Thanks to WWKI, The Honeywell Center,

 and of course Sara Evans for a great time

 Sunday night. Michelle, Bret and Seth all

 had a wonderful time performing and

 meeting new folks. Please checkout the tour

page for future Cook and Belle dates!!!

“2007 Summer Tour”  was the best yet!

First of all we want to thank all the venues that let us be part of their event.  Starting our summer tour June 3rd with Lonestar at the Honeywell Center in Wabash, IN was incredible.  The show was a sell out and we met alot of new folks.  My favorite portion of the night was when Seth, our son, got to play drums with Lonestar on the last song.  The whole night went really well so the Honeywell Center asked us to come back and open for Craig Morgan later that month. I can’t respond on every place we performed, but I will highlight some venues.  The Strawberry Festival in Crawfordsville, IN is definitely a place you want to visit.  Strawberries, great food, and wonderful folks to perform for is what we experienced when we visited.  In late May, I got a call from a man named Ron that ran the park in Frankfort, IN., he said he wanted to try a concert series in the park throughout the summer.  I gave Ron some ideas and with his hard work the series was a success and we hope to go back in 2008.  We normally don’t perform twice in a day at different venues, but there was an exception this year. Haynes Apperson Festival, Kokomo, IN is a fun downtown festival with lots to do. We had not been there for about 4 years so it nice to be back entertaining new and familiar faces.  We performed from 4-5:30 pm and had to be at the Minnetrista Center in Muncie, IN by 7:00 pm.  In order for that to happen the city of Kokomo gave us a police escort out of town, now that was cool!  One thing I forgot to mention Michelle and I bought a new motor coach to travel in this year.  It’s really nice for everyone to ride together especially when have 8-9 folks on the road with us.  Back to the Minnetrista show, what can we say, it doesn’t get any better playing for your own hometown.  There were approx. 3,000 people that came out to support us, you don’t know how that makes us feel (IT’S AWESOME).  Well, off to Sheffield Homecoming Sheffield, IL.  This is always a fun place to play, this was our 2nd time to  perform there.  The show went great, the folks were wonderful to play for, but we never got to leave until about 2:00 am.  With a new motor coach there are alot of things you need to learn before you try all the gadgets.  5 hours from home was not the night to try using the leveling jacks.  When leveling the coach noone can come aboard or it will mess everything up.  Well, low and behold Matt our keyboard player not knowing what is going on jumps aboard.  Not knowing anything has went wrong, we go on with the show and find out later the jacks won’t retrieve.  We had about 6 men all over that coach trying to find the reset button.  Inside, outside, underneath here underneath there, nowhere to be found.  Finally our soundman said it has to be ran by a 12-volt battery for the hydraulics to run the jacks.  He tracked the wires to the front of the coach where the switch had been tripped and off we went.  So now we know where the switch is if that happens again, arriving home at 7:00 am.  Tipton County Fair Tipton, IN 3 years in a row, what can we say that speaks for itself.  They always say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.  The Tipton Queens are my favorite memory, they sit right in the front row and I get to sing to everyone of them.  Chicago, IL- Tyson Chicken Corporate Event, July 15th, what a night.  I’ve never seen or felt so much energy from a crowd then what I felt that night.  The reason Michelle and I do what we do is because of folks like Tyson, they really showed us interest and support throughout the whole night.  I’m happy to say we will be back in 2008 with Tyson, but in Philadelphia this time.  Delaware County Fair Muncie, IN hometown crowd once again. In the past 2 years we have been rained out towards the end of the night but not this year.  We got to play our full show with no rain (Tom Rector you the MAN!!!).  In  2007 we finally got to play in Ohio;  Clermont Co., Seneca Co., Van Wert Co., and Geauga Co. Fair.  If you’ve never been to these fairs you are definitely missing out.  Ohio really knows how to put on a real country fair, what more can I say!  St. Joseph Co. Fair in South Bend, IN, our 3rd year back, awesome as usual.  The first 2 yrs. we opened for Chris Cagle and Tracy Lawrence, but this year we were the main act in the grandstand.  This year we traveled to new venues not yet explored such as: Cass Co. (Michigan), Kent Co. (Michigan), Amboys Days (Illinois).  Great fairs, all which we would love to go back to (hint-hint).  State Fairs are always a great time because there is so much more to see and do.  That brings me to the Illinois State Fair, 4 years in a row, what can we say except fantastico.  The last show of the season was Beardstown Fall Fest. Beardstown, IL.  I’ve seen small town parades before but not like this one.  2 hours of non-stop floats and stuff topped off with a concert by my favorite country group Cook and Belle w/ special guest Seth Cook.  Thousands of folks stayed after the parade to see us perform for 90 mins., we definitely want to go back in 2008.  This year was probably the best because I felt the band as a whole bonded and sounded better than we ever have as a unit.  Having everyone ride on the coach together made it feel more like a family and not only work.  In 2007 we added new band members Brad Dobbs ( our older boy)-drums, Matt Ulrich- keyboards, and Seth on background vocals.  In August 2007 we finished Seth’s new cd and I’m already tired of him selling more cds than us.  If you haven’t picked one up yet you can order one through cookandbelle@aol.com.  We will be off for a few months working on the Voices United Concert in Nov., a benefit show we’ve done for the past 4 yrs..  Seth’s debut cd release concert will be either Nov. 2nd or 9th, find more info @ myspace.com/sethcook4music.  Jan. 4th I start the fair conventions all over, can’t wait to see everyone again.  After the conventions we head down to Florida to perform 5 days at the South Florida Fair, West Palm Beach.  Michelle and I are so looking forward to these 5 days, it will be awesome.  Thanks to all who made 2007 a great year for Michelle and I and whole C&B band.  2008 will even be better!!!  Keep in touch for new updates in the future!  Do me a favor if you have bought a Cook and Belle cd and have really enjoyed it, please tell a friend and they also can have their own copy @ cookandbelle.com (merchandise page). 

Thanks again for being the best fans!!!

bret & michelle