It's like Colt Ford knew... "Every CHANCE I Get"

 

In a year of touring throughout the West with the likes of Dierks Bentley, Dwight Yoakam, Mark Chesnutt, Alan Jackson, David Nail, Gloriana, Sunny Sweeney, Phil Vassar, Steve Azar, John Rich, Sebastian Bach, Eden's Edge and Kenny Rogers... what better way to finish off 2011 than a December run with Hick-Hop artist COLT FORD.

It's as if Colt Ford knew we'd be hangin' together.  His latest CD release "Every CHANCE I Get" hit shelves this past May and has been on an iTunes tear ever since!  The CD itself has featured artists on it including Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Nappy Roots, Nic Cowan, Josh Thompson, Trent Tomlinson,  Craig Morgan and Charlie Daniels.  It's an All-Star event... not just a CD.

About two weeks ago I got a call from my agent at William Morris Endeavors who said the Country Rapper Colt Ford was comin' through the Pacific Northwest in mid-December.  Now, Colt and I aren't on the same roster (he's on Buddy Lee Attractions), but sometimes when acts fit together (or they think it'd be mutually beneficial) they put together deals on the fly like this.  Needless to say, when Barrett asked if I'd be interested in doin' shows with Colt Ford, I was grinnin' ear to ear.

As of right now, the "dates and states" stand at:

Thursday - 12.08.11 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Rail Event Center

Friday - 12.16.11 - Springfield, OR - Whiskey River Ranch

Saturday - 12.17.11 - Portland, OR - The Ponderosa

Sunday - 12.18.11 - Spokane, WA - The Knitting Factory

Ticket links are available at http://www.ChanceMcKinney.com/tour.html for those who want to catch Colt n' Chance out on the road... in the middle of December... workin' hard through the holiday season... tryin' to bring quality entertainment... weathering the Pacific Northwest storms, poor road conditions, cold nights... (yeah, I'm milkin' it at this point.)

A quick "thank you" to all of those who've made this dream a reality since the CMT win almost 2 years ago... I really appreciate all you've done (and continue to do) for me!

CM

P.S.  There will be more details on:

http://www.twitter.com/ChanceMcKinney

and

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chance-McKinney/160688966444

And that's another, Cougar, First "Chance"

Sometime early in the Summer of 2011, Chance received two calls in the same day from an old fling.  Nahhh, it wasn't one of those un-welcomed kinda awkward, silent calls you'd expect.  It was good news... no, make that great news!  See, Chance moved from Missoula, MT to Pullman, WA straight out of high school to attend the closest Pac-10  (now Pac-12) school and compete for Washington State University's perennial powerhouse of a track team.  She beckoned him, lured him in and has held a place in his heart since graduating 10 years ago.   Well, "she" called.  And when your first love calls, you can't help but pick up the phone and see what she wants and how she's doin'... right?!

But before we get to that, we need a little context to the story...

Summer 2010.  Chance is on a Southwest Airlines flight makin' a stop in Boise before heading onto Seattle to meet up with Blake Shelton for a week's worth of shows up n' down the coast of Washington State and Oregon.  He's still tryin' to comprehend the CMT win, the CMT Studio 330 session (recorded with Reba McEntire and Steel Magnolia), tour dates with Dwight Yoakam, Jamie O'Neal, Grand Funk Railroad and all the dates (including Blake, Luke Bryan, CCR, Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special) yet to come.  On that flight sat a girl who struck up a conversation with him talkin' of her internship at the capital in Boise for the summer, until she returned back to WSU in the Fall (see where this is heading?).

Anyway, that girl... let's call her DB (to protect her identity) happen to also be finishing her Masters and working for the WSU Athletic Department after completing her scholarship in swimming the year prior.  She asked what "what do you do?"  Chance, still not accustomed to sayin'... "well, I sing for a livin'" told her he was a former high school math teacher who just happened to be in the right place at the right time recently and ended up out on tour with some of her favorite acts (luck of the draw, she was a country fan).  They made introductions, realized they were both Cougar Alumni and chatted about Pullman and athletic careers for a bit.  DB got off the plane, Chance went onto Seattle, tour schedule got busy... add another new friend on the new career path.

Skip ahead to Fall of 2010.  Chance gets an email from DB... actually DB's boss (then Director of Marketing) in the WSU Athletic Dept inquiring about shows and what it would take (logistics-wise) to get him back to his stomping grounds.  Emails bounce back n' forth, ground work is laid, and the picture starts to take shape.

Now, back to Summer of 2011 and the "tw0-call" day.  The editor of WSU's Alumni Magazine calls asking if he can do a review and write an article on former All-American Javelin Thrower, now country singer, Chance McKinney.  On the same day, WSU Director of Marketing calls asking if Chance would be interested in performing at some point during the upcoming football season.  Not bad, the ol' fling still has a little interest... umm how 'bout yes, and yes.

So, here's the result of a 45-minute SWA flight sittin' next to a former WSU Alum...

October 15th, 2011.  Homecoming Weekend.  WSU v. Stanford.  Chance McKinney and the CrossWire boys will be performing at the Pre-Game Rally as the Cougs try to knock of the #4 nationally ranked Cardinal of Stanford.  CMCW will do a pre-game show in Hollingbery Fieldhouse from 2:30 - 4:00pm and then Chance has a little surprise at halftime for the 35,000+ fans there ready to support the Cougars of Washington State!

Think Pullman is ready for a little "Industrialized Country?"  Think WSU and Chance have a nice little recipe for success in the future?  Yeah, that's what we think too!

Kenny Rogers... no way! Yes way!!

Kenny Rogers along with Chance McKinney n' CrossWire on August 26th

I'd be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to say how thankful I am for opportunities like this that come up in this journey.  I stepped off the plane last week in Portland, OR preparing for the Willamette Country Music Festival with artists like Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town and Blake Shelton only to find a text message from one of the biggest promoters in the Pacific Northwest on my phone.  It read... "You're IN for Kenny Rogers."  Period.  That's it.  No, not quite eloquent, but damn fine in spirit and "cut to the point"-ness.

 

I literally was Tweeting (as in Twittering) and Facebooking in the car rental line "just got asked to open for Kenny Rogers.  Is hellfrickinyeah one word or three?"  Over 50 comments and 120 likes later I realized the magnitude of what was just presented to me on a platter.  Dude, you and your band are going to open for one of the greatest ALL-TIME country artists.  I mean, a guy you grew up listening to on the portable AM radio that ran on batteries out in the fishin' boat with Mom, Dad and your brother.

 

Do you think I knew, (at age 5-ish) while I was casting away tryin' to keep up with the rest of 'em at a game of "whose stringer of bass was fullest", that I'd be sharing the stage one day with THAT GUY?!  No way...  the gravity still escapes me.  It usually hits right about showtime when we (the boys from CrossWire and I) are about to step on stage.  The headliner bus, limo, van, whatever pulls up and I catch a glimpse of Dwight Yoakam, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson or that guy (Kenny Rogers) on their way to their hospitality trailer.  That's when it hits me.  I have 30-45 minutes to engage an audience and prepare them for a legitimate star.  No, not someone who just dresses the part or got to where they are because "daddy had some money" but literal "stars."  I mean, people who ooze talent.  And here I am, former high school teacher, CMT winner with a band full of talented musicians but still a kid from rural Montana responsible for flipping the switch.   That, is the moment.  That's the high.  That's the challenge.  And that, is why I love what I do.

 

Tonight, I'll be on stage with Paul, Ray and Brian "flippin' the switch."  Wanna know how the story ends?  It doesn't... but I'll try to keep you updated along the way through Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/chancemckinney), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chance-McKinney/160688966444) and Website (http://www.chancemckinney.com) if you're interested in taggin' along.

 

CM

Taking the stage with ALAN JACKSON...

 

Can you say JaneDear Girls, David Nail, Diamond Rio, Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Sunny Sweeney, Steve Azar, Phil Vassar, Alan Jackson, The Harters, Amy Clawson, Little Big Town and Blake Shelton all in the same sentence? Of course you can, if you can "read" it you can probably "say" it... stupid question on my part.

Welcome to the Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville, OR on August 19th - 21st. Thirteen of Country Music's hottest acts take the stage for the Premier Country Music Festival in the Pacific Northwest. VIP tickets sold out over two months ago. General Admission has exceded the original capacity. Hotel rooms are gone. Parking is spoken for. Campgrounds are max'd out. And now, it's game time!

If you think touring with Mark Chestnutt through Montana... and Dierks Bentley through Oregon and Washington was fun... wait until you get a load of this! (Although, I will say that the DB shows we're particularly off-the-hook... but I digress.)

I would just like to thank all of you who've made this possible. Since the CMT Award in December of 2009, I've had the opportunity to share the stage with...

Dwight Yoakam Jamie O'Neal Grand Funk RailRoad Blake Shelton Pat Green Luke Bryan Creedence Clearwater .38 Special Lynyrd Skynyrd John Rich Sebastian Bach Mark Chestnutt Dierks Bentley Edens Edge Sunny Sweeney David Nail Gloriana Jane Dear Girls Diamond Rio Steve Azar Phil Vassar and Mr. Alan Jackson.

It's been a special treat for me and the boys in the band. Thank you for your continued support and stay tuned for some additional news coming down the pipe after we complete the shows this month!

Sincerely,

Chance McKinney

www.ChanceMcKinney.com

HUGE weeks in August for Chance and the boys!

Let's just start with the schedule over the next couple weeks and who we're playin' with... then we'll get those ticket links out for those of you who feel the need to come catch us if we're close enough.

Saturday, August 6th - Opening for Mark Chestnutt in Anaconda, MT Tuesday, August 9th - Benefit Concert for Montana Education in Missoula, MT Wednesday, August 10th - Opening for Dierks Bentley in Bend, OR Friday, August 12th - Opening for Dierks Bentley in Manson, WA Saturday, August 13th - Headlining at the Mt. Si Festival in North Bend, WA Sunday, August 14th - Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Eden's Edge, Sunny Sweeney, David Nail and Gloriana at The Festival of the River in Arlington, WA Saturday, August 20th - Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Sunny Sweeney, Steve Azar, Phil Vassar and Alan Jackson at The Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville, OR

That's a whole lotta muscle for CMT Music City Madness Winner Chance McKinney n' CrossWire to be tourin' around the Pacific Northwest with.  Good luck fellas and do us proud!

For event details and ticketing information go to:

www.ChanceMcKinney.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chance-McKinney/160688966444

www.Twitter.com/ChanceMcKinney

P.S.  We're givin' away FREE tickets to the Dierks Bentley show on August 12th in Chelan, WA as well as the August 19-21 Willamette Country Music Festival (Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Little Big Town, etc) on our Facebook Fan Page... get over there quick!