Gretchen Wilson Shines at Osage

Ernie Osborn

First off, let me start by apologizing for the delay in getting this posted.  As they say life happens, while you are making other plans.alt

The Redneck woman who shot to the top of the country charts just a few shorts years ago and became the owner of the highest debuting single for a female in country music history for "All Jacked Up"  brought her energetic and chameleon style show to the Osage Event Center last week and was the delight of a half packed house.

Gretchen Wilson, who is not really known for making your parents brand of country music, has managed to continue to re-invent herself and her brand of good time music and has turned it into her latest offering I Got Your Country Right Here.  She proclaims herself, "I think we made the first ever female southern rock album!"  And she put on a show to reflect just that.  Mixing country, rock, and blues, she shifted gears through her set that was fast and heavy laden with "drinkin’ songs."

She doesn’t call her shows concerts, but instead parties.  She comes out and lets her crowd know exactly what they are dealing with and unapologetically gives it her all for an hour and a half.  Taking time in between songs to drink beer and offer up a toast to America’s fighting man with a bottle of Jack Daniels, that she takes a long guzzle of.  Just by the looks of it most men couldn’t keep up with her when it comes to putting a few down.

Wilson has a very powerful voice and lets it ring out on the hits you would expect, "Here For The Party," "Homewrecker," and show closer "All Jacked Up."  As well as, taking time to slow things down and connect with her audience.  She is humble and approachable and does a very good job of just being one of the gang when onstage.  She did showcase some new songs off her latest album, which by the way is released on her very own recording label, Redneck Records.  The best of which was "I Got Your Country Right Here," an ode to southern rock that mentions her heroes by name.  She also played the hit, "Work Hard, Play Harder" which has become a bit of anthem among the blue collar folks that frequent her shows.

Gretchen also took the time to walk concert-goers down her past, from band to band and genre to genre.  She says, "I am country, but I do like to rock."  Then went on to play an amazing cover of the Foreigner classic, "Hot Blooded."  Then left the stage and allowed her band to work through several rocking hits, from "Barracuda" to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to "Kashmir"  and beyond in a mash-up of classic rock songs the sounded spot on and took the atmosphere to another level complete with T-shirt launching guns and more whiskey drinking.

GW did two encores, the identifier to her career, "Redneck Woman" and the Zeppelin smash, "Rock and Roll."  She is a talented lady, and puts on a very good show.  The shame of it all is the her manly ways and political views, which I have purposely chosen not to go into, have probably caused her to be an outsider to her own industry, but with her own label and youth on her side she can "Make the music that she wants to make and her fans want to here!" as she boldly stated.

New poll: Oklahomans say ‘Lindsey’s Law’ should be enforced

Capitol Editor Patrick B. McGuigan

School districts refusing to comply with Lindsey’s Law
are flying in the face of widespread popular support for enforcement of
the measure, according to a new public opinion survey from SoonerPoll.

A total of six public school districts have refused implementation of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Children with Disabilities Program Act. The new SoonerPoll results indicate Oklahomans disagree, by a 2-1 margin, with the school boards’ defiance of the new law.

The controversial law firm of Rosenstein Fist Ringold has advised districts not to implement the law,
even though the measure gained bipartisan legislative support and was
vetted before enactment by Schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett and
Governor Brad Henry.

Rosenstein Fist Ringold was previously involved in previous attempts to
impede operation of Oklahoma’s charter school laws. After years of
litigation in that matter, the firm and its clients lost, costing
taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars in legal fees.

Last month, Superintendent Garrett
told CapitolBeatOK that she believed members of the school boards in
question had violated their oaths of office when they voted to impede
implementation of the law.  

The law written by state Rep. Jason Nelson of Oklahoma City and state Sen. Patrick Anderson of Enid — with key co-sponsors
including state Reps. Jabar Shumate and Anastasia Pittman — was named
in honor of Lindsey Nicole Henry, the daughter of the governor and his
wife, Kim, who died in infancy of a rare disease.

Shumate’s support of the legislation provoked an all-out effort by labor
unions, including the Oklahoma Education Association, to defeat the
black Democrat from north Tulsa in the July primary. Shumate survived the political assault and was reelected.

Lindsey’s Law allows students with special needs (a wide range of
disabilities) presently enrolled in public schools to access
scholarships if they enroll in a private school. Critics have questioned
the measure’s constitutionality. The measure did not increase funding
for special education, and operates within the framework of existing
finances.

According to a release from SoonerPoll, “When asked whether school
districts should comply with the law until a constitutional ruling is
made, 61.4 percent believe that they should compared to 29.5 percent who
believe that school districts are not obligated to comply until a
constitutional ruling is made.”

In all, the boards of education in five public school districts —
Owasso, Jenks, Union, Bixby and Broken Arrow – have chosen to defy the
law. A sixth district, the Tulsa public school system, voted to process a
few early applications but has turned away all other families seeking
to access the program.

The defiance of the law has drawn critical response from parents
of special needs children and from the bipartisan group of lawmakers
who shepherded the law through the Legislature, including income Speaker
of the House Kris Steele.

On Monday, an Owasso parent told a Tulsa television
station, “Now we need to think about suing the school board to make
them do what’s right. Because they’re choosing to violate the law they
don’t agree with. It makes no sense.”

When the legislation cleared the Legislature last spring, SoonerPoll
found 54.7 backed the measured. Today’s SoonerPoll analysis said the new
results means “one of two things; support for the legislation has grown
since its passage or many opposed to the bill believe it should be
complied with regardless of their opinions.”

In a statement sent to CapitolBeatOK, Bill Shapard, CEO of SoonerPoll,
said: “It is interesting to note that when the results are
cross-tabulated by party and political label no major statistical
differences are seen between Republicans and Democrats or liberals and
conservatives. It is remarkable to see such a controversial issue split
so evenly among political groups and ideologies.”

Doug Mann, the lawyer for both the Broken Arrow and Jenks public school
systems, has guided the school boards’ defiance of the new law.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs commissioned the new survey from
SoonerPoll.com, which conducted its “scientific study using live
interviewers by telephone of 518 likely voters from Nov. 5 – 11. The
study has a margin of error of ± 4.3 percent.”

NOTE: Patrick B. McGuigan is editor of CapitolBeatOK. Stacy Martin
is editor of The City Sentinel, a weekly newspaper where McGuigan is
senior editor.

Talons sign SEC lineman

Rich Lohman

TULSA, OK– In order to strengthen the line, Tulsa Talons head coach Mitch Allner reached into the SEC in the signing of former Kentucky University lineman Justin Jefferies to the 2011 squad.

Jeffries, the son of Curtis Jeffries who played for the Cincinnati Bengals was a 4-year starter at Kentucky. As a Freshman, Jeffries was named to the SEC All-Freshman team by league coaches. Over the next 3 seasons he was part of an offensive line that set a school record for points in a season and a line that ranked nationally in sacks given up in a season (13 total sacks-4th in the nation in 2008).

 In 2010, Jeffries attended the San Diego Chargers camp as an undrafted free agent and made it to the last cut.

“Justin is the type of player we have been working to get this off-season. He is a young guy with a ton of upside, who was just in a NFL camp and is without a doubt an NFL talent. Playing against the competition he faced in the SEC, I’m sure his talents are going to transfer over to the arena game really well,” said Head Coach Mitch Allner.

Arena Football Friday returns to the NFL Network

After expanding to an 18-game schedule and adding four teams, the Arena Football League is on NFL Network for the second consecutive season. NFL Network will broadcast more than 20 Arena Football League games on Friday nights at 7:00 p.m. CT starting March 11, 2011.

“The announcers and crew did a great job last season bringing the exciting arena atmosphere and game to fans all over the country,” Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz said, “and we look forward to another successful season on NFL Network.” The AFL’s “Arena Football Friday” schedule on NFL Network features 23 games including 20 regular season contests.

NFL Network will also showcase two playoff games and ArenaBowl XXIV on August 12, 2011. “Arena Football Friday games provide fans with high-scoring, fast-paced action on NFL Network,” said Lawrence Randall, director of programming, NFL Network. “We look forward to our second season of live games beginning with two new teams owned by former NFL stars and concluding with the playoffs and Arena Bowl.”

The 24th season of the AFL will kick off with in-state rivals and expansion teams, Ron Jaworski’s Philadelphia Soul at Lynn Swann’s Pittsburgh Power, on NFL Network on Friday, March 11, 2011. Due to the primetime 2011 NFL Draft, the Orlando Predators at Jacksonville Sharks game will be played on Saturday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. CT on NFL Network.

Log onto arenafootball.com for the full slate of Arena Football Friday games on the NFL Network; Cox Cable channel 252 in Tulsa. The Talons are scheduled to appears on the NFL Network on May 13th when they face the New Orleans VooDoo.

Of course, the Talons would like you to join them to experience an arena game in person at the amazing BOK Center. The first home game is on March 28th, 2011 against the Arizona Rattlers. Talons season tickets are on sale for as low as $90. Contact the Talons office at 294-1000 to see how you can get 9 games for the price of 8.

2011 Tulsa Talons Home Schedule

3/28 Arizona 7pm

4/16 San Jose 7pm

4/23 Iowa 7pm

5/7 Chicago 7pm

5/21 Kansas City 7pm

6/11 Utah 7pm

6/25 Dallas 7pm

7/9 Tampa Bay 7pm

7/16 Orlando 7pm

It’s Psychobilly Freakout time with The Rev

It’s time to roll-up the sleeves and put on your favorite pair of Levi’s and rockabilly yourself on over to the Cain’s Ballroom. The Reverend Horton Heat is making their way back to Tulsa this Friday night. You do not want to miss this show!

The Reverend Horton Heat is a psychobilly rock band from Dallas Texas; their sound has been self-described as “country-fed punkabilly”. The Rev’s music is a mixture of country, punk, big band, swing, and rockabilly.  It will be a very loud and energetic show with lots of humor thrown in. No way are you going to get bored at this show.

The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name for Jim Heath and the name of his band. Don’t let the good-times band fool you; Heath is a master-mind on guitar. Jimbo Wallace plays a mean upright bass and Paul Simmons is a solid drummer that completes the band. The Rev has an established underground cult following that seems to get bigger each year.  

The Rev has also received quite a main-stream welcome with some of their songs being used in commercials, movies and the popular cartoon Johnny Bravo. The Reverend Horton Heat has almost a dozen studio albums out, the latest being “Laughin’ & Cryin’ with the Reverend Horton Heat”, which was released on September 1st, 2009. Band opener is Split Lip Rayfield.

There is no reason to stay home on a Friday night. Start your weekend off right rockin’ out with the Reverend Horton Heat!

WHEN:Friday November 19th

WHERE: Cain’s Ballroom 423 North Main

TIME: Doors open at 7:00, show starts at 8:00

TICKETS: in advance $19/at the door day of show $23  online  www.protix.com

Dinner recommendations: Dilly Deli, Joe Momma’s Pizza and McNellies


 

Legendary rock front man Bret Michaels is coming to Tulsa

Poison singer, reality star to play the Joint on Nov. 20

TULSA, Okla. – One of the biggest names in rock is coming to the Joint when Bret Michaels performs inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa on Nov. 20.

Tickets start at $35 and go on sale on Sept. 23.

As the front man for Poison, Michaels led the band to the top of the music charts with more than 25 million records sold and 15 singles peaking in the top 40, including “Talk Dirty to Me,” Nothing But a Good Time,” “Something to Believe In” and the No. 1 smash hit “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”

In the last seven years Michaels has released three solo albums, starred in three seasons of his VH1 reality show “Rock of Love,” won “Celebrity Apprentice 3” and, in August, hosted the Miss Universe Pageant. A lifelong type 1 diabetic, Michaels earned $390,000 for the American Diabetes Association for winning “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Not only is Michaels touring the country this fall, but he will also release his autobiography “Roses and Thorns” and will star this fall in his VH1 new reality series, “Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It.”

In April, Michaels generated news when he was hospitalized for a massive brain hemorrhage. For days, the 47-year-old singer was in critical condition before stabilizing and eventually being released from the hospital on May 5 after making a full recovery. In July, Michaels was readmitted to the hospital and doctors discovered a patent foramen ovale, which is also known as a hole in the heart. The condition was treated as Michaels finished “Celebrity Apprentice.”
 
Michaels is currently touring in support of his July release, “Custom Built,” which features “Riding Against the Wind,” the theme song for his new reality show. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Top Independent Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums charts as well as No. 4 on the Top Rock Albums chart.  

The Joint holds 2,700 guests and features three levels of elevated, fixed seating, nine private suites and cutting-edge technology in sound, lighting and video.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is located off of Interstate 44 at exit 240A. Ticket prices and information on upcoming shows are available online in the Joint section of www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com or by calling (918) 384-ROCK. The Joint box office is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. All guests must be 21 years of age or older.

(Photo courtesy of Carrie Reiser)