Lucas Hoge

Woman writes powerful song using just her toe
Story by Nicole Vandeputte

A Pueblo woman's song is topping the local country charts, despite her no longer having a voice.
Natalie Fognani is trapped inside a body that is barely working.
She can no longer speak, but her message can be heard all over Pueblo.
Fognani is suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. She was diagnosed 4 years ago. It's slowly robbed her of her ability to use her hands, or speak. Her only way of communicating is with her toe. She uses it to type on a computer. That computer then voices her words. She spoke with us through her caregiver, Jessica Bond.
She says her song started as a poem. She wrote it after Thanksgiving of 2009. Speaking for Fognani, Jessica says, "It occurred to me that most people take it for granted that they can talk and hug and kiss. I had taken all those things for granted. How was I to know I'd be in this condition." That's the message of her poem, a life taken for granted. "I looked forward to retirement, a next vacation. I took my good health for granted, friendships and relationships. I didn't thank god enough for the blessings in my life," says Jessica.
Thanks to the dying wish program at Sangre de Cristo Hospice in Pueblo, that poem was sent to country singer Lucas Hoge in Nashville. He brought Natalie's words to life in the song, titled "How was I to know."

What no one expected was the song's instant success. Dave Moore is the program director at KIQN Country 106.9 in Pueblo. He was told about the song, and played it for the first time about 2 weeks ago. He says the first time it played the phones lit up. Moore says, "It's, I would say, one of the two most requested songs we have on the radio."
It's struck a chord with listeners. That's the gift Natalie leaves behind. She says, "I hope they won't take anything or anyone for granted, to be thankful for what they have, and can do." A powerful message of living from a woman who didn't get to live enough.

That song is available on iTunes, just search Lucas Hoge.

VIDEO of Breaking Story: http://www.newsfirst5.com/player/?video_id=5931
VIDEO of the Emotion meeting: http://www.newsfirst5.com/player/?video_id=5951
VIDEO of the UNCUT live performance: http://www.newsfirst5.com/player/?video_id=5947
VIDEO of the LIVE performance this morning: http://www.newsfirst5.com/player/?video_id=5957
- New First 5

Lucas Hoge loves cats. It started when the singer and songwriter was growing up in Nebraska, and his mother, who worked for a kennel, would bring home all the pets that would have otherwise been put down.

"They had heart murmurs, crooked tails. We had all these pets around the house all the time," Hoge, who appears on the Animal Planet series Last Chance Highway, tells PEOPLEPets.com.

In an effort to kick-start his country music career, the aspiring singer moved to Nashville. He flipped houses to supplement his income, and in the process, he often saw dogs and cats running around the neighborhoods of the homes he was renovating. Before long, he wasn’t just mending the houses. "There's so much more neglect going on in the South, and I had no idea," he says. "I slowly started trying to take cats home to adopt them out."

Hoge wasn't looking for them, but the cats seemed to keep finding him. One day, he was out in his backyard when he heard a loud meowing coming from somewhere in front of his house. He walked around to see what was making all that noise, and "this little cat dead sprinted right for me and jumped up in my arms."

Hoge tried to find the cat's owner by putting up posters and calling local veterinarians, but no one claimed him. So the cat, Tunesis, joined Hoge; his wife, Laura; their four dogs; and an endless stream of foster animals the Hoges take in through Nashville Kitten Rescue.

During last spring's flood, many Nashville-area rescues were displaced, and the Hoges found themselves hosting nine baby kittens in their laundry room at one point. They took turns getting up every three hours to bottle feed them. Hoge hopes to stage a benefit concert for local rescues sometime this year.

"I'm going to try to continue where Bob Barker left off," Hoge says. "That's my motto, too. ‘Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Adopt, adopt, adopt.’" - PeoplePets.com

Lucas Hoge loves cats. It started when the singer and songwriter was growing up in Nebraska, and his mother, who worked for a kennel, would bring home all the pets that would have otherwise been put down.

"They had heart murmurs, crooked tails. We had all these pets around the house all the time," Hoge, who appears on the Animal Planet series Last Chance Highway, tells PEOPLEPets.com.

In an effort to kick-start his country music career, the aspiring singer moved to Nashville. He flipped houses to supplement his income, and in the process, he often saw dogs and cats running around the neighborhoods of the homes he was renovating. Before long, he wasn’t just mending the houses. "There's so much more neglect going on in the South, and I had no idea," he says. "I slowly started trying to take cats home to adopt them out."

Hoge wasn't looking for them, but the cats seemed to keep finding him. One day, he was out in his backyard when he heard a loud meowing coming from somewhere in front of his house. He walked around to see what was making all that noise, and "this little cat dead sprinted right for me and jumped up in my arms."

Hoge tried to find the cat's owner by putting up posters and calling local veterinarians, but no one claimed him. So the cat, Tunesis, joined Hoge; his wife, Laura; their four dogs; and an endless stream of foster animals the Hoges take in through Nashville Kitten Rescue.

During last spring's flood, many Nashville-area rescues were displaced, and the Hoges found themselves hosting nine baby kittens in their laundry room at one point. They took turns getting up every three hours to bottle feed them. Hoge hopes to stage a benefit concert for local rescues sometime this year.

"I'm going to try to continue where Bob Barker left off," Hoge says. "That's my motto, too. ‘Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Adopt, adopt, adopt.’" - PeoplePets.com

Country artist Lucas Hoge adds yet another accolade to his growing resume of accomplishments. This summer, Hoge will make his national TV debut on Animal Planet's new reality show Last Chance Highway. The rising star wrote the theme song for the new show, which is produced by Al Roker Entertainment.

“Last Chance Highway is spectacular! What a heartfelt song!” Roker says of the show’s theme. “I can tell he has a special feeling for the project and we are excited to have him on board!”

Last Chance Highway is an eight-part series that focuses on the monumental mission of a dedicated handful of animal rescuers. Each week, they organize a band of volunteers to take part in a unique mobile adoption campaign in an effort to find homes for strays and unclaimed shelter dogs. Every week Hoge provides entertainment and companionship to cast member Kyle Peterson as they climb aboard Animal Planet’s big rig to transport more than 150 dogs thousands of miles to meet their new families.

“It’s an exhausting ritual but one that finds homes for more than 6,000 pets every year,” says Hoge. “For me to be able to contribute to even a fraction of that number is greater in its true sense, than any number of miles I’ll ever drive.”

Last Chance Highway will broadcast on Discovery Network’s Animal Planet every Saturday beginning June 19, 2010 at 8 pm EST.

Prior to the show’s premiere, Lucas will be participating in CMA Music Fest before joining his cast members for a national media blitz in support of Last Chance Highway.

Access Last Chance Highway screening room:
http://press.discovery.com/ekits/last-chance-highway/template.cfm?page=episode1

While this is Lucas’s first time to be cast in a television show, his music has most recently been featured on the WB’s Smallville, an HBO TV series and a Lipton Tea commercial.

For more information on Lucas Hoge please visit www.lucashoge.com. - CMR Nashville Radio

Country artist Lucas Hoge adds yet another accolade to his growing resume of accomplishments. This summer, Hoge will make his national TV debut on Animal Planet's new reality show Last Chance Highway. The rising star wrote the theme song for the new show, which is produced by Al Roker Entertainment.

“Last Chance Highway is spectacular! What a heartfelt song!” Roker says of the show’s theme. “I can tell he has a special feeling for the project and we are excited to have him on board!”

Last Chance Highway is an eight-part series that focuses on the monumental mission of a dedicated handful of animal rescuers. Each week, they organize a band of volunteers to take part in a unique mobile adoption campaign in an effort to find homes for strays and unclaimed shelter dogs. Every week Hoge provides entertainment and companionship to cast member Kyle Peterson as they climb aboard Animal Planet’s big rig to transport more than 150 dogs thousands of miles to meet their new families.

“It’s an exhausting ritual but one that finds homes for more than 6,000 pets every year,” says Hoge. “For me to be able to contribute to even a fraction of that number is greater in its true sense, than any number of miles I’ll ever drive.”

Last Chance Highway will broadcast on Discovery Network’s Animal Planet every Saturday beginning June 19, 2010 at 8 pm EST.

Prior to the show’s premiere, Lucas will be participating in CMA Music Fest before joining his cast members for a national media blitz in support of Last Chance Highway.

Access Last Chance Highway screening room:
http://press.discovery.com/ekits/last-chance-highway/template.cfm?page=episode1

While this is Lucas’s first time to be cast in a television show, his music has most recently been featured on the WB’s Smallville, an HBO TV series and a Lipton Tea commercial.

For more information on Lucas Hoge please visit www.lucashoge.com. - CMR Nashville Radio

The economy has put a strain on animal shelters and professionals in charge of rounding up and housing pets abandoned by people who can no longer feed and shelter their four legged charges.
Now Animal Planet brings a series that shows how some are coping.
Time is running out for millions of animals across the country. In many southern states where spay-and-neuter laws aren’t readily enforced and tough economic times are forcing many people to choose between caring for themselves or their pets, the number of stray and abandoned dogs is soaring.
Shelters with a lack of resources are unable to provide these animals with one critical thing: time.
So the race against the clock begins. Thanks to some incredible people who have dedicated themselves to beating that ticking clock, thousands of dogs every year are rescued and transported to the North, and most of us don’t even know that it’s happening.
On Saturday, June 19, at 8 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet will change that as it shines the spotlight on two very special people on a mission and a network of volunteers as they fight to give dogs a second chance at life in "Last Chance Highway."
This series follows Shelly Bookwalter and Kyle Peterson as they forge an alliance to give unwanted dogs across the South one last chance at survival. With the support of her family and friends, Shelly devotes her time and money to saving stray and unclaimed shelter dogs from a tragic fate.
She spends hours finding and placing them with foster families, posting the available pets on Petfinder.com and interviewing potential owners; she successfully places close to 650 rescued dogs with loving families every year.
Kyle works with Shelly and her volunteers to pick up adopted dogs to transport them to their new homes in the Northeast.
“Last Chance Highway tells the story of passionate and determined individuals who come together on a mission to save and better the lives of abandoned and stray dogs. It’s a privilege to further their work and help save these animals,” says Marjorie Kaplan, general manager and president of Animal Planet.
“People looking to adopt a pet are often hooked after just seeing a photo. Being there to witness that first face-to-face meeting and to see the impact that humans and dogs have on each other’s lives is incredibly powerful and something I think will inspire and entertain our viewers.”
"Last Chance Highway is an incredible example of individuals and families from communities all over the country and all walks of life helping our four-legged best friends beat the odds," says Al Roker, executive producer for Al Roker Productions who produces the series for the network. "Animal Planet deserves our thanks for showing pet adoption at its best."
Without the help of Kyle Peterson and his team, including one of his assistants country music singer Lucas Hoge, Shelly’s dream of seeing rescued dogs adopted in the North would not be possible.
Kyle is the owner of P.E.T.S. Transport Service, which transports dogs from the South to areas all over the Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine. Spending four to five nights a week on the road, Kyle packs his trailer rig full of barking dogs, anxious to meet their new families.
This journey is repeated almost 52 weeks a year; it’s an exhausting ritual but one which finds homes for more than 100-150 dogs each week. Kyle’s company has transported nearly 30,000 dogs to their new homes since he started in 2004.
The relationship between Kyle and Shelly shows the power these dogs have in bringing people together to work for a common cause. With Shelly’s help and through Animal Plant’s partnership with PetFinder.com, viewers will have the opportunity to adopt rescued dogs from around the country as well as some dogs rescued by Shelly herself at AnimalPlanet.com.
The web site will feature dog biographies and a “where are they now” section, which will spotlight rescued dogs with their new owners after they travel - www.monstersandcritics.com

The economy has put a strain on animal shelters and professionals in charge of rounding up and housing pets abandoned by people who can no longer feed and shelter their four legged charges.
Now Animal Planet brings a series that shows how some are coping.
Time is running out for millions of animals across the country. In many southern states where spay-and-neuter laws aren’t readily enforced and tough economic times are forcing many people to choose between caring for themselves or their pets, the number of stray and abandoned dogs is soaring.
Shelters with a lack of resources are unable to provide these animals with one critical thing: time.
So the race against the clock begins. Thanks to some incredible people who have dedicated themselves to beating that ticking clock, thousands of dogs every year are rescued and transported to the North, and most of us don’t even know that it’s happening.
On Saturday, June 19, at 8 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet will change that as it shines the spotlight on two very special people on a mission and a network of volunteers as they fight to give dogs a second chance at life in "Last Chance Highway."
This series follows Shelly Bookwalter and Kyle Peterson as they forge an alliance to give unwanted dogs across the South one last chance at survival. With the support of her family and friends, Shelly devotes her time and money to saving stray and unclaimed shelter dogs from a tragic fate.
She spends hours finding and placing them with foster families, posting the available pets on Petfinder.com and interviewing potential owners; she successfully places close to 650 rescued dogs with loving families every year.
Kyle works with Shelly and her volunteers to pick up adopted dogs to transport them to their new homes in the Northeast.
“Last Chance Highway tells the story of passionate and determined individuals who come together on a mission to save and better the lives of abandoned and stray dogs. It’s a privilege to further their work and help save these animals,” says Marjorie Kaplan, general manager and president of Animal Planet.
“People looking to adopt a pet are often hooked after just seeing a photo. Being there to witness that first face-to-face meeting and to see the impact that humans and dogs have on each other’s lives is incredibly powerful and something I think will inspire and entertain our viewers.”
"Last Chance Highway is an incredible example of individuals and families from communities all over the country and all walks of life helping our four-legged best friends beat the odds," says Al Roker, executive producer for Al Roker Productions who produces the series for the network. "Animal Planet deserves our thanks for showing pet adoption at its best."
Without the help of Kyle Peterson and his team, including one of his assistants country music singer Lucas Hoge, Shelly’s dream of seeing rescued dogs adopted in the North would not be possible.
Kyle is the owner of P.E.T.S. Transport Service, which transports dogs from the South to areas all over the Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine. Spending four to five nights a week on the road, Kyle packs his trailer rig full of barking dogs, anxious to meet their new families.
This journey is repeated almost 52 weeks a year; it’s an exhausting ritual but one which finds homes for more than 100-150 dogs each week. Kyle’s company has transported nearly 30,000 dogs to their new homes since he started in 2004.
The relationship between Kyle and Shelly shows the power these dogs have in bringing people together to work for a common cause. With Shelly’s help and through Animal Plant’s partnership with PetFinder.com, viewers will have the opportunity to adopt rescued dogs from around the country as well as some dogs rescued by Shelly herself at AnimalPlanet.com.
The web site will feature dog biographies and a “where are they now” section, which will spotlight rescued dogs with their new owners after they travel - www.monstersandcritics.com

Country artist Lucas Hoge is set to make his national TV debut on Animal Planet's new reality show 'Last Chance Highway.' The eight-part series focuses on the monumental mission of a dedicated handful of animal rescuers.

Each week, they organize a band of volunteers to take part in a unique mobile adoption campaign in an effort to find homes for strays and unclaimed shelter dogs. Lucas provides entertainment and companionship to cast member Kyle Peterson as they climb aboard Animal Planet's big rig to transport more than 150 dogs thousands of miles to meet their new families.

"It's an exhausting ritual but one that finds homes for more than 6,000 pets every year," says Lucas. "For me to be able to contribute to even a fraction of that number is greater in its true sense, than any number of miles I'll ever drive."

The show premieres on the Animal Planet channel on June 19 at 8:00 PM ET. Lucas will be participating in the CMA Music Fest before joining his cast members for a national media blitz in support of the series. The Nebraska native wrote the theme song for the new show, which is produced by Al Roker Entertainment.
- AOL The Boot

Country artist Lucas Hoge is set to make his national TV debut on Animal Planet's new reality show 'Last Chance Highway.' The eight-part series focuses on the monumental mission of a dedicated handful of animal rescuers.

Each week, they organize a band of volunteers to take part in a unique mobile adoption campaign in an effort to find homes for strays and unclaimed shelter dogs. Lucas provides entertainment and companionship to cast member Kyle Peterson as they climb aboard Animal Planet's big rig to transport more than 150 dogs thousands of miles to meet their new families.

"It's an exhausting ritual but one that finds homes for more than 6,000 pets every year," says Lucas. "For me to be able to contribute to even a fraction of that number is greater in its true sense, than any number of miles I'll ever drive."

The show premieres on the Animal Planet channel on June 19 at 8:00 PM ET. Lucas will be participating in the CMA Music Fest before joining his cast members for a national media blitz in support of the series. The Nebraska native wrote the theme song for the new show, which is produced by Al Roker Entertainment.
- AOL The Boot

There are less than 50 people in the tiny Nebraska town of Hubbell, and nearly all of them came out to see Lucas Hoge leave.

Hoge, an aspiring country singer/songwriter, had packed up his 1994 Dodge Ram pickup truck and was hitting the road for Nashville, the capital of country music.

During his final concert in his hometown, friends, family and strangers alike had turned out to wish him well -- as well as donate about $2,500 seed money for his dream.

"My mom and some of her friends auctioned off quilts and paintings they'd done," Hoge said. "You couldn't ask for a better farewell."

That was more than eight years ago. Since then, Hoge has released two acclaimed country CDs and had an original song featured on the popular WB Superman television show "Smallville."

His songs "If Only I Could," "Dirt" and "Get the Door" were nominated for several music awards, and in 2006 his album "Dirt" won country album of the year at the 16th Annual L.A. Music Awards, which honors independent musicians and filmmakers.

"Things are going really good for me," Hoge said.

Hoge and his band will be in concert Saturday at The Blue Goat, 232 N. Santa Fe. Opening for Hoge will be the popular Salina-based country rock band Northcutt.

Life in a small town

Growing up in such a tiny Nebraska town might have felt confining for some, but Hoge feels blessed to have grown up in Hubbell. He said he can never forget where he came from and tries to reflect that in his songs.

"I write a lot of songs about farming and working in the dirt," he said. "I don't look like a farmer with my long hair, but I grew up with it, and I like to keep that in my music. I love to go back to my hometown. It's like my fortress of solitude."

The youngest of four children, Hoge started playing the guitar at age 17. By the time he was in college at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he was fronting two bands -- a southern rock band called Southern Cross that played festivals and fairs throughout Nebraska and Kansas and a college praise and worship band called Xtreme Devotion.

"I was playing in churches by day and in bars at night, so I was both saint and sinner," Hoge said with a laugh. "Bars didn't even want to let me in because I wasn't old enough. I had to play with a big black mark on the back of my hand so they wouldn't sell me alcohol."

Hoge spent his first year in Nashville living in a 500-square-foot apartment, working a full-time day job and spending his evenings performing in small clubs and networking with people in the music industry.

"Nashville has such a great creative energy," he said. "It felt right for me to move here. After awhile, things started popping."

Before long, Hoge was a popular attraction at Nashville music landmarks such as the Bluebird Cafe, Alabama Grill, Orchid Lounge, Wild Horse Saloon and Whiskey Island.

Releases his first CD

In 2002, he released his debut CD, "In My Dreams." Soon after, a song he co-wrote, "If Only I Could," was featured on the television series "Smallville."

In 2006, Hoge released a second critically-acclaimed album, "Dirt," and currently he is working on songs for a third CD.

In addition to his music career, Hoge appeared on television on the Toby Keith Christmas Special in 2007, appeared with Faith Hill in a 2007 Saturday Night Football promo and sang the National Anthem before a NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2008.

Hoge currently is filming episodes of a new TV series on the Animal Planet network called "Last Chance Highway," in which he travels with a transport team from Nashville to New England to rescue dogs.

"I'm like the musical sidekick guy," he said. "I'll also write songs for the show."

Hoge said he hopes someday to combine his music career with an acting career.

"My wife's an actress and heavy into the L.A. film and TV industry," he said. "But we're staying based in Nashville. L.A.'s a great place to visit, but it's too crazy for me."

Hoge may dabble in other entertainment fields, but country music will always be his first love. He said nothing is better than playing his music live before a responsive audience.

"I love giving listeners a musical playground they can relate to," he said. "Or singing them a song that touches their heart or transports them back in time. If you can really connect with an audience, nothing compares to that."
- Salina Journal

There are less than 50 people in the tiny Nebraska town of Hubbell, and nearly all of them came out to see Lucas Hoge leave.

Hoge, an aspiring country singer/songwriter, had packed up his 1994 Dodge Ram pickup truck and was hitting the road for Nashville, the capital of country music.

During his final concert in his hometown, friends, family and strangers alike had turned out to wish him well -- as well as donate about $2,500 seed money for his dream.

"My mom and some of her friends auctioned off quilts and paintings they'd done," Hoge said. "You couldn't ask for a better farewell."

That was more than eight years ago. Since then, Hoge has released two acclaimed country CDs and had an original song featured on the popular WB Superman television show "Smallville."

His songs "If Only I Could," "Dirt" and "Get the Door" were nominated for several music awards, and in 2006 his album "Dirt" won country album of the year at the 16th Annual L.A. Music Awards, which honors independent musicians and filmmakers.

"Things are going really good for me," Hoge said.

Hoge and his band will be in concert Saturday at The Blue Goat, 232 N. Santa Fe. Opening for Hoge will be the popular Salina-based country rock band Northcutt.

Life in a small town

Growing up in such a tiny Nebraska town might have felt confining for some, but Hoge feels blessed to have grown up in Hubbell. He said he can never forget where he came from and tries to reflect that in his songs.

"I write a lot of songs about farming and working in the dirt," he said. "I don't look like a farmer with my long hair, but I grew up with it, and I like to keep that in my music. I love to go back to my hometown. It's like my fortress of solitude."

The youngest of four children, Hoge started playing the guitar at age 17. By the time he was in college at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he was fronting two bands -- a southern rock band called Southern Cross that played festivals and fairs throughout Nebraska and Kansas and a college praise and worship band called Xtreme Devotion.

"I was playing in churches by day and in bars at night, so I was both saint and sinner," Hoge said with a laugh. "Bars didn't even want to let me in because I wasn't old enough. I had to play with a big black mark on the back of my hand so they wouldn't sell me alcohol."

Hoge spent his first year in Nashville living in a 500-square-foot apartment, working a full-time day job and spending his evenings performing in small clubs and networking with people in the music industry.

"Nashville has such a great creative energy," he said. "It felt right for me to move here. After awhile, things started popping."

Before long, Hoge was a popular attraction at Nashville music landmarks such as the Bluebird Cafe, Alabama Grill, Orchid Lounge, Wild Horse Saloon and Whiskey Island.

Releases his first CD

In 2002, he released his debut CD, "In My Dreams." Soon after, a song he co-wrote, "If Only I Could," was featured on the television series "Smallville."

In 2006, Hoge released a second critically-acclaimed album, "Dirt," and currently he is working on songs for a third CD.

In addition to his music career, Hoge appeared on television on the Toby Keith Christmas Special in 2007, appeared with Faith Hill in a 2007 Saturday Night Football promo and sang the National Anthem before a NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2008.

Hoge currently is filming episodes of a new TV series on the Animal Planet network called "Last Chance Highway," in which he travels with a transport team from Nashville to New England to rescue dogs.

"I'm like the musical sidekick guy," he said. "I'll also write songs for the show."

Hoge said he hopes someday to combine his music career with an acting career.

"My wife's an actress and heavy into the L.A. film and TV industry," he said. "But we're staying based in Nashville. L.A.'s a great place to visit, but it's too crazy for me."

Hoge may dabble in other entertainment fields, but country music will always be his first love. He said nothing is better than playing his music live before a responsive audience.

"I love giving listeners a musical playground they can relate to," he said. "Or singing them a song that touches their heart or transports them back in time. If you can really connect with an audience, nothing compares to that."
- Salina Journal

Great show by Lucas and the band on Friday for us. They couldn’t have been a nicer bunch to work with. I appreciate their professionalism and cooperation. It was a long trip to come and play in our little town, but I know that Lucas made a lot of new fans.

I hope that you get to see the video that they shot upstairs in our old Opera House. He performed “Ghost” on the old stage, and it was magical. What a great tune.

Of course, we got a copy of the “Dirt” CD, and I got to hear that tune with the full band. This song is a hit. A great song and a great record, and that doesn’t always happen.

The B-3 background was a terrific addition to that song.

We will always be able to say that we had Lucas Hoge on our stage “before he hit it bit”.

And I think he will.

Thank you to the entire Lucas Hoge organization for helping us with this show.

Best regards,

Roger Dresden

Livingston Arts Council

Howell, MI - Roger Dresden, Arts Council- Howell, MI

Great show by Lucas and the band on Friday for us. They couldn’t have been a nicer bunch to work with. I appreciate their professionalism and cooperation. It was a long trip to come and play in our little town, but I know that Lucas made a lot of new fans.

I hope that you get to see the video that they shot upstairs in our old Opera House. He performed “Ghost” on the old stage, and it was magical. What a great tune.

Of course, we got a copy of the “Dirt” CD, and I got to hear that tune with the full band. This song is a hit. A great song and a great record, and that doesn’t always happen.

The B-3 background was a terrific addition to that song.

We will always be able to say that we had Lucas Hoge on our stage “before he hit it bit”.

And I think he will.

Thank you to the entire Lucas Hoge organization for helping us with this show.

Best regards,

Roger Dresden

Livingston Arts Council

Howell, MI - Roger Dresden, Arts Council- Howell, MI

"Dirt" is a #1 hit, this is the first song in a long time that gave me chills! There are at least 4 additional hit songs on Lucas's CD! - Radio Rich US 103FM Kansas

"Dirt" is a #1 hit, this is the first song in a long time that gave me chills! There are at least 4 additional hit songs on Lucas's CD! - Radio Rich US 103FM Kansas

translated:

An amazing concert last night at Nyhavn 17, by American country recording artist Lucas Hoge. Lucas played 3 hours of Danish favorites, and originals off his CD "Dirt". Lucas is currently nominated in the 18th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards for "Country Single of the Year 2008" Lucas will be in town for 30 days, appearing at different venues around Denmark, including: Olbaren, Hokeren, Lord Nelson and Fish and Beer. - Copenhagen Post

translated:

An amazing concert last night at Nyhavn 17, by American country recording artist Lucas Hoge. Lucas played 3 hours of Danish favorites, and originals off his CD "Dirt". Lucas is currently nominated in the 18th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards for "Country Single of the Year 2008" Lucas will be in town for 30 days, appearing at different venues around Denmark, including: Olbaren, Hokeren, Lord Nelson and Fish and Beer. - Copenhagen Post