European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse »1 t i stomping to the music in Europe Herd of Black and White spotted cattle flies Low Over smooth Green pasture then turns toward the screen and head at viewers As the country music television logo flashes along with this message Quot music till the cows come Home.�?�. No its not another stateside promo for a Televik. Sion Channel. The flying cows Are part of the newest trend in country music. A for the past five years country music has swept Over stateside radio dials like a stampeding Herd of cattle. Now with most of the Western hemisphere two stepping to the Nashville sound country music makers Are ready to conquer Europe Quot it potential and today a stars arc beginning to really mine the european Market for what its Worth a said Neal Pond senior entertainment editor for country America Magazine. A american country music secs Europe As a virtually untapped Market. There a been a tremendous upsurge in the music s popularity Over Pond who keeps an Eye on the country scene for his publication said country music has always had a toehold in Europe where anything Western seems to hold Appeal to increase in big name country acts touring overseas in recent years is a signal that Nashville music makers Are looking at a Long term investment in the european markets Pond on the country music dance clubs opening in Europe to the american venues at military Insi Arta tons and you get the idea europeans Are getting a Mega doses of Rock based country music. Quot the Urban Cowboy thing was a fad a Pond said a now the music has a Bedrock in Europe and the big stars Are going there to see if Europe will support their although stars such As the Bellamy Brothers Vince Gill and Johnny Cash have Long roots in Europe Pond is betting that Garth Brooks will set the tone for the music on european airwaves. Quot Garth is country a Soo Pound Gorilla a Pond said. Quot Nashville is watching to Sec what happens in the next two or three years and hell be the riders pass the Buck to there was a time when the wildest thing air Force sgt. Rick Wheeler Rode was a barrel suspended by four wires attached to four poles. Today Wheeler rides living breathing bucking animals and his Home on the Range Isnit Texas or Oklahoma. He rides the rough country of the european Rodeo circuit. A a it a not so much the Money or the Belt buckles a said Wheeler vice president of the Wiesbaden Germany chapter of the european Rodeo cowboys association. A you gotta love it. Its just something you gotta do. Its the sport itself that gets you since 1972, . Soldiers have been bringing the uniquely american sport of Rodeo to Europe Wheeler said. Those Range riders who found the German Countryside too tame for their tastes managed Tofipo once Garth Breaks the ground floor the floodgates will if Brooks Success in Europe is any indication then Nashville should think about relocating Over Here. When he announced his first european tour in april he sold out six shows in Ireland in Ope week. Then he took his electrifying 1970s Arena Rock Stylc stage show to the rest of Europe including two dates in Frankfurt Germany All to sellout crowds. Come september hell be Buck touring on this Side of the Atlantic. For country a Soo Pound Gorilla Europe is a new playground. Quot i think we have a new audience Here a Brooks told the press before his Frankfurt shows. A a we be spent a lot of time working the United states working to reach the top. Nowoc have the time and we. Think we re ready to reach out to a new audience that seems to really like what we re doing a for 20 years the Bellamy Brothers have made Europe part of their concert plans recently they signed a Deal to distribute special mixes of their albums overseas. A a we be always thought Europe had potential a David Bellamy half of the superstar duo recently told the stars and stripes. A with this Deal we can tailor our music to the european taste.�?�. Gill said european audiences spared the Media overkill so common in the United states Are the Best incentive for country singers to tour overseas. A i May play to Only goo people at some Dales Over Here a Gill told reporters during a recent concert in Kaiserslautern Germany. A but those 600 Are just As appreciative As 10,000 at a concert Back Home sometimes you need to get away from the Home crowd and try something different. Over Here you can do that.�?�,. With the saturation of the . Friar act playing Europe also makes sound fiscal sense. As the popularity of country music begins to Wane to More traditional Levels Europe will become a kind of farm club for new Talent Pond predicted a country is on a High right now and will probably slow Down a bit in the future a he said. A new artists w ill be Able to find willing audiences Over there to Fine tune their talents.�?�. A Mark Kinkade it e 1 a. A a. Is amps Jon Connor Garth Brooks who was a big hit during his european tour earlier this year will be Back in september mean horses and ornery cattle to Chase around pens throughout the continent. A the movement gained momentum. Today Aho tit 500 people Are members in 12 chapters in Germany said Angie Malf Berg outgoing Secretary of the association. A. Many of the cowboys who participate in the More than 20 rodeos the association sponsors each year come from european countries or military communities outside Germany Malmberg said. A . Army in Europe mandate that 51 percent of the members be soldiers has prevented chapters from forming outside Germany. While Many of the cowboys have previous experience including several who were professional stateside Rodeo cowboys the association is really designed for those who never Rode before Wheeler said. Quot for example Wheeler began calf roping last year said Tammy Pederson Secretary of Thor association a Wiesbaden chapter. Prior to that he Rode in some events. A most of our people Are newbies a Pederson said. A a they re Alt people who Are learning. They see our association As a Way of getting into something at a Basic level and association members help train rookies Wheeler said. Those who Arentt used to Riding bucking horses or bulls for example practice on local chapter built simulators like Wheeler once Rode like other Rodeo associations the Erca tallies Points on competitors who compete in such events As barrel Riding calf roping and bareback Riding. Those Points count toward All around Best Cowboy titles at the end of the Rodeo season which runs from May to late september or Early october Malmberg said. Cowboys can also earn Cash prizes at individual rodeos. The $60 annual Erca membership fee supports the association while individual event entry fees which run about $40, go toward prize Money. According to Malmberg a Cowboy who does Well in several events can earn Between $80 and $300 at a Rodeo. And the Rodeo circuit is gaining More fans among europeans. A each year we Sec More germans More people out there for the rodeos a said Malmberg who started watching the Rodeo in 1984. A even some German television stations arc carrying it now a but Wheeler said the Rodeo Isnit about prize Money or Large crowds. For him it was a Chance to do something he always wanted to try. It was a Way to touch his past. A i have some experience with horses and livestock a Wheeler said. A but this was my Chance to ride the wild horses and take a Chance. I love it Quot Mark Kinkade july 31, 1994 sunday Page 1 1
