This week we'll do things differently and look at three stars in one. The Roots And Boots tour is back on the road.  This tour was out a few years ago and it made a grand stop at the Wayne County Fair, a concert I emceed and fans loved it. This tour consists of Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw, and it will be part of Neon Nights at Clay's Park in August.

These three all had nice chart runs in the 1990's with good success.  All three had very loyal fan bases, and all did country from a very different angle and perspective.  This tour is a good idea and was very fun to see a few years ago.  This is a  smart and savvy move serving those who love 90's country which is still popular, and actually going through a real resurgence as young fans have discovered it at last.  They debuted the same year and all brought unique gifts to us for a long time. So let's look at all three, no order.

Aaron Tippin

It didn't take long for Aaron Tippin to establish exactly who he was and where he was coming from in life  - and in music. His first single You've Got To Stand For Something did that as it was released during the Gulf War in 1991.  Tippin charted a lot of songs through the 90's with varying levels of actual chart success.  But one thing is absolutely true and fact.  His fans, and fans of country in general music LOVED him during his run.  I always felt that the passion for his music was far greater than the numbers he achieved on the charts. AND they loved HIM!  With good reason, he's a great guy.

First Big Hit   (36 Million YouTube Views On This)

Tippin was a traditionalist without any question, and that endeared him right away.  His strong, and somewhat nasal voice, similar to Hank Sr,  was unmistakable in the 90's and it totally cut through. The first time I played My Blue Angel, my request lines lit up, I'll never forget that.  His song choices were spot on for his voice and style and fans loved it.  He positioned himself as the Workin' Man's anthem maker and we believed it, because it was true.  His stage show where he builds a bike on stage, and gives it away as he sings is legendary. Tippon has six Gold albums and one Platinum.  He has three number ones and a decade of charted songs.

Great Song  -  Fit Him Perfectly

I have worked with Tippin a few times including an hour long broadcast here at WQMX years ago shortly after I took over the morning show.  He's a gentleman, and a darn good guy.  I have always been a fan.  His song, Where The Stars And Stripes And The Eagle Fly was loved by fans being released days after 911 and featured New York City in the video with all money going to the Red Cross. 

Fans Love Everything About This

Aaron Tippin, one of country's Good Guys!

Collin Raye

Collin Raye like Tippin debuted on the country charts in 1991. His image and style was a more scholarly approach to country. Raye was exceptionally versatile and could sing many different kinds of songs. But I feel if you asked most fans they would lean to his powerful and emotive love ballads.  He excelled in that arena and was the preeminent balladeer of the mid 1990's.  His slick image was in contrast to the dominant hat acts of the time, but as country does very well, there always seems to be room for a wide variety.

Love, Me  (One of the most loved songs of the 90's)

Raye, for about 10 years was consistently in the top ten on the charts with a few going to number one. Many of his songs were used as wedding themes or special occasion songs.  But as great of a love song singer as he was, My Kind Of Girl, and That's My Story are fantastic examples of how he could easily handle songs from all across the musical rainbow.  His music was timeless and that is always the mark of someone who is truly talented and not just a trendy flavor of the month.  His songs still hold up well all these years later.

This Is Among The Reasons He Is Loved

Tons of singles, tons of albums, and millions of fans.  Collin Raye made his mark in country's best decade.

Hard Not To Love This Song

Sammy Kershaw

I always loved Sammy Kershaw.  After a few years of mis-fires, he finally hit in 1991 with the album, Don't Go Near The Water that went platinum.  His first big song, Cadillac Style, was instantly loved as it was a top three hit.  Kershaw over the course of the 1990's sold millions of albums and had a huge following.  Here's a guy who had great success, without a number one song, although he flirted with one many times. Sammy Kershaw always sounded like he was a guy you would know from your hometown and that served him extremely well.

GREAT Debut Single

Kershaw's big, warm and under dogged voice was his calling card.  He was so distinct you knew exactly who was on the radio.  He picked PERFECT songs to record and release.  Listening to him sing, you could visualize who he was, even if you never saw him before. He sang many songs from the stylist perspective, meaning - to me -  he got through it, and it was believable and vulnerable.  To me, he was a big time breath of very fresh air in the 1990's as we were full of very polished singers who had no shortage of big voiced songs with soaring, high note holding finishes.

Only Sammy Could Pull This Off

Sammy Kershaw was the every-man who sang songs that were fun to listen to.  He did something even big singers have a hard time doing.  Many of Kershaw's songs are so daring and unique, I can't imagine anyone else singing them,  Hard to to.

Big Song, Much Loved

Sammy Kershaw. A true original for sure!

Go to Neon Nights and see these three guys on stage together. It's going to be a treat.

Roots And Boots At The Wayne County Fair - So much Fun!                

Lots of stress these days for sure.  You know, we all think about what we eat and how it will affect our bodies.  Calories, fat, sugar, and we worry about our weight and health.  PLUS, there are no shortage of "experts" that love telling us all what to do and how to live and what to eat.

But have you eve wondered how the food you eat affects your mood?  I never really have - until now.

I have always felt that Green Tea makes you happy and brightens your mood, but that's about as far as it went.

How What You Eat Affects Your Mood

Good read, good info.

You are more than likely sick of how expensive things are right now. I know I am. So I saw this article.  Now there are a couple of ideas for you-

Tips To Help You Save Money Right Now

But being fair, a couple of these may not work for you, but the bennie of reading this is, it may get you thinking on your own how you can save in this tough time.

One thing I've been doing is this the past number of years.  I put everything on a credit card and pay the balance in full every month. (like cash) .  And the cards I have are all cards that give me a benefit like airline miles.  (which I love).  I feel I should be rewarded for spending my money.  I was advised years ago to not use debit cards and I don't.  No real benefit and it's connected to your money in the bank so a hack is really not good.  Your credit card company is way better in those times.

That works for me very well.

Good article gets you thinking!

  I admit, when I saw this I was intrigued.  To be fair and honest, I have been using grills my entire adult life and I never really took the time to ask this question - 

What Makes Smoked Or BBQ Taste So Good?

So I read this, and now I know.  And after you read it you'll know and you'll sound like a big shot when someone asks you at a cookout sometime.

Box Office Results - Jurassic Park:Dominion  (143 million)

New This Week - Lightyear

Next Week - Elvis

New To Video - Morbius

Looks Like - Jurassic World Dominion will stream on Peacock more than likely in October  (Story)

Downton Abbey: A New Era - Will debut on Peacock June 24 (Story)

Knives Out – Sequel will be in theaters “This Holiday Season” (Story)

Joker 2 - Looks like Lady GAGA may play Harley Quinn   (Story)

Ariana Grande - Just paid $5 million for one of Cameron Diaz's extra homes in L.A.  Diaz still owns two La La Land mansions after unloading the Hollywood Hills spread. (Story) 

COOL - E.T. (1982) and Jaws (1975) will be on IMAX screens across the country later this year (Story) 

Anniversary Week - 1982: E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial. 1993: Jurassic Park premiered.

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (link)

Tonight is WEEK 3 of the WQMX Bowling League Night at the fantastic Charger Lanes in Norton. There is still time to join our league, contact Charger Lanes by phone or stop in and sign up, as it is in the heart of WQMX country in Norton.

Each week, two games ans shoes is only $10!!  Each week we have a 50/50 raffle with half the money going to NEOPAT to help out local military members and their families!  AND each week we register you and someone WINS two-day passed to Neon Nights at Clay's Park in August!  It's a GREAT time!!! Come see us....

See you Wednesday Night at Charger Lanes!

I know it sounds far-fetched, but it appears that we can make pasta sauce as good as the best chefs out there.  Or your Nana's, as many time she makes the best of all.

Here is a recipe that supposedly gets you there! I'll give it a go!

You Can Make Amazing Pasta Sauce

When I was a little kid my favorite toys were Tonka Trucks in the sandbox.  I had them all. The dump truck, crane, car hauler, bulldozer, and cement mixer.  And I supplied the noise for all of them. My mom said she would put me outside in the sandbox with a few of those trucks and I was good to go for hours.  My dad then was also a terminal manager for Roadway and I loved big trucks too.  I remember sitting in a few Ford C Series Tractors on a couple of Saturday mornings in the terminal.  Ford made the C-Series from 1957 - 1990  - (somehow I remember that)

The Ford C-Series was Roadways cab of choice in those days. I even knew the Models and letters of the models then.  I also knew about the big trucks like Kenworth, Peterbuilt, and Mack!  I knew the difference between a conventional truck and a cab-over.  I just loved trucks, probably because my dad knew a lot about them.

Ford C-Series Tractors  -  (Cab-over)

So I loved trucks, and still do. Then I ran across this article about REALLY BIG THINGS we used to make and almost no one ever really knew about them.  So, if you love big trucks, you need to check this out

CLICK HERE FOR REALLY HUGE VEHICLES!

Box Office Results - Top Gun (86 Million)

Top Gun - Huge Worldwide Hit - 500 Million Worldwide  (Story)

(BTW) - Tom Cruise' -  War Of The Worlds? His second biggest movie now -  Hard to think is was 17 years ago (2005)

New This Week - Jurassic World Dominion

Next Week - Lightyear

Sheesh! - You don't use 85% of the channels on your cable on average.

June 24th - Elvis

New To Video This Week - The Northman

Prime Video - A League Of Thier Own series is coming and the teaser is out this week

Neve Campbell - Is not returning for Scream 6 after a salary dispute. (Story)

This Weekend – Check out my (Mega Star Series Recap) Country Music Memory Lane (link)

About once a month during the Country Music Memory Lane Series I write here, I have the Mega Star Series.  The Mega Star Series features artists that are the true giants of our format. Again, these are over the last 40 years that I have played country music on the radio all over the country at many great radio stations, including WQMX!

So, in case you have missed the start of the Mega Star Series, here is a recap of the stars I have featured so far, as there are only a few.  Reba is next, and she will be featured next week!  And if you favorite is not on this list they probably will be soon.

The Mega Star Series So Far

Alabama

Hank Williams Jr.

Vince Gill

Shania Twain

Tim McGraw

George Strait