0903 CLM - Country Line Magazine
Transcription
0903 CLM - Country Line Magazine
IN THIS ISSUE F E AT U R E S cool green recycled buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 country line to host sxsw showcase . . . . . . . . . .9 kevin fowler home to play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 counting your chickens,part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 austin’s first funky chicken coop tour . . . . . .12 bbq team celebrates 20 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Movie & book reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 cabo bob’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 stfr fair & rodeo cowboy breakfast . . . . . . . . .16 DEPARTMENTS Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 roadhouse rant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 by Chris Mosser horsing around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 by Laura Haugh ’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 by Sandra Greaney on the trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 by Kendall Hemphill Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 by Shirley Baker The Texas Outdoor Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 by Larry LeBlanc Fishing Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 by Don Gordon & Cody Ryan Greaney w w w. c o u n t r y l i n e m a g a z i n e . c o m 5 1 2 - 2 9 2 - 1113 MAILING ADDRESS 9508 CHISHOLM TRAIL • AUSTIN, TEX. 78748 LETTERS & COMMENTS TJ@COUNTRYLINEMAGAZINE.COM OR MAIL TO ADDRESS ABOVE PUBLISHER & EDITOR | T. J. Greaney CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Don Gordon, Kendall Hemphill, Larry LeBlanc, Sandra Greaney, Shirley Baker, Cody Ryan Greaney, Laura Haugh, Shannon Dahlstrom, Mike Young 4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E S Friggin’ Dog Thieves F She called my cell from the posting I put on craigslist looking for information. The story she told me made me really mad. This lady and her young daughter lost their small dog, a Chihuahua I think, just a couple weeks before she called me. The small dog squeezed out of the fenced backyard just moments after he was let out to go to the bathroom. They worked hard putting up posters and posting online, going to the pound every other day. Finally after a week or so, she took a new batch of flyers out and this time she stopped at the large pet retailer in the strip center not far from her home. Here is where I get mad. As she was asking the clerk for permission and telling her story, describing the dog, the clerk next to her perked up and shared information about a recent customer she had. The new customer was a middle-aged white lady. She came to the register with a cart full of everything you need to make a new dog comfy. A cute bed, food bowls, food, toys, blankets, even little sweaters and booties. She talked all about her new dog and how cute he was. She told about how she found the little booger walking alone down the road and saved him. That was it — she rescued him and decided he was hers for the keeping. Ranger and Lilly were our dogs since my kids were little. Lilly was a wonderful female black lab we got one Easter in the parking lot of an HEB. The family giving away the puppies assured me she came from a long bloodline of great hunting dogs — sold me. She was as sweet as any dog could be. Ranger was a Father’s Day gift from my wife and kids after I had to put down Bud. Ranger was a full-blood Sheppard with all the brains of a turnip but a heart the size of a watermelon. He was, is, however, a compulsive fetcher of anything not bolted down. We live next to a park, Mary Moore Seawright on Slaughter in south Austin, and on occasion the dogs would find their way out, always returning filthy and tired, sometimes covered with skunk or porcupine. They were, are, good dogs and we have been trying to find them since Sept. 11, 2008 when they got out. We have posted on craigslist, at the pound, and still to this day put out huge posters all over. We still have hope. Not long ago I got a call just minutes after putting up a poster on Slaughter Lane. A guy and his kids just picked up two dogs and were taking them to their house. I turned around and rushed to the HEB parking lot to meet them. They were not our dogs; they were big, cute pups, maybe a year old or so. The guy said in passing, “Well, I guess I will take them home.” His kids were overly excited about “their” new dogs. I asked him to please post on craigslist and call the pound. He said he did not know about any craigslist but said he would try to find the owners. I have my doubts. One bright spot from this whole thing was all the loving and kind calls from folks who thought they found Lilly and Ranger, saw them or just gave us tips. It is amazing how many folks care for pets that are not their own. God has a special place for these folks who, through their kindness, have lifted our family up and cared. I know someone has Ranger and Lilly. I know the people who have them have not gone to the pound to see if anyone lost them and they have not posted or looked on craigslist. I guess now, after almost seven months, we have to think about moving on. I pray that our dogs have found a good home and are loved as much as we loved them. I pray that people who find dogs or other lost pets are convicted to try to find an owner. I pray my kids and wife do OK as we work through this time. Thanks to everyone who cares or helps in times like these. Our dogs were, are, family, and it is a loss we will not soon get over. T. J. Greaney Publisher tj@countrylinemagazine.com Check out TJ’s blog every week at countrylinemagazine.com C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 5 BRAD PAISLEY LEADS WITH SIX ACM NOMINATIONS Nominations were announced for the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. This star-studded event produced for television by dick clark productions broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Brad Paisley leads with six nominations; Heidi Newfield receives five nominations; Kenny Chesney, Jamey Johnson and George Strait each receive four nominations; Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban each receive three nominations; Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Little Big Town, James Otto, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift and Sugarland each receive two nominations the overall Top Vocal Group award, and it is incredible to know we are now in contention for the award once held by our heroes: Alabama.” Creating songs that connect with real people and share their real experiences is what The Lost Trailers do best. So it comes as no surprise that they are expanding their audience and continuously finding new fans along the way. Their title track single, “Holler Back,” stayed in the Top 10 for over a month last summer and was such a hit that it was recorded to a football version and personalized for nearly 60 college and professional teams. The single was so popular that it was turned into personalized ringtones as well as a Super Bowl version for Westwood One. Most recently, “Holler Back,” has been heard on primetime TV shows, such as Ellen and Regis & Kelly. The Lost Trailers are enjoying yet another hit with their current single, “How ‘Bout You Don’t,” the second song off their album Holler Back, which keeps rocking the country charts. THE LOST TRAILERS SCORE BIG WITH TWO ACMBNANOMINATIONS CHUCK WICKS Nashville’s The Lost Trailers have had a lot to celebrate lately. The hardest ANNOUNCED AS working band in country music, recently named MediaBase’s “Most Played New COMPETITOR FOR NEW Country Group of 2008,” has been playing nonstop shows all over the country after their SEASON OF DANCING album, Holler Back, debuted at #5 on the Billboard Country sales charts. But The Lost WITH THE STARS Trailers have even more to celebrate after RCA Nashville hit recording artist earning nominations for two Academy of Country Music’s coveted awards — Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. “We are truly honored to be a multiaward nominee for the 2009 ACM Awards. It has been a long and crazy trip from that high school gym where we played our first show together as teenagers, and we wouldn’t trade the years and miles and endless nights that have come since then for anything,” singer/guitarist Stokes Nielson says of the recognition. For The Lost Trailers, being considered in a category which has included some of the biggest names in country music is more than honor. After learning of the nominations, singer Ryder Lee adds, “one of the main goals for us 5 has always been to be considered for 6 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E Chuck Wicks is among the celebrity competitors poised to take to the dance floor for the eighth season of the enduringly popular ABC series, Dancing with the Stars. The new cast was revealed this evening as series host Tom Bergeron presented the “All Night Name Drop,” announcing this season’s competitors throughout ABC’s Sunday night prime-time programming. ABC also announced in a press release that Chuck’s dance partner in the competition will be his girlfriend and fellow country recording artist, two-time Dancing with the Stars champion, Julianne Hough. Joining Wicks to round out this season’s celebrity contestants are rapper Lil’ Kim; Jackass star Steve-O; Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell; actor Gilles Marini; actress Denise Richards; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; recording artist Belinda Carlisle; actor/comedian David Alan Grier; football hero Lawrence Taylor; recording artist Jewel and her husband, rodeo star Ty Murray; and Olympic Gold-medal winning gymnast Shawn Johnson. A gifted songwriter and vocalist, Chuck Wicks made a compelling impression with his Top 5 smash, “Stealing Cinderella,” the fastest-rising single by a debut country act in 2007. By the time his first album, Starting Now, was released in January 2008, he had begun a year-long 750,000 fan-packed tour opening for superstar Brad Paisley. Chuck co-penned ten of the eleven songs on his debut CD, including his second hit, “All I Ever Wanted,” and the new single, “Man of the House,” a touching story-song about a boy taking on beyond-his-years responsibilities as his father is on military assignment. The Season Eight premiere of Dancing with the Stars is Monday, March 9, at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a second performance show at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, March 16, with the first results show debuting on March 17 at 9 p.m. ET, all on ABC. chuckwicks.com. RASCAL FLATTS PAYS TRIBUTE TO THEIR FANS People’s Choice Award winner for Favorite Group of 2008, Rascal Flatts pays tribute to their fans by letting them to choose the cover art for their next album, Unstoppable, due out April 7. In January, Rascal Flatts teamed up with People’s Choice and invited fans to submit original cover designs for their upcoming album. The top four submissions were chosen by the band and voting was open to all online. The new cover art for Unstoppable was revealed during a concert in Madison Square Garden on Feb. 12. The top choice was Chris Kubik from Arlington Heights, Ill. KELLIE PICKLER JOINS TAYLOR SWIFT’S TOUR Country star Kellie Pickler will join her pal Taylor Swift on tour this year! The Fearless Tour 2009 will visit 52 cities in 38 states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada over six months. In most markets, ticket prices will start at $20 (plus local fees). Kellie said, “It’s always fun to be on tour and be with the fans, and to be out with Taylor, who is like a sister to me, is really awesome. We wrote my current single, ‘Best Days of Your Life,’ on tour together last year, and I’m sure we’re going to write on the road this year, too. So guys: you’ve been warned. Don’t make us mad, because you might just hear about it on the radio!” Kellie’s current single, the aforementioned “Best Days…,” is a musical revenge song that she co-wrote with Taylor, who lends background vocals on the album as well. When her self-titled, sophomore album debuted at number one on Billboard’s Country Album Chart in the fall of 2008, Kellie Pickler became only the sixth country artist in history to have both their first and second albums debut at number one. The tour officially kicks off in April in Evansville, Ind. The Fearlous Tour 2009 will descend on Texas on Sept. 25 in Dallas. kelliepickler.com, myspace.com/kelliepickler C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 7 COUNTRY LINE MAGAZINE SXSW COUNTRY SHOWCASE You do not want to miss the best SXSW showcase, the Country Line Magazine showcase on March 20 and 21 at the Ranch (708 West 6th Street, Austin). Friday, March 20: 8 p.m. Bill Rice Band, 9 p.m. Walt Wilkins, 10 p.m. Chad Hudson, 11 p.m. Susan Hickman, 12 a.m. The Dirt Drifters, 1 a.m. Leo Stokes. Saturday, March 21: 8 p.m. Ruby Jane, 9 p.m. Jeffrey Steele, 10 p.m. Brandon Rhyder, 11 p.m. Heybale, 12 a.m. Jason Eady, 1 a.m. Jypsi. Gruene Hall. The ceremony will include spotlight performances from Brandon Jenkins, Randy Rogers & Brady Black, Rodney Parker, The Tejas Brothers and a closing set by Wade Bowen. The ceremony admission is free. Nominees were selected by 35 panelists from the industry and voting will be strictly limited and tracked through the use of official hard ballots and electronic tracking methods for on line voting. For more details about how to vote and the awards ceremony visit us online at lonestarmusic.com and lsmawards.com 25: Creedence Clearwater Revisited; 26: Jack Ingram; 27: Craig Morgan; 28: Kevin Fowler. FREE JASON EADY DOWNLOAD “WHEN THE MONEY’S ALL GONE” Jason Eady is offering a FREE download of “When the Money’s All Gone,” off his upcoming record (produced by Kevin Welch and scheduled to be release this May). Jason Eady has quickly garnered high praise for his roots music. Bob Lefsetz says it’s “akin to the stuff the Stones used to cut, back when they needed to go to Alabama to get it right.” His upcoming release is a star-studded gem, produced by Kevin Welch, and featuring Kelley Mickwee and the Band of Heathens. myspace.com/jasoneadymusic information. Last year’s Songwriters Serenade winner was Abi Tapia of Austin. In 2007, it was Houston-based guitarist Brian Kalinec, whose music has been featured on ABC News’ “World News Now,” among other places, and who’s been nominated as 2008 Texas Music Awards Musician of the Year and selected as a finalist in the Rose Garden Songwriting Contest in Massachusetts, Kerrville New Folk Competition and Susanne Millsaps Songwriting Competition. His song “The Fence” took second place in the Woody Guthrie Song Contest, and he was one of two winners in the Big Top Chautauqua Song Contest in Wisconsin, both in 2008. PAULA NELSON LONESTARMUSIC & STAR IN FILM GRUENE HALL PRESENT TO Look for Paula in the upcoming film, CHESNUTT GIVES Conflict of Interest, a political thriller due to THE INAUGURAL be released in 2009. There is a lot of cool BACK ON E-BAY Mark Chesnutt has joined with the music and video stuff on her Web site LONESTARMUSIC AWARDS including a short set on a gondola from 3RD ANNUAL Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis foundation On March 29 at 7 p.m. at Gruene Hall, awareness campaign and charity effort Steamboat Music Fest — too cool! SONGWRITERS SERENADE into anremember Lone Star Music will announce the winners famed country songwriter and paulanelsonband.com and hand out the hardware for the first time hitmaker Dennis Linde. Linde wrote AND 39TH ANNUAL ever as they kick off a new annual awards Chesnutt’s chart-topping hits “Bubba Shot show focused on recognizing the excellent RODEO AUSTIN LINE-UP FIDDLERS FROLICS TEXAS the Jukebox” and “It Sure Is Monday” along music put out by the artists of the Texas and with other notably recognizable country Red Dirt Music scene. Sponsored by FOR MARCH 13-28 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP music tunes such as “Burnin’ Love,” (Elvis) Ziegenbock and Radio Free Texas, these March 14: Randy Rogers Band; 15: The semi-final round and finals of the awards are presented in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of LoneStarMusic.com and the five year anniversary for the Lone Star Music store, located just a block from Jimmy Wayne; 16: Josh Turner; 17: Jesse McCartney; 18: Clay Walker; 19: Akon; 20: Kellie Pickler; 21: Eli Young Band; 22: Randy Travis; 23: Carlos Mencia; 24: Sara Bareilles; 8 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E 3rd Annual Songwriters Serenade part of the 39th annual Fiddlers Frolics Texas State Championship fiddling contest, will be held Friday and Saturday nights, April 24-25, in the town of Hallettsville, centrally located between San Antonio, Austin and Houston. More than two dozen local, regional, American and international songwriters are expected to showcase their original work in the Serenade and vie for cash prizes of $100 and the $500 top prize. Fifteen of Friday night’s semi-finalists will advance to Saturday’s 10 a.m. finals; an overall winner will be named along with five finalists. Serenade entry fee is $10; entries should be received by April 11. Semi-finalists will be notified by April 14. Entry form and more information at fiddlersfrolics.com Participants and audiences for the Fiddlers Frolics and Songwriters Serenade can stay in Hallettsville and the surrounding towns of Shiner, Schulenburg and Flatonia. Call the Chambers of Commerce for “Goodbye Earl,” (Dixie Chicks) “Callin’ Baton Rouge” (Garth Brooks) among others. Linde succumbed to the disease in December 2006. Mark has donated his personallyowned Takamine guitar along with carry case which is now being auctioned on e-Bay. Chesnutt, who plays nearly 100 dates a year, played this particular guitar for more than four years on stage, taking it to performances across the nation (including the Roadhouse Tour) as well as to Europe and the Caribbean. The winning bidder will also receive a personal telephone call from Mark with his personal thanks for participating in the auction. See e-Bay auction, Mark Chesnutt. Country Line Magazine to host SXSW Showcase T T H I S Y E A R W I L L M A R K C O U N T RY Line Magazine’s first leap into the SXSW fray of musical showcases. Join us at the Ranch (708 West 6th Street). Friday, March 20: 8 p.m. Bill Rice Band, 9 p.m. Walt Wilkins, 10 p.m. Chad Hudson, 11 p.m. Susan Hickman, 12 a.m. The Dirt Drifters, 1 a.m. Leo Stokes. Saturday, March 21: 8 p.m. Ruby Jane, 9 p.m. Jeffrey Steele, 10 p.m. Brandon Rhyder, 11 p.m. Codie Prevost, 12 a.m. Jason Eady, 1 a.m. Jypsi. B I L L R I C E B A N D Heartache and hellraising has led to the transformation of Bill Rice. Meaningful lyrics and a solid country voice give way to this up and coming future Garth Brooks. His journey started as a student at Oklahoma State University. While attending school, his job as a bouncer at the Tumbleweed Dance Hall in Stillwater led him down a musical path to where he is today. After a couple of years of paying his dues on the Stillwater scene, he fliped a coin to see where his next move would be; Austin or Nashville. Now calling Austin his home, keep an eye out for Bill and his new CD I’ll Do It Again. W A LT W I L K I N S As you listen to the lyrics of a Walt Wilkins song, you can’t help but close your eyes a let the melody take you away. His writing is extraordinary, as evident in the many hits that have help launched some of his peers careers, much less his own. His sound is comforting, like a pair of broken in boots that fit just right. But it is the ability Walt possesses to make you feel at home when he plays that sets him apart. Some artists put on a show when they sing; Walt puts out his heart, making you feel as if you were sitting around the campfire on a cold winter day. His songs warm the soul and brings you back to the place where it all began, back home again. C H A D H U D S O N Think Mellencamp meets Bon Jovi meets Merle Haggard. Now picture that sound with the looks of a Hollywood star and solid writing chops and you have the package of Chad Hudson. Years of hard work has led Mr. Hudson to where he is today. After playing the Texas circuit for over 15 years, Chad got a call from a producer friend up in Nashville. That phone call would lead to a songwriting session that ended up as a publishing deal with BMI publishing group in Nashville as well as a record deal. When he isn’t busy touring the country or writing hits for country superstars, Chad is back home in Austin. S U S A N H I C K M A N is a dynamic country music recording artist born and raised out of Houston, Tex. Her bubbly personality and positive high on life makes an impact on just about everyone she comes in contact with. It is this charisma that ha allowed her to share the stage with artists such as: Tracy Byrd, Jo Dee Messina, Kevin Fowler, Keith Anderson, Steve Holy, The Lost Trailers, Blaine Larson, and Phil Vassar to name a few. With a self-titled debut album just released and an extensive touring schedule to promote the new record, be sure to catch this up and coming star as she sets her sights on Country Line’s SXSW showcase. T H E D I R T D R I F T E R S If you ask any member of the Dirt Drifters how it all came to be, they would probably tell you divine intervention. It started with five roads that hit some detours and dead ends but eventually re-routed into one. It involves so much more than music, and so much more than songs. Heartache, life changes, career changes, tears, blood and a drive that endures is the makeup of this band. Five guys, one dream, and a little bit of luck … meet The Dirt Drifters. This southern rock band has been one of the freshest sounds to come out of Nashville in some time. There reputation precedes them, starting off the New Year opening up for Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special. L E O S T O K E S A mix of traditional country with a hint of Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard is the make up of this upand-coming Austinite. His honky-tonkin’ melodies leave you tapping your toes and wishing you were out at the Broken Spoke. R U B Y J A N E Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ray Benson, Johnny Gimble, Dale Watson, Jim Stringer, Bob Schneider, Bill Carter, Will Sexton and nine-time Grammy winner Asleep at the Wheel … how many artists dream of playing with any of these greats? Now imagine a female fiddle-and mandolin-playin singer/songwriter that has accomplished all of this by of the age of 15. Imagine playing the Grand Ole Opry, starting your own publishing company, going on tour with Asleep at the Wheel, and being the youngest person in history to ever play at SXSW by the age of just 14. Now imagine the possibilities that young Ruby has in her future … the sky is the limit. J E F F R E Y S T E E L E 2003 through 2007 Songwriter of the Year, 29 Top-10 songs, 24 Top-Five songs, eight No. 2 songs, eight No. 1 songs, one of Billboard’s Top-10 writers for over six years in a row, over 35 million spins on radio and television, over 500 songs cut in an eight-year period … the list goes on and on. One thing that is blatantly evident is Jeffrey is the best writer in Nashville if not one of the best of all time. I could go on and on about his talents but I will leave it at this: you must see this living legend in his prime as this is one of the few times he will grace Austin. CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 Cool Green Recycled Buildings from Austin, of course THERE IS A VERY COOL NEW AUSTIN based builder, Reclaimed Space, that is turning a new leaf in the green building industry. Designing, building and delivering fully-sustainable “Spaces” out of reclaimed materials. Each unit is custom-built using locally sourced materials taken from deconstructed homes. Rather than letting good materials go to waste, they are recycled and put to good use after thorough inspection and restoration. The buildings are solar and wind energy compatible, making much of the energy it takes to power the Spaces renewable, and adding off grid possibilities. The single-pitch roof makes it easy to use filtered rainwater for the Space’s water supply, and gives the solar panels a full day of sunlight. The structures are also built on skids and beams making them easily re-locatable; upon completion, they are delivered to any site. The buildings have endless functions and possibilities. For land owners or real estate brokers, adding a building increases property value and desirability by introducing livable space. The units’ costeffectiveness and small size allows for affordable community living or temporary lodging. Reclaimed Space makes ecofriendly, sustainable living affordable. Pricing starts at $25,000 and from $115 to $160 per square foot, depending on each Space’s individual features. The living quarters start at 240 square feet and can be configured modularly for larger designs. C h e c k o u t t h e i r We b s i t e a t reclaimedspace.com to learn more about the company and browse photo galleries and view sample floor plans. C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 9 KEVIN FOWLER W WHEN IT COMES TO TEXAS FEW ARE as closely associated with the Texas country lifestyle or music as Kevin Fowler. Fowler has a nature talent and hard work ethic that has proven a solid foundation for himself. He applies his life, passions and a what-you-seeis-what-you-get approach to his music, writing and on stage where fans of all ages connect. Johnny Cash once said, “I love songs about horses, railroads, land, Judgment Day, family, hard times, whiskey, courtship, marriage, adultery, separation, murder, war, prison, rambling, damnation, home, salvation, death, pride, humor, piety, rebellion, patriotism, larceny, determination, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak and love. And Mother. And God.” Sounds like a Kevin Fowler album to me. Life as it happens with a chorus we can all sing. I sat with Kevin recently and talked about life as it is happening for him right now. How is your new single doing? It’s been in the top five on the Texas Music Chart for a while now. It’s slowly creeping up to #1. Home to Play There were a ton of Texans up there. It was us, Asleep at the Wheel, Rick Trevino, Neal McCoy, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jack Ingram, a whole lot more. Good times. How is the music business today with the economy in such a bad way? We haven’t seen much slow down. I hear that the entertainment business is pretty recession proof. I guess people like to go out when times are bad and forget about all of their worries. But we’ll see soon. Are you doing anything different? We’re still doing exactly what we’ve always done. Which is put out records and stay on the road. Hoping to have a new record out in the next year or so. You’re a Texas guy and love to hunt. How was your deer hunting this last deer season? I didn’t shoot any big deer this year. Just a lot of culls. I bought a new ranch this year and we’re trying to get all of the numbers right. I’m really excited about this year though. I’m going on a big bow hunt this fall for elk up in New Mexico. I’ve never taken an elk with my bow. It’s at the top of my list. Where all are you playing now — out of Texas? How was the presidential ball? Most of our shows Do you do much song writing while your at the ranch or is it all ranch work to clear the mind? I’ve these days are in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Kansas. Today we’re in Lafayette, La. The show in Washington during the inauguration was a lot of fun. been doing more and more songwriting out there. I’ve been having some songwriting buddies of mine from Nashville come out there to write. It’s a much better writing 10 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E environment for me. How is your family? You have quite a clan of girls now. Everybody’s doing well. Our youngest is almost two years old. The oldest is thirteen. Man, I’m getting old. We will see you in Austin at the rodeo — you have been quite the staple for them the last few years. It must feel good to play at home and have so many folks come out and see you. It’s always good to get to play at home. It’s always nice to get to sleep in your own bed. The rodeo is kind of like our yearly homecoming. We love playing the rodeo. My kids love it to. It’s one of my few shows that they actually can come to and have a good time. I think they really care more about cotton candy and riding rides than they do about seeing their daddy sing. Ha ha. Life as it happens. Fowler is a busy dad, husband, rancher, musician, songwriter and more. He sits in traffic, doesn’t always eat right, loves to be with his family, pays bills, gets the oil changed in his truck and all the same things we all do. Where Fowler leaves most of us is that he hears a melody and a chorus when he is doing it, he puts a tune to life and we can all sing along.“God blessed Texas with His own hands,” and He blessed Kevin Fowler with a gift that we all can share. For more on Kevin Fowler go to kevinfowler.com. —TJ GREANEY M F My treatise last month in this column about the ills of present-day 6th Street was met largely with accusations of advanced age and terminal unhipness. I said from the start that I would write in this column what I think. What I didn’t consider was that my thoughts might betray what a surly old curmudgeon I am slowly becoming. So, pardon me whilst I backtrack somewhat on the topic, in a likely futile effort to recover some of my by Chris Mosser already damaged coolness. As long as I’ve been a resident of Austin, March for me has meant SXSW. Guy Forsyth said to me in the midst of a 6th Street radio interview on the final, bleary Sunday morning of a festival long past that he thought of SXSW as “the festival of broken dreams,” and I’m afraid I’d have to agree. Every year hundreds of bands and performers flock into Austin, high on the fact that they’ve been selected to play and starry-eyed at where their showcase might lead them. Most years, there are a handful of these that land some deal or the other, and return to town on a tour sometime that summer or fall. There’s usually some purported phenom who would appear to be the next big thing, as it were, and occasionally they are, but not many of these are still top-of-mind a couple of years later. In reality, it’s spring break for the music industry and a perfectly good excuse to drink around the clock for everyone involved. The engine of SXSW, though, is largely fueled by the hopes of the hundreds who will play their hearts out, lay it all out for their lifelong dreams, and soon be forgotten and discarded. Getting to 6th street, I can recall some of the first occasions finding myself on 6th during broad daylight, and these were almost always during SXSW: broadcasting from the scene, hopping between day parties, and indulging in The Beverage perhaps a bit much for that time of day. Sixth Street before nightfall, especially on a warm day, has an aroma all its own … a cocktail of stale spilled beer, baking garbage and other byproducts, which decorum prevents me from listing here in full detail. It’s different from the smell of other parts of downtown. It’s not a particularly florid bouquet, but I’ve come to associate it with memories of good times with cool people. Over the last few years, I’ve ratcheted down the intensity with which I dive into SXSW. Little kids, advanced age and terminal unhipness will do that to a body. However, now that The Roadhouse is in full gear, there’s suddenly a whole new angle on the festival for me. I’m looking forward to hitting showcases featuring folks like The Gourds, the Band of Heathens, and Heybale, all of whom I can catch any old weekend here in Austin, but will be fun to see during SXSW, when I can watch the crowd of out-of-towners and jaded music industry types light up at the amazing talent pool of Austin, Tex. As a person who loves our town’s music, I find SXSW to be an ego-inflating experience. When the guy standing next to me from Houston or Miami or Denver professes amazement at the performance of Walt Wilkins, or Joe Ely, or The Gougers, I can shrug, glance at my watch, and say, hell, they play here all the time. CHRIS MOSSER PROGRAMS AND HOSTS T H E R O A D H O U S E M O N D AY T H R O U G H S AT U R D AY A N D T H E S U N D AY N I G H T T E X A S S H O W O N S U N D AY S , A L L S TA R T I N G AT 7 P. M . O N 9 8 . 1 K V E T. Counting Your Chickens Chickens in the City It’s March 1, so I was going to write about show chickens — specifically those being groomed for the Star of Texas Stock Show and Rodeo. Those folks already know what they’re doing, and are savvier than I am. Many more questions are asked about everyday concerns, such as: Does my hen need a rooster to produce eggs? Do chickens get worms? No and yes, in that order. Egg laying is ovulation and a rooster is not necessary, that is unless you want to hear the pitter patter of little feet in the barnyard. The question of worms or internal parasites is more common and more complex. Of the thousands of worm species, about 100 have been recognized in wild and domestic birds in the USA. Round worms (Nematodes) are the most significant in number of species and economic impact. Tapeworms (Cestodes) are also a problem and have been found in the thousands in individual chickens and turkeys. “Modern confinement rearing of poultry had reduced the frequency and variety of these parasitic infections, which were common earlier in the range birds and back yard flocks. However, severe parasitism may still occur in flood reared game birds. Things like “built up litter” can cause explosive growth in intermediate hosts of parasites that become quickly resistant to therapeutic drugs”. [This last unwieldy paragraph was lifted, verbatim, from the Ninth Edition of the Merck Veterinary Seattle has one. Raleigh has one. But Austinites like to be at the leading edge of all trends. So, when a group of local backyard poultry enthusiasts realized that Austin lacked an annual backyard Chicken Coop celebration, they took action. The result? Austin’s first free Funky Chicken Coop Tour. Urban chicken-keeping is on the rise in cities across the USA, and for good reasons. Chickens can be easy-to-care-for pets, provide insect control, supply delicious fresh eggs, and help create better yards and gardens. Most chicken owners report that it's just plain fun to have them around. On Saturday, April 11, Austin-area chicken coop owners will open their backyards to the public. The free, selfguided tour will run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and showcase a variety of poultry projects in a variety of settings, from urban to rural. Visitors to the tour sites will see how scavenged materials can be transformed into a low-cost coop; or how a fashionable coop can enhance your landscape. Visitors will have the chance to see how chicken coops integrate into larger projects, such as organic gardens, sustainability and permaculture efforts, and school projects. The tour hosts will be able to answer questions on chicken care, compliance with city ordinances, coop design, and A Series, Part 6 Manual]. Round worms are passed around usually bird to bird by ingestion of infective eggs and larvae, or by ingestion of an intermediate host. Insects, earthworms or snails etc. are all carriers. Birds eat the host creatures and are infected much like a dog swallows fleas. Chickens don’t sit down at the dinner table with you. They don’t eat from clean china nor have the manual dexterity to handle a knife and a fork. They dine on the ground. The dirty chicken manure covered parasite laden, insect loaded ground. Worms? Trust me, they have plenty of worms. Why does this matter? A few Ascarid class worms can cause weight loss, and larger numbers may block the intestinal track resulting in diarrhea and eventually death. So let’s get to your vet or local feed store and purchase some wormer. It’s cheap and reasonably effective. Your chickens will thank you and I will thank you for having asked the question in the first place. Adios! —MIKE YOUNG, CALLAHAN’S GENERAL STORE 12 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E Austin’s First Funky Chicken Coop Tour more. If you are thinking about keeping chickens in your own backyard, you’ll get some great ideas for your own successful project. The Funky Chicken Coop Tour will include coops all over the Austin area. A map of participating coops will be available for download prior to the tour from fccooptour.blogspot.com. AU S T I N F U N KY C H I C K E N C O O P TO U R A P R I L 1 1 • 1 0 A . M . T O 4 : 3 0 P. M . FREE ADMISSION F C C O O P T O U R . B L O G S P O T. C O M BBQ Team Celebrates 20 Years AT T H E S TA R O F T E X A S B B Q C O O K- O F F Y “ YOU COMIN’ OUT TO RODEO?” — this is the question members of the La Pasadita BBQ Team will ask a thousand times the next few weeks. “Rodeo” is how they refer to their annual shindig at Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo (STFR hereafter) BBQ Cook-Off. La Pasadita is more than just a BBQ team though — with 20 years under their belt, they’ve grown into a charitable legacy rich with family, friends and a strong dose of tragedy-inspired determination. Like all the other teams, their goal is to garner sponsorships, throw a great party to inspire attendees to put tips in their jars, and donate all the proceeds to the Star of Texas Scholarship Fund — they’ve been doing just that for 20 years. It all started in the spring of 1990 — Bill and Jane Ann Benton along with Dan Steakley and a few friends entered a team in The Travis County Livestock Show BBQ Cook-Off (now the STFR BBQ Cook-Off) to promote the title agency they had just opened and, as they had kids of their own, thought that helping to send Texas kids to college was a fitting cause. With the help of Sid Terry, Kenny Dryden, Bill Archer and Jay Owens, they pulled a team together and started raising sponsorships for supplies and the Scholarship Fund. But they still needed a team name and furniture for their tent. On a trip back from a south Texas hunting lease, three of them came across a defunct bar selling its furniture — bar stools, tables and chairs — and that old bar was aptly named La Pasadita. The team operated under small tents for a few years, but by 1995 their venue had grown to a 40x90-foot tent, a 32-foot bar, jukebox, 350-square-foot stage and cookers, plus tables and chairs to seat thousands of the public for two days. Of course, as the team’s venue and event grew, the man hours needed to pull it off also exploded. Luckily the founders had willing participants in their sons and their friends, who gradually took the reins — likely making La Pasadita one of the only second-generation teams at the Cook-Off. The team’s numbers have waxed and waned over the years as friends move away and return, and friends are invited to join. The core team though, is made up of friends primarily from Austin’s Westlake area, some having known each other since they were toddlers. The feat is something to marvel at ... old friends who may not see each other all year come together to pull off an event whose size would challenge even a seasoned party planner. They are as eclectic as the public who wanders into their tent and a listing of their professions reads like a classic joke — an exotics ranch manager, a loan officer, a yoga studio owner, a wine rep, an air marshall, a lawyer and the list goes on. Their rich friendship history comes together each year for the benefit of kids throughout the state of Texas. From the beginning and still to this day, the team’s number one goal is to be the top fundraiser for the ST Scholarship Fund. Numbers from those first couple of years are hard to come by, but as far as most memories serve, La Pasadita has been the top fundraiser at the Cook-Off all but one year since they started. There’s a scandalous rumor that one year a last-minute check was written by a sponsor of another team just to beat the winning run of La Pasadita. In the end though, that “missed” year only inspired the team to up the ante and make sure that Top Fundraiser was a title they could claim every year since. That determination has resulted in some impressive donation totals for a little ol’ BBQ team — in 2006 they raised $47,000 and in both 2007 and 2008 they raised over $50,000 — all of which put them over the half-a-million-donated mark at their 19th showing last year. But La Pasadita is a team with more than friendship and a charitable goal driving them. In 1996, tragedy struck the team when just a month after the Cook-Off two of its cherished members, Brent Benton and Chad McLaughlin, were killed in an auto accident. It was a devastating loss to their families and friends. Both young men often expressed their love of “rodeo,” and eagerly anticipated its arrival each spring, making it that much harder for the team to imagine throwing the event without them. There were many dark days leading up to the next Cook-Off, but La Pasadita gathered their strength and dedicated their efforts in the name of the friends, the brothers, the sons they lost. Today you can find two sets of initials flanking the team’s logo to remind the team and others that Brent and Chad are right there with them. March is here again and the team is making preparations for their 20th year of throwing the best party and raising the most money at the Cook-Off. The event will commence Friday, March 20 through the wee hours Sunday, March 22 and you’re all invited to join them! There will be great BBQ, free beer and live music by LC Rocks — a popular 80s rock band here in Austin. La Pasadita just humbly requests that you put cash in their tip jars so they can send Texas kids to college and maybe claim that coveted Top Fundraiser title once again. —ALYSON STRINGER STEAKLEY Become a sponsor! Your donation is tax-deductible and gets you a spot on sponsor boards, a link on lapasadita.org and access to the VIP Club on Saturday, March 21 where they serve members’ harvests — grilled quail, cajun Redfish, Axis sausage, plus smoked tenderloin, bacon-wrapped shrimp and more. For more info, email lapa@lapasadita.org. La Pasadita is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Country Line’s SXSW Showcase CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 B R A N D O N R H Y D E R If you listen to Brandon’s first and second CDs, you might be surprised at what you hear. Songs about drinking, broken hearts and small town stories fill the air. The normal, predictable melodies and progressions play track after track. Yes, the first couple of CDs might not fit the mold of what you think when you think of Brandon Rhyder. The main aspect I take away from those records is his evolution. It is obvious not only by his lyrics, songs, and vocals, but even the album covers tell the story of where he started from and where he is now. They say that change is a fact of life, that you must roll with the times or you will be left behind. It is very obvious that Brandon has become a pro at that aspect. His dedication has led him to a career that takes him all over the country, yet he still calls Austin home. C O D I E P R E V O S T Canadian Codie Prevost has developed a sound that is truly unique and unconventional in the realm of country music. In 2006, Codie was awarded the Saskatchewan Country Music Association’s “Rising Star Award” as well as “Album of the Year” for his debut album, The Road Ahead. His second and current album Spin 6-Pak Vol. 1 has received rave reviews north and south of the border and his current and latest single “Call Me When You Get There” is considered one of Codie’s best to date. Influenced by many illustrious artists as well as a wide array of music genres, Codie has written with Texan Willie Mack, Jason Blaine and Steve Fox, and has opened for The Oak Ridge Boys, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Aaron Pritchett, Deric Ruttan and Gord Bamford. With a bona fide passion and a wholehearted commitment to his art and fans Codie Prevost’s high energy performances leave a deep-rooted impression on all, time and time again. J A S O N E A D Y You listen to a Jason Eady song and you go back in time. You go back to the days where time moved a little slower, where everything was black and white, where you could sit and watch the world turn. For only being in the business for four years, Jason is mature beyond his years. A style that mixes blues, bluegrass, and something more of a timeless nature; his music stands out among the mix of the repetitive one-dimensional material you mostly hear these days on the radio. J Y P S I Playing a soulful kind of country and dressing in retro chic, the Nashville-based band Jypsi has a set of influences that run from Alison Krauss to alt-rock. Comprised of four siblings from the Rische family — Lillie Mae, Frank, Scarlet, and Amber-Dawn — Jypsi spent years together on the road playing festivals and showcases before landing a regular gig on Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway in 2003. Their combination of classic country harmonies and youthful attitude entertain and captivates any crowd in front of them. This group of siblings is sure to stand the test of time, proving that being true to your roots is always the best way to go. C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 13 MOVIE & BOOK REVIEWS The Velveteen Rabbit DVD RELEASE MARCH 17 The Velveteen Rabbit is an enchanting combination of live-action drama and animated adventure that tells the story of a lonely boy , Toby, who wins over his distant father and strict grandmother . This classic novel, one of the most beloved family tales of all time comes to life. Young Toby who is sent by his busy father to spend the holiday season in the home of his stern grandmother. Toby’s world instantly changes when he discovers the house’s ‘magic attic’ where three forgotten toys — including a special stuffed rabbit — unlock a world of imagination that will change all their lives forever. Featuring the voice talents of Golden Globe® winner Jane Seymour (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” Somewhere in Time) as Mom with Emmy Award® winner Tom Skerritt (Top Gun, “Picket Fences”) as Horse and Oscar® winner Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Requiem for a Dream) as Swan, and directed by Michael Landon Jr. (“Love Comes Softly,” Saving Sarah Cain), The Velveteen Rabbit is a heartwarming “…adventure for the whole family” (The Dove Foundation®). For more information, visit thevelveteenrabbitmovie.com Historic Photos of the Opry: Ryman Auditorium 1974 JIM MCGUIRE From its construction in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium, named for riverboat captain Thomas G. Ryman, has been an integral part of America’s cultural fabric. Today this National Historic Landmark, lovingly called the Mother Church of Country Music, enjoys present-day status as both a beloved piece of Americana and a dynamic venue for contemporary artists. With photography and text by Jim McGuire, Historic Photos of the Opry rediscovers a fascinating chapter in the history of the Grand Ole Opry and its most famous former home. More than 100 rare photographs taken by McGuire in 1974 are showcased with exceptional clarity in this beautiful book and brought to life through insightful McGuire’s captions. With a foreword by Garrison Keillor and opening remarks by Marty Stuart, the book sheds light on a crucial period in the history of the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry, and the country music genre. “For those of us who were serious country music fans who spent many Saturday nights on those Ryman pews, the fact that the Opry was moving from that building was a very big deal,” Jim McGuire says. “Everyone was talking about the opening of Opryland, but to me, photographing and preserving this slice of country music history was just as important.” Historic Photos of the Opry reveals every facet of the Opry in its final year at the Ryman through scenes onstage, backstage and from the gritty n e i g h b o r h o o d surrounding. In glimpses of bluegrass legends, famous country duos, bona fide American musical icons, and the Opry’s ardent fans, music’s most celebrated country phenomenon shines in glorious black-andwhite photography, displayed in a large format. Historic Photos of the Opry: Ryman Auditorium 1974 is part of Turner Publishing’s Historic Photos series. These books, highlighting the history of the great cities across America, famous figures, and places from the past, have been acclaimed as a staple in the collection of anyone who loves history. turnerpublishing.com The Bull Catchers JIM SAYLES Local author Jim Sayles just released his first book, The Bull Catchers, which chronicles his amazing adventures. The impending sale of the family ranch and being released from active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, Sayles was motivated at the age of 24 to leave the security of home and family and immigrate to Australia. There Sayles was taken under the wing of the most outrageous character in the Northern Territory as they pursued the dangerous profession of “bull catching” — capturing wild cattle and water buffalos on the unfenced open range. This was not unlike Texas immediately after the Civil War, only the author, in bare feet and worn-out cutoffs, used Toyotas instead of horses and threw them down by the tail instead of roping them. Crazy! The author’s experiences also included exploring areas of Tasmania where no other man had been before, two years searching for the Tasmanian Tiger under an IUCN/WWF grant, living and working with Australian aborigines, and dangerous encounters with sharks, crocodiles, and the planet’s deadliest snakes. Includes 23 pages of photos (18 color, five black and white) that help to illustrate this unique narrative. Available locally at Serendipity Books (Marble Falls) and logospubco.com 14 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E I F It’s rodeo time! Once a year we get to experience the excitement of horses, dust, cowboys and the sound of a roaring crowd. There’s team roping, bull and bronco riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, mutton busting, the petting zoo, stock shows and horse shows. It’s the time of year you dress up and pretend you are a real cowboy. So besides the glamour of hats and buckles, ever wondered how the rodeo started? It started back in the 1700s when the Spanish cattlemen known as vaqueros ruled the West. Their influences in dress and riding equipment played a role in the molding of the sport. The duties on these ranches included roping, horse breaking, riding, branding and herding. In the 1800s, ranchers from the Southwest organized long cattle drives to bring the cattle across to stockyards in areas such as Kansas. At the end of these trails the new American Cowboys would hold informal competition against the ranchers from the east to see which group were the best riders and had more skill. This formed the beginnings of the competition known as the rodeo. The cowboys would pay to ride and put it in a pot, the winners would take home the prize money. Eventually they began holding these shows in front of spectators who would pay to see the competition and the sport began to grow. From the 1890s through the ’50s, the culture of the West began to dwindle and the popularity of these rodeos grew. As cowboys by Laura Haugh were losing their jobs, more of them began traveling to ride in the show. Organizations began starting to protect the safety of the animals and riders. In 1929, the Rodeo Association of America emerged to document the winnings and determine championships. However, the promoters and judges were unfair and the prize money would often be less than agreed upon. In 1936, at the Boston Garden Rodeo, around 60 cowboys decided to walk out because the promoter refused to add their entry fees into the prize money. The promoter tried to find replacements, but was unsuccessful and folded into the cowboy’s demands. The group of cowboys called themselves the turtles because they were slow to organize, but finally stuck their necks out. The buckle became the winning trophy as a result of boxers such as Fritz Truan who would participate. All of these events lead to the popularity of the rodeo today. Today, there are rodeos at the high school and college level, as well as the Little Britches Rodeo Association, which caters to the younger children. In 1975, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, known as the PRCA emerged and created the National Finals Rodeo, which gained a status amongst the NFL and NBA. The rodeo will continue as long as we, the fans, support the sport. So put on your duds and head on out to the Austin Rodeo. You’ll see me there! by Sandra Greaney W F With spring coming well on its way, I wanted to give you some events to consider that you may not normally find yourself attending. So expand your horizons this March and take some time to enjoy something new! Be sure to mark your calendar — March 8 is Daylight Savings Time (spring forward one hour) and March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day. in town MARCH 6 COWBOY BREAKFAST Plan to attend the annual Cowboy Breakfast that kicks off Rodeo Austin on Auditorium Shores in Austin. rodeoaustin.com MARCH 6 8TH ANNUAL BAGELFEST The Austin Jewish Academy will be holding the 8th Annual BagelFest/5k/1k Fun Run/Walk at the Dell Jewish Community Center. 512735-8350, bagelfest5k.com MARCH 13-28 RODEO AUSTIN It’s rodeo time and there’s fun for everyone! Check the Web site and this issue for info on the fun! rodeoaustin.com MARCH 13-22 SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MUSIC & MEDIA CONFERENCE (SXSW) This festival showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over eighty stages in downtown Austin. sxsw.com MARCH 20-21 LA PASADITA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY AT RODEO AUSTIN BBQ COOK-OFF The cook-off is the biggest party at the rodeo and the most fun you can have with your boots on! Come on out and help La Pasadita BBQ Team celebrate their 20th year of throwin’ a great party and raisin’ college scholarships for Texas youth. Sample great BBQ, enjoy cold beer and get your boots dusty on the dance floor to the rockin’ live music. lapasadita.org MARCH 29 CAPITOL 10K Ranked among the top five 10Ks in the nation, the 32nd Statesman Capitol 10,000 will include 10,000 runners/walkers participate in. Also offered is a one-mile course for the young ones that takes place in the form of the Junior ’Dillo Kids Run on March 28. statesman.com/sports/content/cap10k MARCH 30 TASTE OF AUSTIN is an event designed to showcase Austin-area caterers, restaurants and hotels. The concept is simple; allow food lovers the chance to explore the incredible variety of flavors and restaurants served up in one event. Taste-size portions let you sample many different restaurants and find new venues for eating out while each participating restaurant will have the opportunity to provide samples of key menu items and discover new customers. tasteofaustin.com outside of town MARCH 6 DAWN AT THE ALAMO in San Antonio. Members of the San Antonio Living History Association are joined by reenactors from across the country to portray the armies of the Texian defenders and the Mexican soldiers led by General Santa Anna. The event occurs on the anniversary of the fall of the Alamo, starting at 6 a.m. like the historic predawn raid on the Alamo. sanantoniolivinghistory.org MARCH 7 DRIPPING SPRINGS SCULPTURE CHALLENGE Visit with and observe sculptors as they demonstrate their style and discipline. The event is a benefit for PAWS Animal and Humane Shelter and admission is $10 per person. sculpturechallenge.com 512-858-5665 MARCH 13-14 ANNUAL CENTRAL TEXAS KNIFE SHOW in Round Rock. There will be roughly 100 tables featuring works of top knife makers at the Williamson Hotel and Conference Center in Round Rock. 830367-2246 MARCH 13-15 ST. PATTY’S DAY ON THE RIVER WALK in San Antonio. The River is actually dyed green for the day and renamed “The River Shannon.” On the 13th, mariachi music gives way to Irish song and dance and the River Walk turns into a huge pub crawl. The next day, the river hosts a floating parade with Irish dignitaries, pipers and drummers, and the spirit of the old country. thesanantonioriverwalk.com MARRIAGE RENEWAL WEEKEND Cornerstone Marriage and Family Ministries will be hosting “A New Beginning, Marriage Renewal Weekend” at Camp Tejas Christian Retreat Center near Giddings, Tex. Rediscover the feeling of love you once had in your marriage. There is an early registration discounts and financial assistance available. For more info, please email info@marriageminstry.org MARCH 14 5TH ANNUAL SPOKES ’N’ SPURS RIDE at Spirit Reins in Liberty Hill. Riders will enjoy a great route with beautiful views, gently rolling hills and the wildlife of the Texas Hill Country. This non-profit organization provides hands-on therapeutic programs in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth and learning. All ages and skill levels welcome. spiritreins.org slows to a tropical pace Cabo Bob’s first (and only location at this time), is on the northwest corner of Ben White/Hwy 71 and IH-35 (500 E. Ben White Blvd). The interior has a comfortable feel that aligns itself with the name — surfing images and Cabo maps adorn the walls and MARCH 28 CEDAR PARK HERITAGE FESTIVAL cedarparktx.us/cp/page32992213.aspx MARCH 29 HATS OFF FOR HOSPICE at Texas Old Town in Kyle. Join CTMC Hospice Care for fun and games, including the Kiddie Express, hay rides, moonwalks, auctions, arts and crafts, door prizes, plus music from Reckless Kelly all at Texas Old Town in Kyle. 512-754-6159, 866-754-6159 allmonth ANYTIME DONATE BLOOD! Give the gift of life —with just a single donation, you can save as many as two lives. Go by 4300 N. Lamar in Austin or 2132 N. Mays in Round Rock to donate today. 206-1266, inyourhands.org HILL COUNTRY OUTDOORS If you are an active adult, love to meet people and be outdoors, check hillcountryoutdoors.com. EVERY SATURDAY A U S T I N FA R M E R S M A R K E T Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m. at Republic Square Park (4th and Guadalupe). Buy from local growers. austinfarmersmarket.org SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET offers fresh local fruits and vegetables at the Tony Burger Center. sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org, 512-280-1976 volunteer Longtime Austin Restaurateur I love a good fish taco — if you’ve never had one you’re missing out! Local restaurateur Don Brinkman, former CEO of Mr. Gatti’s, has a concept he’s working on and you can participate in the shaping of this project by stopping by and trying the fare. MARCH 26 HEALTHY LIVING SPA NIGHT at Healthy Living by Design in Wimberley. Evening reception (5-9 p.m.) to promote healthy self care. Enjoy spa services provided by local practitioners, live music, cocktails, hors d’oeurves, door prizes, membership specials, more. 14500 RR 12, 512-847-8026 tables. The fresh mango picodigio and tortillas are to die for. They have a giant burrito that is a pick-your-topping and one is hard to finish. My favorite is the fish taco, of course. Don’t miss the chipotle sauces by the drink dispenser! I wanted to swipe a bottle of it to take home — I really like this stuff. Last but not least, Cabo Bob’s is the first and maybe only restaurant in the U.S. that serves soda fountain drinks made with the original cane sugar instead of the fructose syrup. XXX Root Beer, Dublin Dr Pepper, Big Red, grape soda and more are all made with pure cane sugar and taste like a soda should! Gotta have your breakfast tacos? Cabo Bob’s serves those too, starting this month! Tell them Country Line sent ya and let ’em know you appreciate them having our magazine in there shop! Good stuff. FREE breakfast taco Present article when ordering. One offer per person per visit. Offer expires March 31, 2009. Not valid with any other offer. Not only does volunteering help others, but it can play a priceless role in the development of your children — increasing self-esteem, empathy and social skills. Here are a few Web sites where you can find volunteer opportunities for you and your family to participate in year round. packedforlife.org • volunteermatch.org handsoncentraltexas.org austinparks.org/volunteer.php next month APRIL 5 PEACE LOVE HAPPINESS RIDE Motorcycle enthusiasts can ride free this year with John Paul DeJoria and his celebrity friends in the 7th annual Peace Love Happiness Ride to benefit Austin Children’s Shelter and The 100 Club of Central Texas. The ride will start at Cowboy Harley-Davidson and finish at the new Backyard. The concert and custom bike show at the Backyard is $25 and will benefit the two charities. austinchildrenshelter.org I F YO U AT T E N D A N E V E N T L I S T E D H E R E , P L E A S E S H O OT M E A N E - M A I L A N D L E T M E K N O W H O W I T WA S. I W O U L D LOV E TO H E A R F R O M YO U ! S A N D R A @ C O U N T RY L I N E M AG A Z I N E . C O M C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 15 by Kendall Hemphill Wolves & Yahoos M VS F My favorite Ace Reid cartoon shows a man in the background, obviously trying to get rid of a snake that’s tangled around his head and arms, which is probably a lot harder to do than it sounds. In the foreground are two cowboys, and one says something like, “That EPA fellow said we shouldn’t kill rattlesnakes, because they’re good for the country. So I gave him one.” I suspect Ashley Judd would act like that EPA fellow, if someone were to hand her an Alaskan wolf. Judd is your basic Hollywood Yahoo type, who doesn’t seem to have much of a grip on reality. That doesn’t stop her from expressing her opinion, which is only fair. Everyone has an opinion. It just happens that Ashley Judd’s is wrong. Judd has gotten hooked up with a group called Defenders of Wildlife. Now, just to be clear here, this group has no concept of what it means to defend wildlife. They just call themselves that to separate witless citizens from their money. The DoW never actually does anything for wildlife. All it does is attack sound, ethical hunting practices, practices that pay for conservation programs that actually help wildlife. Judd has made a video for DoW blasting Alaska governor Sarah Palin for promoting aerial wolf hunting. She is quoted on the DoW Web site as saying, “I’m outraged by Palin’s promotion of aerial wolf hunting and I will fight to stop her.” The video describes how brutal and inhumane aerial hunting is, and to be fair, I imagine it’s not easy to make a clean, one-shot kill on a running animal from a helicopter or airplane. But then, something has to be done about the wolves. See, Alaska has more wolves than it can say grace over. The situation has gotten entirely out of hand, and the wolves are wreaking havoc on the Alaskan populations of caribou, moose, deer, and other wildlife. Judd doesn’t mention any of that in her video, but then, why would she? Well, this brings us to a dilemma, assuming we’re dumb enough to believe the drivel offered by the bunny huggers. They want the wolves left alone, but they want the other wildlife to flourish, also. Basically, they want it both ways. It’s the old question of what an ‘environmentalist’ does when he sees one endangered species trying to kill another by Shirley Baker SHRIMP NEWBURG When we lived close to the bay, it was not unusual for the children to fish and seine for their supper. The shrimp and fish they caught we never had to fear of pollution and they always tasted great. This is one of their favorite recipes I would prepare for them after their day long efforts at the water. 1 lb cooked and peeled shrimp 2 Tbsp butter 13/4 Tbsp flour 1 cup cream 3 Tbsp tomato catsup /4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 /8 tsp salt 1 /4 tsp paprika 3 ? Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour slowly till blended. Add cream very slowly while continuing to mix. When the sauce starts to thicken, add catsup and Worcestershire. Add shrimp, salt and paprika. Heat shrimp thoroughly. Serve over a bed of rice or in a rice ring. (While rice is still hot, put in oiled ring mold, let stand a few minutes before turning out on a platter. Makes aa very pretty main course. Garnish with parsley. G R A N D M A’ S H I N T S ? Foggy windshield problem in the morning? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep in car for times like this. If you seal an envelope and forgot to enclose something, place envelope in freezer for an hour and it readily opens. Use hair conditioner to shave legs instead of shaving cream. Before pouring oil in measuring cup, rinse with hot water for easier cleaning. ? 16 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E ? To keep animals from eating your plants, sprinkle with cayenne pepper. endangered species. There’s no way to win that one. Take the rabbit away from the coyote to save it, and the coyote dies of starvation. The problem is that these animals won’t cooperate. They seem to want to act like, well, animals. Bummer. So the koala kissers rationalize by saying, “Well, coyotes are naturally meat eaters. They’re designed that way, and can’t help it. So it’s okay for them to eat rabbits.” The coyotes, to date, have been unavailable for comment. But contradiction has always been a problem with the ‘save the whales’ crowd. Their very premise defeats their argument. They claim we’re just animals ourselves, and therefore we should respect the other animals’ right to life, because they’re our equals. But then, if we’re animals ourselves, and it’s OK for a coyote to kill a rabbit, it has to be OK for us to kill a coyote. You can’t have your fox and your hare, too. You have to choose. But they don’t want to choose, so they try to claim we humans have to behave differently, because we’ve, I don’t know, evolved into a higher life form and have greater responsibilities than the other animals, or something. Except that won’t work either. Because if we’ve ‘evolved’ up, then we aren’t equal with the other animals anymore, and therefore we have different rules. I know, it’s hazy. Tell you what — you go argue with one of these space cadets for a while and let me know how it goes. The truth is, according to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, predators (wolves and bears) kill 80% of the moose and caribou that die during an average year. Humans kill 10%. You can look these stats up. Of course, so could Ashley Judd, except she’s too busy complaining about Sarah Palin. But the Alaskan wildlife authorities don’t want to wipe out the wolves, anyway. They’re using a closely controlled permit program that allows limited aerial hunting in certain areas. Currently there are five wolf control programs in effect in 9.4% of Alaska’s land area, and they’re designed to keep the wolf population to a manageable level. This not only helps the other wildlife, but it also makes the wolves healthier by cutting down on disease and ensuring the habitat can support their numbers. Unless the wolves are controlled, Alaska won’t have enough caribou and moose to allow hunting. Hunting brings in revenue, which is used to fund programs that help all the animals, including the wolves. It’s a win-win situation. Now if we can just institute a program that will keep the Hollywood Yahoo population from getting out of hand, we’ll have our problems licked … KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR HUMOR COLUMNIST AND PUBLIC S P E A K E R W H O A P P R E C I AT E S T H E YA H O O S , F O R M A K I N G H I S J O B E A S I E R . 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 Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo Cowboy Breakfast The ever popular Cowboy Breakfast will be Friday, March 6 at Auditorium Shores. Break out your boots, hat and appetite then head out for free breakfast, live music and Western entertainment and be a part of this special tradition that officially kicks off 2009 Rodeo Austin. This year’s breakfast bash will last from 6-9 a.m. The Texas-size buffet has a bigger-isbetter menu to match its bigger-is-better attitude, set with cowboy coffee, sausage, brisket, doughnuts, cupcakes, iced tea, pancakes, milk, orange juice, golden biscuits with gravy and more. The breakfast of cowboy champions will be accompanied by live entertainment, from Country Singer Jeremy Steding, Trick Roper Kevin Fitzpatrick, Chainsaw Artist David Cox, “Cowboy” the saddled longhorn, Western Comedy Shootouts, T-Bone’s Puppet Show and Country Line Dance Lessons from the American Academy of Music and Dance. Thousands of guests from all over the city not only get to enjoy free food and entertainment, but can also park for free at the Palmer Events Center parking garage. The Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, contributes over $1.5 million annually to the youth of Texas with the help of over 2,500 volunteers, donors and sponsors. Through its acclaimed Livestock Show, Fair, and Rodeo, the Star of Texas continues to work towards the advancement of its mission, “Promoting Youth Education — Preserving Western Heritage.” The Star of Texas delivers superior entertainment to the community while boasting an economic impact that exceeds $54 million annually. Staying true to the official sport of Texas, the Star of Texas is proud to host the world’s sixth largest indoor, regular season ProRodeo known as Rodeo Austin. TEXAS SERVICES AND PROFESSIONALS BEST BROTHERS CARPET SERVICE Carpet Cleaning & Flooring 24-Hour Water Extraction DEPENDABLE • HONEST • PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 512-707-9887 True Texas spring water bottled right here in Austin. Don’t buy bottled city tap water when you can enjoy natures pure refreshing spring water. KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL! Home or Office Delivery Call Today! 512/280-4037 Official Water of The Texas Outdoor Zone Texas Proud! C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 17 Sporting firearm sales have drastically risen since the election I F I do not know how many folks are aware that our new president has a long history of advocacy with gun control portion of our population. His reputation in that area is so infamous that the economy has shown the effects of his election. Not concerning anyone’s bail out package, but in firearm sales. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSA) is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition and recreational shooting sports industry. They recently sent out some facts that I find interesting and I would like to share with you. The update I received from them started thusly; “Despite a weak economy and slumping retail sales, firearm sales continue to increase in January, continuing an upswing that began after the November election.” The data following is from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). When ANYONE goes to purchase a firearm of ANY KIND This bolt action rifle, built in 1945, would be considered an assault weapon under some of the proposed legislation because it is capable of hold a magazine with 12 shot capacity. their personal information must be checked with NICS and yes that is even any firearm purchased from dealers at gun shows that most media folks would like you to believe spend their lives indiscriminately sells fully automatic guns to anyone with the money. That is the same media personage who erroneously calls anything that goes bang an assault weapon. The one exception to the NICS 18 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E check is the people who hold a valid Concealed Handgun License as they have already been run through a very extensive background check. Back to the facts; checks on sale of firearms jumped 28.8 percent in January 2009 when compared to January 2008. That is 1,213,855 checks in January 2009 and up from 942,556 in the same month last year. That increase followed a 24 percent increase in December and November had a jump of 42 percent when a record 1,529,635 background checks were performed. You know it is disturbing when this country elects a new president that has a recorded history that is so anti-gun that the citizens of the country feel the necessity to go out and buy up all of the guns and ammunition that they can for fear of them being outlawed and the second amendment of our Constitution either eliminated or so compromised that we will end up like some countries where to own and shoot a firearm is economically impractical or just plain outlawed, but that is right where we are today. Another of the big pushes by the antigun groups is to attack ammunition. They want lead outlawed because it is harmful to your health. They want bullets serialized so they can be traced and the list goes on and on and on, only limited by the imagination of those leading the attack on the Constitution and our individual freedom. They somehow fail to be able to grasp the concept that guns do not kill people, people kill people. It is not something new to society either because I find a reference to that very subject in our instruction manual for life, the Bible, in the book of Exodus, chapter 20, verse 13; “Thou shall not kill.” In spite of what the anti-gun folks would like you to believe, the nonfatal firearm-related violent crimes have dropped from about 1.25 million in 1993 to less that 500 thousand in 2005 and this information comes from the Bureau of Justice Statics. Also less than 10 percent of nonfatal violent crimes involved firearms. So neighbors all I am saying is to watch your back and keep an eye open for subversive, anti-gun and ammunition legislation in the coming years. Also in the line of thinking of one of my favorites, Will Rogers, those folks in government office are not the ruling class; they are the hired help and serve at our pleasure and need to be reminded that we hired them and we can fire them. P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A R R Y J. L E B L A N C by Larry LeBlanc by Don Gordon and Cody Ryan Greaney I Classic Impressions F I just got back from attending my first Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport/Bosier City, Louisiana. In past years, I have watched it on a 27-inch TV screen, and I will tell you that they do not have a screen large enough to grasp the magnitude of this event — it is the Superbowl of fishing tournaments! ESPN has put together and incredible fan-based format. From beginning to end each pro is treated like a rock star in a highpowered boat. At take off there are hordes of fans watching from the bank and following on the water in their boats. The three-day event culminated at the weigh in site where capacity crowds filled the Century Tel Arena on the banks of Red River. There were so many fans that the facility was closed to admission on the final day. Skeet Reese topped the best anglers in the world with a three-day 15-bass limit that weighed in at 54.13lbs. This impressed me because I knew that the weather conditions were anything but favorable for fishing. A cold front blew through on Thursday before the event started and another on Saturday. The combination of high pressure and cold temperatures always make for tough fishing. To fish that well under adverse circumstances just demonstrates to me that these are the best anglers in the world! Skeet is a passionate angler. He had tears in his eyes when he won Angler of the Year last year, and I believe this shows his dedication and commitment level. Congratulations, Skeet — well done! “Wild Man” Mike Iconelli, also displays this level of commitment — first on the water and last to come in. He earned his place in BASS the hard way coming up through the federation. His fervor is usually visible and audible when he catches a fish giving us the term “going Ike” when we get excited about our fishing prowess. He finished in second place losing by less than a pound. Ike was gracious and reserved when interviewed after the weigh in. He said that he had a Classic win and Skeet did not so that if he had to lose he’d rather it be to Skeet than anyone. Good job, Ike! The rest of the results are available online. Go to texasoutdoorzone.com and click on the BASS logo. My fishing partner, Cody Ryan Greaney, and I would like to thank Champion Toyota of Austin for the use of the awesome Tundra. We also want to thank Jerry Shinn, owner of Grande Bass, for taking us to the Classic. We worked the Expo held at the Shreveport Convention Center. Record crowds went through looking at everything under the sun fishing related. Jerry debuted his latest and largest member of the Rattlesnake line, the new 6.5-inch Diamondback, to a very receptive crowd. —DON GORDON Chad Potts Bass Champs Director interviews Cody Ryan Greaney of TOZ Team at the Lake Travis event. T TOZ Texas Tournament Zone News F Tournament season has officially kicked off and done so with a bang! The first tournament of Bass Champs central division tested anglers’ ability to not only fight a tough bite, but also some winds gusting near 35 mph. Lake Travis was the location with take-off starting in mild temperatures and moderate winds. Harsh conditions or not, someone always catches fish and that’s just what happen. Realizing that the spawning season was just around the corner, and according to some just beginning, the stellar team of Heath Moody and Allen Shelton schooled the field with an impressive 20.70 lb. sack of fish. The 27-foot low water conditions didn’t affect this winning team as they reported catching their fish in extremely shallow water throwing jigs and chatter baits. As often in pre-spawn conditions, they found these fish working what’s referred to as a “donothing” bank. Until late in the afternoon, they had been carrying a two pounder that they knew had to go if they were going to be in the winner’s seat and that’s just what happened when they upgraded with a crucial four pounder. After winning, they gave much do “thanks” to their sponsors and to their wives for “putting up with all the fishing.” More than two pounds shy of first and taking second place was Jody Holubek and Dale Boren with just over 18 pounds. They, along with Westall Sr. and Jr. taking the 3rd place spot with 17.46 pounds, rounded off the top money winners. Bass Champs delivered an astounding 103% payback and awarded over $60,000 in this tournament alone. Even though the winning bar was set high, it wasn’t reached by many and the weights it took to cash a check fell off quick. Congratulations also to a long time TOZ supporter Jody Jackson and Loy White for their money winning 12.52 lbs. Tying for 28th spot, and the last paying position was the TOZ friends of Scott Stagner and Todd Tindel with 11.52 lbs. and a $500 check. As far as the TOZ team, Don Gordon and I, Cody Ryan, we aren’t sitting too badly in the points standing with finishing 40th out of 219 teams. We started our day slow, not picking up fish in our starting waters where we had left them just a week prior. Around mid day, with the waters clouding up in the shallows, we made a long haul to some favorable waters we had both done well in the past. Within a 20-minute time frame, we had gone from not having a fish in the live well to having three really nice fish including Don’s that was just over 5 pounds! Time at this point was our biggest factor and just couldn’t put together the rest of the fish we needed. The next battle for the central division takes place March 7 on Lake Belton. This should be in the heart of Central Texas’ spawning time and will yield most likely to some large bags on the scales. The work has been in place to make for great year and thanks greatly to our supporting sponsors of the TOZ Fishing Team of Don Gordon and Cody Ryan Greaney. Check our blog regularly and support our sponsors! —CODY RYAN GREANEY CHECK OUT THE TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG FOR NEWS AND TIPS AT TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM THANK YOU, SPONSORS! Champion Toyota Austin Sportsman’s Warehouse (Round Rock) Grande Bass Baits Bass Champs Country Line Magazine TTI Blakemor • SmartShield Vicious Fishing • Sun Signs Signature Rods C OU N T RY LI N E M AGA Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 19