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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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