For a conservative Republican governor, Rick Perry is unusually willing to associate his name with going left.
While Bill White encourages potential young leaders to come to Bill White University (BWU) — the White campaign's training program— Perry is trying to seduce Texans in a slightly different way: By sponsoring a NASCAR driver.
To his credit Perry has chosen Bobby Labonte as his racer in the April 18 Sprint Cup Race at Ft. Worth's Texas Motor Speedway. Perry's name will be all over Labonte's car for this race — half of the hood alone is taken up by a "Governor Perry" and the sides and back will also tout the governor. Labonte is a squeaky-clean, scandal-free Texas native who is also the only NASCAR driver to win both the Winston Cup Championship and the Busch Series Championship — while going left of course (there are no right turns in NASCAR).
Unlike Rick Perry, however, Labonte hasn't won a race since 2003.
Hopefully for the governor this sponsorship ends better than the last time the government joined forces with NASCAR. In 2008, to promote the digital TV changeover, the FCC spent $355,000 to sponsor a car for three races. The Digital TV Transition Ford crashed twice in its first two races.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
