How Much For Toby's Chewing Gum on E-bay?

I got to see Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961) for my 3rd time last night at the Houston Rodeo and he’s getting better each time I see him. Well, okay, he’s a tad fatter this year than he was last year, but heck who isn’t. I had a difficult time getting a good picture of him because he put his head down a lot and, of course, he had that signature hat on too.

Now about the gum....last year I wrote this about his “gum thing”….

The odd parts (and you KNEW they'd be odd parts) were a) he never introduced the members of the band, just the band as a whole and b) he CHEWED GUM the ENTIRE time he performed! I've never seen anything like that. I wanted to march on stage and hold out my hand for the gum like the nuns used to do in grade school. 'Course I'd of never made in over the fence much less onto the stage, but I could see me doing it in my mind. The gum didn't seem to affect his abilities, but it was..... I dunno.... rude maybe. Certainly not "professional" and yet Tobe is the consummate "outlaw" so I guess if the Wriggley fits..... or different chews for different you's...

Well I’m not going to even think someone in his clique might of read that, but dadgum if he didn’t ditch his gum just before he started singing! I was highly impressed that he learned some manners in just one short year! Yea Tobe! Hmmmm .... I wonder how much that piece of gum would go for on E-bay?



The music got too loud again this year, but by and large he is just so darn entertaining and we all just love him and he has a good strong voice so it doesn’t take away any thing from the event. He “let” us sing some of the songs and that went over like a fart in church. We all know the punch line parts like “get drunk and be somebody” or “a lot more action”, but what comes before that is something else entirely. It’s cool when you can sing along WITH him, then everyone knows the words (yeah, right), but to have to solo it with thousands of others is just too fun-knee!

He puts on a good show no question about it and he doesn’t dilly dally around small talkin', he gets on it and stays on it the whole time. He’s got a new “album” coming out in June and I’ll be at the front of the line for sure.



Toby Keith Can Sing And Chew

Some Thoughts On Alan Jackson & The Houston Rodeo

Paula and Larry took me and one of my kids to see Alan Jackson at the Houston Rodeo on March 8 and I’ve been hesitant to write about it until I had time to chew on it. You see my daughter that went with me works with hospice patients and she’s unfortunately used to seeing terminally ill folks and she said he looked sick to her. I know he looked bloated or something over last year. Yeah, I guess “bloated” is as good a description as any because he certainly wasn’t fat. I know fat and he didn’t have that. He looked steroid fat if that makes sense.

Add that to some of the things he said that sure sounded like “goodbye” and it was disturbing. He’s only 48 and he did look a lot older this year than the last two, but it wasn’t just old, it was something else. So I’m going to say some prayers for him just in case and hope that he’s fine and dandy and was just having an off night.

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On a little bit higher note, I’ve just got to say how slick the whole rodeo experience is. This year we’ve just been breezing out to the bus, hopping on without any undue wait and POW we’re back at Larry’s car in no time flat. Every facet from the bus ride to the ticket takers to the various law enforcement agencies keeping everything under control is awe inspiring. The ONLY thing that I just HATE is the vendors. I hate them at the baseball game too, but they should NOT be allowed to peddle their ugly pink hats (among other items) DURING the star attraction’s performance. For God’s sake they bring in great talent and folks pay money to go and see them and then you have some idiot blocking the view with his/her cheap-ass crap. If one can’t buy beer after a certain time, then the peddlers ought to be cut off just before the star comes out. This is not about infringing on someone’s right to make a living, this is about infringing on our right to see and hear what we came for.

Damn Strait! George Was Rockin'!

For the 2nd time in my life (and counting!), my friends Paula and Larry took me to see King George, Strait the 1st, last night as he opened Rodeo Houston! KHOU.com has a video clip of his opening song and I don't know how long it'll be available, but enjoy it if you can!









My comments on last year's Strait night - George Strait Was Great!











Check out the assortment of guitars...I swear he played every one of them too! He puts on the longest show of any of the performers I've ever seen! But you know, all he has to sing is The Fireman for me to have heard my favorite Strait song...

"Runnin' Block" Was A Shock, Y'all

You know I love Toby Keith so I got my paws on his newest CD White Trash with Money the first day it was getable. It's a good one too. I sat and listened all the way through and I liked, of course, the Get Drunk And Be Somebody hit and one called Can't Buy You Money. Not one of the songs was "bad", although one or two might be a little slower paced than I like, but all it all it's a good CD and bound to make Toby a lot more well deserved dough.

But then I got to one called Runnin' Block. (Football Definition: Engaging an opponent in an effort to keep him from getting to a specific part of the field or player.) It's not that easy to describe, so I'm going to just write out the lyrics and let you see what I mean:

Lyrics for Song: Runnin' Block
Lyrics for Album: White Trash With Money, written by Toby Keith & Scotty Emerick

My buddy said his girlfriend is as pretty as can be
He said help a brother out tonight and come double date with me
She's gotta a baby sister and they're headed into town
They're lookin' for a good time
They're fun to be around

I said what do she look like?
He scratched his head and stated
"She was a home comin' football queen before she graduated.
We'll wine and dine and do 'em fine
and really double date 'em
Then take 'em back to the motel six and
Try to seperate 'em.

They showed up in a pick up
They were right on time
His was kinda heafty
But not half as big as mine

I'm runnin' block
Turn the lights down low
Runnin' block
Don't want know one to know
That I tried to drink her skinny but she's still about 215
Sometimes you got to bow up
And take one for the team

She cleaned her plate at dinner
Then she ate what's left of mine
Then she wolfed down a big cheesecake as I drank all the wine
She strolled out to the padio for an after dinner cig
I said "Bro you done 'er this time and gonna owe me big

You know why?
'Cuz my brother's havin' a party
Thought you outta know
He's got coeds swimmin naked
The reason I can't go

I'm runnin' block
Turn the lights down low
Runnin' block
Don't want know one to know
That I tried to drink her skinny but she's still about 215
Sometimes you got to bow up
And take one for the team

Now bow up boys

When I got back to the motel
I kicked up my feet
And she put me in a headlock and said
Snuggle up with me
My buddy finished early and when he walked
through the door
I was layin' there half naked
She had me pinned down to the floor

Son I can't believe you caught me
With this big ol' jelly roll
You'll laugh at me tomorrow
You can't ever tell a soul

Chorus


[Thanks to kickthecrap@yahoo.com for lyrics]
[And my thanks to http://www.cowboylyrics.com too]

Ok, first I was shocked and then I was irritated and then I did start laughing 'cause it is funny to way he sings it. Then I got my feelings hurt 'cause I'm no skinny minnie and I took more than my fare share of grief growing up from cruel kids (that was before it was fashionable to just blow their scrawny asses away!). Then I got the visual of the last time I saw Toby, both in person and on TV and I said "hey, wait just a darn second here, cowboy, YOU ain't exactly thin, my friend!" Fact of the matter is, I've been thinking that the Tobster might want to hire a personal trainer or something 'cause diabetes might be in his future at the rate he's enjoying his funds and fame! So there. I still like the CD and the song ....but I just had to get that off my chest!

Alan Jackson Was One Fine Attraction!

First thing that comes to mind when you see Alan Jackson: he's so darn cute! He's got a seductive grin and, believe it or not, I don't mean that in a tawdry way. He's got a smile that makes you want to see it over and over again....you can't not smile when you see him smile. He sounded wonderful and sang all my favorites. I wish the pictures I took would of turned out better. Darnit. I took probably a hundred and only have a few worth squat.

He ended the evening with projected pictures of Houston and Texas and the crowd went wild with each frame change. They must of taken some, if not all of them, yesterday. I liked it that he ended on an UP note and not with Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning because as touching and heartfelt as that song is, it's like picking at the scab and never letting it heal.




He even looks pretty in pink, don't you think?

I've had the most extraordinary four trips to the rodeo this year. Each was memorable in its own way and even though it takes me a couple of days to "recover" from the experience, I wouldn't of missed it for anything. I have to say again that all the folks that put on the rodeo do an outstanding job. If the rodeo committee ran the country we might could get something accomplished! The only improvement won't ever happen and that'd be in they kept the golldurn crap peddlers off the isles when the lights go down for the headliners. Yee haw, ya'll, get along lil doggie... until next year.

Lee Ann Womack As Seen By God & Me

My friend Don responded to my Toby post about taking his kids to see Lee Ann Womack at the rodeo on Saturday and damned if I wasn't there too! I actually BOUGHT tickets and took my youngest and we had a good time. We sat in the "endzone" at the club level....sort of a God's eye view of the rodeo!


I wanted to see what the club level was like. It's cool having your own snack bars and alcohol bars with only the people on the 3rd level allowed in. Much easier to use the ladies room too as there was never any waiting for a stall. It wasn't the best place for taking pictures however and this is the best one I got of Lee Ann Womack onstage...



I met up with my good friend Matt and his children...

Toby Keith Can Sing *AND* Chew!

Toby Keith is amazing. He put on a first rate show last night at the rodeo. He sang EVERY one of his songs that I love and one I don't care for at all. The one I don't care for is Whiskey Girl ... it's got a good melody, but the whole concept is stooopid IMHO. He'd do as well to sing a song about a guy named "Rummy the Dummy".

His show is as different as daylight and dark from George Strait's. George makes you want to slow dance and snuggle with someone you love. Toby makes you want to get drunk and hurt a stranger in a bar! The music was loud, but Toby was heard just fine over it all. I had trouble hearing George from time to time because the music was too loud at his concert. I don't know why "they" think your ears have to bleed for it to be effective.

The odd parts (and you KNEW they'd be odd parts) were a) he never introduced the members of the band, just the band as a whole and b) he CHEWED GUM the ENTIRE time he performed! I've never seen anything like that. I wanted to march on stage and hold out my hand for the gum like the nuns used to do in grade school. 'Course I'd of never made in over the fence much less onto the stage, but I could see me doing it in my mind. The gum didn't seem to affect his abilities, but it was..... I dunno.... rude maybe. Certainly not "professional" and yet Tobe is the consummate "outlaw" so I guess if the Wriggley fits..... or different chews for different you's...

I took my rusty, trusty Olympus C-740 and got some decent shots. I could of done better if I'd of taken my "big" camera, but I didn't feel like dragging it to hell and back. If Garth Brooks ever comes back to concerts, that would be like dying and going to heaven to see him, but in the meantime, Toby Keith is the best there is for putting on a great show and I'm so happy I got to be there! Thanks, again, Paula and Larry!

George Strait Was Great!

I got to see George Strait at the Houston Rodeo last night! First time ever as he's always sold out. My best friend Paula and her husband invited me. They only had to ask me once too!

He was, as expected, just great. He sang for 1 hour and 25 minutes. He was warmly received, but IMHO not shown a great deal of respect. Call me old fashioned, but when someone is performing it's not polite to a) come in late and make folks stand to let you in the row, b) come and go like you were in the middle of the barrel racing or chicken chasing, c) start leaving before the show is even a little past half over, d) run up and down the isles selling silly shit, e) stand up drunk and dancing with total disregard for those trying to see around your big ass, etc., etc., etc. Ok, call me 'cranky' and be done with it, but it's irritating as spit the way some folks behave. I guess the rodeo arena has different rules than something smaller, but I still think of the folks that would of LOVED to be there that would of listened and enjoyed as opposed to the ones I've described.

I have to hand it to the folks that put the rodeo together each and every year. Now I'll admit I thought I'd die before the bus arrived to take us 'home', as it gets mighty hot under TENTS, but by and large they do an outstanding job from the get-go to those snaking lines for the buses. I like the way the rodeo action moves from one end of the arena for one event, to the other end for the next event. The food was good and the single beer (SEVEN BUCKS!) I had was cold and tasty.

Believe it or not, I'm going with them to see Toby Keith and Alan Jackson too. I'm so blessed. Here's a ha-ha photo I took and e-mailed myself. I think the ghostly orb in the center is George .... by then the beer was kicking in.


Yee Haw, everybody! Go Texan!