Posting daily at 1pm central about all kinds of things. One day it's dating, the next it's TV commercials. I hope you're entertained. Professional photos on SmugMug – https://benwilder.smugmug.com
I’ve been full of hunka hunka burnin’ love all day because this morning I went to the Nashville Elvis Festival! Lots of events going on all weekend but I went to the second round of the Elvis Tribute Artist competition; Twenty performers trying to finish as the best tribute artist and earn a spot in the national competition later this year in Memphis.
So what was it like? Well, imagine hearing 20 “entertainers” who all somehow sound exactly like Elvis! I still can’t wrap my head around it.
How does anyone sound like anyone else?
Impersonators are a unique group to begin with, but to sound like the iconic and one-of-a-kind Elvis Presley? Well, now you’re just shooting for the stars, arn’cha?
Throughout the event, I tried pretending it was the 1950s or 60s. How would’ve it felt to been at an Elvis show? Could I even feel a sliver of what it must’ve been like back then? I don’t know. But these artists were AMAZING. I’d confidently say that if you were to shut your eyes and just listen, you’d swear Elvis was there. It was incredible.
I’m so glad I went! Here’s a gallery of the performers in full Elvis wardrobe, from the peacock jumpsuit, to the Aloha from Hawaii clothing, and everything in between.
I’m not sure what this says about my personality, but when I take my dogs on a walk, we have a joyous time. We have a fun time. We run, we laugh, we play, we sniff things. Life is just rosy. At least for the first half.
But then we turn around and it’s as if the amount of fun we just had is dealt back equally to us but in opposite form. We’re stubborn, moody, hasty, and yet moving slow. No matter if it’s a 1 mile walk, or 2 mile walk, when we make the turn or circle around for the second half, my dogs seem to think, “Now we’ll be poky little puppies.”
It’s not all their fault, though. They are just doing what they do by sniffing and exploring. But I turn into an impatient bully!
I know this post is basically 9 years too late, but still, every time I hear it said that Barack Obama was the first black president of the United States, I perk up a little. I think it’s just a matter of language, really. Because he was our first African-American president, sure, since his dad was from Africa and his mom was from the U.S., but he is not black, in the literal sense of the term. So if someone is going to say he was our first black president, someone else could easily counter by saying he was our 44th white president.
I also thought he might be the first biracial president, but that may not even be true either. There are lists out there that show a handful of other presidents who are considered to have been “mixed race.” Just think about the early years of the United States… wouldn’t the chance of a white person and a Native American falling in love and making babies be pretty high?
I agree with the first part of what Morgan Freeman said here in 2012: “America’s first black president hasn’t arisen yet. He’s not America’s first black president, he’s America’s first mixed-race president.”
Let me be clear here, my issue is not with Obama at all. He achieved one of the most sacred and honorable positions in the U.S., so kudos to him for that. But I am excited for the day we have our first actually black president (as long as he or she is elected because he or she seems to be the most fit person to lead the country, of course). That person can be Native American, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, doesn’t matter to me. My issue is with how we’re defining Mr. Obama’s race and/or legacy. Even if it’s just in a social way (meaning history books and documents will get it right, but conversationally we’ll always get it wrong), I think he’ll be remembered as being the first black president.
Do you often here Barack Obama referred to as the first black president? What are your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment below!
Just take a glance at the YouTube comments on almost any Jon Pardi music video and you’ll quickly realize his fans and newcomers to his music are all very excited about his traditional country sound. They love his voice and musical style, both of which shine through the dusty California barn featured in his new video for “She Ain’t In It.”
The stars
Obviously the barn is sentimental to the character Jon plays in this video. It’s where he shared good memories with a woman he loved (and still loves?), represented by model Lindsay Belanger (aka Lindsay Belle).
Lindsay is from Saguenay, Quebec and has been modeling for approximately 8 years. She’s done work with Sephora, UGG Australia, Mary Kay, Bite Beauty Cosmetics, Deal or No Deal, Fitness Magazine, and the Bellagio Hotel. [source of this info]
Lindsay is 5’9″ and wears a size 8 shoe, listed here.
Knowing how to ride a horse helped Lindsay land the role in this music video. Here’s a picture taken from the video shoot, via her Instagram.
…and how can you not fall in love with that beautiful horse, right? Well, I hope you have room for two in that heart of yours, because the equine scenes were actually shared by two horses, a la Michelle from Full House. Their names are Kino and Kane. They split the roles of riding / barn entrance (Kino) and stall / rearing up (Kane). A friend of mine that knows more than I do about horses suggests these are most like Quarter Horses.
Location
The video was shot January 5, 2018 on a working ranch in Thousand Oaks, California. The video director, Jim Wright, said they were looking for a location that could play as a character in the video, and with the vintage run-down feel of the barn along with the valley landscape, they’d found the perfect spot.
The Ford
You’ll also notice a Ford pick-up truck in the video. In black and white, it’s tough to truly appreciate the vintage ride, but I found out it was on loan from singer/songwriter Marnie Herald. Isn’t it always nice to have a friend with a truck!?! Marnie’s posted a colorful shot or two of the truck, affectionately named Doris. It’s a ’69 Ford F-250 for anyone who’s wondering 😉
That about wraps it up, thanks for checking out this post, y’all. I’d also like to thank Jim Wright for passing along great information about the video, a lot of which was used to put this together. Thank you so much, kind sir! Be sure to check out Jim’s other work, and follow Jon Pardi along with the rest of the folks below on their various social channels and websites.
The other day I was walking my dogs and about halfway through I noticed this beautiful tree standing alone in a field that had just been cut back. Take a look.
I thought, “How rare and precious! I’m so lucky to have seen this one tree in an area where none others exist. Amazing!”
The dogs and I kept on the walk and that’s when I noticed something. I already knew how silly I can be, but this was yet more evidence. For the entire walk, and totally unaware, I had walked by about 15 of the same kind of trees. I just hadn’t noticed!
The obvious lesson here is to pay attention to what’s around you, as I clearly didn’t. But another lesson is this: Presentation matters. I hadn’t noticed the other white-petaled trees because 1. I wasn’t paying attention but 2. they were lost among the rest of the trees and underbrush. This one stood out because the surrounding area had been cleared, which drew my attention to the tree.
I hope you’re able to notice the beauty around you today!
Out of the Wilderness 