After 15 years since his last new album, Don Henley reflects on his small-town roots in his latest release, Cass County. Henley ditches the classic rock sound, mostly attributed towards his time in the Eagles, and brings us an acoustic-driven country album.
Even though he found much of his success in California, Henley has always called Cass County, more particularly Linden, home. This look back at his life in a small southern town might be behind his return to the country genre. If you were to ask anyone from Cass County to describe what life is like in small-town Texas, they would tell you how time moves slowly and the day is simple: an attitude country music matches almost perfectly. With collaborations from Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Dolly Parton, Don Henley’s new album looks to represent life in Cass County with great faithfulness.
On October 15, Henley comes back to his home state of Texas, when he stops by Grand Prairie’s Verizon Theatre, on his upcoming tour.
Dez Bryant and Tony Romo out for a couple weeks due to injuries.
Percy K. Davis
“And the cowboys win the game!” The Cowboys started the year off 2-0 and won their first two division games. These wins came with a devastating cost.
In the first regular season game the Cowboys hosted the Giants in Arlington, Texas. The first quarter was a defensive stand seeing how both teams only put up 3 points. The second quarter the Giants started rolling, scoring 10 points to the Cowboys 3 points.
In the second half the Cowboys came out rolling, scoring 21 points to the Giants 13. The Cowboys won in a nail biter 27-26. Although the Cowboys won the game they lost their star receiver Dez Bryant to a broken foot injury in the 4th quarter. Bryant is said to be out for 4-6 weeks.
The following week the Cowboys were set to play another division game against their rivals the Eagles. Not only are the Eagles the Cowboys’ rivals but during the off-season the Eagles picked up the Cowboys’ starting running back Demarco Murray. Murray led the NFL in rushing yards in the 2014-2015 NFL season.
The Eagles hosted the Cowboys Sunday, September 20, 2015. The first half was a defensive game with the Cowboys only scoring 3 points in each quarter and the Eagles not scoring at all. In the beginning of the 3rd quarter the Cowboys returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, making the score 13-0.
Not too long after that, Tony Romo goes down on a pass play with broken left collarbone. The Cowboys go on to win the game 20-10 without Dez Bryant or Tony Romo.
Although the Cowboys are 2-0, it’s hard to imagine them winning any more games without their star quarterback or their star receiver, and they no longer have the NFL’s 2014-2015 leading rusher, Demarco Murray.
The muggy air was somewhat suffocating as bugs flew aimlessly around the towering stadium lights, falling to their demise into a tray of cold nachos. The Linden-Kildare band had just completed their performance, and the Redwater Dragon band was making its way onto the field. They proceeded to play music for the Redwater Dazzler drill team to perform their choreographed dance. The award-winning Redwater band was ready to usher in a new year of musical enjoyment.
A Redwater color guard member smiles while she performs during the Redwater High School Homecoming Game on September 18th, 2015.
The band moved to their first position of the show by way of a theatrical act in reference to the subject of their show: The Rise and Fall of Rome. The Friday night lights glistened off the scintillating bells of the sousaphones. The press box announcer asked the drum major, “Is your band ready?” She responded with a salute and the band awaits her signal of initiation. The half-time show at Redwater High School homecoming football game was about to begin its second section.
The band stepped off at the count into a movement across the field while playing an energetic introduction to the first of three movements. Tonight they were showcasing the new uniforms, a combination of modern styling and traditional marching attire.
A saxophonist plays her solo during the Redwater High School Homecoming Game on September 18th, 2015.
This year’s show is in many ways similar to the show the band played in 2011, the year during which the students’ determination allowed them to advance all the way to state to claim the 2nd place prize for best marching band in the 2A category. I was part of that team and can say that it was a life-changing event for me.
During the second movement, a slower, softer chorale, a saxophonist played a solo. A solo is a great way to impress the judges at any competition because a single player has no way to cover up mistakes; they are vulnerable, prepared for sacrifice.
The Redwater Drumlines performs during the Redwater High School Homecoming Game on September 18th, 2015.
The show continued on, but the third movement was not played, because the band was still learning their movements. It will have to be as flawless as possible for the first contest that the band traditionally attends: The Four States Marching Competition at Grim Stadium in Texarkana.
This experience from the first event will help students prepare for the subsequent contests leading up to their ultimate goal of playing at the State Finals Competition at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This year will likely be a year of the dragon for Redwater High School’s Marching Band.
