ANDERSON — Looking for more than fireworks this Saturday night? Head on out to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino for two free country concerts as well as an awesome fireworks display.
Pendleton’s Casey Jamerson will kick off the festivities at 7 p.m. with country artist John Anderson getting under way at 8:30 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled to begin at 10 p.m.
Anderson in a phone interview last Friday was more than excited about heading back out on the road, performing that very night at the Grand Ole Opry. He was equally excited about the release of his new CD, “Bigger Hands,” which has only been on the shelves for a couple of weeks.
With many albums to his credit, Anderson promised an evening full of “old” stuff as well as trying out songs from the new CD and mixing in some patriotic tunes as well.
“Through the years I’ve been to probably every corner of Indiana,’’ said Anderson. “This time I’m John Anderson and will be spending my July 4th in Anderson, Indiana. That’s pretty cool. We’re looking forward to a great show and good time.”
Anderson’s excitement about the release of his newest CD was enlightening as he shared that “Hawaii in Hawaii” is his favorite song, although “Shorty’s Long Gone,” which he co-wrote with Mark Farner, former member of Grand Funk Railroad, ranks a close second.
“It’s a bit different than the honky tonk stuff. It says what it needs to say. Mark’s a dear friend and we have written many songs together, hunted together, and he’s a great, great rock ‘n’ roller,’’ said Anderson.
Anderson got started listening to the likes of famous rock ‘n’ rollers Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones before turning his sights to country. As a 15-year-old playing in a local band, he discovered Merle Haggard and from then on out it was all country.
And country has been good to the 54-year-old Florida native for the past 30-plus years as he’s had 40 singles on the Billboard country music charts including five that went to No. 1 — “Wild and Blue,” “Straight Tequila Night,” “Swingin’,” “Black Sheep” and “Money in the Bank.”
If that music career thing hadn’t worked out for him, he believes he would be working with wildlife.
“I have a great love for animals, forestry and conservation,’’ said Anderson. “I’ve been a hunter and fisherman since I can remember. I’ve had a wildlife sanctuary on my property in Tennessee for the past 25 years.”
The love of wildlife and land has earned him some pretty good buddies — one of them having been the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.
“I spent days getting to know him (Earnhardt). We had hunting and fishing in common. I missed out on a couple of chances to go fishing with him. I wish now that I would have gone. He got me started watching NASCAR. Those guys are a whole other breed,’’ said Anderson.
Although he has never met Dale’s son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Anderson still has a tie to NASCAR. He can be found cheering on Indiana native Tony Stewart, whom he has worked with in the past for Bass Pro Shops.
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