Monday, June 27, 2011

Casey James live at Billy Bob's Texas on Friday, July 1st and other news!

I have to be honest yall.....I have waited for the day Casey would be playing Billy Bob's Texas Venue in Fort Worth, Texas!!!  Even when he was still on American Idol, I was looking forward to the day he would play there!  I knew he would, it was just a matter of time!!  Everybody who's anybody plays there when they start out in their career, and on BB's website it says, "it's considered a right of passage for young stars on their way up".  And of course all the legends will be back throughout their careers.
It's only 5 more days now until Casey takes the stage at this world renowned honky tonk!  If you would like to join the fun, just click the link above for ticket and other information!
There are alot of Casey's devoted fans and family coming to see him on the big stage!!  It's going to be a party in 'Cowtown'!!  And in case some of you don't know, 'cowtown' is Ft. Worth's nickname!  Yall come on out and support Casey and meet other fans!!!  See ya there!

On to other news.....just a few days ago, Casey took part in the "Drive the Dream Gala", which is a charity event to benefit Childhelp, an organization working to help abused children.  Here is a couple video clips of Casey during the Gala.  Bless his sweet heart!  And, I believe you can donate from the link above, if you would like to.






And here's one with the group "Stealing Angels"





It's so good to see Casey involved in something so wonderful!!!  Bless him!! :)

During the time we were in Nashville, Casey left Nashville for a show in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at Lambeau Field.  The show was free and outside the gates of the venue in which Kenny Chesney was the headliner!!!  I was so busy with the CMA stuff, I didn't get to report anything about that show!  Casey looked very debonair  in his red shirt with a dark Jacket and jeans on.  On one of the video's you can hear him talking about people in short sleeves, but how it was 'cold' to him!!  Ha Ha!!  Yea....we don't get a lot of cool weather....especially IN JUNE!!!  Geeezzzz.... poor guy....I can't imagine what he must have been thinking!*!  That just don't happen in Texas......ever!!  :)  Now I'm wondering if he had to go buy that jacket when he realized it was cold....or.....did he bring it!?  I bet he brought it....he seems like the type that would plan ahead for things like that.  I know girls do....but guys.....ehhh not so much, but he probably did.
Anyway, he looked good and sounded just awesome!! 
Here are a few pictures from that day....really good ones too!!


Thanks so much to Sandy and Toni for their awesome, beautiful pictures!!










Just recently 4 videos surfaced capturing the whole 11 song show!!  So watch them in order and it'll be just like being there!! :)
Thanks so much to kaelynnnroseee for this great set of videos!!



Part 1

Part 2




Part 3




Part 4





Wow!!!   I loved watching all 4 together, it was just like I was there!!!  Except I wasn't cold!!!  ha ha!  And I figured out a few more words to a couple more songs!!
And.....for those of you who read the last post, I was going crazy trying to find out what that maneuver is called, when playing "Done Made Up My Mind", where he grabs the guitar and bends over a little and makes this awesome sound come from it.....well I found out what it is!!!  Took me a minute, but I finally got the answer from another Ft. Worth guitarist, Michael Lee!!  He told me it's 'grabbing the bridge and dropping the pitch'!!  It don't have a name, just that!  Hmmm how would that look abbreviated??  Let's see..... GTBADTP.......  hmmmm I don't know about that, it's got the word *bad* in the middle.....lol..... and that move IS Bad.....right? lol...   Bad meaning good.....right??  And it is good....love it!!  Oh well, it doesn't matter one way or the other what I call it, I'm just glad to know what he's doing!!  :)


DFW.com has a very nice, long article about Casey coming back home to Texas to play at Billy Bobs, and talks about the fact that he's taking his time with his album!!  This is a great article!!  And there's a gallery of Homecoming shots....and.....photos from a watch party at Billy Bobs, that 'yours truly' was a part of!!  You can see me, supporting with a sign I made, and a couple other ones.  There's also Casey's family and a few more recognizable faces in the crowd!  We had such Good Times that night!!!!  Anyway....click the link >>> HERE
to read it!


Well, it's that time of night again.....and I'm really getting tired....so I'll talk later with yall!


So until next time.....



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

CMA fest Part 4....the final episode....

Hey everybody!  I've had to take a little breather from the internet, it's been so hot here and I'm just not taking to it well.... it makes me so tired!  To make matters worse yesterday we saw some ticks on our dogs, and got them off, then today it seemed they were just attacked by them, so we had to get vet medicine to treat them, and they have to get a bath in a couple days!!  This is the worst I've ever seen ticks....well, I'm not even sure I've seen any ticks here, actually.  So we are getting rid of them!  I hear it's because our land is on sand....but I don't know anything for sure!



I think I left off on Saturday afternoon....well, early afternoon, when we left Big Shotz after a few hours of good friends, good drinks, good Casey Music and more good music and some very talented independent artists that know how to deliver a song! 
It was time to go, and get a bite to eat, so off we go, and we head over to Joe's Crab Shack one more time.....I have no complaints, I hear fish is brain food!!  Ha ha!!  We can  all use a little more brains!!  Anyway, we get there and have to wait because our party is so large, but it wasn't too bad.   Finally, they called us  and we all sat down, for a nice late lunch upstairs, and some more drinks!  By this time, I'm really starting to love these margaritas!  I'm only a social drinker, I've got 2 bottles of Bacardi light in my fridge, thats been there 2 years!!  I just don't drink at home, hardly ever, but I love to have a few when I go out with others! 
I'm looking everywhere, but for some reason the picture of all of us at the table that was took, is gone!  Can't seem to find it, and it was a good shot! 



Anyway, after we ate, we headed back down to the riverfront, to see Billy Ray Cyrus!  On the way, (or was it coming back...hmmm?) all of us stopped and bought a cowboy hat!  Mine was straw with denim ties on it! :)
So we head on down and the crowd is just packed in all the way to the bottom, where the stage is.  And we were so far away, I couldn't get any good pictures, so I just didn't!  But Billy Ray was certainly on fire that day!!!!   He's looking so GOOD, sounding good and......he's growing the Mullet back!!!!   Yea!!!!   I'm a huge fan of the mullet!!  I know, I'm a bit looney like that.....and I know I'm gonna  catch flack for that.....but it's true, I love that hair style on men!!!!

This stupid blogger just tried to do away with the previous stuff I wrote, but I had to post it from the last paragraph to be able to edit and keep going with the story!


So we had been talking about taking an evening cruise on the General Jackson Boat!!  I had never been on such a beautiful boat, and it was so fun!!  You couldn't even feel it when it moved....it was so smoothe!!!
We go on board, and went into the theater/dining room, and it was so awesome!!  The meal was so good, and the show was mostly a step back in time about Country Music, and the singers and dancers were so awesome at what they did!!!  I loved every second of it, and so did the rest of us!!    And I do have a few pics of that....not in the showroom, because they did not turn out at all, but I have some of the boat!











It was a fun night, and it lasted for 3 hours!  So, yep, we missed LP field again.....After this was over we headed to the hotel to rest up for tomorrow, because I was going to LP field tomorrow night, no matter what!!

So the next day was the last day of the CMA fest and I wanted to make the most of it!!  I wanted to see a guy named  Christian Kane

He was playing on the Lay's Stage at 2:00pm and I wasn't missing him for anything!!  I discovered Christian on a TV show called "Leverage".  He plays a 'bad boy' ready to fight at the drop of a hat!  And I just LOVE that show, and his character!   One time he played and sang a song as part of the show, and I was hooked!!!  Then later I found out he was actually a country music singer, with a tour schedule filling up!!   I then found out he was performing at the CMA fest, and I was elated!!!  I couldn't believe I was going to get to see him perform!!   So we get there and we're waiting and I'm snapping pictures, and getting ready to do some videos!  Well, I did get some videos, but I haven't loaded them yet, because it takes so long.....so  I will put Christians official video for his single...."House Rules" on so yall know what this talented and cute guy sounds like!!!  Check it out below!






Oh wow!!  Guess what I found??  It's the trailer of the actual clip I was talking about on Leverage where Christian actually sang.....Yes, I found it, and this is what made me take notice of him!!  I said to my hubby....Wow....this guy can sing.....I wonder if he does it professionally, and then I went to work, looking it up....and I was so excited to find out he was actually a signed artist!!!  Yay!!  Ok, check out the clip below!






Here's a few pics I got of him!  I didn't get to get a picture with him, but I did hold out my hand, and he shook my hand and thanked me, after I told him I loved his music and his show, and I would be watching!








Right after this last picture is when he talked to me.

We went to eat after we left there and back to the hotel to rest up, because I was going to LP field that night, no matter what!!! 

So after a couple hours of relaxing we got ready to go and took off to LP field!   And now I wish I'd mustered up enough energy to go to all of them....because that show was over the top awesome!!!!

I believe the JaneDear Girls were on when we got there!  They are a cute little duo.... and here is their video....

JaneDear Girls~Wildflowers

Then it was The Band Perry...

If I Die Young

The Eli Young Band...

Crazy Girl

Darius Rucker~who by the way was the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, and still, even though he has come over to country, this song is still my all time Darius favorite!

Let Her Cry

Jimmy Wayne

Do You Believe Me Now

Blake Shelton

Honey Bee

Miranda Lambert

White Liar

Tracy Lawrence

Paint Me A Birmingham

Taylor Swift

Mean

For the most part, all the above videos are my favorites songs by the Artists I saw on LP Field that night!!  If I was gonna see at least 1 show from LP field, this was the best one, because of the lineup....loved 'em all!!!  All in all, this CMA fest was one awesome time for me, and I'm so fortunate and blessed I was able to take part in it!!  I plan on going back next year, and hope a few more Casey Fans will join us!!!

Ok, seriously, I gotta get out of here, I'm so tired!!!  Yall check back in a couple days!

Thanks Yall.....

until next time.....

Saturday, June 18, 2011

CMA Part 3 and pics and videos.....

Hey yall!!  I'm back....  Wow....this Texas heat is severe!!!  It was 107 degrees in the DFW area yesterday!!  And it's not even officially summer yet..... Ohhh Emmm Geee!!  The worst is yet to come!!  I'm just gonna stay out of it, as much as possible....that's the best thing I can do!  I'm pretty sure I'd have a heat stroke in it!!  And we don't want that!!

I forgot to post some pictures of Casey at LP Field!!!  I don't know where my head was!!!  Here's a whole bunch of 'em!!  Thanks to Country Music Tattle Tale for all of these awesome shots!!

Casey at LP Field 6-9-11



Anyway.....the next day was Friday, and Bucky Covington was performing on the Riverfront Stage at 12:30pm.  So we all get downtown and head toward the Riverfront.  When we got there Jo Dee Messina was onstage and doing her thing!! 
It just so happened that a newcomer, Brett Eldredge was taking the stage just before Bucky!!!  Could this day get any better?!?!  I love this guy....his voice is a little gritty, mixed in with a little soul, with a bit of vibrato, and he just puts on a great show!!  Oh, and I just LOVE his new single...."Raymond".....very good writing from Brett on this, and together with the melody it is goose bump worthy!  I got some video of Brett, and I'll let yall see for yourselves what a great performer he is.  He does a medley of great sing-a-long songs that the crowd can get into!!  In the videos....you'll see me desperately dodging the straw hats, arms, heads of hair, and what not to try and keep this camera on him....and I was right down front!!!  :-/  But with 2 obvious Brett fans right in front of me....lol!!!  Just my luck!! :)




And if yall liked that......here is his hit single, "Raymond".  I couldn't get the embedded version of the video, but here is the link, that will take you to YouTube.

Brett Eldredge "Raymond"


Then it was time for Bucky, as Brett and his band exited the stage!!  I always look forward to his shows!!  They are always so full of energy, and just plain fun!!!!!  And after Bucky was finished I was really sweating like a pig!!!  Ahhhh it was hot!!!  Unfortunately I don't have any of Bucky's videos from the Riverfront that day uploaded yet, but take my word for it....even Nan Kelly from GAC TV said she had never seen a country artist do "The Wall" like that!  Bucky's a little bit country and little more rock and roll.... lol....
We were quite thirsty and hungry by this time, so off we went!!!

We went to get a bite to eat, but I can't remember where now!!  But I know we did!  





I had been talking about a brother and sister group called " The Harters ", that I was eager to see that day.  So at 3:30 at the Lay's Stage we went to see and hear them!  and they were sooooo darn good!!!  Their harmonies, being a family group, was as perfect as any could be....and I have to be honest, their voices blend so well, I can't watch this video without getting chills....they are that good....they have a nice future ahead of them!!
Here is their new video for their single, "If I Run"




Anyway, we went back to the hotel because we were already exhausted from the heat again.....and stayed in the rest of the evening....no LP field again.  I just couldn't seem to do both....geeez
Laura and I got some extra sleep that night, and woke up with the chickens the next morning, fully rested and ready to eat breakfast, get ready and head to "Big Shotz" for our Casey Fan Club Party!!!!  It was put together for us by Val Jean and Kevin Nixa, of "Nixa Country Radio"!!!  They treated us like royalty!!!  We had so much fun hanging with them and listening to Casey's Music and others!!  We also got to meet some more of Casey's fans and lots of hugs and lots of pictures, and a few margaritas and beer!!  We were celebrating Casey!!!   Hot Shotz isn't a very big bar, but it's just as country looking as you could ever ask for!!  And we had a blast there!!!  We were made to feel so welcome and we stayed through a couple other artists fan club parties, we were having so much fun!!!!  "Cutter Lee" and "Molly Hunt " .  They were both very good, and we enjoyed their sets!!   Check out their music!!Here is some of the pictures from that day!!!


 Cutter Lee
 Cindy, Val, Anthea, Kevin, John and Cyndee
 Tracy, Anthea, Mickey, Me, and Cindy
 Molly Hunt (15yr. old artist)
Tracy and Karen
 Mickey and Cyndee
 Mickey, Outi, Me and Cindy
 Me, Outi, and Mickey laughing about something! :)
 Outi, Anthea, Darla, and John
 Tracy, Anthea, Mickey, Cindy, and Me
 Sara and Darla
 Darla and Mickey
 Jody, Outi, and Mickey
Kevin Nixa, Mickey, Me, and Val Jean Nixa
Thanks to all who contributed to these awesome shots of a really great time among friends!!!





So.....Am I going to CMA fest next year....you ask.....??   Absolutely YES!!!!  This was such a joyful experience, except for the heat, I will be coming back every year, till I'm no longer here or I can't!!  I encourage anybody reading this, to try and get to this extreme musical event....even if you're not really all into this thing called Country Music.....just give it a chance.....thats all I ask.....you may come away totally surprised by what happens!  :)

By the way, I'm so behind right now, I just want to say that Shari's team over at "The Casey James Blog" did such a good job covering Casey's show at the Lambeau Field, in Green Bay Wisconsin, I'm just going to suggest yall who haven't seen it already, click on the link above and check it out!!  It was an 11 song set for Casey, and there's lots of coverage of it!!  Complete with pictures and videos.....so head on over and check it out!!  :)

I think I'll shut it down for tonight.....my back is killing me for some reason.....and I need to go walking and see if that will help!!

I'll try to finish up this experience tomorrow.....


Until next time....




Just a little break.....

Hey everybody....I was suppose to go on with Part 3 of the recap today, but I've been tied up alot today, with no time to get it done, so I'll get to it tomorrow!!  yall hang in there ok?  Be back soon!!!!  :)

Friday, June 17, 2011

CMA fest in Nashville Part 2....new pics, and more....

Hey yall!!  I'm back!!  Now...where did I leave off yesterday??   Oh yea....CASEY!!!  I know I've already done a write up about his show at the Lay's Stage, but I'll touch on it again now!  I first will say that Casey had the biggest crowd!!  And everywhere I looked, I could tell people were enjoying what they were hearing and seeing as he wailed away on his guitar and sang with a voice compared to angels singing!  I don't know how he does it, but he gets better with every perfomance I see!!  Really....how does he do it?!  He is clearly a musical genius!!
As he was getting things ready onstage, I did get a quick wave from him as he looked my direction, and then he began waving at others as well!  He had on that blue shirt that I think enhances the blue in his eyes sooooo well!!  And I don't know if it's me, or what....but he looks like he's buffing up some.....maybe put on a few pounds here and there.....mostly there......but you know what I mean....right?   I would like to get some feedback on that question, because I don't know how many others think the same as I am right now!
He is really getting his stage personality lately.  I'm loving this humorous side that is emerging more and more!!  I thought it was funny when he said....'I've run out of stuff to sweat out!'!!  I forgot to say it was so Hot in Nashville that day and I had to keep running to the shade because of it!  And luckily, because I was drenched in sunscreen, only the back of my ears seemed to get exposed to the sun!!  Of course while Casey was on, I did NOT run to the shade, because I, along with many others, had a great spot in front of the stage!
Casey started his set with his honky tonkin' rip roaring tune, "Bulletproof  ", followed by his sultry sexy tune,  "Lets Don't Call It A Night!  "  I love Casey's description of Bulletproof....he said....
"This song's about having a good time, hopefully yall are already doing that!"

Thanks to Carman W. (@CoolCJfan) for all her awesome videos that day!



Next up was one of his newest songs,  "You Need Some Texas  ", and he jokes that 'even though he loves living in Nashville, sometimes you might need a little piece of home....'




Gotta love that song!!!  I will be honest here....when I first heard it, it didn't grab me like some of the other songs.....but I have to admit....the more I hear this tune, the more I love it!!!  And the lyrics....the lyrics.....are just awesome!!  Great writing kudos to Casey!!

Up next.... "So Sweet " is also becoming a fan favorite, unveiled about the same time as 'you need some Texas'.....this song DID grab me.....immediately!!  Loved everything about it at first listen!!  Another great writing skill going on with this one as well!!
Then he changed guitars, grabbed his 'slide'....and I knew what was coming next.... "Drive!!  "  That song has so much energy!!!  And a lot of people can relate to it....who hasn't filled up their tank and just roared down the highway with no where in particular to go?!  Just 'driving' down the highway, watching the haygrass blowing in the breeze....admit it.....you have!!!  It's just a very 'fun' song, and I love it!!!!
And last, but certainly not least.....he closed out his set with his 'rockin tune',  "Done Made Up My Mind!!  "   The music in this one is so truly Casey!!  Well, all his songs are truly him, but he gets to show his breathtaking guitar skills and his rock star vocals on this!!  It's a little bluesy, a little rockin' and a whole lotta awesome!!!!
All 3 songs are on one video below!!  And the quality is so great, you'll forget your watching a video!!!  Thanks again Carman!!




I began thinking about something he does on   "Done Made Up My Mind   ".....and just wondered if it has a name or a term.  Yall know, at the end of the song when he looks like he's bending his guitar from the tailpiece of it, and seems to grab something, and it always produces that awesome sound that seems to ever so gently glide down and then up in sound?  I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I went to wikipedia and began searching for some kind of term for that little maneuver.  And.....the best I can come up with, is that it is a form of bending the note or pitch bend.  Anyway, I wanted to put it here for yall to read, and if I have a professional guitarist who reads this, and knows I'm wrong, could you please correct me! :)  I need to know what this is!!  I'm not gonna rest until I'm absolutely sure of what this is called!  So yall help me out....

A whammy bar, tremolo arm/bar, or vibrato arm/bar is a component of a guitar, used to add vibrato to the sound by changing the tension of the strings, typically at the bridge or tailpiece. The whammy bar enables the player to quickly vary the tension and sometimes the length of the strings temporarily, changing the pitch to create a vibrato, portamento or pitch bend effect.
Instruments without this device are called hard-tail. The term vibrola is also used by some guitar makers to describe their particular whammy bar designs. The whammy bar began as a mechanical device for more easily producing the vibrato effects that blues and jazz guitarists had long produced on arch top guitars by manipulating the tailpiece with their picking hand. However, it has also made many sounds possible that could not be produced by the old technique, such as the 1980s-era shred guitar "dive bombing" effect.
 

I'm pretty certain none of his guitars have the whammy bar....not that I can see anyway.....
 

After his performance he went to the side of the stage and began greeting the fans and signing stuff.  I got close, but he just didn't have time to sign or take a picture with me, and many others, because he had to be at LP field for sound check relatively soon.  But that's ok, I'm seeing him at Billy Bobs in a couple weeks, and I'll try again.  I just hope the new fans are getting to meet him and get pics with him.  So, Todd rushes Casey away and the crowd began dispersing.
I believe that is when me, Darla, Laura, Anthea and John went to Joe's Crab Shack to eat an early dinner.  Then we went back to the hotel room to rest up so we could see Casey at LP field a little after 10 that night!!  But....things don't always work out the way we plan.....Laura and I were beat down like a couple of boxers in a ring!  We were exhausted and the heat had just beat us down... :(  so we didn't go to LP field.  We were told later that he sang 2 songs with his acoustic guitar and his microphone went on the blink 1/2 way through   " Drive   "!   I felt so bad for him, when I heard this!!  Then I felt guilty because I hadn't been there to support him.....dangitt anyway.... :(  Here's a video...a close up video too....of Casey doing an acoustic version of    "So Sweet  " at LP Field that night!

" I wish I could tell yall how full my heart is right now to be standing here in front of you....."
I want to give a big THANK YOU to Carman W. (@CoolCJfan) for this video....his words at the end just touched my heart so much...... I was literally brought to tears as I thought back to the 1st time I saw him over 1 1/2 yrs ago......how far he's come, and how proud I am of his success as an artist since then!   Thank you so much girl! :)

I hate getting old....and out of shape!!  I'm working on being much better for next year though!  I want to be able to stay out all day and see every show I want and then....go to LP field for the Big Performances at night....I wanna be a trooper!!!  :)  Yea!!
 

I think I'll post some pictures and then I'll post some news....

**I've updated after recieving a comment about the whereabouts of the famous 'buttshot'....my train of thought is just not there, so sometimes I have to be reminded about things like this....sorry gals, it's late....but it's here now......



 







Thanks so much to Darla S. for her great shots! :)



 Awwww....he looks like he may have a headache....naaaa....just one of his looks! :)



Great big thanks to Cindy H. for her awesome shots!

Well, I tell ya what.....Casey has just a whole slew of excellent photographers for fans!!  I'm so proud to display all these awesome photos here....thanks again yall!! :)


Ok, the news is.....Casey has 2 more new shows coming up!!  Yay for those of you in Arizona and those of you in Las Vegas, Nv.!!  On July 29th he'll be appearing at   " Toby Keith's I Love This Bar "in Mesa, Arizona.  He will be opening for one of my all time very favorites..... Jason Michael Carroll!!!  It seems the tickets are $7 in advance and are already on sale, and $10 at the door.   For more information click the link above.  Or to purchase tickets click HERE

Then the next night, July 30th, he'll be at   "The Station (Santa Fe)  " Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.  He'll be performing in the  Chrome Showroom which is a rather small venue compared to what he's been performing in lately.... :)  It's a 510 person capacity, small enough for everyone to get a good seat!

Ok everybody, I'm out of here tonight....I'll have more tomorrow!  And some pics and info about the Wisconsin show Casey performed at after he left the CMA fest last week!!

Until next time.....