Country Thunder - and Blake Shelton!

I know every one of the songs on Blake Shelton's five albums by heart. So I've been looking forward to "Country Thunder" in Florence, Arizona, for months. Halfway between Tucson and Phoenix, at the end of a gorgeous ride through the desert
and just behind the prison, is the huge field where Country Thunder "happens." We got there first thing in the morning and staked a claim (or at least put down our chairs) about four or five rows back, a little to the side. The cordonned off area in the front, the "VIP' section cost
$500 per seat! Well, that's for all four days - you can't buy just one day in that section - but still.....
So yes, I saw Blake Shelton perform. But the biggest, most exciting thing to happen in YEARS is that I GOT TO MEET HIM! He's tall, a doll (I knew that) and really, really nice. He called me "sweetie" three times! THREE TIMES! Eye- yi-yi. I'm in heaven.
Shane also got Meet and Greets for Jack Ingram. I've gotten to know him because Shane's interviewed him, had the interview published, and shared the music with me. Another really, really nice guy! It was a swooning kind of day!
THE MUSIC was wonderful. The day ended with Alan Jackson, the big name, but that wasn't the big performance for me. When Blake left for Las Vegas after the show I almost jogged behind....

They were all headed for a big Country Music award show televised from Las Vegas last night. Blake performed. He wasn't supposed to, so everyone that doesn't know him yet had a real treat.
I've got to include the photo of me and Blake again---and I HATE my picture being taken----but this was just way too cool. I'm still way, way up on cloud six or seven, though on my way down. Wow, what an incredible day....and I even got a new straw cowboy hat with some turquoise on the hatband. Yee Haa!

Smothers Brothers with the Tucson Symphony

Rating: Wow!
Performed: Saturday evening, Jan. 10, 2009
Where: Tucson Music Hall
WHAT A TREAT!

I've loved the Smothers Brothers since I was in the 10th grade and moved to southern California, I'd settle down in front of the TV on Sunday night and laugh and laugh. There wasn't a lot of laughter going on in my life at that time, which probably made this even more memorable. I even think some of my current social consciousness evolved from watching their comedy hour. And then last year when I taught part of my Greek Mythology unit to my fifth graders, we listened to their Aesop's Fable cd. Oh, are my students going to be jealous, 'cause they loved listening to them.

And wow, are they still "on." They celebrate 50 years in show biz this year. At 70 and 72 they look like only slightly older versions of their younger selves - they are still adorable, active, harmonious, smart, and very very very FUNNY. I laughed myself silly last night.

The first half of the evening was a performance by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. It was delightful! Guest conductor Albert-George Schram, who looked like Einstein, enthusiastically led the orchestra in what was titled "A Fowl First Half." Each of the compositions had to do with some sort of bird - Rossini, Mussorgsky, Stravinski....and Chickenreel and Turkey in the Straw. It was really beautiful, and this conductor was super. His informative introduction to each piece even helped me identify the four bars that were repeated over and over, just in different sytle and tempo, in one of the pieces. Truly not a symphony fan, I enjoyed this immensely. Oh my.....

The second half was all the Smothers Brothers. The symphony joined in with them in a couple of places, which made it pretty special, but for the most part the audience was completely entertained for a good, long performance of their trademark comedy, harmony, teasing - with a performance by YoYoMan. Tommy still has it. Near the end they rolled down a big screen and showed photos of them as they grew up as well a photos and clips from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

What a wonderful show. What a great evening (it was even more fun because I got to see it with my friend, Terri, who loves the guys as much as I do.)