Blogger Rita Ballou took the Texas/Red Dirt Music Scene by storm in February 2010 with her controversial website rawhideandvelvet.com. Rita has been described as the "Perez Hilton of Texas Country music" and love her or hate her, she is always entertaining. Rita delivers a snarky, but fresh look on country music, celebrities, reality television and all things pop culture. The rawhideandvelvet website is now not only considered a guilty pleasure must-read for over 60,000 music fans a month, but one of the most respected sources for Texas/Red Dirt information in the genre. Rita is still new to radio, but her satirical essays can be found in Lone Star Music Magazine and her “Rita Rendezvous” columns are featured each month in Best in Texas Magazine. Rita’s “All the Dirt in Red Dirt” news reports can be hear on all the Townsquare Media radio stations throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Rita's popular recaps of the television shows CMT's Texas Women, Troubadour, Tx and Ray Benson's Texas Music Scene have allowed her to parlay her writing into on-camera work covering such red carpet events as the Country Music Awards and the CMA Fest in Nashville, the Music Fest in Steamboat Springs and the American Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. Rita is very active in The Boot Campaign, an organization that helps raise awareness of the challenges that the military faces when they transition home for war. Rita lives with her husband Wes and two weenie dogs Dolly Parton and Dewey Cox in her hometown of Gatesville, Texas. You can follow Rita on Twitter @rawhidevelvet and on Facebook at Facebook.com/ritaballou
Rita Ballou
Access To Your Spouse’s Phone Is The “Key To Marriage” According To Blake Shelton
Every single day I read yet ANOTHER rumor about "Shelbert" aka Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert having marital problems. I think that just comes with the territory of being a super famous celebrity power couple, so I don't necessarily feel sorry for them...but I did have to snicker at Blake's latest interview in People magazine.
Adam Levine Caught Saying ‘I Hate This Country’ Live on ‘The Voice’
I am half-heartly watching "The Voice" this season. I am much more of an "American Idol" fan and no matter how lame the show has gotten since Simon left, I am still loyal.
Rita’s Symbolic Visitor
Hey guys!
I just wanted to share this picture that I posted on my Instagram yesterday. We were taking collections to send to victims in Oklahoma and while I was doing one of my live commercial breaks this random butterfly landed on my script and stayed for the entire time...
In-N-Out Is Coming to Killeen-Now Is Your Chance To Eat Like A Celebrity
Everyone around here is all ba-gigity and excited over the news of this high fah-luttin' burger joint, In-N-Out Burger coming to Killeen.
Kim Kardashian’s Tacky Over The Top Baby Shower Invitation (PHOTO)
Could ANYTHING be tackier than Kim Kardashian's Baby Shower invitation?
The Ballou Barn Birds Are Back
Every year the same family of birds comes back to the nest they made the spring we moved into our house and just this week I noticed a new generation of babies had hatched!
Watch Jake Owen’s Ripped Jeans and Six Pack Abs Perform On Stage (VIDEO)
Hmmmm...
Ok, I know that I have always been a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but something about this Jake Owen video has me claiming some serious "Shananagans".
The Ballou Bootastrophy Has A Bootiful Ending!
Awww, I love when a sad story has a happy ending, especially a BOOTIFUL ending.
Take A Behind The Scenes VINE Tour Of The Studio With Rita Ballou
I was killing some time before the Schoepf's BBQ remote tonight and I went a little stircrazy on the VINE, so I thought I'd share!
A tour of my new desk:
A tour of Rebecca Rose's desk:
And of course where all the magic happens...
Listen To Rita’s Exclusive Extended Cody Johnson Interview From Thursday’s Texas Two Step
Cody Johnson called into the Texas Two Step this afternoon to chat about all things "Rocking CJB" as well as his show tonight for the Texas Music Series at Schoepf’s. You can listen to the unedited-extended interview audio below.
You can see Cody Johnson tonight out at Schoepf’s BBQ...