Strait to Boston

SAUK CENTRE, Minn. — Lori Zimmermann is a self-avowed big country music fan and has wanted to see George Strait in concert for many years. Now, she can check this off her bucket list.

“The whole thing was epic,” Zimmermann said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip.”

Not only did Zimmermann get to see George Strait in concert, but she won the tickets along with airfare and hotel to see him perform in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of a contest hosted by KIKV-FM, based out of Alexandria.

“I was just so excited because I love George Strait,” Zimmermann said. “I have never seen him in concert. I have a really short list of people I would want to see in concert and George Straight is at the top of the list and has been for a long time.”

Zimmermann and her husband, Mike, along with their five children, milk 120 cows in a double-8 parlor near Sauk Centre.

The Zimmermann family’s local radio station was holding a contest for listeners to enter for a chance to win a trip to see George Strait, Chris Stapleton and Parker McCollum in concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston. The winner would also get round-trip airfare, hotel and $250 in spending cash to use while on the trip. Listeners of the radio station were to enter a keyword into their app, which was announced randomly every hour from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday for four weeks leading up to the concert.

“Between Mike and I, we entered a lot of code words; it was at least 300,” Zimmermann said. “We always have the radio on in the barn and Mike always listens while in the tractor and skid loader. By the end, all five of our kids were listening too and would text us or tell us if they heard the code word to make sure we got entered.”

The morning the winner was to be announced on air, the Zimmermanns had just finished milking their cows and stepped into the barn office to grab a bite to eat when Zimmermann’s phone rang. The incoming call indicated it was from the radio station. Since Zimmermann calls the radio station to request songs, she had the number programmed into her phone.

“I thought ‘Oh my gosh, is this it?’” Zimmermann said. “I ran outside so I could hear better and they told me I had won.”

Zimmermann’s husband and children, who were also in the barn, heard the announcement of her grand prize winnings and came outside to congratulate her.

“I never thought we would actually win,” Zimmermann said. “My brain turned to mush and my head was spinning trying to absorb what just happened. Thankfully, the radio station called me back later to set up all the details.”

Mike immediately started contacting people to line up someone to milk their cows for the June 21 weekend so they could both take the weekend off to attend the concert 1,500 miles away. The radio station gave the Zimmermanns a few choices for flights, and they chose one on the morning of June 20.

“We didn’t want to spend the night in the cities so we got up at 2:30 a.m. and were going to leave at 3, but Mike checked radar and there was a storm coming in and said we needed to leave right now to try and stay ahead of the storm,” Zimmermann said. “Sure enough, we ended up driving through the storm and there was heavy rain and hail.”

The trip was off to a stressful start but things smoothed out after the Zimmermanns arrived in Boston. In their free time leading up to the concert, the couple went sightseeing and took in the historic sights and sounds of the area as neither had been there before.

“Everything in the area is very colonial and pretty,” Zimmermann said. “Our hotel was right next to Gillette Stadium, which was nice.”

Then came time for the big concert with Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton and George Strait. Zimmermann said each performer was great. The first two acts performed for more than an hour and George Strait was on stage for two full hours.

“When the radio station called and told me I won, they asked what is my favorite George Straight song and I said ‘Amarillo by Morning,’” Zimmermann said. “At the concert, George said a lot of people ask him what his favorite song is and he said it would have to be Amarillo by Morning and then he played it. I was like ‘Aww, thank you for that.’”

The trip was one for the memory book, between the phone call that she won, the drive to the cities, the tours of Boston, and seeing George Strait, Chris Stapleton and Parker McCollum in concert. The experience is one that neither of the Zimmermanns will soon forget.

“We had a great time,” Zimmermann said. “The fact that it was a trip we would never have gone on our own, with the time of year and location and spur of the moment also made it special.”