There seems to be some buzz going among local country music fans over Aaron Tippin’s show March 2 at the Emerald Queen Casino. No doubt driven in part by the promise of seeing this big name in music in the intimate environs of the EQC’s I-5 Showroom, the excitement is well-founded no matter its cause.
Besides the fact that Tippin is considered by many to be a major dreamboat, the 55-year-old father of two boys loves to write songs about America and makes no bones about his love for his country. This combination of looks and talent attracted him millions of fans instantly. His music has earned gold and platinum status among his nine studio albums and two compilations, and he’s charted more than 30 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with hits "There Ain't Nothin' Wrong with the Radio" (1992), "That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You" (1995) and "Kiss This" (2000) reaching the #1 spot.
Tippin’s music is that of a man whose beliefs and lifestyle continue a tradition that is at once staunchly Southern and firmly rooted in the promise of America. This rings true for a lot of blue-collar people, as evidenced by huge attendance at Tippin’s arena concerts. He expresses himself beautifully in both his lyrics and deep, moving voice with its sweet country drawl. Tippin is proud to be an American, and his concerts provide the perfect opportunity for fans to indulge in an evening of pure love and pride in living in the good ol’ U.S.of A.
Tippin’s most recent album is “In Overdrive,” his 2008 tribute to America’s truckers. He said the concept came from his concern that country music had turned its back on its highway heroes. He addresses this on his website (http://aarontippin.musiccitynetworks.com/). "Seems like somewhere along the line trucking music got shoved off the country music plate," he said. "I don't understand exactly why. The trucks are still out there. And they're busier than ever keeping America rolling. I know the folks who work and live in the trucking world still love this music – and so do most fans of real country music. This album launches my crusade to bring the music back."
“In Overdrive” includes Tippin’s covers of those great road songs – like “East Bound and Down” (from the 1977 Burt Reynolds/Sally Field hit film “Smokey and The Bandit”) and Eddie Rabbit’s 1980 radio hit “Drivin’ My Life Away” – along with plenty of Tippin originals.
Tippin is also a pilot, farmer, winemaker, outdoorsman, avid bodybuilder and dedicated family man who spends a lot of his time at his 500-acre farm in Tennessee. His gorgeous wife, Thea, has herself recorded two albums in 2010, the gospel CD “Mighty Good God” and “My Way,” a jazz-infused collection of her renditions of 14 classics like “I Can See Clearly Now,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders” and “Hit The Road Jack.” Not only are husband and wife musically gifted, both are in amazing shape physically and keep fit by being workout buffs together. The Tippins are in the fitness infomercial market with their weight loss product TipnShaker, a seasoning to sprinkle on high-carbohydrate foods to block their fattening effect. (Read all about it at http://www.atnfit.com.) Record producer is another of Aaron Tippin’s titles, having founded his own record label Nippit Records six years ago.
For tickets to see Aaron Tippin live at the EQC on March 2, visit http://www.emeraldqueen.com, where country fans can also get ticket information for Chris Cagle playing March 12.