Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Some thoughts on the 2008 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo lineup...

As Leslie T says, there are some cool choices and a few clinkers too. Some riffs, off what Joey Guerra at the Chron's HandStamp blog had to say...

Faith Hill, March 4: The crossover diva last stepped onto the revolving RodeoHouston stage in 1999. Since then, she's scored huge hits but has recently come crashing back to Earth. Recent singles have flopped, she scolded a fan for manhandling her hubby -- and then there's Carrie Underwood. Hill reacted angrily backstage when Underwood was named CMA female vocalist of the year in Nov. 2006. Hill insisted she was joking. We're still not convinced.

Faith's early stuff was a lot better, though I did really like her 1998 Faith cd, the first big departure from the traditional country she'd been known for up to that point. I didn't really care about whether her reaction to Carrie Underwood was fake or not, because even if Faith had won the award it still would have been a continuation of the joke so much of modern mainstream country has become. Personally, I would much rather have seen Miranda Lambert be the success Carrie Underwood's become, the sometimes rock sound and image notwithstanding. I know at least one of my readers doesn't agree and that's ok; after all, beyond that difference we more or less have the same tastes. Speaking of Miss Lambert...
March 17: The Longview-born, Lindale-bred singer makes her RodeoHouston debut on the heels of sophomore disc Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, one of last year's best albums. Her searing, assured performance at October's Big State Festival was a perfect teaser.
That one ought to be a pretty good one. I'd be interested in seeing it, but we'll see after this weekend. More on that momentarily...

Alan Jackson, March 6: Another year, another appearance from this country stalwart. Jackson has been hitting RodeoHouston since 1992. A new disc is due in March.
According to Alan's website, that new disc, Good Time, hits store shelves on March 4. I love what I've heard from it so far, the first single "Small Town Southern Man." Jackson went back to longtime producer Keith Stegall with this set, and it sounds like the pair's going back to what got Jackson the reputation he's gotten in his almost 20 years on the scene. I'm looking forward to that. Seen Jackson live three times, and like George Strait he more or less lets his music speak for itself. This is definitely another one I'd be interested in.
Kevin Fowler, March 5: The Austin singer seems next in line for breakout national success. Recent disc Bring It On was full of mainstream hooks, and Fowler has the on-stage energy of Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney.

If Mr. Fowler did get that break-out national success with the sound he's become known for to date, that would be just marvelous. The new cd may well be "full of mainstream hooks," but it's still a pretty solid Texas country cd. I'll be interested to see how Fowler's career keeps playing out.
And finally this morning, the obvious question...No George Strait OR Clint Black? What the hell? Just doesn't seem like a complete Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with both of those missing. I've seen George twice at the rodeo and it's pretty cool. Not that much different from his regular show. BUT! Here's what I was getting at a minute ago. There will be a GS live show in my very near future, this weekend in fact. I'll be going to see the Strait man for the 14th time since 1996, this time at the Alltel Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas. A pretty good drive from where I am sitting, but I've done it before. And I can't wait! As it works out, though, tickets for the rodeo shows go on sale this weekend as well, when I won't be anywhere near a computer or a Ticketmaster outlet. So maybe it's good that George is sitting this year out....