Giving thanks

There are many things to be thankful these days, and at the risk of sounding like the rest of the world by telling everyone what they are thankful for -- rather everyone wants to hear it or not -- we thought we'd take a little time to give a little thanks.

First, I'm thankful for Cross Canadian Ragweed. They, along with the rest of the entertainment line up being put together, will make the 2010 Real. Texas. Festival. one of the most prolific ever. Not just in the history of the event, but one of the most prolific events of 2010 -- anywhere.

You darn right it's a bold claim, but I'm sticking to it.

I'm thankful for The Neckties. This is the group of 12- and 13-year-olds who won the festival's battle of the bands event. Since winning the contest at the Third Annual Real. Texas. Festival. in April, the group has gone on to play many, many shows.

In fact, they were named the official band of Harley Davidson charities ... locally anyway. They play this Saturday night on the square in Mesquite as part of an ongoing concert series being produced by local music legend Art Greenhaw.

Along the way, The Neckties credited the Real. Texas. Festival. battle of the bands event for helping get their bookings jump started. And, they have been promoting the battle of the bands event at their shows, which we hope will lead to doubling the size of the battle of the bands event for the 2010 festival event (April 23 and 24 for those keeping score at home).

We're thankful for Mesquite Youth Services. Mesquite Youth Services is no longer in operation, but the former director Dana Mitchell and her group of student leaders put together the battle of the bands format. It just works.

We're thankful for Town East Mall and it's Rockin' Shoppin Eve event that goes down Thanksgiving night and into Black Friday. It's genius.

We're thankful for the 15 minutes of fame everyone receives at one point in their lives. By my count, we are coming to the end of the 15 minutes for Miley Cyrus, Adam Lambert, Kate Hudson, Fall Out Boy and Ashley Tisdale.

Along those same lines, we're thankful that the 15 minutes of fame has run out for Taylor Hicks, Dane Cook, Jimmy Fallon and The Fray.

We're thankful that there are folks who are willing to invest the time and effort to tell a good story. The festival is a good story. Mesquite is a good story as well. I know what you all have heard, but I challenge folks to look around the next time they are in Mesquite.

I mean really look around.

Look at the Town East/LBJ intersection and compare that interchange with any other freeway interchange in the Metroplex.

Look at the improvements made at Town East Mall ... don't tell me about perceptions and what is believed to be the demographic of the clientele of the place. But just look at it.

Look at the fact that there are several stores inside that facility that are among the leaders in their respective companies in terms of sales and volume. Vans is number two in the nation, only behind the original store in California.

It just stands to reason that a "image problem" doesn't translate into a store located in that mall being one of the leading stores in the nation for its chain.

But I digress.

There's just a lot to be thankful for.

The economy seems to be trending upward ever so slowly. People don't seem to be as tightly wound about the economic scene as it once was. For a while there, people were just coming completely unspun.

The weather is turning cooler ... finally bringing 8 months of summer to an end. It's hard to wrap one's brain around it now, but three weeks ago, the temperature hit 85 almost 90 degrees. Fall is great.

I'm thankful for Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. It just gets me through the day.

After the holidays, the Real. Texas. Festival. promotional buzz wheel will begin to pick up speed. More entertainers will be signed and announced. Tickets will go on sale after the first of the year.

We're thankful for this great event and for the momentum it is helping to establish for this community.

Cross Canadian Ragweed brutha!

I understand the special event world is pretty well summed up by Janet Jackson.

"What have you done for me lately."

The 2009 Real. Texas. Festival. was just so outstanding. Los Lonely Boys was the most significant headliner the event had signed to date. And, they were absolutely fabulous. In fact, all of our headliners were great ... Kevin Fowler, Los Lonely Boys and Jay Perez.

But the Real. Texas. Festival. can't afford to become complacent. As organizers, we have to continually find ways to get better. After all, we're only four years old heading into 2010. We don't have a long enough track record to get comfortable.

We must continue to make a splash.

Well, let me take this opportunity to say if I may: Mission Accomplished.

The festival will be headlined on Saturday by the 800 lb. gorilla of the Texas Red Dirt music scene.

Cross Canadian Ragweed.

How's that for a splash? Excuse me while I jump in the pool -- CANNON BALL!!!!

The City of Mesquite -- the executive producer of the Real. Texas. Festival. -- is thrilled with the confirmation of CCR as it's headliner.

CCR is the kind of act that helps us define what the festival is and what we hope it can be.

Cross Canadian Ragweed has staked its career on the fact that it takes it's music -- music that simply grabs you by the throat -- straight to the people.

CCR reeks of genuine Texas attitude -- it's a swagger that isn't found anywhere else in the United States. You don't find this kind of swagger in California, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana ... anywhere. It's only found in Texas.

And that's what the Real. Texas. Festival. wants to accomplish ... it wants thousands and thousands of people to assemble on the grounds surrounding the Mesquite Championship Rodeo and celebrate Texas and what it means to be a Texan.

It's an attitude that causes many Texas residents to proclaim, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could."

Cross Canadian Ragweed is a huge signing for the festival.

They'll hit the stage at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and will no doubt unleash a barrage of hits such as "Alabama," "Long Way Home," "Fighting For," "Carney Man" and the somewhat controversial "In Oklahoma."

You won't want to miss this thing ... Kevin Fowler headlining the festival on Friday night with Cross Canadian Ragweed headlining on Saturday.

And, that's just two of the acts signed on. There will be many other acts that will be announced in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned.