Posted on 01/26/2011 9:24:18 AM PST by astyanax
Jim Beam and Kid Rock, The Secret to Getting Things Done?
Even though theyre not familiar with his songs, I hope the Vietnam vets attending the Kid Rock concert Tuesday night at Van Andel Arena receive an acknowledgment from the star of the show and maybe a few of the fans at the sold-out event. Its been more than 40 years in the making. To understand the significance of what is happening Tuesday, we need to go back to the mid 1960s, when Grand Rapids resident Rick Falls joined a handful of other teenage and 20-something soldiers from around the country to fight an unpopular war in jungles on the other side of the world. They returned to their homeland only to be shunned by some, dismissed as baby killers by others, and left to wonder what had been gained by the loss of 58,000 American lives. In the absence of parades and motorcades, the troops simply tramped home and did their best to be re-absorbed by a country still flustered over the role we played in that foreign country. But on Tuesday, Kid Rock a passionate supporter of our troops and veterans could take a moment between songs to reverse some of that and give a handful of Army vets goosebumps that might never recede. Rick Falls and three or four of his buddies who havent been together since 1968, will be attending the show thanks to the folks at Beam Global Spirits and Wine Inc., best known for its bourbon Jim Beam.
Kid Rock is very passionate about the Country and our soldiers. He may do some stupid things sometimes and I’m not really too crazy about his music, but he has a heart for the troops and I respect that more than anything.
Troops and Kid Rock bump!
He may be a bit rough about the edges, but to his core, Kid Rock is a patriotic guy. He came to Norfolk to give a benefit show in late 2000 to aid the families of sailors killed in the terror attack on the U.S.S. Cole.
He has a good heart, and is a good American. I don’t care much for the hard-rock side of his music, but his country side is better than tolerable. If nothing more than to support the cause, I’d pay for and sit through one of his concerts.
Back in 2003, Kid Rock was supposed to do an “In and Out” concert in Kuwait City Kuwait as Iraq was still too hot to support that kind of event.
He did the concert (attended by nothing but REMFs)then flew into BIAP where he was simply supposed to do a 45 minute grip and grin with Soldiers in a hanger on the tarmac.
Upon his arrival (to a jam-packed hanger) as he started to shake hands and thanks us, someone in the crowd handed up a guitar.
That cat played acoustic for at least an hour as everyone in the crowd sang along with him. He stuck around shaking hands and taking pictures until I’m sure he was half blind.
He ended up hanging around BIAP for the rest of the day.
I became a Kid Rock fan after that.....
RLTW
I’m probably too old to be admitting this, but I enjoy the majority of his music.
And I definitely admire his support for our troops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu3rsha1ZtI&ob=av2el
Definitely a candidate for the Haney Project. Many thanks to Kid Rock for his ongoing support for the Troops! And by the way, Jim Beam Black is a mighty fine bourbon Whiskey. ;o)
I was a fan of his in 2002. People my age were asking “Who’s Kid Rock”? I can’t explain it but I thought he was cool.
I’m 46 and still love Rock, and am a Kid Rock fan. He is a big troop supporter. A lot of Rockers are Bret Michaels of Poison, all of Motley Crue, The guys from Three Doors Down.
They all might be stinkin’ hippy liberals, but if they go over, perform and meet the Soldiers that moves them up in book.
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