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AARON TIPPIN

Sunday, July 28, 2002 KRISTINE WHITE for The Columbian An artist who has been called "country to the core," Aaron Tippin kicks off the first of three "Country Thunder" concerts on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Presented by the Clark County Fair Association and KWJJ radio, Tippin's unmistakable, gritty twang and honky-tonk attitude have won him legions of fans. With cut to the core lyrics, the artist is known as a spokesman for the common man. Fans will likely hear the number one hit "There Ain't Nothing Wrong with the Radio," during Tippin's Clark County appearance. The rowdy single from 1992 was inspired by a 1975 Toyota named Dazee, which was the car Tippin drove when he moved to Nashville in 1987. Tippin's first hit, "You've Got to Stand for Something," made the top five in 1990 and has been played on the radio more than 5 million times since then. Tippin's nine albums have sold a combined 5 million copies to date, have earned him several gold records and one platinum platter. Reared in the mountains of South Carolina, Tippins said his most recent CD, "People Like Us," is full of the two things that mean the most to him: his music and his family. Two of the songs on the CD were co-written by Tippin and his wife Thea. One of them, "The Best Love We Ever Made," features a duet by the couple. The song is a testimony to the most treasured product of the couple's love: their children. Tippin and Thea are parents to two young sons, Teddy and Thomas. Tippin also has a daughter, Charla, from a previous marriage. A body building enthusiast with energy to burn, Tippin plays about 90 dates a year.         Aaron Tippin     WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m.     WHERE: The Columbian Concert Stage     GRANDSTAND SEATS: Free with fair admission     RESERVED SEATS: $15 each, including fair admission, available in advance at     Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (503) 224-4440.     Reserved seat tickets for the "Country Thunder" trio of concerts (Aug. 3, 4 and 5) are     available from Ticketmaster for $30, a 33 percent savings over individual show prices. Copyright © 2002 by The Columbian Publishing Co. P.O. Box 180, Vancouver, WA 98666.