TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — South Tucson's El Casino Ballroom is welcoming all the cowgirls and cowboys visiting Tucson for rodeo week to come on down. On Friday night, Cowgirls with Heart is hosting its rodeo dance at the venue as a way to kick off the week.
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The event is raising funds for the Mustangs of America Foundation, which gives inmates and parolees the opportunity to train wild horses. The organization is local to southern Arizona, and so is the entertainment for the event.
The Anthony Taylor Jr. Band is local to Tucson, but the lead singer and band's namesake, Anthony Taylor Jr., grew up in and around South Tucson. He said it's an honor to be chosen as the band for tonight's event.
"Just here at El Casino Ballroom, I've had so many family members have parties here. Quinceañeras, weddings, this is definitely home for me. I feel right at home where I'm at here in South Tucson," said Taylor Jr.
At 21 years old, Taylor Jr. and his band have been playing together for four years. He's started creating his own music in high school, and is ready to showcase five of the band's original country songs.
"They're super old-school country songs. Some of them, I'd written when I was 16 years old. They're about drinking and broken hearts and I didn't know anything about that when I was in high school," he said.
Speaking for his band, he said they consider it a blessing to perform at an event that's raising money for the Mustangs of America.
"It's a great thing they're doing at the Mustangs of America. They're doing the lord's work, seriously," he said.
The founder of Mustangs of America, Lynda Sanford, had similar sentiments toward having the band bring the country atmosphere to the rodeo dance.
"If you're going to do a dance, you got to have the best," she said.
The rodeo dance coordinated by Diane Storms with Cowgirls with Heart will run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets will be available at the El Casino Ballroom, 437 E. 26th St., after doors open at 6 p.m. For more information and how to purchase tickets online, visit cowgirlswithheart.com.
