A new main street in an old town leads the way to mainstream superstars. Tishomingo is a town with roots as deep as a wagon train wheel rut. However, the town experienced something new last week; two superstars gave a sneak preview to hundreds of fans.
On July 15 and July 16, 2021, Tishomingo was a buzz with activity. Blake Shelton did a practice session to kick off his next tour. Of course, the jam session was at his place The New Doghouse.
It is impossible to miss the brand-new Main Street in Tish that leads right up to the curb in front of Tishomingo’s biggest attraction. The New Doghouse is next door to the Ole Red restaurant.
A great thing about attending an event at The Doghouse is the fact that parking is easily accessible and free. It is also easy to find The New Doghouse. Just follow the sound of music, it can be heard for a country mile.
Evidently, mention of a practice session traveled far and wide because were quite a few hundred folks in attendance. A performance intended as practice turned out to be as good, if not better, than any formal performance.
Shelton played all his hit songs, and it did not seem like he or his band needed to stop and make any redo’s. His song “Old Red” lit up the place and everybody could tell it remained one of his personal favorites. The electricity and excitement he demonstrated was not only heard, it was also felt.
The acoustics of the venue may have been some of the best in the west. Even though it was difficult to see the superstar, with a few choice steps and maneuvers, everybody was able to get an up-close view. It really felt like a back porch Saturday night jam session.
As if seeing Blake was not enough for fans, there was added excitement. Suddenly, the crowd went wild, you could cut the excitement with a knife. There she was, like an angel, the one and only Gwen Stefani.
After a few moments and no silence, Stefani lit up the house with a few of her super hits. They fit right in with the show just like baseball and apple pie.
Seeing her seemed a bit like the first time in a tree stand and there it is, the ghost of the forest – the ten-point Hartford Buck – almost like a myth. However, she seemed to be the one sending the love arrows.
Stefani may not have been born or raised in Oklahoma, but she could fool even the best of judges as her small town grace and beauty glowed like a halo around her every move. One could say, “Gwen wasn’t born here but she got here as soon as she could.”
There were folks from near and far at the session and most attended Thursday and Friday. Lisa Parziale and Collette Savore came up from Dallas, Roy Grimmett drove down from Tahlequah, Donna Beardon came over from Kingston, and one couple drove over eight hours.
Oklahoma is lucky, as usual, to have such talent grace its soil. This was not the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last for The New Doghouse to showcase a superstar. There must be something in the water in Oklahoma because a lot of talent has sprung up over the last 120 years, or so.
One statement heard throughout the crowd was a fan noting that the Shelton’s have a very busy schedule and get paid a lot of money to perform. However, for them to take the time to do something like this and not for one “thin dime,” really makes you think that they care about Oklahoma and her residents.
Their rehearsal was a chance to make sure that their fans got an equal shot at seeing and hearing their talent. Many fans would love to give a big old downhome country thank you to Shelton and Stefani for taking the time to give their fans what was possibly the greatest show on Earth.