7th Annual CMT Awards

The CMT Awards, the only fan-voted music awards in country music, were held in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, April 24th, 2008. And just like seasons past, the red carpet was overflowing with country music’s biggest stars donned in cowboy boots and cowboy hats. Even Rodeo Star, Ty Murray, was on hand in his best western wear to find out who the country music fans picked as the best of 2008.

2008 CMT Awards: Performances

The 2008 awards were hosted by the father and daughter team of Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus, who is also known as the star of the Hannah Montana TV series. However, they weren’t the only stars on stage. Between the announcements of the winners, musical performances by some of the hottest country singers filled the air. Performers included everyone from Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban to the biggest winner of the night, Taylor Swift who went from shoeless while presenting to sporting her best pair of boots for her big performance.

2008 CMT Award Winners

The fan-voted winners of this year’s CMT awards were as follows:

• Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, “Our Song”

• Duo Video of the Year: Sugarland, “Stay”

• Male Video of the Year: Trace Adkins, “I Got My Game On”

• Wide Open Country Video of the Year: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)”

• Collaborative Video of the Year: Bon Jovi featuring LeAnn Rimes, “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore”

• Female Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, “Our Song”

• Performance of the Year: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder”

• Comedy Video of the Year: Brad Paisley, “Online”

• Tearjerker Video of the Year: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder”

• Supporting Character of the Year: Rodney Carrington, “I Got My Game On”

• Video Director of the Year: Michael Salomon

• USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year: Kellie Pickler, “I Wonder”

• Group Video of the Year: Rascal Flats, “Take Me There”

History of Cowboy Church

The history of Cowboy Church goes back to the Old West. During this time, cowboys and ranch hands rarely had access to churches. So when they could, they would gather with their families in a local meeting place, usually the saloon or a barn, and have their own church service. Today, Cowboy Churches exist all over the country and still believe that it doesn’t matter where you get your religion as long as you get it. There are even rodeo ministries that travel around to different rodeos and provide a church service to the participating cowboys and cowgirls.

One of the most famous cowboy churches is the Nashville Cowboy Church in the Opryland area of Nashville, TN. The Nashville Cowboy Church has a yearly attendance of over 20,000 and has visitors from all 50 states and several countries, such as Australia, Scotland, Brazil, England and Russia.

Boots, Jeans and Hats are Proper Attire at Cowboy Church

Cowboy Churches have a very unique dress code in that cowboy boots, cowboy hats and western wear are all considered proper attire. The thought is that if you are welcome to come as you are, than you are more likely to come. Just make sure that you remember to remove that cowboy hat during a prayer, but as soon as you hear “Amen,” you can put it right back on.

Cowboy Church Offers More than Just Church

Most of the cowboy churches offer many events to bring the parishioners together. Almost all churches offer horse riding outings with the pastor; and some even offer rodeo style contests such as boot races.

There is a Cowboy Church near You

If you are interested in checking out Cowboy church, you are in luck because chances are there is one near you. Check out cowboychurch.net for a listing of all Cowboy Churches in North America and Canada. We here at Allens Boots even have one not too far down the road.

*-Photo by April M. Fronick - EAGLE 102 News

Ariat Boots for Women: Always In Style

Why we don’t see more Ariat boots on ladies’ feet, we’ll never know. Fashionable, a great fit, a lasting investment, and affordable to boot Ariats make a girl smile. Not just your browns and blacks, Ariat covers the color wheel, lingering over the reds and pinks. And we dare you to find a pair of Ariats priced anywhere over $200–a rare find among quality boots.

Ariat Boots: A History

Ariat Boots was founded in 1990 by two women who were fed up with clunky, stiff cowboy boots. For three years, they worked with a team of the world’s top footwear engineers and designers to develop a dependable line of boots for both English and Western riders. Only then did Ariat release its first pair of boots, in 1993. Ariat Boots is a company founded on the drive to achieve the best results in equestrian footwear, but that drive tributaried into something else: one of the most fashionable lines of women’s boots. A classic example of form following function.

Ariat Boots + Allens = A+

Ariat Boots is the “Official Boot and Belt” of the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSRA), one of Ariat’s many honors. Allens Boots is proud to be one of the 4,000 retailers in the world at which Ariat boots are sold. It’s incredibly easy to put your best foot forward in a colorful pair of Ariat Boots, whether for fashion or function.

After a visit to Texas, Guy Kawasaki, popular entrepreneur, venture capitalist and blogger, decided he needed some new Lucchese boots. A short Google search later and Guy found a great pair of Lucchese Classics on AllensBoots.com. We talk with Guy about his boot buying adventure.

Q: How did you discover Allens Boots?

A: I was trying to find some Lucchese boots on Zappos, but it simply didn’t have the selection that I wanted, so I went to Google and typed in Lucchese and came upon [Allens] Boots.

Q: You were in town for SXSW. Did you make it by the store?

A: I was, but I didn’t know about the store then. Nor was I looking for boots. It’s a long convoluted story: I met a bunch of crazy web folks from Houston at SXSW. In a few weeks I’m speaking in San Antonio, so I decided to hop on over to Houston to see those folks again. One day the guy who taught me how to ice skate showed me his Lucchese [boots], so I decided I had to have a pair for my San Antonio-Houston boondoggle. That led to my search for boots online.

Q: Cowboy boots don’t necessarily seem like the natural footwear choice for someone from Hawaii who went to school at Stanford and became a tech executive and author. When did you start wearing boots, and why?

A: My wife made me buy a pair years ago, but I hardly wore them. Then I spoke in Phoenix for a fast-food association, and they gave all the guests a pair of boots. I liked them so much that I decided I wanted another one in black. My wife told me to buy Lucchese from Zappos.

Q: How often do you wear your boots?

A: I go in spurts. I’ll wear them every day for a week, then not at all for a month, then every day for a week. I like to travel with them because they’re easy to put on after passing through airport security, but having to pack three pairs of shoes (sneakers to work out in, dress shoes for speaking in and boots) can be a pain.

Q: What do you wear your boots with - traditional blue jeans, slacks, khakis?

A: Jeans. Boots are only made for jeans.

Q: How many pairs of boots do you own?

A: Four, not counting the one I ordered.

Q: What made you choose the Men’s Lucchese Classics Tan Mad Dog Goat?

A: It’s the simplest design I could find. I don’t want to look like a pimp who is trying too hard, and ostrich gives me the creeps.

Q: You have a lot of projects going on - what’s your biggest at the moment and why?

A: My primary project is Alltop.com. This is a collection of sites covering a diversity of topics on the Internet like wine, food, art, music, fashion, politics, economics, journalism, cars, gadgets, design, environment, etc. We assemble all the top stories and present their headlines on one page. You can think of it as an “online magazine rack.”

Q: What’s next for the cowboy boot wearing Guy Kawasaki?

A: There’s lots of work to do with Alltop. I’m also a venture capitalist looking for the next Google. Incidentally, as a venture capitalist, I have to deal with a lot of bullsh*t, so that’s why I need boots.

About Guy Kawasaki

Popular entrepreneur, venture capitalist and blogger, Guy Kawasaki is a managing director of Garage Technology Ventures and a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine. Previously an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, Inc., Guy is the author of eight books including The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries, and How to Drive Your Competition Crazy. Currently Guy is focused on Alltop, a metasite providing immersive content on dozens of topics.

Justin Boots Contest

A pair of Justin Boots is prize enough, but Justin Boots is participating in an even bigger prize: The Wrangler/Justin Boots Academy of Country Music Awards Sweepstakes. The CMAs will go down on May 18th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The award ceremony will be only one of many official events, including a few nights of country music on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas and a celebrity Motorcycle Ride for the Academy of Country Music’s charitable fund. Now there’s a place to wear your boots! Is there any greater combination than a pair of Justin Boots and a fine motorcycle?

Justin Boots Not the Only Prize

The lucky grandprize winner will receive an impressive gamut of prizes, from large to small:

• round trip coach air travel
• 2-nights standard hotel accommodations (double occupancy)
• 2 tickets to the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
• 2 tickets to the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards’ All-Star Jam and New Artists shows
• ground transportation between Las Vegas airport and hotel
• 2 pairs of Justin Boots (non-exotic only)
• 3 pairs of Wrangler jeans
• 3 Wrangler shirts
• and, a selection of country music CDs

Even if you rope some “non-exotic” boots, any pair of Justin Boots would be pretty nice, especially when it’s enjoyed with that long list of accompanying prizes. Of course, there’s also a long list of official contest rules, but what contest doesn’t have rules?

Hurry Up to Win Your Justin Boots

The contest ends on Mar. 23rd, so hurry up and show your Justin Boots pride. It’s simply a matter of filling out an online form, and there’s no purchase necessary. It’s cheaper than playing the lottery, and the odds are certainly better. Why not enter to win? Good night, good luck, and good boots!

Rodeo Austin Joins Forces with Caritas of Austin

Rodeo Austin will host its first Caritas Theme Day tomorrow, Tuesday, March 4th. Primary day is stiff competition, but who can refuse $1 off Rodeo Austin admission? That’s right, if you bring three canned or non-perishable food items to the fairgrounds tomorrow, you get $1 off the price of your Rodeo Austin ticket. The canned goods will go towards Caritas’ lifesaving store of supplies that help them carry out their mission of fighting poverty and homelessness. If Rodeo Austin is anything, it’s the rodeo with a heart. It’s a great cause, so get out your cowboy boots to support your community.

Rodeo Austin and the Houston Livestock Show

Rodeo Austin is the counterpart to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; the two events cover the spectrum of truly Texas rodeos. Whereas the Houston Rodeo covers everything that can possibly be done or seen at a rodeo show, Rodeo Austin is often considered the softer side. Rodeo Austin is going on now through March 15th at the Walter E. Long Municipal Park.

What to See at Rodeo Austin

The attractions are what make Rodeo Austin unique, like Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey or the Western Shootout Comedy Show and Cowboy Music Review. There’s also a livestock barn, an exotic petting zoo, a lineup of bands performing throughout the day on the outdoor stage, and a famous carnival.

It’s a great event for the whole family, and a great place to show the kids the prime environment for western wear. Look no further for the cutest children’s boots than Allens, located just across town from the Austin Rodeo.

Of course, like all Texas rodeos, you’ll see a fair representation of the best cowboy boots in the world. Don’t forget to bring yours!

Houston Livestock Show + Public Art Project = Fiberglass Horses?

It’s true. By the start of the Houston Livestock Show on March 3rd, the city of Houston will play art gallery to a small herd of its own livestock–28 hand-painted fiberglass mustangs. The Houston Chronicle reports Houston’s latest public art project in the style of Chicago’s Cow Parade in 1999.

Houston started its own Cow Parade in 2001, just two years after the huge success of Chicago’s. The project matches big-name local sponsors with local artists, who adorn the chosen motif with a unique theme for each piece. After public display, the works’ original sponsors usually buy the pieces and auction them for charity or keep them in their own private displays. In keeping with Houston’s public art project last year, which was a collection of gigantic cowboy boots, the mustangs will be as much advertising to add to the Houston Rodeo as it will be charity fundraiser.

Most of the mustangs will be on display at Reliant Stadium for the duration of the livestock show, so try not to confuse the real livestock with fiberglass.

Matching the Houston Livestock Show

If you want to arrive at the Houston Livestock Show in style, you might check out all the cool mustang-themed accessories you can wear to match the city of Houston. You can sport your own livestock show in Houston–the style of choice in 2008.

Houston, the Rodeo Show is coming!

The Houston Rodeo Show will be here before you know it, and tickets are selling at a frantic pace. By all indications this will be one of the most crowded rodeos in Houston Rodeo history, so polish up your cowboy boots show up early if you want to avoid the crowds.

Speaking of Houston Rodeo tickets selling out, Hanna Montana’s concert, set for Sunday, Mar. 9th of the Houston Rodeo Show, has completely sold out. That’s no surprise, considering the ticket scandals that have made news throughout her “Best of Both Worlds” shows. One Ticketmaster official compared the intensity of show demand to that of the Beatles or Elvis. Let’s hope that’s a bit of a stretch, but some of the shows on the tour sold out in less than five minutes, and then showed up on StubHub or eBay at prices as much as 10 times the face value. But even if promoters didn’t see all of the money from Hannah Montana madness, the tour was still the 15th highest grossing in 2007, with a total show revenue of $36 million.

Hanna Makes It Hard to Get Houston Rodeo Show Tickets

Performing as Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus set the Houston Rodeo Show’s paid audience record with 73,291 fans. She also played the Houston Rodeo show last year, as did her cowboy dad, Billy Ray, in 1993 through ‘95, when Miley still went by Smiley. (Her real name is Destiny Hope Cyrus, but her dad called her Smiley because she smiled so much, which later morphed into the nickname Miley.)

Other entertainers on the Houston Rodeo Show bill include country music staples Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Big & Rich, Brooks and Dunn, and Pat Green, to name a few. So line up your Montana Silversmiths Jewelry, lay out your best Western wear, and show up early for those Houston Rodeo shows, too!

It’s that time of year again…the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be here in no time, so stock up on plenty of cowboy boots and cowboy hats from Allen’s Boots. Even if you can’t rope a steer or ride a bull with the best of them, you can still dress like a cowboy.

Houston Rodeo Coming in March

From March 3rd to March 22nd, enjoy the bracket-style rodeo tournament at the Reliant Center, along with other event staples such as the World Championship BBQ Contest, where contestants are judged on their BBQ pit as well as their pork. This year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo musical entertainment includes boot scootin’ performances by country music singers Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and many more.

Houston Rodeo Events

There’s entertainment for everyone at the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. For the children, there’s the Houston Rodeo Calf Scramble, where youngsters and calves collide in one of the most entertaining events of the Houston Rodeo. The kids must halt and bring the calf into the winner’s square with a single rope as their weapon to win their very own livestock to raise.

Wine and Music at the Houston Rodeo

Adults can enjoy Rodeo Uncorked!, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo event offering wines from all over Texas and the world. Another great rodeo event is The Hideout, which features some of the hottest music from across the Lone Star State. Slip into a new pair of Justin Boots and take ‘em for a spin with that special someone at the Astrodome.

Houston Rodeo Trail Ride

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo trail ride brings around 4,000 riders in 13 groups from as far as Hidalgo, TX, stemming from an annual tradition dating back to 1952. Talk about wear and tear on your Wranglers!!! Those participating in the Houston Rodeo trail rides begin their trek in February, traveling on horseback across Texas and paying homage to the cowboys of the past.

Let’s Get Ready to Rodeo!

With over 75 years of know how, the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s exhibits and shows are sure to bring in some of the best food, shopping, rodeo action and performances anyone could ask for. So stop by the store and stock up on all your rodeo gear before heading to Houston.

Cowboy Boot Day isn’t what they’re calling the National Day of the American Cowboy, but at Allens Boots, that’s how we think of it.

Not that we’re complaining about the National Day of the American Cowboy. Just the opposite, in fact. But if we’re going to join the Senate in honoring “the contributions of the cowboy into the history of the American West,” you’ll have to cut us a little slack if we call it Cowboy Boot Day. It’s a heckuva lot shorter and it sounds better to us cowboy boot blog diehards.

Senate Resolution 130, or “the Cowboy Boot Day resolution,” was sponsored by Senator Craig Thomas (R-Wyoming) in response to organizing efforts from American Cowboy magazine, and it named last July 28, 2007, as the third annual Cowboy Boot Day. According to the official announcement, the celebration intends to “encourage Americans to live the values and the code of the cowboy boot.”

Okay, okay, so we stuck the word “boot” after the word “cowboy.” But aren’t they the same thing? Aren’t both cowboys and cowboy boots noted for these same characteristics?

• rugged
• hard-working
• uncomplicated
• strong
• low-maintenance (after being properly broken or boot-fit, of course)
• uncomplaining

We’d argue that a Cowboy Boot Day is just as apt a celebration of the cowboy esthetic as National Day of the American Cowboy. Plus, for gender equity, we’d like to tell the folks at American Cowboy that it’s a lot easier to have a Cowboy Boot Day than to set up celebrations for both cowboys and cowgirls. Don’t you think?

So as you set out your calendar for 2008, please pencil in Cowboy Boot Day. It’s the fourth Saturday in July. And make sure you shop for cowboy boots from Allens. Get those boots, shined, polished and ready for the occasion. Cowboy Boot Day!