Coffee News

No farewell tour for Aerosmith, rock legend reveals as he touts new coffee venture

A rock legend is coming to Sugar Land’s Smart Financial Centre, but he won’t be performing — at least not yet.

The soon-to-open venue announced on Tuesday that Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer’s coffee company Rockin’ & Roastin’ will be a multi-year marketing sponsor and that Rockin’ & Roastin’ will be the venue’s exclusive coffee supplier.

“It’s a beautiful facility. I took a tour of it yesterday,” Kramer said at a press conference. Later, he added “it’s going to be a great venue for people who drink coffee, and it’s going to be a great place to sell it. (The partnership is) just logical.”

Kramer says his wife encouraged him to enter the business when he complained about the quality of the coffee he encountered while on tour with Aerosmith. Available in three roasts, espresso, and decaf, Rockin’ & Roastin’ uses organic beans from Sumatra, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.

“I’m not the kind of celebrity that just puts my name to something and sits back and collects money for it. I’m very hands-on with the company,” Kramer said. “I’m as involved as I can be, because I’m really concerned with maintaining the quality of the coffee.”

After launching online in 2012, Rockin’ & Roastin’ has gone nationwide and is available at grocery stores (including some H-E-B locations), hotels (Courtyard Marriott), and the House of Blues. Last month, the member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opened his first restaurant, Joey Kramer’s Rockin’ & Roastin’ Cafe, in Massachusetts. Kramer said he expects to open a Houston location within a year-and-a-half.

In non-coffee related news, Kramer says bandmate Steven Tyler’s announcement on the Howard Stern Show that Aerosmith would be embarking on a farewell tour in 2017 came as news to him.

“As far as I know there is no farewell tour,” Kramer said.

Why did Tyler tell Stern there would be?

“Because it was something we were talking about, and he has a habit of projecting on things that haven’t been completed yet,” Kramer replied.

Kramer did confirm the band has plans to tour in 2017. Maybe they’ll even play the Smart Financial Centre. After all, nothing prepares people for walking this way, living on the edge, or love in an elevator better than a hot cup of coffee.

Rockin' & Roastin' is available in three varieties.

Joey Kramer Rockin Roastin coffee K-cups

Photo by Eric Sandler

Rockin' & Roastin' is available in three varieties.

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pat saddles up

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo makes history with election of first female chairman of the board

Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Pat Mann Phillips saddles up in 2024.

In 2022, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo made history by making local rap icon Bun B the first Black headliner from Houston. Now, the venerable institution has made history again with the appointment of its first female chairman of the board.

Pat Mann Phillips, a rodeo life member since 2001, will begin her three-year tenure as chairman of the board starting with the 2024 Rodeo, according to an announcement. She takes over for departing chairman Brady Carruth.

“As the newly elected Chairman of the Board, I am humbled and honored to lead the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and our amazing team of dedicated volunteers,” Phillips tells CultureMap. "Together, we embark on a transformative endeavor to propel our organization to its fullest potential. By breaking new ground and pushing boundaries, we will elevate the rodeo experience to unprecedented heights, capturing the essence of our vibrant community and its unwavering spirit.”

Her first objective, according to the rodeo, will be to collaborate with the executive committee to lead the Rodeo, focusing on its core mission of promoting agriculture and supporting Texas youth and education.

Heralded by peers and staff for her high-energy, positive, genuine, compassionate, and humble nature, Phillips has served on myriad rodeo committees, various committees, including the Corral Club – Suites, Directions & Assistance, Jr. Rodeo, and Special Children's committees.

She was elected to the board of directors in 2012 and rodeo vice president from 2016 to 2018. During her tenure, she oversaw the Transportation, Magazine, Special Children's, Agricultural Education (formerly Ladies' Go Texan), Souvenir Program, and Communications & Special Services committees. She joined the rodeos executive committee in 2018.

Consummately Houston and rodeo, Phillips holds a BBA in Petroleum Land Management and a BBA in Finance from Texas Tech University and boasts more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry. She is currently the executive director of Energy Services for Revenade, a global management consulting firm.

Rodeo is a family affair: She and her husband, Tim Phillips have contributed financially through auction buying groups, season tickets, and donations to the Rodeo's Educational Fund. Tim Phillips, a former chair of the Jr. Rodeo Committee, continues to serve on the Special Children's Committee, per the rodeo.

Pat and Tim Phillips also walk the walk: they own Trinity Spirit Ranch in Field Store, Texas and manage their family ranch in Johnson County, Texas. Pat is also a charter member of Texas Women Venture Fund and a member and former director of Ladies of Texas Tradition, per her bio. She is a mentor and board member in organizations including Amigas Para Niños and the American Association of Professional Landmen.

“Our rich traditions serve as the cornerstone of our mission, and it is my hope that through our collective efforts, we not only preserve these traditions but also ignite a flame of inspiration within others,” Par Phillips says. “I am thrilled to saddle up for this exhilarating journey ahead. Together, we will leave a lasting legacy, inspiring generations to come and making a profound difference in the lives of those we touch.”