Tulsa World: Slide Show: Surf the heat wave

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Slide Show: Surf the heat wave
Country Fever festival draws in thousands

From left, Taylor Antle, Michael Blair and Blake Bishop cheer and splash in their makeshift mobile pool at Country Fever near Pryor on Saturday. ADAM WISNESKI / Tulsa World

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 6/21/2009 2:18 AM
Last Modified: 6/21/2009 6:42 AM

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Get live Country Fever updates and read about other music news at tulsaworld.com/barrelhousebeat

PRYOR — This weekend's Country Fever camping and music festival brought together thousands of friends, families and music lovers of everything from old-school country to rock 'n' roll.

Brothers Hayden and Ryan Metzger from Tahlequah came to the festival grounds near Pryor for "quality time" before elder brother Ryan leaves for the Army in July.

Ryan, 18, and Hayden, 15, strode to a tent to listen to musician Travis Linville and his band perform. Both also rode a mechanical bull as they took shelter from the near-triple digit heat on Saturday afternoon.

"This was our first time to ever ride one," said Ryan Metzger as he slung his arm around his brother's shoulder. "This festival was the best way I could think of to spend what little time I have left with him before I leave."

Ryan Metzger heads to Fort Jackson, S.C., in early July, he said.

The pair came in Friday and plan to stay through Sunday. Friday night, the boys were even invited onto the stage by headlining act and Red Dirt musician Stoney LaRue, they said.

"Stoney just told the guard, 'Everyone's comin' up here,' and we got up there and hung out and danced," said Hayden Metzger.

It was a highlight the boys won't soon forget. "It was totally awesome," said Ryan Metzger.

Traffic into Pryor picked up over the weekend as thousands of Red Dirt music fans flocked to Country Fever camping and music festival on the Fever Fest grounds north of Pryor.

Red Dirt music is often confused with "Texas country," but it is an Okie-born, eclectic mix of country, classic rock, folk and rock 'n' roll that originated around Stillwater. It was a change — and a risk — for Country Fever, which has featured more "mainstream" headliners at past festivals.

The Kum & Go, the Indian Smoke Shop and other businesses on Highway 69 through Pryor got "crazy" with business, said a clerk in the gas station.

At one point, a minor scuffle broke out over parking spots as festivalgoers clotted the entrance waiting to buy everything from sunblock to beer. "The increase in business has been huge," the clerk said, who wished to not be identified. "The cops were called, but it was settled quickly."

Official attendance numbers haven't been released for this year's Country Fever camping and music festival — it ends Sunday night — but judging by the sales of some vendors who do this every year, tickets sales were probably down overall.

Last year's attendance over four days was estimated at 80,000 people.

"We usually get about 500 paying visitors each year while we're here," said Tobi Cahill, who works with Safari Joe's wildlife sanctuary in Adair. She set up a booth at this year's event. "So far this weekend, we've probably had about 100."

As she petted a blue and gold macaw named Blue, a few kids squeezed into the tan tent to look at pythons, tortoises, alligators and lizards.

Cahill cited the lack of rain ("Usually, the rain cools things off for everyone," she said), the economy and a change of format for this year's slump.

But out here, the fans didn't seem to mind one bit. In fact, most fans said they liked the change — many said they came this year for the first time due to the inclusion of acts like Stoney LaRue, Billy Joe Shaver, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Robert Earl Keen, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Jerry Jeff Walker and more.

Country Fever was also landmark for more than genre change.

Five years after a helicopter crash killed two people and seriously injured the three founding members of Red Dirt music legend the Red Dirt Rangers, here, its frontman finally faced his fears.

John Cooper, along with rowdy Red Dirt cohort Mike McClure and his drummer Eric Hansen, climbed aboard for a scenic helicopter ride. They cruised high over the Country Fever festival crowds just north of Pryor.

"Mike said, 'I'm buyin' and we're flyin!'" said Cooper. "So I went. We got in and at first I was really nervous.

"But once we got up there it was calming," he said. "I've only flown three times. Once I nearly died. The second time was on the way to the hospital after the crash. This time I had a choice," he said, then smiled broadly.

Slide Show

To see all of the Tulsa World slide shows, go to tulsaworld.com/photos.

Lineup

Single-day passes are still available. Visit tulsaworld.com/FeverFest for more information.

Sunday headliners:

9 p.m.: Jerry Jeff Walker

6:45 p.m.: Eli Young

4:45 p.m.: Johnny Cooper

3 p.m.: Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses

1:30 p.m.: Brandon Rhyder

Jennifer Chancellor 581-8346
jennifer.chancellor@tulsaworld.com By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Fever is growing at Pryor music festival," which was published on 6/20/2009.

	Report Comment destinesia, tulsa time (6/20/2009 10:14:00 PM) I love the music! Sorry there were none of the usual posters on here. Some people need a controversy to be able to express how smart they think they are in their comments. I just love music. Put a story on her about how to cure the ills of Tulsa or the world..THEN the comments will be pouring in.
	Report Comment Milo, PoDunk (6/20/2009 10:59:56 PM) Most are too busy there listening to be posting?
	Report Comment marlin, (6/21/2009 5:11:45 AM) I had a great time there yesterday, heat and all.
	Report Comment Independent Thinker, Tulsa (6/21/2009 1:51:14 PM) #################################' Ryan and the Dead Horses were really super. Pryor has really come up with a great annual music festival. The heat of course was pretty rough, but as we all know .. it was the result of a conspiracy by the Republican legislature. ##############################

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