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Cross Country Chase Stage 6

By General Posts

The city of Chattanooga sits in a valley between two small mountains, Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain, and this day of exceptional riding started out with Chase riders climbing out of the valley up above the clouds that engulfed the city below for a breath-taking view as they set out for there 258-mile day. >From the “Rock City” point they rode past, it’s said that seven U.S. states could be seen: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, but there was no time for dawdling since weather was an issue again as the heat index started to climb early.

Riders ended their day at the very welcoming Harley-Davidson of Macon, Georgia. The family owned dealership celebrated Grover Sassaman’s 98th birthday earlier this year but you’d never have guessed he was closing in on the century mark. As founder of the company, Sassaman first attended Harley-Davidson® Factory School in 1939, establishing a life-long relationship with the Motor Company, and he was happy to share the particulars of how he came to be the longest owned independent dealership in the world. Quick and witty, Grover talks motorcycles with the best of them, sharing dates, details and tidbits that held the group in rapture.

Grover cruised the property on his scooter greeting the CCC group and offered great advice to riders, including rider #35. Jon Dobbs had his 1939 HD EL in the service bay due to coil problems and Mr. Sassaman offered tips on what could be causing the trouble since the EL has consumed 4 coils since the start of the run. Dobbs later started the bike and rode it out of the dealership, so we’re betting the problems are solved.

Grover rolled through the Chase bikes outside and was particularly smitten with the 1939 HD EL owned by rider #61, Bob Zeolla, because he considered it to be one of the most original of machine on the run. Tomorrow’s route will take riders 249-miles down the road to end at Harley-Davidson of Tallahassee with bikes being on display between 4:30-6:00 pm. Come join us, you never know who you might get to meet!

Cross Country Chase Stage 5

By General Posts

Stage 5 means we’ve hit the half-way mark for the Cross Country Chase, leaving just 5 more days of competition. Today’s tour started off with incredible narrow roads through the gently rolling hills of Kentucky where the wheels of time seemingly stand still before riding deeper into the lush thickets of Tennessee’s backwoods. As the shortest day of the course, riders enjoyed the dense scenery as well as the interactions with locals.

The entire day’s route was mesmerizingly beautiful, but it was also pushing 100-degrees out and the intense temperatures, coupled with oppressive humidity, took its toll on both the jockeys and their machines. A nice grilled lunch was offered by Bumpus Harley-Davidson before riders set off to tackle the twisties and make their way on to Coker Tires in Chattanooga, Tennessee for a hosted dinner. The group then scooted over to the iconic Choo Choo Hotel where they found a thousand things to do and see around the historic train station-turned-hotel. The terminal was originally built in 1908, remodeled into the current hotel setting in 1973, and riders were delighted by both the history and the ambience of the cool old property. The sight of the ornate, historic station surrounded by smoking, wheezing antique motorcycles that are in the process of making modern day history just seemed to add another layer of cool to the experience.

By the end of the day, the sweep truck was filled to capacity with broken machines and made for a long day for both staff and riders. Tomorrow’s temps are predicted to be much the same. The top four places are taken by riders from all three classes and, as we have witnessed, it could all change in a day. Check out the scores below and…Stay tuned!

Tanya Tucker Returns After 17 Years with New Album While I’m Livin’

By General Posts

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Country legend and original female outlaw Tanya Tucker returns after 17 years. Tucker’s new album, While I’m Livin’, is set for release on August 23 via Fantasy Records. Produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, the album marks Tucker’s first for the label and her first new material since 2002’s Tanya. Watch/share the video for the album’s debut song “The Wheels of Laredo,” directed by Myriam Santos here and pre-order While I’m Livin’ here. Additionally, Tucker and Carlile will take the stage for a performance at tonight’s CMT Awards.

“Brandi is truly out of this world. She’s talented, smart, funny, never ever slows down and has a heart of gold,” says Tucker of the collaboration. “I just love her. She was like my shadow when we were in the studio. Every time I turned around, she was there. And Shooter, I’ve known him since he was a baby. He’s the one who brought us all together. So I’m ready to get this music out there because it’s different than anything I’ve ever done.”

While I’m Livin’ is largely comprised of songs written by Carlile, the twins Tim and Phil Hanseroth and Tucker. “It’s a musical biography of sorts,” said Carlile, “about Tanya’s real life and the places she’s seen, and it’s narrated by the greatest country and western singer this side of Johnny Cash.”

“The Day My Heart Goes Still” is a reflection of Tucker’s enduring love for her late father, while “Mustang Ridge” recalls her hardscrabble childhood in central Texas. While I’m Livin’ also contains some well-chosen covers including “High Ridin’ Heroes,” a 1987 song Shooter selected that featured David Lynn Jones and his dad, Waylon Jennings, “The House That Built Me,” a track made famous by Miranda Lambert and “Hard Luck” the 1979 chestnut by country-rockers, Josefus.

In many ways, the album’s cornerstone is “Bring My Flowers Now,” the only tune that was co-written by Tucker, Carlile and the twins. The album closer, told through Carlile’s solo piano and Tucker’s plaintive vocal, speaks to the importance of showing appreciation to those we love, before it’s too late. Carlile explains, “We have so few opportunities to thank the legends that have influenced the generations of Country music singers and writers. With Tanya we have quite an opportunity because she’s young. I’m drawn to Tanya Tucker because she’s been to hell and to heaven, not to mention every square inch of Texas. She’s lived, she’s living, she’s got something to say and I’m listening.”

Born in Seminole, Texas, Tucker had her first country hit, the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that auspicious beginning Tucker has become one of the most admired and influential artists in country music history, amassing 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, ten of which reached the #1 spot on the Billboard country charts. Tucker’s indelible songs include some of country music’s biggest hits such as the aforementioned “Delta Dawn,” “Soon,” “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,” “It’s a Little Too Late,” “Trouble,” “Texas (When I Die),” “If It Don’t Come Easy” and “Strong Enough To Bend,” among others. Tucker is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two CMAs, two ACMs, three CMT awards and ten GRAMMY nominations.

WHILE I’M LIVIN TRACKLIST
1. Mustang Ridge
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

2. The Wheels Of Laredo
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

3. I Don’t Owe You Anything
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

4. The Day My Heart Goes Still
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

5. High Ridin’ Heroes
(written by David Lynn Jones)

6. The House That Built Me
(written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin)

7. Hard Luck
(written by John C. “Pete” Bailey, David Lee Mitchell, Raymond L. Turner and Jerry Ontiberoz)

8. Rich
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

9. Seminole Wind Calling
(written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

10. Bring My Flowers Now
(written by Tanya Tucker, Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth)

To keep up with Tanya, visit TanyaTucker.com and follow her on InstagramTwitter and Facebook.