L A N D L E T M E
K N O W H O W I T W A S . I W O U L D L O V E TO
H E A R F R O M YO U !
[email protected]
outside of town
EVERY THURSDAY TOONS AND TUNES
IN THE PARK in Buda. Movies and music
are FREE in Buda City Park! 512-3120084, www.ci.buda.tx.us.com
EVERY WEEKEND (THRU LABOR DAY) CORRAL
THEATRE See the stars under the stars at
Wimberley’s walk-in outdoor theatre!
Movies showing this month include
Wall-E, Get Smart, Speed Racer and Kit
Kittredge An American Girl. See Web
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13
by Kendall Hemphill
Civilization in
Decline
A
FA
week seldom goes by that
someone doesn’t send me an email that
says, “This is a great story idea,” or “You
need to write a column about this,” or
“Send me a large box full of cash.” I
ignore most of these, especially the ones
asking for money. But I don’t necessarily
ignore the story ideas because they’re
bad. Often they just don’t offer enough
material for an entire column.
For example, I got a message from a
fellow named C.V. Dickson recently.
C.V. lives up in Longview, or near
there, and he sends me stuff once in a
while, but he’s never sent anything this
good. He should get a reward of some
kind, and he will if someone sends me
a large box full of cash during the next
few minutes.
C.V. told me about a fellow who
lives in Marshall, Tex. who caught a
couple of baby buzzards a while back.
One died, but the other survived and
lives at this guy’s tire store there. He
hangs around glaring at the customers a
lot, but every day he flies over to the
courthouse in Marshall to hang with
his buddies, the lawyers.
There are evidently a lot of trials at
the Marshall courthouse, and since the
lawyers can’t light up inside, they go
out on the steps on one side of the
building to smoke. The buzzard,
Scottie, seems to feel right at home
with the attorneys, and likes to peck
around and untie their shoes with his
beak. The lawyers, of course, don’t
object, out of professional courtesy.
This has, as you can imagine, given
rise to a lot of jokes at Scottie’s
expense. And I’d like to write a whole
column about it, but I have some
friends who are lawyers, so I hate to say
anything bad about the bloodsuckers.
I also got an email recently from a
guy named John Echols, who lives up
around Dallas or somewhere. John saw
a column I wrote a while back about
sushi, and he suggested someone
should open a combination sushi
bar/bait shop. He said the two parts
would not even need a divider, since
the products in both would be
essentially the same thing, which is
true. If some of the sushi started to go
bad it could just be transferred to the
other side of the store. And vice versa,
of course. Who could tell?
But since I just wrote about sushi a
few weeks ago I can’t very well write
that column right now. Besides, I don’t
think the sushi/bait thing would work
out on a practical basis. None of the
fishermen I know would lower
themselves to buy bait from a place
frequented by people who couldn’t tell
it wasn’t food. Fishermen have
standards.
Don Zaidle, my editor at Texas Fish
& Game magazine, sends me emails
every week or so, generally about
things that have caused him to walk
around the house breaking things and
terrorizing the cat. If he has a cat. He
doesn’t necessarily expect me to use
these items in my TF&G columns, he’s
just getting this stuff off his chest.
A few months ago Don sent me an
Associated Press story about a 7-yearold boy in Dennis Township, New
Jersey who was suspended from school
for a drawing he made of a stick figure
shooting a gun. The boy told his
mother it was a water pistol, but hey,
you can’t let kids get away with that
kind of thing. Before long they’ll be
drawing pictures of really scary stuff,
like buzzards and lawyers.
At least the water pistol case
wasn’t as serious as another one that
was mentioned in the same story. Four
New Jersey kindergarten boys were
suspended for playing cops and robbers,
and using their fingers as guns. I guess
you have to draw the line somewhere,
but at least they weren’t using their
guns as fingers.
Probably the most ridiculous story
Don has sent me in a long time was the
one I got last week, about three boys in
Delaware County, Ind., who were
arrested for animal abuse they allegedly
inflicted on a dead squirrel. They were
turned in by a student at Ball State
University, probably one of those nerdy
types who wears high-water polyester
pants and uses Brylcreem and wonders
why nobody likes him.
Anyway, the Ball State rent-a-cop
arrested these kids because they were
kicking a dead squirrel, and because
the nerd claimed they threw it off a
building. They didn’t even kill it,
evidently. At least it didn’t say they
did, which would surely have been
mentioned. They would have had to
shoot it, because a teenager can’t kill a
squirrel any other way except with a
car. It would have shredded them if
they’d tried.
But even if they had killed the
squirrel, I can’t imagine what would
have been wrong with that. As far as I
know it’s not against the law to kill a
squirrel, even in your heavily
protestant states such as Indiana.
So these guys are in big trouble. I
recommend they get a good lawyer. Or
at least a decent buzzard …
KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR
HUMOR COLUMNIST AND PUBLIC
S P E A K E R W H O W O U L D L I K E TO P O I N T
O U T T H AT N O L A W Y E R S W E R E H A R M E D
D U R I N G T H E W R I T I N G O F T H I S C O LU M N.
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
by Shirley Baker
?
?
G R A N D M A’ S H I N T S
Delightfully different
1 large can sweet potatoes
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup honey
1 can crushed pineapple
Food too salty?
Use a little bit of sugar or maple syrup,
not potato as used before
Food too sweet?
Lemon, vinegar or even a dash of
cayenne pepper helps cut down sugar.
Mix all of the above. Put in greased casserole. Bake in 325˚ oven for 25 minutes.
Living in Pioneer Times offers olde tyme methods used by the pioneers.
Order your book by emailing at [email protected]
Food too spicy?
Add butter or peanut butter or honey to tone down.
?
?
14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
HAWAIIAN SWEET POTATOES
Conservation Programs Win
with Passage of Farm Bill
CONGRESSIONAL SPORTSMEN’S CAUCUS PRESERVES FUNDING
T
F Thanks
to sportsmen-legislators,
hunters in rural America can look
forward to their local farmers continuing
to set aside acres of habitat for wildlife.
Increased funding measures for America’s
vital conservation programs for the next
five years are contained in the oftextended Farm Bill Reauthorization
overwhelmingly passed by the House and
Senate, now awaiting the President’s
signature. The release of a Conference
Report last week signaled that an
agreement was reached by conferees who
worked out the differences between the
House and Senate versions. The House
and Senate both voted overwhelmingly
to approve the measure and will send the
bill to the President to sign into law. The
question is, will he?
Although CSF is still combing
through the details, the good news for
sportsmen is, in the end, conservation
programs that enjoyed increased funding
in both the House and Senate versions
were left nearly intact, coming in
at $4-billion dollars above the
Administration’s baseline, highlighting
the importance of the conservation
programs to the committee members.
The compromise process was often
complicated by the differences in the
House and Senate versions, the
complexity of the issues and how to find
enough money to pay for the subsidies.
Members of the Congressional
Sportsmen’s Caucus strove to preserve
the increased conservation funding in
the final version.
“The Farm Bill is a tremendous
victory for sportsmen and
conservationists across the country,”
said U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss,
Ranking Republican Member of the
Senate Agriculture Committee. “This
farm bill continues to help producers be
good stewards of the land by providing
$4 billion in new resources for
conservation programs. I look forward
to completing the farm bill in order to
see the investments we make today
through our conservation partnership
with this nation’s farmers, ranchers and
forest landowners deliver benefits for
our country for generations to come.”
The 2007 Farm Bill is the most
important funding bill for private land
conservation programs in America. The
Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus
worked diligently to increase funding for
conservation programs in the final
version. Funding priorities included such
programs as Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP), the Wetlands Reserve
Program (WRP), the Grassland Reserve
Program (GRP) and Open Fields.
“The conference report makes
significant investments in our
conservation priorities,” U.S. Senator
Blanche Lincoln said. “I am proud of the
investment of $1.3 billion in the
Wetlands Reserve Program, which will
help expand habitat for North American
waterfowl. This investment is particularly
important in Arkansas as one of the
largest wetland conservation areas in the
nation. I urge the President to sign this
conference report, which will help us to
continue to enjoy the land that we love
and help us leave our children with the
environment they deserve.”
“The Food, Conservation and
Energy Act” is a great victory for
outdoorsmen and wildlife advocates.
It improves and expands popular
conservation programs, including
Environmental Quality Incentive
Program, Farm Protection Program, and
the Wetlands Reserve Program, and it
creates a new Open Fields Program to
encourage public access to private land
for hunters and anglers,” said House
Agriculture Committee Chairman
Collin Peterson (D-MN). “I am proud of
these accomplishments and appreciate
the hard work of conservation and
wildlife advocates whose tireless efforts
played an integral role in this successful
Farm Bill.”
The ‘Open Fields’ $50M funding
Congressman Charles Boustany
of Louisiana, meets with Lake
Arthur farmer Kevin Berken
to discuss the 2007 Farm Bill.
source is crucial for enhancing public
access to private lands. Originally
introduced in the Senate by CSC
member Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)
and Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Open
Fields will boost state programs that are
designed to expand sportsmen’s access
and the use of best management practices
for fish and wildlife habitat
improvement.
Language that provides tax
incentives for landowners who allow
access to their lands has been a priority of
the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation,
working with the Congressional
Sportsmen’s Caucus since the beginning
of the reauthorization process. The Farm
Bill includes language for a 2-year
extension of tax incentives for
conservation easements that were
approved by Congress in 2006. This
provision provides tax deductions to
landowners who enter into irrevocable
conservation easements on their
properties. A provision for tax credits for
eligible landowners entering into a
conservation easement for habitat
protection and/or restoration for
endangered species was also included in
the bill.
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 15
by Laura Haugh
I
FI
wanted to write this article,
because I have recently discovered the
frustration of planning a short riding
session, and it has turned into an hour
and half of chasing my horse around the
pasture. My intentions at the barn were
to ride my horse, however, it turned into
chase and run. So, I got some advice
from some of the expert trainers around
Austin. Some of the methods are
common, and others, I never even
thought about trying.
One of the tricks, I’m sure most of us
have tried, is bribing your horse with a
tasty treat, or carrot. The problem with
this solution is that is only solves the
short-term problem of catching your
horse. It can often turn into a dangerous
game when the herd learns that you
carry a treat, and they may want to
trample you. The best way to learn to
catch your horse is to learn the trust of
your horse and make them want to come
to you.
When I sought out advice from a
trainer in Austin, Tex., I took learned
some great advice from Kristy Bachot,
the owner and trainer of Austin Stables.
She told me, “You are the queen, and
you are the one in control of their feet.”
When you approach a horse with your
hands outstretched, the horse will
typically flee because it will think that
you are the predator and they are the
prey. The best way to get a horse to
submit is to be in control of their feet.
When you approach your horse, carry a
lunge whip to use it as an extension of
your hand, to keep your horse moving.
The best gait is a smart trot. At the
beginning your horse may act like this is
fun, and try to gallop, buck or even kick.
Let him play and he will settle. It is
possible he will try to stop or approach
you at one point in your session, but
don’t let him stop. If the horse tries to
stop tell it clearly and firmly to TROT.
When he is begging you to halt, that is
when you can firmly ask for a halt, or
whoa. When he does halt on command,
praise him and continually to ask him
consistently until he submits to your
command.
Another method to catch a horse
that I am interested in experimenting
with, is one from Martha Cantarini, who
is a former stunt rider and stunt double to
many western movies, including Texas
Lady, My Friend Flicka and Cheyenne.
She shares an old Indian trick that never
fails to work. She says to find a chestnut
that looks like it needs to be shed and
place it in your pocket. She says to “go in
your corral with your rope behind you
and lean against a post and relax. Your
horse will come to you. Let him smell the
chestnut as you slip a rope around his
neck with your other hand.” If you
continue to carry a chestnut in your
pocket when you catch your horse, she
explains that the horse will begin to
think that you are “one of them,” and
begin to trust you. She explains that you
could be one of those people who “talks
to horses.”
These are only some of the tricks to
catch a horse, so see what works best for
your horse. Go out ant try some of these
techniques and let me know if this helps
convert your “ chasing time” to “riding
time.” Take care.
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C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17
by Larry LeBlanc
A
F
As you all know we are really
taking a beating by the petrochemical
industry and as it appears they have no
conscience and we have the best
government money can buy, nothing is
going to change in the near future.
About all we can do is try to be as fuel
efficient as possible and they means out
boats as well as our trucks.
One item on the list is to leave the
extra “junk” home. What that means is
don’t load your boat up with weight you
don’t need. Do some serious evaluation
of the equipment in your boat and if it
is not necessary for your currently
planned boating activity leave it at
home because extra weight in a boat
makes the engine work harder and
increases gasoline usage.
The heat here in Texas can cause
you heat stroke if you are too long on
out in it without a lot of drinking water,
but water weighs 8.33 pounds per
gallon, so take all you need, but hold
down the excess.
An engine tune-up is an excellent
investment and should easily pay for
itself over the summer. Also with the
poor quality of gasoline we have to use
I would suggest you have a water filter
installed in your fuel system.
Check out your prop or take it to a
professional and have it checked. If
your boat goes 30 mph with a like-new
prop and only 27 mph with a prop
that’s dinged and out of pitch, that’s a
10% loss in fuel economy, or, you're
wasting one out of every ten gallons
you put in your tank.
Keep the boat in trim. Using trim
tabs or distributing weight evenly will
help move your boat through the water
with less effort — and less fuel.
Another item that I have never
heard of is a fuel flow meter. A fuel flow
meter is like a heart monitor; when
consumption starts to rise, it’s an early
warning that something is amiss. A fuel
flow meter also allows you to select a
comfortable cruising speed that
optimizes the amount of fuel being
consumed.
When you are heading out for a
day on the water do not forget the
gasoline to get there. Here again the
heavier your boat the more gasoline
your truck is going to have to use to get
you to the water. To ease the gasoline
shock anything you do not need for the
days trip leave at home. If you have a
We boaters and anglers are serious about our sports, but the fuel
prices are causing us to have to get the most out of a gallon of fuel.
top on your boat lay it down and secure
it if possible or it can act as a sail and
cause your truck to use more fuel.
Another item to check is your
trailer. Make sure your wheel bearings
are kept lubricated. If your trailer tries
to start to sway from side to side at a
given speed your weight distribution in
the boat is wrong, your axle is not
properly aligned, or you may have a tire
problem. All of these will cause your
truck to work harder which converts to
higher gasoline usage.
I do not remember how many times
over the years that I have seen items
blow out of a boat being towed on the
highway or flapping around on the
verge of coming out. These are little
things, but they can cause loss or
damage of equipment and they
certainly cause more drag on your
gasoline
hence
more
truck,
consumption.
So friend we are all getting
hammered by greed that ends up at the
fuel pump and as we appear to have the
best government money can buy you
and I are stuck with having to deal with
the outrageous fuel prices, so we better
get use to it and try to do everything we
can to reduce our usage.
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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
Getting more out
of a gallon of gas
in your boat
C
F Central Texas anglers that compete
in both the Skeeter Bass Champs and
the Fishers of Men tournament trails
have reached the end of the regular
season. Instead of concentrating on prefishing the next event, their focus has
changed to end of year points and
championship qualifiers.
Fishers of Men
On May 24 FOM had their last
competition on Stillhouse Hollow Lake
near Salado. This impoundment is
famous for its big sacks of fish and it did
not disappoint the 65 teams that came to
fish. Recent floods have killed the
hydrilla that matted acres of this lake.
Fish were more scattered than usual, but
large concentrations of them were
hunkered down in the same areas as
always — on the remaining structure.
Dwayne Kinley and Ken McDonald
proved this by bringing 27.74lbs to the
scales. The next four teams were only
ounces apart.
Dale Read/Paul Carmen
23.96lbs
Ronnie Trower/Jeff Pitrucha
23.76lbs
Brian Harms/Jody Wood
23.42lbs
Jacky Roberts/Ken Wilkens
22.06lbs
by Don Gordon
The largest bass brought to the scales
this season in Fishers of Men was caught
in this tournament by the youth/adult
team of Yung Follis and Regan Vaca.
Yung had a large fish on and called for
the net. Regan dropped his rod to net the
fish, and at the last minute the fish came
off. Like all good anglers, the crestfallen
team went back to work. When Regan
picked up his rod and reeled in the slack
he yelled, “I’ve got a big one!” Yung
netted the 8.41lbs hog and nobody will
ever know if it was the same fish!
Anglers of the Year are Roger and
Jerral Boling. They advance directly to
the national tournament next spring.
Also qualifying in the youth/adult
division are Yung Follis and Regan Vaca.
The male/female division qualifiers are
Alan and Tammy Gass.
Both TOZ teams made the FOM
Regional tournament that will be held
on November 4, lake to be announced.
Skeeter Bass Champs
The last event in both tournament
trails were on what I consider two of the
best lakes fished this season — Stillhouse
Hollow and Choke Canyon. One
hundred fifty-nine anglers vied for top
honors on a very windy Choke Canyon
Reservoir. The team of Charles Whited
and Bill Polkinghorn won the purse of
$25,200-$20,000 for first place and
$5,000 for being in a qualified Skeeter
plus $200 for the SureLife Bonus. Their
five fish weight was 28.40lbs — now you
know why I love this lake!
Second place was a tie between the
teams of Matthew and Arlen Hauschild
and J.R. Bryant and J.J. Jackson. Both
teams had 27.56lbs. Matthew and Arlen
split the $2,400 prize, but J.J. and J.R.
had a little more complicated split.
Because they had caught the Big Bass —
11.88lbs — of the tournament which
brought them an extra $1,000 to bring
their total winnings to $3,400 dollars!
4th Chad Griffin/Marc Schilling, 26.98lbs
$1,000
5th Ronnie Charanza/Bruce Toeppich, 25.94lbs $1,000
Anglers of the Year were announced
at this final event — they are Alan
Shelton and Heath Moody. Twenty-five
teams will go to the State Championship
October 18-19 (lake to be announced
later) from the Central region. They will
join the 25 teams from the other three
regions for a total of 100 teams that will
fish for prizes totalling $100,000!
My teammate, Cody Ryan Greaney,
and I will be joining the group fishing
the championship in October! We
qualified for the championship by our
finish on Choke Canyon. We placed
13th in the tournament and won $600.
To top off our limit of fish I caught the
biggest fish I have ever caught at
10.34lbs — a personal best! Even at that
weight it still was only second Big Bass
— what an incredible lake it is. I caught
her on a drop shot using a Grande Bass
Rattlesnake. Cody and I caught most of
our fish in the tournament on the new
Grande Bass Honcho .
Next month there is another huge
Skeeter Bass Champs event. Sam
Rayburn will be the site of the second
annual Dodge Mega Bass Tournament.
This is a Big Bass tournament with a
new Dodge truck to be given away
every hour for two days! Nine places
will be paid in each hour also. The dates
of this tournament are July 26-27, so
mark your calendar.
The Toz Fishing Team Roundup
This past month has been very
productive for the team. We have
participated
in
several
local
tournaments with good results.
ABF HHJ Tournament, Travis on May 29
Brian Booker, 5th
ABF HHJ Tournament, Austin on June 4
Jason Patureau, 4th
Bass Champs, Choke on June 7
Louie Mallernee & Don Gordon, 13th
2nd Big Bass of Tournament
Cody Greaney, 19.34lbs
ABF HHJ Tournament, Travis on June 11
Brian Booker & Robby Crabb, 2nd
Taylor Firefighters Assn, Belton on June 14
Robby Crabb, 2nd
Keith Crabb, Big Bass of Tournament
CHECK OUT THE
TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG
FOR NEWS AND TIPS AT
TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM
The Texas Outdoor Zone Fishing
Team wants to thank the sponsors
that make our fishing possible.
Academy Sports & Outdoors • H2O Express
Texas Outdoor Zone • Country Line Magazine
Grande Bass Trophy Hunter Baits
Signature Rods • Vicious Fishing • Sun Signs
TTI Blakemore • Printing Solutions • SmartShield
Skeeter Bass Champs • AustinBassFishing.com
Texas Hunt Fish Radio Show 1370AM
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