In this issue! JaneDear girls

April 2011
In this issue!
JaneDear girls
EE
Susan Gibson
David Ball
FR
2 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
K COUNTRY welcomed Rodney Atkins and Clint Black
to Silver Springs
(Above & Below) Rodney Atkins signing autographs
for his fans
K-COUNTRY listeners
recently had an
opportunity to see two
great concerts at Silver
Springs……Rodney
Atkins on February
19 and Clint Black on
March 5. More than
4,000 fans attended
each concert.
FCU[GenMortgage_10x5.5]:Florida Credit Union 8/10/09 1:54 PM Page 1
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April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 3
Notes from
The Big Chair
By Jim Robertson
K-COUNTRY General Manager
April 2011
David Ball pg 16
Susan Gibson pg 10
Notes from The Big Chair........................................ 3
RANDOM RIFFS.................................................... 4
Big Red’s CD Review............................................... 5
the JaneDear Girls.......................................... 6
GatorNationals Photos............................................ 7
Doug Rockwell’s Nuggets of Gold........................... 9
susan Gibson.................................................. 10
Kidney Run Photos............................................... 11
Kenny Chesney Photos..................................... 12-13
Publisher
Bob Kassi
Editor
Ken Churilla
Contributing Writers
Sir Barton Hess
Joe Epperson
Ryan Sudol
Rodric Hurdle-Bradford
Phyllis Murphy
Graphics Services and Designer
Tana Thurgaland
This Is Country Magazine is published
Monthly by
93.7 K COUNTRY
©2006-2010-All Rights Reserved
david ball....................................................... 16
Jox Block............................................................... 17
Off the Avenue....................................................... 18
Lewis Stokes’ Gator Bit.......................................... 19
CD REVIEWS....................................................... 20
Duck Derby Photos............................................... 21
LYRIC SPOTLIGHT............................................. 22
Ronald McDonald House Photos.......................... 23
93.7 K COUNTRY
352-622-5600 or 352-375-7113
www.937kcountry.com
Subscriptions - Editorial — Distribution
Jessica Maier
[email protected]
Advertising Sales
Bob Kassi
[email protected]
Subscribe to 93.7 K COUNTRY’s THIS Is Country
Magazine. Make check for $15.00 to cover postage payable to
93.7 K COUNTRY and mail to 93.7 K COUNTRY
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T
here are certain things that drive
you crazy, like people not using
turn signals at busy intersections,
the sign I must have on the front of my
car that says “Go ahead, pull out in front
of me” and losing a golf ball that you
know is in the fairway. On a more positive note (lol)…
Last month Mr. Bob and I traveled to
Nashville for the yearly Country Radio
Seminar. I have been attending the CRS
on and off for 25 years now. I have to
say this was the best one. The country
format is as strong as ever and the new
music coming out of Nashville is as good
as I have ever heard. We listened to lots
of music but I am really excited about
the new albums coming out from Jake
Owen, Chris Young and Ronnie Dunn.
Wait until you hear “The Cost of Living” from Ronnie. It could be next year’s
“Song of the Year.”
I ran into our good friend and recent
acoustic concert star Jeff Bates. What a
great guy! He has a new CD out with
mainly gospel style songs on it. I love it.
Check out cut two, that’s my favorite.
Spring has finally arrived (insert a
sneeze from the pollen) and our Florida
weather is awesome. We are so fortunate
to have so many outdoor options this
time of the year. Once the humidity
comes back in a few weeks for its summer
stay, planning outdoor activities needs to
allow for soaked t-shirts…and that’s just
from walking to the car.
On March 11, K COUNTRY celebrated 17 years on the air. Time really
does fly by.
I can’t say “thank you” enough to
our loyal listeners who have made 93.7
K COUNTRY the most listened to radio
station in North Central Florida history.
You are the best!
Until next month, don’t forget to
buckle up and use those turn signals.
Jim
Photo Credits:
Big Red, Lewis Stokes,
Kathy Dugan, Chris Adkins,
Jessica Maier, Bob Kassi
4 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
random riffs
B
efore we say anything else this month, we have to say congratulations to the
Country Music Hall Of Fame’s Class of 2011. Reba McEntire, Bobby Braddock, and Jean Shepard – we applaud you.
He really does love this bar…and what’s behind it! Toby Keith has more than music
for you to consume, now he’s serving up Toby Keith’s Wild Shot Mezcal, a handcrafted
100% green agave spirit, authentic in its Mexican heritage right down to the worm
at the bottom of the bottle. “I’ve always been fascinated with Mexico and the drink
Mezcal. The tradition and history of Mezcal is magical to me.” Keith points out the
worm in every true bottle of Mezcal is not decoration. “It’s not there for the look.
It’s there to be eaten. It’s believed the worm brings wondrous experiences and every
individual’s will be different.”
The Zac Brown Band will curate their first Southern Ground Music and Food Festival
at Clemson University on April 8, 9 and 10. Festival goers can expect the full ZBB
experience throughout the weekend with their southern stamp on everything from
the food to the musical lineup. ZBB will headline the first two nights with the final
night headlined by Amos Lee. Each show will feature performances by several artists signed to Brown’s label including: Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowrey, Nic Cowan, The
Wood Brothers, The Wheeler Boys and Blackberry Smoke. Additionally, concessions at the festival will offer southern-cuisine specialties created by Zac himself,
along with the band’s trusted chef Rusty Hamlin, including items prepared with
Brown’s famous Southern Ground Grub GA Clay Spice Rub and Zac’s own Brown
Sauce.
Tyler Farr will join Lee Brice and Jerrod Neimann as the opening act for the highly
anticipated Higher Education
Tour that kicked off with a soldout show in Columbia, MO. The Gambler goes God. Last
month, Kenny Rogers released
The Love Of God – a gospelthemed CD available exclusively
in Cracker Barrel stores. That
sets Kenny apart as the first
artist to release a second album
project as an exclusive part of
the Cracker Barrel Old Country
Store® music series.
Wynonna has never been afraid
to speak out before, so now she’s
doing it for those who can’t! Wy
has been tapped to be the new
national spokesperson for the
North Shore Animal League
America’s 2011 Tour For Life.
North Shore Animal League
America, in partnership with
Purina®, will launch its annual
national cooperative life-saving
adoption event, Tour For Life. Two Mobile Adoption Units
That sure is a Nas-car!!! Country was all over
will travel simultaneously across
the 2011 Daytona 500. Brad Paisley performed
the country and partnering with
while Martina McBride sang the National Anmore than 100 shelter and rescue
them. photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images groups in 37 cities in 19 states. These “shelters on wheels” will
cover over 13,000 miles and help
save the lives of thousands of animals across the country through
humane education and mobile
adoption events.
Congratulations to Eric Church,
whose hit “Smoke A Little
Smoke” has been certified Gold
by the RIAA. The ACM Top
New Solo Vocalist recently released his new single “Homeboy”
from his third studio album to be
released later this year. Church is
up for this year’s Top New Artist
at the 46th Annual Academy Of
Country Music Awards. You can
still vote for him at VoteACM.
com through April 3rd at 5p.
Jamey Johnson receives a plaque commemorating the gold certification of The Guitar Song,
during a gathering Friday at the Palm in Nashville, TN. Appearing in photo (L-R): Ken Levitan,
Vector Management; Jamey Johnson, Mercury
Nashville Recording Artist; Luke Lewis, Chairman, UMG Nashville. Photo by Brian Kaplan
Keith Burns & Michelle Poe,
better known as Burns & Poe
celebrated a milestone as Music Row Magazine named the duo Burns & Poe as their
reigning “Independent Artist Of The Year.” The award is given to the independent artist
with the most spins on Music Row stations over the course of the year.
The only thing better than a party is a party that’s been extended! Jason Aldean has
announced will extend his 2011 MY KINDA PARTY tour into the summer, with
special guests Chris Young and Thompson Square. The tour will pick up on July 8th
in Milwaukee, WI and currently is slated to run through August 27th in Chicago, but
more shows could still be added. “Feels like we’re only warming up!” said Aldean.
“It’ll be nice to stop in some
places we haven’t been since the
new record came out. I’m really
looking forward to having Chris
and Thompson Square out with
us too!”
Sunny Sweeney will be singing
her Top 10 single “From A Table
Away” from the big stage this
year. It’s been announced that
she will join her first major tour
– Brad Paisley’s H2O II: Wetter
& Wilder World Tour.
Vince Gill surprised American Idol Crystal Bowersox at a recent Grand Ole Opry show inviting
her to an impromptu performance. “I’m standing in the circle!” she beamed before singing
“Mine All Mine.” Accompanying herself on Gill’s
guitar, she looked at the crowd and said, “I can’t
believe where I am!” Photo by Chris Hollo
That’s right, Brad has announced
the final details of his H2O II
World Tour presented by Chevy. The first date will be May 28th
at Heinz Field, home of the
Pittsburgh Steelers. The 33 city
tour includes five stadiums and
an international trek including
London’s O2 Arena, Dublin ,
cont’d on page 14
2 Col x 5”
Big Red’s CD Review
One Day Closer
A
Jeff Bates
ny fan of Jeff Bates knows his life story. The addiction to methamphetamine;
a stay in jail for stealing from his friends to support his habit; becoming clean,
and reestablishing relationships with those he’d done wrong.
Jeff tells the story of his life, giving his personal
testimony at almost every concert. How he established his relationship with God and how it’s changed
his life for the better!
Jeff has just released a six song CD of Christianbased country music which he says is “for all of us
who are still on the journey and for those who are
waiting for us at the destination.”
The CD begins with “The Rapture.” For those of
us who have read the “Left Behind” series of books,
the story in this song will be very familiar. A man
wakes up to find his family gone. He turns on the
TV and sees people who are experiencing the same thing and realizes it’s the morning
after the Rapture! He laments not devoting himself to preparing himself for the very
event his wife said would someday happen.
“Living Stones” is a tune about everyday believers we come in contact with, with
whom you feel the love of God. “Rocks that you can cling to when you’re drowning
in tears…”
You may have heard “One Day Closer” on K COUNTRY. It asks the question,
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” And “why is the world full of so much
evil?” Jeff sings that he’s one day closer to the answers he’s been searching for and his
list of questions keeps on growing.
Jeff next takes on the traditional song “Wayfaring Stranger.” The song has a
haunting melody. Jeff’s soulful delivery and the female background vocals make it
truly special!
I’ve always loved the old hymn, “Life’s Railway To Heaven.” My previous favorite
version is on an album by the Amazing Rhythm Aces. Jeff delivers a totally unique
arrangement of this timeless song. It’s a high energy, country rocking version with a
chorus backing his powerful vocal performance. The song has some very hot guitar
licks and a driving beat that will surprise those of us who have listened to more traditional versions, but I loved it on first listen!
The CD closes with “If You Could See Me Now,” a tune co-written by Jeff. The
tune is written from the perspective of someone who has gone to his reward and is
sung to the loved ones left behind. “If you could see me now, even though you’re
looking through a broken heart, you wouldn’t bring me back to where you are.” It
speaks of the joys of Heaven and tells the people on earth that God has more things
for them to do before they join him for Eternity.
Just before Valentine’s Day, I lost a man I called my brother. We’d been best
friends for over 35 years and his passing was one of the hardest things I’ve experienced. Hearing this song brought me a lot of comfort, as it would for anyone else
who has lost a loved one.
These six songs are also available on a DVD with five additional songs and a fan
photo slide show.
A must-have CD for believers!
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6 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
the JaneDear girls ­—
F
inding a name for your band can be a formidable challenge. As a new music act seeking noto- Coming up with a suitable name turned out to be a tough process for
riety, it’s of paramount importance. Right up there with image and the music itself. The goal hot new duo the JaneDear girls, who have already scored a big hit with
is to take on a name that not only describes you, but is memorable and hasn’t already been
the infectious “Wildflower,” from their eponymous debut, which hit
taken by someone else.
the stores back on February 1st. Members Susie Brown and Danelle
Leverett wanted something special that would represent them, but
they fought the same fight that many new duo’s seem to see.
Much More Than
Just Two
Pretty Faces
By Sir Barton Hess
“It’s actually pretty hard to find a name because there are so many
that have already been taken,” laughed Susie. “You start turning
them in the trademark office and it’s like, you can’t have the Janes,
you can’t have the Dear Janes, because all of these have been taken. It
took us a while to find a name that really described who we are and
we want to say to our country audience, and the JaneDear girls does
just that. It’s very feminine and endearing. When we started going
by that name, a lot of our co-writers and people we work with in
Nashville seemed to really love it. They would love it or they would
smile.”
The catchy name appears to be working as the country music audience seems to have latched on to act.
“Nobody ever forgets the name,” Brown said. “I think that it’s a
good thing for us.” But the name has nothing to do with the music and it was their music that earned them the highest charting country single for a debut
artist last year. In fact the JaneDear girls’ debut (produced by John
Rich) has been selling so well that their success, coupled with the
duo receiving their first Academy of Country Music nominations for
Top New Vocal Duo or Group and Top Vocal Duo of the Year has
caught the girls a bit off guard. “It’s amazing,” Brown remarked. “It’s a shocker because we haven’t
been out very long.”
If the duo’s name describes the spirit and attitude of the JaneDear
girls, so does their debut single “Wildflower” which is a perfect
introduction to country fans with its soaring harmonies, high-octane
musical punch and free-spirited vibe. According to Brown, a Utah
native, she co-wrote the song with two songwriting friends a few
summers ago which on that particular day, she decided to dust off an
instrument that had been sitting around in her car for awhile.
“I have a vintage electric Mandocaster, which is essentially a solid
body electric mandolin that I found in a little guitar shop in Salt
Lake City, Utah,” she recalled. “I bought an amp, plugged it in at a
co-writing session and ‘Wildflower’ popped out. I had a wildflower
in my hair that day, and that’s where we got the title.”
Brown admits that “Wildflower” describes her childhood. “I was
always outside picking flowers and climbing trees and you know, eating all the cherries. Anytime my parents would be looking for me,
I would be outside playing. That’s kind of what the song is about,
growing up carefree in a carefree world and just being yourself.”
You might think that the girls are an overnight sensation. After all,
one song in and they already have a huge hit and some ACM nods.
That might seem to be the story, but as with most ‘overnight sensations’ that’s not the case. As Brown tells the story, she moved to
see JaneDear, cont’d on page 8
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 7
K COUNTRY’s Grand Prize contest winner James Crutchfield (R) with his family
K COUNTRY joined in all the fun and excitement at the 41st Annual Gatornationals that were held at the
Gainesville Raceway from March 10th thru the 13th.
Wrapping up on Sunday, March 13th Del Worsham defeated seven-time champion Tony Schumacher in the Top Fuel final round. Other winners in the
NHRA’s 60th anniversary season were Mike Neff (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
The 41st Annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals with
In the winner’s circle (2nd from Left), Eddie Krawiec,
Jason Line, Mike Neff and Del Worsham
Kurt Bush and Erica Enders
The NHRA honored Big Daddy Don
Garlits by naming the grandstands
at Gainesville Raceway as the Don
Garlits Grandstands
8 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
JaneDear cont’d from page 6
Nashville seven years ago. Her first year in Music City was spent figuring out how to
survive and meet people so that she could get out and gig. Brown -- a multi-instrumentalist – finally secured a weekly gig backing up an artist in town on fiddle and
harmony vocals when she met Danelle Leverett. “It was my very first gig in town and I was making like 50 bucks a week. I was super
stoked!” she said, laughing. Brown would also spent part of 2005 and 2006 on the
road as a back-up singer and instrumentalist with some of country music’s top artists,
including Trisha Yearwood. Leverett, a transplant from Texas, came to one of the
shows with songwriter Kris Bergsnes, who introduced the women after Brown’s show. “He introduced us and said, ‘You know, you girls should get together
and write some songs sometime. He knew I was an aspiring songwriter and I was looking for some contacts and trying to figure out
how to write a song.”
The first time Brown and Leverett got together and played, they hit
it off musically. The two started writing a song, but ended up calling
Bergsnes to see if he could help them finish it.
“He came over and listened to the song. After we played it for him
and he was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you girls are so much alike! It’s like
you bop your heads the same way! We were singing the whole first
part of the song in unison and then we would break off in harmony.
(Kris) said, ‘You act like a duo -- you should totally be a duo.’”
“From that day forward, we were pretty much inseparable.”
Brown grew up in a musical family, one of seven children, and began playing violin
at the age of four. She was an accomplished musician from the beginning, winning
her age group in the Utah State Fiddle Contest at 10. Though when she moved to
Nashville, she readily admits that she didn’t know how to write songs. Leverett, on
the other hand, grew up pursuing sports as a competitive gymnast, until an injury
forced her to channel her energies into something else, which became guitar and
songwriting. After winning a regional songwriting contest, Leverett signed an independent record deal while attending college and upon graduation moved to Nashville.
“When I met Danelle that first day, we started writing songs together,” Brown said. “We wrote three the first weekend, three the next weekend, and within a couple of
months, we already had like thirty songs. I’m so excited because I had no clue how to
write a song and then all of a sudden, I could write songs.”
Just like any other puzzle, it wasn’t just the songs that were going to make Danelle
and Susie more than Danelle and Susie. Nor was it meeting Kris Bergsnes, the
chemistry between them, or anything else up to this point. Those were all just pieces
to the puzzle. There was one more piece that was needed to make the JaneDear girls
complete.
John Rich.
Meeting John Rich was pivotal for the duo, as he became an early and avid supporter,
as well as ultimately producing the JaneDear girls’ debut album. Leverett had the
lucky fortune of meeting Rich the second week she was in Nashville at the annual
Country Radio Seminar. The girls went and played two songs, “Every Day’s a Holiday” and “Saturdays in
September.” Rich flipped out, telling the girls that they had finally found it and those
were the songs he thought they could create an album off of.
Rich offered his help, including producing the girls‘ album. Brown and Leverett
took him up on his offer and asked him to produce their recording sessions so they
could start shopping for a record deal. “He said absolutely and got us in the studio within a month, recorded songs and
shopped it to some labels,” Brown recalled. “Within three months we had a deal on
the table from Warner Bros.” This summer it will mark six years that these ‘overnight sensations’
will have been musical partners. In those years leading up to the
JaneDear girls’ debut, one of the things the girls worked on was their
musical skills. By now, between the two of them, Susie and Danelle
play several instruments. “I play fiddle, mandolin, guitar, upright bass and accordion,” Brown
informed. “Danelle plays guitar and sometimes I’ll teach her some
mandolin chords depending on the song,” she says with a laugh.
Brown says that Leverett also blows some harmonica and is known
to play a six-string banjo, also known as a gango. But even with all this musicianship between them, the girls spent
the bulk of their time together really focusing on their songwriting. After six years of
writing, when it came time to choose songs for their debut album, to say they had a
few to choose from is an understatement.
“It’s kind of crazy because we honestly had about 200 songs to choose from!”
Even still, the girls did their due diligence and not only listened to songs from outside writers, they took a few into the studio as well. At the end of the day however,
none of the songs from outside songwriters made the album.
“Honestly, it was just because the songs we wrote really related to us and what we
wanted to say, for the first time, to a brand new audience,” Susie explained. “We
always told John, ‘We want to rock,” Susie pronounced. And as Danelle says, “We
like our guitars loud, our fiddles ripping and a steady beat that makes people want to
dance.”
As their producer and longtime supporter, John Rich appears to agree, describing the
duo by saying, “The are the girls next door that kick country A**”
As it turns out, they were right in their choices and he was right in his assessment.
The JaneDear girls’ self-titled debut album debuted in the Top 10 on the SoundScan
Top Country Albums chart and the video for “Wildflower” hit the No. 1 position
on GAC’s Top 20 Countdown, just eight weeks after its debut. Both Brown and
Leverett are polished entertainers and while they have different approaches to fashion
(Brown wears what she refers to as “vintage fashion with a twist”), the girls say they
have a unified approach when it comes to their music.
Recently the girls embarked on their first major tour, joining Eric Church as the
openers for Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party tour. The tour has given the girls the opportunity to present their music to arena-sized crowds.
“He and Big Kenny were doing a Big & Rich show and she ran into them. They
got to talking and he asked where she was from. When she told him she was from
Amarillo he was like, ‘No way, that’s where I’m from!’ So, he automatically had an
instant hometown connection with her and started calling her ‘West Texas.’
“It’s amazing,” Brown commented. “I absolutely love it; every day is perfect. (Jason)
is such a great entertainer and he has such a great audience, a very fun, live audience,”
she continued. “They just come to party, so it makes it really fun for us because we
can go out and just have a good time.”
“As she and I started to write songs together, we would send him songs to get his
opinion. He was always very honest. He would say, ‘Uhh, I wouldn’t send this song
to anyone -- keep writing. We kept writing and made a bunch of other connections,
we started looking for a publishing deal and different things. Then about two or
three years later, (John) invited us to come out at a Muzik Mafia show.” Brown says that in a perfect world, Aldean was the artist they were hoping to tour
with.
“When he called us and said, ‘Hey, do you want to go on tour?’ we were like, Yes!
He’s is so on top of the world right now -- it’s a great time to be on this tour.”
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 9
Doug Rockwell’s
of Gold
D
Your Ford Store
since 1954
Dottie West
orothy Marie Marsh, aka, Dottie West, was born near
McMinnville, Tennessee October 11, 1932 the oldest of
ten kids. The family was so poor they had no electricity, no indoor plumbing, ate their meals off lard bucket lids, drank out of old tin
cans and made their own soap out of hog grease and lye. Her childhood was abusive
physically and sexually by an alcoholic father and at age 17 she finally was able to
report him to the sheriff and he was sentenced to 40
years in prison.
She appeared on a local radio show at age 13, then
joined her high school band as a singer and guitar
player. Dottie was given a music scholarship to attend
college where she met her first husband, Bill West.
After graduation they moved to Cleveland, Ohio
where she appeared on the “Landmark Jamboree” TV
program, followed by a move to Nashville two years
later. In Nashville Dottie and her husband became
friends with a group of then unknown songwriters
including Willie Nelson, Harlan Howard, Hank Cochran and Roger Miller. The struggling writers stayed
in Dottie’s home and in return, taught her the craft of
songwriting. During this time Dottie also became friends with a new singer named
Patsy Cline. They met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and when Dottie and her
family found themselves unable to pay the rent or buy enough groceries for the week,
Patsy would hire Dottie to help with Patsy’s wardrobe and Dottie’s husband Bill to
play in Cline’s band.
Patsy was in a car accident in 1961 and Dottie was one of the first on the scene,
even picking glass out of Patsy’s hair. Dottie was also an opening act at Patsy’s final
concert at a benefit in Kansas City, Kansas. She offered Cline a ride back to Nashville
but, to get back to her children quicker, Patsy chose to take what proved to be the
fatal plane flight.
Around 1963 Jim Reeves recorded one of Dottie’s songs that resulted in her
getting a record contract. Then in 1964 Chet Atkins agreed to produce her music,
resulting in Dottie being named the first female country artist to win a Grammy
Award, plus she was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. Her career charged into
high gear and soon she was having solo hits, plus duets with Don Gibson, Jimmy
Dean and later, Kenny Rogers. Legend says she was recording “Every Time Two Fools
Collide” when Kenny Rogers walked into the studio and started singing along.
After a long and successful career, Dottie’s career began to fade, but in 1991 she
decided on a comeback, starting with an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. She
left her apartment in a car given to her by Kenny Rogers but it broke down so she
hitched a ride with her 81year-old neighbor, who in an effort to get Dottie to the
Opry in time for her show, went off an exit ramp at 55 mph and crashed. She suffered severe internal injuries and died during her third surgery on September 4, 1991.
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April 30, Ocala
352.629.7555
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10 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
A
sk yourself a question. Do you know the Dixie Chicks song “Wide Open
Spaces?” Yes? Then you know Susan Gibson.
Hard to believe it’s been nearly thirteen years since country fans were first
acquainted with the music of singer/songwriter, Susan Gibson. Susan essentially
penned her mortgage when she put her story to paper with the lyrics of 1999’s CMA
Single of the Year. However, it was Natalie Maines and the now-infamous Chicks
from Dixie that first introduced her story to the millions.
But the story of Susan Gibson doesn’t stop there. There’s more to her than just one
song. However to understand who Susan is now, you have to understand not only
where that song came from, but what it propelled her to.
“When I wrote it, I wasn’t looking at the big picture at all,” recalls Susan. “I was
just doing what every girl before me and every girl after me will do, leave my parent’s
house. I didn’t realize how it could apply to everybody else.”
“Wide Open Spaces” became the anthem for women everywhere. It didn’t matter
if they were leaving home to conquer the world for the first time or picking up the
pieces of their adult life and starting over, this song became their soundtrack. The
tune started as a personal tale of Susan’s in 1993. While at home for the Holidays
from college in Montana – where she was originally studying to be a forest ranger –
she sat at her mother’s kitchen table and within minutes scribbled down the lyrics in
one of her many school notebooks.
From there, fate took over. For four years Susan performed the song on the coffee
shop circuit. She never recorded it until she became a member of The Groobees, a
local Texas band from her hometown near Amarillo . The band’s first project was
engineered and produced by Lloyd Maines. Lloyd’s daughter Natalie had just recently
been chosen as the new lead singer of a band that would soon become a household
Tight Rope is stripped
and intimate, a vast
departure from her
first three projects.
Gibson and her producer, Gabe Rhodes
are the album’s sole
musicians, often
times improvising
sounds and instruments. She laughs as
she recalls his use of
a pencil eraser tapped
against a cigar box for
percussion, or his fingernails plucking at
the strings inside of a
piano on the album’s
final track, “Passin’ Thru” as prime
examples of Rhodes’
undeniable creativity.
As personal and
natural as some of
these stories occurred for Susan, she
SUSAN GIBSON: Life On A Tight Rope
name across America . Susan calls it “serendipity,” when Natalie and The Dixie
Chicks made the decision to cut her song.
She admits the song was difficult to let go when she first learned that the Chicks
wanted to record it for their 1998 album and then name the record after it as well.
“I was sentimentally attached to this song. I can still go through it line by line and
tell you what it was about each line that was significant in my own life. Being so close
to the song, I couldn’t see it applying to anybody else.”
While the Chicks embarked on their rocket ride to stardom that needs no explanation, The Groobees continued on their path as well; however, they split in ’01.
But The Groobees end didn’t mean Susan’s end. She has continued writing and pursuing a solo career and in February she released her latest solo album entitled Tight
Rope.
The fact that the album was released on Valentine’s Day is significant not because of
the candy hearted holiday itself, but because it marked exactly one year after she suffered a severely broken arm, dislocated elbow and a shattered wrist in a major car accident. Her doctors estimated that she wouldn’t even pick up a guitar until the fall, a
diagnosis that was certain to cripple her plans to release and promote her new record.
Though she completed writing the title track prior to the accident, Susan acknowledges that “Tight Rope” takes on an entirely different meaning when she plays it
today. Lyrics such as, “You tightened up the reigns, you cut me slack. You gave me
just enough rope so I could find my way back,” hit closer to home for her after what
she calls “a real tangible, stop me in my tracks kind of incident that made me look
at everything in my life differently” seem to ring a little differently in the ears of a
woman who emerged from a wreck that many might not have.
By Joe Epperson
explains that part of the fun of writing and
touring is the inspiration that she can draw from her fans across the country and their
own personal stories. This is especially true in what she declares one of this project’s
personal favorites, “Wood Wouldn’t Burn,” a song that tells the story of a fire that
blazed through a man’s house, sparing not much more than a guitar he always wanted
to hear his favorite artist play. The fire took the man’s life, but his widow eventually
got the guitar to the artist, who played it at his show and still owns it today.
Tight Rope comes across as genuine as it does
sincere. Susan successfully highlights her maturation as a woman and an artist on this project. She
captures the inevitable reality of change on the
album’s first track, “Evergreen,” a song that sounds
like it could be a sequel to the life of the woman
once portrayed in “Wide Open Spaces.”
“I hope that that’s what anybody would hear
when they put this record in. I hope that they
can hear the growth into the next phase of my
life.”
Susan Gibson’s new album, Tight Rope is available on iTunes. She’s currently
touring the state of Texas to promote it and will be branching out to Tennessee,
Virginia, the Carolinas, Alabama and further come this spring. For more info on
Susan, her tour and her music, visit SusanGibson.com.
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 11
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12 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 13
Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown and Billy Currington in Concert
More than 50,000 fans
packed Raymond James
Stadium in Tampa on
March 19 for the Kenny
Chesney “Goin’ Coastal”
concert. Joining Kenny
on the tour were the
Zac Brown Band, Billy
Currington and Uncle
Kracker.
Kenny and Zac jammed together at the
end of the concert.
Zac Brown
Kenny Chesney
K COUNTRY gave away
hundreds of tickets to the
concert and forty lucky winners also won a ride to the
concert on the K-COUNTRY
Stage Coach provided by
Fabulous Coach Lines plus a
box lunch courtesy of Flour
Pot Bakery.
Two rows of big screens were dynamic!
Kenny made a grand entrance…
high above the crowd on a specially crafted “flying chair.”
Lewis Stokes,
K COUNTRY mid-day
personality, getting ready
to board the Fabulous
Coach Lines bus
Billy Currington
K COUNTRY’s Lewis Stokes (R) backstage
before the concert with Billy Currington.
14 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
random riffs
cont’d from page 4
Stockholm, Oslo and more. Special guests will be Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann. The H2O II World Tour will bring back the very popular and fan favorite
“Water World Plaza ,” turning every city into a water festival. The focal point in the
Plaza area will be the “Water World Plaza Stage” featuring new stars Brent Anderson,
Edens Edge and Sunny Sweeney. The venue will open each day at 4p with music
starting at 5p. In addition to the music stage there will be multiple water-themed activities – including a Chevy H2O FLW fishing simulator, dunking booth, slip n slide,
and other various water games. Chevy will be providing a Corvette driving simulator
for concert goers to test the latest Corvette ZR1 series as well as their individual driving and racing skills against Paisley himself. The fan having the highest score each
day will get a chance to meet Paisley later in the evening.
Andy Griggs is back in the spotlight in a big way with the his new single, “Can I Get
An Amen,” from his upcoming EP due out later this year.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers will be touring North America this
spring & summer in support of their new album, Rare Bird Alert. The album is
available in three formats: the standard CD, vinyl and a deluxe edition that includes
specially created trading cards featuring performers on the album. The tour is slated
to run through July 1st.
It’s in the hole!!! Steve Azar was one of the many celebrities in The 11th Annual Murray Bros. Caddyshack® Charity Golf Tournament in St. Augustine, Florida in March.
The two-day event featured more than 300 golfers over two courses and has established itself as one of the premier charity events in the Southeast. In previous years
surprise performers have included Azar, Jimmy Fallon, Darius Rucker, Branford
Marsalis, and many others. Proceeds from the tournament benefited the Florida
School for the Deaf & Blind Summer Academies.
Little by little, the CMA Music Festival is starting to take
shape. Jo Dee Messina will
host her Fan Club Party at 8a on
Saturday, June 11th with each attendee receiving an autographed
keepsake souvenir at the door.
General admission tickets are
available to Fan Club Members
for $30 per member. In addition,
each member will be allowed
ONE GUEST for $35 a ticket.
Fans do not need to hold tickets
to CMA Fest to attend this party.
Carrie Underwood presents a check to Mark
Shriver of Save the Children. Carrie donated
36 cents from every ticket sold to her shows
in September through December, a donation
totaling $140,125.68. The initiative was inspired by the “36 cents” written in the lyrics of
Underwood’s song “Change” which tells how
the smallest of spare change help “change” the
world. Photo by Chris Hollo
It’s not country, but she’s hilarious! Lisa Lampanelli is known
for her off-the-cuff humor and
harshly brilliant quips at other’s
expense. In celebration of her recent marriage, Lampanelli shows
she is giving love a chance in her
new CD and DVD release, Tough
Love, available everywhere on
April 5th. Leave it to the Queen
of Mean to take the joys out of
romance and “I Love You’s” and
twist it into an opportunity of inyour-face insults and hilariously
inappropriate stories.
Kenny Chesney performing for the Everglades Foundation benefit in Palm Beach,
FL. Chesney’s friend and Foundation Board
member Jimmy Buffet joined him on stage for
“Back Where I Come From” and one of Buffett’s
signature songs, “Come Monday.” Mac McAnally
joined Chesney on “Down The Road.”
Surfdog Records and Glen
Campbell have joined forces.
Surfdog will get the honor of releasing Glen’s final studio recording, Ghost On The Canvas, as well
as an unplugged-style Greatest
Hits release, merchandising pact,
and the Glen Campbell Goodbye
Tour.
She’s taking over the world!!!
When Taylor Swift kicked off the European leg of her SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR
in Brussels, Belgium, fans had started to gather outside the Forest National Arena at
9a. Taylor’s 2011 tour will include 90 shows in 19 countries.
Michael McDermott is one of the good guys and is using his musical powers for
good. In addition to churning out legendary music, Michael has begun churning out
“Legendary” coffee and using the proceeds to feed hungry kids in America. By partnering with FeedingAmerica.org, Michael has set a goal to serve up 100,000 meals in
2011. You can help by logging on to McDermottGear.com and purchasing a bag of
coffee. Not only will you get a great bag of coffee – you’ll help feed a starving child.
If you’ve seen the hit TV show Mike & Molly, then you’ve heard some of Josh Kelley’s work! Josh co-wrote the show’s theme song “I See Love” with Keb’ Mo’, who
sings the song in the version selected as the Mike & Molly theme back in 2004. “Six
months ago he called and said, ‘…a TV show called Mike and Molly wants to use the
song because the show creators came to my live show and heard it. It’s funny because
now I’m a big fan of the show and every time I watch it, I get to hear this cool song.”
While Josh’s debut album just came out last month, he’s already thinking about Album #2 and considering recording a country version of “I See Love” for it. “The lyrics tell a story. It’s like the guy has been around the world and done all of these little
things and it’s in his journey that he learns how to actually see love for what it is.”
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of their legendary hit “Elvira,” The Oak Ridge
Boys have been honored as the most recent addition to The Palm restaurant family. Their images became immortalized forever among the dining rooms which are
characterized by the panorama of classic cartoons and caricatures of local regulars,
businessmen, politicians, and celebrities which make up their impressive customer
base. “Having our portraits on the wall of The Palm restaurant in Nashville is a very
special honor,” says member Joe Bonsall, “Now we can look at ourselves as we dine
on the best Chilean sea bass in the south!!!”
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 15
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16 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
David Ball
By Sir Barton Hess
More than just a Thinkin’ Problem
I
n 1994, country singer David Ball was a huge star thanks to his hit song
“Thinkin’ Problem.” The song was a smash both on the radio and at the slew of
country bars that popped up all over the country, thanks to a catchy chorus that
was one part George Jones, one part Johnny Paycheck. While it was classic sounding
country, “Thinkin’ Problem” struck a chord with young and old fans alike, eventually catapulting Ball’s debut album of the same name to sales of more than 3 million
copies to date.
The South Carolina native wrote or co-wrote all but one song on the album and
Thinkin’ Problem spawned two more big hits that included, “When the Thought of
You Catches Up With Me” and “Look What Followed Me Home.” The successful
album also garnered Ball a Grammy nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year.
While he would release two more albums that decade, the tide at radio shifted away
from his style of country and Ball hit a dry spell until 2001 when he released the
single “Riding with Private Malone.” That song brought him back to the top of the
radio charts, peaking at No. 2.
Included on his 2001 album Amigo, “Riding with Private Malone” was tailor-made
for hardcore country fans, combining patriotism with a haunting ghost story. The
song tells the tale of a young man who purchases a vintage Corvette only to be saved
from a fiery wreck by the ghost of the car’s former owner, Vietnam casualty Private
Malone. Now, at 57, David Ball is not resting on his success. Last year, Ball and his band The
Pioneer Playboys released the album Sparkle City, which includes the singles “Hot
Water Pipe” and “What’ll I Do if I Don’t Have You.” Having written or co-written
all 11 songs on the disk, David Ball is excited about the album which contains musical styles that have always been close to the singer’s heart, such as classic honky-tonk
country, jazz, Western swing and Tex-Mex with a little taste of Latin thrown in. “I think you can say that ‘Hot Water Pipe’ is kind of similar to ‘Thinkin’ Problem,’”
Ball noted. “You know, it’s got a lot of roadhouse, honky tonk and of course Texas. I
think the only thing different about this record is that this is just really without any
kind of forethought about radio or that whole thing. I think these are hit songs, but
not the kind of hits you hear on country radio today.
“And then I might add: thank goodness!,” he laughs. “To me, a lot of a lot of the
music on country radio today is kind of disposable -- it’s very rare that you hear
something that kind of sticks with you.”
Ball is proud of the fact that he recorded Sparkle City with his own band,
which he put together in Nashville. No pressure for radio, no pressure in
general. Even rehearsals were done in a relaxed and informal matter.
“We’d sit in a little semi-circle and just kind of play. It was great.
“When we started playing around, we didn’t want to go out and kill
ourselves, so we just started kind of playing little out-of-the-way places in
Kentucky and over in Arkansas. Nothing too strenuous. Once we got real
tight we went into the studio and cut this record. It was a lot of fun -- got
to work at it at our own pace. We didn’t know what we were going to get,
but I was after some kind of rehearsed abandon. It had to be tight, but at
the same time, we had to take some risks and get in there and go at it. That’s
the kind of music that is on this record. I think we got it. It’s kind of like
Delbert McClinton, but a little more country or something.” The thing Ball is most excited about the release of the single “What’ll I Do If
I Don’t Have You,” which finds him teaming up with Operation Troop Aid,
a non-profit organization found by US Navy veteran Mark Woods that sends
care packages to deployed US troops. In addition to donating a portion of the
proceeds from the single to the organization, Ball is set to appear as a spokesperson
in a TV campaign.
“I am a big supporter of the military,” Ball said, adding that he traveled to Iraq
to perform several years ago. “I went over there and met a lot of people when we
played some shows. Just getting to meet the military and be there, they appreciate
it so much and of course I got more out of it than anybody. It just did me a lot of
good to go over and see those people. They’re so efficient at what they do and how
they feel about their country. I’ve always just kind of bumped around and played
music and done whatever I’ve wanted to do. And I just saw a little piece of a different part of the world and I really appreciated what they do and who they are.”
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 17
Rachel Marisay
13th Annual Bradford County
Strawberry Festival
April 16th & 17th
Austin,Texasaboveanicecream
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18 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
UF Off the Avenue
Off the Avenue is designed to provide a glimpse into University of Florida students’
responses to some basic questions of current topics. K COUNTRY intern Paula Clark,
herself a UF student,
is asking
the questions.
Calli: “About two weeks ago I bought the song
Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons.”
Megan: “This past weekend I bought Weekend
Wars by MGMT.”
Emilio
3. If you had to write a song about your life,
what would the title of the song be?
Emilio: “Nonchalant Effort”
Evan: “Ramblin City Man”
Anna: “Superstar”
Calli: “Glovebox Melody”
Megan: “Prismacolor”
4. If you could make a music video out of
any song what song would it be and what
would you do?
Emilio: “Rock Me Amadeus by Falco, and I would
walk around campus and part people or buildings like the red sea.”
1. What is your favorite part of Easter? Evan: “Take On Me by Aha. I would be skydiving
and casually eating food at the same time.”
Emilio: “Easter egg hunting was always
Anna: “Keep On the Sunny Side and during the
fun.”
video I would sit outside and eat an orange.”
Evan: “My family always bakes a carrot
Calli: “Tangled Up in Blue by Bob Dylan. I would
cake every year and it is tasty!”
have a bunch of people tied up in blue strings.”
Anna: “I like seeing all of the bunny rabbits Megan: “Ants Go Marching by Dave Matthews. I
and baskets.”
would have a bunch of ants marching.”
Calli: “I love to color eggs.”
Megan: “Coloring eggs is a lot of fun.”
5. If you could trade
lives with any re2. What was the last CD or song you
cording artist who
have purchased and when did you buy would it be?
it?
Emilio: “Pharrell WilEmilio: “Late Registration by Kanye West, liams”
and I bought it last December.”
Evan: “Eminem”
Evan: “Last Friday I bought Rain Dogs by
Anna: “David Bowie”
Tom Waits.”
Calli: “Gwen Stefani”
Anna: “Today I bought the song Green On- Megan: “Shakira”
ions by Booker T.”
Evan
Paula Clark
Megan
Anna
Calli
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 19
The Gator Bit
M
By Lewis Stokes
y Dad passed away last month, March 12,
2011 at 10:30pm.
I never went to a Gator Football game with
the Reverend Luther R. Stokes, but he did attend many
a game in the ‘70s with his best friend PappyWhitehurst
from Williston.
I went to my first Gator Football game
in 1979 against Kentucky with my brotherin-law at the time, Frankie Powers. I can still
remember running onto the AstroTurf field
after the game and celebrating.
My Dad was an avid supporter of Florida
State University and would always tell me
how he admired Bobby Bowden and would
tease me whenever the Seminoles defeated
the Mighty Gators. I gave him a Seminole
Football helmet as a Christmas present one
year and he still had it on his shelf until the
day he died.
I was born in Tallahassee, but somehow I
fell in love with the University of Florida and
the Gators. I am sure this confused my Seminole Father and Mother. I am sure my dad
will be watching Seminole Football games up
there in Heaven and when Saint Bobby finally makes it to the Pearly gates, he will
probably have a chat or two with my dad.
In Honor of my Dad, The Reverend Luther Ray Stokes, I end this Gator Bit
with… GO NOLES!
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phone: 904-964-4642
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BRYANS ACE HOME CENTER
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101 Commercial Dr
Keystone Heights, FL 32656
phone: 352-473-4001
fax: 352-473-5562
LANE’S HARDWARE
19 E Noble Ave
Williston, FL 32696
phone: 352-528-5251
fax: 352-528-6003
SUWANNEE RIVER KUBOTA
14811 NW Hwy 19
Chiefland, FL 32626
phone: 352-490-7061
fax: 352-490-7064
OCALA TRACTOR
5841 N Hwy 441
Ocala, FL 34475
phone: 352-732-8585
fax: 352-867-8366
D & C SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
6035 SE Baseline Road
Belleview, FL 34420-3410
phone: 352-245-5652
fax: 352-307-4386
LDL ENTERPRISES INC
1333 WC- 48 STE D
Bushnell, FL 33513
phone: 352-793-9083
fax: 352-793-7609
20 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
CD
ARTIST: Josh Kelley
ALBUM: Georgia Clay
Written by: Joe Epperson
ARTIST: Craig Campbell
ALBUM: Craig Campbell
Written by: Ryan Sudol
Anyone who’s familiar with Josh Kelley, the folk artist, could
understand that a country project isn’t exactly a giant departure
for him. While he doesn’t branch out much from his comfort
zone, it’s not as if he breaks out the fiddles and steel guitar, he
does incorporate a bit more dirt roads, river beds and whiskey into
the lyrics on his debut country album, Georgia Clay. Many of the
tracks were co-written with his Grammy Award winning brother,
Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum fame. The title track itself is a
fun and reminiscent story of his younger teenage years, “…when
life was nothing more than living for the night,” stealing kisses
and sneaking into bars with a fake ID. “Learning You” is a romantic cut that’s tone is implicative of the bluesy-folk sound found in
past ballads like “Just Say the Word” or “Almost Honest.” “A Real
Good Try” is a beautiful and inspirational tale about one’s obvious imperfections. While they might be trying to please everyone
right off the bat, Kelley does more than please with his seamless
initial attempt to cross the country boundaries. Though related
through blood, the only comparison I can draw between Josh and
his brother is the undeniable passion in their voices. And anytime
you mix talent, passion and soul – greatness will usually abound.
There is just something about Craig Campbell’s self titled debut
album that captivates you from the first note of “I Bought It” and
carries you to the end. It doesn’t reach out and grab you by the
throat as Campbell’s smooth delivery doesn’t operate that way, but
his remember-when-Strait-was-young delivery of cleverly written country lyrics makes this a must-listen for any country fan
wishing country would go back to being country. While “Family
Man” is the first radio single the feature track fans are sure to go to
first, “My Little Cowboy” dives deeper into the family as a beautiful father-son song that is truly delivered with heart. The song
sure to bring the bar crowds to their feet is the smirk-inducing
“Fish.” Easily the best-written, tongue-in-cheek song since Jack
Ingram’s “Love You,” “Fish” is filled with enough risqué double
entendres to make even a midnight cowboy blush. One piece of
magic that Craig provides that most new artists have forgotten
is the art of an album. Not just a collection of songs that work
well with each other (as opposed to a collection of hits) but a soft
acoustic guitar sound threading throughout nearly every song connecting the entire album. ARTIST: Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
ALBUM: Rare Bird Alert
Written by: Sir Barton Hess
You don’t have to be a die-hard bluegrass fan to get into Rare Bird
Alert. All you have to bring is an love for stellar musicianship,
breakneck instrumentals, lilting ballads, often beautiful melodies,
close harmony singing worthy of legendary bluegrass masters and
the prevailing sense of humor we’ve come to know and love from
longtime actor/comedian/musician Steve Martin. Backed by the
exceptional North Carolina bluegrass outfit the Steep Canyon
Rangers, Martin has found his musical soulmates and the 13
tracks here (all written or co-written by Martin) offer adventuresome instrumentals as well as vocal numbers. Leading with the
Celtic-tinged title track, every track on Rare Bird Alert is a winner. Guest appearances by Paul McCartney (“Best Love”) and the
Dixie Chicks (“You”) put this set over the top. Other standouts
include a beautiful instrumental and musical eulogy “The Great
Remember (For Nancy)” and the fishing song “Yellow-Backed
Fly.” Ironically, the most entertaining tracks were recorded live
and serve to close out the album. “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs”
is as hilarious lyrically as the title would indicate and the bluegrass
reworking of Martin’s 1978 hit “King Tut,” is absolutely priceless.
ARTIST: the JaneDear Girls
ALBUM: the JaneDear Girls
Written by: Sir Barton Hess
On the surface, the JaneDear girls may seem like just another
gimmicky country dance-pop project -- what with Brown’s funky
vintage fashion flair, bright red lipstick and jet black Bettie Page
hairdo and producer John Rich’s muscular guitar and bass drumheavy production -- these girls have something more than flash-inthe-pan quality. But if you’re pulled in by the infectious hook on
the JaneDear girls’ first single “Wildflower,” this 11-song set -- the
debut album release from duo Susie Brown and Danelle Leverett
-- will hold your attention long enough to take a real liking to this
unique new country act. Start with the songs: Brown and Leverett
wrote or co-wrote every track and while they may not be lyrically
earth-shattering, the hooks are tasty and memorable, notably on
the aforementioned single and highlight numbers that include the
randy “Shotgun Girl” and wispy ballad “Saturdays in September.”
Then there are Brown and Leverett’s vocals, the blend of which -in unison or harmony -- has an organic quality as well as an alluring playfulness that plays well to the material. The JaneDear girls
are quirky and fun and that spirit shines through on this fine first
effort. True, they’re not going to save the world. But sometimes a
smile and a shimmy is what the world needs the most.
see CDReviews, cont’d on page 22
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 21
K COUNTRY at the Gainesville Duck Derby
On Sunday, February 27 K COUNTRY sponsored the inaugural Gainesville Duck Derby at Westside Park to
benefit the Child Advocacy Center and the Children’s Home Society. Activities included archery, dancers, a
fun run, vendors and fabulous food…all topped off with a rubber duck race.
K COUNTRY’s Lewis Stokes was the Duck
Derby emcee.
Everyone could “adopt” a duck for
$5 and watch it float down the slide
and across the pool with a winning
prize of $1,000 in cash. Over three
thousand ducks were adopted.
Getting ready to start the 5K run
Lining up to watch the
Duck Races
S
Kids could play all day
making bubbles
pring is in the air…finally!
Bet you’re just as excited
as we are to get out in the
fresh air and enjoy the warmer
weather. And what better way to
do it than On the Cheap?
The Levy County Fair kicks
off April 7 and goes through
April 10. Events include karaoke
competition, livestock show,
with Mr. Bob and Kathy
Miss Levy County Fair Pageant
and Little Miss Levy County Fair Pageant. The entry fee is $10, Seniors - $5 under
2 years-old free. Parking is $2. There are free rides and free entertainment with gate
admission and an armband. The Family Fair Saver is available in advance of fair
opening date and includes four gate admission tickets and four ride armbands for
$32.
The Clay County Fair is just a short drive up the road to Green Cove Springs.
It’s going on through the April 9 and includes frog jumping, a magic show, livestock
show, talent show and entertainment, plus Easton Corbin and Jerrod Niemann
concerts.
Check out the 9th Annual Alachua Spring Festival on Sunday, April 10. It’s going on from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Main Street in Downtown Alachua. Block after block
of food, arts, crafts, children’s activities, attractions, Farmer’s Market and music, too!
And whether you’re walking or cheering on someone who is, March for Babies
is the place to be on April 26. Once again, it will be held at Marjorie Harris Carr
Cross Florida Greenway on Baseline Road
in Ocala just north of Maricamp Road.
Stop by and say “hi” to us because we’ll be
Listen to the Mr. Bob
there, too! All the details online at www.
Morning Show
marchforbabies.org
Weekdays from
Have fun and save money when you
keep it On the Cheap!
5:30am - 10am
Special thanks to Photography 35 for many of these photos
GAINESVILLE’S ULTIMATE SPORTS BAR
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22 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
CD Reviews cont’d from page 20
ARTIST: Bart Crow Band
ALBUM: Brewster Street Live
Written by: Joe Epperson
ARTIST: The Roys
ALBUM: Lonesome Whistle
Written by: Rodric Hurdle-Bradford
The trouble many Texas born country-rock bands seem to have
when attempting to break their music outside of their native state
is trying to capture the energy of their live performance on to a
studio record. The Bart Crow Band aces that test with their first
live album, The Bart Crow Band: Brewster Street Live. Their set
starts strong with “Driftin’ in the Wind,” a track that sets the table
for the type of electric, southern country-rock that fills this record.
While many live projects do little to project instrumentation and
often provide sub-par, muddy vocals; Brewster Street Live captures
the BCB at their finest. Though Brewster Street is abundant with
the Red Dirt Country they’ve become known for in their home
state, they manage to showcase their raw side with cuts like “Hollywood,” and “Run with the Devil,” a personal favorite. “Broken”
is a phenomenal tribute to the life of a soldier fighting his way
for a ticket home. Prior to the national emergence of comparable
Texas acts like the Randy Rogers Band and Eli Young Band, I’d often find myself saying, “trust me, you have to see these guys live!”
Funny, after listening to this album I find myself saying the same
thing…only now you can. Anytime you like.
The Roys Lonesome Whistle could be the soundtrack for American
rural life with all the ups, downs and traditions rolled into one
album. “Coal Minin’ Man” celebrates a day in the life of a coal
miner and also explains the family pride and history of the profession as well as the frustrations that go with it. Another track based
on reality is “That’s What Makes It Love,” a frank discussion and
replay of the sacrifices made by a single mother and a farmer—a
story very relatable in today’s economy. Love is also covered in
the album, from the low feeling of separation in the album’s title
track, “Lonesome Whistle,” a story about leaving for the draft
and the loved ones our military service men and women leave
behind to “My Oh My How Time Flies,” a reflective track about
the heavy emotion of love and how it can change your environment. For those who enjoy gospel in their music, “Give a Ride to
the Devil” captures mistakes made as a youth and how they can
become larger issues if you make the same mistakes later in life.
“Waiting For My Real Life To Begin”
I
don’t care who you are or what you do - life is going to knock you down.
It’s a fact. Both personally and professionally everyone you know, including
you, is going to get knocked back a few steps every now and again.
It’s inevitable.
Some of the most wildly successful people in history were kicked in the teeth
many times before they rose to greatness. The fact is you’re going to lose at
times in life. You’re going to lose love, you’re going to lose jobs and they aren’t
going to be by choice. But the key to success and happiness is to keep believing
and keep at it. To keep striving for what you want your life to be.
Remember: Failure isn’t falling…it’s failing to get back up after the fall.
As always…enjoy the punch.
Any minute now my ship is coming in
I’ll keep checking the horizon
I’ll stand on the bow and feel the waves come crashin’
Crashing down, down, down on me
You say be still my love
Open up your heart and let the light shine in
Don’t you understand I already have a plan
I’m waiting for my real life to begin
When I woke today suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams I slew the dragon
Down this beaten path and up this cobbled lane
I’m walking in my own footsteps once again
And you say just be here now
Forget about the past your mask is wearing thin
Let me throw one more dice I know that I can win
I’m waiting for my real life to begin
— Colin Hay
April 2011 / THIS Is Country / 23
AMERICAN
FREIGHT
Kathy Dugan, co-host of K COUNTRY’s
Mr. Bob Morning Show, spent a few
hours on March 17 at the McDonalds on
Easy Street in Ocala serving up Frozen
Strawberry Lemonade and donating her
tips to the Ronald McDonald House.
K COUNTRY’s
Kathy Dugan
at work for the
Ronald
McDonald
House
(L-R) Jessica Maier, K COUNTRY
Sales Rep, McDonald’s Franchise
Owner Lori Findlay and Kathy Dugan
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Gainesville
Art of Billiards ---------------------- 4251 SW 13th Street
Beef O’Brady’s --------------------------------- NW43rd St
Beef O’Brady’s --------------------------- SW Archer Road
Chili’s ------------------------------------ SW Archer Road
Copper Monkey------------------ West University Avenue
David’s BBQ -------Timber Village Market place, 39th Ave
Florida Credit Union ---------------------------43rd Street
Florida Credit Union -----------------Haile Market Square
Florida Credit Union ------ Advantage Center, 13th Street
Gainesville Harley Davidson -------- Just off 39th at I-75
Gator City ------------------------ West University Avenue
New York Pizza Plus ------------corner of 23rd & Main St.
One-Stop Career Center ------------------ SW 13th Street
RCC Western Stores ------------------- I-75 & Williston Rd
The Bagel Bakery ----------- Millhopper Shopping Center
Hernando
Citrus Pools ------------------------------ East Norvel Hwy
Lady Lake
Chili’s ---------------------------- Hwy 441 in The Villages
Ocala
Chili’s ---------------------------------------------- SR 200
Chili’s ----------------------------West Ocala, SW 93rd Ct.
Florida Credit Union ----------------------- SW 17th Road
Florida Credit Union --------- State Route 200 West Ocala
Florida Credit Union ------------------ Silver Springs Blvd.
Park Dental of Ocala---SW 34th Ave in Publix Shop. Cntr.
RCC Western Stores ---------------------------Highway 27
Sound Exchange Musical Instruments ---- NE 14th Street
TRI-AM RV Center -------------- on Old Jacksonville Road
Wendy’s -------------------------------Silver Springs Blvd
Alachua
Alachua Pawn & Jewelry -------------------I-75/Hwy 441
Ivy House ------------------------------------- Main Street
Belleview
Pasta Faire ------- Belleview Reg. Shopping Ctr, Hwy 441
Dunnellon
The Blue Gator at Anglers Resort ------S. Williams Street
Fruitland Park
RCC Western Stores --------------------Highway 27 & 441
Newberry
Newberry Backyard BBQ -----------------Newberry Road
Starke
N. Fl. Reg. Chamber of Commerce ---------- E. Call Street
One-Stop Career Center ----------------- S. Walnut Street
Williston
Pyper Kub Cafe’& Restaurant------Main Gate,Williston Airport
Ivy House ------------------------------------- Main Street
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24 / THIS Is Country / April 2011
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