Rodeo Religion

It's that time of year. Time for the Houston Rodeo.

The trail rides leading up to the actual festivities have already begun.  No telling what tales, new and old, will be shared by the "pilgrims."  Once they get to Houston, there will be plenty more oral storytelling at the concerts that have become such a staple of the celebration.

If I were going this year, I'd want to see Gladys Knight.  Did you know that "Midnight Train to Georgia" was originally going to be a song about a plane to Houston?

Rodeo 1995 I was still in Kentucky. I'd sit facing the Southwest on my back porch and listen to this song coming out of the speakers. I fell in love with Lyle and Texas before I ever set foot in the state.

I paid an obscene amount of money to see Lyle sing with Shawn Colvin my first summer in Texas.

Over the next year I developed a taste for sad songs and very intimate venues. That means Townes Van Zandt, of course.

I hung out in my neighborhood bar, and that's where I met Scrappy Jud Newcomb and Troy Campbell. Thought it was cool that Troy spent time in Appalachia, and I told him about Susan's summer work in the hollers.

Before long I was making the drive to Austin to see shows.  A modern day pilgrim of sorts.

Not all the songs in Texas are sad. Every once in a while a crazy guy from California comes around and sings a sad song in a happy way. But for rodeo, you need a sad one.