Another Chance to Buy First

We’re beginning to feel all kinds of privileged here in Las Cruces. Last week, John Arthur Martinez made his new album, Purgatory Road, available for the first time at the Harvest Wine Fest. It’s official release date is tomorrow, so Las Crucens got the CD more than a week before anyone else – including the hard core fans who pre-order! Well stand by for the second strike of lightning, because your second chance to buy an album before its release date is coming up! Josh Grider will make his new CD, Sweet Road To Ride, available to fans in Las Cruces on October 1st when he performs at the Southern New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo. That’s five days before its release on October 6th.

Are you ready for some football? Hank Williams, Jr. kicks off the 40th season of Monday Night Football tonight with this song:

2009 MNF Open Lyrics
For 40 years runnin' it's football's home
We’ve seen the greats carve their names in stone
From Earl to Walter, Barry and Bo
Even Johnny U played on this show!!
The NFL's best shine under these lights
Cause legends are made on Monday Night
Are you ready for some football!!!
A Monday Night Party
This is Hank and I'm ready to get this big bash started
Get the teams on the field, kick it off, that’s right!
'Cause All my rowdy friends play here on Monday Night!
Showtime!!

We’ve seen great games all the big names
They’re building blocks in this hall of fame.
Broadway, Elway, Montana and Rice
We've seen an LT not once, but twice (Taylor and Tomlinson)
Fathers, Sons and Brothers….A Family Tradition
It’s Monday Night Football….The 40th Edition!!
Ready...
C'mon and get ready
I mean really ready
Are you ready for some football!!!
A Monday Night Party
Where primetime pigskin officially started
Get those helmets crashing, the crowd is psyched!
All my rowdy friends are here on Monday Night!!!

Bocephus has won four Emmy awards (1991 – 1994) for his MNF videos, and this year marks an unprecedented 21 years of association with the organization. This year’s opening video presents a Hall of Fame theme; it was shot earlier this summer at the Parthenon in Nashville, TN.

Taylor Swift had a big weekend. Saturday night she played a hometown show in Nashville, with no less in the audience than Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (and probably their three girls.) As a surprise, Taylor invited Faith onstage to sing “The Way You Love Me.” Tim remained in the audience, but he was featured in a video called “Crimes of Passion,” as one of many men who’ve been “vicitims” of Taylor’s songwriting.

Last night was the MTV VMA Awards in New York. Taylor Swift won for Best Female Video for “You Belong With Me.” It was a simple win that might have otherwise gone overlooked in pop culture had it not been for Kanye West stirring the pot. Now it’s something for everyone to talk about. Just after Taylor started her acceptance speech, acknowleging that a country singer is winning a VMA Award, Kanye appeared on stage. "Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time," Kanye declared, "One of the best videos of all time!" By the time he gave the mic back to Taylor, her time was up, so she couldn't do much more than leave the stage. The nest presenter, Justin Bieber, made a point of saying, "Taylor Swift deserved that award." Later in the show, Beyoncé called Taylor back to the stage.For his part, when his name was read later in the show to introduce the best male video nominees, Kanye was booed again, and the crowd started chanting Taylor’s name. This kind of a display of disrespect recalls another reaction in 2004, when Gretchen Wilson beat Kanye for the best new artist award at the American Music Awards. He suffered a similar meltdown.

PS: Do you like the new banner? Your humble scribe was feeling creative this weekend. For those that are identification-challenged, the group is (L to R) Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Bucky Covington, and Tim McGraw.