1. Art and Diseño

Since 1995
It's not just music ...
it's a lifestyle
February 2015
Aaron Watson
THE RELEASE OF UNDERDOG
JIMMY KIMMEL Makes a
Date With MJ&M in Austin
AMERICAN SNIPER
EVERY MAN’S BATTLE PG.3
iHeartRadio Country
Festival is back!
CHICKEN EDUCATION
In Counting Your Chickens
FROM THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AUSTIN, TEXAS • COUNTRYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
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2 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
YOUR TRUCK SOURCE
by TJ Greaney
Since time began, the people who
with their very lives have made a positive
impact on society are offset by others
who only wish they could make a real
difference, and who instead complain,
disagree and do battle. I am going to try
to not pop-a-cork here. I am so tired of
people who complain but are not willing to
step-in, stand-up, stand in the gap for what
is good and right and strong. When a man
does something powerful, when his story
is shared, even if embellished or polished,
but it moves people to good, I applaud it.
The new movie American Sniper is a perfect
example.
There are a few big name celebrity
types who are chiming in against the
movie. I am not losing any sleep over their
words because I have never supported them
in their movies or efforts to begin with.
They are prostitutes to some of Satan’s
most successful minions: fame, money, and
ego. I am more concerned about the men I
know who are forwarding links to materials
that try to warp the good that is coming
from the movie. They are buying into the
lies that are attempting to tear down the
good from the Chris Kyle story.
There has never been a more important
time in America for us to rally behind
good. To find a hero we can cheer for. To
try and break off the lies the evil one is
pounding into our culture. He is trying
to tear this country, the most incredible
country in the world, apart with lies. The
truth is that there will always be wars and
we need brave young men to fight them.
We need seasoned men to lead them, teach
them, console and train them.
Apathy. A demon that will kill a man
inside. Every man hears the call to duty;
their heart races when they are faced with
adventure. But not every man has the
ability, the courage, and the physical power
to step up. At 30 years old Chris Kyle did,
and at 55 I cheered for him and those who
went to battle with him. Real men strive
to understand truth and reality. Not relying
on a momentary emotion, but hard fact,
and then participating. Getting up early,
staying up late, going on when it seems
impossible, and doing everything you can
man she loved to be there. For many
men, good men, God fearing men, the
struggle to be real and available from the
heart can be harder than facing a group of
armed insurgents face-to-face. Coming off
the battle fields from faraway lands, men
can be detached and unavailable in the
office or the job site. The battle back is
incredibly hard. Kyle fought his way back
and it was a wonderful depiction of courage
on the home front.
Today, I seek so desperately to be in
the presence of Jesus. To find still, quiet
places to hear Him. To be with others who
are seeking Him… the boys we spend time
with in the ministry who share moments
of pure innocence that inspire my heart…
seasoned believers who teach me, share,
and walk with me in the good and bad
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME IN AMERICA FOR
US TO RALLY BEHIND GOOD. TO FIND A HERO WE CAN CHEER FOR.
to be the man God calls you to be. How
could a man not cheer on and dream of
doing what Kyle did at age 30?
The epidemic of fatherlessness is
destroying our country and our boys. It’s
not new, many of us have the wounds of a
father… or of no father. Some wounds are
blatant, big gaping scars oozing pus. Others
are small scabs that are just constantly
irritating. We spend years trying to push
it behind us with all types of excuses and
addictions. I quit the drugs and alcohol.
It wasn’t easy, but I did it… only to battle
even deeper demons of anger and selfcenteredness. I walked the line for years
and was so close to losing the precious gifts
of a wife and children. I disconnected from
my family even when they were right in
front of me. Worked long hours because
there, I knew I could handle things.
Resentment was a form of anger. My old
saying to everyone one was, “I am right,
and what I say is the only thing you need
to know as truth.” It was an ugly life verse I
believed for years.
Women want and need to have strong,
good, Godly men who will fight for them
and for their family. Kyle’s wife, like so
many wives, was desperately seeking the
moments of my life. I am not looking for
a fix. I am not praying a lofty request that
shoots me with a bazooka of joy. I want
real life, real men, real believers, men and
women who have walked uneven ground
and then share from that place, deep and
real. Chris Kyle was offering that back to
the men he cared for in his efforts back
home. Hands on real life, all in.
My nephew went to war. He is still a
member of the National Guard, and he
is a police officer. He is a good man. A
young man with a family, who has always
been willing to give his life for country or
citizen. Those American citizens are you
and me. I have a best friend whose son
went to Iraq for three tours. His struggle
back to this place has been hard. He went
because He felt in his heart it was the
right thing to do. It was hard, he did and
saw hard things. These men are heroes in
my book, and there are so many more like
them.
Few folks walked alongside Kyle. Many
may claim to know him, but few probably
really did. How many people really know
your day, your true heart and your feelings?
When I am gone, when all this is left
behind, I pray my life story moves people
to understand something bigger. I pray they
are moved to action, to do something that
matters, like Kyle has.
Most often in movies, television and
commercials today, men are portrayed as
bumbling idiots. Getting drunk, cheating
on your wife, sleeping around, taking drugs,
and being a complete idiot. Commercials
depict wives taking over to put in a light
bulb, change a tire, discipline a child, or
paint a room because the guy can’t. What
man ever grew up dreaming that he would
be that man? Boys dream of being tough
cowboys, snipers, fighter pilots, hunters,
football quarterbacks or a knights on a
white stallion.
I don’t care if there are inaccuracies in
the story of Chris Kyle. I don’t care if it
is all just a great story. I left that theatre
moved in a mighty way. I was inspired and
proud to be an American. I was proud to
be living in the most incredible, free and
important country in the world.
So those naysayers out there can have
their say. I am having mine. That’s how
it works, because guys like Chris Kyle, my
nephew, and so many others chose to step
into the gap for us. God bless America,
amen.
– TJ GREANEY
[email protected]
KENNY CHESNEY - THE BIG REVIVAL TOUR
Coming to Austin360 Amphitheater with Special
Guests Jake Owen and Chase Rice
Kenny Chesney played the firstever performance at our Austin360
Amphitheater in 2013 and we're
excited to welcome him back with his
The Big Revival Tour on Thursday,
May 21, along with special guests
Jake Owen and Chase Rice! This is
Chesney's first tour in more than a
year and he'll bring a taste of The
Big Revival with hits “Til It's Gone,”
“American Kids,” and “The Big
Revival.”
Tickets go on sale Friday, February
6th at noon.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 3
MJ&M Event in Austin Benefits Children’s Charities
Across the United States
Mack, Jack & McConaughey
(MJ&M), the joint fundraising effort
of ESPN analyst and legendary football
coach Mack Brown, ACM award
winning recording artist Jack Ingram, and
Academy Award®-winning actor Matthew
McConaughey, recently announced the
participation of late night host and Emmy®
award winner Jimmy Kimmel to perform
on April 17th before the Jack & Friends
concert at Austin City Limits Live at
The Moody Theater (ACL Live). Also
that same day American contemporary
designer, Michelle Smith, will debut her
latest collection at an exclusive fashion
show at the W Hotel in conjunction with
Neiman Marcus. Designer Michelle Smith
will attend the event, hosted by Camila
Alves McConaughey, Sally Brown, and
Amy Ingram.
The MILLY collection epitomizes bold,
advanced contemporary fashion with a
feminine edge. Designer Michelle Smith
transforms classic silhouettes by merging
American sportswear influences with
distinctive Parisian atelier techniques.
Smith’s eye for impeccable detail, use of
luxurious, cutting-edge fabrics and precise
tailoring have made MILLY a cult favorite
across the globe.
Thursday April 16th MJ&M kicks
off with the Gala, Live Auction, and a
special soon to be announced headlining
performance at ACL Live. On Friday
April 17th, MJ&M will continue with
Pictured:
Jimmy
Kimmel
in this issue
FEATURES
MJ&M Event in austin benefits children’s
charities across the united states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The iheartradio country festival is back! . . . . . . . . . 5
special olympics to unite the usa in the
first-ever unified relay across america . . . . . . . . . . . 7
aaron watson defies the odds with
the underdog out feb 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
local park grants fund projects statewide . . . . . . 16
craig morgan receives prestigious golden
moose award for his hit tv series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
DEPARTMENTS
the success of the Celebrity Classic
Golf Tournament at Spanish Oaks Golf
Club. Also on Friday MILLY designer
and founder, Michelle Smith, will hold a
fashion show with Neiman Marcus at the
W Hotel followed by the Jack Ingram &
Friends concert with Jimmy Kimmel at
ACL Live.
Every year, MJ&M will support
non-profit organizations that share the
principals’ goal to empower kids. This
year MJ&M is excited to announce
that the funds raised will support The
Rise School of Austin, just keep livin
Foundation, HeartGift, CureDuchenne,
and Dell Children’s Medical Center of
Central Texas.
Nashville news by Sandra Greaney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Texas roadhouse by Dale Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Round about texas by Sandra Greaney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
coffee shop moments by D. “Bing” Bingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
recipe/Hints by Shirley Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
counting your chickens by Mike Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
following the way by Jeff Gore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
on the trail by Kendall Hemphill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Texas tales by Mike Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
the outdoor classroom by Larry LeBlanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
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LETTERS & COMMENTS
[email protected] or mailing address
E D I T O R | T. J. Greaney
P U B L I S H E R | Sandra L. Greaney
M A R K E T I N G D I R E C T O R | Ruby Servin
O F F I C E M A N A G E R | Jan Pomeroy
C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S | Mike Young, Larry LeBlanc,
Shirley Baker, D. “Bing” Bingham, T.J. Greaney, Kendall Hemphill,
Jeff Gore, Mike Cox, Dale Martin
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DISCLAIMER:
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Country Line Magazine do
not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the editor, publisher or owners. No part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without
prior written permission from the publisher and is only deemed valid if approval is in writing.
4 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
The iHeartRadio Country Festival is BACK!
Wednesday morning iHeartMedia announced that
the iHeartRadio Country Festival would return to
Austin, Texas on May 2, 2015.
Last year, the first-ever iHeartRadio Country Festival
brought the biggest names in country music together on
one stage at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.
The country music of the iHeartRadio app will
come to life onstage in Austin once again with an
extraordinary lineup including Tim McGraw, Brantley
Gilbert, Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley, with more to
be announced, and will be hosted by iHeartMedia's
nationally-syndicated Country music personality Bobby
Bones.
“This is truly a night of Country’s All-Stars” said
John Sykes, President of iHeartMedia Entertainment
Enterprises. “Every single one of these artists can
headline an arena or stadium on their own, but on this
night they will share the stage to celebrate the amazing
music on our iHeartRadio country stations and the
iHeartRadio app.”
“The country format has great talent and on-air
personalities who have such a strong bond and loyalty
with their fans and there is no better way to celebrate
that relationship than at a live event.” said Tom
Poleman, President of National Programming Platforms
for iHeartMedia. “With our more than 120 country
stations nationwide we have the ability to bring the
biggest events and one-of-a-kind experiences to our
loyal listeners that no one else can provide.”
Fans who cannot attend the iHeartRadio Country
Festival will be able to listen live on iHeartMedia’s
Country music radio stations in their local markets or on
iHeartRadio.com. Streaming details will be announced
soon.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 28.
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
Brantley Gilbert
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 5
by Sandra Greaney
Lots of new releases coming out from your favorite
Country artists. Here’s a look at what has just been
released to what we can expect thru spring.
In January came – Cody Canada & the Departed,
Hippielovepunk; RaeLynn, Me EP; LiveWire Quit You
Coming in February – Rodney Atkins, Greatest Hits;
Kid Rock, First Kiss
Coming in March – Kelly Clarkson, Piece by Piece;
Shania Twain, Shania: Still the One Live From Vegas; Luke
Bryan Spring Break EP; Striking Matches, Nothing But the
Silence; Darius Rucker, Southern Style
The Band Perry, Carrie Underwood, Randy Houser, Reba
McEntire and Scotty McCreery all have albums in the work
to be released – no hard dates have been released as of yet.
Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Many
More to Perform at the 57th Annual
Grammy Awards Feb. 8, 2015
GRAMMY winner Miranda Lambert has four
nominations: Best Country Solo Performance and Best
Country Song for “Automatic,” Best Country Duo/Group
Performance for “Somethin’ Bad” with Carrie Underwood,
and Best Country Album for Platinum.
Church is up for four awards this year; Best Country
Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Give
Me Back My Hometown;” Best Country Duo/Group
Performance for “Raise ‘Em Up” (with Keith Urban); and
Best Country Album for The Outsiders.
Graham Brown Returns With
Forever Changed
It’s been almost a decade since T. Graham Brown has
released a new studio album, but that drought recently
came to an end with the release of Forever Changed.
In addition to Brown’s trademark blues styling,
Forever Changed features no less than twelve of Brown’s
contemporaries and fellow artists lending their talents to
the album. Among the guest list includes Vince Gill, Leon
Russell, Steve Cropper, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Jimmy
Fortune. The disc has already made a little bit of history
for the Georgia native by garnering him his first ever
Grammy nomination
– in the category of
Best Gospel Roots
Album. Brown
and his wife Sheila
will be traveling
to Los Angeles for
the February 8th
Grammy festivities
Brown – whose
last studio disc was
2006’s The Present
– is very excited for
his fans to hear the new music. “It’s a neat record. I think
it’s probably the best one I’ve ever made, and I’ve got a
lot of friends singing on it. I picked out a batch of songs I
liked, and it turned out exactly like I wanted it to. Then,
it gets nominated for a Grammy, and I’ve never been
nominated for one before, so I’m loving every minute of
it.” The album’s first single, “He’ll Take Care Of You,”
the collaboration with Vince Gill, is currently making an
impact at both Country radio and Southern Gospel radio.
2015 marks three decades since Brown first hit the
charts, and the singer will celebrate by taking his unique
blend of Country and Blues on the road.
For news and an updated schedule, log on to
www.TGrahamBrown.net
Singer, Performer & Painter Ronnie
McDowell Spends a Special Moment with
Dolly Parton
Ronnie McDowell is highly respected by his peers
and loved by his fans. Radio favorites and chart topper’s
such as “Older Women” and “You’re Gonna Ruin My
Bad Reputation,” along with “Watchin’ Girls Go By,”
“All Tied Up” and “In A New York Minute” laid the
foundation to an impressive career spanning more than
forty years.
It wasn’t that long ago that Ronnie was presented with
the opportunity to sing a duet with the legendary Dolly
Parton called “Last Night I Dreamed About Elvis.” It
seemed like the obvious choice because she knew he
had the same love for Elvis as she did. Dolly shared with
Ronnie her story about the time Elvis wanted to record “I
Will Always Love You,” she was so excited about it and
had told everyone. Due to disagreements over publishing
with Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ manager, Dolly never got
her Elvis moment. Touched by the story, Ronnie put one of his lesser
known talents to work and not only created an Elvis
moment for Dolly, but one designed to stand the test of
time. Ronnie shares, “When the time came to reveal the
big surprise, I took the cover off and Dolly’s expression was
priceless and was followed by screams and more screams. I
filmed it and I’m so glad I did because it was magic.
Painting description: Elvis and Dolly are on a picnic in
her hometown of Sevierville, TN with the Great Smoky
Mountains in the background. The lyric sheet to “I Will
Always Love You,” which is also the name of the painting,
is laying on the blanket with Dolly holding her guitar with
a butterfly resting gently on it.
When Dolly had a moment to compose herself, she
exclaimed “Damn! I WISH I looked that good!”
James Carothers Signs Exclusive
Agreement
Country newcomer James Carothers has signed an
exclusive worldwide booking agreement with Nashvillebased Third Coast Talent. Hailed for his “gut-bucket baritone,” compelling
songwriting and commanding stage presence, Carothers
honed his chops on the Southwest touring circuit prior
to his recent move to Nashville. “It was important to me
to get back to my roots,” observes the native Tennessean. “And this is still where the rubber meets the road on the
business end of things.”
The entertainer is easily winning over even the mostjaded of the City’s movers and shakers.
Carothers, who has been compared to Waylon
Jennings and Jamey Johnson, produced his current CD,
Honky Tonk Land. An eight-track tour-de-force of
true Country music, the disc features seven Carothers’
originals, and takes the listener back to a time when songs
of life’s triumphs and struggles filled the Country airwaves. www.thirdcoasttalent.com
Owner: Manny Figueroa
3 Rooms - $50.00
Carpet • Flooring • Ceramic Tile
512-748-8680 *Se habla Espanol
6 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Special Olympics to Unite the USA
in the First-Ever Unified Relay Across America
The Flame of Hope will pass through Texas from June 19-26
Special Olympics and Michelle Kwan
recently announced that registration has
opened for the first-ever Special Olympics
Unified Relay Across America. The
Unified Relay will give anyone in the
country a chance to carry the Flame of
Hope that will be lit in Athens, Greece
and help deliver it to Los Angeles for the
Special Olympics World Games – now
only six months away. Over the course of
46 days, in a hand-to-hand exchange, over
20,000 participants will run, walk or bike
a segment of the relay in this team and
individual fundraising event as it passes
through all 50 states.
From the time the Flame of Hope
enters Texas on Friday, June 19 in Groves,
it will be passed along 833 segments
until its trek through the Lone Star State
concludes a week later (Friday, June 26) in
Amarillo.
“In a time when there is so much
dividing people, our World Games offer
an opportunity for our nation to come
together to celebrate differences and unify
in the spirit of respect and inclusion,” said
Special Olympics CEO Janet Froetscher.
“With so many people coming to the U.S.
for the World Games, this is a once in a
lifetime opportunity for every citizen to
carry the Flame of Hope through their
communities where it will light the
caldron that burns during the Games. As
the torch makes its way across our country
it will bring us together in a unique way
that will open hearts and minds.”
The U.S. portion of the Unified Relay
will begin on May 26, where it will be split
into three simultaneous routes starting
in Augusta, Maine; Miami, Florida; and
Washington, D.C. Traveling west, all three
routes will become unified in Los Angeles
on July 10. Along each route, welcoming
ceremonies and community celebrations
will take place nightly with musical
performances, celebrity guests and Unified
Sports Experiences.
Each Unified Relay route will be led
by a group of co-captains, including media
personalities, actors, musicians, athletes
and Special Olympics athletes. Country
music's very own Josh Turner is slated to be
a co-captain.
The Unified Relay Across America
aims to unify the entire world in one
giant celebration of the spirit of Special
Olympics.”
Participants can find out more
information and sign up for the Unified
Relay Across America presented by Bank
of America at www.unifiedrelay.org.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 7
Texas roadhouse
This time of year means rodeo time in
Texas. Three Texas cities, Austin, Houston
and San Antonio all kick off their rodeos
in the first few months of the year. San
Antonio gets started first with Joe Nichols
kicking things off on Feb. 12. It will run
through February and will feature such
acts as Hunter Hayes, Keith Urban, John
Legend, Eli Young Band, Reba McEntire,
Styx and Josh Abbott. For a full list of
performers and ticket info, see their
website at sarodeo.com.
The Houston Rodeo is the largest of
the Texas rodeos, simply because it’s held
in the huge NRG Stadium, located next
door to the Astrodome. They start the
fun on March 3rd with Eric Church and
continue through March 22nd with the
final show by Luke Bryan. Entertainers
this year include Miranda Lambert, Fall
Out Boy, Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band,
Pitbull, Ariana Grande and Brad Paisley,
just to name a few. Check out their website
at rodeohouston.com.
The State Capital starts their rodeo
on March 14th with the Texas icon Willie
Nelson. Dwight Yoakam, Eli Young Band,
Beach Boys, Randy Rogers Band, Turnpike
Troubadours, Martina McBride and many
others follow Willie with the final show
being March 28 featuring Kevin Fowler.
You can get their full schedule and tickets
at rodeoaustin.com.
Wade Bowen is starting off 2015 with
a bang. He made his national TV debut
on Conan, adding another milestone to a
remarkable list of accomplishments since
the release of his self-titled album late last
year. It’s the biggest independent release
of his career and has already surpassed
the success of his last major label release.
“When I Woke Up Today,” the first single
from the new album, has also been added
to heavy rotation on SiriusXM’s “The
Highway,” which spent several weeks at #1
on the Texas Music Chart. Bowen’s new
album marks a true breakthrough for his
music, both artistically and professionally.
“On all my earlier records, I think I felt
like I had something to prove. On this
album, I threw all of that out the window,”
he says. “I felt like I needed to hit the
by Dale Martin
reset button. That’s what this record feels
like, the start of the next phase of my
career. It was nice to make music for the
right reasons and just to have fun with it.
Hopefully people will enjoy listening to it
as much as we enjoyed making it.” Bowen
is a household in Texas but the new album
is expected to widen his popularity all
over the country. As with all Texas artists,
Wade tour constantly to support the new
album. He has upcoming shows in College
Station, Dallas, Houston, Wichita Falls,
Navasota, Nacogdoches, Fort Worth,
Abilene, Lubbock and San Antonio. Keep
up with his tour and news at wadebowen.
com.
Speaking of Wade Bowen, he and
Randy Rogers front of two of the most
popular bands in Texas. Once a year they
team up for an acoustic tour they jokingly
call the “Hold My Beer and Watch
This” tour. It’s a stripped-down, acoustic
set that allows them to play smaller venues
like the ones they got their start in, earlier
in their careers. They have been doing
these two man tours for the past seven
years and finally found time to record a
duet album. The new album, which shares
the same name as the tour, will finally be
released on April 26th. Rogers first met
Bowen in San Marcos in 2002, and the
two became good friends. Hold My Beer is
now available for pre-order via Bandcamp,
with an immediate download of three
tracks, including two bonus acoustic tunes
recorded live during last year’s tour. “We
both like the idea of showing loyalty to the
venues we played when we were getting
started and for the people who supported
us during that time,” Rogers told the
Dallas Observer last year. “Our bands have
outgrown the venues we played back then,
so this is a great chance for us to play in
rooms like Cheatham Street Warehouse in
San Marcos, where I first started. It helps
us to stay grounded and true in that sense.”
The track list for the new CD includes:
In the Next Life; I Had My Hopes Up
High; ‘Til It Does; Good Luck With That;
It’s Been a Great Afternoon; I’ve Got
Standards; El Dorado; Hangin’ Out in
Bars; Lady Bug; Reasons to Quit; Lost &
Found (acoustic bonus track) and Trouble
(acoustic bonus track).
George Jones is often regarded as
the greatest country singer of all time,
and soon his fans will have a chance to
visit a museum dedicated to Jones and
his life. In a recent press conference in
Nashville, his widow Nancy Jones revealed
the floor plans for the facility, which is set
to open April 24th, around the two-year
anniversary of his death on April 26th,
2013. A gift shop and restaurant will be
the first attractions tourists encounter upon
entering the Possum’s kingdom, located on
2nd Avenue near Music City’s Broadway
honky-tonk district, but it’s the personal
treasures that begin on the museum’s
second floor that Mrs. Jones predicts
will draw fans from far and wide. During
his life, Jones always thought a museum
dedicated to him was a bad idea. He
would often tell Nancy, “Nobody is going
to come see me and all this stuff. This is
crazy.” But Nancy didn’t agree, she always
encountered his fans when she visited his
gravesite. “I would go at different hours of
the day and there would be people from
everywhere there; Nashville, Canada,
Switzerland. They all come to see George’s
Life’s
Essentials
www.MoonBeamMandolins.com
(573) 686-6044
8 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
512.280.4037
“Keeping it local since 1991”
grave.” His legacy began with Jones’
first Number One single, 1959’s “White
Lightning.” To commemorate the song, the
Jones estate is partnering with a Kentucky
distillery to produce and distribute
nationally White Lightning Moonshine.
The bottle features Jones in one of his
favorite poses. “The picture we’re using on
the label we call ‘the badass picture.’ He
loved that picture and I do too. Putting it
on the bottle just makes it perfect,” says
Mrs. Jones, who adds that the Country
Music Hall of Famer often toyed with the
idea of entering the booze business. “He’d
say the alcohol controlled him all his life,
and now he’s controlling it.” In addition to
the museum, the shrine to Jones will also
include a rooftop deck, event space and
concert venue. Jamey Johnson has already
expressed an interest in performing there at
the grand opening.
Hill Country
Springs is Central
Texas’ largest and
independently
owned bottled
water service.
Refreshing Spring
Water bottled
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South Austin.
February 8
BJ Thomas
7:00 PM
February 13
Hal Ketchum
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Placement: Best
February Issue
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AARON WATSON
Defies The Odds With
The Underdog Out Feb 17
I get it;
life can be hard, real hard.
The world tells us that things are not
black and white, but shades of grey. Our hearts tell us
not to watch something, or listen to music that is explicit and
demeaning, but there is so much of it. We are almost pushed
along by a society that seems to want us in a place our hearts
truly don’t want to be. The weight of everything can be
almost overwhelming and so often we just give in.
In one of my first interviews as a journalist I asked two
very popular Texas musicians how they handled the idea that
they promoted drinking, sex and what would be pretty bad
choices for thousands of college-age kids in their audiences
every week. They told me that, “everyone has to make
choices.” I was new to my faith and new to the music industry
and really did not know how to or want to challenge them.
It’s been 20 years and I have never forgotten that statement.
Pastor Billy Graham once said, “The greatest legacy one
can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money
or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather
a legacy of character and faith.”
Aaron Watson is someone who has stood up to the
worldly influences and pushed through to a success that few
musicians experience. He wears his faith on his sleeve every
night and if you follow him on social media you know where
he stands. His music is real, soulful and emotional. He can
take a rowdy crowd at the toughest bar or biggest venue and
have them on their feet dancing and cheering for more. But
he never forgets that each moment, each night, he is there
because God has placed him there. His music and his legacy
are clear.
– TJ GREANEY/CLM
The Underdog is more than just the title of
self-made Texas country star Watson’s twelfth
record; it’s his mission statement. Recorded
with celebrated producer Keith Stegall (Alan
Jackson, George Jones, Zac Brown Band), the
album’s 14 tracks tell stories of the kind of unsung
heroes who defy the odds through hard work and
perseverance to reach their dreams.
Watson wrote the lead single “That Look” for his wife,
Kimberly, and it earned him his first entrance in the Top
10 of the Country Digital Songs Chart with 19,000 tracks
sold and a Top 50 debut on the Hot Country Songs chart
behind only Toby Keith.
The disparate sounds and feelings poured out by
Watson on the record are all masterfully tied together
by Stegall, who in addition to his acclaimed work as
a producer has written and co-written dozens of hits,
including George Strait’s #1 “I Hate Everything.”
Working with such an acclaimed producer as a
completely independent artist was a real coup for Watson,
and lends to the story behind why he painted his face up
like a rodeo clown for the album cover.
“The rodeo clown is a huge underdog,” explains
Watson, who sings from the perspective of one on “Rodeo
Queen.” “He’s up against a huge bull trying to protect
these riders, putting his life on the line. Talk about an
unsung hero.”
Working hard is a serious understatement for
Watson, who performs hundreds of shows every year, has
collaborated with special guests like Willie Nelson, Dale
Watson, Jack Ingram, and Bill Joe Shaver, cracked the Top
10 on the Billboard 200, and sold hundreds of thousands
of tickets, all as a totally independent artist with his own
label.
The Underdog Track Listing:
1. The Prayer
2.Wildfire
3. Freight Train
4. That Look
5. Getaway Truck
6. Bluebonnets (Julia’s Song)
7. That’s Why God Loves
Cowboys
8. That’s Gonna Leave A
Mark
9. The Underdog
10. Blame It On Those Baby
Blues
11. One Of Your Nights
12. Family Tree
13. Rodeo Queen
14. Fence Post
Watson tells a tongue-in-cheek version of it all on
“Fence Post,” which chronicles a Texas country songwriter
who gets the door slammed in his face by big-time
Nashville record executives because he lacks “commercial
appeal,” only to roll up his sleeves and prove them all
wrong through sheer determination and belief in the three
F’s: Family, Fans, and Faith.
It’s little surprise, then, that Watson opens The
Underdog with “The Prayer,” a song inspired by Johnny
Cash’s brush with suicide. Rather than dwell on the
darkness of that moment, though, Watson finds the
light in Cash’s rediscovery of Jesus, which saved his life,
and lets it shine through the music. The same goes for
“Bluebonnets,” a song written in memory of Watson’s
late daughter Julia Grace, who was born with a condition
called Trisomy 18 and passed away shortly after her birth.
“She was laid to rest in a field where the Texas state flower
blossoms for a brief, gorgeous window every year, and
reminds us of the preciousness and fragility of life.”
Like the great country songwriters who inspired him
– Hank, Waylon, Willie – Watson has a lighter side, too.
“Blame It On Those Baby Blues” is a sweet love song,
“Freight Train” is a rollicking road anthem, and “One
Of Your Nights” is what Watson describes as one of his
“lovemaking songs.” Meanwhile, “That’s Why God Loves
Cowboys” and “That’s Gonna Leave A Mark” are pure
country through and through.
“The Underdog has taught me a lot of lessons,” says
Watson. “I’m excited about this record. To be 15 years, 12
albums, and 3,000 shows into my career and to feel like
I’m just getting started, man that’s a good feeling.”
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 11
by Sandra Greaney
Hill Country Wine
Lover’s Trail
Enjoy wine and food pairing
event. Venture through vineyards
and cozy wineries, along the way enjoying
complementary chocolates and enchanting
wine parings. Self-guided. 866-621-9463.
2/
6-22
Daddy Daughter Dance
2015 Candy Land Theme
2/6 Daddy Daughter Dance at
the Cedar Park Recreation
Center Community Rooms. Create sweet
memories with your little princess with a
night full of fun, laughter, dancing, carriage
rides and light refreshments. $20 per
daddy/daughter couple, $7 per additional
daughter. 512-401-5528. cpparks.net
Rodeo Austin Gala
Events Center 2/7 Palmer
The Band Perry headlines the
Rodeo Austin Gala. The event
is Saturday February 7th at the Palmer
Events Center Features a four-course
dinner, live music, dancing, silent and live
auctions Two Tons of Steel will open.
rodeoaustin.com
2/7
Ladies FREE Handgun Clinic
at Cabela’s
Presented by Lisa Railback –
NRA Instructor and facilitator
for the San Marcos chapter of a Girl and a
Gun. This clinic is for all levels of shooters,
individual experience is something we all
learn from and appreciated by everyone;
especially feedback about different
handguns. Learn the basics of handgun safety
as well as the types of guns that are available
no matter what type of shooting you want to
do. Learn the basics in the classroom, then
get hands-on training at the range! Please
contact Lisa at [email protected]
for more details.
All About Roses
Incorporate user friendly roses
2/7 into your new or existing
garden plans! Cher Groody
will teach you methods for proper selection
of rose varieties, site prep and maintenance
like pruning, pest control and fertilization.
This session is excellent for newbies and
experienced gardeners and questions are
encouraged. 512-854-9600
Texas Wildlife Day
everything
2/7 Celebrate
feathered, furred, smooth and
scaled at Texas Memorial
Museum! Family-friendly activities hosted
by local naturalists and science educators.
Museum exhibits open from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., and the activities run from 10 a.m.
until 4 p.m. and it’s Free.
utexas.edu/tmm/events/wildlifeday
Hooked on Mueller
The 2nd Annual Hooked on
2/8 Mueller event invites everyone
to come to Mueller Lake Park
and catch one of the 2,000 rainbow trout
that will be stocked by Texas Parks &
Wildlife. The Mueller Farmers Market will
run cooking demos and there will be fun
prizes. A fishing license is not required for
this event, but you need to bring your own
fishing gear. 10 a.m. until noon.
Austin RV Expo
yearn to get away
2/12 Americans
on shorter trips more often –
and at all times of the year. An
RV makes that possible, allowing you to
strike out on the road whenever you want
and go nearly anywhere you want.
austinrvexpo.com
Basic Hunter’s Education
2/15 Course at Cabela’s
Do you love the outdoors,
time spent with family, great
food and even better memories? Join the
thousands of people taking to the fields to
hunt this year and experience the sport for
yourself. Basic Hunter’s Education will give
you the tools needed to have fun and be
prepared in the field and off. Children must
be at least 9 years old to be certified. To
hunt legally in the State of Texas, everyone
born on or after September 2, 1971, must
successfully complete a Hunter Education
Basic Course. Hunters born before the
specified date may still need to take the
class in preparation to hunt in another
state. Call Garland Walker at 512-2620405 for more information on courses and
private courses.
Getting to know your GoPro
to get a GoPro, or
2/19 Looking
you have one and would
like some insight into best
practices for the World’s Most Versatile
Camera? Join our GoPro experts for this
class and Get to Know Your GoPro. We
will focus on navigating the camera’s
user interface, understanding the video
resolution options, additional video and
image capture settings, accessories and
mounts to help you use the camera to
capture life’s most exciting moments. REI
Austin Downtown rei.com/stores/austindowntown
GRTU TROUTFEST
New Braunfels, at Rio Raft
Resort, 14130 River Road.
Outdoors banquet and Expo
on the Guadalupe River. Fly tiers, kid fish
pond, fly casting lessons and educational
classes will provide enjoyment for the
whole family! 512-413-3301.
2/
20-22
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12 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
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R U R A L
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D. “Bing” Bingham
Hugging A Dog’s Big Head,
Just Once
I
If one listens carefully to the high
desert wind, it brings messages. Last
summer it spoke of Crimson, our old
livestock guard dog’s pain and fear. We
understood the content, what we didn’t
realize was that it was spiraling out of
control.
She’d had nothing like a fair life. Her
former owner got involved in a property
dispute with a neighbor. The neighbor
lost, and then retaliated by firing a shotgun
into the air whenever he caught the dogs
out in the open. This young dog knew the
guarding business, but she was terrified
when she came to us.
Crimson whipped our resident coyotes
into submission and, before long; she got
involved in a 3-day running battle with a
cougar that strayed into our neighborhood.
Crimson returned home, limping badly,
and the cat was never seen again. No one
knows exactly what happened.
Dog kibbles are cheap pay for a good
working dog. There was only one problem:
overwhelmed with fear, she wouldn’t allow
herself to be touched. We tried coaxing,
gentle coercion and patience – nothing
worked.
As Crimson was approaching middle
age, we picked up Sam, a pup for her to
train by example. Sleeping with the sheep,
RECIPE
Mississippi Mud Cake
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa
3 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 package (10 ounce)
marshmallows
2 sticks margarine
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts
Cream sugar and butter together.
Add eggs and beat well. Sift
flour, cocoa and salt together.
Add to cream mixture. Mix well.
Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into
13x9x2 pan.
Bake in 300 degree oven for
35 minutes. Remove from oven,
sprinkle marshmallows on top of
cake. Set oven at 350 degrees,
return cake to oven for about 10
minutes or until marshmallows are
melted. Cool 1 hour. (Miniature
marshmallows work best.)
Crimson taught him the guarding business.
They turned into an effective team, she
was the outrider and he minded the flock.
In the evening, at chore time, Sam
would come running for his share of the
kibbles, ear rubs and regular checkups for
injury. No matter how
hungry she was, Crimson
kept her distance until we
put her food on the ground
and walked away.
That was the winter
when we began building
our new house and
everything changed.
Big trucks making
strange noises, were
delivering building
supplies. Backhoes digging foundations and
framing crews of loud-talking, fast-moving
men were around for days. People hollered,
radios played and saws ran.
While necessary, it was an
uncomfortable time for livestock. My
wife and I watched, worrying, as Crimson
withdrew and became increasingly frantic.
Then the attacks started.
One busy late fall day, my wife took
our three herding dogs out to do chores.
Just inside the pen, one hundred pound
Crimson pounced my thirty-pound
stockdog and tried to kill her. It took stock
whips and wrist-thick tree branches to
release the big dog’s jaws.
“She’s been shaken like a rat,” the
veterinarian said, “if she decides she wants
to live, she probably will.”
Nursing my dog through that night, I
was angry. However, as the sun rose over
the rimrock, she showed signs of her desire
to remain on the Earth.
My rationality returned.
My wife and I better
understood that late
summer wind’s message.
We talked the situation
through and agreed we
couldn’t allow further
attacks on our herding
dogs; however, the timing
couldn’t have been worse
to bring in a replacement.
We were in a tough spot.
Still, we’d both seen what unrelenting
fear and pain does to people – expect more
from a dog? Not likely, especially with her
history. We decided to prevent a replay
until our situation was more stable.
For a month, we watched as the
construction went on. Crimson continued
her wary ways and we kept all dogs
separated and under control.
Then it happened again.
My dog had become separated from
the others when Crimson jumped her. A
quick response with stock whips broke it
up before it became a near killing. After
the dust settled, I looked up at my wife and
asked, “You know what we agreed if this
happened again?”
Without saying a word, she nodded her
head.
The next day, when our livestock had
calmed, we went out to the sheep pens and
took care of the matter. None of us liked
it very much. We weren’t angry, simply
sad the situation had come to this. Then
we buried her in a special spot we have for
good dogs.
“Goodbye, Crimson,” my wife said,
“you tried hard to work through your fear,
but couldn’t get the job done, we’ll miss
you, pretty girl.”
The following day the autumn winds
brought us a different message. The fear
and pain in our barnyard were gone. The
relief was powerful and heart-felt. We
began the healing process and supported
Sam in his new and lonely leadership role.
Months went by and the storm winds of
winter blew us into the dark season. This
time, they brought a message of new life –
there was a new livestock guard dog puppy
out there waiting in the wings, her name
was Keena and she was looking for a job.
BING BINGHAM IS A WRITER, RANCHER
AND STORYTELLER. IF YOU’D LIKE TO READ
FURTHER STORIES OF THE RURAL AMERICAN
W E S T, C H E C K H I S W E B S I T E . . . H T T P : / /
DUSTYDOGCAFE.COM/ ... OR BOOK, ‘SHAPED
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HELPFUL HINTS
Rub antibacterial soap on saw
teeth when cutting tree branches or
shrubs. Prevents bacterial growth
and glides better.
•
Feed banana peels to rose bushes.
Chop and mix into ground around
roses.
•
Crayon marks can be erased with
shaving cream.
•
Polish silver with a banana peel.
•
Wear rubber gloves when trying to
twist off a hard to open jar lid.
— SHIRLEY BAKER
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 13
by Mike Young
Howdy!
Christmas, New Year’s, and some of the local stock
shows are behind us. January brought colder and wetter
weather patterns which, though welcome, made it very
difficult to feed and care for livestock. Sloshing through
muddy pastures, made all but impossible to navigate for
all but the most intrepid off-road enthusiasts, was not
my idea of fun. Thankfully, everybody got fed and I got
unstuck a number of times. As we transition to February,
everything looks better. So, now I am going to concentrate
on chickens for a while. For one thing, they are safer in
that kind of weather.
If you slip down in a muddy chicken yard, you may
get dirty and you will (most probably) smell bad; nothing
that a hot shower can’t cure. On the other hand, out in
the pasture, you might get stepped on by a 1200 pound
Longhorn steer. To make matters worse, they might not
find your body until that horrible mess dries out. You
might be mistakenly identified as some ancient pasture
dweller who perished in a bog thousands of years ago. Like
I said, chickens are safer.
My article today is about R.C., our pet Banty Rooster.
He came to the store through Vickie, our Chick Room
lady, and was far too special to be put up for sale. By
special, I mean that R.C. had a tremendous personality
coupled with a very gentle disposition. Someone had
devoted a lot of time to handling and socializing this bird
because he was totally at ease with humans. Actually, “at
ease” is an understatement. He seemed to crave attention
H
Hello friends,
Ahhh, love is in the air! Or so the
greeting card people want you to think
it is. Yes we are back to that time of year
when we buy boxes of candy, cards, and
flowers for loved ones in order to show said
love for them. I talked to a friend the other
day who is so infatuated with the one he
loves that he bought her card weeks ago,
unlike the average guy who waits until the
last minute.
It is a happy time for those who have
someone they love who loves them in
return, but I can’t help but think is is a
terrible time for the one who is forlorn,
lonely, and alone. All around them there
are couples sharing dinner by candlelight
and making plans for a future together.
And yet, they are sitting alone at a table
for two or worse yet, at home watching
and interaction with people. So, he will be
a very good addition to our animal friends
here at Callahan’s.
It’s not uncommon for me to single
out a particular animal and keep it for a
while for entertainment purposes. Over
the years, the most notable examples of
this practice were Paulie and Foster, the
Pot-Bellied Pigs, and Brownie and Pinky,
the Goats. These animals have interesting
stories of their own but, today is about
R.C.
On Saturdays, we set up a pen by our
front door and put these special residents
on display. Over the years, this has become
quite a popular attraction. I know that families bring their
children to visit but, I also have noticed that it’s very rare
to find an adult who does not stop to pet the animals.
When R.C. showed up, we found a place to put a cage
by the front door. The larger animals are in an open-top
enclosure but, then again, pigs and goats can’t fly.
R.C. fit right in and is routinely removed from his
cage (at least 20 times a day) for interaction with, and
inspection by, our customers. He almost purrs like a cat
when held and he will quickly fall asleep when stroked.
When we open the cage, he does a little sideways dance as
he approaches the handler. We don’t have any concerns
about pecking because R.C. just does not exhibit that
behavior. On occasion, he will peck lightly at my hand if I
don’t move quickly enough to get him out
to visit. I don’t think that he is scolding
me – just excited and he reaches out with
his beak.
This behavior usually happens at first
light when I come in. When he hears
my key in the lock, he starts crowing and
doesn’t stop until I let him out of his cage.
Our morning ritual demands that we hang
out together, while getting the store ready
to open for the day. R.C. has also become
quite attached to Amy in our Accounting
department. She spends large chunks of
time with him at her desk and she tells me
that R.C. is pretty good with paperwork.
He probably writes better than I do; I’ve been told by
many that my penmanship resembles “chicken scratch.”
R.C. is a five month old 1.5
pound Black Banty Rooster
with contrasting white ear
lobes. The most unusual feature
on an unusually striking bird,
is his comb. It looks like red
coral from some tropical ocean.
Hence, the name, Rose Comb
Banty. Not Royal Crown,
Really Cool, RC Cola, or
Rodney Crowell. Just Rose
Comb aka R.C.
by Jeff Gore
any number of poorly written, acted, and
directed movies that make their way to our
televisions. Not meaning to make light
of those who find themselves in such a
predicament, and for fear of sounding too
cliché, I would like to draw your attention
to 1 Corinthians 13, known as “The Love
Chapter” and used in countless weddings.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
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14 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Though it seems to be talking about our
love for one another, you gotta know, if
you read between the lines, it’s talking
about true love, and the only true love is
God’s love for us. It is truly unconditional.
I know we say that and think we know that
but it really is. Nothing
we can do or say will
make Him love us more
or less than He does.
Loneliness can be painful.
Not having someone
to share your love with
when it seems everyone
else does is hard. But
God shows His love for
us, proves His love for
us, and continues to do
so by allowing His Son,
Jesus Christ to die for us,
even though we were sinful and did not
deserve it. (paraphrased from Romans 5:8)
The Bible talks over and over again about
how vast His love is for us. You will never
find, no matter what they say or how many
boxes of candy they buy you, anyone who
loves you as God does.
Not as much, not even in
the same way. Remember
this, just when you think
you are alone, YOU ARE
NOT ALONE! GOD IS
LOVE!
Thanks for reading,
Jeff Gore
www.jeffgore.org
by Kendall Hemphill
Making Tracks
Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a
citadel in Puerto Rico. It was built during
the 16th century, the Spanish heyday,
when Spain was pretty much running
around being In Charge of stuff. This
was before Britain got done smacking
Napoleon, and therefore hadn’t yet
had time to spank Spain like an unruly
stepchild. Lord Nelson took care of that
later on, although he didn’t do a lot after
the Battle of Trafalgar, on account of being
dead.
The Spanish named Castillo San Felipe
del Morro after, obviously, King Phillip II
of Spain. You probably think I’m joking
about that, but I’m not. El Morro means
“The Promontory,” and as near as I can
figure it Ol’ Phil must’ve had quite the
belly, if you get my drift.
Anyway, I’ve never been to Castillo
San Felipe del Morro, but I HAVE been
to El Morro National Monument, near
Grants, New Mexico. I went out there
to do a story about the Badlands for Jeep
News once, and nobody told me what to
write about, so I rented a car and went
poking around, looking for insights. That’s
what writers do when they have no idea
what they’re doing, which is most of the
time. Well, for me, anyway.
So I was driving along Highway 53,
somewhere south of Grants, and in the
distance I saw this huge rock sticking up
out of the desert. It’s hard to miss, since
there’s nothing else around. And it turns
out people have been stopping at that rock
for centuries, because someone put up a
sign on I-40 that said, “Clean restrooms
– 25 miles. Also a perpetual spring.”
Unfortunately it’s not true. There are no
clean restrooms there, but the spring still
keeps a small pool full of stagnant water
year round, in a sheltered cleft of the
outcropping.
Sometime during the early 1600s
travelers started carving their names and
other stuff on the side of the rock, which
is actually about the size of Cowboys
Stadium, only with slower food service. A
concrete footpath now meanders around
the behemoth, with a fence that serves to
keep visitors from getting their hands on
the actual inscriptions or the petroglyphs,
which are estimated to be 700-1000 years
old. And there are signs every so often that
say, ‘Don’t you dare climb over the fence,
you filthy member of the general public.’
Or words to that effect.
My impression, being a smart aleck,
was that there would be no attraction
to this place anymore if people, in times
past, had not defaced the rock. And
now defacing the rock is a huge Romper
Room No-No. Of course, I don’t want
the inscriptions messed up any more than
anyone else, because they’re part of history.
But I wonder exactly how long they had to
be there before they quit being graffiti and
became heritage.
Enter, from Stage Right, one Casey
Nocket – young New Yorker, Traveler of
the Western States, Instagrammer, and
Grafitti Artist. Casey recently spent a few
weeks visiting some of the country’s most
famous National Parks, such as Yosemite,
Crater Lake, Sequioa, Zion, Bryce,
Escalante, and Joshua Tree, among others,
and leaving her mark along the way. She
used acrylic paint. On cherished National
Park Rocks along main trails. This is
almost as big of a No-No as the one Jared
Ehlers committed recently, when he stole
a dinosaur footprint from the Sand Flats
Recreation Area near Moab, Utah, and
threw it in the Colorado River. Ehlers is
what paleontologists refer to, in technical
terms, as a total goof-brain. Officials are
hoping to recover the print, and Ehlers
will probably have about 20 years in the
Graybar Hotel, paid for with your tax
dollars, to contemplate the error of his
ways.
But back to Casey, who posted
pictures of the ‘art’ she perpetrated on our
National Rocks on her Instagram thing,
and was thusly and subsequently caught.
Her pictures are, in my opinion, pretty
awful. But then, so are a lot of the ancient
petroglyphs I’ve seen. I’m wondering
whether, if Casey’s bad paintings had
stayed hidden for a few hundred years,
they would have then been protected from
vandalism, instead of being considered
vandalism, as they currently are.
Now, I’m not saying what Casey did
was OK – it’s not. And I’m not saying she
shouldn’t be prosecuted, and vigorously –
she should. But I don’t think she should
be summarily executed for her crimes.
Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with
me. Stories about her defacement of public
property have garnered many comments,
quite a few of which call for her to be
killed. Or forced to remain in New York
for the rest of her life. Which is pretty
much the same thing.
Painting bad pictures on rocks in
National Parks is unacceptable behavior,
but it’s hardly deserving of the death
penalty. Neither is stealing a dinosaur
footprint. Ron White may be correct, but
just because you can’t fix stupid doesn’t
mean you should kill it. Slap it around a
little, sure, but these are people, after all.
Dumb people, but still, people.
Maybe Casey should have to get
a tattoo of a rock on her forehead, or
something else appropriate to her crime.
Ehlers, though, he’s going to have to find a
dinosaur and make it leave a new footprint
at Moab . . .
KENDAL HEMPHILL IS AN OUTDOOR HUMOR
COLUMNIST AND PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO
H O P E S N E V E R T O H AV E T O G O B A C K T O
G R A N T S , N E W M E X I C O . W R I T E T O H I M AT
[email protected]
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 15
Local Park Grants Fund
Projects Statewide
The Texas Parks and Wildlife
Commission recently approved more than
$8 million in competitive grant funds
for community parks all across the state,
funding 25 of 55 proposed projects.
Funding comes from a portion of the
sales tax on sporting goods through the
Texas Recreation & Parks Account and
Texas Large County & Municipality
Recreation & Parks Account, and from
offshore gas royalties through the Land and
Water Conservation Fund. The purpose
of these funds is for the acquisition and
development of outdoor recreation areas
and facilities.
to municipalities with a population less
than 20,000 and were awarded to 11
communities.
The grant funds for Austin:
Austin will receive an Urban Outdoor
Recreation Grant of $725,000 to support
the development of Colony District Park
located in the eastern area of the city. The
proposal includes trails, ballfields, pavilion,
and picnic tables.
The City of Leander was awarded
a Non-Urban Outdoor Recreation
Grant of $400,000 to obtain 125.4 acres
by donation and develop Lakewood
Community Park in the southeast portion
THE URBAN OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANTS ARE GIVEN TO CITIES
WITH POPULATIONS EXCEEDING 500,000 AND WERE AWARDED TO THE
CITIES OF AUSTIN, FORT WORTH, HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO.
Three types of grants were awarded:
The Urban Outdoor Recreation Grants
are given to cities with populations
exceeding 500,000 and were awarded
to the Cities of Austin, Fort Worth,
Houston and San Antonio. The NonUrban Outdoor Recreation Grants
are given to municipalities with a
population less than 500,000 and were
awarded to 10 communities. The Small
Community Recreation Grants are given
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16 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
of the city. The proposal includes nature
trail, backstops, pavilion, picnic tables,
benches, canoe/kayak launch, fishing pier
and a dedicated open space.
The City of Troy was granted a Small
Community Recreation Grant of $75,000
to develop 2.6-acre Trojan Park located in
the central area of the city. The proposal
includes a splash pad, shade structure,
benches and walkways.
– TPWD
Texas Tales
Confederate
Reunion at Camp
Ben McCulloch
His straw cowboy hat balanced on
his knee, 84-year-old Luther Watson sat
talking about his father’s service in the
Confederate army.
“Well, he didn’t want to go,”
he began.
“You better not tell
that,” Mrs. Watson
interrupted, “he’ll put it in
the newspaper.”
“That’s all right,”
Watson interrupted back,
“it’s the truth.”
When the Civil War
broke out in 1861 after
years of national acrimony
over slavery and state’s rights,
Watson’s grandfather, father, and his
Uncle Jim – along with others – did not
feel like they had a dog in the hunt. But
they did believe it would be an opportune
time to tour Old Mexico.
The party started riding south, but a
group of armed Union sympathizers got
wind of the Texas boys’ exit strategy and
took up their trail. The Mexico-bound
group made camp for the night at a cave
on the Pedernales River.
“They built a fire in the cave,” Watson
went on. “Then the Yankees came up on
‘em and they had a big fight. I don’t know
how many…we’re killed.”
What he did know was that his
grandfather, father and Uncle Jim had all
been outside the cave when the shooting
started. His grandfather and Uncle Jim
being notably near-sighted, they stayed in
the shadows so as not to get in the way.
Watson’s father joined the fight.
No matter their earlier pacifist
leanings, the surprise attack ignited the
patriotic spirit of the two young men.
“Uncle Jim and my father slipped
off in the night and enlisted the next
morning,” Watson said. “Grandpa went on
to Mexico.”
A few days after telling this story in
the summer of 1977, Watson answered
the roll call for his father at the 81st
annual Confederate reunion at Camp Ben
McCulloch near Dripping Springs.
The first reunion of Confederate
veterans took place near the present camp
in 1896, with the current site developed in
1904. By the 1930s, it had grown into the
South’s largest yearly encampment of aging
Rebels. Their number dwindling every
year, the old soldiers kept coming until
1946, when the last two Hays County
veterans died.
Watson first started going to the
reunion with his father, riding there in
their family buggy. At one reunion, he
recalled, the war briefly rekindled.
As his father sat cooking bacon over
a campfire, a fellow named Hab Stubbs
approached. For some reason, he had come
by Mike Cox
to Camp Ben McCulloch even though he
had fought for the North.
“Well, this was the day we whupped
you,” Stubbs said, referring to the
anniversary of some distant engagement.
By this point, Watson had used his
knife to take a sizzling slice of bacon off
the green stick he had been cooking it on. Likely, Stubbs only intended to rib Watson
in a good-natured way, one old soldier
joking with another. But Watson
didn’t see the humor in the
remark.
With a quickness
of movement quite
impressive for an older
gentleman, Watson
“greased [Hab’s] throat
with that bacon on his
knife.”
After that, “You
couldn’t see Hab for the trail
of dust.”
The old soldiers certainly ate better
at Camp Ben McCulloch than they did
during the war.
While fighting for the Confederacy,
Watson said, many of the soldiers “nearly
starved.” Their larder ran so lean that
“they’d pick up wild cat bones they’d find
and make soup of them. Might add a little
corn meal to give it some thickness.”
Sometimes the soldiers did enjoy fresh
meat, but not without some effort.
“Father said a man named Ben Watson
(of no relation) seen an old sow and some
little pigs,” Watson said. “He got after one
of those pigs and cut his feet all up running
it. I guess he was barefoot. They took
pieces of a blanket and wrapped it around
his feet.”
Even though Ben Watson ended up
with bloody feet, his fellow Confederates
got to enjoy a pork dinner.
Seventy-one-year-old Dayton Roberts
attended the reunion for the first time with
his family in 1910 when he was only four.
He was a regular until 1925, but work kept
him away until 1946. After then, he went
for years without missing a single reunion.
Way back, Roberts recalled, “there’d
be fiddling every morning. The old soldiers
would take the sideboards off their wagons
and lay ‘em on the ground to make a
platform about three feet wide and 12 feet
or so long. Then they’d start jigging on
those wagon boards.”
One of the veterans Roberts
remembered had a memorable name –
Joseph Santa Anna Cruze.
“He had been a bugler in the
Confederate cavalry,” Roberts said.
Santa Anna, as he was known, became
the reunion’s official bugler. And he didn’t
wait until he got to camp to start blowing.
“When he’d get 300 or 400 yards
from a farm house, he’d start playing
something,” he said. “That’s how we kids
would know it was time for the reunion.”
The first, second, and third generations
of Confederate veterans are long gone,
but the annual reunion at Camp Ben
McCulloch marches on.
Craig Morgan Receives Prestigious Golden Moose
Award for His Hit TV Series
Outdoor Channel, America’s Leader
in Outdoor TV, unveiled the winners for
its 15th Annual Golden Moose Awards,
the most popular and
longstanding outdoor
television awards ceremony
in the country, last week
from the Venetian Theatre
in Las Vegas. Country star
and TV host Craig Morgan
was among the honorees,
winning the award for
Best Comedy for the fifth
season of his hit television
series “Craig Morgan: All
Access Outdoors.” Taking place during
the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade
Show (SHOT Show), the Golden Moose
Awards honor the producers and on-air
talent from Outdoor Channel’s industryleading programming.
“Every day I’m amazed by the support
for this show,” shares Morgan. “We’re five
seasons in and hard at work on our sixth
(season) and can’t put into words what it
means to receive this honor. We have fun
every day, and for the outdoor industry to
recognize our show is just incredible.”
As host of Outdoor Channel’s “Craig
Morgan: All Access Outdoors,” Morgan
was honored to present at the 15th
annual ceremony in addition to being
recognized for Best Comedy. The Black
River Entertainment recording artist has
previously been presented with Golden
Moose Award trophies for Best Turkey,
Best Deer and the 2013 Humanitarian
Award for his work with Folds of Honor in
support of our military men
and women.
ABOUT CRAIG
MORGAN: One of country
music’s best-loved artists,
Craig Morgan has made
a name for himself with
massive radio airplay of his
signature hits: “Bonfire,”
“Almost Home,” “Redneck
Yacht Club,” “That’s What
I Love About Sunday,”
“International Harvester” and “This
Ole Boy.” He’s recently released his new
album The Journey (Livin’ Hits) on Black
River Entertainment, featuring the singles
“Wake Up Lovin’ You” and “We’ll Come
Back Around.” Craig received one of
country music’s highest honors when he
was inducted as a member of the Grand
Ole Opry in 2008. Prior to becoming a
country music and TV sensation, Craig
Morgan spent seventeen years serving our
country in the Army and Army Reserves. He is an avid supporter of America’s
military personnel and a recipient of the
2006 USO Merit Award. In addition to
a prolific country music career, he hosts
the award-winning show “Craig Morgan:
All Access Outdoors,” airing on Outdoor
Channel. For more information on Craig
Morgan, visit www.craigmorgan.com The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 17
The general season for white-tail deer is
over for another year and the duck hunters
ran out of season on January 25. Here it is
February and football is finished also, so
now what.
We know from past experience that
many deer hunters will put their rifles away
until just before next season and at that
time fire some sighting rounds to make
sure they are still shooting where they did
the season before. That shooting pattern is
many times when you discover you have a
problem.
Some shotgunner will put their
shotguns away until August and right
before dove and teal season will try and
get their eye and coordination back by
going to the shotgun range and shoot a few
boxes of shotgun shells on the trap, skeet,
5-stand, or sporting clays fields. That can
be a time to run into ejection, loading, and
misfire problems.
Between the times the guns are put
away in January until they are taken out
to be used again, six or seven months
can go by with the guns sitting all of the
time and vulnerable to rust and corrosion
as well as become gummed up with
household dust added to the mix. If the
firearm wasn’t cleaned thoroughly all of the
aforementioned goop can mix with powder
residue and really make a mess. The rust
and corrosion is not only unsightly and
can make a good gun look old and abused,
by Larry LeBlanc
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY J. LEBLANC
the outdoor classroom
Thorough cleaning the barrel is only one step in cleaning a rifle.
but it can also affect the functioning of
the firearm. The dust, burnt powder, and
oil combination can make the best guns
malfunction and also reduce their useable
life span by many shots.
I have some solutions to those gun
problems and for the most part it doesn’t
take a gunsmith to protect your guns only a
couple hours of TLC.
The first operation is to point the
firearm in a safe direction and make sure
your gun is unloaded! This may sound
elemental but most accidental shootings
in this country are done with supposedly
18 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
“Unloaded” guns. Treat EVERY firearm as
if it is loaded no matter what anyone says
or what you remember from the last time
you put it away until you prove to yourself
that it is not loaded right now!
Next on the list is to clean your guns
thoroughly and some modern cleaners
available for 2015 make the job easy once
the gun is disassembled according to the
instructions that came with it. If you have
lost the owner’s manual you can go online
to the manufacturer’s website and find a
downloadable owner’s manual for your gun.
Once disassembled you need to clean
and inspect each part for powder residue,
dirt, or rust that may rear its ugly head.
A tooth brush, a bronze brush, and soft
cloth used in conjunction with some new
for 2015 products from Birchwood CaseyRenewalube Firearm Oil and Renewalube
Firearm Grease-will soon put things right
and protect them for them future.
One of the biggest enemies to your
firearms is moisture in the air that can
cause the best metal to rust and corrode.
Renewalube Firearm Oil displaces
moisture, prevents corrosion, and acts as an
outstanding lubricant. It has an extremely
high flash point and works at much colder
temperatures than traditional oils and
therefore is safer to use and more effective
in colder temperatures.
Renewalube Firearm Grease has a water
resistant formulation that immediately
penetrates and forms a long lasting bond to
metal surfaces. Once applied, Renewalube
Grease continues to work at temperatures
ranging from -40° Fahrenheit to 427°
Fahrenheit. It also reduces friction four
times better than traditional greases.
Both of those products are USDA
Certified Biobased product, meaning
they are biodegradable, non-toxic, and
environmentally friendly. For more
information you can go on their website at
www.birchwoodcasey.com.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 19
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