Randy Rogers, Old Crow Outside the Box

GAC Nights host Suzanne Alexander with the Randy Rogers Band at Country Thunder 2007 in Waxahachie, Texas.

Over the course of his career with 16 Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum albums leading up to the debut at No.1 this past March of Good Time – Alan Jackson has become one of country music’s most respected and honored artists. He has sold more than 50 million albums and has more than 100 major industry awards to his credit. Jackson is a three-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year and the most-nominated artist in CMA history. A prolific songwriter, Jackson penned 23 of his 33 No. 1 singles, including his GRAMMY-winning Best Country Song, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).”

A native of small-town Newnan, GA, Jackson was the first artist signed to the fledgling Arista Nashville record label in 1989, and with the release the following year of his debut album, Here in the Real World, his songs immediately connected with fans – leading to four No. 1 singles from that record alone. Since 1991, Jackson has had 21 No. 1 videos on CMT’s Top 20 countdown including classics such as “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Chattahoochee,” “Pop A Top” and “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” with Jimmy Buffet. In 2002, Jackson won the CMT Music Award for Video of the Year with his hit “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” Jackson’s most recent collection Good Time became the fourth album of his career to debut simultaneously at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and all-genre Billboard 200 sales charts. The 17-song release has netted two No.1 hits in the title track and “Small Town Southern Man and also marked a career first for Jackson as the only time he has been the sole writer of all the songs on his album

The CMT GIANTS franchise began in 2006 when Reba McEntire was honored for her stellar career by such stars as Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Kelly Clarkson, Martina McBride, Jennifer Nettles, LeAnn Rimes, Megan Mullally, Wynonna and Dolly Parton, each of whom paid tribute to Reba by lending their voices to her biggest hits. Last year, Hank William Jr. was honored by superstars Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Steven Tyler, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Gretchen Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Buddy Guy, who all performed their favorite Hank tunes, while Shooter Jennings and Hank’s daughter Holly also joined the tribute.

» www.juliannehough.com

Ashton Gets Advice from Vince & Patty

Oct. 3, 2008 — Newcomer Ashton Shepherd has earned high praise from critics and her peers, and now she’s been counseled by a couple of music giants, picking up wisdom from Vince Gill and Patty Loveless in the GAC series Into The Circle.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JOSH TURNER TO PERFORM ON THE CBS EARLY SHOW
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8

Nashville, TN (October 2, 2008) - While in Nashville for the Presidential debate, the CBS Early Show will broadcast LIVE from the Belmont University campus on Wednesday, October 8. MCA recording artist and Belmont alumni Josh Turner will perform his current hit single “Everything Is Fine.”

In addition, Turner will perform on the stage of the historic Ryman Auditorium Sunday night for journalists who are in town for the Presidential debate, which will take place at the Curb Events Center on the Belmont campus Tuesday, October 7.

Tonight, Turner will walk the red carpet at the Nashville movie premiere for Billy: The Early Years - the Billy Graham biopic that opens in theaters October 10. This marks Turner’s acting debut. He plays the role of Graham’s musical counterpart George Beverly Shea. Turner performs “Almost Persuaded” on the original motion picture soundtrack, produced by John Carter Cash, which will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

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Gettin’ to know Ashton Shepherd...who's opening for Sugarland

It’s not every day you get to talk to a country music sensation, but I got my chance this week. Ashton Shepherd is the one of the newest voices to country music; however she is definitely a recognizable voice. Her new single “Sounds So Good,” is topping the billboard charts and can be found on just about every country music station in town. Her other single, “Takin’ off this Pain,” is turning into the perfect “moving on” song for women all over the country.

Her southern charm really came through in an interview I had with her this week about the realities of hitting the touring scene. Not only did she leave her hometown of Leroy, Alabama, to travel around the country opening for Sugarland; she is also learning the struggles of being a star… and a mom.

Shepherd visits with her son about every other week when he and her husband, of almost four years, come to see her on the road (and yes, I did say ‘husband,’ so obviously “Takin’ off this Pain” was not written for him). Shepherd admits that even though she loves touring and performing every night with Sugarland, that she really misses her family, and being at home. Shepherd was a stay-at-home mom before she struck gold. The southern star explains her new lifestyle as “kind of hard to get used to, but we make it work and have a lot of fun.”

I was interested to know what inspires Shepherd to write her lyrics. She ranges from “feel good” songs to “gettin’ down to business” songs, and even “tear jerking” songs.

N4U: What inspires you to write the lyrics to your songs?

AS: Sometimes I write a song about something specific that I’ve gone through. And then other times I just write about life in general…no one or nothing in particular.

“Angel Wings” can really get to a person’s heart. Did you write that for someone you’re close to?

No, actually my brother and I were sitting around and started coming up with the lyrics. So many families today go through traumatic and life-changing experiences, so I wanted to write a song they could relate to.

What is your favorite song on your debut album?

I don’t know if I necessarily have a favorite song, but I could listen to “Sounds So Good” over and over. That song just makes me feel good.

Now I know you said you are happily married, so where did “Takin’ off this Pain” come from? That song doesn’t sound so happy!

(laughs) I just started writing down the lyrics about an angry woman and then I thought about how I’d feel if my husband and I were going through that. But don’t worry; I’m still wearin’ my wedding band!

So when did it hit you that you were becoming a “celebrity?”

I don’t think it has yet. I don’t wear a lot of makeup or fix my hair when I’m off stage, so people don’t come up to me and recognize me right away. I don’t know if it will ever really hit me that I’m a “celebrity.” But I do try to be as nice as I possibly can…I want to be a good celebrity, not a bad one!

Keith Urban said on CMT that as soon as he heard “Sounds so Good,” that he went out and bought your CD. What does that mean to you to have Keith Urban say that?

It makes me feel accepted, and so grateful to be in this business.

Shepherd has been compared to the great Loretta Lynn both for her style and her charm. She told me if she could meet any famous country star it would have to be Loretta Lynn for sure. “Not just because people compare me to her a lot, but because that is who I grew up listening to and relating to. Loretta is just great.”

Dolly is, of course, another one of Shepherd’s all time favorites. “I admire Dolly Parton as a writer and for all her accomplishments. I just really like the traditional singers who sing from their heart and not just from the stage,” explains Ms. Shepherd.

My interview with Ashton Shepherd was nonetheless extremely casual, funny and full of charm. She was easy to relate to, and it was fun to just listen to her trademark voice. She is without a doubt ready to be let loose in the music industry!

Be sure to catch Ashton Shepherd on tour with Sugarland Friday, October 24 at Roberts Stadium. This show is a guaranteed good time for true country music lovers of all ages!

In support of their new album release, Sugarland will bring the LOVE ON THE INSIDE tour Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. to Roberts Stadium. The tour will feature special guests Kellie Pickler and Ashton Shepherd.

Seats are $46 and $36. All tickets are subject to Ticketmaster Fees, Handling Charges and Facility Fees. Tickets can be purchased at The Roberts Stadium Box Office, The Centre Box Office, All Ticketmaster outlets including fye in Eastland Mall and Evansville Schnuck's locations. Tickets can be charged by phone by calling (812) 423-7222 in Indiana and (270) 926-6661 in Kentucky or on the Internet at Ticketmaster.com.

Music and Lifestyle Celebration for a Cause

November 20-22, 2008

Beaver Creek, Colorado * Aspen, Colorado * Santa Fe, New Mexico

Tickets on sale Saturday, October 11th, 10am!

COMMON THREAD - an exciting musical event comprised of artists and organizations coming together to share the COMMON THREAD of music, lifestyle and philanthropy. Conceptualized by Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, the event will be a celebration of Jennifer’s philosophy of balanced living through music, yoga, eco-consciousness and most importantly, giving back. “I’m hoping Common Thread will be a multi-genre diverse bill under the ‘common thread’ of activism and community organization. I do believe that one action can cause a ripple and make a difference. So, if you inspire some of your fans to go out into their own communities and effect change, then that’s success.”

The inaugural dates feature Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, and Amos Lee weaving together individual and group acoustic performances in the intimate settings of the Vilar Theatre in Beaver Creek, Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, and the Santa Fe Armory for the Arts. A select number of VIP tickets for each performance will be available. VIP ticket holders will attend a silent auction champagne reception with the artists. The silent auction will feature one of a kind artist paintings, photographs, signed memorabilia and lifestyle packages. All proceeds from the event and auction will be donated amongst each performing artists’ charity of choice.

Jennifer Nettles’ proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

Kristian Bush’s proceeds will benefit the American Liver Foundation

The American Liver Foundation is the nation's leading nonprofit organization promoting liver health and disease prevention. ALF provides research, education and advocacy for those affected by liver-related diseases, including hepatitis.

Tickets for all performances will go on sale Saturday, October 11th, at 10am at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations and charge by phone.

For Immediate Release… October 1, 2008

WHAT: 20th Annual Peach Drop New Year’s Eve Celebration
WHO: Julianne Hough
WHERE: Underground Atlanta – Downtown Atlanta
WHEN: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
TIME: Noon until 4 a.m.
COST: Free

ATLANTA, GA- The champagne is chilling so let the countdown begin…the 20th Annual Peach Drop is just around the corner! The biggest celebration to hit Atlanta for two decades, Peach Drop 2009 will be a night to remember with television and music sensation Julianne Hough and others ready to celebrate the decent of Atlanta’s own 800 pound peach.

You’ve watched her on ABC’s hit show Dancing With the Stars and you’ve heard her on the radio, now is your chance to seeJulianne Hough (pronounced “Huff”) perform live on stage at the 20th Annual Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta. Hough’s self-titled debut album recently topped both the country and Top 200 charts, leaving people all over America singing along to her infectious debut single “That Song In My Head.” 2008 has taken Hough on tour with Brad Paisley, awarded her an Emmy nomination and led her to the set of Good Morning America and The View. Topping Maxim’s Hot 100 list, Hough has graced the covers of CosmoGirl, Shape, USA Today, People and Atlanta’s own Atlanta Peach Magazine. Hough is ready to say farewell to 2008 and ring in 2009 with a show-stopping performance at the 20th Annual Peach Drop!

The southeast’s largest New Year’s Eve Celebration, Peach Drop boasts more than 100,000 visitors each year, with millions more tuning in across the country to watch the famed giant peach make its 58 second decent from the top of its 138 foot tower of lights. “The 20th anniversary of the Peach Drop is cause enough to make this the biggest and best New Year’s celebration Atlanta has ever seen,” said Underground Atlanta General Manager, William P. “Chick” Ciccaglione. “We couldn’t be happier to have Julianne Hough onboard for what will be the best Peach Drop yet!”

The Peach Drop events will kick-off at noon, ensuring a day full of family-friendly activities including a moonwalk, basketball throw, free face painting and balloon art on Upper Alabama Street. Kid friendly music will be playing on the Budding Peach Stage, setting the mood for a fun-filled celebration. As the last day of 2008 draws to a close, live bands will perform as the time for Julianne Hough to hit the stage approaches. The crowd will roar as the clock strikes midnight—welcoming 2009 with an explosion of confetti and fireworks lighting up the sky! The celebration will continue until the wee hours of the morning as the bars, restaurants and nightclubs of Kenny’s Alley will be gearing up for a late night of partying until 4 a.m.

The 20th Annual Peach Drop is sponsored by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Cooper-Atlanta Transportation Services, myAtltv, Party City, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, and The Sunday Paper.

For the safety and enjoyment of Peach Drop, Underground Atlanta asks that the following items NOT be brought onto the property: Pets, bags, backpacks, coolers, picnic baskets, recording devices, roller blades, bikes, skateboards, lawn chairs, weapons and alcoholic beverages (alcoholic beverages can be purchased on the property by patrons 21 years of age and older).

Please visit the newly designed www.PeachDrop.com to find answers to frequently asked questions, fun facts and up-to-theminute information about Peach Drop 2009!

About Underground Atlanta:
Conveniently located near the Georgia State Capitol, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the Martin Luther King Jr. History Center, Underground Atlanta is a great place to start the day visiting downtown's attractions and events. Located in the heart of the city, Underground offers a wide variety of shops, restaurants and activities for everyone to enjoy. Explore six blocks, twelve acres and three levels and 225,000 ft. of shopping, restaurants and entertainment, as well as the restaurants and clubs in Atlanta’s hottest nightclub area, Kenny's Alley! Be sure to visit www.peachdrop.com for more information or call Underground Atlanta at 404-523-2311.

RANDY ROGERS BAND DEBUTS AT #3 ON
BILLBOARD’S TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS CHART

Nashville, TN - October 1, 2008 - The Randy Rogers Band debuted today at #3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart with their self-titled album, selling over 17,000 units. Named “one to keep your ears open for this Fall” in USA Today, the band has held up their end of the bargain with an impressive sales debut and a chart topping #1 spot on iTunes, surpassing sales of country superstars Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood as well as pop star/country newcomers Jessica Simpson and Darius Rucker.

“Thanks to our loyal fans that have supported us all of these years,” says Rogers. “They are the reason we debuted at #3 this week. We are excited for everyone who has played a role in our band’s ride. We look forward to sharing this record with new fans.”

The band has headlined shows in front of crowds of 10,000 fans and has opened for the likes of Willie Nelson and The Eagles in 2008. Playing well over 200 dates a year has solidified their live sound and helped the band to become one of the most sought after touring acts in country music.

Hailed by critics, the band has often been compared to their heroes including a young Steve Earle and country icon George Strait. With rave reviews for the album pouring in, you can look for the Randy Rogers Band in upcoming issues of American Songwriter, Country Weekly, on Paste.com as well as in the top major daily newspapers including Philadelphia Inquirer, Arizona Republic, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle.

The band’s new single “In My Arms Instead” was named “one of the songs you should download now,” in USA Today just three weeks ago. The single is currently climbing the country radio charts.

CD: Classic Christmas
Release date: 10/07/2008

About the Album

George Strait and Faith Hill lead the sleigh full (oh the cleverness that drips from this writer's pen) of new Christmas releases this year. The singers even decided to drop their seasonal albums a week apart. How's that for timing?

Like Hill, Strait dips into the Christmas catalog of years gone by. And even though both albums contain some of the same songs, that's where the similarity ends. While Hill's disc is a gorgeous symphonic collection that evokes silky ball gowns and is geared toward the pop country crowd, Strait's is a traditional set that evokes a cozy campfire and is aimed at the hardcore country listener.

From the acoustically inclined "Joy To The World," to the disc closing barnyard rave up of "Deck The Halls," Strait jumps cowboy boots first into the Christmas spirit. Mr. Strait sounds like he's having a barrel of fun. The singer seems equally excited and wound up on a western swing version of "Up On The Housetop." Tony Brown's clean production and Strait's crisp vocals make this song a number worth repeating over and over again.

"Silent Night," in Strait's hands, becomes a sedate fiddle brushed tune that draws you deep into the ancient storyline. Strait's vocal performance is as tight as the Wrangler jeans he wears, as are the studio musicians backing him up on the track. The singer trots out a popping cover of "Jingle Bells," fraught with choppy and percussive instrumentation. Strait makes you look forward to the Christmas season and all the good stuff that comes with it.

Strait tackles some of the more serious Christmas numbers, including the steel and fiddle kindled "We Three Kings." A song like "O Come, All Ye Faithful" might seem to be a bit out of a traditional country singer's reach, but Strait delivers a powerful interpretation. When Strait sings the line, "O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord," he's not just singing words to a song, he's opening his heart in praise.

Hardcore country versions of "Silent Night" and "Hark, The Herald Angels Sings" are album highlights. The latter, like "O Come, All Ye Faithful," features an emotionally charged vocal performance from Strait, one that goes beyond simple singing.

With the holiday shopping season bearing down on consumers like a heavy snowstorm, it's great to know the coming bombardment of Christmas music will contain some good old-fashioned country music from George Strait. Classic Christmas is classic indeed.

By Todd Sterling

CD: Little Bit Of Everything
Release date: 10/14/2008

About the Album

At a recent Tuesday night Grand Ole Opry show in Nashville, Tennessee, Billy Currington stood backstage waiting to perform. The singer and his band were wired on the nervous energy that comes with performing at the hallowed institute. When he hit the stage, Currington proceeded to bring the house down.

After his Opry performance, Currington exited the stage and spoke briefly about his new album Little Bit Of Everything, which he had turned into his record label earlier that day. The singer seemed genuinely excited about the 11-track collection, and after listening to the disc, it's clear why he was so charged up. The word mature can't begin to describe the record (but it's a good place to start).

Currington elevates his game on Little Bit Of Everything. From the song selection to the vocal performances themselves, the Georgia native stretches beyond his past hits and comes up with the best album of his career. The disc's first single, the '80s inflected "Don't," is a breezy song with a smooth backbeat smothered in reverb laden guitar licks. Currington is at his sultry best as he longs for his woman to stay and drink from passion's well a little while longer.

Lately a lot of country music is beginning to sound the same, which is why it's so refreshing to plug this album into the stereo. Currington has written and chosen songs that don't sound like they've come off an assembly line. "Swimmin' In Sunshine," a funky beated cut with a whole lot of punch to it, takes listeners to the beach, where the good times roll. The Spanish imbued "I Shall Return" has Currington making a return trip to the sun and the sand.

One of the coolest songs to come out of Nashville recently has to be "People Are Crazy." The lightly picked number has a feel-good storyline. A young guy and an old man dig up old bones over drinks in a bar. "God is great and beer is good, and people are crazy," Currington sings. "Every Reason Not To Go" is a heartfelt ballad that finds Billy trying to convince his girl not to leave him. The singer lists off the bad things about the city she's planning to move to.

Female fans go nuts for Currington, and they're going to go even crazier once they wrap their ears around the springy "Everything," a B-3 spiked track. The lady's will then melt like ice-cream cones in the hot summer sun when they hear "No One Has Eyes Like You," a sweet love song with an irresistible hook.

Little Bit Of Everything should have been titled A Lot Of Good Music, because that's exactly what it contains.

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Randy Rogers Band sticks with its country style
07:13 AM CDT on Monday, September 29, 2008

By MARIO TARRADELL

Picking a restaurant to have lunch with the five members of the Randy Rogers Band is easy. These guys like beer. They also like margaritas and Tex-Mex cuisine. So Chuy's Dallas at Knox-Henderson seems a good choice. Over pork tacos, fajitas and a few drinks, Randy Rogers, Brady Black, Les Lawless, Jon Richardson and Geoffrey Hill cut up and finish each other's sentences.

But later, inside a chauffeured limousine rented to transport them from a performance at a Gun Barrel City honky-tonk to Dallas, the guys get serious about their music. The topic never strays far from their just-released second major-label album, Randy Rogers Band. Produced by fellow Texan Radney Foster, who also produced 2004's Rollercoaster and 2006's Just a Matter of Time, the new disc is undoubtedly their most country effort. It expertly merges the raw spirit of their native state with the melodic polish of Nashville. Mr. Rogers even pens a few tunes with noted Nashville songwriters such as Stephony Smith, George Ducas and Gary Nicholson.

"We are all influenced by traditional-sounding country music," says Mr. Rogers. "We all think country music should be that. It's not that the Randy Rogers Band is a steel guitar-driven band. We have a fiddle player. But we all respect honest, true, gritty country music."

Mr. Hill immediately pipes in.

"Randy has always been a country songwriter," he says. "We've always been a country band. I play rock guitar. A lot of our band is kind of rock-based, but we come from country roots. ... I don't think this new record is really different from the rest just because we've always been a country band."

There's a sense of determination, if not ambition, to be considered a full-fledged country music entity, not one of those roots-driven hybrids so prevalent in the Lone Star state. Just a Matter of Time, which produced two Billboard-charting singles, was the record that took the quintet's music to a national level. It helped them gross $2.5 million from touring in a year, according to the band's Web site, and it broadened their artistic reach.

"What that record did for us is, we can go play in Wisconsin or, I think we were in Minnesota last week, and people know the work that this band has done," says Mr. Rogers. "That record, as a whole for us, opened up doors that were closed before. Did it sell platinum? No. Could it have sold it? Absolutely. I believe in that record and still stand by that record. It did exactly what we thought that it would do. We didn't have huge, lofty expectations. ... Our expectations are to make another record."

Growth is key, but so is success. They eventually want the million-sellers, the radio hits and the huge crowds. But, as Mr. Black says, "We're not going to compromise our integrity to get a No. 1 single."

Still, for these Texans all in their late 20s to early 30s and living in the Austin, San Marcos and New Braunfels area, hitting the road to play more than 250 dates a year and making great country albums is now their life's work.

"We've been so lucky," says Mr. Rogers. "I think all of us feel that way every time we get to take the stage with somebody that we admire or go make another record. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

CMT.COM

Randy Rogers Band's New Album Is on the Way
March 24th, 2008 | By: Craig Shelburne

The Randy Rogers Band, one of the hardest-working and most energetic groups out of Texas, has turned in their new album to Mercury Records. I haven't heard the album yet, but I did have a chance to have lunch with them in Nashville a few weeks ago, so I asked them how they think it compares to their past work.

"If you've heard of our band before, and you expect things to be different - nothing's different," Rogers said. "The songs are better and hopefully the musicianship is better."

They recorded the album with Radney Foster over the course of a few weeks outside of Lafayette, La., and only included one outside song. For the most part, they tracked the whole thing live, and they wanted to capture the band's electricity in the studio. Now, they're back on the road, with an upcoming gigs at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif., in May, where they'll be performing alongside The Eagles and John Fogerty. No doubt a few Creedence and Eagles songs used to be in their set list back in the day, before they built up their set list with original music.

Last year, they built their audience with a single and video called "Kiss Me in the Dark." They're hoping to film another video for the new album (the release date hasn't been set), while continuing to hit the road as hard as they can.

"I think our work ethic is as strong as it's ever been," Rogers said. "I don't think any of us have a problem with paying dues, if you want to call it paying dues. Because paying dues is what we love, which is playing music live and creating music and messing with the set list, and having fun at it."

NORFOLK DAILY NEWS

Randy Rogers Band, 'Randy Rogers Band'
By CARRIE PITZER

The Randy Rogers Band is simply the best band you've never heard of ­- but that will change with the release of the new self-titled album.

The Texas-based band mixes a rugged feel with traditional for a sound that is best described as cooler than anything on radio right now. The craftsmanship of the music is incredible, while the lyrics are just as catchy as they deal with slightly more mature topics angled toward those in their mid-20s to early 30s. Songs about consequence, growing up, moving on and still wanting to feel the wildness of being wild and free.

"Better Than I Ought To Be" has a familiar sound, a relatable message and gravely vocals that give it a real, raw feel. "One Woman" showcases a more romantic, sensitive side, while "Buy Myself A Chance" has a great fiddle backbone for a song made for a dancing.

Every song is worth listening to, but favorites are "In My Arms Instead," "Lonely Too Long" and "This Is Goodbye."

THE RUSTON DAILY LEADER-6,000

Rogers to rock Rabb’s

Monica Crowe, Reporter

09-16-2008

Randy Rogers Band, the progressive country group voted one of the top 10 bands to see in 2007 by Rolling Stone magazine, is coming to Rabb’s Steakhouse on Thursday, just shy of their self-titled record release on Sept. 23. The five-piece band’s previous recording, under Mercury Records label, Just a Matter of Time (2006) debuted as the most-downloaded country album on iTunes, and USA Today praised the band for having “loads of grit, swagger and heart.”

The group formed in San Marcos, Texas, in 2000, and Rogers and the guys decided to quit their jobs and hit the road. Rogers credits the band’s success to the number of concerts they perform yearly.

“We play 250 shows a year and have done so for the past six years,” he said. “We focus on touring, and we’re always trying to evolve the show to make it better.”

Placing songwriting as his first priority, before the band formed Rogers performed solo at open mic nights at the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. Rogers said his songs are intended to be relatable to the average person and to help people through their struggles.

“I know that music has helped me through the hard times,” he said. “I’m conscious of that when I write songs. I hope people can say, ‘That song got me through that (bad) summer of 2007’ or whatever.”

RRB recently shot a music video in Nashville for the upcoming single, “In My Arms,” a personal song for Rogers.

“It was about me missing my wife on a rainy, cold day in a hotel room,” he said.

Being on the road most days of the year can put a strain on family, Rogers said, but family is important to him and his band members.

“We always put family first,” he said.

“I think if you’re conscious of that and making sure your job doesn’t interfere with your family, everyone respects that. It’s difficult to be gone.”

Though touring can be hard, Rogers has fulfilled a long-time dream of hitting the road with childhood musical influence, Willie Nelson, as well as the Eagles, Gary Allan and Dierks Bentley. During a three-month tour with Nelson, Rogers sang “Amazing Grace” on stage with him once, and hung out with him on his tour bus.

“(Touring with Willie Nelson) was surreal,” Rogers said. “I couldn’t believe it. If you told me at 9 or 10 that I’d (share the stage with him) I’d tell you you’re crazy. It’s been a lifelong dream. I can die now.”

Rabb’s can expect an upbeat, energy-pumped show Thursday night, and Rogers said he and the group will be available to meet and greet fans. RRB fans, he said, are those who want to hear something new.

“They’re people that are hungry for something other than mainstream Top 40 music,” he said. “There’s an edge and a progressive vibe to our music.”

MONROE NEWS-STAR

Fanbase continues to grow for Randy Rogers Band
BY FRED PHILLIPS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2008

When the Randy Rogers Band takes the stage at Rabb's tonight, opening for Miranda Lambert, they should feel right at home. It's not their first time at Rabb's, and they've made their name largely in college towns. Rogers isn't surprised by that.

"I think it's progressive," he said of the band's music. "I think it's a little bit different from the norm, mainstream Top-40 music, and I think there's a hunger for that type of sound amongst college kids."

The proof that the college crowd is catching on comes from iTunes, where the Randy Rogers Band's last record passed country super group Rascal Flatts to debut as the No. 1 most downloaded country record.

"I think that was one of the most surprising things, just being No. 1 overall," Rogers said. "I think it's a testament to our fan base and how they access music. I think we have a younger fanbase, and downloading is how they're getting new stuff."

The number raised eyebrows in the industry and led to the Randy Rogers Band being named one of the "must-see" tours by Rolling Stone. Despite the overnight acclaim, Rogers definitely doesn't consider the band an overnight success.

"For me, nothing's happening quickly or overnight," he said. "I think that I've been working hard, and I'm real proud of how far we've come. Eight years is a long time to be on the road. I made four records before I signed a major record deal, and now I'm on my second record with the major label. That's something to be proud of."

Rogers' second album on Mercury Records is simply titled "The Randy Rogers Band," and it's a personal album for the band.

"It's very much a record about our band," he said. "The bass player wrote a song, the guitar player wrote a song, and I wrote nine of the songs. I think, very much, it was a statement. Taking ownership in what we've created was important to us."

They also came to Dockside Studio in Maurice, where Dr. John and B.B. King have recorded to get away from their home base of Austin. They spent two weeks there, working into the wee hours of the morning.

"We wanted to get away from Austin, and we didn't want to go to Nashville with all the distractions," Rogers said. "We've played Louisiana several times, and we like the vibe. It was an attempt to get away from the rest of the world and not answer your cell phone for a while."

As far as tonight's show goes, Rogers is looking forward to the return to Ruston.

"We love Rabb's," he said. "We enjoy playing that place. The crowds are always good. I feel like we have a good fan base in Ruston, and I'm looking forward to coming back."

TULSA WORLD

This Week in Music
By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
9/11/2008

THE RANDY ROGERS BAND

with Tuff Profit

Named by Rolling Stone as one of the “must-see tours of summer,” this band recently surpassed country supergroup Rascal Flatts as the No. 1 most-downloaded country album on iTunes. Crows USA Today: “Rogers boasts loads of grit, swagger and heart. There’s nobody on the country charts that does the Southern-rock thing better.”

SAN ANGELO STANDARD TIMES

Texas-sized music fest: RiverStage hosts 11 country acts
By Sandy Rojas Friday, September 26, 2008

San Angelo, get ready. Tour buses and equipment trucks will roll into town early Saturday ahead of the Lonestar Music Festival.

With the buses come the bands. Texas Country music artists from across the state along with local artists will be out in full force at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage for the all-day, all-ages event chock-full of food, fun and fanfare.

The show features 11 Texas acts, including Bleu Edmondson, Mark McKinney and Buckshot Bradley, with the Randy Rogers Band headlining.

The show is sponsored by Lonestar 92.9, Bud Light and Master Truck and Trailer.

Lonestar General Manager Terry Hucks is checking updated forecasts for Saturday constantly. "The weather looks great," Hucks said. "It's going to be nice and cool."

Hucks says he expects about 5,000 to 6,000 people to attend the show. "We're a little station. We're not supposed to be able to put on this kind of show," Hucks said.

Hucks promises a good show and fun for the whole family with the festival. "We've got a sanctioned chili cook-off, and there will be beer specials all day. We're also going to be a 'green' event. We'll have the U.S. Marines on hand to help us recycle" and to help with the crowds.

The Standard-Times spoke to a few of the artists slated for the festival.

Randy Rogers Band

Randy Rogers, frontman of the Randy Rogers Band, was sitting in an interview with a Dallas Morning News reporter late last week before a show outside Dallas. That's just one sign the band is moving up in the country music world, with videos on GAC and radio play increasing.

Rogers and his band mates play more than 200 shows a year and earned $2.5 million on tour last year. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked them as Must See Artists in 2007, alongside the likes of the Rolling Stones and U2.

Their star is climbing, but hometown shows are still a rush for the guys.

Rogers is looking forward to returning to San Angelo to headline the Lonestar Music Festival and the venue.

"I love me some San Angelo," Rogers said, "I think any kind of stage is a good stage, and that San Angelo loves country music and it feels great to jump onstage there."

"Country music's a big family, and any time we get to play a show like this, it's nice to be able to see your fellow artists onstage," Rogers said.

The band's latest album, titled "The Randy Rogers Band," was released Tuesday, with nine of the 12 tracks co-written by Rogers.

The new single "In My Arms Instead" will be featured on CMT and is No. 5 on the Texas Music Chart.

The band is loving every minute of its rise.

"We're on the cusp of the Billboard charts now," Rogers said.

IF YOU GO:

What: Lonestar Music Festival.

Who: Randy Rogers Band, Bleu Edmondson, Mark McKinney, Texas Renegade, Darren Kozelsky, the Zach Edwards Band, Cody Hughes Davidson, Carrie Rucker, Sunny Sweeney, Buckshot Bradley and Brazos Stone.

When: 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Where: Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage.

Cost: Advance tickets are $31.50 and can be purchased at Blair's Western Wear, 4230 Sherwood Way; Elite Physique, 3109 Knickerbocker Road; or Coliseum box office, 50 E. 43rd St. Tickets may also be purchased by calling (325) 658-6464. Tickets at the gate will be $36.50. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free.

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS

Three Texas artists release new albums
John Goodspeed
Sept. 24, 2008

Somehow, the stars aligned in the musical heavens above Texas in August and September for a flurry of albums from leading artists on the Texas Music scene.

This latest batch comes from the Eli Young Band, the Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen, and each raises the bar from their previous work.

Like other generations of artists, these guys are friends who help each other, from co-writing songs to plugging albums other than their own on their Web sites.

“I don't know if it's different than the Nashville scene or Seattle or whatever,” Bowen said. “It's honest music and honest friendships. On my Web site, I'm helping to promote Brandon Rhyder, Roger Creager, Randy Rogers Band, Eli Young Band, everybody who has a new record out right now.”

“It's important to help each other out. The more we join together, the more fun it is for us and our fans, and it will benefit us all to stay in this thing and see it through instead of seeing this scene die off and wait another 20 years for it to happen again.”

The cross-promotion is unique to the Texas scene, Rogers said.

“I'm real proud of Wade Bowen and really pumped about his and Eli Young Band's records coming out the same time as mine,” Rogers said. “It's important to respect the music. We're all out to change the world, to change the way country music is today.

“By supporting each other, that will be a lot easier.”

Rogers' single “In My Arms Instead” moved up to No. 5 and Bowen's “You Had Me at My Best” is at No. 7 on the Texas Music Chart.

Casting a wider net

The Randy Rogers Band had a big year in 2007, too. Rolling Stone named the quintet among its top 10 must-see artists last summer, along with the likes of the Rolling Stones and U2, and their tour grossed $2.5 million.

Plus, “Just a Matter of Time,” their 2006 major-label debut, beat Rascal Flatts for the honor of most-downloaded country album on iTunes.

Unlike that album, which was recorded over about five months, “Randy Rogers Band” (Mercury Records Nashville, in stores this week) is more hard charging and more focused, with the group holed up with producer Radney Foster for a week at Dockside Studio on a remote bayou near Lafayette, La.

“There was no cell phone service, and we didn't see another human being besides us for an entire week, frontman and primary writer Rogers said. “So this time, we felt freer and more creative.”

While “Just a Matter of Time” was more about falling in and out of love, Rogers' fourth studio album casts a wider lyrical net to capture human emotion, from redemption in “Wicked Ways” and blessings in “Better Than I Ought To Be” to the exuberance of youth in “Never be That High.”

“I just tried to be conscious of writing songs about broad topics and not the beginnings or ends of relationships,” Rogers said. “I wanted things people could relate to across the board.

“Plus, this is a deeper musical record for us. Stylistically, we tried some things we haven't done before.”

Like the Eli Young Band, the Randy Rogers Band is a collaborative effort among bassist Jon Richardson, guitarist Geoffrey Hill, fiddler Brady Black and drummer Les Lawless.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASHTON SHEPHERD IS FEATURED ON GAC’S
INTO THE CIRCLE AIRING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4

Nashville, TN (September 30, 2008) – MCA recording artist Ashton Shepherd experienced a career highlight during the taping of Great American Country’s Into The Circle series, which will air on Saturday, October 4 at 10:00pm EST. Shepherd had the opportunity to sit down with famed Opry members Vince Gill and Patty Loveless at The Ryman Auditorium for an intimate conversation about what it means to stand inside the circle on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to meet people you admire and respect,” says Shepherd. “So it was a dream come true for me to spend time with Vince and Patty, not to mention that we were sitting on the stage of The Ryman. It was a moment that I will always treasure. I actually chose one of their duets, ‘You’re My Kind of Woman, You’re My Kind of Man,’ as my wedding song and to have the chance to tell them about that and how much their music has been an inspiration to me was such an amazing opportunity. They gave me such great advice about trusting my instincts and being gracious and most of all to be true to myself. After the interview, Patty actually invited me to come to her house in Georgia and she kept saying, ‘I really mean it. I want you and your family to come and visit us.’ I thought I was going to faint.”

The television special also features Shepherd in her hometown of Leroy, AL (population 204.) The cameras captured Shepherd picking peas with her 2-year old son James and the interview portion of the show features Shepherd doing what she enjoys most - sitting on the front porch swing of the pickin’ shed, a building that sits on her family’s cropland. “Getting to tape an interview at the pickin’ shed was just perfect,” remarks Shepherd. “I used to play music there three or four nights a week so to get to talk about my career sitting on that porch was extra special.”

Shepherd’s second single, “Sounds So Good,” is top 25 and currently climbing the charts.

Of all the bizarre places I’ve ever raised a glass, Sunday’s tailgate was the oddest. After seeing signs at Merriweather for absolutely no alcohol, I found myself crammed between cars in the J.C. Penney parking lot, crouched on a cooler and unintentionally inhaling minivan fumes.

Sitting behind me, several intoxicated, middle-age ladies decked in their finest Cancun Cantina gear kept knocking their spastic arms into my head — which I expected, it is a concert. But then, as they slurred sorrys, two ladies ran their hands through my hair and began palming the top of my head.

Billy Currington’s sultry and soulful voice sounded just as good live as on studio albums. The crowd went crazy for “Good Directions” of course, and stayed amped through his closer, a surprisingly genuine and funky cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

Sugarland’s Kristian Bush ran to the back left of the pavilion crowd to give away an autographed acoustic guitar to one lucky fan.

Most-unnecessary-prop award goes to the eccentric Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. I stopped paying attention to her flawless, booming vocals when she donned a puffy red sequin beret and carried a lit-up white umbrella underneath a machine that released bubbles. She only stood there and used the umbrella for about a minute.

» leeannwomack.com

To Purchase Tickets
Website: opry.com
Phone: (615) 871-OPRY or 800-SEE-OPRY
Box Office: Grand Ole Opry House or Ryman Auditorium

Disclaimer: Limit of eight tickets per person. Valid for Friday, October 10, 2008. Not valid for Gold Circle seating. Not combinable with any other offer, coupon, or discount. Blackout dates may apply. Not retroactive. Not valid for children’s prices. Artists and schedules subject to change.

NBC UNIVERSAL CELEBRATES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH SIXTH EDITION OF “SOUNDS OF THE SEASON” CD SETS - COMING TO TARGET STORES EXCLUSIVELY ON OCTOBER 12, 2008

NBC Universal Partners with Target, Universal Music and EMI Special Music Markets To Introduce Two -Album CD Set - “The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection” And “The Nat King Cole Holiday Collection” Which Features Duets With Top Contemporary Artists

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - September 23, 2008 - NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group announced the release of its’ annual holiday CD collections “NBC Sounds of the Season.” Two CDs comprise this year’s “Sounds of the Season” offerings - an eight track compilation of Christmas-time favorites from rising country music star Julianne Hough and a powerful compilation of “duets” with the legendary Nat King Cole and a selection of trend-setting and top-selling contemporary artists including Ne-Yo, Los Lonely Boys, Natalie Cole and more.

This marks the sixth year that NBC Universal has released the “NBC Sounds of the Season” collections for holiday listening. Both of these CDs will be available exclusively at Target Stores nationwide beginning October 12, 2008.

“We are so pleased to be able to feature such a range of diverse and talented artists this year on both of ‘NBC’s Sounds of the Season’ releases,” said Shelli Hill, Vice President NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group. “‘The Julianne Hough Collection’ is the perfect CD for holiday parties, with a lot of holiday joy and spirit and ‘The Nat King Cole Holiday Collection’ would complete any Christmas gift list, with its inspiring and soulful duets of classic holiday ballads.”

NBC Universal has partnered with Universal Music Group Nashville to bring audiences the “NBC Sounds of the Season, The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection.” Recently topping both the country and the “Top 200” charts with her self-titled album and the popular debut single “That Song In My Head,” Julianne is a rising star in country music. “The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection” features eight tracks of festive holiday favorites that reflect Julianne’s playful and mischievous style, including “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Santa Baby” and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”

Luke Lewis Chairman Universal Music Group said, “This project is further evidence that Julianne is a multi-talented star with endearing vocal chops.”

NBC Universal has also partnered with EMI Special Music Markets to create “NBC Sounds of the Season, The Nat King Cole Holiday Collection.” The warmth of Nat King Cole’s rich baritone evokes the comfort of holiday seasons past and when coupled with some of today’s most talented contemporary artists, the result is an incredible compilation of inspiring Christmas favorites including “Buon Natale” (with Anthony Hamilton), “Oh Holy Night” (with Faith Evans) and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (LeToya Luckett).

“It was an honor to work as the producer of such an incredible holiday CD that showcases the music and talents of music industry legend and icon Nat King Cole, along with such a variety of today’s vocal superstars,” said Bruce Walker, Executive Producer of “The Nat King Cole Holiday Collection. “It is truly remarkable that with the evolution of technology we are able to revisit classic recordings such as these, which allow today's artists to have the opportunity to perform with an artist that they actually grew up listening to during the Holiday season. This CD is the perfect gift for the holidays!”

CD Elements:

NBC Sounds of the Season The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection

1. Sounds of Christmas (Instrumental)
2. Jingle Bell Rock
3. Feliz Navidad
4. It Wasn't This Child / Mary Did You Know
5. Santa Baby
6. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
7. Christmas Memories (Julianne Shares Her Christmas Memories)
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

NBC Sounds of the Season The Nat King Cole Holiday Collection

1. Nat King Cole - "Nat's Christmas Wishes"
2. Nat King Cole & Anthony Hamilton - "Buon Natale"
3. Nat King Cole & Shelby Lynne - "Silent Night"
4. Nat King Cole & Ne-Yo - "The First Noel"
5. Nat King Cole & Faith Evans - "O Holy Night"
6. Nat King Cole & Los Lonely Boys - "O Come All Ye Faithful (Adest Fideles)"
7. Nat King Cole & LeToya Luckett - "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
8. Nat King Cole - "Nat's Introduction"
9. Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole - "The Christmas Song"

About Julianne Hough

Mercury Nashville recording artist and two-time Dancing With The Stars champion Julianne Hough (pronounced “Huff”) recently topped both the country and Top 200 charts with her self-titled album, as well as with the infectious debut single “That Song In My Head”. This year has taken Hough on tour with Brad Paisley, awarded her an Emmy nomination, led her to the stages of Good Morning America and The View, seen her top Maxim’s Hot 100 list and grace the covers of CosmoGirl, Shape, USA Today and People. Hough sings “The Taste Is Gonna Move Ya” jingle for Wrigley’s™ Juicy Fruit gum and supports Clothes Off Our Back, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and St. Jude.

About NBC Universal Television DVD, Music, and Consumer Products Group
NBC Universal is a leader in providing entertainment programming to the domestic and international marketplaces. NBC Universal Television DVD, Music, and Consumer Products Group manages all global ancillary television business endeavors for the NBC Universal Television Group, including third-party home entertainment distribution, consumer products, musical soundtracks, special markets projects and the NBC Universal Online Store.

Nashville, TN (September 26, 2008) - Josh Turner and Martha Stewart first met in March of 2006 when he performed on MARTHA and she surprised him with a Gold plaque for his album Your Man, which went on to reach double-platinum status.

During the launch of his Everything Is Fine album in October of 2007, Stewart requested that Turner come back for an encore performance. “Firecracker” was the song that Turner performed on the show and evidently there were some sparks flying on the set… literally. Turner’s utility player, Kevin Haynie, met Stewart’s assistant, Liesl Menning, that day and he must have made quite an impression on her as their wedding ceremony takes place in Nashville this weekend. Stewart and Turner will both be in attendance.

"Josh and his band were guests on my TV show last autumn, and that's when Kevin and Liesl first laid eyes on each other," Stewart writes on her blog. "Kevin is also a songwriter, working to gain notoriety of his own, and Liesl is proud to say that he's written three romantic songs about her!"

The wedding will be filmed for a one-hour special to air on the Style Network in December. Photos from the big day will also be featured in the winter edition of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine.

Mercury Records will release Billy Currington's third album, LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, on October 14th. To celebrate this release, Billy will be joined that night by Chicago's US 99.5 at Joe's Bar for a very special album release party. Admission to the show is free with the purchase of Billy's new CD, which can be purchased at the show for $15. CDs can also be reserved in advance through TICKETMASTER.

LOCATION: Joe's Bar - 940 W. WEED ST. - CHICAGO, IL.
DATE: OCT. 14th
SHOWTIME: 8PM
MORE INFO: www.JoesBar.com

Check out an exclusive Julianne Hough video in the AT&T blue room!
See it all at attblueroom.com/music

» attblueroom.com

There's a new man in Black in Nashville. Jamey Johnson's monochrome color scheme begins with his denim-and-leather wardrobe and extends to his songs — tales of drug abuse and marital ruin sketched in shades of black and blacker. "I had a job and a piece of land/My sweet wife was my best friend/But I traded that for cocaine and a whore," he croaks in "High Cost of Living." Johnson, a 32-year-old former Marine from Alabama, keeps his music rugged and gothic — stark honky-tonk ballads awash in weeping pedal steel — and makes no secret of his love for George Jones, Waylon Jennings and other grandees.

Country has no shortage of wanna-be outlaw neotraditionalists, but Johnson's songs are crisper and more tuneful than most. And much grimmer. In the title track, Johnson is a broken man who wakes up in his Chevy with "whiskey eyes and ashtray breath." In the menacingly bluesy "Mowin' Down the Roses," he goes through the house collecting his ex's things and torches them "on a burn pile in the back." Even in the album's jauntiest song, "Women," Johnson's jokes have an undertone of rueful self-loathing. "Women keep our heads spinning," he sings. "I just can't ever seem to make one stay."

By Rachel Beckman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Page C05

Let's start with the highlight.

It arrived in the middle of Sugarland's Sunday evening concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion when the band performed the sad breakup song "Already Gone." Country music's chart-topping, fun-loving duo Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush delivered it with such conviction that some people in the audience (ahem) held back tears. The waltz-time ballad's intriguing lyrics ("His dark eyes dared me with danger") are set to humble strums on a mandolin.

And then came the lowlight: Just as the song's protagonist pulled away in her hand-me-down Mercury and Sugarland was about to burst into the final chorus, which is sung in a round, a young man slammed into your reviewer's shoulder on his way to vomit on the side of the cinnamon-roasted-almonds hut.

Welcome to Sunday in the Country, the annual day-long booze and country-music festival at Merriweather, sponsored, appropriately, by Jose Cuervo. By the time headliner Sugarland took the stage, some fans had been sitting on picnic blankets, drinking beer and sunning on the lawn for six hours.

Of the four opening artists, Rodney Atkins was the most prominent. The 39-year-old Tennessean appeals to country's more traditional fan base -- he uttered the words "tractor," "yee-haw" and "buckaroo" during his hour-long set -- though he didn't much look the part, with his maroon-colored baseball cap in place of a cowboy hat. Atkins ran through his roster of harmless hits, including the rallying "If You're Going Through Hell" and the overprotective father's anthem "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)." He gave a promising preview of his upcoming third album with a joke song: "I gave up smoking, women, drinking last night/And it was the worst 15 minutes of my life."

After Atkins's set, Nettles took the stage in a fringed top and jeans tucked into tall red boots. She and Bush started with "Love," a dramatic and repetitive track (it ends with Nettles belting the phrase "I say, it's luuuuuuuuuuuuuve" eight times) from Sugarland's third album, "Love on the Inside." The now-platinum album came out in July and parked itself at the top of the Billboard country albums chart until Jessica Simpson booted it down to No. 2 last week.

From "Love," Sugarland jumped -- and with the live-wire performer Nettles, we're talking an actual jump -- into the women's empowerment hit "Settlin' " from 2006. The audience bestowed its loudest applause on the acoustic smash "Stay." Nettles, a Georgia native, can get a little twangy in her extended notes, and her "whys" in "Stay" are a good example. It won't faze country listeners but might grate on the ears of Sugarland's growing numbers of mainstream fans.

Sugarland is known for unexpected cover songs, such as the duo's polarizing performance of "Irreplaceable" with Beyoncé at the 2007 American Music Awards, and it delivered during the encore. Nettles and the bassist came out in big, cheap-looking wigs to sing the B-52's "Love Shack" with a nice 'n' shrill "tin roof, rusted" at the end.

By Brandy McDonnell
Staff Writer

The members of Cross Canadian Ragweed gave about 10,500 fans a chance to party with their wildly diverse musical family Saturday night at the Zoo Amphitheatre.

“We treat this gig kind of like our personal iPod to kind of show everybody what our taste in music is from one end of the spectrum to another. Case in point: Lee Ann Womack and ... Buckcherry,” Ragweed lead singer and guitarist Cody Canada told the teeming crowd.

The show, which benefits Mandi’s Ministries, sold out in advance, leaving many fans hunting for stray tickets or setting up listening parties in adjacent parking lots. The bands thanked the audience many times for supporting the nonprofit, started in honor of Ragweed drummer Randy Ragsdale’s sister, who died in a 2001 car accident.

The music started in the sunny mid-afternoon and played on two stages with a few intermissions until after 11 p.m.

With Ragweed’s alt-country leanings and roots in Yukon and Stillwater, the Red Dirt music scene was particularly well represented. Stoney LaRue and the Arsenals injected Southern flair into Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky, while the Red Dirt Rangers set a freespirited tone with their song “Enjoy the Ride.”

The Mike McClure Band threatened to steal the whole show, starting its too-short set by doing justice to Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” McClure, former singer and guitarist for the Great Divide, charmed with his winning grin, fleet fingers and supple vocals on the nostalgic “Yesterday Road,” the rocker “Wild Child” and the lover’s lament “Just Not Good Enough.”

A low-key country songbird, Womack simply sauntered onstage with a pretty smile and started crooning about lost love with “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger,” “One’s a Couple” and “A Little Past Little Rock.” Clad in jeans, a flowing top and wraparound shades, she introduced a new brokenhearted ballad “Solitary Thinkin’,” from her upcoming album “Call Me Crazy,” added a bit of old-fashioned country with the Bob Wills classic “San Antonio Rose,” and got playful on her two-stepper “I’ll Think of a Reason Later.”

The contrast between Womack and Buckcherry proved just as extreme as it appeared on paper. The Los Angeles rockers illustrated that the name Family Jam in no way indicated a family-oriented show, blasting onto the stage with its sexual explicit and profanity-laced “Dirty Mind.” The band, with the two-guitar combo of Stevie D. and Keith Nelson, pounded out a string of aggressive party anthems, including “Lit Up,” “Too Drunk ...” and the crowd-pleasing closer “Crazy B- - - -.”

Dressed in a black jacket, tight, elaborately decorated pants and a colorful array of tattoos, singer Josh Todd strutted, danced and spun across the stage as he screamed out lyrics, occasionally pausing in mid-song to voice his thoughts on sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.

The band got the crowd singing along and waving lighters and cell phones with the surprisingly tender ballads “Everything” and “Sorry.”

By the time the lengthy set change was completed, the crowd was impatiently chanting “CCR.” Roars of approval greeted Ragweed, who thundered on with the defiant “Don’t Need You” and scathing “Record Exec.”

The country-rock rabble-rousers lived up to their reputation for loud, high-energy shows and stellar musicianship. Unfortunately, Canada’s twangy vocals were often drowned out amid his screaming guitar solos and Jeremy Plato’s powerful bass interludes.

The problems didn’t diminish the party atmosphere as t he hosts rolled through the rowdy rock songs “Hammer Down,” “Anywhere but Here” and “The Deal.” The needy ballad “Alabama” got fans dancing and singing along.

Ragweed got into the jamming spirit, recruiting LaRue to sing along on the state history lesson “In Oklahoma” and getting Randy Rogers’ help on the wistful “This Time Around.”

The humorous marijuana tribute “Boys from Oklahoma” turned into a massive sing-along, with LaRue, Rogers, John Cooper, Tom Skinner and other Red Dirt musicians taking turns at the mike as the crowd whooped, laughed and shouted out the chorus.

Unfortunately, the jamming didn’t extend to the unlikely Buckcherry-Lee Ann Womack duet that would have elevated the event to “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” status.

Since the show was running behind schedule, Ragweed didn’t get in an encore, but the band sent fans home satisfied with the rollicking “Late Last Night,” a post-party hangover song that will likely seem all-too-familiar to many who attended the show.

Julianne Hough Preps for 'Dancing' Premiere

Posted Sep 22nd 2008 3:00PM by Beville Darden
Filed under: Movies and TV