It's a newcomer's show when Brooks & Dunn's "Neon Circus & Wild West Show" makes a stop at the Delta Center on Saturday, May 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m. (Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 325-SEAT or online at www.ticketmaster.com.)
Trick Pony, Chris Cagle and Cledus T. Judd are a few of the artists who will be part of the grand hoedown.
"When we heard about the tour, we thought it would be fun to be a part of," said Trick Pony guitarist Keith Burns during a telephone interview from Calgary, Canada. "And then we got a call from them and they asked us to do the tour."
That was a coup for Trick Pony — featuring Burns, bassist Ira Dean and vocalist Heidi Newfield. "Regardless of all the years we've had separately for experience, we're learning a lot while on this tour," said Burns. "Everyone on this tour has that American ideal — work hard and play hard."
Burns, who was John Diffie's bassist for nearly 10 years, said he called up Dean, who was formerly with Tanya Tucker's band, and asked if he wanted to start a group. "We went from a secure career to playing honky tonks and wondering where the next meal would come from," said Burns.
But once the band — including Newfield — began touring in earnest, the work ethic brought them through some hard times. "We would book shows months in advance," Burns said. "Sometimes when we would arrive at the venue, we found it had gone out of business or the manager decided to go with another band in our place. You kind of get used to pinto beans and bologna sandwiches after awhile."
Still, Burns said those things didn't get Trick Pony down. "We still stuck it out and worked hard to get some attention," he said.
The band was recently named Best New Country Artists of the Year by the American Music Awards, and Billboard named Trick Pony as one of the finalists for the New Country Artist of the Year.
"We worked hard to get our record contract," said Burns. "And once we got it, we knew we'd have to work hard to keep ourselves in the public's eye. And since we had developed the work ethic, we just stepped into the touring."
Like Trick Pony, Chris Cagle isn't afraid of working to get what he wants. "My goal is for one day in my career to have the people involved in country music look at me and say I'm the best the genre has to offer," Cagle said during a telephone interview from Portland, Ore. "I'm not being arrogant. But if I work hard and sacrifice to be the best I can, why can't that happen?"
Cagle has already had his share of challenges to get to where he is. (He is one of a few new country artists who can say they co-produced his own album.) "Music has taken me away from nearly everything I've ever had," he said. "But music has given me confidence and validation, especially when I was told a few years ago that I would never make it in the business. If someone tells me I can't do something, then I make sure I can."
To keep some order throughout the show, which includes not only Cagle and Trick Pony but Dwight Yoakam, there needed to be someone who could keep the audience's attention. Enter Cledus T. Judd.
Country's answer to "Weird Al" Yankovich is happy to be the show's emcee. "I just go out and keep the show moving," said Judd, who also spoke by phone from Portland, where he was recuperating from a little food poisoning. "I'll do some talking and a few songs in-between the other acts, and, hopefully, no one will kick me off the stage."
Judd, whose new single "Breath" is a take-off of Faith Hill's "Breathe," said working on the Brooks & Dunn show is one more goal he's achieved since moving to Nashville in 1993, with nothing but $45 in his pocket. "Between '93 and '95, my combined income was probably $15,000," he said. "But I wasn't made to give up. I just worked hard and tried to do what I did best — comedy."
From winning a local open-mike contest in his hometown of Cartersville, Ga., to working with Diamond Rio, Vince Gill and Phil Vassar, Judd feels it's safe to say he's come a long way. "I still need to work with 'Weird Al,' " he said. "That would make my career complete."
E-mail: scott@desnews.com