BAM’s college football favorites for Nov. 14, 2009
OSU running back Keith Toston (Photo by Steve Sisney/The Oklahoman)
My No. 17-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys try to keep their solid season going when they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 7 tonight at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. The game will air on ABC.
The University of Oklahoma Sooners continue to struggle, and today they’re trying to overcome a tough lost last week to Nebraska. The Sooners will play the Texas A&M Aggies at 6 p.m. today at home in Norman. The game will be broadcast on FSN.
The No. 1 Florida Gators, the traditional favored team of the McDonnell family, will play the South Carolina Gamecocks at 2:30 p.m. today. Florida vs. South Carolina is always an interesting matchup, since Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier used to lead the Gators. The game will air on CBS.
Best of luck to my favorite teams.
-BAM
Weekend Warmup for Nov. 13-15, 2009
Wade Bowen
Here is a list of activities happening around Oklahoma this weekend (Nov. 13-15, 2009). For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
- Listen to Wade Bowen with Granger Smith at 9:30 tonight at the Wormy Dog Saloon, 311 E Sheridan. Information:601-6276 or www.wormydog.com.
- Hear Edmond-based indie pop group Smarty Pants play a reunion show with Euclid Crash, Student Film and Little League Hero at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Conservatory, 8911 N Western. Information: www.conservatoryokc.com.
- TULSA – Catch country star Darius Rucker in concert at 7 tonight at Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino’s Osage Event Center, 951 W 36 St. N, Tulsa. Information: (918) 699-7667 or www.milliondollarelm.com/event-center.
Curious George
- Watch the antics of an inquisitive monkey when “Curious George Live!” swings into the Cox Convention Center at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Information: (800) 745-3000 or www.coxconventioncenter.com.
- Hear singer/songwriter/pianist Vienna Teng and Alex Wong with Suzanna Choffel at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. Or hear Big Smith at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Door. Information: 524-0738 or www.bluedoorokc.com.
- Listen to an evening of “Transformations” with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and renowned pianist Stephen Hough at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker. Information: 842-5387 or www.okcphilharmonic.org.
Artworks by Suzanne Thomas wait to be set up for the new show, featuring the art of Thomas and Billy Reid, at Istvan Gallery at Urban Art, 1218 N. Western. (Photo by Nate Billings/The Oklahoman)
- See new work by Oklahoma City artists Suzanne C. Thomas and Billy Reid from 6 to 10 tonight at an opening reception and second anniversary celebration for Istvan Gallery, 1218 N Western Ave. Information: 831-2874 or www.istvangallery.com.
- NEWCASTLE – Take in American Indian dancing, storytelling, hands-on arts activities and more at the family-friendly American Indian Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Newcastle Public Library, 705 NW 10. Information: www.pioneer.lib.ok.us.
- Watch the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the L.A. Clippers at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Ford Center, 100 W Reno. Information: www.thunder.nba.com.
Julio Iglesias (Associated Press photo)
- THACKERVILLE – Hear crooner Julio Iglesias at 8 p.m. Saturday at WinStar World Casino. Information: www.winstarworldcasino.com.
- Take in art, live music, new attractions and more at the monthly LIVE on the Plaza art walk from 7 to 11 tonight in the Plaza District, on NW 16 between Indiana and Blackwelder. Information: www.plazadistrict.org.
- NORMAN – Show your stuff at the Norman Public Library’s adult gaming night from 5:30-8:30 p.m. today in the Lowry Room of the library, 225 N Webster. Those 18 and older can join in the games including “Rock Band,” “Guitar Hero,” “Dance Dance Revolution,” “Halo 3,” “Left for Dead” and more. Game systems available will include Xbox 360, Playstation 2, and the Nintendo Wii. Information: 701-2620 or www.pioneer.lib.ok.us.
Craig Morgan
- MIAMI – Listen to country singer Craig Morgan at 8 p.m. Saturday at Buffalo Run Casino. Information: www.buffalorun.com.
- TULSA – Hear Dethklok, Mastodon, Converge and High on Fire at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Brady Theater, 105 W Brady Street. Information: www.bradytheater.com.
- NORMAN – Catch Austin, Texas-based noise-rock trio Followed by Static with San Francisco’s Little Teeth at 8 p.m. Sunday at Universe City, 783 Debarr Ave. Information: www.myspace.com/universecitynorman.
-BAM
Darius Rucker follows CMA Awards win with parent-teacher conference, tonight’s Tulsa show
Darius Rucker accepts the best new artist of the year award at the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards Wednesday night in Nashville, Tenn. He will perform tonight at Tulsa’s Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino. (Associated Press photo)
Darius Rucker became the first black singer to win new artist of the year at Wednesday’s CMA Awards, joining Charley Pride as the only African-Americans to win major individual awards from the Country Music Association.
When I spoke with Rucker in a recent phone interview, he said his plans for after the CMA Awards would remain virtually the same regardless of whether he won or lost. He went into the show with two nominations; the male vocalist of the year trophy went to Brad Paisley.
“If I win, I’m gonna go out that night with my wife and some of our friends and go to a couple of parties and then I’m gonna get up and be on the 6 o’clock flight to go to my 14-year-old daughter’s school teacher’s conference she’s got. If I lose, I’m gonna go out with my wife and some friends and I’m gonna get up at 6 o’clock and go to my daughter’s teacher’s conference. Either way, I’ll be at that teacher’s conference,” he said.
The former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman told me he wasn’t sure until the nominations were announced that he could even compete in the best new artist category after his previous band’s 1990s success. And he didn’t think he would win anyway, saying he thought hot country act the Zac Brown Band had the new artist title all wrapped up.
Rucker, whose first country album, last year’s “Learn to Live,” has sold more than 1 million copies, took the CMA Awards stage Wednesday night to hearty cheers from the crowd and shouted, “What a year!”
“First of all, to the fans, thank y’all for accepting me,” he said. “And I think most importantly, to country radio, you took a chance on a pop singer from Charleston, S.C. Thank you so much for that!”
Rucker told me he is hard at work on his second country album, which he plans to release next year. He was hoping to start recording later this month or in December. When we spoke, he said he had just written a song a few days earlier with Paisley.
“We wrote a song that we’re going to do as a duet on my record that’s hilarious. That guy — hilarious. Too funny, really too funny. I mean, love hanging out with him,” Rucker said.
Rucker will perform at 7 tonight Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa. For more information, call (918) 699-7667 or go to www.milliondollarelm.com/event-center.
-BAM
Darius Rucker performing tonight in Tulsa, fresh off CMA Awards win
Country singer Darius Rucker poses for pictures in the press room after winning the best new award at Wednesdayt night’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker will perform in concert tonight at Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa. (Associated Press photo)
A version of this story appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country give warm welcome to musician at CMA Awards
Darius Rucker to perform tonight in Tulsa
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Darius Rucker still may be best known as the front man of 1990s pop sensations Hootie & the Blowfish.
But as one of his new hits goes, “It Won’t Be Like This for Long,” if his country career keeps booming.
After all, Rucker’s first country record, 2008’s “Learn to Live,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and has already sold more than 1 million copies. And the album’s first three singles — the passionate ode to lost love “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” the slice-of-life ballad “It Won’t Be Like This for Long” and the breezy toe-tapper “Alright” — topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs list.
“I’ve talked about this record for years, probably since ‘86,” Rucker said in a phone interview from Tacoma, Wash. “There were just certain things I wanted to do, certain records I wanted to make. I was making my rock ‘n’ roll records, I wanted to make an R&B record, and I wanted to make country records. I wanted to be Radney Foster, Al Green and Michael Stipe.”
The Charleston, S.C., native will play a solo show at 7 tonight at Tulsa’s Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino. The concert comes just two days after he won new artist of the year at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn., where he also was nominated for male vocalist of the year.
“I didn’t know I could be nominated for new artist so I was really surprised,” said Rucker, who won a 1996 Grammy for best new artist as part of Hootie & the Blowfish.
Even before he won the award, Rucker was grateful at the warm welcome he has received from the country community. During the show, he thanked country fans and radio stations who “took a chance on a pop singer from Charleston, S.C. God bless y’all for that.”
And he won’t soon forget the shock when Lee Ann Womack listed him along with Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban as a male vocalist nominee.
“I’m standing up there and she says my name and the ‘Sesame Street’ song — ‘One of these things is not like the other’ — that comes into my head,” he said with a laugh.
“And the African-American thing had nothing to do with it. It was these are four superstars in country music. Superstars. … There’s no one in music bigger than George Strait. No one. And there’s nobody selling out more places than Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley. And they’re gonna throw me in there.”
While Rucker is experiencing more country music success than any other black singer since Charley Pride, it isn’t the first time he has changed the face of a genre. And the honey-voiced baritone has sold out his share of arenas.
He and three friends — all white — started Hootie & the Blowfish in 1986 at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The band’s 1994 major-label debut “Cracked Rear View” spun off three smash hits in “Hold My Hand,” “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Let Her Cry” and sold more than 16 million copies. The pop-rock quartet released four more albums, though none were able to tap the white-hot success of their debut. When the band decided a few years ago to take a break, Rucker set out to make his long-awaited country album.
“Country music and bluegrass was such a huge part of us as a band, from New Grass Revival and Lyle Lovett and Radney and Nanci Griffith. You know, these were people that we listened to every day. I mean, when we sat down to play, we played bluegrass or country,” he said.
“The last two or three Hootie records, in the meetings to start the records, I’d say, ‘Hey, let’s do the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band thing and just do country records.’ And you know, they didn’t want to do it, and I was cool with that. But they knew as soon as the first chance I got, I was gonna do it.”
When Capitol Nashville offered him a record deal, he made “Learn to Live” on a modest budget and drove to radio stations around the nation to promote it. He knew his Hootie history might prove a liability with pop artists such as Jessica Simpson, Jewel and Bon Jovi also crossing over to the country side.
“I think it was a benefit because it got me into a lot of program directors’ offices that might’ve not seen me otherwise. I mean, it was a detriment from the fact that just the whole pop invasion was going on at that time. I had to come out with something that was really gonna hit, or I was gonna be thrown by the wayside,” he said.
He already is working the follow-up to “Learn to Live” and plans to make country music for the foreseeable future. But fans can expect to hear him play not just his new hits but also a few songs from his Hootie days tonight.
“I want people leaving our show going, ‘Man, I want to see that again,’” he said.
In concert
Darius Rucker
When: 7 tonight.
Where: Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino’s Osage Event Center, 951 W 36 St. N, Tulsa.
Information: (918) 699-7667 or www.milliondollarelm.com/event-center.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on Nov. 9, 2009
GWAR
Today’s featured event:
TULSA – Hear thrash metal band GWAR, with Job for a Cowboy and the Red Chord, at 8 tonight at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N Main. Doors open at 7 p.m.
For more information, go to www.cainsballroom.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Tickets to Bon Jovi Tulsa show go on sale Nov. 16
Rockers Bon Jovi have announced that their 2010-2011 “The Circle World Tour,” promoted by AEG Live, will stop April 13 at the BOK Center in Tulsa.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 16 and can be purchased at the BOK Center Box Office and all Tickets.com outlets, phone at (866) 7BOKCTR or online at www.bokcenter.com.
Ticket prices are $29.50, $59.50, $99.50 and $129.50. Tickets are subject to applicable service charges and event time and date are subject to change.
The GrammyAward-winning band will spend much of the next two years on the road, performing 135 shows in 30 countries.
With the grounds of New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, the band’s Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres recently announced their two-year global trek with an exclusive performance for a group of more than 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club members, and on-site construction workers currently building the venue. Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful “Lost Highway Tour” — Billboard’s No. 1 top-grossing tour of 2008 — Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into “The Circle,” with a residency at London’s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.
The Nov. 10 release of the band’s new album, “The Circle,” and subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi’s commitment to the rock ’n’ roll that has been the band’s indelible signature since it began more than 26 years ago.
For more information on the tour, go to www.bonjovi.com.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on Nov. 7, 2009
Today’s featured event:
TULSA — Listen to country star Alan Jackson and up-and-coming band Gloriana at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver.
For more information, call (866) 726-5287 or go to www.bokcenter.com
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Weekend Warmup for Nov. 6-8, 2009
Rodney Atkins
Here is a list of events happening this weekend (Nov. 6-8) around Oklahoma. For more information, go to www.wimgo.com.
- NORMAN – Catch country star Rodney Atkins at 8 tonight at Riverwind Casino, 1544 W State Highway 9. Information: www.riverwind.com.
- SHAWNEE — Hear “American Idol” David Cook, who has Tulsa ties, at 7 tonight at Firelake Grand Casino, 777 Grand Casino Blvd. Information: 964-7263 or www.firelakegrand.com.
- Take in art, food and music at the sixth annual Girlie Show from 8 to midnight tonight and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Farmers Public Market, 311 S Klein. Information: www.thegirlieshow.net.
Classical Mystery Tour
- Watch the Oklahoma City Philharmonic perform with Beatles tribute band Classical Mystery Tour at 8 tonight and Saturday at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker. Information: 842-5387 or www.okcphilharmonic.org.
- TULSA and THACKERVILLE — Listen to country star Alan Jackson and up-and-coming band Gloriana at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver. Information: (866) 726-5287 or www.bokcenter.com. Or catch Jackson in concert at 9 tonight at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville. Information: www.winstarworldcasino.com.
- See new art – from small works exhibits to a container show – during the monthly Paseo Gallery Walk in the Paseo Arts District. Hours are 6 to 10 tonight and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Information: 525-2688 or www.thepaseo.com.
- Hear Chevelle with Halestorm and After Midnight Project at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S Eastern Ave. Information: www.diamondballroom.net.
Billie Letts
- SHAWNEE - Hear Tulsa author Billie Letts (”Where the Heart Is”) give the keynote address at the 2009 Red Dirt Book Festival on today and Saturday. Letts will speak at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Raley Chapel at Oklahoma Baptist University. Multiple writing workshops, special programs and panel discussions with authors and editors will be included in the two-day book festival that’s sponsored by Pioneer Library System. The festival opens at 9 a.m. today. Letts and other featured authors will close out the festival with a book signing at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Geiger Center on OBU’s campus. To register for the free festival (which is required) or get more information, go to www.reddirtbookfestival.org.
- Listen to Billy Joe Winghead, Bloody Ol’ Mule, the Starkweather Boys and more from noon Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday at “Drumming for Derek,” a benefit for Oklahoma City drummer Derek Dugger, who has brain cancer. The event will be at 66 Bowl, 3810 NW 39 Expressway. Information: 946-3966.
- MIAMI – Catch the Casey Donahew Band in concert at 7 tonight at Buffalo Run Casino. Information: www.buffalorun.com.
“Frankenstein”
- Watch Oklahoma Children’s Theatre and TheatreOCU’s production of “Frankenstein” at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. today, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Oklahoma City University’s Burg Theatre, 2501 N Blackwelder. The production is recommended for middle school and high school students. Information: www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org.
- TULSA – Hear Rob Zombie with Nekromantix and Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Brady Theater, 105 W Brady Street. Information: www.bradytheater.com.
- See a Tribute to Woody Guthrie at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. Also, hear Don Conoscenti at 9 tonight and John Fullbright at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Door. Information: www.bluedoorokc.com.
- Watch Red Dirt Improv perform “Music, Mayhem, and Mamet” starting at 7 tonight at IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan. Information: www.reddirtimprov.com.
-BAM
Vince Gill talks Will Rogers, musical diversity and more before receiving Sunday award
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Oklahoma musician Vince Gill to receive Will Rogers Spirit Award in Tulsa
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Vince Gill considers humorist/cowboy/social commentator Will Rogers “the coolest Okie in history.”
So, it’s fitting that the Oklahoma-born country music star is traveling from Nashville back to his home state this weekend to receive the 2009 Will Rogers Spirit Award from the Rotary Club of Will Rogers. The club, along with members of Rogers’ family, will present the award to Gill during a gala Sunday night at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.
“We look for somebody who exemplifies the spirit of Will Rogers,” said gala committee member Lucy Cravens. “He’s raised a lot of money for a lot of different organizations.”
The “roast and toast,” themed “Oklahoma Swing” after the Gill hit, will feature friends and colleagues of the star performing and speaking in his honor.
For Gill, 52, getting an award named for Rogers, who famously declared “I never met a man I didn’t like,” is a great compliment.
“I don’t know that they’re actually comparing you to (Will Rogers), but you do hopefully some decent things for people and live life for other people instead of just yourself. And that’s all I’ve ever really tried to do is if somebody needs a hand up, you give it to ‘em. And if somebody needs you to help out, you help ‘em out. That just seems like a commonsense way of life,” Gill said in a phone interview from his Nashville home. “That to me comes from where I’m from.”
The Country Music Hall of Famer and his wife, fellow singer Amy Grant, are known for lending their talents to an array of philanthropic projects. The couple this year hosted a concert in Washington, D.C., to benefit Challenge America, a charity working with injured veterans. Since 1993, Gill has hosted his own pro-celebrity golf tournament, “The Vinny,” to support junior golf programs.
He has been busy this year working with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He not only serves as president of the museum’s board of officers and trustees, he also is the creator and driving force behind its “All for the Hall” fundraising initiative.
“I asked everybody to just when they’re playing out there and they’re doing 125 shows a year, just say, hey, while we’re in Omaha, we’re going to play for free and just take the proceeds from that show and give it to the hall of fame,” he said. “Because it was always my belief that the reason I ever played music was because of how much I loved it. It was never how much I could get out of it.”
On Oct. 1, Gill joined Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Melissa Etheridge and others in Los Angeles for the third annual “All for the Hall” guitar pull, in which the musicians traded off playing new and favorite songs.
A few days later, Gill and fellow star Keith Urban co-hosted the sold-out “We’re All for the Hall” benefit concert at Nashville’s Sommet Center. The event, which also featured Taylor Swift, Faith Hill and Brad Paisley, raised more than $500,000.
“It created a tremendous amount of attention and I think it’ll be like dominoes. I think that it’ll inspire a lot of other people to do the same thing,” Gill said.
The 20-time Grammy winner finds inspiration in working with musicians and singers from across genres. He will perform with rock band Daughtry on the Country Music Association’s 43rd Annual CMA Awards, which will air Nov. 11 on ABC. They will play their country-rock collaboration “Tennessee Line,” featured on the band’s new album “Leave This Town.”
He said frontman Chris Daughtry asked him to lend his voice to the song after a mutual friend, singer-songwriter Richard Marx, suggested it.
“Not everything I do is country, you know. I’ve worked with Barbra Streisand, I’ve worked with Ralph Stanley, I’ve worked with Daughtry, I’ve worked with Mark Knopfler,” Gill said.
“That creates its own versatility, being willing to go play bluegrass with Del McCoury and then sit down at a jazz piano with Diana Krall and rock as hard as you want with Mark. … It’s just an open mind is all that’s created all those kind of relationships. And I’m prouder of that anything I’ve accomplished my own. The reason I learned to play music was to play it with other people.”
Former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker praised the Oklahoma native for his musical generosity, noting that Gill sang on his debut country album last year.
“Vince is the coolest guy on the planet,” Rucker said. “There’s not a lot of people who are the real deal … and Vince is the real deal.”
Going on
The Rotary Club of Will Rogers’ 2009 Gala “Oklahoma Swing”
What: Honoring Will Rogers Spirit Award winner Vince Gill.
Benefiting: Proceeds will go in part to Blue Star Mothers of America Inc., Oklahoma Chapter 1.
When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N Main, Tulsa.
Cost: $125 for individual tickets.
Information: (918) 749-6661 or www.willrogersrotary.org.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on Nov. 5, 2009
Today’s featured event:
EL RENO – Hear country band Sawyer Brown at 7:30 tonight at Lucky Star Casino – Concho, 7777 N Highway 81.
For more information, go to www.luckystarcasino.org.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
