On the Fourth of July, Downtown Cheyenne will be the place to be with a host of events for all ages for the Capital City Celebration America’s 250th.

From a 9 a.m. downtown parade to music, speakers, shows activities, tours and food all day.

Official website for the event:

https://www.capitalcitycelebration.com/

At 1 p.m. is the America’s 250th Ceremony on the Capital Steps with the Wyoming National Guard 67th Army Band, a the National Anthem a C-130 Hercules Flyover, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon will give a speech and introduce dignitary speeches. presentation of the colors. Day and night-long performers include the Wind River Dancers on the Capital steps at noon, Reesie Rae at 3:30 pm on the lawn stage, Las Angelitas Unidas Y Los Rayos Del Sol at 4:30 p.m. on the lawn stage, Missy Jo at 6:30 p.m. Jaland Crossland starts performing at 7:30 p.m. and the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra will do a Patriotic Concert at 8:30 p.m. on the Capital Stage with a fireworks finale starting at 9:40 p.m. over the Wyoming State Capitol Building.

Parade info:

🎉 Cheyenne’s America’s 250th Parade – July 4th! 🎉

Join us downtown at 9:00 AM as the parade kicks off at 18th & Carey, heading north on Carey, east on 22nd Street, south on Central Ave, and west on 17th Street.

🅿️ Free parking at the former Safeway lot (26th & Pioneer) or nearby streets. Trolley service runs after the parade from the Jack R. Spiker Parking Facility (307 W. 17th St) to Capitol Complex events.

See you downtown.

Official photo of event info for tomorrow’s America’s 250th celebration in Cheyenne, Wy

Show starts in an hour 6 pm.

https://www.cheyennepresents.com/our-venues/depot-plaza/fridays-on-the-plaza

Story by Karen Cotton, owner of Life is as Sweet as Cotton Candy

Legendary country singer Kenny Chesney, who sells out stadiums, and more recently has a second residency at the Sphere auditorium experience in Las Vegas, where only a handful of artists have performed at, Chesney announced he’s got a brand new album coming out this Fall.

Here is the info:

The album is called “Silver Sands Marina.”

Its release date is set for September 25th and the new title track is available now.

The link for the new track and to presave his new album for several official music streaming service platforms is below:

https://kennychesney.lnk.to/silversandsmarina?fbclid=IwRlRTSASpnCNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEebKRnWPO58D2rQHB1b_ymwf0V3g2lYcm9MwCzS4v6t0ZHrV1GkCK3TdOYJUo_aem_YWdncwM_m53Hxe4jDU-Nr6EAHnsV

Even more information about his new release can be found by going to Chesney’s official website at :

https://www.kennychesney.com/

Where you can also purchase the Vinyl album plus a signed art card, two different colored T-shirts with the “Silver Sands Marina” album cover on them, and a CD with a signed art cart, as well.

For Chesney’s current Sphere residency it looks like tickets are still available.

The last date of his show at this particular residency at The Sphere ends on July 11.

I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from friends and colleagues in the industry who have attended his Sphere shows. So, if you’re in a position to take a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas, grab the tickets to his show, get a flight booked, and Go see it!

His website has the official link to his Sphere tickets. Don’t go anywhere else because there are so many scam ticket websites.

Here’s his website link again and the ticket links are on the site’s home page:

http://www.Kennychesney.com

I’ve seen pieces of his Sphere residency shows from his social media posts. I feel that the whole submersive experience would be amazing in person. I have work obligations and I start a second job tomorrow. I’m single and it’s necessary for me right now to survive. I have had so much bad luck and some major set-backs but also in the future I have some positive opportunities. I guess I’ll have to wait until his next residency, which I’m sure he’ll have a third one at the Sphere.

You can read about Chesney’s successful life and career in his fairly new, New York Times Best-Selling Memoir “Heart, Life and Music,” which was co-written by his long-time publicist, Holly Gleason. Who I will say is amazingly talented and good at what she’s done as a publicist for years. Gleason was always was gracious and kind to work with over the years. My brother and sister-in-law bought me an autographed copy of his memoir. I just haven’t had any chance or opportunity to ever read it.

This magazine of mine has been a labor of love since I started it back in 2011. I don’t honestly get paid. When I am fortunate enough to get advertisers I am able to print it. Only one edition in print has come out and I’m working on the second one. It has become costly however to hire graphic designers and pay for the physical copy as well as continuing to pay for this domain annually and spend my time on it.

I was given an opportunity to attend the University of Wyoming this Fall in Laramie , Wyoming, which is my alumni school I graduated from in 2000. Yeah, I’m old. The opportunity is to study and major in art, with an emphasis in graphic design so I can design my own magazine and books.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Mass Media from UW. And a partial art and music associate’s degree from another community college.

And I also have had several other offers, too at music and broadcasting schools nationwide.

It’s much like one of Chesney’s hit songs, “Beer in Mexico,” one of the set of lyrics is “

Kenny Chesney – Beer In Mexico Lyrics

[Verse 2]
“Sun comes up and sun sinks down
And I seen them both in this tourist town
Up for days in a rage
Just trying to search my soul
From the answers and the reasons why
I’m at these crossroads in my life
And I really don’t know
Which way to go”

On a more personal

Note:

That’s where I’m at in my life and at 50 years old I am having what people would call a mid-life crisis I’ve been trying to navigate daily and I have professionals assisting me because I have always had some sort of partner. Life has been hard. New challenges, tough challenges, that being single and a woman, a mom, like it’s tough. Pray please for me.

This magazine, my podcast, and YouTube channel I started back in 2011. They’re all a labor of love. I do it to spread positive vibes and news into a very troubled world. To promote the arts and to help people live more successful and happier lives, which has always been my mission as a journalist. Have integrity, ethics, always tell the truth, and put everyone in a positive light. I honestly never have fit into a traditional news setting. News is usually negative, disheartening and you’ll find on social media there’s a lot of doomscrolling going on and don’t get me started about the pitfalls of AI!I feel it needs to be regulated for so many reasons.

There’s this For King and Country song and music video “Joy” and that’s what I’ve always tried to do as a journalist. Spread joy. I have covered many tragedies from Matthew Shepard’s death when I was a student at UW and worked on the public relations team, to covering Columbine High School’s tragic shooting, and the 9-11 tragedy. I always covered the healing aspects. The music ,the art, the books, that helped people cope and come together.

And circling back … it has been an honor to watch people’s careers like Chesney’s grow and knowing how much hard work and dedication and sacrifice that goes into being a famous entertainer. I have also watched Taylor Swift go from opening shows when she was 17, when I interviewed her when she performed at Cheyenne Frontier Days, to being a global super star billionaire and Swift was honored recently at one of Chesney’s shows in his “Big Star” song. And now her new song in “Toy Story 5” hit number one recently. Her upcoming marriage to Travis Kelce is all over the news. Honestly if I were them I’d elope and just go off grid for a while and enjoy each other’s company.

I have known Chesney since 1998 when he opened for Alabama at the University of Wyoming’s Arena Auditorium. I was a young newbie journalist then, still majoring in journalism, but I made money by working and free lancing for many publications to support myself in school. At the time of Chesney and Alabama’s show I was freelancing for my hometown newspaper The Green River Star. I still hadn’t finished my classes at UW and this was before I landed my job at the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle where I worked from 1999 to March of 2011.

What I’m trying to say is I owe my successful career as an entertainment reporter 100 percent to both Chesney and Randy Owen of Alabama. Both performers invited me to go to Fan Fair, in Nashville, Tennessee, which is now the Country Music Association Festival. The Casper Star-Tribune gave me the opportunity to freelance for them. I got press credentials to CMA Fest. Went to Nashville. Chesney invited me to his fan club party and it was there that he debuted “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” His label I believe at the time was hesitant that that particular song was going to be a hit. And the reaction of his fans live solidified Chesney’s knowledge of what song is going to be a hit on radio and what song is not. It was indeed a big hit for him. And that song writing skill of his and his many co-writers is truly what has made him successful over the years. I have always loved country music and musicians because they are always down-to-earth and their songs aren’t afraid to tell real life stories that other music genres steer clear of. Many of Chesney’s songs, any artists’ songs for that matter are autobiographical. And that’s the connection songs have with an artist’s fans. They can relate to the song. And music, it’s a universal language. It has the power to heal, to give a message, and like journalism, it’s another way to make a change and a difference in the world with the power of Freedom of Speech. Freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Here is more information about that.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment

While Chesney never uses songwriting or his star platform to speak about politics or other things like that, his music has had the power to help fans overcome problems, give them an escape from the daily grind of life. As an entertainer I’ve learned how physically grueling putting on a live show is after talking to thousands of artists over the years. And Chesney has won CMA Entertainer of the Year several times because it’s a very coveted music industry prize because he puts on one Hell of a good show. And makes the fans ticket price worth their money they’re spending to travel to see him.

I met so many country artists, when I went to Fan Fair with Chesney and Owen’s invite and letting me know Fan Fair existed, these new artists at Fan Fair in 1998 were just starting out. Like Chesney, the Dixie Chicks, LeAnne Rhimes, Brad Paisley, etc.

If it wasn’t for that opportunity that my hometown newspaper gave me along with Owen and Chesney my life would have been much different. And for many years later I was always honored to be able to interview Chesney and Owen of Alabama, when they performed in the Cheyenne, Wyoming area for Cheyenne Frontier Days and also around the Front Range Region in Northern Colorado. 

So thanks to them both. Truly. It’s been amazing to watch their careers organically grow over the years and get to see all the hard work and all the sacrifices famous musicians make to essentially help people heal, enjoy life and be able to have fun and be entertained. There is an ugly side to fame. Lack of privacy especially. Lack of safety. And I learned once you are famous there is no returning to normal or having a private life. And that’s the biggest sacrifice an artist like Chesney makes. Something that fans I don’t think understand. Even though hit songs, ticket sales and life as a well-known musician can be very lucrative financially for them, they lose being “normal” having privacy just to entertain fans. So, the next time you see Chesney or any other artist, know they do what they do to promote music and make their fans’ lives better by using the power music has to change lives and heal people and make the world a better place.

According to Chris Young, in his official Facebook Reel the airplane he was on made an emergency landing today because there was a brake failure. He was on his way to see his father for Father’s Day. Everyone made it safely to the ground. The pilots, firefighters and other emergency personelle swept into action according the post and luckily everyone is OK.

WSM Radio shared this tonight on their official Facebook page, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our dear friend and beloved WSM voice, Bill Cody.

A singular presence on WSM-AM Nashville for more than three decades, Bill welcomed listeners each morning on Coffee, Country & Cody with a broad smile, a conversational ease, and an unerring ability to make both artists and audiences feel at home. He joined WSM in 1994 and had Charlie Daniels as his first in-studio guest. He built more than a morning show; he created a gathering place rooted in his deep love for country music and the people behind it.

Bill’s voice also became synonymous with the Grand Ole Opry, where he frequently served as host, including Opry Country Classics. His work extended across television and syndicated radio, bringing country music to audiences far beyond Nashville.

Inspired early on by time spent at a small Kentucky radio station with his father, Bill’s passion for broadcasting became a lifelong calling that ultimately led him to the city he once dreamed about as a young boy.

His contributions to broadcasting were recognized with his induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame, a star on the Music City Walk of Fame, and his forthcoming, posthumous induction into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.

More than his accolades, Bill will be remembered for his kindness, humility, and genuine gift for connection. He was a trusted voice, a generous friend, and a constant companion to generations of listeners.

In the days ahead, WSM will honor Bill with a special marathon of unforgettable moments from Coffee, Country & Cody, celebrating a legacy that will forever be part of our station and our community.”