Kellie Pickler, Zac Brown, Kid Rock Spend Holidays With Troops
How do you even begin to review a free concert in the Paktia province in Afghanistan? You don't. You just sit back and enjoy the music from Kellie Pickler, Zac Brown and Kid Rock and be grateful that the USO holiday tour came to your military installation. Those three entertained with a handful of other musicians and comedians in a show right before Christmas as part of a military tradition dating back to 1941. One that lifts morale and gives soldiers something peaceful and recreational to look forward to. It's no surprise the three artists went to the Middle East for this special event, because country stars usually always play a big role in the USO tours. But what does surprise me is how the shows persevere despite the dangers that exist every day.
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RedMaZ says:
The right thing to do would be to list everyone who entertained instead of “a handful of other musicians and comedians”. They have names too. The guitar, bass player, drummer or whomever else that entertained is just as important, and should be thanked too. By name. Remember..they spent the holidays with the troops too. Why the disrespect?
smoke and no fire says:
RedMaZ…You are so predictable. Never nice.
John says:
Are these 3 the only ones that entertained the troops this year??
RedMaZ says:
Who are you? How convenient of you to pick and choose my replies to fit your needs. This blog is not about me. So do you think it’s nice, and acceptable not to mention everyone involved in this act of patriotism? That’s what my comment was about. This blog.
Ham says:
WHERE WAS TAYLOR SWIFT?????? I mean c’mon- surely super girl is patriotic in addition to every other wonderful smelly tidbit we’ve been subjected to about her.
Alison says:
No disrespect intended, RedMaZ. You are right about all those people choosing to go overseas for this worthy cause. Every musician, every tech, every one involved deserves our thanks and praise. I don’t have a reliable source for that list of folks, otherwise I would have named all the names. God bless America, the USO and all kinds of country music.
countryiscool says:
I agree, many band members & musicians get the shaft when it comes to recognition. I’m sure that’s not the reason they do it (tours & charity stuff), but a personal thank you ocasionally BY NAME would be nice. Since the list of names is not made available, I hope (would like to think) they at least get individual thanks while they are there. I’m sure Alison recognizes this fact too.
countryiscool says:
Hey Alison, how come we can’t access the other blog on Mark Chesnutt? I know there are more comments (I’d like to read) but it is blocked out on the bottom.
rockerbillie says:
KUDOS to all that go on the USO tours. Toby Keith, Trace Adkins are some wonderful men who have gone over to entertain the troops.
Alison says:
Weird, countryiscool. Thanks for asking. I will have the big shots check it out. I’d like to read those comments myself.
countryiscool says:
Thanks Alison, it cuts off after Red’s comment, weirder yet. lol
Samantha says:
I just like to thank every country singer and band member for going to entertain our troops.
luvncountry says:
Alison, best I can tell, it says there are 165 posts (on Mark Chesnutt blog) but it cuts off at around 158, and there’s a big black block cutting off tail end of Red’s comment????
luvncountry says:
PS, had to go see what the other poster was talking about. I didn’t count them all, but it does look chopped. I’ve seen that happen before too on real long blogs. Thanks CIC for pointing that out. Anyone else ever experience that on blogs?
Smiles Around the World says:
What a great Christmas present for our troops! Thanks to Kellie Pickler, Zac Brown, and Kid Rock to put the troops before themselves and risk their own safety to do this tour, even in Afghanistan and Iraq! They actually performed 9 concerts in 6 days at bases in 5 countries - Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and England. All 3 did an awesome job and the troops loved them!
My favorite performance is when Kellie and Kid performed a duet of “Picture” with Kid and Zac on guitar! Search youtube for “S1031693.AVI”
Kid, Kellie, and Zac also performed John Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses” at Al Asad, Iraq with 3,000 troops singing along! I bet that rocked the house!
There are many great articles and photos of this tour but they are hard to find, mostly on military websites like U.S. Department of Defense.
“The comedians – led by Lewis Black – clearly were enjoying the energy they were getting from the crowd, and all of the performers were on longer than scheduled. At the end of the show, the servicemembers started a chant of “One more song, one more song, one more song!” Kid Rock, Kellie Pickler and Zac Brown played John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Little Pink Houses.” The servicemembers all sang the chorus — “which begins, “Ain’t that America?” — along with the performers.”
A few things Kellie wrote on her myspace blog:
“I am more tired than I have ever been in my life and I don’t mind it at all. I just got back from my second USO tour. Once again, the most incredible thing I have ever done in my life.”
“I do however remember two things….seeing the faces of over 20,000 military men and women (that is forever imprinted in my mind) and….the horrific endless sight of porta potties (that too is forever imprinted in my mind).”
“THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to the men and women serving our country. I will never take what you do for granted.
God Bless You and God Bless the USA!
xoxo, Pickler”
RedMaZ, 2 of Kellie’s guitarists, Joshua Henson and Ryan Ochsner, performed with her and they are shown in photo #3 in The Washington Times article Alison linked. Kid Rock performed with Zac Brown (including Chicken Fried).
Stephen Cochran Fan says:
Stephen Cochran is also spending the holidays with the troops as well. Here is his first blog from overseas..
HEY THIS IS STEPHEN FROM A CAMP IN THE DESERT…
Sorry this might be short cause im plain tuckered out! And we have to be up at 0430 a.m in civialian time that is…WAY TO DAMN EARLY! Well we played our last show here in this region…we head to Bahrain tom. where hopefully the sandstorms are not so crazy….never done a sound check in a sand storm….till today! haha and never played a show in the desert while it was 30 degrees and raining…..till today! But I have to say it was the greatest time ever! the Soldiers,Sailers,Airman, and Marines that came out really seemed like they enjoyed the show and that is all that matters to me! I honestly have to say I played last year time square, live on fox with 3 million screaming fans!!! and it didnt come close to the expeirences and memories I have made this new years!!! I was meant to be here and love these men and women more than I think they may ever know….but I hope they see a little bit through the music,stories and time I get to spend with them…There have been some overwelming moments I met a combat doc at the show who was 20 and looked 13….as he talked I looked at him and thought damn did I look that young, I enlisted when i was 20! did i look that young i kept thinking….then a look in his eye and i saw somthing so unmistakable familiar…I saw fear…and not frightened to death fear but fear of the unknown…he was crossing into Iraq today and for the first time. The reason that fear was so recognizable…is because as we waited in Kuwait to cross into Iraq in 2002 with my unit, I saw that fear everymorning when i shaved or whenever I saw my reflection! I realized at that moment me and that MAN shared more in common than i will have with most the people that I incounter in the rest of my life….once you have felt that fear your never the same again. The smells still bring memories rushing back(and for all my guys that havent been over sense we came, yes it still sux and yes it still smells like shit and yes hajii” still says mister mister….but somthings that are different,,,,starbucks, burger king ,pizza hut, and beds!!!! they have all that!!! I think its amazing I walked into a Starbucks today and thought I was on any college campus in the U.S!!! I think this is great for morale boast here!!! So to answer you Doc Mcmillan…yes it is better here than we were here and thank God,cause I dont like scorpians or spiders or lizards sleeping in my sleeping bag all of which happened once or twice over both of my combat tours.I CANT WAIT TO SEE ALL OF YOU AND TELL YOU ALL THE GREAT STORIES!!!!We have some great footage shot and great pics….everyone is really bonding but then I expected nothing less. These men and women are truely the best and sacrifice sooo much! one soldier on his 3rd deployment got here when he was 20 he is now 22 can you even imagine that??? I swear anyone ever say one cross word about our military and Ill personally make you a visit….Godbless…please please if you never do anything I ask ever again…find a name from over here an adopt them and write them send them things…but most of all pray pray like you have never and will never get to pray again for the bravest men and women who care not about themselves but for people they may never meet…(thats you and me) Im typing and cant see through the tears because I dont want to leave them. My heart and soul is still a Marine, and there is still fighting going on! A Marine never quits or leaves a brother or sister behind….when I leave tom. I will feel like I have left many brothers and sisters behind…and that makes me sad. My heart and soul will remain here with them as long as they are here.God please watch over them all and bring them home safe…and for those who wont make it back please please let them sit next to you at the thrown…..goodnight to all of you where ever you are . please remember when you kiss your kids and start your car and drive safetly to work. There is a Soldier a Sailor a Airman and a Marine at that very moment…giving up the right to kiss his/her kids goodnight and will take a very dangerous drive into work, and that work is making sure we dont feel any of the miscomfort they have too. GODBLESS WRITE MORE WHEN I CAN. ~S.C
taxiguy says:
Fantastic and interesting forum will look through more a little later, i drive a taxi in Portugal so if anyone from this forum comes on holiday to the Algarve Portugal, come and have a coffee with me, and i can also let you know lots of history from the area…
taximan says:
Just like to say hi will come and chat a little later just finishing off some homework, and believe me it is not easy writing in the heat here at the moment.
Playdayentild says:
[b]Definately will not go to Vilamoura anymore, 6 Hour rounds of Golf and 4.5 Euros for a beer , we will stay clear of the Vilamoura golf courses this year, and the so called free shuttle bus turns up if you are lucky.[/b]