Country Grammar

Senator’s Log: May 30, 2010. In years past Memorial Day weekend would be quiet. Not much is happening in Baton Rouge. This place is a virtual ghost town with everyone heading to some beach resort, not the case now with that black plume in the Gulf. Producers in the newsroom are hard pressed to find something to fill time in the shows besides the usual holiday travel and boat safety story, the latter did happen and with great consequences. However this weekend was a little different. Actually it was a couple of years in the making. The promoters of Jazz Fest, down in the Big Easy, decided to roll the dice and put on a similar event in the Red Stick but this time they went with Country Music. So the brains got together pooling their intellectual resources to create the inaugural Bayou Country Superfest. Granted Louisiana is known for its wide range of musical genera that has livened up most dance floors. There’s Zydeco over in the Acadianas, New Orleans has a reputation for some of the best Jazz Music in the world, and even Baton Rouge has spawned a Blues music following. However, Country music in South Louisiana? Will it work?

There must have been a persistent voice whispering, “If you build it they will come?” Hey it worked in Field of Dreams. Thousands of people from 43 states and three countries descended on the Red Stick to catch some of Country Music’s biggest stars. Naturally with an event of this magnitude within striking distance of the asylum we had to go and cover it. Just one minor detail, Country Music just isn’t my style and I had no clue what I was getting into. It isn’t every day I am thrown into the unknown, wait that is what happens to me during the week. Don’t get me wrong I knew some performers like Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban. Thankfully my girl Taylor was there to point me in the right direction and get a picture of me in all of the excitement. Yeah Taylor. No not the one who was interrupted by Kayne during the awards show although she will be a well known sports reporter one day. With an all star line up performing over 14 hours of their greatest hits I was to roll off about four minutes of video. Hey, can’t afford the rights to play all of these songs surprised I was able to get that much.

Overall the event was a success. The crowd got into every lyric that was sung inside the stadium. The newsroom was happy to have something different on television. And I got a brief education from other music genera. Now I am more than just Hip Hop and R&B now good thing there is room on my Ipod. Next year may have to find some decent seat since I am familiar with the layout. For now it’s time to find some Aleve, got one hell of a headache at the moment.