4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E IN THIS ISSUE I Wife Swap TV I get hooked on the weirdest shows. I am not usually hooked long, but often, I end up thinking, ‘Why did I give up an hour of my life for that?’ I remember many, many years ago I was caught up in “General Hospital” when Luke and Laura were on the run. You may not have a clue what I am talking about; if you do, you were caught up in it, too. It was a daytime soap and I don’t remember why I was not working or at work, but I obviously wasn’t. Television is such a big part of life today, and I admit I struggle with it. The first clue my wife might have had started when I flipped on “COPS” as we sat eating a pizza on our wedding night in a hotel, waiting to leave for Italy. She always tells people about that for some reason. We got hooked on “Melrose Place” for a while. We planned our weeknight around that show. We talked about what was happening and the characters. Most recently we got involved in “ER.” We again talked about the characters and the storyline. That show, for me, has slowly faded this last year and I can’t remember much about what happened last. For the most part, there is not a lot of redeeming values or moral directives that I believe in on these shows. The ones we watch are not off-the-chart suggestive, but they also, for the most part, do not lift up the values I want to live by. I know I live vicariously through some parts in an unhealthy way. I am far from perfect. I was flipping the channels tonight and stopped on “Wife Swap” — the show where one wife goes to another’s home and visa versa. They are always complete opposites and to the extreme. Tonight one family was very rigid and structured, the other free and flowing. I was thinking, ‘If I could just show my kids the rigid family parts and tell them if they don’t keep their rooms clean I will ship them away to that family for a week, no a month, no a year – yea, a year.’ When the show was over and I knew it would end with minor concessions on both sides, I realized I wasted an hour. Going into a mind-numbing stage or transition after a full day of work is not a bad thing. I believe you should transition into home through time away from your computer and cell phone. Water the flowers, play with the dog, read the newspaper, watch “nothing” on television. F F E AT U R E S album spotlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 robert plant & allison krauss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 2nd largest corn crop in u.s.history . . . . . . . .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 One of the worst culprits brought to us recently is the Blackberry handheld phone, which immediately retrieves emails. People are addicted to immediately reading their e-mail and responding. I have had people in an intimate conversation who will pull out their Blackberry and check it while we are talking; that makes me mad. Recently I had a dad tell me he took several days with his kids camping and he was so glad he could stay in touch with his office from his Blackberry. I told him his kids knew he really never left the office and was not there fully — he knew it, too. I am not perfect, I said that already, but I am trying everyday to do better, to get closer to God. I do know that if I had one hour left to be with my wife and kids before I died, I would not check my email. I would not pick up a buzzing Blackberry. I would want to touch and listen to them. I would be wishing and praying for one more hour, one more minute of time with them. Watching those shows with my wife was time well spent with her, in my opinion, and we have fun with it. It is something we did, do, together and it makes us happy. I get more selective these days and watching things with questionable moral value bothers me more than ever. But I have learned to turn off the Blackberry when I am at home. I am learning not to talk on the cell phone in the car when riding alone with my wife. I am learning to be with my kids when I am with them. It is a process at almost 50 that I am just beginning to figure out. I figured this is when I get the extra hours, not later. 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 BRAD PAISLEY IS READY TO RUN AND PLAY Come Election Day, Nov. 4, West Virginia may be the pivotal state as reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, two-time ACM Top Male Vocalist, and West Virginia native Brad Paisley releases his new album, Play. Currently on the road with his Paisley Party Tour, the man who won his first GRAMMY Award earlier this year for Best Country Instrumental Performance is running on a platform of “more music, less talk” with Play, which promises to increase axes across the board, alongside some of the guitar world’s great heroes. A 15-track collection, with 11 written or co-written by Paisley, Play delivers an all-out guitar celebration with only four vocal tracks which feature Paisley singing and picking with guitar titans B.B. King, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner and the late Buck Owens. The legendary King gets joyfully bluesy with Brad, as B.B. and B.P. “Let the Good Times Roll,” while Urban and Paisley dish out the playful “Start a Band.” “More Than Just This Song,” written by Paisley and Wariner, is a touching tribute to those first guitar heroes who gave them their start on the six-string. Paisley also salutes a friend and hero, the late Buck Owens, joining Buck on “Come on In,” an Owenspenned-and-recorded track that had remained previously unfinished. Among other selections are the gently jazzy swing of “Les Is More,” a salute to the great Les Paul; the lilting beauty of “Kim” and the toe-tapping energy of “Huckleberry Jam,” named for Paisley’s wife and son, respectively; and the continuation of a Paisley album tradition, with the inclusion of a gospel classic, this time a beautifully rendered acoustic performance of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Fans will also enjoy the return of friend, collaborator, and elder statesman “Little” Jimmy Dickens, who plays “Grandpa Paisley” in the comic “PreCluster Cluster Pluck Prequel (Prelude),” which sets the stage for the all-star guitar jam, “Cluster Pluck,” featuring guests James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgensen, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner. Throughout his career, Paisley has earned well-deserved acclaim not only for his skills as a singer and songwriter, but also as a virtuoso guitarist — featured on past covers of Guitar Player and Vintage Guitar, among others. HAL KETCHUM’S FATHER TIME Hal Ketchum recorded his new album, Father Time, without a net. He amassed more than a dozen new original songs plus a dream team of musicians and entered the studio to record the album live to two-track. There were no overdubs and only a few second takes. “When I went into this project, my mentality was that this is either going to work or not,” Ketchum says. But at the end of the first day, with nine songs finished, he knew the experiment was a success. The album, which contains 13 Ketchum-penned songs plus a cover of Tom Waits’ “Jersey Girl,” will hit stores on Sept. 9. It is the album that Ketchum’s talents have promised since he burst onto the country music scene in 1991 claiming the #1 spot with his very first single, “Small Town Saturday Night.” The recording of Father Time as a live, direct-to-tape album originated from a conversation he had with some fellow musicians about how recording had lost some of its creative edge in this high-tech era in which players record apart from each other in separate rooms and booths. “By the end of that conversation, I said, ‘OK, I’m going to cut live to two-track.’ I went home that afternoon and got a yellow pad and put together a wish list of players. And almost everyone I called was available for the two days I had blocked out.” Reared in upstate New York in a musical family, Ketchum played drums in R&B bar bands at a young age, but discovered his real calling upon his move to New Braunfels, Tex. — just a stone’s throw from the legendary Gruene Hall. He didn’t know about the venue at the time, but one day followed the sounds of live music up a hill. “And there,” he says, “was Gruene Hall in all its glory, with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel playing.” Ketchum became a mainstay of the hall and later released an indie album (Threadbare Alibis) that brought him to the attention of Curb Records. Since his first Curb release, 1991’s Past the Point of Rescue, he has distinguished himself as a bona fide hitmaker, with 15 Top 10 singles to his credit and five million albums sold. 6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The songs on Father Time include some of Ketchum’s recent compositions — most of them road-tested before audiences at his live shows — as well as the first song he ever wrote (“The Preacher and Me”) and even one number (“Surrounded by Love”) written on a lunch break on the first day of recording, plus some of his favorite collaborations with fellow songwriters that had yet to be recorded. As the title implies, the songs focus on life’s essential matters, with characters that resonate with the believability of real people living (and dying). In “Yesterday’s Gone,” “Surrounded by Love” and “The Day He Called Your Name” family members face mortality with an enriching love and sweetness, and there are cinematic tales about everyday people (“Invisible” and “Ordinary Day”) as well as the vividly unique characters that make life a rich pageant (“Millionaire’s Wife,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Continental Farewell”). “It’s a coming of age,” he says of the new album. “This is what I do. I have a desire to be remembered as an artist, and whether somebody discovers this record today or 25 or 30 years from now, I want them to listen to this album and go ‘Yeah, I understand.’ The motivation here was to leave a little trail all my own.” Ketchum’s friend Neil Diamond wrote in the liner notes, “I find it impossible to listen to it without smiling at the sheer exuberance of these tracks.” HANK WILLIAMS, JR. ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL FOR 20TH SEASON This fall ESPN will crank up the volume and cue the rowdy friends the only way Monday Night Football knows how — with Hank Williams, Jr. For an unprecedented 20th season, the legendary singer will perform the anthem that ushers in the NFL’s weekly primetime showcase game, a ritual that has earned him four Emmy awards (1991-1994) and national acclaim among legions of football fans. Williams first performed “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night” — based on his hit song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” — in 1989 during the 20th anniversary season of MNF on ABC. Through the years, the MNF open has featured Williams in a variety of settings — cruising the highway in a convertible with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, tapping with famed dancer Savion Glover, even flying through outer space. After performing alongside an all-star band the past two years on ESPN, Williams will be a solo act this fall, welcoming fans to the weekly MNF game with a house party theme. Williams has become synonymous with sports television’s signature series, but ironically the gig almost went to another well-known entertainer. “The leading contender was actually a song ‘20/20’ by George Benson,” admits Bob Toms, Vice President, Production Enhancements for ESPN, who was the producer for ‘ABC Sports’ on-air promotion in 1989. “It had a pretty good vibe but it wasn’t quite right. It didn’t really talk football at all. We called Hank Williams, Jr. and spoke to his manager, a great guy by the name of Merle Kilgore, and we asked if Hank would have any interest in working on MNF. We asked if he knew anything about football, and Merle’s reply was, ‘Does Hank know football? Hank is an American. He knows football.’ And ever since then, that was it.” Williams added: “The story I got was that the son of one of the producers of MNF had my tape in his tape player. The producer said, ‘What is that?’ The truth is usually stranger than what you can make up and that is how it went down. When it comes on for that 60 seconds, it hits you right in the face and makes you go, ‘WOW!’ It really gets people in a good mood and pumped up and ready for the game. It has been a wonderful ride. I have had a lot of fun doing it and I'm going to have a lot more fun.” The new MNF open will debut prior to kickoff of ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader on Sept. 8 — Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (7 p.m. ET) and Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (10:15 p.m.). KENNY CHESNEY: 48,000 POETS & PIRATES The morning and mid-day rain should’ve put a damper on the parking lot partiers at Kenny Chesney’s Poets & Pirates Tour stop at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, yet the faithful could be found in ponchos, flips flops with radios blaring Saturday when Chesney hit the Bayou City. “It never ceases to amaze me how committed my fans are to having a good time,” laughs the man who’s currently vaulting up the charts with the Calypso feeling “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” from his fall release Lucky Old Sun. “Rain or shine, they’re gonna have a good time … and they don’t let stuff like a little rain get them down.” And with Reliant Stadium being covered, once the fans were inside, the only weather was the sunshine and beaches that are the foundation of Chesney’s music. With 47,669 people on hand, it was another huge day of friends, laughter and music. “Houston is a great place for country music,” Chesney says. “I remember when we set the attendance record at the Rodeo and Livestock show … and the year I’d hurt my foot and played it any way … Those are the kind of crowds and moments you never forget — and Reliant Stadium was another.” Ironically, Chesney — who trained with the New Orleans Saints last week — didn’t have any of the NFL’s Houston Texans on hand. Was it a protest over Chesney’s joining forces with their rivals? Some kind of good-natured, “Oh, yeah!”? Actually, with the Texans in New Orleans for a game against the Saints, both teams showed up at his New Orleans Arena show. It was a lot of huge guys in the hallways backstage, but — as is the always the case — the kind of camaraderie you’d expect when it was time for them to join Chesney for Mac McAnally’s “Back Where I Come From.” “That’s the thing about sports,” Chesney says. “You compete as hard as you can … you dig in and you fight, and you give it everything you’ve got. But when the game’s over, you know you played the best game you could, and that’s that. Why not hang out and laugh about it?” MONTGOMERY GENTRY DELIVERS FIST-PUMPING FUN ON “BIGGEST & BADDEST TOUR” Montgomery Gentry’s new album Back When I Knew It All is packed with “hell-raising, hard-partying sound” (Country Life) and “surefire, get-thisparty-started crowd-pleasers” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and their live show delivers the same energy. Currently on tour with Toby Keith on his Ford Trucks-sponsored “Biggest & Baddest Tour,” the duo is receiving praise nationwide: Eddie Montgomery recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “It’s been unbelievable how it’s been going. If you’re wanting to hear a sad song or a crying song, this ain’t the show to come see ’cause it’s nothing but rockin’ from the time it takes off til it ends.” Montgomery Gentry’s new album is out now on Columbia Nashville; the duo are on the road until the tour wraps Sept. 18 in Albuquerque, N.M. montgomerygentry.com RANDY OWEN’S ALBUM DUE OUT NOV. 4 Broken Bow Records has announced the release date of the debut solo album, One On One, from the lead singer of the legendary group Alabama, Randy Owen, has moved up to Nov. 4. In addition, HarperOne, publisher of Owen’s memoir Born Country, has moved the release of the book up to the same date. “Randy has made a fantastic album, and radio and fans are really reacting to his ‘Like I Never Broke Her Heart’ single,” said Broken Bow General Manager Brad Howell. “Having the book and album hit stores the same day gives us great synergy between the products at many key retailers.” The “Like I Never Broke Her Heart” single is featured in People Magazine’s special Country Music issue, which recently hit news stands, and the single also hit iTunes’ Top 100 in its first week of release. Produced by John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, Randy wrote or co-wrote seven of the 11 cuts on One On One. In addition to the numerous music industry awards Randy received as a member of Alabama, he recently received The Paul G. Rogers Public Service Award for his work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. On June 9, he will accept the NAB Service to America Award on behalf of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids. Randy played a vital role in establishing the Country Cares radiothon program in 1989, and it has raised an astounding $340 million for the kids of St. Jude. Randy wrote Born Country with Allen Rucker, who also co-authored books by country stars Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, among others. The book chronicles Owen’s life from his humble beginnings living in extreme poverty and hardship as the son of share coppers in Northeast Alabama to his fame with Alabama. randyowen.com C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7 HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS CORPORATE BATTLE OF THE BANDS Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) will host its firstever Corporate Battle of the Bands fundraising contest and concert on Wednesday, Sept. 3 — featuring eight bands made up of Austin lawyers, doctors, high-tech workers and other business professionals who perform live music on the side, to be judged by a panel of celebrities. From 6-11 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Antone’s, 213 W. Fifth St., the bands will compete for such awards as Best Cover Band, Best Original Band, Fan Favorite and Grand Prize Winner. Audience tickets are $5. 512-320-8424, antones.net. Judging will be veteran music writer Margaret Moser of the Austin Chronicle, musician and Asleep at the Wheel bandleader Ray Benson, and 93.7 KLBJFM DJ Jeff Carrol. Event emcee will be Kevin Connor of Austin’s ME Television. HAAM’s Corporate Battle of the Bands is intended as a preview of the city’s 3rd HAAM Benefit Day, set for Tuesday, Oct. 7, and as a reminder to the entire community to join businesses and individuals on the annual day of giving by giving back to support musicians’ health. “The tremendous response from the business community shows that the passion for making music extends beyond Austin’s live music scene and goes into the boardrooms of some of Austin’s most successful companies,” said Tim Taylor, partner at Jackson Walker LLP and second-year chairman of the HAAM Benefit Day Committee. “HAAM thanks them for recognizing the importance of and supporting musicians’ health.” contest entry HAAM’s requirements were few: bands with three to ten members, hobbyists and Austinarea residents only, performing covers or originals, any musical genre. Each band chosen for the showdown made a donation of $1,000 to HAAM. Proceeds from bands’ donations and concert ticket sales will help uninsured Austin musicians gain access to medical, dental and mental health care provided by Seton Family of Hospitals, St. David’s Community Health Foundation Leadership Dental Program and The SIMS Foundation through HAAM. For more info or to make a donation, visit myhaam.org or healthallianceforaustinmusicians.org. ZONA JONES’ DEBUT SINGLE “YOU SHOULD’VE SEEN HER THIS MORNING” Zona Jones hit country radio recently with his new single with “You Should’ve Seen Her This Morning!” This song is the southeast Texas native’s first single release from his upcoming studio album Prove Me Right. “We are so excited about this song,” says Jones. “It just became available for digital download and stations around the country have already started playing it! I was in Houston for a show recently when I heard it on the radio for the first time! I was speechless. I couldn’t believe it was on the radio!” Zona signed with Tracy Lawrence’s Rocky Comfort Records earlier this summer. “Tracy and I have been friends for several years and I have been a huge fan since the Sticks and Stones days,” says Jones. “I have always been impressed with his keen sense for a great song. Tracy is one of those rare country artists who has consistently recorded albums that fans can listen to over and over without skipping a song. Working with him on our music has been a very cool experience!” BMI OFFERS ROOTS MUSIC TORCHBEARERS AT 2008 ACL FESTIVAL Roots music with a distinct Texas tilt will dominate BMI’s intimate stage at the 2008 ACL Music Festival, slated for Sept. 26-28 in the live music capital of the world. Now in its seventh year, the BMI-sponsored stage near the main entrance to Zilker Park has built a reputation amongst roots music fans for its mix of auspicious newcomers and Austin-area talent. The three-day 8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E ZONA JONES festival casts a broad, genre-less net with 130 bands on eight stages over three days in Austin’s Zilker Park. While the majority of artists gracing the BMI stage claim Texas roots, those hailing from elsewhere boast an eclectic artistry right at home in the state’s historically rich musical climate. The free range sounds on the stage span Ryan Bingham’s gritty storytelling and Donavon Frankenreiter’s funky folk to American Bang’s jaunty southern rock and the stringed jubilation of The South Austin Jug Band. aclfestival.com. “TROUBADOUR” VIDEO The World Premiere of George Strait’s music video for his hit single “Troubadour” was on GAC’s Top 20 Countdown on Friday, Aug. 8. The King of Country Music is the first to admit that “Troubadour” is one of the most autobiographical songs he has ever recorded. There are some songs that long to be recreated visually and “Troubadour” is one of those gems. Two years ago, Strait made a music video for “Seashores of Old Mexico” with award-winning video director Trey Fanjoy. After hearing “Troubadour,” Fanjoy knew that she wanted to direct Strait’s autobiographical story in a music video. Fanjoy captured the essence of Strait as an entertainer, husband and father with a nostalgic mixture of old photos as well as new footage that was shot near his home in San Antonio, Tex. JASON BOLAND AND THE STRAGGLERS It was a week of extreme news for Jason Boland and the Stragglers recently. The first single and title track from his upcoming album, Comal County Blue, was at number 4 on the Texas Music Chart after only 4 weeks. The news comes the same day that Jason Boland and The Stragglers regrettably announce that Jason Boland’s recent vocal injury is going to require minor surgery. After what was hoped to be a brief sidelining in early July when Jason Boland discovered that he had a polyp on his vocal chord, specialists have determined that Jason Boland should and will require an operation to have it removed. Ironically, the surgery date has been set for the same day as the new album’s release date. After visiting his personal physician in Oklahoma City, Okla., Boland was referred to a specialist in Nashville, Tenn. It was then that he was officially ordered to postpone his tour dates for the immediate future. Upon a follow-up visit on July 31, it was determined that surgery was going to be needed for a full recovery of the singer’s voice. Jason Boland and the Stragglers will return to the road later this year, as soon as he is cleared by the doctors. In the days leading up to the outpatient surgery, Boland looked forward to making a few nonperformance appearances such as the one planned for College Days festival in Stillwater, Okla. Boland also recorded a radio special to talk about the new album, Comal County Blue, as well as to personally assure his fans that as one of his songs on the upcoming album states, “the party’s not over.” Due to the incredible outpouring of well wishes and support for the band in this time, the band wanted to assure everyone that the length of the down time is a necessity of the recovery time and should not be seen as a function of the degree of the injury. Stated Boland’s manager, Cory McDaniel, “It could have been much more serious, however it’s being treated properly, and we are assured by the specialist that this will guarantee a full recovery, it’s more of a matter of giving his voice ample time to heal following what should be regarded as nothing more than a minor surgery.” The band’s studio album, Comal County Blue, was released Aug. 26. It is Jason’s fifth studio album and his first release on his own label, Proud Souls Entertainment. thestragglers.com JESSICA SIMPSON’S HIT SINGLE TO BE FEATURED IN CMA CHRIS KNIGHT’S MUSIC FEST PROMOS HEART OF STONE magazine and the August cover of Nashville Lifestyles-The Hot List issue. jessicasimpson.com Jessica Simpson’s Top 20 hit single, “Come On Over,” will be the featured track in all of ABC’s on-air promotion spots running in advance of the television special CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock airing Sept. 8 (9-11 p.m., ET) on ABC. Filmed in Nashville , the special will be hosted by Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler and Julianne Hough. Featured performers include Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Bucky Covington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Hough, Alan Jackson, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Swift, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson and Dwight Yoakam. Simpson, a Dallas native, has been on the road playing select fairs/festivals and visiting radio in support of her highly anticipated country debut, Do You Know, to be released Sept. 9 on Epic/Columbia Nashville. Look for more great ink on Simpson as she graces the cover of the October issue of Elle The release date for Chris Knight's fifth album, Heart of Stone, has been moved to Sept. 2 due to production issues. The album was produced by Dan Baird (of Georgia Satellites fame, as well as producer of Knight’s widely-praised A Pretty Good Guy and The Jealous Kind discs). Knight, who’s been compared to such legendary songwriters as Steve Earle and John Prine has finally conquered his most demanding critic: himself. “Right now, this is my favorite record,” Chris Knight. “It might just be my best. For some reason, there’s a cohesiveness here that’s not like anything I’ve done before. But at the same time, it’s not real predictable. There’s a lot of texture to it as well, but it’s a simple record. I don’t know how that happened. But I know it when I hear it.” Heart of Stone is being released by Knight’s label Drifter’s Church. C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9 ALBUM spotlights ELI YOUNG BAND Jet Black & Jealous Coming out of Denton, the band was formed by James Young and Mike Eli as an acoustic duo (Eli & Young) when they attended the University of North Texas. After Chris Thompson and Jon Jones joined the band, they dropped the ampersand and became Eli Young Band. Their signature sound is a mix of powerful vocals, hardhitting guitar and a driving rhythm section. This sonic blend appeals not only to country fans, but to pop audiences as well. With one of the fastest growing fan bases in the country, the Eli Young Band grossed over $1.7 million, sold over 100,000 tickets and played well over 200 dates in 2007, including ACL Music Fest in Austin — all without being signed to a major label. But with their independent single, “When it Rains,” charting and being added to CMT and GAC’s rotation, major country and pop labels from Los Angeles to New York took notice. While touring, the band also made songwriting a top priority, and made time for writing trips and retreats at the Young family ranch. Earlier this year, the band signed a joint agreement with Universal Republic and Universal Records South and “When It Rains” continues to be well on its way to becoming the longest running single in the history of the country chart. The band has opened for John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow and Jason Aldean, and hit the road this August with the Dave Matthews Band, prior to the Sept. 16 release of their major label debut, Jet Black & Jealous. eliyoungband.com 10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E RANDY ROGERS BAND Self-Titled Named by Rolling Stone as one of the “Must-see tours of summer,” the Randy Rogers Band is one of Mercury Records’ hottest new acts. The band takes the stage over 220 dates a year, playing to sold-out crowds night after night. The buzz out on the road has helped the band to develop a cult following of college students across the country. That combined with a focus on viral and online marketing landed the band their first #1 album when they surpassed country super group Rascal Flatts as the #1 most downloaded country album on iTunes. Randy has come a long way since his first days of musical discovery. Born in Cleburne, Tex., he was just six years old when he learned to play the piano from his greatgrandmother, and later learned to play the guitar. He wrote his first song at age thirteen. Later, Randy joined a backing band, before deciding to form his own band. The Randy Rogers Band’s rabid fan base has been anticipating a new album for almost two years now. The long wait is almost up as the band’s new self-titled album hits stores on Sept. 23. They got a taste with the release of single “In My Arms Instead” last month. The project was produced by industry veteran Radney Foster and remains true to the Randy Rogers Band’s signature style — traditional country music with a twist. randyrogersband.com Robert Plant & Allison Krauss an unlikely pairing produces magical results From its embryonic, conceptual stages — well before any music materialized — the mere idea of Raising Sand held infinite fascination for both its creators and those around them. As word spread of an impending musical collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, imaginations ran wild. Two artists, each at the pinnacle of their respective pantheons, Robert and Alison have seemingly little in common. But just below the surface, an elemental understanding flowed between them, waiting to be tapped. Mutual admirers for some time, Plant and Krauss first performed together at a concert celebrating the music of Leadbelly. That great man’s sound — spry and playful, yet marked by an undercurrent of torment and loss — is a keyhole into the sound world unlocked on Raising Sand. After their initial collaboration proved promising, Plant and Krauss brought producer T Bone Burnett into the fold to help them investigate a more sustained, full-scale project. Charged with selecting both supporting musicians and material that would illuminate the connection between these two unique artists, Burnett succeeded wondrously. Built on a shared core of modal blues and country soul, filtered through alternating layers of unadorned tenderness and thick, shifting textures, the sounds on Raising Sand extend well beyond anyone’s expectations. It all began quietly, in Alison’s Nashville home. Sitting side by side, with Burnett quietly lining out chord changes on guitar, Plant and Krauss sang. There were no microphones, no effects — nothing to hide behind or escape into. “The idea was to take them both out of their comfort zone,” Burnett reflects. “To take us all out of our comfort zones.” As one of the finest harmony singers in any style of music, Krauss worked carefully with Plant to develop a blend, telepathically following the contours of his phrasing. New to such intensive two-part harmony, Plant pared down his vocal style to its most basic components — resulting in some of the most affecting, soulful singing he has yet captured on tape. “I don’t get nervous really,” Plant said of those early sessions. “But I realized once I started sitting down on that couch, I was in for a ride.” As they grew more comfortable with the songs and the way their voices complimented one another, they stepped into the studio. Burnett had assembled an intriguing group of musicians, with a core of guitarist Marc Ribot, bassist Dennis Crouch, and drummer Jay Bellerose occasionally augmented by guitarist Norman Blake and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger. Caution and trepidation gave way to an amazingly fruitful run of sessions, spanning only ten days but resulting in almost the entire album. Burnett nurtured the music endlessly, encouraging the musicians to disregard the past and simply play the songs their way. The sound gelled quickly, as a roomful of strangers became an empathetic, organically telepathic band in a matter of hours. And the music? The combination of Krauss’s silken interpretation of American roots forms with Plant’s defiantly, globally-informed mélange could have turned down any number of sonic byways. Yet Burnett’s relentless focus and the selfless dedication of the two principals has resulted in an album that defies genres in favor of a wide open brand of seismic soul music. Pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the unrealized potential of the folk-rock revolution, Raising Sand is shockingly evocative — an album that uncovers popular music’s elemental roots while sounding effortlessly, breathtakingly modern. The material selected by T Bone is the fulcrum on which Plant and Krauss’ delicately disarming harmonies balance and pivot gracefully. Roly Salley’s underground folk gem “Killing the Blues” is as bittersweetly chilling as a grunge rockabilly race through the Everly Brothers’ “Gone Gone Gone” is invigorating. Psychedelic country-rock lightening rod Gene Clark is tapped twice: once for Krauss’ devastating treatment of “Through the Morning, Through the Night” and again for “Polly,” delivered tenderly by Plant with a dreamy harmony from Krauss emerging in the second verse. Surprises abound, from a darkly grooving take on Brit-beat standard “Fortune Teller” to the closing “Long Journey,” a timeless country standard beautifully performed in a strict, solemn Carter Family style. As much as Raising Sand is a revelation for the listener, the artists involved were even more profoundly affected. “When we got 75 percent of the way down the line,” Plant explains, “I realized we’d created something that I could never have dreamt of.” Krauss shares his enthusiasm and wonder. “There’s so much romance in contrast,” she summarizes. “It was a real lifechanging experience.” S E E P L A N T A N D K R A U S S AT A C L M U S I C F E S T, S AT U R D AY, S E P T. 2 7 F R O M 8 : 1 5 9 : 3 0 P. M . C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 11 TEXAS SERVICES AND PROFESSIONALS Elite Mobile Services Austin’s Leading Mobile On-Site Auto Maintenance and Repair Service SERVICES — Factory Scheduled Maintenance • Tune-Up General Service • Pre-purchase inspections • Drive Line Service & Repair Fuel Pump Replacement • General Diagnostic Service • General Safety Checks • Suspension and CV joint repair • Brake Maintenance & Repair Water Pump Replacement • Wheel Bearing & Seal Replacement Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair • Computer & “Check Engine” light diagnosis • Emergency Roadside Service • And much more.... 512.447.6649 • elitemobileservice.com L AWN & LANDSCAPE Improve the quality of your life with a hassle-free, beautiful and well-maintained lawn and landscape Founded on principles of conservation and attention to detail Targeting new conservation and alternative fuel innovations www.ecostarlawns.com SERVING GREATER AUSTIN AND THE HILL COUNTRY Lawn & Landscape: 512-284-5212 • Irrigation Services: 512-284-5538 BEST BROTHERS CARPET SERVICE Carpet Cleaning & Flooring 24-Hour Water Extraction DEPENDABLE • HONEST • PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 512-707-9887 True Texas spring water bottled right here in Austin. Don’t buy bottled city tap water when you can enjoy natures pure refreshing spring water. KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL! Home or Office Delivery Call Today! 512/280-4037 Official Water of The Texas Outdoor Zone Texas Proud! 12 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E by Sandra Greaney E F Each year, Labor Day falls on the first Monday in September. In 1894, President Cleveland signed a bill making it a national holiday. Although it usually is though of as the holiday that ushers in the new school year, the reason we celebrate it is to celebrate the working class of people in America. And although it is a wonderful reason to celebrate, we here in Central Texas don’t really need a holiday to have a good time, am I right? In this month’s ’Round About Texas you will find many celebratory events scheduled and winds up with ACL Festival along with the Ultimate Kids Fishing event being held on National Hunting and Fishing Day. in town ALL YEAR ’ROUND H I L L C O U N T R Y O U T D O O R S If you are an active adult, love to meet people and be outdoors, check out hillcountryoutdoors.com. 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 SEPT 1-14 D A L L A S : P O W E R & PA S S I O N O N P R I M E T I M E T V at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. thestoryoftexas.com, 936-8746 P L A Y I T B Y E A R at the Austin Children’s Museum. Make sound-art objects and learn about the scientific properties of sound. austinkids.org, 472-2499 SEPT 6 F R O M F I E L D TO FA B R I C , A TA L E O F C OT TO N at Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms. We all love cotton clothing, especially in the Central Texas summers! But did you ever wonder how it came to be clothing? Visit Pioneer Farms, pick some cotton, comb it, and try your hand at spinning and weaving the cotton. pioneerfarms.org SEPT 6-NOV 30 D I N O L A N D E X H I B I T at Zilker Botanical Gardens. More than 30 life-sized dinosaurs will reside in their “natural habitat,” the new Escarpment Trail. Zilker Botanical Gardens hosts a special weekend festival during the three-month exhibit, which includes fun and educational activities and entertainment for the entire family. zilkergarden.org SEPT 20-21 THE PECAN STREET FESTIVAL Musicians, food vendors, artists and craftspeople turn Sixth Street, into a lively street fair. A perfect place to start your Christmas shopping right here!oldpecanstreetfestival.com SEPT 26-28 AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL at Zilker Park. This is one of the country’s top music events held right here in the heart of Austin. The ACL Music Festival has a reputation for bringing the world’s top artists to Austin to rock eight stages on the shores of Town Lake. aclfestival.com SEPT 27 THE ULTIMATE KIDS FISHING EVENT Celebrate the National Hunting & Fishing Day fishing at Festival Beach on Lady Bird Lake! The event will run from 8:30 a.m.-NOON. Free and fun prizes for all fisherpersons under the age of 17. kidsoutdoorzone.com outside of town ALL MONTH LONG DEVIL’S WATERHOLE CANOE TOUR at Inks Lake State Park in Burnet. Take a guided canoe tour and see many of the unique geological and natural features. Reservations required. tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/inks/ 512-793-2223 SEPT 1 SCULPTURE ON MAIN in Marble Falls. A large-scale sculpture event that includes a wine- and food-tasting artist reception, 6-8 p.m. Enjoy music at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Marble Theatre. historicmainstreet.org, 830693-9544 SEPT 11 FREEDOM WALK in Canyon Lake. Celebrate freedom by walking across the dam with hundreds of patriots. Also enjoy a fly-over and watch the Coast Guard in the water below. The gathering begins at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. at Canyon Dam. canyonlakerw.com SEPT 13 DRIPPING WITH TASTE WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL Head out to Dripping Springs and enjoy music, purchase fine art, participate in “bucket” auctions, observe culinary techniques by area chefs, and visit with various Texas authors and wine makers. Creekside Pavilion, 18315 RR 1826. drippingwithtaste.org SEPT 13-14 FIFTH ANNUAL TEXAS METAL ARTS in Gruene. Celebrating metal artistry with goldsmiths, tin smiths, silversmiths, blacksmiths and sculptors, demonstrate the wide range of techniques and methods used to create works. 903-852-3311, [email protected] SEPT 24-28 COMAL COUNTY FAIR & RODEO in New Braunfels with nightly dances, rodeo and bull riding, carnival, barbecue cook-off, parade, children’s activities, exhibits, livestock show and antique tractor pull. 830-625-1505, comalcountyfair.org SEPT 26-27 UP THE CHISHOLM TRAIL CATTLE DRIVE & CHUCKWAGON COOK-OFF in Georgetown. Sample authentic trail cuisine, watch cowboys drive longhorn cattle along the San Gabriel River and more! Western music, trick roping show and ranch rodeo, Western craft demonstrations and children’s activities. See Web site for cook-off rules, prize schedule and entry form. upthechisholmtrail.org, 512-943-1670 SEPT 26-28 RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUNDUP & GREEN LIVING FAIR in Fredericksburg. Includes exhibits, lectures, demonstrations and family activities on renewable energy, organic growing, green building and alternative fuels. theroundup.org, 512826-2055 next month OCT 4-5 TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE EXPO Spend the weekend outdoors enjoying nonstop outdoor fun and learning at the state’s largest all-outdoor recreation festival. There’s something for everyone and it’s FREE! Fish, shoot, kayak, rock climb, mountain bike, see wildlife and more. Our very own TJ Greaney will be MC at the big tent each day, so go by and see him! tpwd.state.tx.us/expo. 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] C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13 by Kendall Hemphill Snakes Alive W F When I was a kid (1965-1978), Jerry Clower was THE comedian. His jokes were clean, loud and, for the most part, funny. I’m convinced most of his jokes would still be funny, if you could find someone in the United States who hadn’t already heard them (statistically unlikely). My favorite Jerry Clower story was the one about some large steel balls his brother gave him. The best part of that story is how Jerry started it. He said, “My brother, Sonny, played hooky from school. Helped ’em build a highway one year.” Which is probably what my 14year-old son, Paden, would do, if he could get away with it. He did, at least, get a job for the summer, and he’s learning construction. Most of the time. Last week he was working at a house next door to a fellow who feeds birds. This fellow, who we’ll call Jerry, keeps a pellet gun handy to perforate snakes when they come around to eat the birds. Like it or not, higher on the are birds Human/Animal Compatibility Scale than snakes. So one day last week Paden looked over and saw Jerry with his pellet gun, about to use it on a rat snake that was currently trying his best to hide about 15 feet up in a huge oak tree. Paden decided he wanted to save the snake, and maybe skin it later and save the hide. So he asked Jerry to let him catch it. Jerry didn’t mind, so long as the snake left his birds alone. So Paden climbed the tree after the snake. His immediate boss, a fellow named Bob who doesn’t seem to care much for reptiles, came over to help. Bob’s help was not what you would call extensive, but he did run his tape measure out and try to run the snake toward Paden, so it wouldn’t get away. That worked just fine, and the rat snake went toward Paden as planned, which was what he wanted. Sort of. Sitting 15 feet up in a tree with a 3foot snake coming toward you sounds like a desirable event, I guess, until it’s actually happening. But Paden wanted to catch the snake, so he got ready to grab it, and then it cheated. It had a hole in the tree, and started into its lair. Paden, being a quick thinker, realized the snake was making his escape, so he grabbed at it, caught it about the middle, and started pulling. Of course, snakes don’t like to be pulled backwards out of their holes just when they’re going in them, and Paden knew that. He figured he’d get bit when the snake’s head came back out of there, so instead of trying to secure the critter while sitting up in the tree, as soon as he got it out of the hole he pitched it toward the ground. Unfortunately, he threw it on Bob. Later, Bob told me he thought the snake looked like a boa constrictor, which is considerably more dangerous than a rat snake. Granted, this one was only a few feet long, so even if it had been a boa it would not have been all that deadly. But if you already aren’t too fond of snakes, having one thrown on you from a tree is not a pleasant experience. So Bob did what you would have done. He grabbed the snake and threw it, without regard for which direction it was going. He just wanted it to be somewhere else besides on him. Unfortunately, another fellow, who we’ll call Ronnie, had come by to see Jerry, and was standing nearby, leaning against Bob’s Suburban. When Bob threw the snake, he threw it directly at Ronnie. Ronnie has professed no particular aversion to snakes, but that doesn’t mean he wants to wear one any more than Bob does. So when he saw the snake coming, he moved out of the way. Which left the way clear for the snake to go right in the window of Bob’s Suburban and crawl under one of the seats. Bob, for some reason, was opposed to sharing his vehicle with a snake of the reptile persuasion, especially since he evidently still harbored doubts that this one was harmless. He had that boa constrictor thing still in his head, I think. So he told Paden, who was still sitting in the tree, to come down and force the creature to vacate the premises. A Suburban is a fairly large vehicle, with lots of seats, and lots of places for a snake to hide. Plus there are lots of little things for a snake to wrap itself around, under the seats and such, when it doesn’t want to be evicted. But Paden finally got it out of there, although he was bitten several times in the process. Which just goes to show you, things never change. Snakes hanging around in trees have been getting man in trouble since the beginning, and they still are … KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR HUMOR COLUMNIST AND PUBLIC S P E A K E R W H O S E W I F E T O O K T H E R AT S N A K E TO T H E I R H O U S E A N D T U R N E D I T L O O S E . I T P R O M P T LY C R A W L E D U N D E R T H E I R V E H I C L E A N D U P I N TO T H E E N G I N E C O M PA R T M E N T. I T ’ S P R O B A B LY S T I L L T H E R E . 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 ? So quick, easy and so good! 11/2 cups instant rice 2 Tbsp butter 1 /3 cup catsup 4 drops Tabasco® 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 3 /4 tsp salt 11/2 cup water 11/2 cups light cream 1 /2 lb shrimp, cooked and peeled To restore old paint brushes, soak brushes in hot vinegar, then wash them with warm sudsy water. A fabric softener may also be used to keep them pliable and soft. A mixture of egg white, cornstarch and coconut can be used to dip raw shrimp in then fried. Need to clean copper? A rock salt, vinegar and flour combination can do the trick! Sauté rice in butter. Add catsup, Tabasco, Worcestershire, salt, water and cream. Blend with fork. Bring to a boil, fluffing with fork. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add shrimp, heat 1 minute longer. Discolored antique linens? Put rock salt and water in bathtub, then soak, rinse, dry and iron. ? ? 14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E SEAFOOD IN A SKILLET Place on decorative platter, add parsley touches if desires. Second Largest Corn Crop in U.S. History T F The U.S. Department of Agriculture has raised the nation’s corn production estimate to 12.3 billion bushels, an increase of 573 million bushels over the July crop estimate, according to data released Aug. 12. The report indicates the crop is on pace to be the second largest in U.S. history, according to agriculture officials. But for many Texas producers, it’s a different story, said Dr. Mark Welch, Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist. Many areas in Texas have experienced extreme dry weather the last few months, and the corn crop has suffered, Welch said. “A lot of Central Texas and Blackland region yields have been disappointing,” he said. “We just ran out of water. Some ears never fully developed and others were unable to fill properly, resulting in very disappointing yields. That 126 bushels includes the High Plains irrigated crop. There have been many areas where yields have been a disappointment in Texas. ” F o r Te x a s , t h e a g r i c u l t u r e department estimates an average corn yield of 126 bushels (based on total harvested acres in the state), including both dryland and irrigated acres. Nationally, Welch said, Tuesday’s report showed a “remarkable recovery” from Midwest flooding earlier this growing season. “Nationally, we had a late crop going in,” he said. “It was so wet, so cold. On today’s rating, that (yield projection for the area) of 155 bushels to the acre is just amazing. What’s interesting in the report, they lowered planted acres and increased harvested. That tells you they got the crop back in, replanted it, or the crop survived on some acres that weren’t expected to.” The higher corn harvest estimate will likely increase demand by ethanol production facilities, some of which had scaled back production due to rapidly escalating corn prices, Welch said.“This will give incentive to feed more and convert more to ethanol,” he said. Find summaries like the following compiled by AgriLife Extension district reporters at agnews.tamu.edu (CENTRAL) August: Most counties only received traces of rain; not enough to help the drought. Livestock producers continued to supplementally feed cattle to maintain their condition. Stock tanks were getting low, and trees were showing signs of drought stress. Hay production was minimal. The harvesting of grain sorghum and corn was nearly completed. Cotton was opening bolls, but low yields were expected. C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 15 by Laura Haugh T F This summer, I had the pleasure of working with Emily Dany, a student at Texas A&M University. She is studying to become a veterinarian and spent her summer interning at the Texas Veterinary Hospital in Austin. As I got to know her, I found out that she owns a mare, blinded by Uveitis, named Fancy. However, even though she couldn’t see, she was still able to run clover leaf barrel patterns and work in an arena. She did this by using her other senses and trusting her rider. I wanted to share her story with our readers to show how we can overcome any hurdle that falls in our laps, and commend Emily for her consistency in caring for a horse, which cannot see. Emily bought Fancy nine years ago when she wanted to compete in barrels. When the vet came to check on the health of the horse, he discovered that Fancy was half blind. However, Emily realized the bond she and Fancy had, and decided to buy her anyhow. Over the years, she and Fancy competed in local playday shows and won several hundreds of dollars. It was not until about a year and a half ago, when Emily was interning at another veterinary office, that she found that Fancy’s blindness was progressing as a result of reoccurring Uveitis. Her eyes would continually swell and secrete a milky discharge. Fancy had a hard time adjusting to being blind and began bumping into walls and scraping herself. If it was not for Emily’s patience and consistency Fancy would have become more nervous and would not have been able to perform at the level she does today. Fancy learned to paw at the corners of her paddock to determine where the walls meet in her stall. She uses her whiskers as feelers and her nose and ears to move around. Recently, Emily bought a goat named Rigby, to keep her company in her paddock. The goat wears a bell around its neck so that Fancy can hear where Rigby is at all times. Uveitis is also known as “Moon Blindness.” It is a leading cause of blindness in horses and affects approximately 10% of the horse population. Uveitis is inflammation of the uveal tract, which is “ composed of the inner pigmented structures of the eye, which are the iris, ciliary’s body, and choroids.” How do you look for this disease in your own horse? The eye will often appear to be “ cloudy” or “blind,” and will look red or be painful to the horse. Leptospirosis and Onchocerciasis are the most common causes of Uveitis. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease, which enters the skin through the digestive tract, mostly by drinking contaminated water. The eye reacts to the disease by becoming hypersensitive to the proteins released by the disease. Onchocercias is a small, “worm that lives in the connective tissue of the neck.” These worms create microfilaria, which enter the eye and cause inflammation when they die. Topical anti-inflammatory antibiotics are used to decrease the inflammation in the eye and de-worming your horse, will help. However, Uveitis can still cause blindness, because there is a chance of the “secondary involvement of the cornea, lens, and retina.” So keep a close watch on your horse, to prevent blindness. I asked Emily if she would have changed her mind on buying Fancy, if she knew she would eventually go completely blind. She said, “Absolutely not! Fancy has taught me to become a better rider and person, I wouldn’t change the bond her and I have for anything, even if it did take a lot of sacrifices.” Rolling Dog Ranch in Montana, a blind animal rescue, helped answer any questions and concerns Emily had about her horse. If you have a blind animal and are not sure how to care for it, you can visit their Web site at blindhorse.org. I hope you are inspired by this story as much as I was. Take care of yourselves. I F Y O U H A V E A N E V E N T, S H O W, C A M P, O R C L I N I C , E M A I L T H E I N F O TO [email protected] 8th Annual Gathering of Friends Benefit Trail Ride October 10-12 the Hill Country State Natural Area Partners will host the 8th Annual Gathering of Friends Benefit Trail Ride at the Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera, Tex. All net proceeds will benefit the Hill Country State Natural Area Partners to be utilized for park and equestrian camp improvements. The Hill Country State Natural Area Partners (HCSNAP) is a non-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Hill Country State Natural Area. The Hill Country State Natural Area, located approximately ten miles west of Bandera, was a gift to the State of 16 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E Texas from Louise Lindsey Merrick. Being a modern day equestrian, she realized that there were few public places in Texas where riders could enjoy their horses on the trails and decided, after her husband died, to donate the 4,753 acres, known as the Bar-O Ranch to the state of Texas. She began turning the land over to the state of Texas in 1976. By 1982, the transaction was complete. Louise deeded the land to the state of Texas with the provision that the Parks and Wildlife Department convert it to a state natural area and it was written into the deed that the land is “to be kept far removed and untouched by modern civilization, where everything is preserved intact, yet put to a useful purpose.” The state natural area is home to a wide variety of hill country wildlife, two known endangered bird species and varied vegetation. There are 40 miles of well maintained trails on the park for use by equestrians, hikers, and mountain bikers. The mission of the park staff and the friends group is to conserve the current and historic Ranch layout, and to protect the existing flora and fauna, thus providing a natural area as intact and historically accurate as possible for future generations to enjoy. For more information on this benefit trail ride, fees, and schedule please visit the Partners site at hcsnap.org/trail_rides.htm. Or call the park headquarters at 830-796-4413. C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17 Outdoor tales that are seldom heard I F I was participating in a high level, highly technical, conference last week and some information came to light that I feel those deeply seated in the love and lore of outdoor activities would find interesting. This high level conference involved fishing guides Wayne Whitehead, Billy Mills, Tex Bonin, Carl Bostic, Glen Gillis from Lakeside Marine and me. This impromptu to meeting was held at April Plaza Marina primarily because Ron Werner, owner, tolerates us. Catfish can be hard to handle because they are slimy and have dorsal and pectoral fins that are long, sharp, serrated and when they puncture the skin the wounds will as regularly as not become infected. As fishing guides handle so many catfish it is not unusual for them to get stuck often, but normally not badly. Tex was saying he carries a bottle of alcohol in his first aid kit and when he gets stuck he just washes the area with the alcohol and keeps on fishing. Tex brought to the forefront an experience he had with a small catfish he had caught which was just under the prescribed length of 12 inches. Fishing guides do not want to be too rough on those small fish and use any of the commercial devices available with which to hold them because they want to put them back in the water in good shape as these under size fish are next years keepers. There is a method used by many where the angler will grip the shank of the hook with a pair of pliers, pull the fishing line tight and flip the catfish over and they will come off of the hook and land back into the water. One drawback to this method is the catfish on occasion can end up in your lap or back in the boat so one must be careful. On the occasion Tex was relating the catfish flew 18 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E Holding this catfish I have one finger on each side of the pectoral fin on the left and my thumb under the fin on the right side. The dorsal fin is nowhere near my hands. backwards and buried the dorsal fin to its full length in the muscle of his right arm just below his elbow. Naturally, as Murphy’s Law is alive and well, the infection set in and the poison from the wound settled in the joint of his elbow and he was in a sling for about six weeks. Not to be outdone Wayne told of the time he had caught a good size hybrid (a man made cross between a white bass and a stripped bass) and when he removed it from the hook it flipped out of his hands and landed on his foot. He had shoes on, but a hybrid has a pointed, rigid, spike in the anal fin and that spike went through his shoe, the toenail of his big toe, and into his toe. He said it did not want to heal with time and one day he got to looking at the area and found a piece of the fin had broken off in his toe. He removed the broken fin and soon was back on both feet. Not to be out done I offered the tale of when I was fishing on the Sabine Lake once, was in the process of removing a hook from a black drum and it flipped and I ended up with the hook stuck almost completely through my left hand between my thumb and index finger. It was buried deep so there was no option but to push the hook all the way through until the barbed point came out of the top of my hand, cut off the barb and then pull it back out the way it went in. So folks things can happen when you are playing in Mother Nature’s backyard and you need to be prepared. Always have a first aid kit with you complete with wire cutters and keep your tetanus shots up to date. 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 by Larry LeBlanc O F On July 26th and 27th, Skeeter Bass Champs hosted the Dodge Mega Bass tournament, the world’s richest two-day hourly big bass tournament. Approximately 1,500 anglers from across the nation flocked to Sam Rayburn for a shot at one of twelve Dodge trucks given away. In addition to a truck per hour, nine additional cash prizes were also paid per hour. This is the second year for the Dodge Mega Bass and it just gets better. The overall winner was Steve Rutledge. His 11.68lbs hog won him a new Dodge Mega-cab Truck with a hemi. Steve began his morning at 3 a.m. by going to his first stop and waiting for the 6 a.m. starting time. Steve and his brother fished for a while with no luck. They then moved to Ayish Bayou where they caught a few small fish, and Steve’s brother hooked on to a freight train that broke off. While he retied, Steve pitched a jig in the same area and hooked his winning fish. The event was filmed and will appear on “Bass Champs TV” on the Outdoor Channel. Master of ceremonies professional announcer and bona fide “cut up” — Fish Fishburn gave Steve a good ribbing while he was on stage to receive his award. He discovered that Steve had caught his fish from a pontoon boat and from then on deemed him “pontoon boy.” Dodge Truck Winners: Steve Rutledge, 11.68lbs . . Mega Cab Truck Billy Gatwood, 9.52lbs . . . . Dodge 1500 Lonnie Stanley, 9.26lbs . . . Dodge 1500 Stan Burgay, 8.68lbs . . . . . . Dodge 1500 David Harvey, 8.52lbs. . . . . Dodge 1500 Dustin Day, 8.32lbs. . . . . . . Dodge 1500 Jay Bray, 8.20lbs . . . . . . . . . Dodge 1500 Mike Metcalf, 8.12lbs. . . . . Dodge 1500 Jerry Heintschel, 7.72lbs. . . Dodge 1500 James Stricklin Jr., 7.68lbs . Dodge 1500 Mick Baston, 7.28lbs . . . . . Dodge 1500 Roy Belknap, 6.28lbs . . . . . Dodge 1500 Sixth place overall and the winner of a Dodge truck is Dustin Day, a fellow prostaffer at Grande Bass. He gave me a little insight into his strategy for a Big Bass tournament. He weighed his fish on a digital scale so that he knew that his weight was right on. He then held the fish until the time was ripe for perhaps winning a truck and his gamble paid off! Max Hawthorn was leading the 10 a.m. on Sunday with an 8.22lbs fish. Dustin rounded the corner in the closing second to beat Max by a tenth of a pound to win. Dustin was fishing the Canyons area of the lake. Fishing a main lake ledge that had both timber and hydrilla on top, he concentrated on a ditch that drained on to the ledge in 27 feet of water. He only had two bites on Sunday and the winning fish was one of them! Dustin asked me to thank Skeeter Bass Champs for such a well-run and fun tournament. —DON GORDON Falcon is Hot! Fellow TOZ team member Robby Crabb and I went to Lake Falcon August 14-16 with a few members of Austin Bass Fishing. We had heard fishing was on fire, so we decided to brave the $4 diesel prices and head south- way south. Having been to Falcon many times before, Robby and I had high expectations. Though no giants were caught, we caught them from literally inches of water out to almost 30 feet deep. Forty fish days per boat were common. If you have never been there, you will not believe how these fish pull, and I swear they have teeth! In fact we all got a kick out of sharing “the one that got away” stories around the cook pit, and showing off our bass rash for the day. Austinbassfishing.com site administrator and tournament director Eric Austin made the trip, and even filmed an excellent video of the fun that can be seen on their site. Austin said, being my first time on Falcon, I was really amazed at how easy we were able to locate, and catch quality fish. I am also still trying to figure out why they fight ten times harder than any other bass I have ever caught. It is like they have never seen a lure before, and are shocked that they are suddenly being pulled towards the boat. Truly an amazing fishery.” Texas Outdoor Zone’s Robby Crabb added, “The trip down to Falcon was amazing, although I didn’t land the “fish of a lifetime” the fish in the 4-7 pound range were plentiful. What makes Lake Falcon such a great lake is that you can apply your fishing strengths and catch them. I fished points littered with huisache trees, willow trees, and hardwoods in the one- to eight-foot range. Pitching Grande Bass soft plastics in the trees, or throwing spinner baits and Academy H2O crank baits around the trees seemed to be most effective. If you prefer the deep bite, we also fished rock piles and old village foundations in the 12-20 foot range and ledges that dropped from 20-40 feet. Primary baits were 1/2 Texas-rigged baits, Carolina rigs, deep running H2O crank baits, and 3/4 football head jigs. The weather and the fishing at Falcon were HOT, even with lake on the fall. I highly recommend you get down there as quick as possible. Just remember these fish pull like freight trains so don’t come with anything lighter that 17 lb Vicious fluorocarbon!” Well, said Robby. You know, in these days of finesse fishing in tournaments and seeing who can out-small the other guy, it was so refreshing to throw big bulky baits on braid and heavy fluorocarbon and still get bit early and often. Have we convinced you yet? Following is a little info that may help if you’ve never been down to bass fishing paradise. Also, you can reach any of the TOZ fishing team through texasoutdoorzone.com and we can help you out. We stayed at Falcon Heights motel, which is located near the dam. The owners are as friendly as anyone you will ever meet, and it is built with the fisherman’s needs in mind. At $40 per night, you can’t beat it with a stick! They can be reached at 956-848-5229. Also when at the lake, I recommend visiting the folks over at Lake Falcon Tackle in Zapata. They can fix you up with anything you need to wrestle these beefy border bass. Their Web site, tackleandrods.com, is full of great reports, an e-store, and methods for obtaining a Mexican fishing license if you want to fish the Mexican side. Give them a call or stop by and they will let you know the latest patterns on catching fish down there. Good luck, and eat your Wheaties! —BRIAN BOOKER FALL TOURNAMENTS The Ultimate Kids Fishing Event Sept 27 • 8:30 a.m.-NOON Lady Bird Lake, Festival Beach 512-292-1113 • kidsoutdoorzone.com Fishers of Men Open Tournament Nov 8 • 6:30-10 p.m. Lake Travis 512-413-4178 • fomcentex.com HHJ Wednesday Night Tournaments 6:30-10 p.m. Lake Austin austinbassfishing.com CHECK OUT THE TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG FOR NEWS AND TIPS AT TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM SPONSORS Academy Sports & Outdoors H 2O Express Texas Outdoor Zone Country Line Magazine Grande Bass Trophy Hunter Baits Vicious Fishing TTI Blakemore • Printing Solutions SmartShield • Sun Signs Skeeter Bass Champs DG & Sons Electric C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19
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