FLORENCE —Day two at Country Thunder is when crowds really packed it in and the artists on both stages did not disappoint.

Headliner Dierks Bentley’s shows are known for being can’t miss and he didn’t disappoint, though he led off with a song that many may not have expected—the title track from “Up on the Ridge,” from his less-popular, though critically-acclaimed bluegrass album he released in 2010.

He saved plenty of fan favorites, including some of his newer work from “Black,” getting the crowd revved up with beach balls and traditional country music “Raise ‘em up” toasts.

The crowd, which swelled to near capacity, was already riled up by strong performances from ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year Jon Pardi and ACM Duo of the Year nominees Maddie and Tae.


Even the earlier acts during the day, such as indie star Aaron Watson and up-and-coming female trio Runaway June, hit the right notes.

The trio, made up of Californians Hannah Mulholland and Jennifer Wayne and Floridian and lead singer Naomi Cooke.

Cooke, however, has an Arizona connection—she lived in the desert wide spot in the road of Quartzite with her family for about six months when she was 10.

“So there’s where I got my start—playing guitar on the street corner in Quartzite,” she said.
Cooke said their expectations for playing the event for the first time were “far exceeded.”
“Everybody really talks about this one,” she said of Country Thunder.

The trio has a single, “Lipstick” that they ended their two sets with and has the capability to have the same sort of catchy tune like a Kelsea Ballerini hit.

Mulholland said the smiles from their fans are huge while Wayne says the emotions they feel when fans sing their songs back—particularly ones they haven’t even released yet but have only been posted from other shows on YouTube—provide a certain emotional high that drives them.

Cooke isn’t shy when saying she’d like to see the group have a Grammy award within the next decade, she admits it’s “intimidating” to hear the comparisons of their group to one of their idols—the Dixie Chicks.

“Those are some big ole’ shoes to fill,” Cooke said.

The trio said they don’t want to get too far in front of themselves though, clearly enjoying this early sprint to the spotlight.

“Right now, we hope to keep making music that we are proud of and that people want to sing and dance to,” Mulholland said.


To that end, the group has carved out studio time this summer with the aim of finishing and then releasing a full-length album, complete with many of the songs they’ve already been playing on the road. For what potential fans can expect? Wayne says it’ll be a “western, romantic” sort of sound.

FLORENCE –– If country music was represented by the 2016 Republican presidential contenders, then it was Jeb Bush on stage Thursday night at Country Thunder in the form of the eminently forgettable Chris Young.

Please clap.

He seems like a swell guy, and as he meandered his way through his low-energy set of country radio staples, it was easy to go “Oh, I’ve heard that before,” or “Oh, I recognize that.”

He got a good reception from the crowd during his second song, his first No. 1 hit “Gettin’ You Home.” It’s a solid song, and Young performs it well, but that was the highlight of his set.
Part of the issue is too many of his songs sit in the same key and don’t really carve out a niche for him – he sounds like he could be one of a half-dozen different country singers, and didn't bring anything particularly special to a headlining performance that historically has the thousands packing the main stage here in full throat.

Much like Bush, Young’s set didn’t leave anyone feeling anything on either side of things—he isn’t disagreeable nor is he someone a country fan would despise. He’s just, well, there.

There were others, like Jared and The Mill, Terri Clark and Brandon Ray, who brought significantly more energy to the main stage and Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row side stage for much smaller crowds, proving once again the real music lovers are wise to hold off on some of the event’s day drinking and discover some of these lesser-known jewels.

Even the main stage lead act to Young, LOCASH, were only so-so in their performance. They played last year with a little more energy and passion, though after a KMLE Country-sponsored campsite concert earlier in the day and recovery from last weekend’s ACM’s may well have left them a bit sapped.

Young was in an unenviable position—the Thursday headliner position draws the smallest crowds of the four days, typically, and particularly with this year’s lineup—Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett and Blake Shelton—the other headliners are all top-shelf showmen whose shows promise not to be missed. Young’s set was more easy listening for a Sunday afternoon drive by comparison.
There was perhaps no better example of this than when Young came back out for a two-song encore that wasn’t really needed, sleepwalking into a cover of Eric Clapton’s “Change The World” that was somehow slower and even more mellow than the original.

Today promises to serve up perhaps one of the most complete lineups of the four days on the main stage, with the aforementioned home state heartthrob Bentley getting warmed up by ACM new Male Vocalist of the Year Jon Pardi, along with new female group Runaway June and dynamic duo Maddie & Tae getting main stage time as well.

FLORENCE— A little Nirvana and then it was Lit and Country Thunder was, well, lit, thanks to the rock-influenced set of West Texas native Brandon Ray.

As the opening act for Country Thunder on Thursday, Ray’s crowds won’t be the biggest the main stage area will see, but he knew it was his job to set the tone.

“It’s intimidating,” he said. “You’re the first impression these people get.”

Though it was his first time as a solo artist at Country Thunder, he wasn’t unfamiliar with the Arizona desert, having played six years ago as a guitarist in another band, and playing in Brett Eldredge’s band in the same role before that.

His sound isn’t what many country music traditionalists may expect, but in the genre’s changing landscape, it may be exactly what it needs.

“You gotta do your own thing and stick to it,” he said. “The beauty of country music is it’s all over the place. The hardest thing we do to ourselves is compare ourselves to others.

“You’ve got to blaze your own trail.”

In a sense, he’s doing that, getting six weeks in the top spot on CMT with his music video for “American Way,” one of the two singles he’s released. It didn’t have any of the storyline and flair of some music videos—it was a live take letting the words and energy of the song speak for itself.

He also got played on Sirius XM’s The Highway and The Bobby Bones Show, and saw “American Way” find its way into the Top 10 of country music singles on iTunes for a time.
“I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and I get one play from Bobby Bones,” to get that result, he said.

He plays with his wife on backup vocals and his brother on drums, along with two of his best friends filling out the band.

“I came from nothing. My parents worked their asses off to put food on the table,” he said of his upbringing in Big Spring. “Now I’m on the road for 250 dates a year, selling T-shirts just to pay for gas money.

“For us, it’s ‘Hell yeah, let’s do whatever we’ve got to do.’”

He’s making progress though, working with Keith Urban on some new songs that he hopes to get a chance to play live when he plays the same day as Urban at Country Thunder Wisconsin over the summer.

Aloma Barnes, author of Dunbar: The Neighborhood, The School, And The People 1940-1965, is a retired nurse. Her book Dunbar is a novel about the beginnings of Tucson and how early segregation took place. A second edition of the book is scheduled for release this month. This interview has been edited and condensed.

Can you talk a little more about the segregation and how it impacted Dunbar's community?
Well, Dunbar wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for the law that separated blacks and whites. The whole thing about having the school in Dunbar was so that blacks could attend. When people migrated there, they selected their homes based on the school—just like any parent would do now. Dunbar's neighborhood then grew up from that school.

What were some reactions you got from publishing Dunbar? Especially those who still live in the community.
If people weren't happy, I told them to pick up a pen and make it better. You throw a stone in a pond and it makes a ripple, is how I look at it. I write very simply and I've been told that people were happy about the book and that it was about time. People who still live there say it's as if "history came alive" and those comments are what make it worth it.

How has Dunbar changed since these segregated times?
It's a small neighborhood. Six blocks long, five blocks wide and used to be a mix of blacks, whites, Hispanics and Indians. But now, it's 98 percent white because of other places in town and because they can afford it. The Dunbar school is still standing but the original has been renovated on Second Street and 11th Avenue. The church is still there too. They're making a museum about Dunbar's history soon. They even have a dance studio and an active barbershop.

What inspired you to write Dunbar?
Well, I’m a retired nurse. I live in the Dunbar neighborhood so it kind of just fell in my lap and it seemed like it was time for a story like this to come. The school reunion happened in 2015 and I had begun my research for the book in 2013.

What did you find difficult about the research?
History of black people, there isn't much of it. I think of it like this, history of caucasian shells are all at the surface of the water but those black shells, you have to dig and dig and dig until you get seaweed-which isn't a shell. It was very difficult but I was talking to contacts from the reunion, finding clips from the library of Civil Rights movement news from back then and the book that Gloria Smith wrote about Dunbar. She's one heck of a researcher. But, I could only go back so far because the archives only started in 1965 so it was as if almost everything before that was lost. I couldn't even find many obituaries.

"Streets of This Town" is a little daily photo series featuring random pics I take on long walks through Tucson—to sort of coincide with Tucson Salvage.

On Sunday, March 26, five paintings by Tucson artist Cristina Cardenas were discovered stolen from an office space that's part of the former Bring Funeral Home on Scott Avenue downtown (236 S. Scott Ave.).

Cardenas is a member of the Citizens Artist Collective at the Citizens Warehouse, 44 W. 6th St.

Cardenas says the art was part of an informal group show. The former Bring Funeral Home is a Peach Properties space. Patricia Schwabe from Peach Properties met with some Citizens artists to ask if they would be interested in lending their work to hang in an area of the building used for office space and events. Cardenas was one of seven artists who agreed. It was on Sunday that Cardenas received an email fellow Citizens artist Titus Constanza who was reportedly contacted by Schwabe.

"'Patricia told me that your pieces are missing. Did you happen to remove them by any chance?'" Cardenas recalls.

When the paintings were stolen isn't exactly clear. Police reports were filed this week by Schwabe and Cardenas, but neither report was available at the Tucson Police Department when I went there yesterday to request copies. I was told the police were just called, so written reports would be available later this week.

Schwabe and I exchanged a few voicemails, and she responded to an email I sent asking about the theft. She wrote that a few months ago she reached out to Citizens artist Constanza about hanging art in the building.

"I love having local artists show when possible and I believe the building created a great setting. White beautiful walls. Titus was very helpful, he brought his art and later art of other artists. The building is occupied by offices mostly. The (Owls Club) bar occupies its own space, with its own entrance," Schwabe wrote.

"This past weekend I noticed some pieces missing, I contacted Titus immediately. I did not know the name of the artist that had painted the pieces missing. I did not know if she/or he had picked up the art. It was peculiar because no other items in the building were missing. I did a walk through and didn't see anything else out of the ordinary."

Schwabe wrote that her office is in the building and she is there almost every day. Constanza, she wrote, contacted the artist and told her Cardenas hadn't taken the pieces.



"Then I contacted our tenants. They were all very surprised that something would be missing. No idea of what happened and had not seen anything suspicious. ... Titus, Cristina and I met the next day and I offered to file a police report. ... I think this incident is awful, it doesn’t reflect the principles or culture of the people in the area or that visit the building. Whoever took it, took advantage of a positive situation," Schwabe wrote.

Cardenas says that she was told an event took place at the property on Saturday night, and most likely that's when the paintings were stolen—three small pieces, gouache paint on wood panel and two medium size pieces, gouache paint on wood board.

"When I went there (Monday) with Titus, Patricia showed me the nails where the paintings were hung. It would be easy to take them. There is no security camera," she says.

It's understandable that Cardenas is upset about her work being stolen and was working with Schwabe to compensate her for the paintings.

Cardenas has been an artist and art instructor in Tucson the past 30 years. Her work is part of the permanent collection at the University of Arizona Museum of Art, the Museum of Art in Chicago and the Mexican Museum in San Francisco, among others.

Cardenas says the value of the work stolen comes to $6,150, and she is asking that Schwabe pay her $4,614 with half paid immediately and the other half next month. Cardenas says Schwabe had offered to pay $3,000 over several payments, which Cardenas says is not acceptable.

However, no payment is expected to be made, since Schwabe confirmed she is filing an insurance claim, but she told me she doesn't know when or if the insurance payment will be made or how long the process will take.

"Streets of This Town" is a little daily photo series featuring random pics I take on long walks through Tucson—to sort of coincide with Tucson Salvage.

Isabella's Ice Cream (210 N. Fourth Ave.)

UA alumni Dominic and Kristel Johnson created Isabella’s in 2010, and opened their location on Fourth Avenue this past November.

“I love how many people walk in and discover it,” Kristel says of Isabella’s. “We’ve been here a few months so everyone is starting to figure out where the shop is now.”

Kristel has nothing but rave reviews for the area. It was her idea, after all, to move Isabella’s manufacturing to Fourth. 

“It’s been wonderful,” Kristel says of the neighborhood. “We love the location and the people are super friendly.”

Kristel prepares the treats in the back of the shop and tries to locally source all of her ingredients. Isabella’s uses cream and milk only from Arizona.

“Everything is fresh, natural, and pure,” Kristel says.

In addition to their ice creams and vegan sorbets, Isabella’s offers ice cream tacos, milkshakes, sundaes, popsicles and Belgian chocolate bonbons. If you’re the indecisive or overindulgent type, it is highly recommended that you try one of each. This selection will be available in-store the entire weekend.

And another menu item that’s sure to be a hit among Street Fairgoers? The ever-so-scrumptious fro-nut. Since its recent introduction, this doughnut ice cream sandwich has become a customer favorite. The Johnsons will be serving fro-nuts and cookie ice cream sandwiches from their vintage ice cream truck this weekend.

Mabel’s on 4th (419 N. Fourth Ave.)

After you’ve gotten your ice cream fix, come visit Mabel’s on 4th. This kitchen boutique opened in November 2016 and sells decor, gadgets and textiles to “make your kitchen smile.”

“We don’t have any serious kitchen stuff like pots and pans and cutlery,” owner Nicole Carrillo says. “We only carry fun stuff.”

The pair relocated from Savannah, Georgia where Nicole’s husband, Johnny, served in the Marine Corps. Nicole believes Tucson, specifically the Fourth Avenue area, is a “perfect fit” for Mabel’s and appreciates the friendliness of her customers.

“Everybody is so welcoming and kind,” Nicole says. “We decided the day we visited that we were going to move here.”

Johnny designs all of the LOL tea towels, including textiles supporting each branch of the military. Mabel’s will be offering 20 new towel patterns at Mabel’s booth this weekend only.

“Our booth will be nothing but all these fun tea towels,” Nicole says. “You’re sure to find something for everyone.”

Nicole says Mabel’s products appeal to all kinds of people, from grandparents to drinking friends.

A great gift for the latter group? A beer bottle or wine glass-shaped cookie cutter. Other quirky cookie cutter options include a bikini top, baseball glove and hippo.

"Streets of This Town" is a little daily photo series featuring random pics I take on long walks through Tucson—to sort of coincide with Tucson Salvage.

Tucson writer Francisco Cantú snagged this week a prestigious 2017 Whiting Award, which includes, beyond the international attention, $50,000. He'll be honored along with nine other recipients in New York City, a ceremony keynoted by Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee. Note that past Whiting winners impressively include David Foster Wallace, Jeffrey Eugenides, Denis Johnson, Ocean Vuong, and Deborah Eisenberg. The Whiting Awards was "established by the Whiting Foundation in 1985, remain one of the most esteemed and largest monetary gifts ($50,000) to emerging writers, and are based on the criteria of early-career achievement and the promise of superior literary work to come."

Cantú, who worked for the United States Border Patrol as an agent form 2008-2012 is a former Fulbright fellow who earned an MFA in nonfiction from the UA. Locally, his work has often appeared in Edible Baja Arizona. His bio says he's a frequent contributor to Guernica and a contributing editor at PublicBooks.org, where he curates the “El Mirador” series, which collects original nonfiction, translation, and visual art focused on the American west, the borderlands, and Indian country. His writing has appeared, or is forthcoming, in South Loop Review, J Journal: New Writing on Justice, Ploughshares, and Orion.

Cantú's much-deserved award is for his forthcoming memoir, The Line Becomes a River (Riverhead Books), out 2018. We down here at TW HQ believe this award is a harbinger of things to come for Cantú. We've read excerpts from The Line Becomes and they are lovely and potent. You can read an excerpt here in the Paris Review.