City’s two-day holiday event concludes today
Every year when the music starts blaring from Bicentennial Park, former KBUK radio announcer Dewayne Saxton, 47, (or as his listeners know him, “Doc”), can be found perched on the lawn or sitting at a picnic table, enjoying some of his old favorites.
“I go back 30 years with Gene,” Saxton said of Mean Gene Kelton & The Die Hards lead singer. “He’s got a lot of good stuff.”
Kelton’s band was the second act lined up for Tuesday’s opening night of the 2007 Baytown July 4th Celebration. The younger crowd was excited to hear the popular songs performed by Catch-35. And “Urban Cowboy” lovers looked forward to headliner Johnny Lee’s performance.
But the middle act of the night was the main draw for locals singing along to “Crusin’ Texas Avenue” and songs made famous by “The King” of rock ’n’ roll, Elvis Presley.
“Ya’ll need to do like we do out in the country. Just come over here and dance on the grass,” Kelton said before he got the fans moving with “Whole Lot-ta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”
Saxton said years of playing in “every dive” around and showing his audience a good time have earned Kelton and his band some loyal fans, including him.
“He’s got his following,” Saxton said.
Chris Santiago and Brian Smith of La Porte are proud to fall into that category. When Kelton straps on his guitar and prepares to entertain, Santiago can usually be found among the audience using their feet to keep time with the music.
Santiago is also no stranger to Johnny Lee’s tunes. Tuesday was her second time to see the singer in person.
“He gives a good concert,” Santiago said.
Most folks can’t hear Lee’s name without thinking of Gilley’s or the movie that made the bar famous, but some music lovers in the crowd know the performer for more than his hit tune, “Lookin’ for Love.”
“That really put him on the charts,” Saxton said.
Before the Baytown resident worked at the radio station Kelton sold ads for, he filled the airwaves in Lufkin with some of his favorite Lee songs.
“Red Sails in the Sunset,” and “Dear Alice,” were a few at the top of Saxton’s playlist.
“He had good music long before the Urban Cowboy CD,” Saxton said.
Skoti Hilliard, 15, might not know much about Lee or Gilley’s, but he did get to spend 8 seconds on a mechanical bull set up near the stage. While Hilliard rode the bull to Kelton’s music, some of the youngest concert-goers enjoyed corndogs, funnel cakes, snow cones and carnival-type cuisine, threw darts at balloons or climbed the rock wall while their parents watched.
Skylear Deselle, 2, and Justin Gilliland, 3, blew bubbles at each other and ran around the tree their family sought shade under.
But the age of the audience didn’t matter much, Saxton said, the youngsters who can’t pronounce the names of their entertainers could still adopt an appreciation of music from their parents and grandparents generation.
“The older country still lives on in the youth of today, and I love that,” Saxton said. “I really appreciate the city of Baytown hosting this like they do every year.”
Saxton said the household names that come out to perform each year are proof that Baytown is the place to be on July 4th.
The 2007 Baytown July 4th Celebration will continue today with a parade down Market Street and Lee Drive from noon until 12:45 p.m., followed by opening ceremonies at Bicentennial Park, 1001 Market St., until 1 p.m. Jessica Zweback, winner of the Houston Press music award for Best Female Vocalist in 2003 will get things started off today with brother Frank Zweback and Davis Jumper. The trio of SkyBlue 72 will rock the stage from 1 to 2 p.m. Students from the Parks and Recreation Department’s hip-hop dance class will pick up where the band leaves off and Los Pekadrez will entertain the crowd at 2:30 p.m., and come 3:30 p.m., contestants can see who eat can eat the most wings. The Bayou City Wings sponsored contest will wrap up at 4 p.m. when Joe Tex Jr. delivers some southern soul and funk from his 2006 release, “Nothing But A Joe Tex Party.”
Attendees can test their smarts from 5:30 to 6 p.m. during the “How Smart Are You?” Contest before Cory Morrow goes on from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Some of the city’s cutest kids will compete for the title of Little Mr. and Miss Firecracker from 7:30 to 8 p.m. and fans can catch Roger Creager from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The Fireworks Extravaganza featuring music by DJ Mike will wrap things up at 10 p.m.
During the festivities, the Market Street/Decker Drive/Texas Avenue intersection will be closed along with Lee Drive, MLK/Stadium Drive, Gentry Drive Carnegie Drive and Market Street.
Parking is available at Lee College, the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center and other nearby facilities. Handicap parking is available at the Lee College Tennis Courts.
Admission is free. Attendees can bring their lawn chairs and blankets and pop-up tents, shade tarps and umbrellas will be allowed in the spectator area until 6 p.m.
