Good things to come

I sit here, with plenty to do, but find myself continuing to think of Home Free, and in particular, Chris Rupp. The five gentlemen of Home Free have been such an incredible and positive influence in my life the past two years. The good news is Home Free will continue to make me laugh and appreciate amazing music, the bad news is they will do so without Chris Rupp.

I like to find the positive in every situation and as sad as Chris leaving is, the positives are far greater! For starters, Home Free will live on and that makes Home Fries unbelievably happy. We can still count on the road trips with the windows down and Home Free playing, Tim’s ground rumbling bass notes, Austin’s earth shattering wails, Rob’s sweet angelic or rapping vocals and Adam’s mind blowing beat boxing. Soon I’ll be able to add Chance’s specialty. Next, Adam Chance is getting an opportunity to perform with a vastly talented and entertaining group of guys and I, for one, am very excited to see what he brings to the stage. We’ve heard him sing and he fits right in. He has come down to meet the fans and won our hearts. So all in all, Home Free is going to be fine and the fans are excited to see what the new kid has to offer.

Now, for Chris and his positive. Well, in my opinion, Chris has so much talent I’m sure there is only positive here. I mean he plays piano and guitar, sings, writes songs, arranges and has a dynamic stage presence, plus, he’s just a nice guy! He has worked so hard for so long on Home Free and now they are well on their way. I’m am so happy that Chris has decided to turn all his work and effort into something for him. He deserves this opportunity. I bought his Shine CD and I love the music! Country Reigns and Moving On are my favorites and for two very different reasons. Country Reigns is just good stuff, period! Moving On, for me personally, took three incredible losses and gave them new perspective and light. It’s impressive when a musician can bring out such a wide range of emotions. Chris does that beautifully. Then there’s Drinkin' with Me for a little fun and Shine for a little dancing and so much more. His first CD is already a great success. I’m so happy for him and very proud of him. I have often had feelings of pride when it comes to the men of Home Free and this bittersweet time is no exception.

Thank you to Chris for the decisions you’ve made over the years. Your choices have given so many of us, Home Fries, some of the best times of our lives. I mean I’ve been to concerts in my youth and even dabbled in music and writing in my lifetime, but to be able to sit back and take in all the fantastic music and unforgettable mishaps of these down to earth guys, is priceless. The Home Free style has always been unique, lovable, fun and full of vocal genius. So, again, Thank You Chris for your decisions. I wish you all the best, all the happiness and all the positive vibes you could possibly handle and more. You'll forever be in the hearts of Home Fries! Good (hat)guys do finish first!

The big positive for us fans....well, now we not only have new songs and videos to look forward to from Home Free, but Chris Rupp too (maybe both together too)! Double the fun for us! I can’t make it to the Patreon party next week, so I’ll throw my good luck and good-bye hugs and wishes here. Bring on the next generation of Home Free and Chris Rupp! #totesexcited #notears #TryEverything #MovingOn

Party down Home Fries, watch out for each other and have a terrific time!

 

 

 

My Oklahoma Home Free adventure

Howdy y’all! I’m back from my unbelievably fantastic Home Free/Home Fries weekend in Oklahoma. I think many fries would agree when I say it went by far too fast! I haven’t laughed this hard, screamed this loud, been so psyched, enjoyed myself or drank that much in years!!!

My weekend started Saturday morning, when two other Texas fries and I drove up to Norman, Oklahoma to the Riverwind Casino. Now for those reading this that have seen Home Free live, you know how difficult it can be to find just the right expletive to describe how you feel when you’re in VIP talking with them, getting pictures with them and watching the concert. In VIP they are sweet, funny and just plain folk. They tease the fans and don’t hold back. They are welcoming to those who are there for the first time and make sure the veteran concert goers get a new and entertaining experience. Now, on this particular VIP, I had the thrilling job of giving Adam Rupp his birthday cards from Home Fries around the world. Yes, Saturday April 23^rd was Adam Rupp’s birthday. I was at the end of the VIP signing line and I am naturally a nervous person, so I hope my voice didn’t shake too much when I told him, “on behalf of Home Fries around the world, Happy Birthday!” He smiled big when I handed him a big birthday bag filled with cards and gifts from his loving fans! Nothing brighter or more satisfying than a grown man’s childlike grin when he’s humbled at his fan’s generosity and gratitude. His smile alone made my day and I was happy I got to make this presentation, at least once. 

Now, for the concert. Home Free was just as dynamic and top-notch as they always are, but this concert had two extra things about it that made it just a little better. Tim announced Adam’s birthday and told the audience to feel free to get Adam fruity umbrella drinks from the bar to help him celebrate. Throughout the concert, various colored drinks and shots kept appearing. Occasionally, one of more the guys would take a sip or chug a shot. At one point Adam had two drinks and a microphone in his hands. He seemed a bit perplexed as to how to remedy his situation until mysterious hands from back stage took the drinks from him. The second thing, was these awetacularific speakers, as tall as me, that stood on either side of the stage. I was in the front row, but far right and there was an extra VIP section in the center, so those speakers were in front of me, but about twenty feet away. When Tim hit those low notes or when Adam dropped the bass, that twenty feet might as well have been TWO!! I have never felt my chest rattle that hard, not even at one of their concerts. I keep putting my hand on my chest to steady my very skeleton! My hair blew back, honest! I don’t mean like model down the runway blew back, but my hair blew back from the power of the low notes through those mighty speakers. That was freakin’ AWESOME! Gives a whole new meaning to “feel the rumble”! Forget bass in your butt, this went down to my core and heartbeat!

Our after concert get together was small, but filled with so much laughter the waitresses brought us all water, thinking we had had too much to drink. That included our designated driver who wasn’t drinking at all. I guess we made too much noise for a Saturday night in Norman, Oklahoma. 

On to Tulsa we go. Our pre-VIP fry meet up was fun, but short. Time wasn’t on our side this day, but we managed to make it. During this VIP, I did not have birthday cards, however, I did come with a bag full of Girl Scout cookies. For those who have followed me for a while, you might remember my daughter took them GS cookies last year in Dallas. Adam got me in trouble with Nate because he was digging in the bag looking for his favorite flavor, Tagalongs! Well, he did it again. That’s right, Adam was digging in the bag to find his favorite and when he found it, he pulled out the box. When I finally got free, I could hear Nate telling us to keep moving. Chris had already moved out of the signing line and I wanted to tell him good-bye, so I quickly handed Nate the bag of cookies and called Chris. I asked him for a hug, since I would not be able to make the Patreon party. He gave me a hug that one would get from a friend. I was touched (and no, he doesn’t know me from any other fan). A true sweetheart and gentleman. I do wish him success and happiness, always.

Second VIP down and I’m feeling great! This time I had a couple of drinks before the concert. Similar to Norman, I was in the front row, but the stage was about thirty feet away. There was an empty wooden floor between the seats and the stage (this will be important later). The crowd was loud and energetic and the guys were just crazy good! I love when Austin gets that adorable little kid smile when the crowd goes insane. Well, the Tulsa crowd brought it and the guys loved it! Their performance was flawless and exhilarating! I could live happily on the effervescent vibes that you get at their concerts. Rob was on fire, Adam was beatboxing perfection, Austin was stunning and spirited, Chris was smooth, sweet and moving and Tim, well Tim was Tim…sarcastic, bassy and brought the house down! ESPECIALLY during Ring of Fire. He said something like “how about some dancers for this one,” and every person from the front row ran, not walked, RAN to the stage and filled that wooden floor! It was so much fun to watch. He may have worried about the decision to invite dancers for a second or two, but it turned out to be a Foustanding idea! The crowd loved it and I believe the guys did too. It made that low note at the end a treat for those close to the speakers, dancing. This was definitely a concert I wish could have gone on all night! 

And as a little bonus, Chance (Adam Chance) came down after the signing line and signed autographs and talked with us. You could tell he was a little overwhelmed and shy, but he did great! My daughter is now the proud owner of a Home Free night shirt, signed by six members of Home Free! We did go out after the concert and again had some laughs and hung out until way past my bed time, but I loved it!

Whew! That was long, but the weekend was amazing! Home Fries are the best! There were a lot of first timers at both concerts, so hopefully the guys gained some new fans. They just get bigger every day and they are getting some well-deserved attention. They will be opening for Alabama, that’s right, you read that right, they will be opening for Alabama in September in Kansas City. I wish I could be there, but I know they will rock the house, as they always do! Good luck Chris, welcome Chance and keeping being awesome Home Free! I can’t wait until my next Home Free/Home Fries adventure.

Until next time, enjoy every day and smile at a stranger! 

Home Free covers Try Everything with perfection!

Good afternoon faithful followers. Today we don’t just have a new video to go over, but we have a new member of Home Free to throw into the discussion. This one is pure fun and uplifting! I just got back from seeing Home Free, twice, over the weekend, so that blog will be coming soon. 

Let’s start with the song, Try Everything. Love the title and the song just reels you in and doesn’t let go. I heard it when I took my daughter to see the movie Zootopia, and I fell in love with it! Excellent decision to do this song. I haven’t stopped listening to it since I first saw the video. And yes, I support Home Free on Patreon, so I got to see it early. I just play it over and over again. Home Free adds their all too famous and notable magic to this incredible song! All that rich, gorgeous, meaty harmony that fills the room with energy and heart. Sometimes when I’m listening to this song, I close my eyes and let my ears take in every juicy note and beat and, when the song is done, I’m smiling from ear to ear. It’s a wonderful feeling. It may fall a little outside of the country genre, but Home Free really makes this song kick ass!

As you know, Chris Rupp has decided to leave Home Free for a solo career. To me Chris is Home Free, but all the guys are equally important to their success over the years. Chris, being one of the founding brothers, is the main face I associate with Home Free. The fans will miss him, more than we realize now, but at the same time we are excited for him. However, his adorable smile and smooth voice are missing from this video. It’s going to be difficult for some, but you really need to hear this, because Chance is going to give you this surprising sense of “Home Free is going to be just fine!”

So, I’m happily listening and watching as the video spins around a recording studio from a couple different views. The guys are their usual, love to watch them perform, selves. Chance seems to fit right in, harmonies rocking, Adam jamming (that man would be lost without arms), Rob and Austin sounding remarkable and making it look way too easy, and Tim and Chance filling it in with depth. Yeah, then all a sudden, Chance starts singing on his own. My heart skipped a beat and when I heard him I felt the smile break out, it was beautiful! Chance sounds, well, like he’s been doing this a while. Oh yeah, he has! It was perfect and I got the most satisfying and comforting feeling when I heard him sing. I knew Home Free made the choice to bring Adam Chance in for a reason, and he is completely convincing in his first video with Home Free. He won’t be officially initiated until he gets mobbed by Home Fries. Hehe, we don’t really mob, but it’s not our first rodeo, so we do give them a run for their money! (side note: how many times do you think Adam accidently, on purpose, smacked Tim and Rob while making this video?)

Brilliant! Great song, great singers, great video, great addition and great job! You really need to watch the video, if you haven’t already. You won’t be able to stop the smile and feel good when it’s over. And you’ll watch it again and again and probably again!  The Oklahoma concerts were amazing and you’ll hear all about soon. Until, check out this Home Free video of Try Everything!

#Ponytailandsunburns New Home Free video

Well Howdy faithful readers and welcome back! New Home Free video time and I have a lot to say about this little gem!! This video is Home Free’s cover of Garth Brooks’ ever popular and forever referenced, Friends in Low Places. Ah, I remember blasting the radio, windows down and me and my partner in crime and best friend, singing at the top of our lungs! Especially that mysterious third verse that the radio got away with playing every now and then. Home Free doesn’t do that third verse, but their take on the song with this video was Home Free style all the way!

Let’s get the ooohhh’s and aaaahhh’s out of the way first. Adam’s hair….DAMN!!! I love his hair back in a ponytail. I certainly don’t want to get in trouble, but I’m going to be daring this Monday morning and say Adam looks damn sexy in this video! There, I said it! His pool surfing was pretty impressive, well until he was so rudely interrupted! LOL! All the guys looked fantastic! It looks like the wonderful setting in the Cayman Islands did all of them some good! Flip flops, comfy clothes and/or shirtlessness, amazing water scenes, fruity drinks, goofiness, oh and some serious sunburns. The guys have fun messing with each other and enjoying time with their loved ones, plus giving the Home Fries a little sexy to make us happy. #ourboysknowhowtomakeussmile

Of course, we all love Tim’s wonderful low notes and Home Free’s special touch to this song. This song, although a kiss my ass, break up song, is still fun and pulls you in. It’s those wonderful friends in low places that get us through life and if given a choice, I’ll take the life in this video after a break up any day! Yep, drinking and getting weird with my friends would be the perfect remedy to any split. Home Free went the right way with this ageless song. I do have to laugh a little about the not so well hidden, stealth chicken (thanks for the pointer, Adam). The words “did Chris eat stealth chicken?” were uttered by a fry. This fry will remain nameless and faceless to protect their identity. The stealth chicken is pretty serious business in these videos! #stealthchickenonthebarbie The Fries just have to believe that Stealth Chicken, aka Albert, will be seen again. We won’t talk about Tim getting his haircut, that’s the painful part of the video (LOL, yes, I’m kidding, maybe).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the fun loving, sweet men of Home Free remind me so much of my older brothers. I grew up with three older brothers and there was ruthless teasing and shenanigans, but there was also great fun and many laughs! Seeing Home Free videos, watching them on stage, talking with them briefly during VIP’s and signing lines, I truly see my brothers and it’s awesome! I hope that water dumped on Tim’s head wasn’t too cold! 

I enjoyed the laid back feel of the video, the good times being had, the beautiful background and, of course, Home Free doing what they do best, singing a great song in perfect a cappella harmony. If you haven’t seen it yet, grab an umbrella drink, sit back in a chaise lounge, turn up the volume and let ‘er rip! #ponytailandsunburns #stingraysandfruitydrinks #friendsinlowplacesmaketheworldabetterplace And if you’ve never seen Home Free live, just do it, y’all! A great time will be had by all. I'll be traveling to Oklahoma to see them twice this month and I can't wait! #lookoutOklahomathefryinvasioniscoming Friends in Low Places and many other classic and new country songs can be found on their Country Evolution CD available on iTunes and Amazon. You can find their tour information at homefreemusic.com.

 

Take a chance on me! Home Free, Chris and Chance

As I sit here taking in the news Home Free just dropped on the fries and seeing all the comments, I can’t help but think one thing, change is inevitable and it goes down much easier, if you make the best of it. Here we have four sides to look at, and I see great potential in all four sides.

First, and foremost, Chris Rupp. He is young, talented, eager and a workaholic. These are the perfect characteristics for a solo artist that is ready to make that big leap. After hearing Chris’ CD, Shine, I have high hopes that he will do amazing on his own. Will we miss him? Well, hell yes! That smooth voice that make the ladies swoon, that wonderful cowboy hat and, of course, his great interaction with his fans. It’s so easy to adore Chris. He started Home Free and we will always be eternally grateful for that fateful decision. And now he makes another fateful decision that will lead to more great projects. More fantastic music from him and a new sound in Home Free. Chris, your talent has no end and you deserve to be able to spread that talent in a way that makes you the happiest. I wish you the best of everything in all that you do. And remember, the fries love you and we are behind you 100% too.

Next, there’s Home Free. This vocal band has given so many people so much joy and pure entertainment. I don’t see THAT changing at all. Yes, change is hard, but it’s not the first time Home Free has changed. Where I don’t know much about Matt Atwood, I do have a copy of Live from the Road by Home Free. I miss hearing Austin wail in his beautiful voice during Life is a Highway, but Matt has a great voice and his personality fits Home Free just as well as our guys do. I love that CD and Matt’s contributions. But I also love Crazy Life and Country Evolution. There was change, and it all turned out good, damn good. The members of Home Free are willing to take this “Chance,” and I’m happy to go along for the ride. So many possibilities for Chris, Home Free and Adam Chance.

Adam Chance. Most of us have heard of him, maybe seen Street Corner Symphony in concert or caught him in a Home Free video, but we all might not know that much about him. Take some time to listen to him sing. Get to know him as a performer and then imagine his rich voice blending in with the four remaining, and heavy on the talent, Home Free guys. If change is coming, let’s support and applaud it with open arms. So welcome aboard, Adam2 or maybe I should just say Chance.

And lastly, the Home Fries. I know many of you are very shaken by this announcement and admittedly so, the announcement is a bit rattling after following them the last eighteen months. But bands make changes all the time and we as fans have to decide whether we will continue to support them or walk away. I know the Fries will support Home Free and welcome Adam Chance as well as support Chris in his new endeavor. Fries are so full of positive vibes, love and encouragement. Once the shock wears off and we hear Home Free 2.0 (post Sing Off members), the Fries will embrace the change. So keep an open mind, be ready to be pleasantly surprised and hold on tight! It will be worth it, in the end.

Home Free has already won my heart. Chris Rupp, as a solo artist won me over big with Movin’ On and Country Reigns. Now let’s see what our guys can do with this “Chance” to win our hearts, all over again. Until Chris officially leaves, though, I’m going to play the hell out of Crazy Life and Country Evolution. Then I’m going to brace myself for Home Free, the next generation. Plenty of good things to look forward to, if you ask me!

#BringIt