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| Curtis Moore will open for Willie Nelson in a Wichita show. |
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By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
3/25/2007
Curtis Moore's 'rowdy, redneck rock' will set stage for Willie Nelson
Curtis Moore's "rowdy redneck rock" will share the stage of stardom Tuesday in Wichita when he opens for Willie Nelson at the Cotillion Ballroom.
The wavy-haired guitarist said he is honored to be chosen to play the sold-out show, which he will do solo, without his band.
"I really respect (Nelson's) songwriting and his craftsmanship," said Moore, who lives with his girlfriend, Rebel, in Pawhuska.
He got the gig thanks to the Cotillion's owner.
Moore, who has been playing guitar since he was 14, is no stranger to opening up for the stars, although he usually has the support of his backing band, the Curtis Moore Band.
His blue-collar rock has opened for such headliners as Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchet and David Allan Coe, he said.
These days, Moore has been booking performers for a biannual biker rally near Pawhuska with the Osage County Independent Biker Association. He also books shows at other venues to help pay the bills.
"What's the biggest difference between a musician and a pizza?" Moore joked. "The pizza
The next few weeks have Moore taking his band from rallies to bars in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, playing shows in places such as Ponca City's Witchy's and Enid's Crappys Warehouse.
On the other hand, Nelson is fresh off his March 15 concert at Oral Roberts University's Mabee Center, where he shared the stage with backup band Asleep at the Wheel, as well as with two country music superstars -- Merle Haggard and Ray Price.
Nelson slayed 'em.
Moore's last album, "Curtis Moore Band 2003," was recorded inside Cain's Ballroom, and the guitarist has the bug to make another one. He's been testing the songs live, seeing how the crowd reacts.
He doesn't live like a rock star, but it's a living. He counts himself lucky to be able to pay the bills with music.
"Of course, it depends on what your definition of a living is," he said, laughing.
Matt Elliott 581-8366
matt.elliott@tulsaworld.com
By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
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