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| Country Thunder 2008: Blogging the festival | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Chris Hansen Orf and Chris Page Get Out |
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| April 17, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
DAY FOUR Sunday, April 20 - Get festival details- Go to Saturday - Go to Friday - Go to Thursday The Thunder (hits the) road You couldn't ask for a better Sunday lineup — bands to send the crowds home with a smile — than acts Sawyer Brown and Phil Vassar. The Sawyer Brown folks were a high-energy act, especially frontman Mark Miller, whose questionable fashion sense didn't distract from the string of hits: "The Boys and Me," "Six Days on the Road," "The Race is On" ... It's easy to forget just how many chart-toppers this band has amassed. Those of you interested in attending next year's Country Thunder, here are some tips worth sharing to make it a great time: * Rent an R.V. Renting a hotel room in Florence is too much of a hassle. Tenting it leaves entirely too much in the hands of iffy weather. You can rent an R.V. for not that much moolah, and wander back and forth from fest to campgrounds whenever you need a nap or a margarita recharge. * Go V.I.P. Spend the extra scratch and get a V.I.P. pass. Your meals are covered, the bathrooms are better, and there's a V.I.P. saloon, Moon Shine Willy's, where all drinks are half what you'd pay on the festival grounds. (The atmosphere is a little like the hotel in "Cannonball Run II," which makes it even better.) * Drink plenty of water. Out in the sun, dancing and goofing around, you'll never know you're dehydrated until it's too late, and then you look like a sunbunt potato chip the rest of the fest. * Come for more than one day. Because you really can't appreciate the full experience unless you hang out overnight. * Explore the side stages. It's at places like the Graham Central Station Saloon Stage and inside Moon Shine Willy's Saloon that you'll find great acts like Chasin' Mason and Harry Luge delivering more intimate sets. Well, that's it, folks, for the Country Thunder blog. You'll find more updates in the "hot bods" gallery below, and be sure to leave a comment about what acts you'd love to see next year at the festival. Thanks for reading!   — Chris Page, 9:28 a.m. The Saturday roundup Valley native Dierks Bentley won a Country Music Association Horizon Award, given to a country artist who has “shown significant creative growth” in their young career — and if the singer’s performance as Saturday's Country Thunder USA headliner is any indication, Bentley may be taking home the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award in the future. From the stage Bentley gave shout outs to both KNIX (102.5 FM) and KMLE (107.9), the Valley country radio stations that fostered the singer’s love of country music as a kid growing up in Phoenix, mentioned Scottsdale honky tonk Rusty Spur Saloon and said that “it’s good to be home!” as he kicked off his set With three gold albums and five Top 10 singles already under his belt, Bentley played a solid set of hits such as his current rising single, the ballad “Trying to Stop Your Leaving,” the honky tonker “Domestic, Light and Cold,” “How Am I Doin’” the Waylon Jennings-esque “Lotta Leavin’ Left to Do,” his 2003 breakthrough smash “What Was I Thinkin’” and “Settle for a Slowdown.”  Bentley is a fine addition to the list of the Valley’s country music giants (Marty Robbins was a Glendale native and both Waylon Jennings and Buck Owens gave their careers a kick start in Valley honky tonks before moving on to Nashville and Bakersfield, Calif., respectively), and while Bentley may reside in Nashville now, he said from the stage that Arizona is “a place I can always call home.”“American Idol” season five alum Kellie Pickler proved to be a good live performer (after singing in front of millions of television viewers on “Idol,” performing in front of 25,000 fans must seem easy), belting out her current hit, the clever “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind,” the pretty ballad “I Wonder,” the honky-tonker “Red High Heels” and a cover of Dolly Parton’s (whom the singer somewhat resembles vocally) “9 to 5.” Billy Ray Cyrus’ career has been given a shot in the arm from his daughter Miley Cyrus (who stars with her dad on Disney’s “Hannah Montana”), whose duet with Billy Ray, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go,” has put the singer back on the charts after a long draught. Cyrus scored one of the biggest country hits of the ‘90s with 1992’s infectious “Achy Breaky Heart,” which livened up the crowd Saturday, and performed a good set of hits such as the honky-tonkin’ “Where’m I Gonna Live,” “She’s Not Crying Anymore,” the funny “I Want My Mullet Back,” “Some Gave All” and a cover of the Van Morrison classic “Brown-Eyed Girl.” Other acts who performed on the main stage Saturday were former “American Idol” contestant Bucky Covington, Queen Creek’s Harry Luge and Southern rockers Heartland, who scored a hit a few years ago with the ballad “I Loved Her First.” — Chris Hansen Orf, 12:29 p.m. A Phil Vassar exclusive Shot early Sunday morning.  — Chris Page, 11:06 a.m. DAY THREE Saturday, April 19 - Get festival details- Go to Friday - Go to Thursday Dierks with quirks Dierks Bentley, tonight's headliner, is still on stage. But here are some pronto photos. And a funny note: Bentley does this funny thing when he plays. He tucks his body down into a crouch. He pushes his guitar's headstock out a little in front of him. And then he shoots off across the stage like a torpedo. Or a shark. Or a torpedo shark, hey. It's kinda cool, kinda rock-ish. But still funny. Kinda cute. Check out more photos in today's slideshow. We'll be posting video, plus Chris Hansen Orf's festival wrap-up review, tomorrow morning. Y'all come back, y'hear?  — Chris Page, 11:09 p.m. Totally Pickled Kellie Pickler just finished her set, including a cover of the Dolly Parton classic "9 to 5." You'll find fresh images in today's slideshow, with video to come shortly. On a side note, we ran into Dierks Bentley backstage during Kellie's set. The dude is tiny! But he's also ultra-nice, very sweet to his fans, and he genuinely seems to be having a good time today. Stay tuned for photos from his set, plus Chris Orf's review wrap-up of all today's great country thundah.   — Chris Page, 10:17 p.m. Are you Billy Ray? (Who wants to know?) Ah, Billy Ray Cyrus. Remember when he was a one-hit wonder? Well, he still doesn't necessarily have the best stage presence — he's kind of what you'd call a park-'n'-bark, only occasionally remembering to work the stage — but he does bring a crowd to a full froth. Check out the slideshow from today's festival for more images. Up next, it's Kellie Pickler. Images and video to come!  On a side note, a big shout-out to Hale Lake, a Flathead Lake, Montana, guy who opened Island Noodles, a traveling noodle shop, and now brings to pretty much every festival we've been at lately the tastiest grub around. He's here at Country Thunder, delivering the tasty stuff to cowboy crowds. (Photo courtesy Jess Harter/Get Out)  — Chris Page, 8:57 p.m. Sans Hannah, Cyrus shines Day three of Country Thunder USA just hit a high point — Billy Ray Cyrus just played "Achy Breaky Heart," one of the biggest country hits of the past 20 years! Billy Ray may be more famous as the father of Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus these days. [Ed.: He even asked the crowd, "How many of you watch 'Hannah Montana?,'" to loud applause.] But dear old dad still puts on a pretty good show. On the KIIM-FM (99.5 Tucson) stage today, Gilbert's Nathan Dean, who won a contest sponsored by the station to perform at Country Thunder, played a mix of originals and covers that had a good crowd in front of the stage two-steppin'. Dean told me he has a gig opening for alt.country stars Cross Canadian Ragweed coming up in Farmington, N.M., and the 28-year-old will be back in the East Valley for gigs soon. Keep an eye out for a Nathan Dean feature in Get Out soon.  — Chris Hansen Orf, 8:38 p.m. A festival of vices Country Thunder: It's more than music. It's a festival of legal vices — smoking, chewing, drinking ... So we dispatched Martin Cizmar to take us on a vice-filled journey. Oh, and if hotness is a vice and not a virtue, check out the latest additions to our "Hot Bodies" photo package. You've got two viewing choices. * A photo gallery of hi-res images, for oogling up close, or * A slideshow with captions and details for easier Google-stalking. Just kidding about the Google-stalking. Please don't do it. — Chris Page, 7:10 p.m. Luge deluge You just missed a heck of a set. Click here for a slideshow. Harry Luge — Queen Creek's own, a regular at Mesa's Roosters bar and hony-tonk — scorched the early evening crowd, prompting something like a near-riot as fans clamored for him to do an encore. He ran down the stage runway, tossing CDs into the crowd. If you're coming late to today's festival, be sure to swing by the Graham Central Station Saloon Stage after headliner Dierks Bentley (East Valley expat) finishes his show. Seriously, not only has Luge proven himself at this festival — putting aside any grumblings that his father, Roosters owner and Country Thunder honcho Harry Luge Sr., was the main motivation for booking him here — but he's set himself up as a mean contender for Arizona's best country rising star. You can hear one of tunes, "Back in Love Again," using the jukebox audio player at top right of this page.  — Chris Page, 5:52 p.m. Afternoon delight Howdy again, folks. We're on the scene at the ol' C.T., and Bucky Convington — the American Idol crooner — is on stage, putting the late afternoon crowd in the right mood for the night's headliner, Dierks Bentley. Covington just belted out a tight cover of Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" (reminding us mostly of the Dwight Yoakam cover from a few years back). Today, I'm joined by Trib writer Martin Cizmar; we'll be doing a special video segment in a minute, but first, here's something we were discussing on the drive to Florence. FANTASY COUNTRY MUSIC FEST LINEUPS The rules are simple. Pick the five country acts you'd most like to see on a festival stage. Put 'em in order from opener to headliner. And this is key: The band must still be alive and performing. MARTIN'S * Robbie Fulks * David Allan Coe * Old 97's ("Fight Songs" tour) * Loretta Lynn * Willie Nelson MINE Probably a better Thursday lineup than Friday or Saturday, admittedly. * Hem * Kasey Chambers * Old 97's ("Too Far to Care"/"Satellite Rides"/"Drag It Up" tour) * Alison Krauss and Union Station * Junior Brown JUST ADDED: JESS HARTER, Get Out dining critic * Ronnie Milsap * Martina McBride * Alan Jackson * Brooks & Dunn * Garth Brooks FRANCES MARLOW, Get Out/Tribune gal Friday; the coolest person you'll ever party with * Restless Heart * Earl Thomas Conley * The Bellamy Bros. * Johnny Lee * Rodney Crowell CHRIS HANSEN ORF, Get Out music writer * Steve Earle — the king of alt.country brings plenty of attitude to the staid Nashville establishment * Randy Travis — so many big hits, all rendered in his classic baritone * Dwight Yoakam — twang personified; Dwight is a throwback to the honky-tonkin' '60s * Hank Williams Jr. — Hank Jr. is a party unto himself * Garth Brooks — there has been no entertainer in the history of country music greater than Garth Brooks What's your list? Leave it in the comments section below. — Chris Page, 4:26 p.m. You can't keep a Fogerty down Chris Hansen Orf checks in with his review of Friday's festival: Reigning Country Music Association duo of the year Sugarland may have been the headlining act on the main stage at Country Thunder USA on Friday, but John Fogerty, the former Creedence Clearwater Revival singer/songwriter and solo artist who played a nearly 90-minute set before Sugarland, proved he’s still a tough act to follow.Curious? Read the full review here.   — Chris Page, 11:11 a.m. DAY TWO Friday, April 18 - Get festival details- Go to Thursday Imagine, without the hippie pressure You'll find a truncated slideshow of Friday's images here, though the most fun is yet to come Saturday. Stick around.  — Chris Page, 1:41 a.m. Fogerty, Fogerty, Fogerty — does a ghost come? Man, oh man. Compared to the cute young'ns who've populated the County Thunder stages much of this festival, John Fogerty is a seasoned presence. At least until Sawyer Brown shows up. But hey. At least there's the realization that much of Fogerty's early work — he's basically played every one of his oldies but "Centerfield" (oh, wait ... now it's the pre-encore) — anyway, it all fits within country's genre sutures without much budge. Here, some Fogerty pics. Next, some Sugarland photos. Maybe. Their handlers have been mighty funky about allowing press to shoot them. "It's because the dude" — the male of the duo — "is, like, 5-foot-4," my buddy Orf says. Ouch. Oh, here. Some Forgerty action.     — Chris Hansen Orf (text), Chris Page (photos), 10:13 p.m. Like an Orf-stone cowboy Day two of Country Thunder USA is in full swing! One of the things I like to do is check out the acts on the side stages, and today Full House — who play every Tuesday at Old Pueblo — was playing classic country tunes on the KIIM-FM (99.5 Tucson) stage in between mainstage acts. A lot of the mainstage bands have a pop tilt to their country, so it was refreshing to hear Full House (featuring singers Jack Bishop and Laura Kaye) kicking out hardcore country hits from the likes of Loretta Lynn, early George Strait ("The Fireman") and Patsy Cline ("Walkin' After Midnight"). Judging by the older couples two-steppin' to Full House, old country never really gets old. Pat Green, who is a bona fide superstar in his own home state of Texas, is on the mainstage now, and he gave a shout-out to a whole section of fans holding up Union Jacks! John Fogerty, one of my heroes, is up next; hopefully he'll kick out some CCR tunes. Check back for my concert reviews from Day Two tomorrow morning. [PHOTOS: Pat Green plays for a receptive, rockin' crowd; in the last shot, a jamming kid plays during Green's set. Do we have a future ax-strummer in our midst?]     — Chris Hansen Orf (text), Chris Page (photos), 8:08 p.m. It means "Grand River," or not  Why, it's the guys from Rio Grand! Signing autographs for fans backstage before their gig tonight! (Some of those in line, though, don't know who they're standing in line for. And I mistake the curly-blonde one for the lead singer. Nope. It's the slightly out-of-shape one.) They have a lot of songs about dying, at least going by their MySpace audio player. Kinda morbid. — Chris Page, 5:07 p.m. Hat's amore You might call it a waste of video and video editing. I call it helpful hints from one Ms. Beverly Hills, of Beverly Hills, Calif. She runs The Rhinestone Cowgirl, a cowboy hattery at Country Thunder. — Chris Page, 4:23 p.m. Wait, there's more You'll find more images in our "hot bods" slideshow and photo gallery. Sheesh, the sheer amount of bared skin – granted, it's in the mid-80s with little shade — Country Thunder's like an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. Make that Abercrombie & Trailer-Hitch. I caught a fair bit of Chasin' Mason's set, opening up the mainstage, and it was pretty darn solid. Though my favorite part was when the lead singer, Billy O'Dwyer, thanked the crowd for hanging out and — this is a rough quote — listening to songs you've never heard. Gotta love a little self-deprecation in a festival opening act. Too much, mind you, would be awkward and embarrassing. Feel free to give the band a listen. — Chris Page, 2:21 p.m. Hotness on display Those who caught our blog coverage of the Tempe Music Festival last month can attest: One of the most popular features was our "hot bods" slideshow. Well, since there's no music playing yet, and there's plenty of sunshine, here's Hot Bods II: Country Thunder Edition. Click here for a larger photo gallery, or the image below for a slideshow. We'll continue to update throughout the festival.  — Chris Page, 11:49 a.m. In my humble opinion So how was Thursday's Country Thunder, you ask? Let's check in with music writer Chris Hansen Orf for his well-educated, well-countrified take. Country Thunder USA 2008’s opening day could not have been more pleasant.Well, OK, it's more nuanced than that. Read his full review here. — Chris Page, 10:31 a.m. Dawn rises on a crumpled Bud Light can Morning, folks, from the still-waking grounds at Country Thunder in Florence, Ariz., after a rockin' last night. And what a night it was: After Neal McCoy's peppy performance last night, most of us retired to the campgrounds for a quiet evening of s'mores, singing showtunes by the fire, and a screening of Disney's "Enchanted."  Just kidding.It was party mayhem. The campgrounds stayed hollered 'n' boozy 'n' festive until ... well, I fell asleep before things died down. Some folks stuck around for a Graham Central Station Saloon Stage (*breath*) gig by Queen Creek's own Harry Luge, and he was blistering! Be sure to check him out on the mainstage on Saturday; he'll be doing a 5 p.m. set before Heartland takes the stage. Or, if you'd rather, give him a sampling on our jukebox player at the top right of this page. We'll be playing tunes from Thunder bands we dig throughout the fest. My favorite quote of the morning, a kid who was rustling through a trash can in the campgrounds at 8 a.m., collecting beer cans to recycle for money: "Ewww! Someone threw up in here!" It's the kind of statement that would have made the late-Thursday party crowd probably hoot and holler proudly in response. Before we gear up for today's round of concerts — including, yes, Sugarland — I'm going to rustle up some breakfast and snap shots of the stampede of folks who run in when gates open at 11 a.m. Count on some photos later, as well as an exploration of the vendor booths out here. (No, I won't be buying a Stetson.) In the meantime, be sure to vote for the performer you're most hoping to catch. We'll see you here, out at Country Thunder! — Chris Page, 9:43 a.m. DAY ONE Thursday, April 17 - Get festival detailsA little slideshow action   Click here for a slideshow from Thursday's festival. — Chris Page, 12:14 a.m. Grab the popcorn, it's movie time — Chris Page, 11:54 p.m. Night becomes electric Country Thunder USA has officially kicked off, and 15,000 country music fans are representin' in Florence, AZ. My colleague Chris Page and I pulled into the camping area late in the afternoon (Page's camping here, going gonzo like Hunter S. Thompson to get the country flava) and set up his tent in a field full of fans; the party was already hopping. Joe Nichols just got done with his set on the mainstage and Neal McCoy will be out soon. Check back later for my review of their sets. I've already met some fun-loving folks, just saw Joe Nichols backstage walking to his bus, caught a cool set by Colorado-based jazzy/country/bluegrass band Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband at the Graham Central Station Saloon Stage, and ran into my good friends The Wyatts, from Tucson, who are playing in between mainstage acts on a third stage here. So far it's been fun — good weather (unlike opening night last year, when it was rainy, windy and really cold) — and it should be a full weekend of sun and country fun. Stay tuned! — Chris Hansen Orf, 9:42 p.m. Hangin' with Dierks Morning, folks. It's not quite Thunder time yet — more like Wheaties time — but if you're killing breakfast time, check in with our music honcho Chris Orf and his pre-show phoner with Saturday's headliner, Valley expat Dierks Bentley, who chats about everything from Shaq to the next stages of his career. My favorite takeaway from the piece: The singer will release a greatest-hits CD later this year and took the unusual step of letting his fans pick the 10 songs and the artwork for the disc, listing more than 3,000 fans as executive producers — it takes six pages — in the album’s liner notes.You'll find the full story and streaming audio of two Dierks ditties here, or sans tunes in today's Get Out magazine. On a touching note, here's an excerpt from Orf's Music Notes column, in which Bentley explains that his merchandise sales at Country Thunder will be going to a very special cause. All of Valley native and country star Dierks Bentley’s merchandise sales at Country Thunder USA will go to benefit a friend of the singer who is recovering from complications of a surgery related to cystic fibrosis.That's all for now. See you later at the fest! And remember, if you're attending and have a story to tell, contact us. — Chris Page, 8:55 a.m. PRESHOW Wednesday, April 16 - Get festival detailsGearing up It's Country Thunder USA time in Florence, and country music fans are stampeding through the dust and alfalfa fields to see headlining acts Neal McCoy, Sugarland, Dierks Bentley and Phil Vassar. Slide on yer Tony Lamas, don yer cowboy hat and jeans and head on down! I'll be doing some live blogging and posting concert reviews through Saturday to keep y'all up on the twang and the good times. — Chris Hansen Orf, 12:45 p.m. Got a story? Are you attending Country Thunder and have a story to tell? Whether you're partying with your entire extended family or have proof you're Billy Ray Cyrus' biggest fan, either leave a message at (480) 898-5656 or shoot us an e-mail explaining the angle and providing a cell phone number to reach you at the fest; you could make the news! — Chris Page, 12:32 p.m. Lineup and event details  COUNTRY THUNDER USA When: Gates open 3 p.m. Thursday, April 17; 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19; noon Sunday, April 19Where: 20585 E. Price Station Road, outside Florence How much: $35-$500 Info: (520) 868-9711 or countrythunder.com. - Go to the top of this page Thursday 3 p.m.: Doo-Wah Riders. This long-running country act (they’ve been together for more than 20 years) describe their music as “high energy country with a Cajun twist.”4:30 p.m.: Ryan Shupe & The Rubber Band. These Colorado twangers mix bluegrass, country, folk and rock into their sound. The band scored a country hit a few years ago with “Dream Big.” 8 p.m.: Joe Nichols. One of the best baritone country singers out there, Nichols has delivered several hits, including “Brokenheartsville,” “What’s a Guy Gotta Do” and “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” into the Top 10 in recent years. 10 p.m.: Neal McCoy. Known for his energetic stage show, Oklahoman McCoy has had several hits in his two-decade career, including the 2005 Top 10 “Billy’s Got His Beer Goggles On.” Friday 12:30 p.m.: Chasin’ Mason. This Wisconsin combo played a crowd-pleasing set of their country rock on the main stage at last year’s Country Thunder.1:30 p.m.: Cindy Standage. Mesa’s own Cindy Standage is currently working on a CD in Music City and in addition to her set at Country Thunder will open for the great George Jones in Prescott Valley in May. 2:30 p.m.: Fisher Stevenson. Virginia native and Nashville-based Stevenson, signed to Big Machine Records (home to Taylor Swift), lists artists as diverse as Keith Urban, Bruce Springsteen and Rodney Crowell as influences. 4 p.m.: Shawn Hammonds. Nashville’s Hammonds is a throwback to the hard country of the past, and that’s a good thing, with a voice resembling George Strait and influences such as Merle Haggard, George Jones and Johnny Paycheck. 5:30 p.m.: Rio Grand. Texas quartet Rio Grand played a popular set at last year’s Country Thunder, kicking up dust with a blend of twang and rock ‘n’ roll. 7 p.m.: Pat Green. Long before Green became a fixture on contemporary country radio he was wildly popular in his home state of Texas. Green’s hits include “Wave on Wave,” “Feels Just Like It Should” and “Baby Doll.” 8:30 p.m.: John Fogerty. The former leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival has always been a little bit country, and his latest solo disc, “Revival” (2007), contains plenty of country-rock gems. 10 p.m.: Sugarland. This Atlanta duo, singers of such hits as “Baby Girl,” “Everyday America” and “Stay,” stunned many observers by unseating Brooks & Dunn as Duo of the Year at the 2007 CMAs. Of Sugarland’s eight released singles, only one has failed to reach the Country Top 10. Saturday 1:30 p.m.: Chuck Wicks. Delaware native Wicks scored the biggest debut of any country artist in 2007 with his Top 5 hit, “Stealing Cinderella.”2:30 p.m.: Luke Bryan. Newcomer Bryan had a big 2007, penning the Billy Currington No. 1 hit “Good Directions” and scoring a Top 10 smash with his own “All My Friends Say.” 4 p.m.: Bucky Covington. Following in the footsteps of Carrie Underwood, Covington has parlayed his “American Idol” fame into a solid country career, scoring hits with “A Different World” (No. 6) and the currently rising “It’s Good to Be Us.” 5 p.m.: Harry Luge. Queen Creek’s own Luge, who is a fixture at local honky-tonk Rooster’s Country on Main Street in Mesa, blends Southern rock with country in a raucous live show. 6 p.m.: Heartland. Some songs are just meant to be wedding classics, and Alabama Southern rock/country band Heartland’s “I Loved Her First” is one of the best you’ll hear. 7 p.m.: Billy Ray Cyrus. Billy Ray Cyrus scored one of country’s biggest hits of the ’90s with “Achy Breaky Heart” (1992), and the singer scored a more recent hit (with an assist from Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana) with “Ready, Set, Don’t Go.” 8:30 p.m.: Kellie Pickler. Like Bucky Covington, Pickler may not have won the “American Idol” crown during season 5, but her career is booming bigger than most of “AI’s” former champs. Her current single is the clever “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.” 10:30 p.m.: Dierks Bentley. Local boy done good Bentley was born and raised in Phoenix before moving to Nashville and has fashioned a career that includes three Top 5 albums and five Top 10 country singles. Sunday 1:30 p.m.: Bluefield. A duo consisting of singer/songwriters Rick Ferrell and Jennifer Hicks, Bluefield is signed to Country Thunder Records.3 p.m. Heidi Newfield. The former singer of hitmakers Trick Pony, Newfield has just released her debut single, “Johnny and June,” and will see the release of her debut disc, “What Am I Waiting For,” later this year. 4:30 p.m.: Danielle Peck. Rising country star Danielle Peck’s 2006 self-titled debut disc yielded four singles that hit the country chart, including the Top 20 hit “Findin’ a Good Man.” 6:30 p.m.: Sawyer Brown. Long-running combo Sawyer Brown (they won “Star Search” in 1983!) is always a popular concert act, playing a plethora of their 18 Top 10 country hits. 10 p.m.: Phil Vassar. Singer/songwriter Phil Vassar wrote No. 1 hits for artists such as Alan Jackson, Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw before having his own chart success with such No. 1s as “Just Another Day in Paradise” and “In a Real Love.” - Go to the top of this page Contact Chris Hansen Orf by email, or phone (480) 898-5684. |
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Reader comments (8)
This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below. Responsibility lies solely with the comment author.
Holly
You really should check out vendor Treasured Grace - combining God & Country! Suggest removal of this commentApril 19, 2008
Emily
I loved seeing mine and my boyfriends picture in the hot bodies section Suggest removal of this commentApril 20, 2008
John Deere Green
Do rednecks know how to blog? Suggest removal of this commentApril 21, 2008
Emily
I loved seeing my picture in the hot bodies section but, you guys took me out of the slideshow that had mine and my boyfriends name and our ages in it. That was important to me.http://getoutaz.com/gallery/index.php?list=115&page=2 Comment has been reviewedApril 22, 2008
C. Page
Hey, Emily, don't fret! You're still here. The slideshow got shuffled a bit with new entires.http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/page/slideshow/1093/40
Thanks! Suggest removal of this comment
April 22, 2008
kim stevens
i am looking for a picture of our 17 year old son who sang God bless America on Friday night 4-18 at country thunder. we would appreciate any help with this thank you Suggest removal of this commentApril 22, 2008
DrChucky
Well when going to this event I was very surprised at how bad the venue was set up. I felt that from the general admissions area that I would have been better streaming the concert off of the internet. It was extremely expensive $55 for two burgers and chilli cheese fries and four drinks. As well they were not letting any one camp if they did not have a four day pass. Well with me already paying for the one day pass and them explaining that to me when we got there I was upset. I think that I would have had more fun at home if I had never went to this event. Suggest removal of this commentApril 23, 2008
Peggy
This is my 3rd year and I thought it was horrible. Dirty and dusty. Water trucks not coming by nearly enough! Very expensive and the sound was horrible from the back. C'mon folks, we paid good $ for camping and a 4day pass. I think we deserved a much better show!!! So disappointed :( And you couldn't take WATER into the show! Suggest removal of this commentApril 27, 2008