Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

The 16th edition of RIDE is just not too far out in the early summer distance. The dates for the events are July 2-4th. The RIDE committee has been preparing for this event for literally two years. No one had a clue what lay ahead as 2020 approached. With the world in a pandemic, last year’s RIDE was cancelled, and everything was moved ahead to this year with the blessings of the entertainment already booked. Earlier this year Lauren Mascitti was added to the July 3rd lineup, but we just moved the contracts of Joe Nichols and the Hotel California band to 2021.

I have been a member of the RIDE committee since 2006, and sang at the first RIDE in 2005. I have a firsthand appreciation of what effort it is to put on an event such as this or a rodeo. I thought I might give a little history of RIDE from pure memory, so, if accuracy fails, I’ll apologize now.

Every year Roundup has had a rodeo on the 4th of July, but it went away after 2004 due to rising costs of insurance and the expense of putting rodeo on. Brian Stoppel, Mary and Mark Ann Petrie, and Dwane Snook got together and created the Roundup Independence Day’s Extravaganza to fill the void left by the rodeo. The first year of RIDE was 2005. It was held, as it was for quite a few years at the Marion Fairgrounds. There was a small stage under the cottonwood trees, and the main act was at a temporary stage inside the arena. The first entertainer was Michael Peterson. Lonnie Bell emceed the show as he would for every year afterward. This will be the first year that he won’t be hosting. KGHL’s Nick Tyler will take over.

In 2006, the second year, “Walk on By” singer Lee Roy Van Dyke happened into the Busy Bee Restaurant on the way to somewhere, and Mark got him to be the headliner that year. Also on the show was “Teddy Bear” singer Barbara Fairchild. The first couple of years, along with the RIDE wristband, you got a picnic lunch included, which Mark and Mary Ann made possible. I don’t know how we could afford it otherwise.

2007 was the first year the event was held in City Park. We rented a big stage from the sound company that we used at the time. Also we used the small portable stage from the Fairgrounds to do entertainment in the afternoon. At that time I was in charge of small stage entertainment and Mark, Mary Ann, and Dwane booked the other acts as guests of the Rocky Mountain Fair Association. We are now members. Kim McAbee, a performer at Buck Owens Crystal Palace headlined with Johnny Cash performer Brandon Cash.

2008 was the first year I took over as entertainment director. T.G. Sheppard was booked to headline. He has had 20 #1 hits. I saw him again later in the year and he asked me if they’d paved any of those roads yet? A group out of Canada, “Blues Brothers Revival” played the previous night. Both shows were back at the Fairgrounds. I remember one of the pickers telling me the fireworks that night was the best he’d ever seen. And I told him he was right.

2009 I remember as a year where we battled the rain elements. Gene Watson came to town. We were back at the Fairgrounds when I got a call from Gene that the bus got to Roundup. I met them at the main bridge before entering the fairgrounds. His cousin, who was driving, stopped short of the bridge, Gene got out, walked over the bridge, and said, “will this bridge hold the bus up”? I had no clue so I said “heck yeah”. Then I prayed as the bus made it over. The show had to be delayed, but eventually went on with a lot of help from fans and brooms.

2010 was probably my most funny, memorable experience with a country star in Roundup. I booked T.Graham Brown. I put him up out at the Dahl Ranch, “Runamuk” as I did with Watson. Well, Tony, as his friends call him didn’t want to leave the ranch. He loved it so much he didn’t even do a sound check. He was a hoot from the time I picked him and his band up at the airport, till I ran out of gas at the airport taking them back. He never knew that.

2011 was the summer the monsoons. Two hundred year rains in two weeks. It started in late May, and by the time The Bellamy Brothers performed on July 1st, the water had gone down enough to have a successful RIDE.

2012 was an unforgettable RIDE with Grammy winners Asleep at the Wheel and Hotel California’s first appearance in Roundup. The Wheel flew in, had to be taken back to the airport at 4 am for a show in Austin on the 4th. The steel player was waiting outside his room at the Big Sky Motel when I pulled up in the van. He said, “listen”. I said, “I don’t hear anything”. He said, “Exactly, don’t sound like Austin”.

2013 we had Restless Heart and more rain. But it didn’t stop either show. The night before, a group from Colorado brought surfboards and we had a “Kahuna Beach Party”.

2014 was our 10th anniversary and we had the great Moe Bandy, along with CMA winner Janie Frickie. Once again rain was an unwelcome visitor, and Moe’s show was cut a little short.

2015 was a year I’ll never forget. Monty Sealey and I had a crazy idea about building a permanent stage in 2013. With a lot of help from the community we were able to have it mostly built by the company who was building the new elementary school at the time. Monty and I were riding around when that year’s headliner David Frizzell called me and said he’d like to bring Lacy J. Dalton, and Rex Allen Jr. with him and film an RFD-TV special called “Frizzell and Friends In Roundup”. This was the last part of May, and the stage hadn’t even been started yet. I told him sure, we’d be ready, and for the next month I sweated, but the stage was almost completed, minus the roof and fortunately minus rain. Along with Marty Haggard, the show was one of our most successful to date.

2016 we brought back David Frizzell to thank him for putting Roundup on the entertainers map. He promoted Roundup, and still does. Also on the show was Paulette Carlson of Highway 101. ZZ 3 was the rock act that year.

2017 Moe Bandy came back to RIDE. Since he didn’t get a full show in I thought he needed to get that shot. I called him and it took two minutes to get the deal done. “Bed of Roses” performed a Bon Jovi tribute.

2018 was another rainy year, but didn’t stop us. Ronnie McDowell came to town and Zen provided the rock and roll.

2019 was probably the most successful year yet for RIDE. I booked Lonestar and The Georgia Satellites. Both were great to work with. I picked up the Satellites at the airport the night before the show. The plane was late, and we didn’t get to Roundup until 2am. They wanted a beer. I said, “nothing’s open here at that time, but, I do know where some is”. We were at the Outdoor Stage until 3:30am.

I hope you got a kick out of what I can remember. Some I can’t tell, but, I don’t think I’ve forgotten any. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of RIDE. I’ve never regretted serving. I’m not by any means the hardest worker on the committee. I can tell you that those on the committee are the greatest I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

So, get your wristbands and come on out and make memories with me again this year. It’ll be fun.