Country artists make surprise stop at Carson

FORT CARSON, Colo.---Forty minutes of heavy rain and hail couldn't dampen the spirits of about 300 Fort Carson community members who braved the weather June 11 to attend a free country music concert at Iron Horse Park.

The Tyler Reeve Band and Bluebird CafAfA songwriters and up and coming country singers Cory Branan, Dave Pahanish, Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Heather Morgan and Troy Olsen all volunteered to make Fort Carson an added stop on the Country Throwdown 2010 concert tour.

With a few days off following performances in Bristol, Va., the artists were offered the opportunity to perform a preview concert at the Mountain Post the night prior to back-to-back shows in Salt Lake City and Denver.

"As musicians, we get a chance to travel and go all over the country, but sometimes the stops are a little more special than others," Olsen, who was limited to emcee duties due to a sore throat, said in an interview prior to the concert. "We all felt like today's (stop) is more special than some of the other stops because ... we get to entertain some of the troops and their Families, and give back a little bit."

"We go from city to city and perform for all the country music fans and it's an amazing thing in itself, but coming out here and playing for the troops, I just feel so happy and honored to be on the stage, just to have them listening and watching," Ray said. "It's our pleasure and our honor to be here."

The Country Throwdown preview concert, made possible by the Fort Carson Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain USO, provided a taste of what the tour show has to offer. In its inaugural year, Country Throwdown was created with the vision of providing fans a day-long show featuring country music staple bands - like Montgomery Gentry and Little Big Town - and young talent in the making at a reasonable ticket price, according to event organizers.

The rising stars, who opened the event taking turns singing songs, constantly praised the crowd for enduring the weather. During the downpour, many in attendance scurried for shelter in nearby sponsor tents as the singers continued to perform, but the diehard fans braved the elements huddled under umbrellas and a family hunkered down under a plastic tarp until the storm had passed.

The concert concluded with a set from the Tyler Reeve Band, to include the live debut of "Cover Me," a song the band sent to 5,000 deployed troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but had yet to perform live as a band.

"We've been holding onto it really ... we just haven't put it out there," Reeve said prior to taking the stage. "We're going to play it tonight and we're really excited about it. I think it's something that will hit home with a lot of the guys and girls that are serving (in the military) ... so we're excited about it."

The concert provided an opportunity for Fort Carson Family member Amber Rodgers and her 3-year-old daughter Kayleigh to "get out of the house and just have fun" and not be cooped up inside while her husband is training downrange.

"It's nice to know someone thinks enough of us to (put on a concert for us)," Rodgers said.

Just the second concert she has attended, 14-year-old Sierra Verwiebe was touched the artists would put on a free concert.

"It's just amazing for these musicians to take their time and to put on a concert for the Soldiers," Sierra said. "It just shows (the Soldiers) that we all appreciate them and is just a way to say thank you for protecting our country."

Reeve spent the day visiting Soldiers around the Mountain Post, donned individual body armor and got an up-close look at some of the Army's equipment, an experience he said gives him a greater respect for those serving in today's military.

"(I) met a lot of folks ... jumped in some of the toys and tanks and played with some of the guns and stuff," said Reeve. "I had a good time for sure."

"Whenever we talk to troops ... we try to let them know how much we appreciate what they are doing, but being able to go around and see all this ... stuff today, you see how much goes into it."

Reeve said his band is eagerly awaiting a phone call from Armed Forces Entertainment inviting them to play for deployed troops either in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"We would go tomorrow if we could," Reeve said, noting his drummer has shared his experience from a few years ago while part of another band.

Reeve concluded his preconcert interview with a message to the Soldiers.

"I can't say it enough," Reeve said, "just thanks for serving and doing what you do on a daily basis protecting all of us so we can be here and do something as fickle as playing music."