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Concert Photos

Prairie Band Casino - Topeka, KS

October 10th, 2009

Photos may not be copied or used without permission from the photographer Bob S. in MN

 

The Texas Tornado Touches Down in Kansas at Prairie Band Casino on Her Birthday….

(Kathy, we are not in OZ any more)

 Friday, October 9th, 2009

I am out the door at 9:00 to head to Kansas.  I have to make a quick stop at the bank and then I am Kansas bound.  I stop at the bank and make my deposit.  As I am driving towards I-35, I casually look at my bank slip and after doing some quick calculations, I realize the balance is short about 1200 dollars.  I immediately pull over and call the automated teller to do a quick balance.  The automated teller had the right balance, minus my recent deposit.  I call the bank and figure out the teller put my money in another account holder’s account.  We get the mess cleaned up and I am on the road again after about 30 minutes.

 I am taking I-35E to go around the Twin Cities.  I appear to be in the right lane as I start hitting the St.Paul area.   Then, just as fast the wicked witch flares up a fire ball, I realize quite quickly I am in the wrong lane and have no choice but to keep going forward.  I end up in downtown St. Paul at noon hour.  Downtown St. Paul is made up of a bunch of one way streets.  Not my favorite type of driving.  I recognize a street and turn on it.  Luckily, it leads back to 35 and I am able to get back on my quest.

 In take 35 all the way down through Iowa and Missouri.  In Missouri I need to get on 36W to head to Kansas.  According to my Google directions, I should be on 36 for about 45 minutes and then I need to zig, zag, and follow the yellow brick road towards Holton, Kansas.  Well, I was on 36 for 60 minutes and did not see my zigging or zagging exits.  I backtracked to a little town called Wathena in Kansas.  I stopped at a gas station and asked the young lady and her boyfriend if they knew direction to Holton Kansas.

In a distinct southern drawl they both said..Hoten Kansas, Yes just keep goin’ down 36 until you hit Hiawatha.  Take a left at the McDonald’s and you will be on your way.  I thanked them and hopped back in my car.  Got to Hiawatha.  Took the left at McDonalds.  Then I saw the sign:  Horton, Kansas, 20 miles.  Not good.  I decide to call the motel and see if they can give me directions.  I needed to get back on 36W and take 75S to Holton.  I had about 45 miles left to go.  I get back on the road and drive right up to the hotel at about 9:30 pm.  12.5 hour trip. 

 I get to my room and give Kathy G. a quick call.  Kathy just arrived as well and was just checking in to the hotel.  I run to the front desk to introduce myself.  Kathy had her own driving issues:   floods and storms, but she got there in one piece but was tuckered (no pun intended) out. 

 Saturday, 10/10/2009

We decided to meet in the morning to head to the Prairie Band Casino to check stuff out.  Just as we pulled in, Tanya’s bus pulled in too.  We kind of scope stuff out and Kathy tells me she thinks Tanya came in last night.  We get in the casino and see Jim and Virginia setting up.  They were both surprised to see Kathy and I together.  Always good to talk to Jim and Virginia.  They are excellent Tanya Ambassadors.  Afterwards, we took some time to feed the slots.  I fed my slot machine 30 bucks in about 30 minutes.  Kathy however got on a hot little machine and left with more then she cam in with.  We went back to the hotel to rest a bit and get ready for the party.  Kathy and I leave the motel at 4:30.  We get to the casino at 4:45. The casino had a giant birthday card for Tanya for everyone to sign.  Kathy and I each take our turn to sign the card.

 We then find where the meet ‘n’ greet will take place and get ourselves planted since it is going to happen before the show begins.  The Event Coordinators checks with Tanya’s folks to see if it is ok if we attend.  We got the thumbs up from Tanya’s team.  (Thank you Jack and Jodi).  Tanya comes into the Meet’n’Greet.  She looks just as sexy as ever.  Kathy and I each had a present to give Tanya.   As Kathy and I walked up, Tanya immediately recognized both of us.  Kathy went first and gave her present and got her pic taken.  Then it was my turn.  I wished Tanya a happy birthday and presented her with one of my pictures.  Tanya said thank you and said she had my other pictures in her home.  I graciously thanked her.  Every time I see her, I turn into that 16 year old boy that can’t talk right.  Kathy and I run in to grab our seats.

 The lights go down and the band comes out and starts playing that all too familiar tune…..Tanya’s theme…Some Kind of Trouble.  Out comes a radiant Tanya belting out her classic tune.  Tanya then goes into Hanging In.  She talks a bit about not being on tour for a while and how this was her first show in a while.  She then starts singing Without You, What Do I Do With Me.  I have to add that I got chills listening to her knock this one out of the park.  Next on the list was Strong Enough to Bend followed by San Antonio Stroll.  As they got set up for the Acoustic set, Tanya talked about how Presley won a singing contest out in Malibu and how proud she was of her.  Then Tanya talked about her earlier hits and did the set which included the classics Jamestown Ferry, What’s Your Mama’s Name, Blood Red and Going Down and the Coe classic, Would You Lay With Me In A Field Of Stone.  Then, Tanya put on her traveling hat and strutted on into Walking Shoes.  Tanya then started talking about her new CD.  She saw Jim sitting next to us and asked him if he had a copy with him.  Kathy was able to give Jim her copy and Tanya talked about how these were classic tunes and how these songs were important to her dad.  She talked a bit about her dad and then sang Love’s Gonna Live Here, Walk Through This World and Rambling Fever.  Tanya definitely has made these tunes her very own.  They are even more special when you see her do them in person.   After that set, Tanya talked about doing the Beatles tribute album and how much Layla loves the Beatles and wants to meet Paul McCartney.  Tanya said she wasn’t sure how she was going to make that happen and she didn’t even know if Mr. McCartney knows who she is….She then said she chose the song Something because Elvis sang the song.  Tanya explained that when she was a kid you either liked the Beatles or Elvis and she loved Elvis.  After Something, Tanya then did her haunting version of In the Ghetto.  She is definitely the female Elvis.  No ifs ands or buts about it. 

Now if memory serves (forgive me Kathy if I have this mixed up) at about this time Jodi (Tanya’s assistant), a friend of Tanya’s and the casino event coordinators come out on the stage with a beautiful cake.  The band plays Happy Birthday and Jodi tells Tanya that there is someone special on the phone.  Immediately Presley and Layla start singing Happy Birthday to their lovely mom.  The casino present the cake and card to Tanya and the audience sings Happy Birthday to Tanya.  It was very cool to be a part of the audience for this event.  Tanya then started singing Down to my Last Teardrop, followed by Lizzie and the Rainman.  Tanya then started talking about how the next song was a gift to her parents for their 50th.  She recounted the story on how they renewed their vows on the cruise and then dedicated Two Sparrow in a Hurricane to all the parents.  Then Tanya thanked her band , crew and the casino folks for the lovely card and cake.  She even thanked Kathy and me for coming out to the concert.  What a classy lady.  Then she started Amazing Grace and slid into the song that started this crazy trip down the yellow brick road….Delta Dawn.  Tanya received a standing ovation.  I walked up to the stage to have her sign my Should I Do It album.  Tanya looked down and saw it was me and said “I Love Ya Bob.”  Yes, I melted and then stood there and handed up other people’s momentos to get signed.  Kathy got Tanya to sign her new denim coat.  Tanya Wrote All My Love To Kathy, Love Tanya Tucker. 

 I grabbed a playlist from the stage and Kathy and I went out to the lobby.  We knew Tanya was leaving that night and were hoping to catch her before she left.  Kathy wanted to give her some return details on her gift.  We watched as Jim and Virginia closed up and bid them goodbye.  Tanya, who I think was celebrating her birthday, was nowhere to be seen.  We finally left the land of OZ for our hotel.  What a wonderful trip to the wizard.

I must add, the staff at Prairie Band Casino were top notch.  They were so friendly and accommodating.  Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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