September 19, 2002

Dear Friends,

Well, it has been a summer for the record books. Deanna and I are still on the road, but by November we should be able to slow down.

It all began with Cody, Logan and me heading to Billings. The boys and I were out about ten days and had a great time. From the Great Salt Lake to Custer's Last Stand to Mount Rushmore, we saw it all.

The boys are learning to drive. Can you believe that? Deanna and I have been teaching them in their Grandfather's truck. They think that is the second best part. They drive here in our area in Las Vegas, but I did let them drive on the long trip. There isn’t much to run into in South Dakota or North Central Kansas. We think they will be good drivers.

Cody, Logan, Deanna and I then went to Fargo. Not only did I perform at the Redhawks Game, but we all got to see how North Dakota got its start as well as where milk comes from. The Thoms were nice enough to take Cody and Logan to a Dairy Farm. The boys saw a milking barn and even fed the calves! It was sure hard to put them on a plane back to Nashville.

August was a driving month! Deanna and I drove from Las Vegas to North Carolina and back. I performed all along the way on my own as well as with the Country Gold Show that LeRoy Van Dyke and Gladys put together. If you ever can see one of those shows in your area try not to miss it.

Wade, our oldest, is doing well in Texas. His business is booming! He works hard and sure is a good man. Marcus, the 20-year-old, will probably go back to Texas here pretty quick and work for a while with Wade. Wyatt, the 22-year-old, is back at the University of Tennessee for the Fall Semester. He is off from baseball until spring training begins at Tucson in February. He had a good season in his second year in the minors.

Deanna and I are off to Minnesota this weekend, then to Gene Autry, Oklahoma with Dusty, Johnny Western and Les Gilliam. That will be really fun. If you have not seen Dusty and I together, we do a question and answer session on Saturday afternoon before the show. Both of us really enjoy that.

Rex Allen Days is right after that in Willcox. This will be the 52nd year. Hard to believe. Dusty will be there also.

There is a lot going on right now in our lives. The new album, Black and White, is doing great and we have plans for a new album next year. More about that when we get closer to the release of the project. I have also been doing some more commercials. Mahindra Tractors and Char Broil Grills to name just two. I also did the trailers for a new Jeff Foxworthy film to be released soon. You will hear those in your local movie theater. We are also talking about doing some more work for the Westerns Channel. We try to stay busy. Sometimes too busy.

January we hit the road again. Lots of dates in California and Arizona. The really cool one is with the Sonoran Symphony on May 3, 2003. Deanna and I would like for me to do more of those kinds of dates in the future.

Well, Happy Fall! Boy we are sure tired of the hot weather. Cool nights and days will be a welcome change. I hope you all had a good summer.

See you soon,

Rex