“Anytime I get to give something back to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country is a great honor,” Gary Allan said in a recent interview with this Ark-La-Tex girl.
For veterans in the Ark-La-Tex area, the chance to be honored and to celebrate isn’t over.
Country star Gary Allan recently took a few minutes to answer some questions from me for Hope Prescott News, along with Marlin Lineberry, owner of Intense Lineberry Productions of Fouke, Arkansas, who was the mastermind behind bringing the Gary Allan show to Texarkana.
I asked Allan how he feels about performing in Texarkana, where you can literally have one foot in Texas and one foot in Arkansas, at the heart of where Southern patriotism at its best lives and survives, honoring Veterans Day during America’s 250th year.
“It is always an honor to perform for our veterans, so I am happy to be a part of this celebration,” he said. “I have several veterans in my family and several friends who are veterans. Lots of my fans are veterans, too, so it is always an honor when I get to play at Veterans Day events or on military bases.”
When asked if he had any personal ties to Texarkana or the Ark-La-Tex area, Allan answered, “I don’t have any personal ties to Texarkana,” but he did say he has a lot of fans from the area. “But I am happy to be here performing for the fans and all the veterans.”
Lineberry said he first got to know Allan’s music through a friend, Alan, who drove Allan’s tour bus for 13 years. “I went to seven of his shows with my friend Alan,” he said. “Gary would always mention veterans in his concerts, and I really liked that.”
The first time Lineberry reached out, Allan had a prior engagement. “So, when they took this second chance, I was overwhelmed,” he said. “I want everybody to leave and say that was a great night.”
When researching interviews with Gary Allan, who grew up Gary Herzberg, they are few and far between. I was emailing back and forth with his public relations team, and I couldn’t resist asking Allan if he wanted to stop in and meet the Boggy Creek Monster while he was in Monster Country.
But just like the Boggy Creek Monster, aka the Fouke Monster, that question somehow got skipped over, leaving us wondering about his thoughts on Bigfoot. That’s okay, Gary. As a huge fan of many years, I’d say it matches right up with his character: he only comes out when he wants to. We thank you, Gary, and are looking forward to the show.
Hope veterans were recently honored at a Veterans Day ceremony at the Hempstead County Courthouse. But anyone who wants to make the drive to Texarkana to be part of the larger celebration can enjoy the performances, the parade and the downtown activities on November 14, honoring those who fought and served to protect the freedoms we have in this country.
As Allan put it, “We have a lot of fans from Texas and Arkansas, so hopefully they all come out to celebrate Veterans Day with us.”
**2nd Annual Don Ruggles Memorial Veterans Extravaganza**
Saturday, November 14, Front Street Festival Plaza, downtown Texarkana, Arkansas
**Daytime**
– 8–11 a.m.: Car show registration
– 9 a.m.: Veterans Parade lineup
– 11 a.m.: Veterans Parade begins; food trucks open
– 11 a.m. on: Live music, vendors, food trucks and car show all day
– 3 p.m.: Car show awards presentation
**Evening**
– 6:30 p.m.: National Anthem and Flag Ceremony
– 6:50 p.m.: Don Ruggles Memorial Dedication
– 7 p.m.: Josh Arnold Band
– 7:45 p.m.: The Collective (Jason Helms, Wes Jeans, Heather Lynn, Paul Holder, Trey Johnson and Jimmy Sparks)
– 8:30 p.m.: Gary Allan live in concert.
Times are close but may vary a little due to live performances being all day. Tickets: garyintexarkana.com