Tag Archives: Elmore magazine

My Garth Brooks story and photos post to Elmore magazine

20 Mar

After delivering a SXSW keynote at Austin’s convention center downtown, March 17 mega country artist Garth Brooks hinted about delivering a secret show in town. Then just a bit after 10 p.m. Brooks tweeted a photo of a wagon wheel with one broken spoke with the message “let’s get started.”
Brooks showed up at the 52-year-old honky-tonk about 11 p.m. with body guards greeted by Broken Spoke proprietor James White. Afterwards the mega country star performed a whole set of greatest hits beginning with “Friends in Low Places,” along with George Jones’ “He Stopped Lovin’ Her Today,” George Strait’s “Amarillo By Morning,” and Merle Haggard’s “Fightin’ Side of Me.” Audience participation reached a fever pitch when Brooks sang Joe Nichols’ “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” as more than 500 people sang the lyrics from the Broken Spoke’s dance floor, with their smart phones raised above their heads.
Between songs, Brooks told his audience, “If I had known there were honky-tonks like this back when I started out, I never would have left.” He also said “You all have fun like this every day,” and “I haven’t done anything like this in a hundred years.” At the end of his set, Brooks told the audience “It’s never good to end the night with a down song, except this one,” and he sang “The Dance.” The crowd demanded an encore, and afterwards Brooks handed over his acoustic Takamine guitar to White as a parting gift. “I didn’t know he was gonna give me a gift too,” White said afterwards. “I will always remember the day Garth Brooks played on stage at the Broken Spoke. He was right on every song. It was so crowded I could not leave the stage, but I really did not want to. It was exciting. Completely unexpected. That’s the way he rolls!”
More than 50,000 fans are expected to attend Brooks’ outdoor concert tonight on Auditorium Shores.

Please see my story posted on Elmore magazine’s website at: http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2017/03/reviews/shows/garth-brooks-at-the-broken-spoke

To see 2 of my videos of Garth Brooks performing at the Broken Spoke please go to the KVUE local ABC affiliate website at:

http://www.kvue.com/features/sxsw/garth-brooks-surprises-austin-with-broken-spoke-show/423666224

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My review of Carrie Underwood’s new CD posts to Elmore magazine

19 Nov

Elmore Magazine | Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood spins tall and unexpected tales with her new Storyteller album. Over the last decade, the 2005 American Idol winner has married a professional athlete, given birth and won multiple awards at the Grammys, from Billboard and at the Country Music Awards. Still, her original, “What I Never Knew I Always Wanted,” hints at the humble woman inside the star image– just a girl from Muskogee, Oklahoma with traditional values and a new mother’s love. She wrote five other songs for the 13-track CD, including “Renegade Runaway,” “Heartbeat,” “Smoke Break,” “Chaser” and “The Girl You Think I Am.” Underwood’s vocals have matured in the three years since she released Blown Away.

This fifth studio album also features seven songs written by other composers. Jason White wrote the “Choctaw County Affair,” a song reminiscent of Bobbie Gentry’s 1967’s “Ode to Billy Joe.” “Dirty Laundry,” written by Zach Crowell/Ashley Gorley/Hillary Lindsey shows the most hit potential if released as a single today. Fans will love singing along on its refrain: “All the Ajax in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundry.” Meanwhile, like her previous four albums, lyrically Underwood’s songs continue to please. Clearly nobody has any plans of hanging this country girl out to dry.

Please click on the link to read my story on Elmore magazine’s website here: http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2015/11/reviews/albums/carrie-underwood

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

%d bloggers like this: