The Rubberband Man
Being a descendant of famed humorist Will Rogers can leave a tall
order to fill, but Damon Rogers is quickly filling the bill. Damon
has found the perfect environment to display his dry wit by working
as a rodeo clown and barrelman; an occupation he was destined for.
Coming from a long line of rodeo professionals, Damon brings to the
P.R.C.A. the legacy of his rich heritage and the energy of rodeo’s
youngest generation. Accordingly, Damon represents the crossroads
the rodeo world faces today: How does a culture based on century-old
traditions compete in a world where travel in space is routine and
a multitude of entertainment is available at the push of a button.
Like many young men his age, Damon has very comfortably resolved living
in a fast-paced society with carrying on the solid western ideals
of his father and grandfather. And it has left him with an intuitive
sense of how to entertain today’s audiences. “Rodeo is
mostly run by very traditional people, and that’s not a bad
thing. But some of them see me as a black sheep because I don’t
just listen to George Strait or Merle Haggard and I like to get out
of my boots once in a while and wear tennis shoes.” To make
rodeo more appealing to audiences is the driving force behind his
energy. His greatest sense of gratification in being a clown comes
when he spots a different kind of face in the audience and knows that
perhaps he may brought a new fan to rodeo. Damon was at an AM radio
station in Twenty-Nine Palms, Ca. promoting a rodeo when he glanced
across the hall and noticed the sister station playing classic rock.
In his intimitable way, Damon walked right in and was able to talk
on the air between songs for over an hour. That day, he saw evidence
of his ability to turn people on to rodeo. I have proof we can entertain
rock-n-rollers just as much as the country fans. People were calling
in and asking what time the rodeo started and how much the tickets
were. That night the stands were filled with people, some of who were
wearing Zeppelin and Mega-Deth t-shirts. “It was the direct
and immediate impact of us going the extra mile. We stuck our neck
out for new fans and it worked.”
The Ninety MPH Show…
To watch one of Damon’s performances is like being tapped
on the shoulder by a hurricane. With Damon around, there’s
never any down time. Once the rodeo begins, he never leaves the
arena except to bring in his props. The people sit mystified by
his relentless barrage of one-liners and zany antics. His ability
to charm a crowd is quite masterful, and can come from the pure
delight he takes in being a clown. Whether directing attention to
action in the arena or keeping slow moments upbeat, he utilizes
a very fluid method of delivery and exhibition, manipulating crowd
levels as though he were conducting an orchestra. But the action
is not just limited to the arena. After the show, he usually heads
for the local hot spot where there will already have gathered a
crowd of Damon’s newest fans. Sometime during the night, he
will have cleared the floor with his unique style of dancing (one
of the reasons he is known as the Rubber Band Man) and probably
will end the evening by bringing the house down singing with local
band. The next day, Damon packs up the truck and heads toward his
next job where he will hit the ground running to promote another
rodeo. He truly enjoys his promotional work because it gives him
the opportunity to meet people and a chance to make new fans.
The long, long road
Even though he is still fairly young in age, Damon approaches his
career with a great sense of maturity and experience. It comes from
being raised in rodeo and spending the better part of his life in
the sport of rodeo. His father, John Ed Rogers was a highly respected
trainer in the cutting, roping and reining horse business. Damon
and his father traveled constantly between competitions. “Dad
told me that I was taken from the crib pretty early and that I did
my teething on the steering wheel.” In high school, Damon
qualified three years for the National High School Finals in cutting
and team roping and he will still enter the team roping on occasion.
Damon began his career as a bullfighter at age 16 and continued
until a bullfighting altercation left with a broken leg. “My
right shin was shattered into 18 pieces and I was scared that my
rodeo career was over. I sat in a North Carolina hospital for five
days and wondered what I could do until I realized that could still
work the barrel.” He feels that the accident was actually
a blessing in disguise because he discovered that he had a natural
talent for entertaining and the satisfaction was so much more intense.
And because of his previous experience as a bullfighter, he frequently
becomes an extra pair of hands when a bull rider is in a tight spot.
Never a dull moment
Like his ancestor Will Rogers, Damon spends a good deal of his time
writing. His poems and songs are like an album of his memories of
living on the road, each piece a snapshot of the people he has encountered
and the places he has traveled. One of his unique abilities is the
way he endears himself to the people around by becoming part of
the community, and he can fit in as though he has been a resident
for many years. Having grown up constantly traveling, he has no
fear of talking to anyone (whether they want to be spoken to or
not). He has never met a stranger and he is at home in any town
in the USA. He is aggressive in his pursuit of promoting the sport
he loves because he feels responsible for helping to ensure the
success of the sport which has been such a major component in his
life. “I plan to go as hard as I can for as long as they let
me. My goal is not to be the clown of the year or such every year,
but to do as much for the sport as it has done for me. It has given
me so much over the years, such as good friends that will be there
forever and a way of life that has allowed me to see our country
and the people that make it great from a perspective that few get
to see.” Damon Rogers is someone who loves what he does and
the way he sees it, when you can do that, you never have to work
a day in your life. If only we all had it so good.
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