Jerry Jeff Walker, Music Legend, Fills Ambergris Caye Belize With His Loyal Fans

I will admit that as a born and raised New Jersey gal, I hadn’t given Texas a huge amount of thought in my formative years.  Sure…I knew everything was bigger in Texas…and that the people were, in general, college football and country music obsessed but to me, it was a far off land…one with its own flag, oil wells spouting Texas tea and its own attitude.

A t-shirt at last night’s concert.

And we (me and these Texans) didn’t have all that much in common.  Who knew that it would take me moving to San Pedro, BELIZE eight years ago to sample the music, more of food and the people?  They flock to Belize!  In New York City, not many people identify themselves as Texans, but in Belize?  They wear the distinction with great pride.

So last night, when I attended Texas legend Jerry Jeff Walker’s Week Two of his long running Camp Belize – it was like a trip to Texas.  In Belize.  And I liked it!

But let me tell ya’ll one little secret.  Jerry Jeff – the singer-songwriter best known for his rowdy renditions of songs like “Up Against the Wall, Red Neck Mother” and writing the much covered Mr. Bojangles – is from NEW YORK!  He was born Ronald Clyde Crosby in Oneonta – upstate NY and he lived in Greenwich Village in his earlier years.

Let me get to his concert, last night, in Belize.  Where he had about 300 fans dancing and laughing and drinking and having a grand old Texas time.

I had my JJW press pass.  Everyone at the show wears a lanyard all week for the “camp”.

A big change was made this year.  In the past, attendees had arrived earlier in the afternoon and stuck tape or a card with their names on chairs to save them.  FRICTION!  Mr Walker announced this year that there would be no more of that nonsense.

If you want a seat in the front, you are going to have to arrive early for it.  Makes good sense to me.  I talked to some folks that had been seated since 3 or 4pm for the 7pm show.

Hanging out at a bar in Belize for a few hours?  Things could be SO much worse.

The “Camp” isn’t just a Sunday event with Jerry Jeff and then two concerts during the week…it is a series of picking parties around town.  Businesses around San Pedro LOVE Jerry Jeff’s buckeroos.

I took this lovely lady’s picture last year in my post and she was easy to spot again.  SUPER CUTE.

Everyone was in a brilliant mood…happy, drinking Belikins and more…

And some photos of the show.  And the gorgeous HUGE palapa at Fido’s –  a spot with live music every night after 9pm.

Here’s some very poorly filmed video.  Jerry Jeff likes his women a tad on the trashy side.

And the women don’t seem to mind 🙂

Later in the evening, musician Christine Albert joined the crew.  She is a musician and also happens to be the Recording Academy Chair for the Grammy Awards.

And needs to rush back to Los Angelos for the Grammys!

Fun, generous, super-enthusiastic crowd, great music and good times.  I think I like these Texans!

And I definitely know that the entire town is happy to welcome them to Belize.