Fair Week in Big Horn County is here in Basin, and the Basin City Arts Center will help kick it off with Jered Rogerson on 31 July. As well, the BCAC will be holding a local talent exhibition later in August to showcase some of our amazing and talented artists. Finally, the furnace and chimney system at the BCAC needs some serious work, to the tune of $10,000. As a non-profit organization which is thankful to be able to pay the electric, gas, and utitlities, that is an enormous amount of money to raise. Supporting the Arts Center events is one way to help. The Board will be serving dinner at the Midway Open as a way to help raise some of the money. We are also selling tickets for 2 separate 1/2 beefs, with the animal donated by Carl and Carmen Olson and Olson Farms and the processing donated by Paintrock Processing. Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100. A limited number of tickets will be sold--250 per half, so chances are pretty good--and are available from any board member (will soon also be sold at Security State Bank as well). So continue to read Jennifer Miller's great release on Jered Rogerson, and we hope to see you Tuesday night at the BCAC!
From Guest Blogger Jennifer Miller (although I'm not sure she knows I've given her this title):
Kick Off Fair Week with Jared Rogerson and his Country Music from the New West at the Basin City Arts Center
Big Horn County Fair Week jump starts at the Basin City Arts Center on Tuesday, July 31 at 7 p.m. with a Jared Rogerson Concert. Raised in the mighty Rocky Mountain West, Jared Rogerson’s music draws from 17 years of bronc riding in rodeos and countless miles traversing the rugged backcountry on horseback. Influenced by the songs of Chris LeDoux and the Grateful Dead and the end result is a modern cowboy-flavored vibe lyrically embellished with character and an honest edge, and deepened by the unmistakable tone of genuine experience. Jared calls his unique sound “Authentic Country Music from the New West!”
“I learned things you can’t learn in any classroom.” Jared would know as he has spent plenty of time in the classroom. His college tuition was covered mostly through rodeo and academic scholarships and he earned a Master’s degree in biology while continuing to rodeo professionally. Ironically, it was one last rodeo injury in 2007 that spurred Jared into taking his music more seriously. “It gave me an opportunity to escape with my life and chase a different dream.”
Besides the inspiration gained from bronc’ riding and mountain exploration, Jared has also been influenced by a variety of musical styles. “When you’re rodeoing, you spend most of the time just driving and listening to the radio. We listened to whatever would keep us awake.” The resulting line-up of some of his all time favorite artists includes George Strait, Lucinda Williams, and Bob Dylan. Despite his broad spectrum of musical tastes, there is one artist that has undoubtedly influenced Jared Rogerson’s life and music most- Chris LeDoux.
If you take Jared’s diverse repertoire of life experiences and mix it together with all the musical genres that have inspired him, the end result is a unique sonic blend of contemporary authenticity that he calls “Western Country.” About his 2011 release, Peace, Love & Horses, Jared says “For me, it’s about living everyday life in a western circumstance. The West has raised-up its very own cowboys and hippies and everything in between. I think writing songs about all these different things really paints a better picture of The West and what I’m all about.” Promoting rodeo, and education, teaching life’s lessons, and bringing forth a greater awareness of our wild surroundings are all part of a role that Jared is proud to fill.
We now live in a world where economic chaos, natural disaster, environmental catastrophe, and international strife wallpaper our television screens daily. Even worse is the loss of a sense of purpose for millions. Like the courageous men and women who traversed the rugged landscapes of the American West 150 years ago, great challenges face us all. Though the West has changed, the underlying theme remains- opportunity. “Now is the time when every single person can make an impact on the world. For me, it is music. My hope is to inspire others to dream big and then chase down those dreams. Now is the time. Life’s too short to ride a slow horse.”
Kick off the Big Horn County Fair Week with Jared Rogerson at the Basin City Arts Center on Tuesday, July 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets at the door are Adults $10; Seniors $8, and Kids 12 and under $5. The Basin City Arts Center is a nonprofit organization developing and supporting the arts in the Big Horn Basin. For more information call Kathleen Nichols at 568-3832.
