Press Releases
Embassy of the United States of America
Bangkok
June 18, 2008
Live Webchat on “Music in America” with the U.S. Ambassador Eric G. John and American Country Group Horseshoe Road
Monday, June 23, 2008 from 3:00pm - 4:00pm
This year marks the 175th anniversary of relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand. In commemoration of this milestone event, Horseshoe Road, an eclectic American country music group, will visit Thailand for a special, country-wide “175 Years of U.S.-Thai Friendship” tour from June 23 to July 2, 2008. Join U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Eric G. John and the members of Horseshoe Road for an exciting online discussion on the importance and diversity of music in American culture scheduled for Monday, June 23 from 3:00pm-4:00pm, Bangkok time (4:00am-5:00am EDT).
The chatroom at http://webchat.state.gov/ will open for questions beginning Thursday, June 19, 2008. You may submit your questions at anytime up until the end of the scheduled webchat. Participants may submit questions and comments in both in English and Thai. Please be advised that questions will not appear on screen until Monday, June 23 at 3:00pm.
Note: Unfortunately, due to the large volume of questions expected, we cannot guarantee all questions will be answered. A transcript of the webchat will be posted following the event on the U.S. Embassy Bangkok website at http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/.
To register and participate in this webchat, please visit http://webchat.state.gov/ and follow the onscreen instructions. If you have additional questions about the webchat.state.gov platform, please consult “Webchat FAQs” at http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/Products/Webchats/faq.html or contact Sumeth Goollawattanaporn at 02-205-4627.
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Ambassador Eric G. John was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand in 2007. Previously, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia from 2005 to 2007. In that capacity, he coordinated policy in Washington with regard to the eleven nations in that region, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He was the lead negotiator of the 2006 U.S.-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership, the chief vehicle for improving political, economic, and cultural relations between the United States and the region. He has also served extensively throughout East Asia. Ambassador John is a native of Indiana. His hobbies include visual arts, theater, golf and tennis. Ambassador John is also an avid music lover, whose interests span from playing the trombone to being a DJ during his college days.
Kyle Dillingham, on fiddle and vocals for Horseshoe Road, is a native of Oklahoma. In addition to touring major American cities like Nashville and Oklahoma City, Dillingham has represented the U.S. in performances in over 25 countries, earning himself the nickname of Oklahoma's Musical Ambassador. Brad Benge plays guitar and also does vocals in Horseshoe Road. He has performed for most of his life with various artists including Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Toby Keith, and when not on tour himself, currently works as a tour sound engineer for Australian guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel. Together as Horseshoe Road, Kyle and Brad form a unique collaboration of eclectic musical styles expressed in an acoustic setting. Full of surprises, the group’s passion for music can be seen in their performances, which are always high energy, uplifting musical experiences that blend captivating virtuosity and heartfelt sincerity.
For more information on this webchat, please contact Sumeth Goollawattanaporn at 02-205-4627 or Subhabhong Rarueysong at 02-205-4388. If calling from outside Thailand, dial (66)-2-205-4627 or (66)-2-205-4388.
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