This Singing Eagle SOARS

Along with being one of the gathering points for Naval Aviation; Pensacola, Florida is also the birthplace of a popular country music artist who has made aviation a big part of his life.

Born Aaron Dupree Tippin, his path to aviation actually seemed more certain than his path to country music stardom. According to Aaron, aviation "actually, was my first love." While he is reported to have started playing the guitar at age ten, he also inherited a love and appreciation for all things aviation from his Dad, who had been employed as a pilot before he became a farmer. Aaron earned his tickets at an early age and was flying commercially in his late teens. Hoping to pursue a career in the airlines, it was misfortunes in that industry that turned him back to his other love, music, for some means to make a living.

According to his bio, "Tippin began performing in local honky tonks in the 1970's. He competed on the TNN"s 'You Can Be A Star' TV talent contest in 1985, landed a songwriter's contract and moved to Music City in 1986. Always a focused and purposeful man, Tippin created a work routine that was Spartan in its intensity. He worked the midnight - to - dawn shift at a factory in Kentucky, commuted to music row to write songs, lifted weights late every afternoon, went to bed, got up and did the whole routine over again, day after day."

Tippin performed his first Nashville night club show in 1990. It earned him a recording contract with RCA records. Before ever setting foot on tour, he was afforded the opportunity to join Bob Hope on a USO tour to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. After Aaron came home, hits for RCA led to concert dates with such superstars as Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire and Hank Williams Jr. Tippin became one of the most memorable country personalities of the 90's. Success as a songwriter for others also continued as Garth Brooks, Charley Pride and Kenny Chesney recorded Tippin tunes.

Tippin has since made quite an impact on the country music world... with some nine studio albums and two compilations to his credit along with five 'gold' and one 'platinum' record(s). He's had three number one hits... "There Ain't Nothin' Wrong with the Radio"  in 1992, "That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You" in 1995, and the unforgettable "Kiss This" in 2000. He has more than thirty singles on the Billboard 'Hot Country Songs' charts.

Above it all, though, his love for aviation remains undeniable... and a recent initiative of his to bring his act to airshow and aviation events should find him a ready audience among folks who can appreciate this flyer's other talents. Tippin owns a Stearman, Piper Cub, a Helio-Courier and a Super Decathlon.

Yup... this guy is one of us.

Aero-TV Goes A Little Bit Country With Aviator/Musician, Aaron Tippin

FMI: www.aarontippin.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews