Christmas in the Black Hills

Here are the dates and times for the Great American Country TV Special "Christmas in the Black Hills" -

December 12, 2011 8:00 PM ET
December 13, 2011 12:00 AM ET
December 13, 2011 10:00 AM ET
December 13, 2011 7:00 PM ET
December 21, 2011 8:00 PM ET

I don't know, but guessing you'll also be able to catch it later on the GAC website.

Here are some more photos from the taping of the stage portion of the show last Monday night at the Deadwood Mountain Grand.

Andy Gibson. Learn more about him at his website. Unfortunately for us South Dakotans, this is not the Andy Gibson from Sioux Falls.

Bradley Gaskin. Learn more about him at his website.

Probably one of the coolest things that happened Monday night was an impromptu jam session when Big Kenny Alphin of Big & Rich and Nick Hoffman of The Farm joined Bradley on stage.

Speaking of The Farm, here they are - Krista Marie, Damien Horne and Nick Hoffman. You can see my photo from two posts ago on The Farm Website.

The Farm really impressed me and I think they've got a bright future ahead. Here's another shot of Krista.

Thompson Square was a crowd favorite. They are husband and wife duo Keifer and Shawna Thompson.

After their Christmas tune duties, Thompson Square did an acoustic version of their hit "Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not?" With 12 awards show nominations in 2011, Thompson Square is also on the rise in the music industry.

With other performances filmed throughout the Black Hills, including Tracy Lawrence on the 1880 Train, the TV show should be a lot of fun to see and a great promotion for South Dakota to a national audience.

Big and Rich, Deadwood, SD

As promised, more Big and Rich from the taping of the "Christmas in Deadwood" TV special for GAC. Don't forget to tune in one December 11, 2011 for the show!

"Christmas in Deadwood" TV special being taped

Big and Rich, Thompson Square, The Farm, Andy Gibson and Bradley Gaskin are all being taped performing around the Black Hills this week for a TV special called "Christmas in Deadwood" that will air on Great American Country (GAC) on December 11.

During taping at the Deadwood Mountain Grand on Monday night, Big Kenny did his best Elvis impersonation in "Blue Christmas."

The trio known as The Farm delighted the audience with a bonus non-Christmas tune, their new single "Home Sweet Home."

More info and pictures to come...

Big & Rich, Sioux Falls, SD

Take equal parts country, rock and roll, rap, circus, patriotic rally and South Dakota tribute and shake well. You'll get the Big & Rich show at the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls on August 12, 2009.

With special guests onstage like dwarf "Two Foot Fred," the black country rapper "Cowboy Troy" and "Tim the Electrician" who owns the Dungeon Bar in Sturgis, SD, things just never seemed like a normal music concert.

For those not familiar with Big & Rich's history, the duo of Big Kenny and John Rich spent much of their early time together playing in Deadwood, South Dakota. Many of their songs are filled with the area's history and flavor. Here is the set list from last night's show, but it doesn't include a few notables.


Before "Eighth of November," which is about South Dakota native Niles Harris and his experiences in Vietnam, John Rich surprised Kenny and the rest of the band by saying it was only right that they perform "Deadwood Mountain" while in the state. Kenny joined in, but the rest of the band had obviously never rehearsed the tune from the duo's first album and respectfully stood waiting their turn.

Despite 90 degree temperatures and sticky humidity, Rich made his onstage entrance in a fur coat. He quickly shed it after the first song.


Kenny did as much prancing and posing as he did singing.




"Tim the Electrician's" time onstage amounted to what Rich called "folding chair bronc riding" while the band played "The Orange Blossom Special," which morphed into Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."


More Johnny Cash tributes and rap from Cowboy Troy sprinkled throughout the Big & Rich hits lead up to a finale that included Rich setting a guitar on fire and then he and Cowboy Troy smashing two acoustic guitars to smithereens to the delight of the rowdy crowd.

Check out my pictures of Big & Rich from a more sedate performance at B&R. Learn more about the duo at their official website.

Big & Rich/Steve Miller/Beach Boys, Pierre, SD

This is my second post on the Vietnam War Memorial Dedication concerts held in Pierre, South Dakota on September 15 and 16, 2006. Check out the full story here.

Big and Rich and their song "Eighth of November" were a featured part of the actual dedication ceremonies.





Here are Medal of Honor winner Patrick Brady, Big Kenny Alphin, subject of the song "Eighth of November" and Vietnam Vet Niles Harris, South Dakota National Guard General Michael Gorman, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds, John Rich and Adrian Cronauer, the real-life disc jockey portrayed by Robin Williams in the movie "Good Morning Vietnam."


I've never quite understood why John Rich calls himself the "Cowboy Stevie Wonder," but here's a closeup of his guitar.


Two nights of Vietnam-era music capped off the weekend's festivities. Here is the Steve Miller Band.



And the Beach Boys.

Beach Boys/Big & Rich/Steve Miller Band, Pierre, SD

September 15 and 16, 2006 was an unbelievable weekend in Pierre, South Dakota. As part of a huge ceremony dedicating the state's Vietnam War Memorial, the Beach Boys, Big and Rich, the Steve Miller Band, Red Willow Band, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited performed.

Here are the Beach Boys.





For me the chance to see and meet Mike Love and Bruce Johnston of the legendary Beach Boys was a big thrill (below).



One of the weirdest things I've seen backstage at a concert was when I walked into the dressing room and Mike Love had a large stack of dollar bills on an ironing board. Then I realized he was ironing them! I didn't ask...

Big and Rich (below) flew in special to perform their song "The Eighth of November," which is about a South Dakota Vietnam vet, during the ceremony and then fly out. I bet they weren't in town more than a couple hours.





The Red Willow Band is one of South Dakota's own that became legendary in the late 1970s and early 80s. Now they get together for a few shows every so often. Here are Chris Gage and Kenny Putnam, who at one time were in Roy Clark's touring band and the cast of the TV show "Hee Haw."



Creedence Clearwater Revisited are not quite the same as the original "Revival," but sound pretty darn good anyway.



The Steve Miller Band (below) finished off the two days with an incredible show at the high school football field in the shadow of the state capitol building.