0712 CLM - Country Line Magazine

4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
IN THIS ISSUE
F E AT U R E S
snow-capped texas music at its best . . . . . . . . . .11
keith urban & carrie underwood tour . . . . . . .13
DEPARTMENTS
Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
on the trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
by Kendall Hemphill
Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Recipe & Grandma’s Hints
by Shirley Baker
’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
by Sandra Greaney
Country news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
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
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PUBLISHER & EDITOR |
W
F Well, I could write this column
T. J. Greaney
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Don Gordon, Kendall Hemphill, Larry LeBlanc, Sandra
Greaney, Sheryl Bucsanyi, Shirley Baker
about all the changes to our family
since last month or this year. I have a
saying: “If I wrote on a piece of paper
where I think I would be in 10 years,
the best I could imagine, I would cut
myself short.” Yes, God takes us places
we could never imagine.
OK, so I don’t want this to read
like a sermon, but I do want to get
across the message of change. Change
is inevitable in all things. Most people
don’t care for change; I know I struggle
with it. It happens in all areas of our
lives and some affect us more than
others.
There are the unimaginable
changes, the planned ones and the
ones that just go on from day to day.
Good or bad. Sickness and death are
horrible changes that can come
without warning. This year included
the unimaginable diagnosis of cancer
with one of my best friends and his
death just a few short months later. It
included the injury to my shoulder and
the slow but successful healing that
was nothing less than miraculous.
There are changes we would have
never expected. For example, say one
of the guys on your favorite radio show
leaves. The show goes from a pair to a
single, a duo to an uno, a team to a
single player. You question why, you
might be angry, you might be happy,
you might not care one way or the
other. But eventually you will move
on and life will continue, differently,
maybe missing an old warm fuzzy
feeling, but it goes on.
Then there are the day-to-day
changes. A meeting gets changed, a
traffic jam, a drop of barbecue sauce on
your shirt at lunch. You learn to roll
with them as they come up; you might
not like them, but you roll with the
changes, the inconveniences.
Yes, change is inevitable. You will
experience life, death, happiness,
sorrow and times of contentment.
They are all part of our experience
here. One of the rules I learned some
21 years ago when I quit drinking was
when you’re in a bad place, go help
someone in need. Get out of yourself
and off your butt. Change where you
are and what you are doing.
As we prepare for 2008 and the
changes life will bring, I want to thank
God in front of all of you for the
wonderful gifts he given us in ’07. For
you, the readers of Country Line who
have been here with us, some for over
14 years — thank you. The brief
moments of clarity as my friend Lee
left us to be with his Father in heaven.
The work and direction God is
sending me professionally. The time,
each and every moment with my
mother and father who are getting
older now (late 70s). Thank you, God.
To my wife and kids, thank you for
accepting change and allowing it in
my life and the hardships that come
from it in yours. I love you.
Care for someone today. Pray a
little each day. Be thankful and don’t
worry so much about change. God is
going to take care of you, no matter
what.
Oh yes, and here at Country Line
Magazine we say MERRY CHRISTMAS!
God Bless,
T. J. Greaney
Publisher
tj@countrylinemagazine.com
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 5
WORLDS 2 VOICES
TOUR ANNOUNCED:
REBA AND KELLY HIT
THE ROAD
Entertainment superstars, Reba
McEntire and Kelly Clarkson,
announced that they will join forces to
share one band and one stage for a
limited engagement tour in early 2008.
The 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour kicks
off in Dayton, Ohio on January 17th
and concludes in Kansas City , MO on
February 16th covering 15 total
markets.
Concert attendees can expect to
hear each act’s biggest hits and favorite
songs performed together for the first
time.
Fans can find out more, including
ticket outlets, by visiting www.reba.com
or www.kellyclarkson.com
After a successful duet collaboration
on Reba’s latest CD, Kelly Clarkson
and Reba McEntire pair up for the
2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour.
TIM MCGRAW’S
REFLECTED CD
CERTIFIED DOUBLE
PLATINUM
Tim McGraw’s second greatest hits
package, Tim McGraw Refective Hits
6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Vol. 2, has officially been certified
double platinum for sales of two
million. This brings McGraw’s career
total album and single sales to 40
million.
“Tim McGraw is one of the most
consistent hit makers in the history of
Soundscan,” said Benson Curb, VP Sales
Curb Record s. “Reaching double
platinum is a significant accomplishment
in today’s world of CD sales. Tim’s
continued success is attributable to his
unfailing ability to create amazing music.
Someone once said ‘To be the best, you
have to do it well, again, again and again’
and Tim McGraw continues to do just
that — make hit records again and
again.”
McGraw, who recently won his
11th CMA award and his first-ever
BMI award as a songwriter for the copenned hit “My Little Girl,” has
released eleven albums since 1993, nine
of which are now multi-platinum
albums. His latest Let It Go, has sold
over one million copies since its release
this spring.
Tim McGraw has spent over a
decade in the upper reaches of the
entertainment world with successful
albums, an arm load of awards including
3 Grammys, a critically acclaimed
presence in movies (Friday Night Lights,
Flicka), a recent new venture by
establishing his own label, StyleSonic
Records, and recording-breaking tours.
The “Soul2Soul” tour, which ended in
August of 2007, wrapped a two-year run
with a box office gross of $142 million
dollars. Billboard Magazine stated the
tour established a new record for a
multi-year tour in North America in
country music history, surpassing Garth
Brooks’ three-year run in 1996-1998 of
$105 million.
BOMSHEL’S “POWER
OF ONE” AVAILABLE
FOR FREE DOWNLOAD
ON ITUNES
Curb recording duo Bomshel’s
current single, “The Power of One” is
now available as a free ‘Discovery
Download’ on the iTunes Country
page. “The Power of One” is an
inspirational song about the power of
the individual to have a positive
impact. The single is included on the
Evan Almighty soundtrack and
Bomshel’s debut album scheduled for
release in 2008
BRAD PAISLEY GOES
TO HOMETOWN FOR
CURRENT VIDEO
Reigning ACM and CMA Male
Vocalist of the Year, Brad Paisley
recently went to his hometown of Glen
Dale, WV to tape the music video for
his current single, “Letter To Me.”
The song portrays what Paisley
would say to himself at age 17 if he could
write a letter from today’s perspective.
He reflects on what was important as a
teenager and what he’s learned is really
important over the years.
Paisley’s idea was to stage a class
reunion and invite his classmates from
his 1991 John Marshall High School
graduating class to participate in the
video. Over 140 classmates traveled to
Glen Dale to be a part of the filming.
Current students of John Marshall were
used in the video and the broadcasting
class was utilized as production
assistants and also filmed behind the
scenes footage for the director, Jim Shea
and producer, Mark Kalbfeld.
Only local Glen Dale people were
used in the video including Mrs.
Brinkman, Paisley’s most supportive
and influential teacher; Bridgett, his
date that he claims to have run out of
gas on; the policeman that gave him his
first ticket and the rest of the cast.
LONESTAR AND NAOMI
Fresh off their World Series
performance, Lonestar will be hit the
national scene once again with a stop by
legendary Naomi Judd’s television show,
complete with a musical performance
from their new Christmas album.
“I have been a fan and enjoyed
Lonestar’s music for years,” said Naomi.
“I was thrilled to have Lonestar as
guests on Naomi’s New Morning on the
Hallmark Channel and proud to be the
first national show to introduce their
new lead singer, Cody Collins. Getting
to sit down and talk with Dean,
Michael, Keech and Cody and hear
their new Christmas music was an
absolute treat!”
The show aired on Sunday,
November 18th on the Hallmark
Channel. To find your local station,
visit www.hallmark.com. For more
information on Naomi’s New Morning,
please visit naomi.faithstreams.com.
collaborative relationship. Keith
Urban, whose Greatest Hits: 18 Kids hit
the streets in November, will make an
exclusive series of weekly videos, which
will provide unique, behind-the-scenes
access to Urban from the road. The
videos will be made available to Urban’s
more than 300,000 fans on iLike, and
syndicated across multiple websites
including iLike’s popular application on
Facebook Platform, using iLike’s
Universal Artist Dashboard and iCast
multi-media blogging tools. In return,
iLike will promote Keith’s tour dates on
strategic
locations
throughout
iLike.com and the iLike application on
Facebook, as well as featuring Urban in
a print advertising campaign.
“The Internet and services such as
iLike are all about community and the
ability to discover new artists, and music,
through word of mouth,” said Urban.
“And the chance to share my music in
order to expand that community is what
it’s all about; not to mention the
relationship can be more immediate and
direct with my audience.”
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
CARE BEAR
Celebrities including Carrie
Underwood got into the holiday spirit
by donating their time for a charitable
cause by decorating plush Care Bears in
celebration of the recently released
Care Bears: Oopsy Does It! film.
SAMMY SADLER
HEADLINES CONCERT
KEITH URBAN AND
ILIKE ANNOUNCE
MULTI-TIERED
RELATIONSHIP
iLike, the Web’s leading social
music service, and Keith Urban, the
Grammy Award winning musician,
songwriter and performer, today
announced a multi-tiered, multi-month
Born in Memphis, Tenn. and raised
in Texas, Sammy is soft-spoken but
intense; light-hearted yet full of faith.
But most of all, Sammy Sadler is filled
with music. He enjoyed six charting
singles on Evergreen Records before a
tragic shooting left him injured, and
killed his friend Kevin Hughes, in
1989’s real-life “Murder on Music Row.”
While determined to avoid allowing
the incident to dictate his future,
Sammy understands that it has
nonetheless left an indelible mark on
his life, and in the way others perceive
him. “It will always be a part of who I
am,” he observes. “But I survived. And
I believe that there’s a reason that I’m
still here — and I thank God for giving
me that chance.” Sammy believes his
music is the reason he’s still among the
living, and he’ll be “paying it forward”
on Dec. 8, as he helps raise funds for the
Tennessee Valley Community Church’s
‘Relay For Life’ Team.
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7
COUNTRY MUSIC
LEGEND RUST WEIR
DIAGNOSED WITH
CANCER
Country music legend Rust Weir
was diagnosed with cancer recently.
Weir has no insurance, but there are a
few ways you can help our friend. First is
to go to his Web site and donate
through the Pay-Pal system — you
don’t need anything but your credit
card. rustywier.com
Secondly you can keep an eye on
where he will be playing, he continues
to play a few dates he was committed to,
go and support him there.
Weir has always been one of the
biggest reasons Texas music is what it is.
He has been a supporter of Country
Line Magazine since it’s conception
almost 15-years ago. Our prayers are
lifted up for him at this troubling time.
CROSS CANADIAN’S
CODY GOES SOLO
Cody Canada, the lead singer for
Cross Canadian Ragweed, is on a cool
little stint of small bars and beer joints
playing his acoustic guitar.
This may be one of the coolest
shows of 2007. Get dates at
crosscanadianragweed.com
DOUG MORELAND ON
THE ROAD
Doug Moreland is busy in
December traveling. Looks like he will
be at the Cotton Club in Granger on
the Dec. 28, then off to the big Music
Fest in Colorado. dougmoreland.com
COWBOY
CHRISTMAS BALL
The annual Cowboy Christmas
Ball will take place on Dec. 22. Past
balls have featured well-known Texas
performers such as Chris Wall, Gary P.
Nunn, Don Walser and Cowjazz. This is
a must-do event for everyone at least
once. luckenbachtexas.com
GOUGERS RETURN TO
AUSTIN
Alt-country four-piece band The
Gougers (formerly The Sidehill
Gougers) return to Austin in midDecember to play for appreciative fans
cuts from its recently released A Long
Day For The Weather Vane as it tours to
consistent praise.
As the band tours to consistent
praise, A Long Day For The Weather
Vane currently stands at #21 on the
Americana airplay chart. At the band’s
live shows across Texas, the tracks are
bringing down the house, too. The
Austin Chronicle called its set at the
inaugural Big State Festival recently the
“best surprise of the weekend ... with
Jamie Wilson’s gentle twang matching
Shane Walker’s darker sneer.”
The Gougers play at 8 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 14, at Saxon Pub. 512-448-2552
AUSTIN’S JESSE
DAYTON & BRENNEN
LEIGH
Just a heads up that Austin’s Jesse
Dayton & Brennen Leigh released their
new album Holdin’ Our Own and Other
Country Gold Duets on Tue, Nov. 27
celebrating with a CD release party at
the Broken Spoke.
After 10-plus years of rockin’ the
8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
international honky-tonk circuit with
his bands, as a solo artist and as lead
guitar player for the likes of Waylon
Jennings, Ray Price and The
Supersuckers Dayton had the idea.
Twenty-three-year-old Brennen
Leigh has been singing and playing
bluegrass music (she plays fiddle,
mandolin and guitar) with her brother,
Seth Hulbert, since she was 12 years
old.
Leigh’s pure, raw, bittersweet way
with a song and lyric adapted itself
perfectly to Dayton’s pure country style
and the chemistry is tangible.
You can check out music via the
duo’s Grindhouse–style video trailer at
youtube.com/watch?v=BmmvZQboHTI
OWEN TEMPLE
TRAVELS TWO
THOUSAND MILES
With grit and a grin, Texas-based
singer/songwriter Owen Temple comes
barreling out of the Lone Star state with
his new album Two Thousand Miles. The
record, produced by famed Texas music
legend Lloyd Maines (Dixie Chicks,
Terri Hendrix, Terry Allen), is a dusty
backroads blend of heartache and hope.
The album is being released on a
staggered schedule. It’s been available
since late summer as a digital download
on LoneStarTunes.com and will be
released on iTunes in December. The
physical record releases nationally on
Jan. 22, 2008.
It’s just the latest bold move from
the charismatic singer who strives to be
as innovative with the business side of
his career as he is with his music.
Temple says, “The idea was to not put
any barriers between the fans hearing
the new record right away — and then
to let things grow from there.”
If the growth of CD sales follows
Temple’s career arc — steadily upward
— then he’ll soon be as well known to
the rest of the country as he is in Texas.
Since his 1997 debut, General Store, he’s
been building fans, wowing critics and
winning accolades at a heady pace. His
2002 release, Right Here and Now sold
nearly 20,000 copies. His career’s been
picking up steam ever since. In fact, just
this year he won the prestigious B.W.
Stevenson Songwriting Contest,
awarded every year in April at Poor
David’s Pub in Dallas, Tex. He’s also
been a New Folk Finalist at the worldrenowned Kerrville Folk Festival.
When his distributor went belly up
before paying him for sales of Right Here
and Now, Temple decided to return to
school and pursue a graduate degree in
psychology in Madison, Wis. It’s hard to
beat the songwriting bug into
submission once it bites and the 31year-old singer felt he’d left some
business undone. So, one-class shy of
getting his master’s degree, he decided
to go after an advanced degree in
making great music.
A self-described family man, he
approached his wife about giving the
music thing another go. With her
blessing he jumped back into the fire.
He reunited with Maines, who had
produced his first two albums, and went
into the studio with a new batch of
songs. The results and Temple’s growth
as artist are evident throughout Two
Thousand Miles.
He’s at home in the gritty realism
that harkens back to his songwriting
heroes like Steve Earle and Joe Ely.
Rough and ragged characters on the
edge (“Like We Still Care,” “Demolition
Derby”) sit comfortably alongside
heartfelt ruminations on love (“You
Want To Wear That Ring,” “You Don’t
Have To Be Lonely”). The stirring title
track is a radio-ready, roll-down-thewindows anthem that showcases a singer
ready for prime time.
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9
Cruisin’ for a Cure
Swing Your Sweetheart on the High Seas
this Valentine’s Day!
Join the Legendary Freddy Powers,
plus the Lone Star’s Own Pauline Reese!
7-Day Western Caribbean Cruise
Feb 10-17, 2008 • Carnival Cruise Lines “Conquest”
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Port of Call: Galveston
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Port of Call: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Port of Call: Cozumel, Mexico
Fun Day at Sea
Port of Call: Galveston, Texas
Depart 4pm
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CRUISE PACKAGES FROM $625 PER PERSON
Packages include … 7 nights aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ “Carnival Conquest”
All meals and snacks • After-Hours on Deck “Pickin’ Party” under the stars
Two private concerts and “Pickin’ Parties” for the “Cruisin’ for a Cure” Group
Great Country entertainment featuring Freddy Powers and Band with Pauline Reese
CALL TINA CANTU, 512-338-2828 or 800-444-5634
ACCENT TRAVEL / AMERICAN EXPRESS
10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
Snow-Capped Texas Music
at its Best
S
SIX DAYS, 30 BANDS, A WORLD-CLASS
ski resort-does it really get any better
than the MusicFest? Now in its 23rd
year, the MusicFest draws thousands of
ski-lovin’, music-lovin’ folks to the snow
swept peaks of Colorado each January.
The largest group ski trip of its kind
in the nation, the MusicFest brings the
finest Texas and Americana music to
the world-class ski resort of Steamboat,
Colorado for a week full of sport and
song. The festival boasts a stunning
roster that includes both legends and
rising talents alike.
Artists already confirmed for 2008
include Robert Earl Keen Jr, Asleep at
the Wheel, Jay Boy Adams, Band of
Heathens, Ryan Bingham, Bonnie
Bishop, Jason Boland, Wade Bowen,
Kathleen Braun, Johnny Cooper, Roger
Creager, Cross Canadian Ragweed,
Keith Gattis, Josh Grider, Adam Hood,
Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lucas Hubbard,
Jack Ingram, Ryan James, Chris
Knight, Stoney LaRue, Corb Lund,
Micky and the Motorcars, Dub Miller,
Doug Moreland, Cory Morrow, Bill
Nershi and Honkytonk Homeslice,
Rich O'Toole, Reckless Kelly, Brandon
Rhyder, Bruce Robison, Randy Rogers,
Matt Skinner, Max Stalling, Sunny
Sweeney, Walt Wilkins and the
Mystiqueros, Kelly Willis and more to
be announced.
Dickson Productions has over 20
years of experience as the premier ski
travel package provider. With Dickson
Productions working on your behalf,
you can hit the slopes and also get tons
of music favorites at wholesale prices.
All lodging accommodations for the
MusicFest are located within a mile of
the mountain base, and participants
personally choose all the options.
Want to walk out the front door
onto the slopes? A hot tub on the back
porch? A luxury suite at the Steamboat
Grand Resort? No problem — it’s all
part of building your exclusive
MusicFest package, the vacation of a
lifetime.
After a day on the slopes, what
really happens at the Music Fest? The
MusicFest has long been heralded for
its jam-packed schedule of events and
concerts. Over 50 performances take
place during the MusicFest, an amazing
opportunity to see as many great Texas
and Americana artists as you can
handle. Shows are held in a multitude
of diverse venues. Including an old
theater, a huge tent, an intimate pub, a
luxurious ballroom, an outdoor stage
and more.
Looking to get rowdy with all of
your favorite MusicFest artists after a
day of hitting the slopes? Each evening
The MusicFest Tent offers something
special for fans, from 3 nights of full
blown rockin’ shows to an
unprecedented acoustic evening
performance. The premier MusicFest
venue, The Steamboat Tent is bigger
and better than ever, and this year will
open its doors earlier in the evening to
kick off the festivities.
Look forward to this spacious
heated venue which offers plenty of
drinks and lots of room to keep the
party going.
The Bear River is the best place to
unwind after a day on the slopes. Kick
off your skis and grab a cold one at
the convenient and cozy pub located
right at the base of the mountain.
Afternoon “After The Slopes” shows at
Bear River are jammin’, and it’s the
perfect spot to get primed for the
nightly Steamboat Tent concerts.
If you’re ready for some grandeur,
indulge in the variety of concerts at the
luxurious Steamboat Grand Ballroom.
In addition to full blown electric shows
each evening, this locale hosts the
special “MusicFest Artists Tribute To A
Legend” performance, which this year
will honor the great Robert Earl Keen
Jr.
Last year’s popular new venue
addition, the historic Steamboat
Mountain Theater, is located right in
the heart of Steamboat and hosts
exceptional singer-songwriter swaps in
an intimate environment, PLUS a few
artist films and DVDs spotlighting
what MusicFest is all about … great,
authentic, and plain ol’ good music.
See you on the slopes!
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 11
12 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
KEITH URBAN AND CARRIE UNDERWOOD
G
Grammy Award winners Keith
Urban and Carrie Underwood are set
to hit the road together in ’08, a 24city tour that combines the music of
two of the music industry’s most
powerful performers. “Love, Pain &
the whole crazy Carnival Ride Tour,” a
name that combines the titles of each
artist’s most recent album; Keith’s
double platinum #1 debuting Love,
Pain & the whole crazy thing and
Carrie’s recent #1 debut second album
Carnival Ride,” will feature 12 #1
songs (7 for Urban and 5 from
Underwood). Tickets are set to go on
sale as of December 1st.
“I’m looking forward to hitting the
road with Carrie, and to bringing our
audiences together for what I think
will be a magical night of sights,
sounds, songs and solos,” said Urban.
“I can’t think of a better person to
begin 2008 with than Keith,” shares
Underwood. “He is an amazing
entertainer and a well-respected
musician, singer and songwriter.”
Urban, who will release Greatest
Hits: 18 Kids on November 20th, has
been on the road since April in support
of his #1 album Love, Pain &
set to co-headline 24-city tour
2
the whole crazy thing. In that
time, he’s performed shows
on three continents, to
packed houses, frantic
crowds and widespread
critical praise. Electrifying
performances and worldclass production combine
with songs that have helped
define a career; “Somebody
Like You,” “Who Wouldn’t
Wanna Be Me,” “Better
Life,” “Days Go By,” “You’ll
Think Of Me,” “Once In A
Lifetime,” as well as his
latest single “Everybody”
and more.
Underwood’s
new
Carnival
Ride
album
recently debuted at #1
selling over half a million
copies in its first week,
immediately becoming the
best-selling debut of any
female artist in 2007.
Earning the highest debutweek sales of any sophomore
country album in over a
decade, the album contains
four Underwood co-penned
songs including its first hit single, “So
Small.”
In 2001, the Country Music
Association honored Keith with its
Horizon Award. That same year, The
Academy of Country Music named
him Top New Male Vocalist. Six years
and more than 10 million albums sold
later, Urban is a Grammy Award
winner, who to this day remains the
only Horizon Award winner in history
to go on to win the CMA’s Entertainer
of The Year and Male Vocalist of the
Year, a title he’s captured three times.
He’s had seven #1s, as well as another
seven Top 5 hits and 2 consecutive #1
albums.
American Idol’s 2005 champion,
Underwood is now a two-time
Grammy winner and the reigning
Country Music Association and
Academy of Country Music Female
Vocalist of The Year. In addition to her
Grammys, 4 CMA Awards and 5 ACM
awards, her trophy mantle includes 8
Billboard Music Awards, 4 CMT
Awards, 2 People’s Choice Awards, an
American Music Award, and more.
Her debut album, Some Hearts, sold
over 6 million copies, spawned 5 #1
singles and became the best-selling,
single-disc country album by a solo
female in the new millennium, with
sales topping 1.3 million copies this
year alone. Some Hearts is also the best
selling female country album of 2005,
2006 and 2007.
For more official Keith Urban
news, ticket information and more, go
to keithurban.net.
For more official Carrie Underwood
news, ticket information and more, go
to carrieunderwood.fm
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13
by Kendall Hemphill
LN Toilet Paper
C
F
Camping has been a revered
American Tradition since Who Flung
The Chunk. During the days of
Westward Expansion, say early
1800ish, people camped out of
necessity, because the motels were all
full of traveling salesmen. Even when
these early Americans got where they
were going they still had to camp,
because the housing market was in a
mess. Most of these hardy settlers
didn’t even have tents, so they built
dugouts to live in until the Indians or
bears or wolves came around and killed
them.
But camping is actually way older
than America, if you can imagine. As a
matter of fact, God gave the Israelites
some specific instructions about
camping. Some of these instructions
necessarily had to do with something
that is becoming a serious problem in
America today. In Deuteronomy 23
God told the Israelites, “Designate a
place outside the camp where you can
go to relieve yourself. As part of your
equipment have something to dig with,
and when you relieve yourself dig a
hole and cover up your excrement.”
This divine rule was the beginning
of the current Leave No Trace
program, which encourages campers to
practice habits that leave a campsite
looking just like it did before they got
there, assuming no one had already
trashed it. Which is not all that likely
anymore, especially in the more
frequently visited areas of the Purple
Mountains Majesty, according to Jim
Dougan, as quoted in the Outdoor
Wire.
Dougan
is
the
wilderness
coordinator for Rocky Mountain
National Park, which is one of the
most popular national parks in the
national nation. With 395 miles of
hiking trails and over 200 backcountry
campsites alone, besides all its drive-in
camping areas, the park gets more than
its share of yahoos. As a matter of fact,
I have yahooed there myself.
A great many of the people who
like to go out and enjoy nature end up
getting a call from nature while they’re
in it. This creates a necessity known
most places as ‘seeing a man about a
dog.’ The problem is that just about all
the dogs in Colorado have already been
seen about. If the truth were known I
imagine the canines in Utah,
Wyoming, Montana, and most of the
Dakotas have been pretty well taken
care of too. RMNP, sadly, is becoming a
toilet.
This has happened in plenty of
other places where people like to check
out the Purple Mountains Majesty, and
end up fruiting all over the plains. For
example, Mt. Rainier, located for your
convenience in Washington State, has
become an extremely popular
mountain for yahooing.
Jim Whittaker, in his foreword to
the 1980 edition of Harvey Manning’s
‘Backpacking, One Step At A Time,’
pointed out that the days of going
behind a bush are over, and not just
because there aren’t any bushes on the
high slopes of Rainier. Whittaker and
his brother operated the guide service
there from 1949 to 1952, when most
people, if invited to climb a mountain,
would say, “Nah.” Things are different
now.
Only 291 people reached the
summit of Rainier in 1951. Of 6,436
registered summit attempts in 1978,
more than 3,000 climbers made it to
the peak. I have no idea how many go
to all that trouble now, but it’s bound
to be way more than that.
Camp Muir is at 10,000 feet on
Rainier, where a small privy sat
overhanging Cowlitz Glacier in the
early 1950s. Waste was not an issue. In
1980 helicopters were hauling it from
Muir’s four latrines at the rate of 400
gallons a week. Maybe there’s
something about looking up at a
mountain that makes people think
about buying dogs, and the increased
traffic has just about overloaded the
facilities.
To try to alleviate the situation,
which is getting so you can’t turn over
a rock without finding a deposit, some
parks are providing special bags to
hikers and campers. The doublelayered bags are made by a California
company (no surprise there). The
inside layer is made of foil that
contains a chemical that is supposed to
neutralize waste. It folds over and is
sealed inside the outer plastic layer.
Which leaves the bag about seventeen
layers short, as far as I’m concerned,
but nobody asked me.
Using these bags isn’t mandatory –
yet. Unfortunately, it probably will be
before long. There are just too many
people boldly going where no one has
gone before, and if we want continued
access to the beautiful places of the
world we have to do our part to keep
them beautiful. The Leave No Trace
credo is not just for environmentalist
tree huggers – it applies far more to
those of us who actually make use of
the outdoors.
So the next time you head for the
hills, take ‘something to dig with.’ And
don’t be surprised if a park employee
hands you a doggie bag …
KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR
HUMOR COLUMNIST WHO NEVER LEAVES
H O M E W I T H O U T C H A R M I N 2 - P LY. 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
When baking stuffed peppers, stand up in muffin tins
to keep standing while cooking.
Pour salt down drains once a week to sweeten and cleanse drains.
Dab a little mayonnaise on white rings and spots on wood furniture,
leave on for about an hour, then wipe clean.
To prevent pie spills in oven, insert drinking straw into crust to let steam out.
Pour boiling salt water on weeds in sidewalk cracks or just plain salt on
weeds is better than expensive and more dangerous solutions.
?
?
14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
AMBROSIA CREAM CHEESE MOLD
This salad can be made ahead and kept refrigerated till
ready to serve. A favorite for the holidays and one to be
enjoyed by all. Yield: 6 servings
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1
/2 cup cold water
1 (15.5oz) can pineapple chunks
1
/3 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 orange, peeled, diced (or 1 can mandarin oranges)
1
/2 cup chopped pecans
1
/2 cup flaked coconut
Soften gelatin in water, let mixture stand 5 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserve
juice. Add enough water to juice to make 1 cup. Place juice in a 2-quart saucepan.
Heat to boiling. Add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.
Stir in sugar, lemon juice, and cream cheese, using wire whick to blend. Chill
until gelatin is partially set. Fold in pineapple chunks, orange, pecans and
coconut. Spoon mixture into a lightly-greased quart mold. Chill until firm.
Unmold on curly lettuce, garnish with twisted lemon peel and marshino cherries.
by Sandra Greaney
A
F
At the risk of sounding cliché …
when Christmas time is here, it’s the
most wonderful time of the year. The
sights and the sounds of the holidays
can be so exciting yet also
overwhelming at times. As I researched
central Texas this month I got
overwhelmed just looking at all there is
going on! Maybe it is best to just sit
back, enjoy time with family and friends
or even some alone time to reflect on all
you have been blessed with, if there is
time left over after that check out some
of the events below.
illuminated the winter skyline since
1967. The tree remains lit until New
Year’s Eve. The awe-inspiring Trail of
Lights is open Dec 9-23. 512-974-6700
DEC
11
AUSTIN SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA'S CHRISTMAS SING-ALONG AT
RIVERBEND CENTRE A holiday tradition for
more than two decades, families gather
to get into the spirit of the season by
out of town
DEC 1 G RUENE TO WN L I G HT I NG
Enjoy the town lighting at 6pm on
Saturday when Cowboy Kringle rides
into town on horseback. Free
admission. gruenetexas.com
D E C 1 - 2 GRUENE CHRISTMAS MARKET
DAYS Nearly 100 vendors offer
Christmas gifts, uniquely crafted items,
and packaged Texas foods. Perfect for
everyone on your holiday shopping list.
Wishing you a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year, God
bless.
in town
DEC 1-30 W H O L E F O O D S M A R K E T
I C E R I N K Even in Texas, it wouldn’t be
the holiday season without ice skating
on the Whole Foods Market Ice Rink.
The rink is open from 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
every day. Tickets are $10 per person
for each 45-minute session (same-day
purchase only) and include skate
rentals. wholefoods.com
DEC 1-JAN 6 T H E P O L A R E X P R E S S
is coming back in 3D only to the
IMAX Theatre of the Bob Bullock
Texas State History Museum.
DEC 1-JAN 6 H O L I DAY T H E AT R E AT
Z A C H A R Y S C OT T Presenting theatre for
the holidays with performances of
Plaid Tidings, Rockin’ Christmas Party
and Santaland Diaries. zachscott.com
D E C 6 A PRESIDENTIAL CHRISTMAS
will be held at the LBJ Library and
Museum. There will be holiday
memorabilia, a visit to the White
House and tax-free holiday shopping
in the LBJ Museum Store.
www.lbjlib.utexas.edu
D E C 6 - 8 21ST ANNUAL SIGHTS &
SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS will be in San
Marcos. There will be a Living
Nativity, arts, food, drink, crafts,
entertainment, and rides at the San
Marcos Plaza. 512-393-5900
D E C 8 10TH ANNUAL FREE COMMUNITY
SING-A-LONG featuring several local band
and quartets. Take the family early and
stand aroung the railings on the upper
floors to enjoy the sing-a-long and
concert that will last about one hour.
D E C 9 - 1 2 “ WHITE CHRISTMAS” AT
THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE in color.
austintheatre.org
D E C 2 - 3 1 ZILKER CHRISTMAS TREE
An Austin tradition, enjoy the giant
tree and walk the mile-long Trail of
Lights in Zilker Park. The 155-foot
“Moonlight Tower” tree, made up of
more than 3,000 lights, has
passage of time with art, ritual, and
festivity. It is a family-friendly,
affordable, and alcohol free New Year's
Eve festival. Join us on December 31st
to build upon the new tradition for
Austin that celebrates the culturally
rich and artistically diverse place we
call home. firstnightaustin.org
E-MAIL YOUR EVENTS TO
SANDRA@COUNTRYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
F O R C O N S I D E R AT I O N . S PA C E L I M I T S
O P P O R T U N I T Y.
joyfully singing along with the Austin
Symphony and chorus. It’s a free
evening of fun for everyone in the
family. 512-327-9416
DEC 13, 16 & 20 C H R I S T M A S P O P S
S I N G - A - L O N G at the Alamo Draft
House Downtown. This show isn't just
a sing-along! After the show, they will
be caroling on Sixth Street' and you'd
better believe they will have milk and
cookies for everyone. 512-867-1839
D E C 1 4 - 2 4 THE FAMOUS ARMADILLO
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR at the Austin
Convention Center. The bazaar is a
great place to shop for Christmas
presents. With distinctive jewelry,
fabrics, handmade goods, blown glass,
paintings and prints, it won’t be hard
to find a gift for everyone on your list.
armadillobazaar.com
DEC 16 2 2 N D A N N U A L J I N G L E B E L L
5 K at Auditorium Shores. Join MADD
and 2,000 of its closest friends! Your
registration fee includes long-sleeved tshirt, chip-timing and all event
festivities. Enjoy live music, costume
contests,
photos
with
Santa,
refreshments and more! Register online
at active.com or call 512-445-4976
DEC 31 F I R S T N I G H T A U S T I N 2 0 0 8
First Night Austin is a public
celebration of the arts that revives the
ancient tradition of marking the
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19
Texas Deer
Association Supports
Farmers & Hunters
Feeding the Hungry
P
F Proud Stewards of Texas Deer, the
Texas Deer Association (TDA)
recently pledged its support to the Texas
Chapter of the Farmers & Hunters
Feeding the Hungry, a non-profit
organization which advocates the use of
venison and other big game meat to
feed hungry families.
“The FHFH is an outstanding group
of volunteers with a noble mission and
we’re proud to support them,” says Karl
Kinsel, executive director of the Texas
Deer Association. “A notable portion of
our membership is made up of ranchers
and landowners who are often required
to cull the native deer herd as part of a
sensible habitat management program.
In these cases, these excess deer can
serve a great purpose by helping to feed
families and children in need.”
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the
Hungry (FHFH) is an outreach ministry
of volunteers committed to feeding the
hungry with venison and other big
game. During the organization’s first six
years (1997-2004) FHFH helped
process about 1,600 tons (nearly
12,800,000 servings) of venison and
other big game for soup kitchens and
food pantries across America. FHFH
strives to make its program ‘hunterfriendly’ by raising money from many
sources to pay for the processing costs,
so there is no cost to hunters. The
organization is also working to provide
hunters with convenient drop-off
locations throughout the state.
“Texas is abundant with whitetail
deer and these ‘little cows’ provide an
abundant and nutritious source of
protein desperately needed by feeding
programs across the state,” says John
Hilgers, the state director for Texas
FHFH. “From the beginning of time,
farmers and hunters have been the
members of society called to provide
food for others. FHFH allows hunters to
return to their heritage as ‘food
providers’ and what most people don’t
realize is that one deer or a $50
donation can feed 200 hungry people.”
bimonthly magazine, Tracks, which
updates TDA members on current
legislative news, deer genetics and game
management issues. In August, the
TDA will also hosts its 9th Annual
Convention & Trade Show which will
feature the 2007 Superior Genetics
Whitetail Deer Auction, fund-raising
auctions, golf tournament and other
exciting events.
To learn more on how you can make
a tax-deductible contribution that helps
cover deer processing costs, visit
www.fhfh.org or call 1-866-GET-FHFH.
To join the Texas Deer Association or
for more information on how TDA
works to preserve and improve our
native deer herd, call 210-767-8300 or
visit texasdeerassociation.com.
The TDA is the only non-profit
organization solely committed to
improving the quality of Texas deer
herds through improved habitat
practices, modern harvest strategies and
use of superior deer to enhance the deer
herds. As a part of its public education
efforts, the TDA publishes a full-color
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16 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
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C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17
by Larry LeBlanc
Missed shots
may be a shooter
or mechanical
problem
T
When cleaning a rifle note the gunsmith protects the stock with a
cloth and uses a rod guide through the action.
I was doing wrong.
After I tried for a few minutes with
no positive results, my son looked over
and said calmly, “Look at you scope.”
Look at my scope indeed, what am I
some kind of rank amateur, but I looked
at my scope and to my surprise my scope
was off of the front rail and held only
slightly to the back rail. Embarrassed, I
dug out my gunsmith screw drivers, took
the scope completely off of the rifle and
remounted it.
After a number of rounds I got the
bullets back on the paper and the walked
them up to the bullseye, where the rifle
started to stack the .22 long rifles as it
use to do.
I once purchase a New Model Ruger
Blackhawk, single action revolver, in my
favorite .357 Magnum caliber. I took it
to the range and at 25 yards I was
shooting low with the load that I really
wanted to use. I cranked up the rear
sight and the group started to creep up
the target until it was just about where I
wanted it, however as I crept higher up
the target my group started to spread out;
an unacceptable situation. I tried
everything to tighten that group,
different ammunition, sand bags to
anchor the gun down, but I still could
not get an acceptably tight group.
Finally I started looking at the gun
and found that the rear sight would
move from side to side, and I mean
almost one – sixteenth of an inch. So I
consulted the gunsmith at the range and
he said the sight was too high, so I went
home and called Ruger.
I reached a real person immediately,
which was a shock, and she transferred
me immediately to another lady to
18 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E
whom I stated my problem. She asked
me to get the gun and a good ruler,
which I did and as I was doing that she
got one in her hand. She had me read off
the measurements of my sight as I had it
to get the vertical placement of my shot
and she said that the one she had did the
same thing. She said the sight was
adjusted too high to get the shot
placement that I wanted it so she would
send me a new rear sight blade that
would give me the sight picture I wanted
and keep the rear sight down within the
frame of the revolver and keep it from
moving. In three days I had the new rear
sight blade, no charge, and it took care of
my problem.
So folks I realize most of our
shooting problems are self inflected, but
before you throw up your hands in
disgust and throw in the towel, if you are
not getting the group you want make
sure everything on you gun is tight and
can in no way move before looking for a
garbage can or somehow figure a way to
get rid of a gun.
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A R R Y J. L E B L A N C
F
There are a number of reasons that
people miss a target, whether it is a clay
pigeon on one of the shotgun fields, a
dove around a water hole or crop field,
deer with your favorite rifle, or a target or
small game with you handgun or rimfire
rifle. Most of the time a missed target can
be put down to operator malfunction,
but sometime it can be equipment, just
not often.
A problem one can encounter is a
loose sight on your gun. I recently went
to the range with my son and my .22
caliber Winchester Model 190, semiautomatic rifle, complete with four
power big bore rifle scope was shooting
all over the target at 25 yards. I was
perplexed as that rifle and scope
combination will stack .22 long rifles in
almost one hole at that range. Being an
experienced shooter and knowing my
history I started to try and find out what
by Don Gordon
T
F The number one tournament trail
of Texas, Skeeter Bass Champs, just
keeps getting better!
The 2007
Central Texas season closed on
October 28th with the final weigh-in
at the Central/South Championship
held on Lake Sam Rayburn. Over two
hundred teams qualified and one
hundred and sixty-nine fishing teams
arrived for the two-day event.
Everyone was on hand for the Friday
night meeting to enjoy an excellent
barbecue dinner catered by a local
restaurant, The Stump.
Day One--Saturday morning, the
wind was blowing from the north at
ten to fifteen miles per hour according
to the weatherman, but I believe it was
more like twenty-five miles per hour
on the lake. Pre-fishing had been
tough with the wind and the high
pressure, and Saturday proved to be
the same with many anglers arriving at
the scales empty handed. Leading the
tournament for a while. Steve
Tschirhard and Bill Kirchoff had a five
fish limit that weighed 19.90lbs. Steve
also had Big Bass of the day—8.98lbs.
They held on to the lead until Speedy
Collett and Jessica Walker put their
sack on the scale. They missed beating
Steve's Big Bass by four one
hundredths of a pound—8.94lbs, but
the three other fish that they weighed
in tipped the scales at a whopping
26.68lbs to take the lead!
Day Two—Sunday morning
dawned with more wind and bright
blue skies. To me, it seemed that the
second day was even tougher than the
first. Speedy and Jessica weighed in
early on day two due the reversal of
positions during take-off and weigh-in.
They had a five fish limit that weighed
less than ten pounds. I'm sure they had
some tense minutes during the rest of
the weigh in, but as the scales closed
Speedy and Jessica were victorious!
1ST SPEEDY COLLETT/JESSICA WALKER (36.24LBS) $30,000
SURE LIFE BONUS $200
2ND MIKE KERNAN/DAVID WEBER (30.74LBS) $15,000
SKEETER BONUS
$5,000
TIE:
3RD TIM COOK/DAVID WASHBURN (30.20LBS) $7,500
3RD ADAM PEREIRA/ARLEN HAUSCHILD (30.20LBS) $7,500
5TH JEFFREY RICHARDS/BILL GARZA (28.80LBS) $4,000
Up to twenty-five places were paid
with a total pay out of $112500.00 at
TOZ ROD
COMPANY
TOZ ROD is the end result of years of
testing, creating and fishing.
Our Pro-staff has participated in
designing each element of the
rods action for specific baits and
conditions. All this has culminated
in the finest handcrafted fishing
rods available today.
TOZROD.COM
this event. Steve Tschirhart won
$2,000 for his Big Bass, and he and his
partner, Bill Kirchoff, also split $2,000
for placing seventeenth in the
tournament.
I spoke to Speedy after the
tournament, and he said they were
fishing an area in the Canyons with a
drop-off ledge and deep trees. He
pulled a DD22 crank bait off of the
ledge, and when it hung, he finally
broke it freed bumping one of the trees
to get a good bite. He then changed to
a deep little N and targeted the
suspended fish — the rest is history.
Jessica fished soft plastics on a
Carolina rig, and on Sunday it was she
who brought the lion’s share of fish to
the scales. Congratulations Speedy and
Jessica.
Two weeks after the Skeeter Bass
Champs Championship, the Fishers of
Men held their annual open
tournament on Lake Travis. The
weather was balmy and shorts were the
order of the day—quite a difference
from Sam Rayburn.
1ST GARY WEIMER/DEAN TAYLOR (17.75LBS)
2ND SCOTT STAGNER/SCOTT STAGNER (14.98LBS)
3RD DAN DAYLOR/KEVIN PEDERAZANI (14.18LBS)
4TH K. EVERETT/D. EVERETT (14.15LBS)
5TH FLINT FISHER/MIKE HASTINGS (14.03LBS)
6TH BILL POKINGHORN/CHARLES WHITED (13.37LBS)
7TH R. WHITHOUSE/D BLEMRICH (12.93LBS)
8TH C. CONNER/K. FAIRLEY (11.95LBS)
TIE
9TH DON GORDON/JERRY SHINN (11.64LBS)
9TH JACKY ROBERTS/TAL SPRINKLES (11.64LBS)
their sponsors: GW Irrigation and
West Marine.
Scott Stagner and his son,
Sterling, were the second place
finishers in the tournament. They also
qualified for the Fishers of Men
Regional
Tournament
in
the
Youth/Adult division.
I fished with Jerry Shinn who is
the owner of Grande Bass Trophy
Hunter Baits. We were using full sized
watermelon red Rattlesnakes on a Spot
Remover jig head. Grande Bass has a
lot of new baits coming out this year.
In production: a new flipping bait
called the Machine, and also coming
out soon, a new generation stick bait
named the Dingo. Ask for them at
Academy or go on-line
to
grandebass.com.
Be courteous on the water.
Remember that we share this resource
with everyone. Wear your life jackets
and hook up the kill switch.
Gary Weimer and Dean Taylor
fished the upper mid-lake area where
the Pedernales River joins the main
part of Lake Travis. They keyed in on
water depths between three to ten feet
using a combination of spinner baits,
crank baits and Texas-rigged soft
plastics. Gary and Dean want to thank
Skeeter Bass Champs 2008
Feb 2, Lake Travis | March 1, Lake Belton
April 5, Lake LBJ | May 10, Lake Belton
June 7, Lake Choke Canyon
For more info visit basschamps.com
Fishers of Men 2008
February 23, Lake Buchanan | March 29, Lake LBJ
April 26, Lake Belton | May 24, Lake Stillhouse Hollow
For more info, call 512-413-4178, or visit fomcentex.com
CHECK OUT THE TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG FOR
NEWS AND TIPS AT TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM
C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19