Fans cheer Monday as the start of the free Toby Keith/Ted Nugent Memorial Day concert draws near.
Posted on 06/03/2004 2:57:41 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
ILLESHEIM, Germany — There were no “Angry Americans” in Illesheim as rocker Ted Nugent and country giant Toby Keith unleashed a free Memorial Day concert to pay tribute to soldiers and their families.
About 7,000 people from military communities in Germany attended the concert. Many communities offered free bus transportation to the site.
Before the concert, hundreds of people had their photos taken with Keith and Nugent. In an effort to get all of the people in line in during the hourlong photo opportunity, groups of at least 10 people were rushed through. Digital photos will be available in about two weeks on the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Web site — www.mwr-europe.com — according to Lisa Eichhorn, 235th Base Support Battalion spokeswoman.
Still, some who hoped to have their photo taken were turned away as time ran out.
“I was the first one in the group they had to turn away,” said Joellen Arthur, from Schweinfurt. “I’m leaving for the States in a couple days and it was disappointing.”
However, Arthur said she expected the concert to make up for it.
“I can’t wait for the concert,” she said. “He’s been my favorite country singer since he started. I’ve always been a Toby Keith fan.”
During the 90-minute concert, Keith performed his troops-praising singles “The Taliban Song” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).” Nugent performed “Cat Scratch Fever” and a screaming guitar version of the national anthem.
Early on Monday, Keith and Nugent visited Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and spoke with soldiers who had been injured in Iraq.
“There was one girl who was waiting to have surgeries done, and we couldn’t get her to smile,” Keith said. “But the reason she wasn’t smiling is that the doc wouldn’t release her to get back to her unit in Iraq.
“It was an awful quiet ride on the way back [to Illesheim]. It was a very emotional time.”
Keith said he enjoys performing for the troops.
“They’re hard-working people and want peace just like everybody else,” he said. “But their mission is to make that peace.”
Nugent said meeting servicemembers was a wake-up call.
“It was a real powerful slap in the face,” he said. “The rest of the world is relaxed and comfortable, and they don’t even know why.
“We got to see the people who are fighting for that and willing to die for it.”
Fans cheer Monday as the start of the free Toby Keith/Ted Nugent Memorial Day concert draws near.
aren't we supposed to boycott everything MTV (VH1)?
ping
teds old band, the amboy dukes was always a must see.
we had a little club in the outskirts of st louis suburbs called the rainy daze only about 100 ft x 300 ft. benches along the walls. no chairs just a concrete floor. the guitar of teddy (gibson birdland) actually caused pain in that small inclosed area. he walked out on to the stage and pointing to the huge stacks of amplifiers on either side of the stage, he said "let me introduce you to big red, guarantied to blow the b*lls off a charging rhino at 500 ft" he then hit and held one high note which made the walls seem to bow out until everyone there was holding their hands over their ears begging for mercy. he then broke into a killer song, migrations, super instrumental. what a show he put on.
also saw the youngbloods and illinois speed press at the same tiny venue.
I have read that Ted has several "sweet spots" marked off around his amps so that he is able to get the perfect feedback from the right string at the right time.
He is truely one of the most underrated guitar players.
Michigan rocks (although I now live in Wichita -- hey, we've got Joe Walsh).
also one of the fastest alive. would love to see a guitar gunfight between alvin lee of ten years after and terrible teddy.
Toby Keith . . . his record label IS French remember, guys.
Michigan has a great up-and-coming soprano singer, so it's not a rock territory for me, especially in the upper parts of the Water Wonderland.
And you have to know how to spell that soprano's name. I can.
Country star Toby Keith, right, and rock guitarist Ted Nugent salute troops after a United Services Organization (USO) performance at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, May 29, 2004. Keith, who won top honors at the Academy of Country Music Awards this week, is on a USO tour of US bases in Kosovo, Italy, Germany and South Asia. (AP Photo/USO, Mike Theiler)
Rock and roller Ted Nugent, right, shakes hands and speaks with Maj. Jess J. Abbott, a chaplain who is currently a patient at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, western Germany, in this photo taken Sunday, May 30, 2004 and made available June 2, 2004. (AP Photo/LRMC-U.S.Army, Sgt. Joe M. Battle)
Who says Emmpty-V is in on this?
Nice post. Thanks for the info. Nugent and Keith deserve our support and respect.
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