Pop and countryis best
lined up for 2001 RodeoHouston
By Jake McKim
Daily Cougar Staff
Now even country fans will say their name.
Hometown act Destinyis Child is just one
of the marquee names that make up this yearis extremely diverse RodeoHouston
lineup.
In case you havenit heard, the big event
held every year at the Astrodome with all the cows, horses and cowboy hats
is now called RodeoHouston, slimmed from its more lengthy former title,
the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Other well-known entertainers performing
at this yearis almost month-long event include the now-annual performance
from Clay Walker, who kicks off the festivities Feb. 13, and perennial
showstoppers Alan Jackson, Lonestar and Brooks and Dunn. Also making their
way to center stage are Hank Williams Jr., Alabama, Lyle Lovett, Kenny
Chesney, Jo Dee Messina, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack.
The announcement of the aforementioned
acts isnit so surprising, but the rest of the bunch is sure to raise some
eyebrows.
Boy band 98 Degrees will
bring their lush four-part harmonies to RodeoHouston at the Astrodome on
Wednesday, February 21.
Norman Jean Roy/
Universal Records
Legendary soul goddess Diana Ross plays
the Dome Friday, Feb. 16. Destinyis Child, who recently cleaned up at the
American Music Awards and is expected to do the same at the Grammys, will
flash their million-dollar smiles and belt the tunes that have made these
hometown girls one of the highest-selling acts of the new millennium on
Sunday, Feb. 18.
Boy band 98 Degrees will try to heat the
normally frigid Dome with its sultry lyrics and teenage charm on Wednesday,
Feb. 21.
Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight, two singers
undoubtedly headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will keep things
soulful at Friday, Feb. 23is Black Heritage Day performance.
Two groups from the past, pop group Duran
Duran and rock gurus Def Leppard, will keep nostalgia at its peak with
their performances on Feb. 27 and March 1 respectively.
Rounding out the why-are-they-performing-at-the-Rodeo
list is Barry Manilow. The smooth-as-silk crooner will have the ladies
screaming his name on Saturday, March 3.
Thirteen-year-old country music sensation
Billy Gilman and one of countryis biggest superstars, LeAnn Rimes, wrap
up the event on Sunday, March 4.
Tickets go on sale at the Reliant Astrodome
box office at 10 a.m. Saturday. Beginning at 10 a.m today, wristbands will
be distributed to determine who gets first crack at the tickets on Saturday.
Tickets will also be available by calling
(713) 629-3700 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. The "bad" seats
will go for $13 this year, while the "good" seats, which are available
only to season ticket holders, cost between $16 and $19.
Here is the list of all the performers
and their show dates:
Tuesday, Feb. 13 -- Clay Walker
Wednesday, Feb. 14 -- Alan Jackson
Thursday, Feb. 15 -- Hank Williams Jr.
Friday, Feb. 16 -- Diana Ross
Saturday, Feb. 17 -- Alabama
Sunday, Feb. 18 -- Destinyis Child
Monday, Feb. 19 -- Lyle Lovett and Robert
Earl Keen
Tuesday, Feb. 20 -- Neal McCoy and Rascal
Flatts
Wednesday, Feb. 21 -- 98 Degrees
Thursday, Feb. 22 -- Lonestar and Brad
Paisley
Friday, Feb. 23 -- Patti LaBelle and Gladys
Knight
Saturday, Feb. 24 -- Kenny Chesney and
Phil Vassar
Sunday, Feb. 25 -- Intocable and Control
(Go Tejano Day)
Monday, Feb. 26 -- Brooks and Dunn
Tuesday, Feb. 27 -- Duran Duran
Wednesday, Feb. 28 -- Jo Dee Messina
Thursday, March 1 -- Def Leppard
Friday, March 2 -- Martina McBride and
Lee Ann Womack
Saturday, March 3 -- Barry Manilow
Sunday, March 4 -- LeAnn Rimes and Billy
Gilman
