Brandon Jenkins talks about new album “Under the Sun”
Brandon Jenkins recently revisited The Farm, the former home of the late Bob Childers and recognized birthplace of red dirt music, near Stillwater for the filming of a mini-documentary on the genre. Photo provided by the Red Bull Photofiles.
From Wednesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman. Look for my review of “Under the Sun” Friday here at BAM’s Blog, on NewsOK and in the Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Brandon Jenkins explores any topic “Under the Sun”
On his 10th album, the Tulsa native and red dirt singer-songwriter delves into human nature, politics, love and more.
STILLWATER — Outspoken red dirt singer-songwriter Brandon Jenkins boldly explores human nature, politics, love and most anything else “Under the Sun” on his 10th album.
The Tulsa native released “Under the Sun” Tuesday, but the first single, “Too Big Too Fail,” hit the Texas country charts about three weeks ago. The single not only references the 2008 worldwide financial meltdown but also celebrates his lasting relationship with his wife, Michele.
“It’s now a ubiquitous term, ‘too big to fail,’ and I was just one day thinking really the only thing too big to fail is love. Me and my wife, we’re celebrating our 10-year anniversary this year — and it’s my 10th record — so I wrote a song and tried to just draw on the energy of us. You know, we’ve been through a lot, but at the end of the day, we’re still going,” he said, playfully singing a bit of Journey’s “Faithfully” — with its lyrics about “loving a music man” and getting “the joy of rediscovering you” — and dedicating it to her.
Jenkins, 41, recorded the new album in Austin, Texas, where he has lived for eight years. He will play a CD release show May 13 at Joy’s Palace in Norman and return to his hometown May 20 as part of the Tulsa International Mayfest lineup.
For his 2009 album “Brothers of the Red Dirt,” Jenkins picked the politically charged opener “Blood for Oil” as the first single.
“I’ve always kind of leaned toward the Democrat side, and I guess just recently I’ve had just more of the awakening that the whole left-right paradigm is just kind of gonna be the destruction of us all,” he said in a 2009 interview. “Really, we’ve got to figure out that it isn’t left or right or blue or red or whatever. They’re trying to make money off both sides … they’re all working for the green.”
With “Under the Sun,” he again uses scathing lyrics coupled with scorching country-blues to shine a light on the injustices he sees in the world.
Although he sings in the title track there’s “nothing new under the sun,” he tried to remember that “Bob Dylan said an artist should always be in a state of becoming.”
“It’s my first album that we had a song with a horn section on, so that’s something that’s different. Never thought I’d have horns. I’ve always been anti-horns, but it just cried out for it,” Jenkins said during an interview in rural Stillwater on The Farm, the former home of the late Bob Childers and recognized birthplace of red dirt music, during the filming of a mini-documentary on the genre.
“I’ve never really been a fan of horns … just in our style of music, it never really has fit. But for some reason, it seemed like it would fit, and I’m always willing to try something new.”
The brass punctuates the point on the knowing “Lookin’ out for #1,” which he co-wrote with fellow red dirt mainstay Stoney LaRue. The chorus cautions, “It’s a real big mistake/Give the power to a man/With ambition on his mind/Now don’t misunderstand/It don’t mean you can’t have faith/Or trust in anyone/Just know that in the end/They’re looking out for No. 1.”
“It’s kind of like people lose faith because people betray them or whatever. But in the end, you can still have faith in people as long as you know in the back of your mind that we’re all looking out for yourselves, and most people when it really comes down to it aren’t going to put you first. So you gotta look out for yourself,” he said.
He also embraced sonic experimentation on “Perfect Slave,” which he expects to spark controversy. He sang through a dobro to give his voice “a real dirty sound” to match the ominous lyrics and guitars.
“I like to joke that it’s about boiling frogs,” he said. “You can’t just throw a frog into boiling water … what you do is you put it in cool water and then you gradually turn that heat up. It won’t even jump out. And by the time the bottom boils, it’ll finally decide to jump. But it’ll be too late and it can’t jump out.”
The song is emblematic of how Americans have adopted a politically correct standard of achievement, with an emphasis on honoring participation rather than excellence, he said.
“We used to kind of be a country of leaders, people of certain principles,” he said. “John Wayne was our archetype of an American, of ‘By God, we’re gonna do it our way, and if you don’t like it, we’ll whoop your a- -,’ which that’s not the thing anymore. They don’t want winners. …They don’t want the best of the best; they want to make it even playing field for everybody. They don’t want to weed out the weak; they don’t want to have dodge ball. And to me, that’s not breeding leaders, that’s breeding cattle, participants. They don’t want anybody who’s going to rock the boat.
“I just think it’s the natural order of things for the cream to rise to the top, and then all the sudden you say, ‘Well, cream you can’t rise anymore, because that’ll make the people who aren’t cream not feel good.’ That’s not a way of making your nation strong,” he added. “It seems like we’re breeding a bunch of ‘Perfect Slaves.’”
In concert
Brandon Jenkins
When: 6:30 p.m. May 13.
Where: Joy’s Palace, 300 E Main, Norman.
Information: 887-3474 or www.partyatjoyspalace.com.
When: 9:30 p.m. May 20.
Where: Williams Green Stage, Third between Main and Boston, at Tulsa International Mayfest.
Information: www.tulsamayfest.org or www.brandonjenkins.com.
-BAM
Video: 25th Annual Red Earth Festival media day
The 25th anniversary edition of the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival is set for June 3-5 at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
The event will feature the famed dance competition, art market, youth activities and a 10K run in addition to the 5K event. This year’s festival also will mark a quarter-century of celebrating American Indian culture with an array of special activities, including a June 2 gala, a birthday party and spotlight war dance.
A preview of the dance styles that will be highlighted during the festival was offered Tuesday during Red Earth media day at the state Capitol. Check out the colorful regalia and impressive dancing in this NewsOK video.
To read my coverage of Red Earth media day, click here.
-BAM
Red Earth Festival readies for silver anniversary celebration in June
American Indian dancer Robert Selumber performs with other dancers during the Red Earth Festival media day Tuesday at the state Capitol. (Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman)
A version of this story appears in Wednesday’s The Oklahoman.
Red Earth readies for silver anniversary celebration
The 25th annual festival is set for June 3-5 at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
While Oklahoma’s five American Indian ballerinas struck their perpetually graceful poses overhead, a new generation of dancers stomped, spun and strutted, sending fringed shawls flapping, jingle bells chiming and feathered bustles bouncing to a pounding drumbeat.
Dressed in their vibrant regalia, the Soaring Eagles dance troupe, representing Shawnee Public Schools, performed Tuesday at the annual Red Earth media day in the fourth-floor rotunda of the state Capitol. Fittingly, they heralded the 25th anniversary of the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival under “Flight of Spirit,” Mike Larsen’s mural of the world-renowned ballet dancers.
“Mike Larsen got his start at Red Earth in 1987, 25 years ago,” said Red Earth Inc. Deputy Director Eric Oesch. “He’s grown so much as an artist … and we’ve had so many artists that have gotten their start with us.”
The silver anniversary edition of Red Earth is set for June 3-5 at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. The event will feature the famed dance competition, art market, youth activities and a 10K run in addition to the 5K event. This year’s festival also will mark a quarter-century of celebrating American Indian culture with an array of special activities, including a June 2 gala, a birthday party and spotlight war dance.
“Everything we’re doing is centered around being a homecoming, inviting people from the past 25 years to come back,” Oesch said. “We’ve invited all our past ambassadors, Honored Ones, Spirit Award (for volunteer service) winners, all our previous board members, our fancy dance champions.”
Known as “the Mother of Red Earth,” Yvonne Kauger, an Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice and co-founder the festival, has been named the 2011 Red Earth Ambassador of the Year. She is excited but not surprised to see the event marking its 25th year.
“It was meant to be, and the support of the tribes has been critical,” she said. “I hope that we have shown the legacy, the history and the tradition, provided some education for the community and inspired young Native Americans to be very proud of their heritage.”
She noted that many dancers, artists and volunteers have participated in the event year after year. Muskogee painter Ruthe Blalock Jones, a master visual artist named the 2011 Red Earth Honored One, has competed at the festival since its inception. Oklahoma City artist Benjamin Harjo Jr., who crafted the Red Earth logo 25 years ago, designed this year’s festival T-shirt.
Actor Wes Studi, astronaut John Herrington, and Olympic track star Billy Mills are among the VIPs planning to attend the June 2 silver anniversary gala that will precede the festival. For the dancers, artists and their families who have faithfully brought their creativity to the event, a birthday party is planned for June 3 after the dance competition.
“For 25 years, the artists and the dancers have been the center of what we do,” Oesch said. “It will be like a big family reunion.”
Past champions in the men’s fancy dance competition have been invited to contend in a special men’s war dance contest that will literally put them in the spotlight in the darkened arena. Dance coordinator Randy Frazier said the 2011 festival also will introduce the Ladies Eastern Cloth competition, a clown contest and a grand entry and competition just for tiny tots younger than 6.
G. Calvin Sharpe, Red Earth board president, said the festival has an annual economic impact of nearly $9 million, while Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb noted that last year’s event drew more than 12,000 participants and 27,000 attendees. The festival was recently named one of the country’s top 10 powwows by USA Today.
“It’s the largest event of its kind in the entire world,” Lamb said. “What a wonderful thing for Oklahoma to brag about and showcase in our great state.”
Coming up
25th Annual Red Earth Festival
When: June 3-5.
Where: Cox Convention Center, downtown Oklahoma City.
Information: 427-5228 or www.redearth.org.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on April 27, 2011: Cheer on the Thunder during their playoff game tonight
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots against Denver Nuggets center Nene (31) from Brazil during the first half in game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Monday in Denver. (AP Photo)
Today’s featured event:
Root for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they try to wrap up their playoff series against the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 tonight at the Oklahoma City Arena, 100 W Reno.
The Thunder now leads its first-round, best-of-seven playoff series 3-1 over the Nuggets. The series will return to OKC for Game 5 tonight.
As for every home game, the Thunder Rewards Zone is your best game-day opportunity for tickets. Registration for the Rewards Zone will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. outside of the box office. The drawing will start at 7 p.m to give away 25 pairs of tickets, and 75 pairs of Love’s Loud City tickets will be available for purchase for $12 apiece. The first 100 fans to register will get complimentary wings, courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings on Northwest Expressway.
Fans who get to the game early can find entertainment outside the Oklahoma City Arena. Thunder Alley will return to Reno Ave. beginning at 5:30 p.m., featuring live music by red-dirt favorites No Justice. The event also will include interactive games for the family, Budweiser Beer Garden and more. Fans can even bring a chair and stay to watch the game on the outdoor video screen.
For more information, go to www.theokcarena.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
New releases for April 26, 2011: “Layla’s” 40th anniversary edition, Flaming Lips’ “Rockabye Baby!” and The Pioneer Woman’s children’s book
Rock fans eager to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Derek & the Dominoes sole studio album “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,” which features one of the best rock ballads of all time in the title track, have a couple of special releases to choose from releasing today.
Along with the two-CD deluxe edition, a super deluxe edition is available and includes four CDs, 2 vinyl LPs and a DVD.
Derek & the Dominos was formed by guitarist/singer Eric Clapton with other former members of Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, in the spring of 1970. The rest of the lineup was Oklahoma City native Carl Radle (bass), Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals) and Jim Gordon (drums). Although the band only recorded one studio efforts and a couple of live albums, it is now regarded as a high point in Clapton’s illustrious career.
Also on CD this week, Oklahoma City-based psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips become the latest band to have their signature songs turned into instrumental lullabies with the release of “Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Flaming Lips.”
On the bookshelf, Ree Drummond, the Oklahoma blogger known as The Pioneer Woman, makes her first foray into children’s books with “Charlie the Ranch Dog,” a story based on her beloved basset hound.
Drummond will be signing copies of the book from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at Best of Books, 1313 E Danforth in Edmond.
Drummond began blogging in 2006 and has built an award-winning website, where she shares recipes, showcases her photography, and documents her hilarious transition from city life to ranch wife. She is the author of the No. 1 New York Times bestselling cookbook “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” and the memoir “The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels–A Love Story,” which has been optioned for a film. She lives on a working cattle ranch near Pawhuska, with her husband, Ladd (AKA The Marlboro Man); their four kids; Charlie; and lots of other animals.
Here is a list of new CDs, DVDs and books, from Amazon.com and VideoETA.com:
CDs
Derek & The Dominos, “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition).”
Rockabye Baby!, “Lullaby Renditions of The Flaming Lips.”
Emmylou Harris, “Hard Bargain.”
Steve Earle, “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.”
Tab Benoit, “Medicine.”
Explosions in the Sky, “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care.”
The Rolling Stones, “The Complete Singles (1971-2006)” (Box set).
Roy Orbison, “Roy Orbison: The Monument Singles Collection” (2 CD/1 DVD set).
DVDs
3 Idiots
The Avengers: Volume 1, Heroes Assemble!
The Avengers: Volume 2, Captain America Reborn!
Blood Out
Growing Pains: The Complete Second Season
Jolene
Knockout
One Way to Valhalla
Revenge of the Bridesmaids
Sacrifice
Sniper: Reloaded
South Park: The Complete Fourteenth Season
Testees: The Complete Series
Upstairs, Downstairs
Books
Charlie the Ranch Dog by Ree Drummond, Diane De Groat
KaBOOM!: How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play by Darell Hammond, Stuart L Brown MD
The Wizard of Lies by Diana B. Henriques
-BAM
Video: Hanson performs on “Dancing with the Stars” Monday, again tonight
Tulsa-based sibling trio Hanson performed Monday night on “Dancing with the Stars” during the reality TV show’s “Guilty Pleasures Week.”
The Hanson brothers performed their massive 1997 hit “MMMBop” while the professional dancers swirled and twirled around them. They also served as the house band on the show.
The band is set return to the show at 7 tonight to perform “Give a Little,” a single from their 2010 album “Shout It Out.” “Dnacing with the Stars” airs on ABC (KOCO-5 in Oklahoma City).
-BAM
Video: Greyson Chance performs at White House Easter Egg Roll
Singer/songwriter/pianist Greyson Chance, 13, of Edmond, performed Monday at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
The teen music sensation performed the songs “Fire,” “Empire State of Mind,” “Unfriend You” and his single “Waiting Outside the Lines.” Check out his performance in this fan-shot YouTube video.
“This year’s been a pretty crazy year for me,” Greyson, who a year ago shot to fame as a YouTube sensation with his talent show performance of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” told the crowd at the White House.
“I’m working on my debut album. Actually it’s finished and it’s going to be coming out in late summer.”
He announced last week on “Good Morning America” that his debut album will be titled “Hold on ‘Til the Night.” He is previewing the song “Unfriend You” on his Facebook page.
The teen tweeted Monday, “Just met the President @BarackObama! What an amazing honor, he was so nice and humble. I was very nervous!!”
-BAM
Blake Shelton getting into studio to finish new album, due out July 12
Blake Shelton (AP file)
With his new single “Honey Bee” setting a record for digital sales and rocketing up the charts, Oklahoma country star Blake Shelton is going into the studio this week to finish his next album.
“Playing your cards too close to your chest doesn’t pay out,” Shelton told the Associated Press. “I feel like right now if I’ve got a single that’s exploding, easily my fastest climber, I don’t want to do something like wait and put (the album) out in the fall. It’s when you rally the troops and say, ‘Man, we’ve got to get this thing done.’”
The Ada native, 34, will represent the country format in the “Crazy” diverse quartet of celebrity coaches on “The Voice,” which debuts at 8 tonight on NBC. He joins pop belter Christina Aguilera, hip-hop crooner Cee Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley and rocker Adam Levine of Maroon 5, with each superstar trying to recruit the best singers the show has to offer for his or her team.
Until Shelton debuted the single during the April 3 Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this month, he was content to finish the album later this summer and release it in the fall. Since he released two Six Pak albums that included six tracks each as well as the greatest hits compilation “Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton,” this seemed like a perfectly reasonable target date for his new album.
But that ACM awards performance of “Honey Bee” spurred a sales buzz and the single sold more than 138,000 digital copies its first week, a record for a country male solo artist, reports the AP.
So Shelton is squeezing studio time into his busy spring schedule: Along with “The Voice,” he is playing a home state show May 6 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa. His wedding to fellow country star and Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert is set for May 14 in her native Texas, with more live shows in June.
“Honey Bee” was the greatest gainer on the Billboard country songs chart and jumped to No. 21 last week. That’s light speed in the world of country radio. So now the album is due out July 12, and Shelton is heading to Nashville this week to finish the untitled album with producer Scott Hendricks.
He’s already got the songs picked out. It’s just a matter of laying them down.
He tells the AP fans can expect a good times vibe on the album, which isn’t a surprise.
“Honestly it’s just songs that I can kind of relate to at this moment of my life,” Shelton tells the AP. “I’m getting married in about a month and just really feeling good about everything in my life. … It’s definitely songs from a guy wishing I could freeze this moment for the rest of time.”
-BAM
Video: Blake Shelton talks about new reality TV show “The Voice”
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton returns to primetime tonight with the premiere of “The Voice,” and the “Hillbilly Bone” hitmaker seems determined to bring his usual rowdy sense of humor to the new reality TV singing contest.
The Ada native, 34, will represent the country format in the “Crazy” diverse quartet of celebrity coaches on “The Voice,” which debuts at 8 tonight on NBC. He joins pop belter Christina Aguilera, hip-hop crooner Cee Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley and rocker Adam Levine of Maroon 5, with each superstar trying to recruit the best singers the show has to offer for his or her team.
In this NewsOK video, Shelton, who is set to play a home state show May 6 in Tulsa, talks about the show’s distinctive format, based on Holland’s top-rated vocal talent discovery show.
“The Voice” is a three-part competition, starting with blind auditions in which the celebrities listen with their backs turned as hopefuls sing for them. Unable to see the contenders, the superstar coaches have to pass judgment based only on the voice, without a contestant’s looks, fashion sense or age influencing their perceptions.
“This show embraces the most important thing first about a singer, and that’s whether or not they’re a great singer,” Shelton tells “The Voice” host Carson Daly in a promo. “You don’t make it on this show … because you come in and you have a stupid dance that you do or you have an incredible sob back story that gets some sympathy.”
To read my column on the new show, click here.
-BAM
Blake Shelton returns to primetime TV tonight on “The Voice”
The celebrity coaches for the new vocal singing contest "The Voice" are, from left, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton. "The Voice" debuts at 8 tonight on NBC.
From Tuesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
BAM column: Blake Shelton returns to primetime TV on “The Voice”
Oklahoma country star joins Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine as a celebrity coach on the new singing competition series, premiering tonight.
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton returns to primetime tonight with the premiere of “The Voice,” and the “Hillbilly Bone” hitmaker seems determined to bring his usual rowdy sense of humor to the new reality TV singing contest.
The Ada native, 34, will represent the country format in the “Crazy” diverse quartet of celebrity coaches on “The Voice,” which debuts at 8 tonight on NBC. He joins pop belter Christina Aguilera, hip-hop crooner Cee Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley and rocker Adam Levine of Maroon 5, with each superstar trying to recruit the best singers the show has to offer for his or her team.
“My angle in order to get that person to choose me as their coach is to lie,” Shelton reveals in the previews. “I mean, I’m gonna say terrible things about Christina, that she hates children and puppies. Adam doesn’t really even sing on his records, that it’s a stunt singer. You pick Cee Lo, he’s gonna make you wear some of those things that he wears. I’m gonna lie to get the best team that I can.
“This is the entertainment industry. It’s slimy.”
Slimy scheming or not, Shelton, who is playing a sold-out Tulsa concert May 6, has never stood taller in the entertainment biz than he does right now, and TV producers are increasingly tapping his good-ol’-boy charm.
Shelton appeared Friday on the “Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country” TV special serenading and honoring his sweetie Miranda Lambert — the Tishomingo couple is set to wed May 14 in Lambert’s native Texas — and earlier this month, he and fellow Oklahoma native Reba McEntire co-hosted the Academy of Country Music Awards.
And “The Voice” isn’t the first foray into reality TV for the reigning Country Music Association male vocalist of the year: In 2007, Shelton coached an Oklahoma-based team on NBC’s “Clash of the Choirs.”
“This show embraces the most important thing first about a singer, and that’s whether or not they’re a great singer,” Shelton tells “The Voice” host Carson Daly in a promo. “You don’t make it on this show … because you come in and you have a stupid dance that you do or you have an incredible sob back story that gets some sympathy.”
The peacock network is touting “The Voice,” which is modeled after Holland’s top-rated vocal talent discovery show, as different from other singing contests on television. The first part seems the antithesis of the freak-show antics sometimes seen in the early rounds of “American Idol.”
“The Voice” is a three-part competition, starting with blind auditions in which the celebrities listen with
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton will bringing his ornery sense of humor to the reality show "The Voice" starting at 8 tonight on NBC.
their backs turned as hopefuls sing for them. Unable to see the contenders, the superstar coaches have to pass judgment based only on the voice, without a contestant’s looks, fashion sense or age influencing their perceptions.
Each coach is trying to build an eight-singer team, so when the celebs hear a voice they like, they can press a button to swivel their plush red chair and face the contestant. If only one coach turns, that hopeful automatically enlists on his or her team.
But if more than one star pushes the button, then the competitor gets to choose whose team to join, which can lead to lying, cajoling and other tactics Shelton and his fellow judges have been plotting.
“I don’t ever remember seeing anything like that where artists were put in the position to be shut down. I mean, we’re stars. Nobody is supposed to tell us know,” Shelton jokes in the promos.
Once the stars have their teams assembled, they get down to the nitty-gritty of coaching their vocalists. The coaches will narrow their teams from eight to four singers by pitting pairs of contestants in head-to-head vocal duels in the battle round.
When each team is cut to four singers, the live performance shows will mark the third and final phase of the competition. Eventually, the public will choose one contender to become “The Voice” and win a recording contract with Universal Music Group.
While the quality of the competition will be key to the success or failure of “The Voice,” NBC seems to be banking on the chemistry of the show’s celebrity quartet. The superstar coaches already have proven they can make beautiful music together with a smoking collaboration on the Gnarls Barkley smash “Crazy,” and like Shelton, all of them spark with charisma to spare.
On TV
The reality singing competition “The Voice,” starring Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera, premieres at 8 tonight on NBC.
In concert
Blake Shelton
When: 8 p.m. May 6. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Where: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, 770 W Cherokee Street, Catoosa.
Tickets: Sold out.
Information: (918) 384-7625 (ROCK) or www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
-BAM
