# Buddy Magazine - Est. 1973 > The Original Texas Music Magazine --- ## Pages - [Buddy Concert Calendar](https://buddymagazine.com/calendar/): - [About Buddy Magazine](https://buddymagazine.com/about-buddy-magazine/): "Blah, blah, blah". That's it. Buddy is about "Blah, blah, blah". Enjoy. - [Sample Page](https://buddymagazine.com/sample-page/): This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will... ## Posts - [Buddy Magazine October 1975 Stereo ‘76 -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7509/): Click here to download a full copy of the October 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about equipment on the... - [Longhorn Ballroom Marks 75th Anniversary with Jubilee Series, Feat. Toadies, Band of Heathens, Bob Wills' Texas Playboys](https://buddymagazine.com/news/longhorn-ballroom-75th-anniversary-toadies-bob-wills/): Dallas venue kicks off celebration with March 2 event featuring Toadies, Band of Heathens, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys Dallas’ iconic... - [Dallas Entertainment Awards Set for Jan. 29 in Deep Ellum](https://buddymagazine.com/news/dallas-entertainment-awards-jan-deep-ellum/): The Dallas Entertainment Awards will hold its second annual ceremony on Jan. 29 at The Studio at The Factory in... - [Dallas Musician and Tech Futurist Tim Sanders Talks Music and AI and What It Means To You in 2025](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/tim-sanders-music-and-ai-artifical-intelligence/): By Rob Garner Cover photo by Robert Maxfield IIAdditional photos by James Bland Whenever the topic of the 1980s creative... - [Buddy Magazine August 1975 Top three Texas groups -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7508/): Click here to download a full copy of the August 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the Top three... - [Rachel Stacy's “complicated” year is almost over](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rachel-stacys-complicated-year-is-almost-over/): By Kate Stow “It’s been a rough year,” Rachel said – and a complicated one. Beginning on December 14, 2023,... - [Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore discuss TexiCali, Ash Lounge, Americana Lifetime Achievement Award](https://buddymagazine.com/news/dave-alvin-jimmie-dale-gilmore-texicali-americana-lifetime-achievement-award/): By Ian Saint The governors of Texas and California are notorious for often pitting the Golden and Lone Star States... - [PRESS RELEASE - Photojournalist Ron McKeown’s Obituary and Celebration of Life Event in Dallas, December 1, 2024](https://buddymagazine.com/news/ronald-houston-mckeown-obituary-celebration-of-life-event-dallas-december-1-2024/): ------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---------------------- Photo journalist Ron McKeown’s Celebration of Life Event in Dallas on December 1, 2024, Obituary... - [In Memoriam: Ron McKeown Obituary - Full Dec 2024 Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/news/in-memoriam-ron-mckeown-obituary-full-dec-2024-issue-download/): This has been our toughest issue to put together, ever, but here it is. Download or view the full 16-page... - [Lone Star Skynyrd Vocalist and Bandleader Steven Naylor Talks Tribute, and Promoting Musical Legacies](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/lone-star-skynyrd-steven-naylor-lynyrd-skynyrd-tribute/): By Rob Garner Music got deep inside Steven Naylor’s soul at an early age, growing up in Garland in the... - [Buddy Magazine July 1975 Death Claims Tim Buckley -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7507/): Click here to download a full copy of the July 1975 issue, with interviews and articles on Elvis and the... - [Buddy Magazine June 1975 The Red-headed Stranger; Willie Nelson -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7506/): Click here to download a full copy of the June 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the red-headed Stranger... - [Interview with Guitarist Andy Wood](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-guitarist-andy-wood/): By Andrew Daly Cover photo by Robert Maxfield II He's toured the world with Rascal Flatts, rocked out alongside Sebastian... - [Buddy Magazine May 1975 The Bob Wills Memorial Issue -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7505/): Click here to download a full copy of the May 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about how Asleep at... - [Drew Holcomb dishes Vince Gill collab, TikTok stardom, State Fair of Texas, Strangers No More Vol. 2](https://buddymagazine.com/events/drew-holcomb-dishes-vince-gill-collab-tiktok-stardom-state-fair-of-texas-strangers-no-more-vol-2/): Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will headline the 2024 State Fair of Texas on Tuesday, October 15. (Photo by Ashtin... - [Ron McKeown Celebration of Life - Sunday December 1, 2024 2 P.M. at Poor David's Pub - Downtown Dallas](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/ron-mckeown-celebration-of-life-sunday-december-1-2024-2p-m-at-poor-davids-pub-downtown-dallas/): This is a public memorial celebrating the life of Ron McKeown, who passed away due to natural causes at his... - [Interview with Butch Hancock](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-butch-hancock/): Outlaw Country artist, songwriter, and solo artist Butch Hancock is a founding member of The Flatlanders along with Jimmie Dale... - [In Memoriam: Texas-born Music Icon Kris Kristofferson dead at 88](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/texas-born-music-icon-kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88/): By Kate Stow Songwriter and Music Icon Kris Kristofferson died on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, at the... - [The Effects of Being Raised on Kris Kristofferson Lyrics](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/the-effects-of-being-raised-on-kris-kristofferson-lyrics/): By Kate Stow My earliest music memories involved an assortment of eclectic 1960s talent. By the time I was old... - [Suzanna Choffel Sings Us Home Again](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/suzanna-choffel-sings-us-home-again/): By Jessica WallerPhoto by A. Wortz On her newest album, “Bird by Bird,” southern star Suzanna Choffel’s warm melodies and songbird vocals... - [Buddy Magazine April 1975 Is What they do in Denton jazz -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7504/): Click here to download a full copy of the April 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about sax soloist Spring... - [Book Review: The Bastard Instrument - A Cultural History of the Electric Bass by UNT Music Professor Brian Wright](https://buddymagazine.com/news/book-review-bastard-instrument-cultural-history-electric-bass-brian-wright/): By Rob Garner Click here to read more about the book on Amazon. com University of North Texas music professor... - [All the Way From Memphis with Drummer Chris Craig and Bassist Kinley Wolfe of Frayser Blvd](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/chris-craig-kinley-wolfe-black-oak-arkansas-lord-tracy/): By Colleen GilsonPhotos by Russ Rockwood Rojas, Christopher Lee Helton, Maureen Dalton Wolfe, Danny Craig, Chris Jeans, Keenan NeighborsTHE LONG... - [The Boogie Woogie Life of Rockin' Robert Tomberlin](https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-boogie-woogie-life-of-rockin-robert-tomberlin/): By Robert MaxfieldPhotos by Robert Maxfield I recently sat down for a morning breakfast with Rockin Robert Tomberlin and his... - [Buddy Magazine March 1975 Auto Sound Issue Issue - Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7503/): Click here to download a full copy of the March 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the Auto Sound... - [At Globe Life Field Tomorrow: Green Day’s Saviors Tour is multigenerational delight for music history buffs and diehard fans alike](https://buddymagazine.com/news/green-day-globe-life-field/): Ahead of Green Day’s Saviors Tour stop at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wednesday, Ian Saint reviews their Pittsburgh... - [Rest in Peace Ron McKeown](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/rest-in-peace-ron-mckeown/): Photo by Ron McKeown Update: Click here for info on Ron's public Celebration of Life, at Poor David's Pub in... - [Buddy Magazine February 1975 The Buddy Awards Issue -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7502/): Click here to download a full copy of the February 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about Willie Nelson, the... - [The Joy of Playing: Interview with Texas Guitar Legend Eric Johnson](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-guitarist-eric-johnson/): With this issue, Buddy Magazine celebrates 50 years of covering Eric Johnson's career. We first wrote about him in the... - [Buddy Magazine January 1975 Kris & Rita America’s Singing Sweethearts -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7501/): Click here to download a full copy of the January 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about  1975 Buddy Awards,... - [Buddy Magazine December 1974 Michael Martin Murphy; Jerry Jeff Walker - Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7412/): Click here to download a full copy of the December 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Michael Murphey and... - [Interview with Jimmie Dale Gilmore](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-jimmie-dale-gilmore/): By Hannah Means Shannon Jimmie Dale Gilmore is known in many different areas of music and popular culture. Some know... - [Buddy Magazine November 1974 The Phantom Bo Diddley, Little Feat -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7411/): Click here to download a full copy of the November 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Susan Barton from... - [Full Schedule: Texas-Sized Music Festival at the 2024 State Fair of Texas Features Extensive Artist Lineup](https://buddymagazine.com/news/complete-2024-texas-state-fair-music-schedule/): The State Fair of Texas has announced the music lineup for this year’s fair, offering a diverse range of live... - [The True Blu Sharon Walker No Longer Bears the Weight of Silence](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/sharon-blu-walker-emory-texas/): By Jessica Waller “I’m sorta like these old folk singers Willie Nelson and Kristopherson in that I don't sing great... - [Buddy Magazine October 1974 Suzi Quatro, Elton John, B.B. King, Hydra, Guess Who -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7410/): Click here to download a full copy of the October 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Suzi Quatro, letters,... - [Interview with Jesse Dayton](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-jesse-dayton/): By Andrew Daly Inspired by equal doses of country, blues, hard rock, and, oh, yeah, horror movies, there's a very... - [Buddy Magazine  September 1974 Stereo ‘75 -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7409/): Click here to download a full copy of the September 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Pioneer headphones, diverse... - [David Card and Poor David's Pub: The Longest Surviving Live Music Venue in Dallas](https://buddymagazine.com/news/david-card-owner-of-poor-davids-pub-the-longest-surviving-live-music-venue-in-dallas/): By Lisa DuPre Photos by Ron McKeown. Years ago in the 1970s and 1980s, Dallas was a mecca for live... - [Interview with Reckless Kelly's Willy Braun](https://buddymagazine.com/news/interview-with-reckless-kellys-willy-braun/): Reckless Kelly’s Willy Braun Talks Longevity and Telling American Stories The Idaho-based Americana and Outlaw Country band Reckless Kelly has... - [Buddy Magazine August 1974 At Flagpole Hill -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7408/): Click here to download a full copy of the August 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Ray Wylie Hubbard... - [Lucinda Williams shares songs’ stories in storied Longhorn Ballroom](https://buddymagazine.com/news/lucinda-longhorn/): By: Allison Gordon Lucinda Williams and her band are playing select Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets shows on tour, which... - [Buddy Magazine July 1974 The Best Steel Guitars in the World -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7407/): Click here to download a full copy of the July 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about the Anderson Brothers,... - [Making the Case for Physical Music… and preserving a legacy that lasts](https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-case-for-physical-music-records-cds-tapes/): By Lee Zimmerman It’s hard to imagine where the trajectory of modern music would take us had the recordings of... - [New BUDDY Magazine Print Issue on the Street Now](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/new-buddy-magazine-print-issue-on-the-street-now/): The latest print edition of BUDDY Magazine is now available at fine establishments throughout North Texas. This is the biggest... - [Interview with Grupo Fantasma’s Caramelo Haze – The Resilience of the Create Spirit](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/grupo-fantasma-caramelo-haze/): By Don Ward As many musicians and music fans slowly have slipped back into “normalcy” in the last couple of... - [Buddy Magazine June 1974 Five Easy Pianists-Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7406/): Click here to download a full copy of the June 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Larry Norman, reviews... - [Buddy Magazine May 1974 B.W. Stevenson Cover - Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7405/): Click here to download a full copy of the May 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about John Michael's reviews... - [Drew Holcomb recalls 20 years of Texas gigs, touring with Darius Rucker, Americana’s evolution through “Find Your People” #1](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/drew-holcomb-recalls-20-years-of-texas-gigs-touring-with-darius-rucker-americanas-evolution-through-find-your-people-1/): By Ian Saint Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will play a series of Texas shows, amid their Find Your People... - [Interview with Rowdy McCarran](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/interview-with-rowdy-mccarran/): Rowdy McCarran Brings The Storytelling Behind ‘Here’ To The Stage In February 2024, songwriter and vocalist Rowdy McCarran, also known... - [Buddy Magazine April 1974 How to choose a car stereo -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7404/): Click here to download a full copy of the April 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about How to choose... - [Buddy Magazine March 1974 Jerry Jeff Walker ZZ Top Freddie King -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7403/): Click here to download a full copy of the March 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Jerry Jeff Walker,... - [Interview with Rocky Athas](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/rocky-athas/): By Andrew Daly At the age of 69, it goes without saying that Rocky Athas, a player who has played... - [Buddy Magazine February 1974 Rock n Roll, Buddy Holly -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7402/): Click here to download a full copy of the February 1974 issue, with interviews and articles aboutBuddy Holly, Montrose, Buddy... - [Interview with Matt James of Blacktop Mojo](https://buddymagazine.com/features/interview-with-matt-james-of-blacktop-mojo/): By Andrew Daly Hailing from Palestine, Texas, five-piece outfit Blacktop Mojo fuses post-grunge, hard rock, bits of blues, and old-time... - [Buddy Magazine January 1974 The Bob Dylan Story plus Kinky Friedman All-Star Issue -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7401/): Click here to download a full copy of the January 1974 issue, with interviews and articlesFeaturing Bob Dylan, John Michael's... - [Review: So Far So Good, Album by Lance Cowan](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/lance-cowan/): By Jan SikesI’ve known Lance Cowan for a good many years and it was a real treat to get tolisten... - [Buddy Magazine December 1973 Those Weird Werewolves -Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7312/): Click here to download a full copy of the December 1973 issue, with interviews and articlesSeab Meader, a Buddy Poll,... - [They Saw Her Standing There: Beatlemania in Texas, 1964-65, A Firsthand Account](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/beatlemania-texas-1964-65-elaine-mcafee-bender/): By Elaine McAfee Bender Ed: February 9, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ first U. S. television appearance... - [Buddy Magazine November 1973 The Moody Blues – Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7311-2/): Click here to download a full copy of the November 1973 issue, with interviews and articles onDallas' iconic group, Barbara... - [Dallas Guitarist Chris Holt: His Long and Inspiring Journey Through Music](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/chris-holt/): Interview by Andrew DalyCover photo by Janalee Norris As a guitarist, it's essential to be versatile, and Chris Holt is... - [Buddy Magazine Concert Calendar](https://buddymagazine.com/venues/buddy-concert-calendar/): The new Buddy Magazine Concert Calendar is live. Submit a gig, or check out the listings. Share freely. buddymagazine. com/calendar - [Buddy Magazine October 1973 Special Stereo Issue - Full Issue Download](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7310/): Click here to download a full copy of the October 1973 issue, with interviews and articles on FMRock, KZEW, Sweepstakes,... - [Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #3 September 1973 Full Issue](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-7309/): Download the full September 1973 issue here. J. Geils Band, Rod Stewart and more. - [Interview: Grammy Winning Slack Key Guitarist Jim Kimo West Talks About Guitar, and Some Really Weird Gigs](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/jim-kimo-west/): By George Bond If you asked most US music fans across all genres to name their "most beloved" artists, there... - [Quin NFN Comes Alive At ACL '23 - Says It Takes This Many Spotify Streams To Be Mainstream](https://buddymagazine.com/news/quin-nfn-comes-alive-at-acl-23-says-it-takes-this-many-spotify-streams-to-be-mainstream/): By Don Ward and Bullicose Bullfeather Buddy Magazine went to ACL Live in Austin on October 14-15, and had a... - [Badu bestie Miko Marks talks Dallas New Year’s Eve show with Little Feat, roots music, fulfilling Opry dreams](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/erykah-miko-marks-longhorn-little-feat/): Interview by Ian Saint Few names are as synonymous with Dallas music history as Erykah Badu. Before Badu became a... - [In Memoriam: Thomas "TK" Kreason](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/thomas-tk-kreason/): Thomas William “TK” Kreason, co-owner and managing partner of the Texas Musicians Museum, passed away on December 4, 2023 at... - [Jason Elmore Hits Heavy With His Latest Album, "Rise Up Lights"](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/jason-elmore-hoodoo-witch-rise-up-lights/): By Colleen Gilson Photos by Travis Clark In September, Jason Elmore released the video on social media for “Fragile,” from... - [Zounds Sounds Celebrates 18th Anniversary with Concert at the Granada Theatre, Dallas, Tuesday, Nov 21](https://buddymagazine.com/news/rock-school-zounds-sounds/): By Bellicose Bullfeather For East Dallasites who may be musically-inclined, the name Zounds Sounds is likely a known entity, though... - [Dallas' Chocolit Tye - Family Reunion](https://buddymagazine.com/news/dallas-chocolit-tye-family-reunion/): It's about time the whole world had a family reunion. Check out Dallas soul singer Chocolit Tye on Facebook and... - [The Impeccable Tone of Samantha Fish](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/the-impeccable-tone-of-samantha-fish/): Interview by Andrew DalyPhotos by Ron McKeown Samantha Fish can shred when she wants; make no mistake, but it’s her... - [Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #2 August 1973 Full Issue](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-magazine-vol-1-2-august-1973-full-issue/): Click here to download a full copy of the August 1973 issue, with interviews and articles on Michael Murphy, Lightning... - [Roberta Lea's crowdfunded "Too Much of a Woman" yields a quintessential Millennial album](https://buddymagazine.com/features/roberta-lea-too-much-of-a-woman/): By Ian Saint Country-neo-soul artist Roberta Lea has had a banner year; but her remarkable ascent belies how its foundation... - [Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #1 July 1973 Seals and Crofts](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-magazine-vol-1-1-july-1973-seals-and-crofts/): Download a full copy here. Copyright 1973-2023 Buddy Magazine - [Power Trip & Fugitive's Blake Ibanez: Texas Thrash Master](https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/power-trip-fugitive-blake-ibanez/): Digital Edition Cover Story, October 2023Interview by Andrew DalyPhotos by Travis Clark for Buddy Magazine Through shredding solos, chugging riffs,... - [Will Sexton and Amy LaVere: The Americana Collaborating Couple](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/will-sexton-and-amy-lavere-the-americana-collaborating-couple/): By Kate Stow With a career that began as a nine-year-old guitar player sitting in with Stevie Ray Vaughan and... - [Texas Slide Blues Legend Kirby Kelley: The Most Beautiful Day of His Life](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/texas-slide-blues-legend-kirby-kelley/): By Kate Stow BUDDY Staff Photo by Michael Heeschen There is a realm of guitar playing that few players manage... - [Wanda King Rocks the Library](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/wanda-king-rocks-the-library/): There was no "sushing" the crowd at Hurst Public Library on July 20 when Freddie King's daughter showed up and... - [Zac Harmon Band Plays Garland](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/zac-harmon-band-plays-garland/): Zac Harmon Band performed at Garland Audubon Park during the Garland Sounds of Summer Series last month. - [Heritage Auctions Brings the Heat With Elvis 1968 Prototype Rosewood Telecaster and More](https://buddymagazine.com/news/heritage-auctions-elvis-1968-prototype-rosewood-telecaster/): By Andrew Daly Heritage Auctions has long been a haven for all things grand and glorious—especially if you're the sort... - [Eric Johanson offers a rare gig in Richardson](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/eric-johanson-offers-a-rare-gig-in-richardson/): It’s no surprise that Eric Johanson started singing the blues. The music genre born of trauma and adversity was a... - [In Memoriam: Brad Houser](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-brad-houser/): Dallas bassist, musician, and beloved friend of so many, Brad Houser, has passed. He was removed from life support systems... - [In Memoriam: Oak Cliff Native Daniel Jones](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-oak-cliff-native-daniel-jones/): Just a few weeks after the last “Together Again” tour date, it’s been reported that Janet Jackson’s music director, Oak... - [Fingernails: Joe Ely Goes To Harvard For Inspiration](https://buddymagazine.com/news/fingernails-joe-ely-goes-to-harvard-for-inspiration/): By George Gimarc I’ve had several encounters with Joe Ely thru the years and they’ve all been eitherunexpected, or just... - [RWH Rocks Garland](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rwh-rocks-garland/): Ray Wylie Hubbard headlined the June 30th Garland Sounds of Summer show in downtown Garland. - [KNON 89.3 FM 40th Anniversary Concert, Granada Theatre, Sunday July 30](https://buddymagazine.com/news/knon-89-3-fm-40th-anniversary-granada/): KNON Community Radio: A Celebration of 40 Years of Broadcasting KNON Community Radio, also known by their longtime tagline as... - [Historic Dallas Rock Images by Buddy Photographer and Shake Rag Music's John Gasperik](https://buddymagazine.com/music-photography/historic-dallas-rock-images-john-gasperik/): By George Gimarc All photos by John Gasperik If you’ve been to rock concerts in the ‘70s all the way... - [Sheila & the Caddo Kats head to Holland](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/sheila-the-caddo-kats-head-to-holland/): Growing up in the Caddo Lake area of East Texas, Sheila Clark Fox had no choice but to sing. As... - [Garland Sounds of Summer](https://buddymagazine.com/events/garland-sounds-of-summer/): The Annual Garland Sounds of Summer event was held June 16, 2023, at Garland Audubon Park - [BBQ & BLUES REVUE SET FOR JUNE 24](https://buddymagazine.com/events/bbq-blues-revue-set-for-june-24/): - [Lorelei K: Deep Ellum 100 Profile](https://buddymagazine.com/deep-ellum/lorilei-k-deep-ellum-100-profile/): This is the first in a series of profiles of Deep Ellum 100 featured artists. Their song “Blue Part Four”... - [“SOUNDS OF DEEP ELLUM” TO BE RELEASED JULY 14TH, 2023](https://buddymagazine.com/news/sounds-of-deep-ellum-to-be-released-july-14th-2023/): Deep Ellum 100 is releasing the “Sounds of Deep Ellum” live album on vinyl July 14, 2023. - [Rock & Roll Over offers a big wet KISS](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/rock-roll-over-offers-a-big-wet-kiss/): Dallas-based tribute band Rock & Roll Over performed Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana last month. - [Listen to Deep Ellum 100's Sounds of Deep Ellum 2 Compilation Album on Soundcloud](https://buddymagazine.com/deep-ellum/sounds-of-deep-ellum-2/): The Deep Ellum 100 Foundation has produced and released Sounds Of Deep Ellum 2, an exciting new compilation featuring ten Deep Ellum bands and artists. - [Alice Cooper Listening Party and Lookalike Contest, This Thurs at Good Records](https://buddymagazine.com/news/alice-cooper-listening-party-good-records-dallas/): A listening party for the new Alice Cooper album will be hosted at Good Records from 6 - 9 PM... - [Kirby Kelley Benefit Set for June 25](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/kirby-kelley-benefit-set-for-june-25/): A benefit to honor Kirby Kelley will be held June 25, 2023, from 2-7pm at The Plaza Theater Garland, 521 State Street. - [Houston's Jordon Alva FOR THE RIDE / feat. GEE TRIPZ](https://buddymagazine.com/news/houstons-jordon-alva-for-the-ride-feat-gee-tripz/): Jordon Alva released "For The Ride," a super catchy track that is likely to give you an earworm for days. - [Deep Ellum 100 Foundation: Supporting Deep Ellum Artists, Musicians, and Service Workers](https://buddymagazine.com/news/deep-ellum-100-foundation/): In the aftermath of the global pandemic and severe winter storms in 2020 and 2021, the local businesses, bars, and... - [DIGF 2023: Through the Buddy lenses](https://buddymagazine.com/events/digf-2023-through-the-buddy-lenses/): The 45th Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival was held the first weekend in May, with a record number of Buddy Tornadoes blowing through the building – end-to-end. - [Gemstone Reveals New Sapphire Combo Amp at Dallas International Guitar Festival](https://buddymagazine.com/gear/gemstone-sapphire-combo-amp-digf/): Gemstone Amps LLC and Port Noise Marketing have teamed up to unveil their latest offering, the Sapphire, at the Dallas... - [Pick up an old Buddy at DIGF!!](https://buddymagazine.com/events/pick-up-an-old-buddy-at-digf/): Stop by our booth - we look forward to meeting our readers! We'll have back issues, cover posters, T-shirts and... - [FIND A BUDDY AT DIGF!](https://buddymagazine.com/events/find-a-buddy-at-digf/): Buddy owner Rob Garner will be at the Dallas International Guitar Festival, May 5-7, 2023. Joining him will be the Buddy staff: photographers Chuck Flores, James Bland and Zoe White; and writer Kate Stow. - [Erykah Badu launches tour with Mos Def](https://buddymagazine.com/events/erykah-badu/): Hot on the heels of being presented the Key to Deep Ellum, Dallas native, Erica Wright, aka Erykah Badu, has announced a 25-city US tour with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). - [Photos: Bobby Sparks II at Deep Ellum Art Co, 04-01-23](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/photos-bobby-sparks-ii-marcus-jones/): Portrait of a gig. Robert Maxfield was on hand to capture Sparks and his phenomenal band. Images of Sparks, Marcus... - [Meeting the Fabulous Jimmie Vaughan](https://buddymagazine.com/news/columns-news/kates-music-notes/): Over my years in the media, I have had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, including some notable music entertainers. This new column will serve as a platform for me to write about those experiences - how I met the artist, and anything they said or did that left a lasting impression. I hope you enjoy this peek behind the reporter's curtain. - [Space Opera, circa 1972](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/space-opera-circa-1972/): It can take decades to have an imprinted bit of data become useful. That happened to me recently when I... - [CES 2023 Round-Up](https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/ces-2023-round-up/): The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show returned to Las Vegas on January 3rd, after a brief pandemic hiatus. Past attendance for CES was between 200,000 to 250,000, but this “smaller” comeback show had an estimated attendance of 100,000, which has been touted as the largest indoor gathering in the USA since the pandemic began. - [BLAH-BLAH](https://buddymagazine.com/news/blah-blah/): Texas music happenings from the Spring 2023 print issue includes news from State Fair Records and Longhorn Ballroom. - [DIGF 2023](https://buddymagazine.com/events/digf-2023/): The 2023 Dallas International Guitar Festival - the world's largest - will be held May 5-7 at Dallas Market Hall. - [Wallace-Stacy: A match made in…Grover’s](https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/wallace-stacy-a-match-made-ingrovers/): A chance meeting during an all-star jam at Grover’s Bar and Grill has resulted in a collaboration that will, no doubt, be considered legendary one day. It was there that Rachel Stacy’s rich bluesy voice caught the ear of Texas guitar legend Jimmy Wallace. - [Miranda Lambert: From Texas Barrooms to Vegas Showroom](https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/miranda-lambert-from-texas-barrooms-to-vegas-showroom/): With ten studio albums under her belt and dozens of awards, the 2022 ACM Triple Crown Award winner is now performing the ultimate gig: Las Vegas. Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino kicked off the first of 24 shows on September 23, 2022, and runs through 2023. - [BUDDY SPRING 2023 ISSUE - Miranda Lambert](https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/buddy-spring-2023-issue/): The Spring 2023 issue of BUDDY Magazine is here! - [Blacktop Mojo paves it's way across the USA](https://buddymagazine.com/events/blacktop-mojo-paves-its-way-across-the-usa/): Blacktop Mojo is a rock band from Palestine, Texas, that was founded by Matt James and Nathan Gillis in 2012. The band consists of lead vocalist Matt James, drummer Nathan Gillis, rhythm guitarist Chuck Wepfer, bassist Matt Curtis and lead guitarist Malcolm Booher. - [Wes Jeans: Embracing Things That Matter](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/wes-jeans-embracing-things-that-matter/): 2017 Tornado Wes Jeans pulled a full house at Redbone Magic Brewing in Texarkana on January 6. Coming off a year of touring the country and forming a new band, he gave a performance that kept the crowd in their seats. - [Micah Edwards Brings Texas Soul to SXSW](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/micah-edwards-brings-texas-soul-to-sxsw/): Texas bluesman Micah Edwards will be showcased during SXSW in Austin on March 15th. He will be performing with his full band (including a rhythm and horn section) at Cooper's BBQ from 9:20 p.m. to 10:10 p.m. - [Photos: Larkin Poe 2023 - Echo Lounge, Dallas, Texas](https://buddymagazine.com/news/photos-larkin-poe-2023-echo-lounge-dallas-texas/): By Zoe White Larkin Poe did not disappoint during their show at The Echo Lounge on February 23rd. Soulful lyrics... - [Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues premieres March 23](https://buddymagazine.com/events/jimmie-and-stevie-ray-vaughan-brothers-in-blues-to-premiere-next-month/): On Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00 p.m., the historic Texas Theatre will screen Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues as part of a four-city Texas Tour. - [23rd KNON Bluesfest - Dallas](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/23rd-knon-bluesfest-dallas/): The 23rd Annual KNON Bluesfest was held at Poor David’s Pub, February 4-5, with a player list that would put any Memphis event to shame. - [HONEY Releases EP](https://buddymagazine.com/new-texas-music/honey-releases-ep/): Heather Linn & The Deacons sweeten their image with a new name - Honey - and release their first EP. - [FWMF 2023](https://buddymagazine.com/events/fwmf-2023/): Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference at the Stockyards, will take place across multiple venues at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, TX, from March 2 through March 4, 2023. - [T-Bone Walker](https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/t-bone-walker-the-first-electric-frontman/): T-Bone Walker's electrified guitar licks and clever songwriting helped change the sound of the blues and ushered in a new genre – rock n’ roll. - [Blind Lemon Jefferson](https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/blind-lemon-jefferson-father-of-texas-blues/): Of all the musical geniuses born in East Texas, Blind Lemon Jefferson set the standard for all Texas blues musicians that followed. - [ALL THINGS METAL!](https://buddymagazine.com/events/all-things-metal/): The ALL THINGS METAL Festival has been scheduled for May 20, 2023 - [Photo Essay: Eric Tessmer - Granada Theater, Jan 6, 2023](https://buddymagazine.com/news/__trashed/): All photos by Zoe White Eric Tessmer at the Granada Theater On Friday, January 6th, Eric Tessmer played to a... - [Barbara Louise Smith Conrad: The Rise of a Trailblazer](https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/barbara-louise-smith-conrad/): Until Barbara Louise Smith walked into the University of Texas at Austin, she had only known segregation as a way of life. The 2010 documentary, "When I Rise" includes a scene of Conrad singing beneath the dome of the Texas Capitol during the 2009 legislative session immediately after state lawmakers passed a resolution honoring her and giving her the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and the History-Making Texan Award in 2011. - [A Year Without Meat Loaf](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/a-year-without-meat-loaf/): When Dallas native Marvin Lee Aday passed away on January 20, 2022, he left a Texas-size legacy and promise to do "anything for love." - [KNON Bluesfest at Poor David's Pub Feb 4-5](https://buddymagazine.com/events/knon-bluesfest-at-poor-davids-pub-feb-4-5/): Buddy Magazine is once again proud to help supprt KNON Bluesfest. Check out the awesome lineup below. See you at... - [New Year, New Vibe](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/new-year-new-vibe/): A name change to 67 Landing and a new GM have brought a venue back to life in Texarkana. - [Cowboy Mardi Gras - Bandera, TX Feb. 9th-11th](https://buddymagazine.com/events/cowboy-mardi-gras-bandera-tx-feb-9th-11th/): The 11th Street Cowboy Bar located at 307 11th Street in Bandera, Texas, will be hosting the 2023 Cowboy Mardi Gras February... - [In Memoriam: Jeff Beck](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-jeff-beck/): Guitar legend Jeff Beck, dead at 78 By Kate Stow The music world was stunned Wednesday when the family of... - [RIP Jeff Beck - See Lost Images of Jeff Beck From 1966](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rip-jeff-beck-see-lost-images-of-jeff-beck-in-1966/): Buddy Magazine staff and readers are shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of virtuoso guitarist Jeff Beck today. George... - [The Buddy Magazine T-Shirt Store is Now Open](https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-buddy-magazine-t-shirt-store-is-now-open/): We have partnered with our good friends at MerchBooth. com (yes, we really do go way back with these guys)... - [The Pengwins - "It's Christmas Time"](https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-pengwins-its-christmas-time/): by George Gimarc With roots going back to their post-High School days in 1972, the Pengwins have consistently released power... - [Teddy & The Tall Tops: "Christmas In The Congo," feat. Rev. Horton Heat, and Homer Henderson](https://buddymagazine.com/news/teddy-the-tall-tops-christmas-in-the-congo-reverend-horton-heat/): By George Gimarc Teddy & The Tall Tops were one of those bands that I loved to see down in... - [The World's First Texas Blues Chanukah Song, "As Chanukah Passes Me By," by the Josh Alan Band](https://buddymagazine.com/news/chanukah-passes-me-by-josh-alan-band/): Written and recorded by Josh Alan, with the Josh Alan Band, released on the album "Strike A Match," Topcat Records,... - [Sound Familiar? Vince Vance and the Valiants Single, "All I Want For Christmas Is You," 1989](https://buddymagazine.com/news/vince-vance-valiants-single-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-1989/): By George Gimarc Vince Vance & The Valiants seemed to be everywhere in the oldies-enthralled, post Sha-Na-Na 70s in DFW.... - [The Girls Still Go Wild: The Mike Flanigin Trio Feat. Jimmie Vaughan Brings Back the “Old Austin” Vibe](https://buddymagazine.com/news/mike-flanigin-trio-jimmie-vaughan-c-boys-austin-tx/): By Kirby Warnock Upon arriving in Austin, the self proclaimed “live music capital of the world”, most newcomers hear a... - [Johnny Reno & His Solid Senders,"Blues Before Christmas"](https://buddymagazine.com/news/johnny-reno-blues-before-christmas/): By George Gimarc One of the hottest acts around DFW in the halcyon days of the 1980s was Johnny Reno... - [Flashback: The Dixie Chicks 1991 Single, "Christmas Swing"](https://buddymagazine.com/news/dixie-chicks-1991-single-christmas-swing/): by George Gimarc Bands can certainly change from their first release, to their latest. Ok, perhaps not Boston, but most... - [Pantera to Perform at Home in Arlington, TX with Metallica, August 18, 2023](https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-arlington-tx-metallica-august-18-2023/): New dates have been announced for the much-anticipated Pantera reunion/tribute. Pantera will support Metallica on a short of leg of... - [Storm Brewing in Sept. '86: Pantera and Phil Anselmo's Razor White Play North Texas](https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-razor-white-1986/): A capture of the Buddy Concert Calendar, circa September, 1986. Before Phil Anselmo joined Pantera, he sang with Razor White,... - [Dokken+Lynch fulfill club owner’s wish](https://buddymagazine.com/news/dokkenlynch-fulfill-club-owners-wish/): Imagine owning your own club and hosting your own birthday party; you can book your favorite band and sell tickets. Lance LeMay, owner of Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana, did just that in September. - [Rachel Stacy is Holding Her Own with Texas Legends](https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/holding-her-own-with-texas-legends/): As a young violinist in the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra, Rachel Stacy didn’t just play to get better – she played... - [Ghoultown: The Scariest Band in Texas](https://buddymagazine.com/feature/ghoultown-scariest-band-texas/): When Lyle Blackburn formed Ghoultown in 1999, he mashed up the Classic Country and Heavy Metal genre’s and created a brand new one: Gothabilly. - [Going Bananas in Texarkana](https://buddymagazine.com/venues/going-bananas-in-texarkana/): Over a century ago the basement of the old Ritchey Grocery building was used for refrigeration machinery and food storage. Hooks are still in a section of the ceiling where bananas were hung to ripen - thus, the name “1923 Banana Club” was born. - [B's Custom Guitars: Exotic Bodies and Necks Ringed with Gold](https://buddymagazine.com/gear/bs-custom-guitars-exotic-bodies-and-necks-ringed-with-gold/): After 50 years of playing, Bryan Jefferies knew exactly what he wanted in a guitar. He had the money and... - [In Memoriam: Derek Rougeot](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-derek-rougeot/): Dallas drummer Derek Rougeot passed away on May 20, 2020. The Miami, Oklahoma native played with local Dallas band, The... - [Randy Cates Memorial Lineup - Oct. 30, at Amplified Live](https://buddymagazine.com/news/randy-cates-memorial-lineup-oct-30-at-amplified-live/): Randy Cates Memorial Benefit Lineup Oct 30th Amplified Live Dallas1: 15 Boom Town2:00 Jessee Spradlin2:45 Holland K Smith3:30 Buddy Whittington4:30... - [Review: Joshua Ray Walker's "See You Next Time"](https://buddymagazine.com/news/joshua-ray-walkers-see-you-next-time/): As a journalist, I do a lot of driving around the great state of Texas, always seeking music that will... - [Review: Pinky's Blues - Sue Foley](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/pinkys-blues-sue-foley/): Sue Foley's new album, Pinky's Blues - [Review: Lloyd Maines, Eagle Number 65](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/lloyd-maines-eagle-number-65/): Lloyd Maines 71 and Still Going Strong By Jan K. Sikes Lloyd Maines is one of the most well-known and... - [Album Review: Guthrie Kennard's Riverside](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/guthrie-kennard-riverside/): by Jan Sikes https://open. spotify. com/album/55IYWzRhOgPm1N8D1hydTm From the first time I met Guthrie at a songwriter swap, I fell in... - [True Story: Buddy Magazine Production Office Gets Hit By a Tornado While Preparing For the Fall 2022 Texas Tornado Issue](https://buddymagazine.com/news/hit-by-tornado/): Yep, we got hit. But not by the tornado pictured. - [Meet The Buddy Texas Tornado Class of 2022](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/buddy-texas-tornado-class-of-2022/): Tornado biographies by Kate Stow Intro by Jackie Don Loe Buddy staff This year marks the 44th anniversary of Buddy... - [Album Review: Chrystal Thomas, Now Dig This!](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/chrystal-thomas-now-dig-this/): by David Deal Great blues singers are song stylists. They take standards as old as the hills, sprinkle them with... - [Congratulations To Mitch Watkins, 2022 Texas Guitar Tornado](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/mitch-watkins-2022/): As a young boy in the border town of McAllen, Mitch Watkins started piano lessons at the age of eight... - [Congrats To 2022 Texas Tornado Guitarist Ally Venable](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/ally-venable-2022/): At the ripe old age of 23, Ally Venable is an old pro who excels at breaking all the rules.... - [Meet 2022 Texas Guitar Tornado Neil Swanson](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/neil-swanson-2022/): Neil Swanson was already playing Deep Ellum bars when he was 15; it didn’t take long before he had made... - [Meet 2022 Buddy Texas Bass Tornado Wes Stephenson](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/wes-stephenson-2022/): By Kate Stow In a twist of fate, Wes Stephenson, co-founder of the Dallas-based Funky Knuckles, wouldn’t have even become... - [Buddy Inducts Ministry and Madonna Guitarist Monte Pittman As a 2022 Texas Tornado For Guitar](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/monte-pittman-2022/): Monte Pittman, the son of a rodeo cowboy, was born and raised in the Bible Belt town of Longview. Against... - [Snarky Puppy Guitarist Chris McQueen Inducted Into 2022 Texas Tornado Class](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-mcqueen-2022/): Chris McQueen started out in Austin as a true guitar geek, playing and recording songs on a 4-track Tascam by... - [Meet 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Chris Maresh](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-maresh-2022/): Chris Maresh has obliterated the myth that says “Those who can’t do, teach. ” Chris not only teaches master classes... - [Buddy Congratulates 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Braylon Lacy](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/braylon-lacy-2022/): Since 2000, Braylon Lacy has appeared on 23 albums, not only as a bassist, but also as a composer and... - [Buddy Honors Guitarist Chris Holt With 2022 Texas Tornado Award](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-holt-2022/): Chris Holt is an extreme multitasker and a favorite among some of the world’s best performers. When Chris isn’t touring... - [Buddy Honors 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Dwayne Heggar](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/dwayne-heggar-2022/): While he is known as the bassist for Dallas-based party band Emerald City, Dwayne Heggar is more than just your... - [Buddy Congratulates 2022 Texas Tornado Guitarist Emily Elbert](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/emily-elbert-2022/): With a soft, lilting voice that belies her strong and powerful spirit, Emily Elbert is at home in the spotlight,... - [Meet 2022 Texas Tornado Bassist James Driscoll](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/james-driscoll-2022/): Whether he’s backing top performers such as Don Henley and Stockton Helbing, playing on countless commercial jingles, laying down the... - [2022 Texas Tornado Pat Boyack: "I Feel Like a Texan Now"](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/pat-boyack-2022/): Pat Boyack wasn’t born in the Lone Star State, but upon learning he had been named a Texas Tornado, he... - [Flashback 1973: Stoney Burns Comes Up With an Idea For a Music Magazine](https://buddymagazine.com/news/idea-for-a-music-magazine/): by George GimarcAs Buddy Magazine goes through a bit of a rebirth in 2022, it is only fitting that we... - [Album Review: Randy C. Moore, Luckenbach](https://buddymagazine.com/news/randy-c-moore-luckenbach/): Randy C. Moore is no newcomer to the music business. His career started at the age of 15. Not only... - [Concert Review: Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown, Love Convention Center, Paris, Texas](https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/tyler-bryant-shakedown-paris-texas/): July 21, 2022 A phenomenal thing happened in Paris, Texas in late July. A summer heat spell had culminated into... - [In Memoriam: Randy Cates](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/randy-cates/): Sadly we have lost another Texas music icon, legendary bassist Randy Cates. In his successful career of over 60 years,... - [In Memoriam: Michael Jeffrey](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/michael-jeffrey/): We are sad to report that Texas guitarist Michael Jeffrey, brother of drummer Jack Miller, passed away in August. He... - [Buddy Magazine is Back - Publisher's Note](https://buddymagazine.com/news/publishers-note/): Buddy is really glad to be back. The last Buddy issue was printed and distributed in March 2020 at the... - [In Memoriam: Terry Montgomery Groff](https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/terry-montgomery-groff/): Longtime Dallas bassman Terry Montgomery Groff (1994 Tornado) died on Sunday, August 7, 2022 after years of ill health. These... - [Pantera Re-forms For 2023 Tour: Here Is Buddy's Take](https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-2023/): This summer, Pantera announced that they will be touring in 2023, with Zakk Wylde filling the shoes of his close... - [The Fall 2022 Buddy Texas Tornado Issue Is Hitting the Streets](https://buddymagazine.com/news/fall-2022-issue/): In our return Fall 2022 print issue, which will be available in selected clubs, music stores, and other fine establishments... - [All the Goings-On at State Fair Records](https://buddymagazine.com/news/state-fair-records-f22/): There is a lot happening lately at State Fair Records. . Matt Hillyer of Eleven Hundred Springs has recorded his... - [Dallas Guitarist Chris Holt Joins Fleetwood Mac's Mike Campbell and His Band The Dirty Knobs](https://buddymagazine.com/news/chris-holt-joins-mike-campbell/): All-Star guitarist Chris Holt, (2022 Texas Tornado) has added yet another major credit to his resume, joining Mike Campbell (the... - [Heather Lynn and The Deacons Release New EP](https://buddymagazine.com/news/heather-lynn-and-the-deacons/): Heather Linn and the Deacons, a band from the far Northeast Texas corner on the Arkansas border, is releasing a... - [It Was a Hot Summer For Texas Musicians](https://buddymagazine.com/news/hot-summer/): It was another scorching summer in Texas, with long stretches of 100-plus degree days, and even a few hot high-notes... - [Buddy Flashback-Issue: Johnny Reno, Feb 1999](https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/back-issue-johnny-reno-feb-1999/): Download the full scanned back issue here: https://drive. google. com/file/d/1BqYbFRliF8PGU9h9HP8oq6boRDnda7JD/view? usp=sharing - [Dallas Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist Quincy Forte Releases New Track "Save Me From Myself"](https://buddymagazine.com/new-texas-music/quincy-forte-save-me-from-myself/): quincy forte save me from myself - [Watch 13-Year Old Bassist PJ Pugh Rip A 5-String Bass at The Free Man](https://buddymagazine.com/news/pj-pugh-bass/): Live at The Free Man. Just wait, this kid is going to be a monster player. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=G9O8rAmAYgY - [Chuck Rainey Awarded Doctorate By Berklee School of Music](https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chuck-rainey/): test https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=EZIBq0hWlpI --- # Detailed Content ## Pages ### Buddy Concert Calendar - Published: 2022-11-16 - Modified: 2023-12-26 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/calendar/ - Entity Types: Article --- ### About Buddy Magazine - Published: 2022-06-08 - Modified: 2022-06-08 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/about-buddy-magazine/ - Entity Types: Article "Blah, blah, blah". That's it. Buddy is about "Blah, blah, blah". Enjoy. --- ### Sample Page - Published: 2022-06-02 - Modified: 2022-06-02 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/sample-page/ - Entity Types: Article This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin' caught in the rain. ) ... or something like this: The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, and has been providing quality doohickeys to the public ever since. Located in Gotham City, XYZ employs over 2,000 people and does all kinds of awesome things for the Gotham community. As a new WordPress user, you should go to your dashboard to delete this page and create new pages for your content. Have fun! --- ## Posts ### Buddy Magazine October 1975 Stereo ‘76 -Full Issue Download - Published: 2025-01-10 - Modified: 2024-11-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7509/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the October 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about equipment on the cover printed to make records, stereo setup, Susan Geary exploring FM radio stations and record quality, reports on Uriah Heep for the free return gig, October events and much more. --- ### Longhorn Ballroom Marks 75th Anniversary with Jubilee Series, Feat. Toadies, Band of Heathens, Bob Wills' Texas Playboys - Published: 2025-01-10 - Modified: 2025-01-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/longhorn-ballroom-75th-anniversary-toadies-bob-wills/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Texas Music Events, Venues - Entity Types: Article Dallas venue kicks off celebration with March 2 event featuring Toadies, Band of Heathens, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys Dallas’ iconic Longhorn Ballroom will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025 with the launch of the Longhorn Jubilee series. The first of five jubilee events will take place March 2, Texas Independence Day, featuring performances by Fort Worth’s Toadies, Austin’s The Band of Heathens, and Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, with more acts to be announced. The Longhorn Ballroom, which reopened in 2023 under Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents, has become a key venue in Dallas' live music scene. Known for hosting legendary artists across genres, the Longhorn has brought together a vibrant community of music fans and performers since its opening in 1950. The jubilee events will span across both the venue’s indoor stage and outdoor Courtyard, offering a mix of live music, food trucks, local vendors, and brand activations, reflecting the diverse spirit that has made the Longhorn a unique part of Texas music history. "We wanted to honor the Longhorn’s tradition with performances by contemporary artists while celebrating the future of this legendary space," said Cabaniss. "The jubilees will continue throughout the year, with future events focused on specific genres. " Tickets for the March 2 event, which will be held at the 2,200-capacity Longhorn Ballroom, are available now at longhornballroom. com. Both general admission and premium seated tickets are on sale. Event Details: What: The Longhorn Jubilee (First event in the series) Who: Toadies, The Band of Heathens, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, and more When: Sunday, March 2, 2025, doors open at 4 p. m. Where: The Longhorn Ballroom, 216 Corinth St, Dallas, TX 75207 How: Tickets available at longhornballroom. com About Longhorn Ballroom:Over its 75 years, the Longhorn Ballroom has become synonymous with Texas music history, hosting country, blues, soul, and rock legends alike. The venue has seen performances by artists ranging from Merle Haggard to the Sex Pistols. After a period of closure, it was reopened by Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents with a mission to restore the venue’s legacy. Since reopening, the Longhorn has hosted sold-out performances from Charley Crockett, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, and many others. About Edwin Cabaniss and Kessler Presents:Edwin Cabaniss, known for balancing artistry with business, has been at the helm of Kessler Presents for over 15 years. The team at Kessler Presents is committed to providing exceptional experiences for both artists and fans at venues like The Kessler Theater, The Heights Theater, and the Longhorn Ballroom. Cabaniss continues to champion emerging artists while revitalizing historic venues for new generations of music lovers. --- ### Dallas Entertainment Awards Set for Jan. 29 in Deep Ellum - Published: 2025-01-09 - Modified: 2025-01-09 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/dallas-entertainment-awards-jan-deep-ellum/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article The Dallas Entertainment Awards will hold its second annual ceremony on Jan. 29 at The Studio at The Factory in Deep Ellum. The event will showcase the work of artists, performers, and professionals from across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Admission is free, and doors open at 6 p. m. , with the show beginning at 6:30 p. m. The ceremony will feature live performances from regional artists, including Loren Kole, Porsha Jay, Devy Stonez, Kameron Ross, Rosegarden Funeral Party, and Sam Cormier, among others. The event will also recognize the winners in more than 90 categories, ranging from Song of the Year and Album of the Year to awards for DJs, live sound engineers, and talent buyers. Voting Open Through Jan. 21 The nomination process received more than 8,000 public submissions, narrowing the field to 460 nominees. Voting is open to the public through Jan. 21 at dallasentertainmentawards. com. Awards and Host The event will also include a Lifetime Achievement Award and the Big D Award, selected by the event's organizing committee. Dezman Lehman, a Dallas-based musician and founder of the awards, will host the evening. “We aim to highlight the people and groups shaping the region’s cultural landscape,” Lehman said in a statement. “This event gives the community an opportunity to celebrate that talent. ” Additional Events Leading up to the main ceremony, a meet-and-greet showcase will take place on Jan. 26 at Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. in Dallas. The event will include performances by nominees such as Gracen Wynn, Furlow, Astrogiirl, Pet Taxi, and CURL. Tickets for the showcase are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. After the awards, an official after-party will be held at Charlie’s Star Lounge, 4319 Main St. in Dallas. The event will begin at 10 p. m. and feature sets from DJ Dezi 5, Brandon Blue, Natural Hiiigh, and Wonderosso. Admission to the after-party is free. Dress Code and More Information The awards ceremony has a “cowboy glam” dress code, encouraging attendees to wear outfits featuring rhinestones, fringe, or other bold and Western-inspired elements. For more details on the event, voting, or performances, visit dallasentertainmentawards. com. Full list of nominees below: Song of the YearDavid Forsyth, Frankie Leonie - “Love Comes Back Around”Wondergang - “Senorita”Dev Wulf & The Midnight Howl - “Guiding Light”Remy Reilly - “Yes Man”Cure For Paranoia, We Them Grays, The Institute - “Love (Again)”1WillAye ft loner club - “Closer to You”NITE - “All Your Pain”Gracen Wynn - “Stop the Car”Album of the YearCyfa Fix - “Finally”Rosegarden Funeral Party - “From the Ashes”Cayuga All-Stars - “El Ritmo del Barrio”Lary Gee - “The Get Back”Lamar Adot Thomas - “The Greater Ebenezer”EP of the YearAmethyst Michelle - “Through the Tears”Astrogiirl - “Lovergiirl”Devy Stonez - “Tuff”Pierce Washington - “Remedies”Pet Taxi - “Villian”Best Hip Hop SongWondergang - “Senorita”Cyfa - “Been That”Lamar Adot Thomas - “Eviction Notice”Scuttino, Brandon Fxrd, Latrell De'Sean - “All in my Vibe”Devy Stonez - “Tuff”‍Best Pop SongGracen Wynn - “Stop the Car”Carissa Cruz - “All my Life”Porsha Jay - “Gin & Tonic”Sam Cormier - “dirtyu”Loren Kole - “ashes” Best Duo/Group Song1WILLAYE, Loners Club - “Close to You”Blue Capricorn, Jack Haupt - “Fantôme, Je Ne Ressentirai Rien”Cure For Paranoia, We Them Grays, The Institute - “Love (Again)”Stan Fran Cisco, Chilldren of Indigo - “Neighborhood Narnia”Ashleigh Smith, Verb Culture - “His Dream”Best R&B SongAstrogiirl - “What They Want “Uncle Jeff, Beaux Dove, Tim Starling, Jesse Jayy - “Everything”Dana Harper - “Wood Burnt Orange”Maria Carmen - “Commit”Dee Gatti - “No Favors”Best Rock SongBad Lives - “Indigo Girl”Trees Marie - “Run to the Sturgeon Moon”CURL - “*”Rosegarden Funeral Party - “Doorway Ghost”Pet Taxi - “Villian”Best Latin SongAlex O’Aiza - “YNMA”Sabor Puro Cumbia - Eztrellas Brillantez”Cayuga All-Stars - “El Ritmo del Barrio”Ceci Ceci - “Malos Modales”Muriel - Él”Best Country SongJustin Ross and The Deadwood Revival - “The Rain”Kameron Ross - “I Can't Forget Him”Runaway Sky - “Arizona”Paige Hill - “Dear Dallas”Mitchell Ferguson - “All I Need to Hear”Music Video of the YearRosegarden Funeral Party - “Doorway Ghost”From The Tides - “Miserable End”Furlow ft. Othaelevated - “The Reaper”Remy Reilly - “Half Price Books”Pat Ron, Coach Tev - “Zac Efron”Best New ArtistAstrogiirlLoren KolePet TaxiRebelle FlorStephen CueArtist of the YearCory CrossCyfa FixRosegarden Funeral PartyCreator JewelsRavs BEST DJ DJ of The YearChristy RayWillie DutchRedeyeCozy CamposGabe MendozaBest DJ ResidencyHouse of Freqs - Saturdays at Double D’sMelissa Meaow - Charlie's Star LoungeByron Laszlo / Lord Byron - Sons of Hermann HallWanz Dover Cosmique Discotheque - LadyLoveBranoofunck - Sunday’s at Armoury D. E. Best Weekly DJ ResidencyThe Church at It'll Do Sundays - It’ll DoSensei Blue - Thursday’s at Double D’sOscar Lozada - Saturday's at Reveler's HallDJ Imperial D - Friday's at The NinesBoom Boom Pum - Saturday's at CheapsteaksBest DJ PartySuper Sonic Bass Party - Charlie’s Star LoungeAll Everything Party - RBCFluid Construction - Rubbergloves StudiosNaturalhiiigh - Pull Up at Charlie’s Star LoungeWanz Dover - Future Shock at Charlies Star LoungeBest Vinyl DJWillie DutchGabe MendozaLeo JWanz DoverDj SoberBest DJ CrewArcadiaBusyBodyFriends & FamilySoho DallasSHAKEDWNBest Turn Out and Turn UpChristy RayLa BrujaOscar LozadaFamily & FriendsJake Gatewood VENUES, RESIDENCIES, & PROMOTERS Best Live Venue Under 300 CapacityThree Links Deep EllumRuinsThe Free ManReveler's HallDoublewideBest Live Venue Over 301-1000 CapacityRubberglovesThe Kessler TheaterThe Echo Lounge & Music HallTexas TheaterTreesBest Non-Traditional VenueWhich HouseCash AdvanceNew Media ContemporaryWest Side Art CollectiveSpinster RecordsBest Talent BuyerThird String EntertainmentDistorted HeartbeatAt The Helm PresentsChasquis GroupSpuneBest Party ProducerBlake WardSarah BadranJake GatewoodDebbiedoesdiscoBleachBest Live Music ResidencyThe Found Thursday NightsBRANOOFUNCK SundaysRav's & The Akrylx Family Dinner SundaysThe Reveler's Hall BandColab Tuesdays Best Open Mic/ Jam NightSheRose's Open Mic Mondays (OMM)The People's Jam(ie) at CheapsteaksSinger Songwriter Social Justin PickardVerb Kulture Sundays at The Free ManOpening Bell Open MicBest Live Music SeriesDallas Ambient music nightsTaylor Morgan TaylorMade Tuesday’sCure For Paranoia, We Them Grays, Curl, Scuttino at The KesslerReveler's Hall BandTriumph's JazzBest Music FestivalDeep Ellum Block PartyTwoGether landState Fair SeriesTBAAL Jazz Riverfront Jazz FestivalDallas Pride FestivalBest DJ VenueCharlie’s Star LoungeIt’ll Do ClubDouble DsAtlas Bishop ArtsLadyLoveBest Record StoreTop 10 RecordsSpinster RecordsJosey RecordsGood RecordsBlack Cat Records and ComicsBest Karaoke NIghtCharlie's Star Lounge - Friday Nite KaraokeTwilite Lounge - Thursday with KJ JavierElm Street Saloon - Karaoke Totally TwistedRound Up Saloon - Maybeleen's Monday KaraokeBarbara's Pavillion Thursday NIght KaraokeBest Door PersonSpencer Baxter - Charlies Star LoungeNigel Armstrong - Three LinksKenneth Fridia - CheapsteaksBen Nydendwa - Double D’sBlaine Mathis - RBCBest BartenderRicardo Ocasio - Round UpClint Palmer aka Batman - Three Links, The Nines, RenosAnthony Blaine DeAlcuaz - Charlie's Star LoungeElizabeth Mitchell - DoublewideAntonio Perez - Elm Street SaloonBest Art GalleryDaisha Board Gallery WestKettle Art GalleryPencil on Paper GalleryRo2 ArtTalley Dunn Gallery Best Traditional R&B ActTricky WeatherNatoree ZelaiRC & the GritzPaloma NanceBeaux DoveBest Contemporary R&B ActPorsha JayLoners ClubDana HarperPolo the VibeMaya PiataBest Funk/Soul ActThe Rosemont KingsChef DeeWe Them GraysRC & The GritzAzwalf Hazworf & The Love Session OrchestraBest Hip Hop GroupThe Chilldren of IndigoCure For ParanoiaWondergangBranoofunckElectrik AntsBest Hip Hop Solo ActLundun Taylor/Cyfa FixFlozilla Flower ChildLamar Adot ThomasPierce WashingtonDevy StonezBest Country ActJacob Price Zazz and the Loose EndsRunaway Sky BandKameron RossCory CrossAngel WhiteBest Traditional Latin ActSabor PuroCayuga All-StarsLos Gran ReyesAlex O'AizaVanita LeoBest Blues ActIsaac Sloane and the Sound BrigadeJake QuillinMiss Marcy & The Texas SugardaddysTin & TonicAristide GarofaloBest Rock ActThe Desk JockeysRosegarden Funeral PartyKing ClamNip SlipTrees MarieBest Punk ActThe Wee-BeastiesOvershareThe Two WattsAsshatsKing ClamBest Psychedelic ActCalvin AscendsChemical SpellHelium QueensMaestro MayaDust MothersBest Alternative Rock ActRoach NoisesFITLIGHTHOUSEWolves ReignCURLBest Americana ActDev Wulf & The Midnight HowlMimo MorrealeJustin Pickard and the Thunderbird WinosDean RayRemy ReillyBest Metal ActViridescentUnityTXToxic MadnessDeviationFlesh RotBest Pop ActLorena LeighElyse JewelGracen WynnAlexandraLina MapesBest Electronic ActZeke ForeverCygnusStan Fran CiscoKeyringFullyMaxxedBest Experimental/Noise ActOrangutan SuperloveChurch for the WorldBlue CapricornElizabeth Garcia /UXRAKeyringBest Ambient ActTalambasBlack TaffyLorelei KLily TaylorAmerican CrueltyBest Traditional Jazz ActThe Revelers Hall BandBishop Avenue Hot SixShelley CarrolMyron OliverReggie T and the BoneheadzBest Tribute ActLover Taylor TributeOatmeal PizzaWe Them GraysSaborpurocumbiaThe Clinton Years BEST INSTRUMENTALIST CATEGORIES Best PianistMaverick LawsonKwinton GrayThiago NascimientoPoppy XanderJordache GrantBest GuitaristJameel DavisTJ NovakRachel FrancisIsaac Sloane of Isaac Sloane and the Sound BrigadeBest BassistPatrick SmithKenn JonesUriah StakeBob Lee SimmonsKJ GrayBest DrummerAaron CapersDean AdamsSinclaire WadeMarcus JonesJackie Whitmill Jr. Best Auxiliary PercussionistTony LunaChelsey DanielleDandy RainNick RotthouseChamp CantuBest Pop VocalistRemy ReillyGracen WynnSophie DragoAlexandraElyse JewelBest Rock VocalistTrees MarieLeah LaneSunny MarcelGunner HardyRoxanne HillBest Soul VocalistPolo The VibeDana HarperDavante ThorntonTukeviaPaloma NanceBest TrumpetNiin CastroGloria AbregoKazu TanakaJordan CarrJorge SalasBest TromboneMarcus ParksGabriel CastañedaReggie TerrellGaika JamesPhil JosephBest SaxophonistMyron OliverShelley CarrollJoren CainJonathan MonezVandell Andrews AUDIO, VISUAL, MEDIA, & RADIO Best Live Sound EngineerScott Latimer - RubberglovesZach Stacy - TreesKristian Ryan Harvey - Armoury D. E. James Talambas - New Media ContemporaryGeoff Lloyd - Club DadaBest Audio EngineerAaron WolpinMichael BriggsJames TalambasMatt Kennedy (Empire Sound Studio)Alex BeaneBest Recording StudioGreenville Ave StudiosCivil Audio by Michael BriggsThe Kitchen StudioAaron PaytonElmwood RecordingBest Record LabelSka Punk International RecordsIdol RecordsMemory TerminalSkylark Soul CoState Fair RecordsBest SongWriterKatherine PatersonRyan HarrisonLeah LaneJustin CashionJessica MaeveBest Visual Artist CollaboratorJosh Still PimpinLeeon LeanJeremy BiggersIzk DaviesRodney JumahBest PodcastThe Austin Young ShowA Fifth of SomethingThe Dirty Bag PodcastDallas Famous PodcastRight On Target PodcastBest Podcast HostAustin YoungD. Miles/Miles OTCookie BrownAndrew ShermanJason JanikBest Radio StationKUZUKNONKHYI 95. 3 The RangeKXT97. 9 The BeatBest Radio ShowThe Catacombs - 89. 3FM KNONFlash45s - 89. 3FM KNONinHAUS Radio. - 92. 9 KUZUKick Push Radio -Homegrown Local BItes - 91. 7 KXTBest Radio HostJessica Waffles - KXTFlash45s - KNONKrystina Ray! - 97. 1 EaglePaul Slavens - KXTLil D - K104Best Art & Culture BlogSounds of DFWDenton LiveDallas ObserverD MagazineKXT  Best Art & Culture JournalistSarah Hepola - Dallas Morning NewsJamie Vahala - Dallas ObserverLauren Negrete - CW33 (KDAF) DFWAlex Gonzalez - Dallas Observer, D MagazinePreston Jones - Dallas Observer, KXTBest PR Marketing FirmCreative CurrencyBOLD SocialRabbit Hat PromotionsArias WebsterBerry (WebsterBerry Marketing)Lan Rose PRBest Editorial PhotographerMaia TharpKarlo X RamosJacob SmallFaith ThompsonEmory EaglesBest Concert PhotographerJason JanikErin Nicole ParisiMadison TruscanJessica WafflesAndrew ShermanBest VideographerMatt MauchAlec MiramontesMichael WilliamsJeffrey OrtizMarkel Logan DRAG, BURLESQUE, & PERFORMING ARTS Best Drag Late ShowRaquel Blake "Plan B" - RoundUp SaloonMustache Envy - Sue EllensSaloon Girls - RoundUp SaloonGenderfuck - Sue EllensFreakshow - J. R. ’sBest Drag BrunchBuck Wyldes Sausage PartyHamburger Mary’sFly Queens Drag BrunchVirgin Drag BrunchMoondance BrunchBest Burlesque ShowNightshade Burlesque​​Plumb Askew ReviewCircus BittiesLolli BombsCarousel Club BurlesqueBest Drag QueenEmeka BlessRaquel BlakeMay May GravesArya JealousSalem MoonBest Drag KingBuck WyldeDanny Fox-TrotPsyril CybinLogan LiqueurVarrus GravesBest Burlesque PerformerKrista V King  Minxie MimieuxSodi MooreDelilah DuboisVivienne VermuthBest Performing Visual ArtistZachary J Willis - ActorChristina Austin Lopez - ActorApril May - Hula HooperThe Kiki & Coco Show  - Performance ArtistAmy H Graves - Pole AcrobatsBest MagicianConfetti EddieJosh AyalaRitchy FloRobert John MagicZak MirzBest ComedianRaquel BlakeDante MartinezVinnie CorralesStefan GPayton Payne --- --- ### Dallas Musician and Tech Futurist Tim Sanders Talks Music and AI and What It Means To You in 2025 - Published: 2024-12-18 - Modified: 2024-12-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/tim-sanders-music-and-ai-artifical-intelligence/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article, Person, WebPage By Rob Garner Cover photo by Robert Maxfield IIAdditional photos by James Bland Whenever the topic of the 1980s creative resurgence of Deep Ellum is written or talked about, names like Russell Hobbs, Jeff Liles, Jeff Swaney, and many others are all often rightfully mentioned in the same breath. One of the other figures who made a lasting impact on the scene is Dallas musician and tech futurist Tim Sanders. As a musician with The Affirmative, Cairo, and Code 4, and also as booking agent at the Theatre Gallery and Prophet Bar in the 80s, Sanders forged a mindset among musicians that took him well beyond Deep Ellum alone, and into Silicon Valley and Cambridge, Massachusetts. He bridged his Deep Ellum experience to become a successful tech executive, Harvard business fellow, author, and in-demand keynote speaker. For the last 14 years, he has been focused on the topic of AI, and how it will transform our world. As we have seen the hockey-stick arc of AI adoption in the last few years, he offers a window of experience to help business leaders and musicians know what to expect - and how to plan - for this new technological world we are entering into at an accelerating pace. Cover photo by Robert Maxfield II His DIY style, and ability to bring a communal ethos to the burgeoning Deep Ellum music and art scene was well internalized amongst many musicians of the time. Sanders espoused a volunteer and compassionate ethos, essentially along the lines of giving to get back. This philosophy was later core to early Internet and network culture, back when there was a real feeling that the Internet could change the world for the better. Though also congruently and independently espoused by several other leading network thinkers at the time, his ideas preceded the popular adoption of the Internet by many years. In my own digital marketing book I wrote for Wiley/Sybex back in 2013, I had espoused a similar philosophy that had become somewhat prevalent amongst large segments of the digital community. But it was only after we concluded the interview that I realized that Sanders was the first person I ever heard speak of it conceptually, and that it had woven into a lot of what I do now - in both work and in life. In hindsight, I should have included him in my acknowledgements and credits, but I’m doing that right now. Cairo Another fortuitous Deep Ellum happenstance for Sanders was when he went to work with Mark Cuban in 1997 and AudioNet, which later became Broadcast. com, and was sold to Yahoo in 1998.  Cuban was a supporter of Sanders philosophy, and promoted his ideas within Yahoo! After the acquisition, Sanders was promoted to Chief Solutions Officer, and he took some of those same principles to the company, and Silicon Valley at large. Keep in mind that at the time, Yahoo! Was the #1 Internet media company in the U. S. , and was as comparable in size and impact as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok are today, in terms of audience share alone. Sanders is also the author of many different books, including Love Is The Killer App, The Likeability Factor, Dealstorming, Today We Are Rich, and Saving the World at Work. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, and has been featured on on the cover of Fast Company. His books are a refreshing take on business strategy that are designed to not only help you improve business goals, but to also feel good about the work being done. Cairo, early 1990s Sanders recent AI work has also landed him a role as Executive Fellow at Harvard, working with their Digital Data Design Institute. With his extensive experience into both the music world, and into the new world of AI, Sanders talks about all things AI – how to think about it, how to use it, how to benefit from its inevitable transformational impact on society and humanity, and “how we do music” as a whole. Tim Sanders author profile at Amazon. com Tim Sanders - LinkedIn https://www. linkedin. com/in/sanderssays Rob:   Let's first talk about your experience in music and the Dallas music scene. Tim: So I moved here in the mid to late 1980s and I came here in a broken down school bus. Our band at the time, The Affirmative, which was a rock reggae band, had a very difficult tour, which led us to all lose our apartments in Tucson. We were looking for a place to move to because Tucson was a very depressed market. And when we had a gig in Lubbock, Texas, at a warehouse, we saw a Dallas Morning news article about the Deep Ellum scene. It had a picture of the New Bohemians and we said, ‘that's where we're going to move. ’  So we got in the bus, we drove, we parked in a bus RV stop, and we went in and tried to get jobs at various places. And I got a sales job right off  I-35 in Walnut Hill. After a couple of paychecks we could afford to move into our first band house. And that's how we got started. And our first gig that we played in town was at The Theatre Gallery on a Monday night. What was really cool was a couple of the people from the New Bo’s, for whatever reason, were at that gig, not to see us. They were just hanging out. It was a weekday night and they were in that famous cage inside the Theatre Gallery where you could drink because they had all the underage shows. So if you were inside the area, you could drink if you weren’t. That was our first gig. We played around sporadically because, of course, we didn't have a following and we tried to build one up, make some friends.   I met Russell Hobbs and he and I hit it off, not surprisingly, and he gave me an opportunity to do some work at The Prophet Bar. It was like odd job work. And then eventually right before he went to Europe for his trip, he said, “you can take over the booking for it. ” And that was really intimidating because the great Jeff Liles had been the booking agent there. So I knew I was not going to be him, but I did work on local acts mostly during the weekdays and then obviously promoters and others would bring in what roadshow played at The Prophet. So that's kind of how I got started in the scene and then had an opportunity to produce the Change Your Life Festival, which was really, really fun. And then as the years went by, when The Affirmative stopped being active, a couple of years later we started another band, Code Four, which was an industrial rock band. And that's what we did for most of the time in Deep Ellum. And that's where we made all of our great friendships. Rob: Talk about the Change Your Life Festival. That's where I know you from, at the 500 Cafe and all the planning sessions. Tim: This goes back to my relationship with Russell. So when Russell went to Europe, he told me, ‘I want you to plan a festival. It's going to be called Change Your Life, get 30 or 40 bands bands on the lineup. We're going to put a bunch of money together with this festival so that bands are always going to have a place to play. ’ But he also said to make sure that we go get a permit for it.   Code 4 He told me about Officer Johnson, and what to watch out for because he was going to be skeptical about it and the kind of work I'd need to do. And he said, ‘oh, and by the way, if you could find a way to get some radio station involved, that'd make a really big difference to it actually working. And I said, “what is my budget? ”  And he goes, ‘just make it happen. ’And then he split and went to Europe and I started to do a bunch of meetings and we got the festival planning process going. There was a surprisingly large  community of people who cared about having a festival in Deep Ellum to showcase it. And then the first breakthrough happened when Officer Johnson gave  us a permit to shut down Commerce street for the festival, and that made a big difference at its scale.    But the big break came via Pete Tarantino, he was Redbeard’s assistant at Q102, and I met him through a friend of a friend. He got very excited about Change Your Live as well as some of the bands that were going to play there like Shallow Reign, which were really buzzing at the time. He convinced Redbeard to not only start promoting the Change of Life Festival, to play a few local artists as a lead up to it. And when Redbeard got involved, it became a much bigger event, drawing thousands of people each day.   It was a special weekend in Deep Ellum, that’s for sure. And then we did a second one the next year, but it was on Lower Greenville, if you remember. Rob: Yes, I remember that. I remember you giving these talks in the 500 Cafe and it was a very positive experience. You were letting everybody know they were volunteers, and that this was a collective kind of thing. There was a really good vibe. And this kind of segues into some of your books. With Love is the Killer App and your other books, you're the same guy that was giving that talk to people there. Your books still share some of the same sentiments. You were pulling people together, you were motivating, you were doing it from a position of ‘let's do this right and feel good about it. ’ Can you talk about that a little bit? Tim: Absolutely. And when I met you on Change Your Life II, we were making sure that everyone knew that they were going to be an equal partner. They were going to get paid. This is what bands wanted this time around, so we had a completely different model. And when I finally had the opportunity of a lifetime in 1997 when I went to work for Mark Cuban startup AudioNet, which became Broadcast. com, I was able to actually put this into practice at a much larger scale to go out to talk to people about really big investments in our services as well as webcasting really big events. I produced the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1998. And along the way I realized that professionally generosity was a breakthrough way to build a business or a career, for that matter. So I brought that ethos of every time you do business with somebody, make 'em smarter, share your network with them, but most importantly, be compassionate and be accountable for what it means to them as a human being. That really was how I was operating as a person, and that's what Love Is The Killer App was about. And once you write that book, you're kind of committed to that persona. So I've tried to expand upon that in the 20 years since then. Rob: That type of apporach was different from other things going on in the music business at the time. In many ways, it was still exploitative. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=KTfOMAosMso&t=1s Tim: The music industry as I know it was exactly opposite of Love Is the Killer App. And in the years after I went to work for Mark and then Yahoo! and all the other stuff, I've seen even uglier people in business than record people. But I wanted to change all that and that's when I had the opportunity to write Love Is The Killer App, which is its own story. When literary agent Jan Miller discovered via in Dallas after a speaking engagement, she decided to sign and develop me because she thought there would be a big book in my perspective. She’d also developed Dr. Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins and Dr. Phil, so I believed she knew what she was doing. Rob: You mentioned earlier that when you got to Yahoo! that they noticed you were coming from a different place. Can you talk about how they elevated it within the company, and how that philosphy impacted Silicon Valley. Tim: Right after Yahoo acquired Broadcast. com, my manager Stan Woodward told Jerry Yang and Anil Singh, ‘you should get to know Tim because he's very successful with our most difficult clients. They ‘love him’ - and there's something there for your sales team or for something that might be valuable. One of their executives came to one of our meetings where I spoke to the entire sales team about something we were working on, and he was like, ‘oh my gosh, we need to bring Tim out to California to speak at one of our meetings. ’ So literally a month after they bought Broadcast. com, I went to Silicon Valley, gave a talk at a big sales conference for like 600 of them, and the game changed. So I started to develop this little training program, which was the basis of Love Is The Killer App. That actual training program was those three steps. Share your knowledge, share your network, share your compassion. And I think the other thing I’d put on my metaphorical gravestone is that I wrote Love Is The Killer App.   It's been translated into 13 languages and I’ve traveled the world to lecture about its concepts.   Rob: I've often said that my music experience was like being in a shark tank and it over-prepared me for some of the business situations I would get into. Tim: I always loved hiring musicians as a result. Again, people who were in original music, which is hard, because the thing about cover music is you solve a specific business problem and there’s native demand for your service. Original music, you're not solving anybody's needs. You're imposing on people and their properties so you can play. You've really got to build something from that. So when I find people, they're like, I was in original music, we traveled around in a van on the weekends, we released two records on our own. I'm like, when can you start? And they go, well, I don't have a lot of experience. I tell them, you have the instincts. I can teach you the technical stuff related to this job. What I can't teach you is how to get kicked in the gut three times and show up again on Monday. And you've obviously learned that if you traveled around on a van on the weekends to get gigs and sell your tapes in the back of the room. Rob: So I want to come back to the originality aspect of that a little bit later, but can you talk about how you've gotten into AI now? What you're doing with AI and specifically what you think about the big picture is right now for music and AI? Tim: When I left Yahoo to write books after just a short period of time, I really wanted to get back into business. So I started consulting with companies around digital technology and I started out with an interest in digital advertising. That was my background with Yahoo. But then after cloud computing got started in 2006, I immediately realized, “Oh, the cloud thing's going to change the economics of IT. ”  And then Software-as-a-service was close behind that, which I got behind right away.   I began to consult with companies about how to leverage that. And then around 2010, I first started getting interested in machine learning, inspired by Google’s leverage of it in search and Amazon’s use of it for suggestions.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W3kFrl2wof8 Now today, machine learning has become the Nickelback of AI.   It's kind of a private pleasure if you still think it works. Everybody wants to talk about generative AI or agents. But what captured my imagination in 2017 was that Google researchers released a paper called Attention is All You Need. It introduced the transformer, which solved a big problem in natural language processing and made breakthrough products like OpenAI ChatGPT possible five years later. But for me, that paper opened my mind to the idea that much like you’d see on Star Trek, the interface to data would be natural language and everybody would learn how to leverage it. Mind blown! This breakthrough, generative AI, would help AI take a great leap forward.   Machine learning makes simple predictions such as ‘turn right, that's a dog, not a cat or that’s a fraudulent charge. ’ Generative AI creates content, code and delivers narrative insights!   I started to follow Open AI , back in 2022, and have been focused on AI innovations intensely ever since.   This is the focus in my current job.   I've recently joined G2, I'm leading Research Insights for them. They're the world's largest software review platform. I've gotten to know a lot of academics over the last few years, and they are enriching my perspectives on AI and helping me think more like an economist than just a technologist or entrepreneur.   Last year I went to Harvard Business School to meet with Karim Lakhani, the author of Competing in the Age of AI.   I gave him my point of view about where I think it's going, and he said, “I'd like you to talk to our faculty about this, because it's a different way of thinking. ”  Several months later he led an effort to get me an appointment to serve as an Executive Fellow at the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard. My goal with G2 as well as Harvard’s research institute is simple: Democratize AI for business people of all types. Help them leverage its potential to improve their businesses and create opportunities for others.    If anybody's just getting started in artificial intelligence, go read the book Prediction Machines, and you'll really understand the basis of it. The authors say, artificial intelligence is a prediction machine. It takes information that you have and produces information that you don't have. Up until recently, the predictions were very simple. They were binary. They were a series of zeros and ones you'd say, is this spot on this X-ray cancer? It says, no. Is this credit card charge fraudulent?   It says yes. So the predictions were very simple because the information that we had was very simple. But what happened with Open AI is they went out and scraped the Internet and then built a model trained on it, powered by the most powerful computers you and I have ever put our hands on. And people could now write instead of a search query like a keyword, they could write entire prompts as if giving an intern instructions. And you didn’t get simple predictions: You got solutions.   Well, that just changed everything. So now these prediction machines aren't just saying zeros and ones anymore. These prediction machines are saying, ‘this is a book, this is a picture, this is a song, this is a video, this is a financial report’. So the predictions can now be longer and deeper, but they are still predictions.   And I think that's what's important.  The other thing that makes AI transformative  is that for the first time ever, we've decoupled prediction from judgment. In the past, both of those things happened at the same time in the mind of an expert, based on their educational background or years of experience. All of which took time and money.   Now think about that as a musician. An A&R person predicted whether a band was going to be successful, and then they passed judgment as to whether an advance at $100,000 would ever make their money back. So they were an expert. They had prediction and judgment in one human persona, and they were expensive. And if they were like Guy Oseary at Maverick and they got a couple of hits, they put a zero at the end of their salary, but the problem is that they became obsolete before they even knew it, or worse, aren’t loyal to their employer when another opportunity comes alongNow AI makes the prediction, but the human passes judgment. And what's interesting, and they write about this in Prediction Machines, when the cost of prediction goes down, the value of human judgment goes up.   With AI, we are entering the Rick Rubin economy. You don’t need to know how to run a mixing board, tune EQs or master a record. But if you know what good sounds like and whether the song “will work,” you can produce Grammy winning albums.     Here’s an example of that economy where AI can create what I call The Uber Effect. If you want to become a London cab driver, first you have to go to school called The Knowledge, which can take up to four years to graduate. This is to learn all the turns, all the routes, everything on the grid, and how traffic patterns change during different times of the week. This way, London Cab provides a delightful service where the driver doesn’t get lost or have to pull over and consult a map.   That's a prediction problem. To be a cab driver, you needed street expertise, so you could predict the best way to get your customer from point A to point B.   But, that experience or training requirement was a bottleneck to having enough drivers. Even if you found the capital for more cabs, only the market could deliver you enough experts to man your fleet. And as a result, there's been a growing wait time during rush hours. London Cab thought they had a logistics problem: Get more cars and drivers. But they didn’t. It was a prediction problem: Create Waze launched, which created an AI driven turn-by-turn map system on your phone, and now you don't have to go to school for four years to learn the knowledge. Now, all you need to be a professional driver is access to a decent car, a driver’s licence and good judgment not to have your radio on to the wrong station if the customer wants you to be quiet, not to tailgate the driver in front of you, not to honk too much to be polite. So instead of there being only 40,000 drivers for all of the UK like they had before Waze, there are a quarter million ride sharing drivers in London alone, and everyone can get around better as a result.   When I think about AI being the end of the reign of experts, democratizing opportunities for those with good judgement, doesn't that feel like punk, where you could have played guitar for a few years, wrote some amazing songs from your heart and had a platinum record?   Punk didn’t replace highly trained musicians. It created an opportunity for people with good taste and instinct to find an audience who would solve their distribution problems with passionate word of mouth. So naturally, I don’t see AI replacing recording artists with good judgement and a point of view that springs from their human experiences. I see AI as being a part of their workflow so they can reach their goals more directly.   Rob: You definitely led into the next question, ‘does this democratize a lot of different types of music creation’? Tim: I do think it can take a person who may not have had the background in EQ and compression and help them fix a song that's got a terribly rumbling bottom end that's getting in the way of everything and a vocal that just doesn't cut through. And in the past, you might've had to be able to afford  an expert who spent years and years and years in the studio to solve that for you. There are now artificial intelligence solutions for that like Izotope or even in DAWs such as Ableton and Logic. They allow you to focus on writing and playing your music instead of tweaking or fixing it.   It doesn't write or perform the songs for you, it enables you to bring your music to the world faster and in better technical shape. Even if you don’t have the cash to hire experts along the way.  I've never written a song using AI. I've never asked AI to write a chorus for a chorus. I have asked ChatGPT to bring down chord progression patterns for artists I’m studying, such as Portishead or more recently the XX. It helps open my mind as to their true writing style and acts as a teacher of sorts.    Here’s what you need to know: AI produces consistent results, but it will never produce remarkable results on a creative basis. This is especially true with generative AI, which is programmed to find an average solution to your prompt. So you can produce an image  mid-journey that looks like what you’ve described in general and might even have great detail and vibrant colors,  but you're never going to produce a highly creative image like a professional human designer can make for you based on consultation and iterations. . So AI can help you do quick generic results, but it can't help you produce results that will live after you do. I’m not blown away by apps like SunoAI or Stable that can make a song in response to a text prompt. Those songs are just awful. They are literal, generic and banal.   So will that disrupt the jingle business? Maybe.   Will they create the next Nirvana? Not on your life. But do we think the radio's going to be flooded with AI generated hits, either created by people with text prompts or by machines? Nope. It won’t resonate enough to achieve that spread effect great songs do.   In fact, I think we're going to even value more music that sounds and feels human and real,  just like we value vinyl because it sounds warmer and more authentic to our ears. Rob: With the majority of people I speak with about AI, there's an overwhelming sense of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I get it at a level of fear, however, but AI and generative AI is not new, right? Tim: AI has been around for 50 years. It's had a bunch of ups and downs, but this breakthrough around this paper, Attention Is All You Need  was a game changer. It enabled us to talk to data with natural language. Because what makes generative AI different from everything else is that instead of being 10% faster at something, it is capable of being 10 x more efficient. So what we're talking about is exponential.   So that's why I think we're threatened by it. We've never seen a technology that grew this fast. We've never been able to put something in a search box and have it write a damn book right before our eyes. That's terrifying. But it doesn't have to be right?   Because I've now had conversations with a lot of artists and producers to really understand how a working musician says it's making my life better. And there’s value for us if we make ourselves available to it. Rob: In a scenario where AI is taking formulaic music and recreating it, is it possible to push people to be more original in their work? Will originality be more rewarded? Tim: AI has not really changed the landscape for an original music artist today. You're not competing with AI for record deals. You're not competing with AI for record sales. Where I see it as a replacement currently is for jingles or for soundtrack work, or advertisements. One of the things I'm beginning to read a lot about is the idea that human beings can detect AI. So the performance rate of these AI generated articles is actually lower than a human written one  because of the minor signals that AI conveys that screams “the generic answer. ” And so I believe what we'll see is a lot of content generated that just doesn't work as well as when the humans generated it. I'm even seeing it in the business world where marketers declare, ‘we are going to start using generative AI to write articles and create our illustrations because it’s efficient. ’ And then they pull back a few months later because all their metrics fell off.   They are learning that while AI can accelerate processes, it’s not a creative solution. For now, for the original musician, AI is  not a threat to them.   There’s a saying these days that ‘AI isn’t going to take your job, but a talented person using AI will. So it's not that AI is going to take your music. It's that another musician who’s learned how to use AI to generate great targeting lists, to grow their Instagram to 20,000 followers in six months that are engaged with them so that they're putting 500 people in a room and you're only getting a hundred in a room because you're passing out flyers. That's where we are really going to feel the impact of AI, not at our art level, but at all the other stuff we have to do as a band to succeed. Think of AI as helping you offload the no-joy part of being a musician, so you can focus on making and playing great music and earning a living from it.   Rob: Where there are formulas in music, let's say Nashville songwriting formulas, perhaps certain chord progressions, or it's been said the most popular chord progression, 1, 5, 6, 4, it transfers over genres. Does that get crushed a little bit? We can get AI to start our 1, 5, 6 4 progression in 10 different ways, and as we start to go do our thing on it and put our stamp on it, we maybe make that the clay. We're going to build a sculpture from there. Tim: That's it. Now, you've made a good analogy there. So can AI give you the mother for a sauce, right? The starter for an idea.   Can it give you the beginning that you tend to add on? What the early research is suggesting is that the original musicians playing genres like EDM may see valuable outputs from AI because trends drive formulas which drive an artist’s success in that situation. But with  genres that reward originality, like alternative music indie rock, jazz and hip hop, it’s a different situation altogether.   Those genres, it's like putting lipstick on a pig. So you start with some shitty generic mother in your sauce, guess what your sauce tastes like? It tastes like Nickelback, right? Why do we hate Nickelback? Because Nickelback originated on nothing new. The singer was very good, so they got a lot of fans in Canada. That's why Drake got popular. Same thing. Not that he sang well, but he did just generic stuff and built it up. Yeah, I’m team Kendrick 100%. He’s an original article.   I wouldn't want to be Nickelback as my legacy. And if your music doesn't start through serendipity, they kind of hear it in the end result. Now, I've actually seen research on this where in the genre of jazz, an AI prompt engineer might say, “We're going to feed you a bunch of Coltrane and you're going to write a song that style of Coltrane. ” And then they test those AI outputs on real jazz listeners four out of five immediately say, ‘I hate that one. I don't know why. ’  That's called the Turing test, where we detect that we are interacting machine and the result just doesn’t feel right. AI music has not passed that test, and for that matter, neither has AI video. So I don't think the application today is to use AI to begin the creative process. I think where AI becomes important is to help finish the creative process. And this is what I'm starting to research now.   Can AI help us do things in music that used to be cost or time prohibitive? And I'll give you two classic examples. So I was at an AI conference where they interviewed Derek Ali, famous for producing Kendrick Lamar. He's Dr. Dre's protege out in Los Angeles. And they asked him, ‘How do you use AI? ’ And he said that it's very limited for him, even though he’s learned how to use all the different tools to stay ahead of the game.   He revealed that there's a real premium on authenticity in the world of hip hop, so he’d never try to commercially release a beat he just made with AI.   So, he went on to explain that where AI is valuable to him is if one of his artists, like BAS, is out on the road and Sirius XM needs a clean version of one of his songs and they need it tomorrow, he can make it with one of these AI apps that can take Bas’s vocal and replicate a line without a swear word in it that sounds just like Bas.    I recently interviewed a producer who found another way to use AI:  ‘Sometimes you might want to have something like a group of kids singing the chorus with you, example: Jay-Z and Hard Knock Life. ’That's a very expensive sample element to record. It's also logistically a nightmare. You’ve got to get releases, you have to organize it. And then of course, direct the kids to your desired results. It is just hard, hard to do a thing like that, right? So that's very different, now with AI.   In that case, AI's not creating the song, it's enabling you to provide the texture you are looking for to complete the sound.   I recently tried this approach myself  where I took a snippet of recorded spoken word I’d gathered, and then prompted the AI to train on his voice, then create an extra line to the bit that came to me after our recording session.   It passed the Turing test for me and now I’ll go back to that person who recorded the original sample and get a release to use his voice to create this  synthetic line. In this use case, artificial intelligence helps you deliver creative ideas as a musician quicker. So do six kids created by AI sound like six kids organized through a local choir?   No, not exactly. But, if I never could have afforded that to begin with, and if it's material to the song to have that good thing, then it’s adding value to my work.   All that being said, I still think for musicians, using AI for promoting their work is the best use case that balances tech savvy with authenticity.   Rob: Yeah. There's so many branches we could go from here. Let's talk about digital rights, because you get into some of that with samples and things like that. The one thing that strikes me as a lot of artists are saying, ‘Hey, some of my works are being used to train AI.   Could be a chord progression, could be my style, my vocal style, and I want to protect my digital rights in this area’ where, frankly, there's no precedent to my knowledge. Tim: This is a very good topic. The first time I heard this whole topic about protecting ourselves from becoming dog food for AI machines was a podcast interview from a modular synthetic podcast called Why We Bleep.   In late 2000, electronic artist BT was on the pod and when asked about this he said, ‘what I'm worried about with artificial intelligence is how it might use our work to feed their training sets. ’ And then the host was like, ‘what do you mean? ’ And he goes, “Listen, as an artist, you are the sum total of every creative decision you make in the process of music. ” So from what chords you choose, to how you chose to hit the strings, to how you set the guitar levels, to how high the gain was when you recorded it, to all the mixing decisions you made, to everything down to the mastering, the whole chain of work is all a bunch of decisions you or you and your team made. That’s known in AI as a training set that can instruct a machine how to be you. Great songs don’t fall out of the sky, they come from your unique process of production.   As Ed Catmull, president of Pixar Entertainment famously says, ‘Toy Story wasn't a breakthrough idea. It was a thousand problems solved. ’ So a hit record is a thousand problems solved. So what BT is saying is what AI steals are our decisions, and they put 'em into a training set. And so when they're training AI, what they're really training to do is to think like Rob, to think like Rick. Think like Michael Jackson. Rob: It's not just about the creative work, this is about the process. Tim: The whole process. So it's not so much that they're stealing your work, it's worse than that. Your work is an output. That's not your essence, okay? They're stealing you because you are the sum total of every decision you make in the process of making music. In other words, AI is studying the logic behind music in order to write music on demand. And that's what people need protection from. So the second part of the answer here, how do you protect yourself from such a thing?   Well, you can cross your fingers that copyright will extend to training set someday, but I don't know, because it looks like the big companies are going to write checks to the Reddits of the world, but they're not going to ever write a check to Tim Sanders. So if there was ever a time where the value proposition of being signed by a label was never higher, it's now, right?   Because the one thing I do know is the labels are already thinking about suing AI companies for stealing training sets for their artists. And mark my words, a year or two at the most from now, you will be reading about Open AI or Anthropic writing checks to Universal to eliminate any liability and have more access to those training sets. So there's going to be a business model. Will it end up being a ‘pennies for your life’ model like Spotify? I don't know. Or will it turn out more like a sync license model where an artist can make $90,000 with a placement?   I don't know. But I think if there's ever been a time to have a publisher for your content, it’s now. Fortunately, there are so many flavors of record labels to choose from, depending on what resources you really need from them. So as individual musicians, I don't know how we protect our training set from getting out. But let me give you one idea here from a book I helped publish, titled Finding the Next Steve Jobs by Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari. He was famously Steve Jobs’ first boss.   So anyway, after Steve left Atari to co-found Apple, he stayed in contact with him over the years.   And then right when Steve finally made his way back to Apple after being fired, went to France when Nolan Bushnell was having a launch party for Chuck E. Cheese, his second startup. The day after the party, Nolan and Steve are taking a walk along the Left Bank. And so Steve Jobs says to Nolan, ‘every time I have a good idea, somebody steals it. What the hell should I do about it? ’  Do you know what Nolan's answer was?   ‘Be prolific. ’And that is the answer to dealing with piracy of all types: Be ‘prolific. ’ People will always steal your good ideas, but they can't produce your next great one.   So I've lived that my whole life. That's why I've written five books. I'm trying to write a body of work, be prolific. The one thing we can all do, is to continue to create content and put your twist on every new thing you do because the AI can't keep up with you in that regard. Rob: Getting back to the training set thing, I think you touched on something that has perhaps never been achievable by humans before. You're talking about literally somebody's process. Let's just take an individual independent musician, and realistically, they might be playing music only five to 10% of the time, the other 90% or these other things about managing their business, about the recording process, about practicing, maintenance, upkeep, logistics, on and on. And there is inherently a process within that that enables the music to happen, which I think is what you're speaking of. Are there any other comparable examples for an average person to have their training set copped in this way?   Certainly not at this scale, but are there any other comparable ways where people have gotten these? We know, okay, there might be somebody that takes the time to turn their process and productize it in a way, make it to where it's digestible and repeatable and that kind of thing. But what you're talking about here is literally through AI, not just the content, the process itself in a way that another artist, let's just say, and maybe this could be a good thing, right? Tim: So let's talk about that. So what you're talking about here is a concept called digital twins. So digital twins is where you can make a digital version of you (or a machine, a city, a system, etc. ). One example of digital twins is where you can construct a virtual copy of a city’s traffic system. I was just talking to a guy who's working with us, he's applying this concept in a project he’s designing for a city in Florida.   With this city’s digital twin, as he redesigns traffic light systems to improve mobility and efficiency, he could run simulations a thousand times before he ever launches it into the wild. This will alert him to risks of collision and pressure test his models and math before he ever puts a citizen through the new process.   And through the feedback you’ll get from the digital twin experience, your system design will improve. In this case, the twin becomes a digital mentor. So there could be a way for your decision making process, say around something simple like songwriting, blues, and you're going to mentor somebody who wants to be a blues musician, but he needs to start from zero from songwriting. So your essence of songwriting could be captured by artificial intelligence on demand, and there could be some sort of way for you to provide that to your mentee, much like when you mentor somebody and you sit down with the guitar and show 'em your magic. You could do it for money or for love - but it would be an interesting way to scale all of our goodness in the community.   So I think that's a very positive use case, but let's talk a little bit about the average person’s risk for their personal training sets to be taken. So here's the good news. When you look at the artist’s work and ensuing training sets that are being procured (ahem, crawled) by like ChatGPT or Eleven Labs, those people have substantial bodies of work and commercial success that's drawing the attention of the AI. It doesn’t have the space to listen to everything, it’s looking for a consensus of the right answer to feed their prediction models. It’s training on hits and widely talked about content. Same for books, by the way. Even though Love is the Killer App is best seller with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, I seriously doubt my training set for leading-with-love has been applied by any of the frontier models in their outputs. I’m just not commercially big enough to be interesting to their general needs.   So for most of us underground musicians, AI will never find us or it won't find us enough times to decide the pattern should be encoded. So when AI trains on data, it's really trading on these patterns of tokens. And if it sees it over and over again, and then it begins to see it linked to over and over again, it says, that's significant.   So kind of the good news there is that the very nature of AI commercially is that it won't be mining the underground as much as it's going to be mining it to find the guerrilla marketing and save-money-on-studios-or software hacks to get their music out. Rob: When I hear some of the artists talk about being ripped off for training sets, I can't help but think about this because ‘stealing’ has historically been most prevalent in music. Every musician will tell you, ‘well, I copped that lick from so-and-so,’ and Miles Davis said he stole this lick from Bird, and Prince said, ‘I stole this lick from Jimi Hendrix. ’ Do you think there's a conundrum there for some of these artists? At what point can somebody claim originality to the point that they're able to essentially claim intellectual property rights without overstepping on somebody else's work? Tim: Yeah, that's a really good question. So the answer I would give you is that I believe the reason we're so sensitive now to Big Tech stealing from us is because they're so darn wealthy. I mean, you look around, it's like Nvidia is worth $3 trillion plus at this point. They're worth more than all but five countries right now based on AI. It's unfathomable, right? And so when you see that much wealth being created and you know that to some extent the world's been scrapped for it, you feel like you should be getting paid a part of those gains. So I just want to say that for artists, I'm sympathetic to this because you see all this incredible wealth while the artist is just trying to buy another pack of strings. To think that their SoundClouds have potentially been scrapped by OpenAI is deeply upsetting and you can't blame them. Now, does that mean they haven't been stolen from in the past? Of course it’s happened, but many would say it’s all relative or that it’s actually an homage to greatness. As an old saying goes: Great artists steal.  But those people weren't making trillions of dollars. Okay? So with what's changed, it's almost what we talked about earlier, what makes this different is the exponential nature of this, okay? Yeah. We're not just creating a little wealth. We're creating billionaires, thousands of billionaires. We're going to create, and I'm not joking, a million millionaires in the next decade with AI. I'm telling you, as a starving artist, that should piss you off, right? So I'm sympathetic to it, but at the same time, it's also easy for us now that we know that to disconnect a little from that energy and say, ‘okay, what can it do for me? ’  I'm going to set fear and loathing aside and focus on what it can do for me. And I think that's what I tell people all the time. Look to leverage tech innovations like AI to accelerate your ability to build a mailing list to improve your draw or sell more records.    You could also use AI to build a target list of record companies, A&R people, musician-influencers and so on. This would help you operate more strategically to reach your commercial goals. And I'll give you an example of something I just did this week. I needed to build  a list of AI thought leaders for a project I was working on, and I needed a list of at least 50, but it needed to be a list where it was like, who's the thought leader? Who are they with company or school? Give me one sentence to describe what their AI point of view is, and then what's their social identity and what's their email address? And if you rank them on one, two, and three, like tier one, two, tier three, where they fit. So I can prioritize outreach and give me one little factoid about them that would prove that I've done my research.   That's a really hard list to build if you think about it. I built that on Chat GPT in less than an hour.   Imagine a musician saying, ‘well, why couldn't I use that to create a list of potential clubs in the south that had booked bands with a similar style, following as mine. ’  You could train it on your website, YouTube, etc.   That's one place where I could focus my energy as a musician trying to book regional gigs, for example.  And none of those are shortcuts, as an artist. Those are cut-throughs as an entrepreneur. So that's where I think we should direct our energy is in the part of our music business where the friction is the greatest and the money is the slightest. And I think that is where we can take free products like Chat GPT off the shelf or the new Claude and see how they can augment our work. You can do all these things. Just address the parts of your music project that need the most help, and you'll be shocked at how much of a difference it'll make. When you hear about artificial general intelligence, when will it be as smart as people? And the answer is, it's going to be a long time. So in 2024, I do not yet see where AI is going to help somebody write a better song per se.   But I do see AI helping someone take a mix that's a little muddy and make it so clear and simple that everybody can hear its true potential as a song.   One thing about AI is that it can make your work more discoverable. In the world we live in today, discoverability is the key to being successful. Can the person that you wrote this music for ever discover you? And it's hard because there's more artists and there's more releases than ever. So discoverability is the lifeblood of whether you accomplish your goals as a musician, commercially, and this is where artificial intelligence can help you go find your audience, find ways to package your original music that can be found by the audience. Right?   So I was showing someone recently how they could use artificial intelligence to write their book description for their Amazon listing so that the average Amazon searcher for a romance novel of this genre in the south is going to find your book. Then they used AI to optimize the copy of their website as well as their LinkedIn profile. The results of their sales went up 300% in the first week. They ended up going from selling something like a hundred units a week to something like 400 units a week because they became more discoverable and that led to a steady drip of new readers and buyers.   I think that's what it can do for the musician:  help us find out which clubs would like to play our music, which people would like to stream our music, which playlists could we try to get on, et cetera.   I think that right now is the clear and present opportunity for musicians, and then it'll get better from here.    There's a great book out now called CoIntelligence by Ethan Mollick, where he writes, ‘today’s AI is the worst AI you’ll ever work with. ’   Rob: Good point.   That is how a lot of people are judging it now, when they say it doesn't work. Tim: It's like when everyone said banner ads didn't work in 1998. They were wrong as they improved to become paid links on Google or Facebook ads. In 2024, digital advertising is eating print, TV and radio’s lunch and sucking all the money in. Rob: Last question.   We know that the other fears of AI are creating alternate realities, creating fake people, networks, content, all those things. Is there a point that this can enable us to lose touch with reality? Or what is real? I should say they're already doing it. AI is already being used as an excuse for what is possibly bad behavior. Is it going to question us all to know what is real? Tim: There's two ways to think about it: We're going to have a harder time knowing what's real in the future, but we're going to value it.   There will be movies that are made, starring synthetic people that have been created from stars of today.   But will people be standing in line to go see the movie where the real George Clooney was actually in the movie? You know it. Having a real human in our entertainment experience will command a premium.   And I think those of us who consider ourselves very human and very original are going to have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to stand out in this weird Blade Runner looking future that's in front of us. --- --- ### Buddy Magazine August 1975 Top three Texas groups -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-12-10 - Modified: 2024-11-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7508/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the August 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the Top three Texas groups including Asleep at the Wheel, Calico and the Lost Gonzo Band, Eddie Flowers, rock fanzines with circulations as low as 25, Stoney Burns and Ron McKeown capturing Dallas visit of Roger Daltry, Rusty Young interview, the best rock bands in the city, and much more. --- ### Rachel Stacy's “complicated” year is almost over - Published: 2024-12-06 - Modified: 2024-12-06 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rachel-stacys-complicated-year-is-almost-over/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Feature, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow “It’s been a rough year,” Rachel said – and a complicated one. Beginning on December 14, 2023, she underwent treatment for Fiddler’s Jowl – an occupational hazard for violin players. The cutaneous condition is usually characterized by redness, thickening, and inflammation on the left side of the neck below the angle of the jaw where the instrument is held. “I wasn’t clotting correctly afterward, and it was decided that it was a complication of having COVID,” Rachel explained. Next on the list was emergency gallbladder surgery, followed by complications from that. After canceling several shows, she was finally able to get back on the road and made her Sturgis Bike Rally gig on time. And then, as so many others have fallen victim to hackers, so did Rachel. Her Facebook page was out of control for some time. As if all that wasn’t scary enough, her doctor thought she might have ovarian cancer, and a series of tests were run. Although she did test negative, she is scheduled for a full hysterectomy on December 11 to remove the risk. This surgery will keep her out of work for 4-8 weeks. Rachel Stacy with Kate Stow of BUDDY MagazineNo sooner had Rachel believed she had dodged the “Big C Bullet” than doctors found Squamous cell cancer, also referred to as Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), on her left eyelid. It is not a typical area in which to find this type of life-threatening skin cancer, but doctors removed the cancer cells (Mohs Surgery).  Following her recovery, she was referred to an Oculoplastic surgeon for reconstruction of the eyelid. This was an intense surgery due to the location of the cancer, and insurance will not pay for it. Rachel's friend designed a "pretty eye patch" during recovery Reonsruction of the eyelid was successful! Despite spending a large amount of time under medical care, she still managed to present the Roots Group of the Year Award at the Texas Country Music Awards. “This has been a great but challenging year,” Rachel exclaimed. “But 2025 is going to be even better! ” Thanks to producer Robbie Turner, best known as Waylon Jennings's right-hand man, Rachel has just enough time to heal up before her “better” year begins. “Oh my gosh,” she said. “I’ve been traveling back and forth from Texas to Nashville all year, between all this other stuff. ” While some of the great things she’s been working on will remain secret for a while, she’s already shouting from the rooftop about one of them. Prompted by her song “I See Beautiful,” the board of Soul Tea decided that a partnership with Rachel would be the perfect collaboration. Soul Tea is a company that sells certified free trade quality teas from around the world and offers second-chance employment to people who have suffered a significant life setback. Rachel makes no secret that she is in her 13th year of sobriety and is very proud of this new partnership.  Listen here: https://youtu. be/QJ6q5K2lKzQ? si=9FCrQHYyvHL5VHCd “At Soul Tea, we believe in steeping love, hope, and opportunity into everything we do, which is why partnering with musician Rachel Stacy to support her song ‘Beautiful’ is a natural fit. Rachel’s song resonates deeply with our mission to remind individuals of their worth and value, particularly those facing opportunity challenges,” said Samantha “Harley” Renz, Chief Love Officer at Soul Tea. “Together, we are amplifying a message of empowerment and self-love, encouraging everyone to embrace their unique beauty and potential. ” To help Rachel get back on her feet, a Fundraising concert will be held on Sunday, December 8th, at The Cottage from Noon to 8 PM. Performers will include Texas Flood, Guthrie Kennard, Jimmy Wallace, Creed Fisher, and many more. An auction and 50/50 Raffle will also be available. “We are so excited to support Rachel,” said Jimmy Wallace. “It’s always so hard for any musician who faces a health challenge on this level. ” “I’m grateful for all the people around me. I have amazing humans in my life - fans and people who have supported my music,” Rachel concluded. “2025 will be great! ” According to Rachel, she has had to cancel approximately $20,000 in bookings during the crisis. She also has medical bills that were not covered by insurance. To help, you can donate money at https://www. givesendgo. com/rachelstacy or give directly to Rachel on VENMO: @therachelstacy. --- ### Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore discuss TexiCali, Ash Lounge, Americana Lifetime Achievement Award - Published: 2024-12-05 - Modified: 2024-12-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/dave-alvin-jimmie-dale-gilmore-texicali-americana-lifetime-achievement-award/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By Ian Saint The governors of Texas and California are notorious for often pitting the Golden and Lone Star States against each other; but two longtime Americana music stalwarts from each state delight in cross-pollinating their cultures. Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore met critical acclaim when they released 2018’s collaborative album Downey to Lubbock, the title paying homage to their respective SoCal and West Texas upbringings — which, for Gilmore, included attending a Buddy Holly concert. They’ve expanded that partnership with TexiCali, released June 21, which provoked the Texas Monthly to proclaim them “a modern-day Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson” — referencing the Californian and Texan, respectively, who left Nashville and ignited greater success in the Outlaw Country movement. The Texicali project, and subsequent Kessler performance with Alvin, spurred Gilmore’s Buddy Magazine July cover story: https://buddymagazine. com/cover-story/interview-with-jimmie-dale-gilmore/ In September, Gilmore presented Alvin with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter at the Americana Honors & Awards, staged at Nashville’s “Mother Church” Ryman Auditorium. Fellow Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dwight Yoakam (recognized for Performance) cited Alvin’s honor as the reason he attended the ceremony — Alvin’s band The Blasters was important to Yoakam’s launch in cowpunk’s heyday, and Yoakam’s cover of Alvin’s “Long White Cadillac” was a Top 40 hit on Billboard’s 1989 Country chart. Alvin and Gilmore spoke to Buddy’s Ian Saint on the Ryman’s Red Carpet ceremony, prior to the award show. A transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, is below. IAN SAINT: Congratulations, Dave Alvin, for your Lifetime Achievement Award; and to Jimmie Dale Gilmore for bestowing the Americana Music Association’s honor to Dave. What does “Americana” mean to you? DAVE ALVIN: Americana, at its best, is for oddballs like Jimmie Dale Gilmore and me. We have so many influences: country, folk, blues, rock ‘n roll, rhythm & blues, jazz, whatever. For mainstream music in Nashville — pop music that comes out of this town — they all want you to fit certain molds, and for whatever reason, good or bad, we don't fit those molds. So it's nice to be recognized for that; for “un-molding. ”IAN SAINT: I love the title of your new album together, TexiCali, during these divisive times. In Texas, we often hear the phrase “Don’t California my Texas,” but your record is a testament to how there might be more commonalities than one could surmise — and, of course, they’re both enormous and varied states. DAVE ALVIN: Oh, yeah; they’re big, complicated states. But the first time I was ever in Texas, I felt right at home. There were other states where maybe I didn’t feel so much at home; but in Texas, “oh, okay, this is good. I can take this. ”JIMMIE DALE GILMORE: The same for me with California. When I first went out to California, it wasn't foreign. I think I expected it to be, but it wasn't. DAVE ALVIN: Jimmie Dale's got a great story about he got to see — and know — Lightnin’ Hopkins in California, but never saw him in Texas. JIMMIE DALE GILMORE: Yeah. Strangely, I never saw him in Houston . I never saw him in Austin, but we hung out with each other in Los Angeles. IAN SAINT: I recently spoke with Beau Bridges about Topanga Canyon, where he lives, and that whole scene back in the day. Do you have significant memories in that particular slice of California? Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin perform the latter’s song, “4th of July,” during the 23rd Annual Americana Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Americana Music Association) DAVE ALVIN: There’s a song on our new album, called “Blind Owl,” about Alan Wilson — the singer for Canned Heat. He died (at age 27 in 1970) sleeping outdoors in Topanga Canyon, so it was a pretty wild scene. There used to be a great club there, called the Topanga Corral, that was pretty wild and wooly in its day. There’s too many billionaires living in Topanga now. But it’s where Neil Young lived while he did “Heart of Young,” the album Harvest, and all that — so it’s still got that thing. JIMMIE DALE GILMORE: I was a fan of a lot of stuff that came out of there. But Dave and I were Ash Grove kids. We were there at the same time, not knowing it. So that's how we ended up with so much in common, that we didn't know about, because both the public and the media had kind of pigeonholed both of us in different ways — and I think maybe we did, ourselves, too. When we started doing some solo gigs together, we found there was more stuff in our background that we shared than differences. IAN SAINT: That’s an important takeaway in these times. I’m sure there have been many common roads taken between you, and I bet some of that is documented in Buddy Magazine’s archives. DAVE ALVIN: Oh, yeah. IAN SAINT: Unfortunately, we lost (longtime Buddy publisher) Ron McKeown a couple weeks ago... DAVE ALVIN: Really? Wow... IAN SAINT: Yes. So we’re mourning that; but he leaves behind quite a legacy, and it’s an honor to speak with y’all as we keep that legacy of his beloved publication going. Congratulations on your Lifetime Achievement Award. JIMMIE DALE GILMORE: And thank you (Buddy) for doing what you’ve done for so long. TexiCali by Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore, featuring The Guilty Ones, is out now on Yep Roc Records. Left to right: Jed Hilly, Americana Music Association’s American Executive Director; Dave Alvin, Lifetime Achievement Award winner for Songwriter; Sierra Ferrell, Artist Of The Year winner; Dwight Yoakam, Lifetime Achievement Award winner for Performance. (Photo by Terry Wright/Getty Images for Americana Music Association) --- --- ### PRESS RELEASE - Photojournalist Ron McKeown’s Obituary and Celebration of Life Event in Dallas, December 1, 2024 - Published: 2024-11-21 - Modified: 2024-11-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/ronald-houston-mckeown-obituary-celebration-of-life-event-dallas-december-1-2024/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News, Cover Story, In Memoriam, Photography, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article ------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---------------------- Photo journalist Ron McKeown’s Celebration of Life Event in Dallas on December 1, 2024, Obituary SUMMARY: North Texas music media veteran Ron McKeown passed away in early September, and his memorial will be held on December 1, 2024 at Poor David’s Pub in Dallas. A gallery exhibit of his work will be on display, and attendees can pick up a free special 16-page page print edition of Buddy Magazine (link to full issue below). The issue is focused on Ron and his life’s work as a professional photojournalist and publisher, covering the North Texas music and culture beat for over 50 years. There will also be musical performances by The Michael O’Neal Band, Tutu Jones, Jimmy Wallace, Rocky Athas, and Maylee Thomas-Fuller.   To media outlets – please contact us to discuss using selected historic Texas music images to accompany your coverage of this release. More info below. DALLAS, TX—A public memorial celebrating the life of photojournalist and longtime Buddy Magazine Publisher Ron McKeown will be held Sunday, December 1st, from 2:00 p. m. to 5:00 p. m. at Poor David’s Pub in Dallas. Several musical guests will perform. The event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover costs. Ron McKeown - Vietnam veteran and Bronze Star recipient, professional photojournalist, Buddy Magazine founding photographer, publisher, and publisher emeritus - passed away September 5, 2024, at his home in Sulphur Springs, Texas, due to natural causes. Born in Dallas on July 31, 1946, he was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Beddo McKeown, and parents, Arvil McKeown and Verna Houston McKeown. He is survived by cousins Gatha Murphy and Mike Owens and many friends. After basic training, Ron was assigned as a writer and photographer for military publications at Fort Bliss. By the spring of 1970, he was a soldier in the Vietnam combat zone, photographing and writing on the ground war. Ron received the Bronze Star medal for Meritorious Service in a Combat Zone. After Ron returned from Vietnam in 1971, he moved to Ardmore, Okla. , as an area feature writer with the Daily Ardmoreite. Later that year, he returned to Dallas to edit the Lone Star Gas Company publication ‘‘Blue Blaze. ’’ In February 1972, he left Dallas again to travel in Europe as a freelance writer and photographer. Five months later, he was back in Dallas as a photographer and lab assistant with Bill Winfrey Photography. He later started working for Belo Corp as chief editor of the intercompany periodical, Intercom, which also served employees at WFAA, The Dallas Morning News, The Garland Daily News, and other regional subsidiaries. Ron was a founding staff member of Buddy Magazine, established in 1973 by Stoney Burns. His photos appear on countless covers, and he documented the story of Texas music for five decades. In 1989, when Stoney was ready to step away as publisher, Ron took over the reins. He continued to publish every month until March 2020, when the pandemic began, effectively ending his tenure as publisher. In the past four years, Ron has served as Buddy's Publisher Emeritus. He has offered advice to his successor, his extensive collection of original photographs, and access to a very full contact list. A collection of his best works is on display at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, a testament to his photography skills. Ron’s work will continue to grace the pages and cover of Buddy Magazine. Many of his photographs will be on display at the memorial, alongside many back issues of Buddy. Artists performing at the memorial will be The Michael O’Neal Band, Rocky Athas, Jimmy Wallace,                                                                Maylee Thomas-Fuller, and Tutu Jones. More information can be found at www. facebook. com/events/1048523290105505/ and www. buddymagazine. com Download a PDF file of the full 16-page Ron McKeown memorial issue here: https://buddymagazine. com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Buddy_1224-Ron-McKeown-web. pdf For limited license and usage of Ron McKeown’s historic North Texas music images to accompany your coverage of the release, contact us and we’ll set you up with some great photos to go along with it. Direct all questions and comments to current Buddy Magazine Publisher Rob Garner, at 469-347-4090 or email editor@buddymagazine. com.   --- ### In Memoriam: Ron McKeown Obituary - Full Dec 2024 Issue Download - Published: 2024-11-18 - Modified: 2024-11-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/in-memoriam-ron-mckeown-obituary-full-dec-2024-issue-download/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Cover Story, In Memoriam, Photography - Entity Types: Article This has been our toughest issue to put together, ever, but here it is. Download or view the full 16-page print issue below. Printed copies will be available at Ron's Celebration of Life, on Sunday, December 1, 2024, 2 P. M. at Poor David's Pub on Lamar in downtown Dallas. Special music performances by Maylee Thomas-Fuller, Jimmy Wallace, Rocky Athas, The Michael O'Neal Band, and Tutu Jones. Facebook event link can be viewed here: https://www. facebook. com/events/1048523290105505 Rest in peace. You are now eternally FREE. Buddy_1224-Ron-McKeown-webDownload --- --- ### Lone Star Skynyrd Vocalist and Bandleader Steven Naylor Talks Tribute, and Promoting Musical Legacies - Published: 2024-11-14 - Modified: 2024-11-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/lone-star-skynyrd-steven-naylor-lynyrd-skynyrd-tribute/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Rob Garner Music got deep inside Steven Naylor’s soul at an early age, growing up in Garland in the 70's and 80's. His dad had first introduced him to what would become a lifelong passion for Lynyrd Skynyrd, and his older brother took him beyond the painted metal of KISS, leading him to a slew of other classic rock greats. Frequent trips to the Hit Records music store in North Garland to buy records, and picking up free KZEW stickers and copies of Buddy Magazine fueled his fire. After playing drums in different bands for many years, he decided in the late 2010’s to start a Skynyrd tribute. It wasn’t easy, but after a lot of diligence and hard work, the band hit its stride in 2021 with Skynyrd fans, as well as emerging as a top Skynyrd tribute nationwide. But one thing Naylor stressed is that the success is due to the strength of band members themselves. "Let's make it clear - the guys in the band are great musicians and none of this is possible without them," he said. Band members also include: Garry Moore- GuitarCraig Zerba-Guitar Mike Ceccarelli- GuitarFortune Phoenix-BassRoss Young- DrumsLarry Ashby- pianoGlenna Glover-backup vocals Susan Thomason- back up vocals.  In this extensive interview with Naylor, we cover some of his thoughts on the tribute band scene in North Texas, preserving musical legacies through tribute, band successes, and even discuss the some of the business of running a tribute band. Rob G: What made you want to start a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band? Steven Naylor: Well, I've always been a huge Skynyrd fan from shoot, ‘78, ‘77, something like that. My dad had the “Sweet Home, Alabama” 45. He always liked anything that you could pat your foot to, that was his deal. He really liked that song. So that would probably be my introduction. And then just seeing Skynyrd as a little kid who was obsessed with rock and roll. They looked like a rock band. Always loved them, loved the music, really good lyrics, just solid music. Ronnie wasn't known for being some awesome singer, but that's the kind of voice my voice fits. And so I knew I could do it justice. I hoped I could anyway. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=65JtG1jyoF8Sweet Home Alabama, performed by Lone Star Skynyrd I had tried it about four years earlier and had to put it on hold. About four years later, the time was right for me to get back in a band. I'd got a divorce and I was going to start a band to keep busy after work. I was just starting a regular band and I saw an ad, a guy was running it said, “need three bad guitars. ” And by “bad” I mean “good”. And I knew he's either going to be starting a Molly Hatchet tribute or a Skynyrd tribute, and I'd be down with either one. So I called him up and it was Skynyrd, and I was really glad. And he didn't have anybody yet. I was the first person to get in the band, so I told him what my background was and that I tried this before. We just started running ads and finding the people knew we wanted to have exactly, exactly, exactly. “Like the record” was the only way to do it. And so we just ran ads and tried people until we found people that could do that and that satisfied what we were looking for. Rob Garner: So you lead the band now, right? Steven Naylor: Yes. Me and Dave Anderson. He was the bass player, and me and him started up as partners and ran everything 50:50. He's in his seventies now, but he had fell and hurt his knee and it took him out. He told me, “I'm not going to be able to do this anymore. I can't travel like you need to, and I'm just going to step aside. ” And so I took it over 100% in 2021, October of 2021. Rob Garner: Well, since 2021, you've done a lot. It's not a small thing to start a tribute band, much less and even bigger band like this. How many members do you have in the band? Steven Naylor: We have nine total counting our backup singer. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZenRWExtP6s Rob Garner: And this is replicating the largest version of Lynyrd Skynyrd ensemble, right? With backup singers and everything? Steven Naylor: That's exactly right, yes. Rob Garner: Well, in that relatively short period of time, you have won a lot of awards and you've made a lot of big connections. You want to talk about some of those things? Steven Naylor: I do. We beat the street and made a name for ourselves, so I thought, ‘I want to take this on a bigger scale’. I knew there was an independent music award show out in Nashville called the Josie Music Awards, and it's for independent artists, and they had a tribute section. So I thought, ‘I'm going to see if we can get nominated. ’ I sent in all the stuff we needed, and sure enough, we got nominated. We got excited and “alright, we're going to Nashville for the award ceremonies at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville”.  And so we went down there and I'd be damned if we didn't win it. Best Tribute Band in America, Tribute Band of the Year, the official title. Rob Garner: And a lot of other bands competed against you. Steven Naylor: Yes, there were entrants, not just tributes and not just bands, but there were 52,000 entries, and I think there was like 98 winners total. So yeah, it was a big deal for us and we tried to capitalize on that, redid everything, totally redid the website. What I wanted to do was just have a total professional look. No matter where you saw us from now on, if we're going to have that title, we got to ‘walk the walk’. You would see the name of Lone Star Skynyrd. It had to be first rate looking. So did that and tried to take a step up on the tribute ladder and go more national, take bigger steps up in venues, pitch into better booking agents. We did that and pressed on, and slowly but surely people started looking, people that mattered. We've made really good friends here in Texas that have really close ties to Lynyrd Skynyrd, and one of them was Susan Hibbs, and she was a really good friend of mine and she is Johnny Van Zandt’s mother-in-law, and so she was able to put us in direct contact with Johnny and his family and Skynyrd. We got to go hang out with them several times. I'm friends with Johnny's wife and Johnny knows who I am, which is just a trip. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=P87tXoPoFNM Rob Garner: Have they given you any feedback on the band itself? Steven Naylor: He likes it. Got his seal of approval, took pictures in our shirt, let us use his picture on our website with a quote of him saying, “thank you, Lone Star Skynyrd for keeping the Lynyrd Skynyrd music alive”. So yeah, they're totally behind it. Rob Garner: And you’ve gotten some good opening gigs. You've opened for 38 special. Steven Naylor: We've got to open for Molly Hatchet and 38 Special. We had a gig with Charlie Daniels, and sadly he passed away before we could play the gig together. We've been with Georgia Satellites, we'll be with Georgia Thunderbolts at Sturgis this year in August. And we're also doing a Steve Gaines 75th anniversary birthday party in Miami, Oklahoma in his hometown. And we'll be headlining that. Gene Odom is going plane crash survivors. So it'll be a neat thing and it'll be in Steve's hometown. Some of his high school band guys are going to be there and play with the band, so it's going to be a neat deal. And we've been named the official tribute of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument in Guildford, Mississippi. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=zg21Rkew874How about a little . 38 Special. Rob Garner: And that involves a performance, right? Steven Naylor: Yes, yes. And that's a really big deal for us that some of the Skynyrd people that have to do with real Skynyrd would want to include us in something like that. It's good for both of us. We'll advertise for each other. Rob Garner: In a really short period of time, you've just rocketed to these are big shows, You're playing for, in some cases, thousands of people. Steven Naylor: Sure, the one we got to do with 38 special was in an 8,000 seat arena in Louisiana. Rob Garner: Do you think North Texas has a bigger and better tribute scene here than other areas? And if so, why? And also, who are some of your favorite other tribute bands in the area? Steven Naylor: I think Dallas has one of the biggest and best tribute scenes. From what I've seen, it's totally saturated. There's three and four of several bands, but everyone I've seen is pretty damn good, man. There's several here in Dallas that are top notch. And I like to think we're on the level of as those guys. But there's the ones that I really like around town. One is now no more. The singer had to quit for medical reasons, but with Sons of BOCEPHUS, a Hank Williams Jr. Tribute. Really good, really sounded like 'em. Seger System is one, of course, Bob Seger, excellent, excellent, excellent tribute man. They do it right, pay attention to everything and really good. And Back in Black, of course. Rob Garner: Oh yeah. Steven Naylor: Sound just like them. Rob Garner: They do. They're awesome. Yeah, it seems like a lot of great players we grew up with have really kind of transitioned from original bands into tribute. It's almost like tribute is like a cover band times 10, right? Steven Naylor: It's me personally, I totally have given up thinking about making it, and this is a way that you can have fun, play really good shows, and make some decent money too. And if you're trying to play music, really, what more can you ask for? And that's just me personally. I've given up all things of trying to make it, it was everybody's tried that. It's the hard road, but that's what attracts me to the tribute scene is it's a lot of fun. You can take your favorite band and play all the songs, and I just don't tire of Lynyrd Skynyrd music at all. So it's an easy gig for me. Rob Garner: Understood. Well, what do you think about the criticism of tribute? It's being said it's “copycat”. Steven Naylor: The stuff I think about that is, it's hard. I mean, I get it, because it's hard to sit back and work your ass off and have some music that's good and you can't get it heard. And here's this guy over here playing “Sweet Home Alabama”, and it's thousand people are coming. I totally get it, but I don't really know what to say about that other than we're just having fun playing music for the love of it. But I don't really understand the negative things. Other than it's coming from a place of, I don't want to say, jealousy, but in the kind of that you can't get your stuff heard, and here's this guy still playing the stuff we were playing in high school. You know what I mean? https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=cR1wk-B8Vbo Rob Garner: Yeah. I mean, it's kind of a testimony to the repetition of past times in radio when these bands were played over and over. Media has changed a lot, and it's very obviously as fragmented as it could possibly be right now. But back in the day, these bands, these songs, this sort of canon of songs have been drilled into different audiences of certain age groups, and that's what they want to hear. Steven Naylor: And that's it, man. That's what people want to hear. And it's easy for the venue owners too, because you have a built-in audience automatically. They know it sells, you know, it can draw. And it really just works for everybody. And the venue owner's got a lot to do with it because like I say, it's the sure bet. Rob Garner: Do you think a little bit of the criticism is unfair, because in other genres of music, it's okay and encouraged to perform another artist and composer’s work.   For example, in classical music, same for  performing jazz musicians. Why would this be any different? Steven Naylor: Exactly. And I mean, that's a really good point. And that's exactly it. That's been going on for hundreds of years and gets no flack at all, as a matter of fact, lots of praise. It really is the same thing, because in a hundred years, if somebody's not doing that, Van Halen's going to be dead. Nobody's going to play it. So somebody has to keep it going. And like Johnny Van Zant said, “thank you for keeping our music going”. It just does them good in the long run. People go see us, they go buy a Lynyrd Skynyrd record if they're going to buy something. You know what I mean? Rob Garner: Yeah. I mean you guys are also contributing to legacy of these artists. And it sounds like in the case of the Van Zants, they recognize that with you, right? Steven Naylor: Right? Yeah, correct. But yes, the criticism, I mean, it's hard because a lot people, a lot of people, it's kind of a 50-50 deal. A lot of people are down with the plan and some of 'em can't stand it. And some of 'em are pretty hardcore on their thoughts. Rob Garner: Did they come to the shows and say this? It's one thing if you come to a Lone Star Skynyrd show and you know what you're going to get. So they come to these shows and you get the feedback, or do you just hear it outside of the performances? Steven Naylor: It’s all outside of the performances at the show, it's people that were wanting to come see it, and we get nothing but a hundred percent praise on keeping the music alive and how good the band was. We have great guitar players, bass players and our piano player. Everybody's good in the band, and we get lots of praise on that. Most of the stuff I read is of course on social media. Rob Garner: Of course. Steven Naylor: I try not to let it matter, but there's a lot of it out there. There's a lot of negativity on it. Rob Garner: Well, yeah, at the same time I've seen you guys, and as a huge Skynyrd fan myself, I really enjoyed hearing the songs played correctly. Ronnie Van Zant was obviously a stickler for the band playing meticulously and the same every time, as much as possible. How do you guys approach it when you're playing live? Steven Naylor: Same way they did, maybe not as much, but we've worked hard at this stuff. And when we're not playing regularly, we're practicing regularly because if we don't stay on top of it, you lose it quick. Guitar players got to keep that muscle memory up. I mean, they want to practice and get it down because if you don't, it's not there at the live show and nobody else might know it. But we definitely do. And when we started out, we spent about eight months in the woodshed before we took it live, just perfect it, perfect it, perfect it. And then practicing, practicing, practicing in between shows. And we're at a point now after seven years where if we're playing every week, then we don't really practice. But if we go longer than two weeks, we definitely start practicing because it's, it's just like that. It's hard on the drummer, it's hard on the guitar player, bass player. Rob Garner: Yeah. Great tight band all the way around. Steven Naylor: Yes, very much. But we've worked really hard at it. It's a lot of work. It's not just having fun, being in a tribute. It's a lot of work to keep the stuff up to it being like it is on the record. Rob Garner: Understood. What songs do you get requested most? I think I know the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway. Steven Naylor: Yeah, it's going to be “Sweet Home, Alabama”, of course, “Free Bird”. But I'll tell you what, people don't yell “Free Bird” as much as they do at other shows. rarely do that. Rob Garner: Man. I was hoping you would say they do it every time. The ultimate comeback, right? Every player gets “Free Bird” yelled at 'em, and of course, they don't have the triple guitar attack on 'em, and there's not going to be justice for the song, but you guys deliver on that one. Steven Naylor: Well, good, thanks. Rob Garner: Yeah, as a player, it's been more nights than I can count hearing that song yelled at the band. You mentioned a lot of the work, and also running the business side. Can you talk about the business part of it? Steven Naylor: Yeah, I do. I do 95% of the stuff in this band, period. Just on the business end. It's a lot of work because I try to keep us as busy as possible. And I work with two booking agents, and then I book also. So I've got two out there looking for gigs while I'm looking for gigs. And so that's how I do the booking end. And you've got to hear a hundred no's to get three yeses. And I do a lot of repeats at places. This size too is a lot because not only do I have nine members, I try to keep two to three subs for each position and in case of emergency, and I use 'em too. But it's a lineup for sure, man. So all in all, it's probably about, I don't know, 15 to 20 people is what I'm realistically dealing with constantly. So that's a lot. But the booking and the dealing with the bookings once you get 'em is the majority of the stuff. I've got so many going the same time. Rob Garner: Understood. Steven Naylor: And that's just a lot of phone work and computer work and memory and forgetting. I'm always got a ton of stuff to do and on my mind, and I'm getting old, man. Rob Garner: Well, any last things you want to say? Steven Naylor: We try to keep moving onward and upward and advancing every year. That's my main goal is creeping up the ladder, and just trying to get better gigs. That's what we do. And our mission statement is “exactly like the record,” so if I can just keep that and keep moving on and moving up. There ain't no stopping. I don't know where we'll end up, I guess, as far as the tribute can go. Listen to and learn more about Lone Star Skynyrd at their official website below: https://www. lonestarskynyrd. com --- --- ### Buddy Magazine July 1975 Death Claims Tim Buckley -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-11-12 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7507/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the July 1975 issue, with interviews and articles on Elvis and the European answer to The King, An interview with the producers of A Boy and His Dog and info from Bellicose Bullfeather, Dennis Harper, the last performance by Tim Buckley and his return to LA, events, reviews and more. --- ### Buddy Magazine June 1975 The Red-headed Stranger; Willie Nelson -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-10-29 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7506/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the June 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the red-headed Stranger regarded by Rolling Stones, records and film reviews, the Beach Boys series, DJ Jim Lowe interview, Bonnie Pointer sharing perceptions on life on the road, and more. --- ### Interview with Guitarist Andy Wood - Published: 2024-10-24 - Modified: 2024-10-24 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-guitarist-andy-wood/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Andrew Daly Cover photo by Robert Maxfield II He's toured the world with Rascal Flatts, rocked out alongside Sebastian Bach and Scott Stapp, and cemented himself as one of the premier guitarists on the planet, but it's Andy Wood's latest record, Charisma, which showcases what he's all about in 2024. "Charisma is an emotionally heavy record for me," Wood tells Buddy. "I started it during Covid lockdowns, during the process of being off the road and writing, I lost my father and grandfather, the two most important men in my life. I just tried to channel those feelings into music. It was the only therapy I had, and with every note I play, I still feel that connection with my grandad. " September 2. 0 featured cover artist, guitarist Andy Wood. Photo by Robert Maxfield Wood's emotional weight is present throughout Charisma, leading to bombastic solos and massive bouts of bluesy melodicism manifesting across the album's tracks. Surely, all the songs mean something to Wood, given the record's backstory, but he feels a few define him to this point. "There are three songs on Charisma that represent my sound," Wood says. “They're ‘Shoot the Sun Down,’ ‘Free Range Chicken,’ and ‘Storms and Sparrows. ’” Great as Charisma is, fans are already clamoring for a follow-up, but for now, they'll have to wait, and Wood has his eyes fixed on touring for the foreseeable future. "All roads lead to playing live," he beams. He concludes, "Between my Woodshed Guitar Experience—a musical retreat I host with some of the best musicians on earth—to touring with Gary LeVox , and touring my own music and this record, it's just all about playing out for a live audience. Connecting with people and sharing the passion of guitar and music. " https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CJiG173ts3s What inspired you to pick up the guitar? My family. My grandfather played, and it was always around. I started on Mandolin and didn't get to guitar 'til I was 16- 17, and I began getting serious about electric at 18. Do you remember your first guitar? What was the most important lesson it taught you? My first electric was a blue tele, and I still have it. Teles are so special to me. They just sound honest and unforgiving. They are a magnifying glass for your own personality and touch. What did your first proper guitar and amp look like, and do you still have it? The first proper guitar and amp was a Fender B-bender tele and a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket. I still have the Tele and use it on country sessions all the time! When did it click for you as far as what type of guitarist you wanted to be? That's tough, but I'd say in my 20s, I was really trying to find the path. I feel like I've only recently found my voice on the instrument.   https://open. spotify. com/album/6PXxlkzFaMeMEf2ziEOyhsCharisma on Spotify. Tell me about your new record, Charisma. How have you evolved to this point? The writing evolution really took shape on my previous album, Junktown. I really became comfortable in my own skin and was finding my way in combining the guitar nerd-shred-fusion-rock side with the southern-bluegrass-sassy-rootsy side. Charisma was more ambitious, with huge cinematic-sounding sections with full strings and orchestration, and every song is 1000 percent melody first. I feel like these are some of the best songs I've ever written because the focus was on fat hooks and melody. What's your general approach to songwriting, and where do you pull inspiration from? I get inspiration from everything: feelings, emotions, and tones from effects, amps, and gear, even from the video games I play and movies I like. Sometimes, I like to imagine I was the guy hired to create the soundtrack and then see what happens. And what about riffs and solos? What's the process there like? Solos are a second layer to me. At this point in my life, the melody and the hook are the most important, which makes the song have its own identity and not sound like a bunch of ideas just glued and forced together. The melody is the driving force; from there, I'll figure out what riffs and solos are needed to support the core melodic seed. From there, it just builds up the layers. What did touring with Rascal Flatts, Sebastian Bach, and Scott Stapp teach you about songwriting and showmanship? Let me combine all these artists into one answer. I'm so grateful to have toured with such a wide range of musical artists. All have huge careers, and I'm honored to have been a part of their journeys, no matter how much or how little I was on the road with any one of them. With Flatts, it was mega domes, huge venues, and the biggest country music events in the world. We even were direct support for The Rolling Stones. So, needless to say, it was a masterclass in how the "pro" level works. All three of those guys are super musicians, too, so there's an extremely high level of excellence. That's expected. With the rock and metal acts, I really learned the importance of energy, volume, and stage presence. I think most guys who play at home in controlled environments don't understand how difficult playing a roaring full stack can be while trying to run and jump across the stage! Again, I'm just blessed and grateful to work with everyone that I have. What's the secret to your tone as far as pedals and amps, and do you have one guitar you lean on most? Currently, my first-choice guitars are my Suhr signature models. They are a perfect blend of a traditional instrument but with all the modern hot-rodded playability. As for my signal chain, I worship at the altar of Eric Johnson and Andy Timmons, Dann Huff, Landau, etc. So, I've found that staging my gain with pedals gets me that singing fat lead tone that sounds musical and vocal. I love a big, clean headroom amp with my pedals producing the gain. That said, I love EVH, and when it's needed, there's nothing like turning up the lead channel on a 5153 or Diezel and just letting it eat! While touring, you'll surely come through Texas. Do you have any favorite spots to shop? Yeah, I've got a special place in my heart for Texas. I will always make time to see my friends over at Guitar Sanctuary when I'm there. --- --- ### Buddy Magazine May 1975 The Bob Wills Memorial Issue -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-10-15 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7505/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the May 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about how Asleep at the Wheel keeps the memory alive of Bob Will, Bob Will bequest, an open letter to Carolyn Wills and a backstage argument in Ben Ferguson's account, the problem of the charisma of Nelson, June events and much more. --- ### Drew Holcomb dishes Vince Gill collab, TikTok stardom, State Fair of Texas, Strangers No More Vol. 2 - Published: 2024-10-15 - Modified: 2024-10-15 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/drew-holcomb-dishes-vince-gill-collab-tiktok-stardom-state-fair-of-texas-strangers-no-more-vol-2/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Feature, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will headline the 2024 State Fair of Texas on Tuesday, October 15. (Photo by Ashtin Paige) Six months after headlining “Texas’ Most Historic Music Venue,” the Longhorn Ballroom, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will return to Dallas on Tuesday, October 15 to headline another fabled Lone Star State institution: the State Fair of Texas. Much has happened for Holcomb in the year since Buddy’s Ian Saint sat down with him at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater, opening for Darius Rucker, last October (https://buddymagazine. com/feature/drew-holcomb-recalls-20-years-of-texas-gigs-touring-with-darius-rucker-americanas-evolution-through-find-your-people-1/ ) Strangers No More single “Find Your People,” which had already topped the Americana Radio Singles Chart in the summer of 2023, experienced an unexpected resurgence among teenage TikTokers during prom and graduation season — even attaining placement on Billboard’s TikTok Top 50 chart — and the band surpassed 500 million global streams. In September, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors released Strangers No More, Volume Two. The album is not the product of a sequel, but an extension; all songs on both Strangers No More volumes were recorded during one two-week recording session in Asheville, North Carolina. Volume Two includes guest appearances by Country Music Hall of Famer (and the Eagles’ touring member) Vince Gill, and Drew’s wife Ellie Holcomb  — with whom he released an EP (Brick by Brick) on Valentine’s Day, andembarked on a co-headlining tour. Drew Holcomb spoke again with BUDDY’s Ian Saint by phone, ahead of The Neighbors’ 2024 State Fair of Texas performance on Tuesday, October 15. A transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, is below. IAN SAINT: Congratulations on the release of Strangers No More, Volume Two. My understanding is that you recorded both albums’ songs at the same time, one song at a time, not really intending for two albums — is that right? DREW HOLCOMB: Thank you. Yeah, we didn't know what we were doing. We just had a big pile of songs, decided to record 'em and see what happens. And by the time we were done, we definitely felt confident we had two albums’ worth of material. IAN SAINT: So, what were the criteria for songs being on Vol. One versus Vol. Two? Does each batch gel with different, certain themes or sounds for winding up on one album versus the other? DREW HOLCOMB: No ; it was a bit of an experiment, and timing. We were really proud of all the songs, and didn't want anything to get buried if we put out a double album, so we decided to release two different records. For the first record, songs like “Find Your People” and “Dance With Everybody,” we had already been playing live — so we knew we wanted to start with those. Some of the songs on the second record were written a little bit later; and, thematically, felt a little bit more universal in scope, the first record felt a little more personal. But we didn't want to have all the upbeat songs on one record, and all the quiet ballads on the other; we wanted to mix 'em all together, so that was a puzzle-piecing at times. IAN SAINT: It’s interesting that they were recorded simultaneously and released separately, because so much happened for you in-between album releases — including “Find Your People” going viral on TikTok, even reportedly reaching #2 on their popular chart. What was that experience like? DREW HOLCOMB: It was a great example of how you can make all the greatest marketing plans and strategies; but at the end of the day, when songs connect with an audience, you don't really have a lot of control over that. What happened, basically, was the song had already gone to #1 on Americana . We were in the last throes of finishing the tour, and it was around prom and graduation season. Somehow, the song connected with a bunch of 16-18 year-olds, who were making these videos using the song about finding your people — where they're going to college, and then also making these prom videos. So it just blew up, and there were like 70,000 people on TikTok making videos over the course of a couple weeks. And we didn't plan that ; we didn't plant that song in that way. I mean, I'm 42 years old; so I didn't have any idea that would connect with that audience. So you just do your best work, and sometimes really cool, lucky things happen, and the songs get heard by a whole other demographic of people — and all of a sudden, we started seeing it. At some of our shows over the summer, whenever we play that song, there's suddenly these young people in the crowd that are very excited to be there. IAN SAINT: Yeah. When I interviewed Terri Clark ( https://woub. org/2021/08/30/country-legend-terri-clark-to-perform-sept-4-at-the-millersport-sweet-corn-festival/ ), she said that songs she’s written have evolved in meaning to her after seeing how they resonated with people in ways far beyond what she’d imagined when she wrote them. Do you have any feelings like that, when it comes to “Find Your People” and the phenomenon that took over TikTok with so many young people? DREW HOLCOMB: Usually, I am surprised by that sort of thing. For instance, “American Beauty” is a song I wrote about the one that got away — that youthful lost love thing, that we all know. But then it was put in a commercial about your daughter growing up and moving away. I'd never thought of the song like that; so that it's an example of a song that got used in popular culture in some way that was not as I wrote it, but it took on a whole new meaning because of that. But with “Find Your People,” I definitely always imagined that song would connect with anybody who either has found their people or who wants to — it's a gratitude song for people who feel like they have found their people, and it's an aspirational song for people who are looking for that. So it makes sense to me, that a bunch of kids who are about to leave their homes and go to college want to make a video about going off to their own independent lives, to find themselves and find friends that that song would connect in that way. So yes, the song was received exactly how I wanted it to be — as a hopeful, “Hey, let's do it. Let's go start this new life. ” So wasn't as much that it changed the meaning of the song for me, but it was more of a validation. IAN SAINT: The songs on Strangers No More, Vol. 2 were recorded at the same time as Vol. 1. Given the experiences you’ve had in between their releases, do any of the songs on Vol. 2 resonate a bit differently upon release versus when you recorded them? For example, “Soul’s a Camera” is interesting to reassess, given how many teenagers were using their cameras to express their souls with “Find Your People” since you recorded those songs. DREW HOLCOMB: Yeah, yeah. It definitely feels like some of these songs on Vol. 2 are brother-sister with songs on Vol. 1. For instance, “The Sound of Moving Water” is of a similar theme to “Fly. ” It's a song about making peace with the passing of time, and getting older. So it’s definitely been a cool thing to see that song connect with people in a similar way . “Way Back When” is sort of connected to “Troubles,” because “Troubles” is talking about being a father of young kids; and “Way Back When” is me talking about someday, when I'm looking back while they're my age, and the expectations of how that will feel sort of nostalgic and strange and sad. One of my favorites is “Easy Together,” which is this sort of sonic throwback to the Memphis roots — which is connected to “All the Money in the World,” in terms of musical approach. Then you talked about “Soul’s a Camera,” a song like “On a Roll” has an anthemic connection to that. So I definitely think there's a lot of connective tissue — thematic and sonic — between the two albums. I think that happens when you have the same songwriter, with the same band and the same voice, even if you’re bouncing around genre-wise. IAN SAINT: I'm glad you brought up “The Sound of Moving Water,” because that is a great favorite of mine for so many reasons. One thing that struck me is the build-up of layers; the opening is just you and an acoustic guitar, and because that song is so reflective, I anticipated it would just remain you and the acoustic guitar — but then I was taken aback by the addition of pedal steel, and... do you have a Mellotron playing on it, as well? DREW HOLCOMB: Let's see. (pause) There may be a Mellotron on that, too; I'm not sure, I can't remember. (laugh) That's the weird thing about recording a song, and then releasing it two years later. It's like, “oh yeah, wait, what did we put on that song? ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Bc_fCbcB_k0 IAN SAINT: (laugh) Well, I was captivated because I heard the pedal steel; and then I'm like, “wait a minute, I think I hear a Mellotron? ” But then I heard an organ, and the way that they all blend together was so beautiful. So that got me speculating. “The Sound of Moving Water” would've been spine-tingling with just you and the acoustic guitar throughout, as it was in the beginning — but then there are all these layers, and yet, it's never too much. But as a musician in the studio, how do you discern whether to keep a song's arrangement simpler, or whether to add more? I think a lot of us creatives, in the studio, can get lost in our heads about being satisfied with where to draw the line of doing too much or further exploring enhancements. Is that a struggle you ever get? DREW HOLCOMB: Yeah. To be honest, “The Sound of Moving Water” was the first song of both records that we recorded — and it turned out to be the hardest. We started with it, because we thought it would be really easy and simple; and then we went in there, and nothing we tried felt right — so we had to put it on the shelf, until the end of the sessions, and it almost didn't make the record because we just couldn't get confident and comfortable in the recording. So we actually went back and recorded a bunch of the acoustic guitars, and stripped away a lot of the that we had put on it. Sometimes you think, “oh, well, the problem is it just needs this or it needs that”; you keep adding things, and nothing we added felt like it was actually contributing to the song. So we ended up stripping it back to what you hear now. Then on a song like “Soul’s a Camera” — which we thought was going to be a really difficult song to record — we went in there, tracked it live as a five-piece on the floor, and I think we did it five or six times. With that, “I think we're done. I don't think there's really much to add,” except we let Dugger play around with his solo longer. So, yeah, the studio can be very surprising sometimes; because a song that you think might be really difficult to record ends up being easy, and then the opposite is true ­— where a song you think, “oh, we're just going to go in there and knock it out in a couple hours” ends up being the one that you come back through for months trying to get right. IAN SAINT: It’s so fascinating that you had this experience with “The Sound of Moving Water,” because as I'm listening to it, I'm like, “oh my gosh, I don't know if I'd ever be able to finish this because I couldn’t make up my mind on the final arrangement. ” DREW HOLCOMB: That's one thing good about having deadlines and budgets. You eventually just have to go, “well, we’ve got to finish this thing. ” (laugh) https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=uQ3XY0f9nkU IAN SAINT: Strangers No More, Vol. 2’s opening track is “Green Light,” which I understand is about yours and the band's wives putting up with your touring careers. Vince Gill is featured on it; and, of course, his wife has a wonderful music career of her own, as your wife does. Can you talk about how that collaboration with Vince came together? DREW HOLCOMB: I've known Vince for probably 15 years, mainly in just sort of a social setting. We've done a few musical things together; we've played the Grand Ole Opry on the same night a few times. Then when I did some shows at Ryman Auditorium for my 40th birthday, he came and played a couple songs; but we'd never been in the studio together. I really wanted to mark not only the music, but also our friendship, by having him play something that I could have permanently. Vince is such a legend, and he's also incredibly humble. And so when I wrote this song with Lori McKenna — who’s a really great songwriter — and started recording it, I pretty quickly realized this is the one for Vince. While we're not really a country band, we have country leanings in some ways; and it was fun to lean into that, by having Vince play and sing. So I called him and said, “Hey, I've got this song, I wrote it with Lori McKenna; would you be willing to maybe play guitar and sing on it? ” And he said, “Yeah, absolutely. Let's try to find a date. ” Well, it turns out he's pretty busy with the Eagles and his own stuff, and it took us a while to make it happen; but we finally got it done, and the final product speaks for itself. Vince is an incredible singer and tasteful guitar player, and the song is connecting really well — it just went Top 10 on the Americana radio chart last week, and people are streaming it like crazy. So I think that, so far, that's front-runner for the fan favorite of the record; and it’s a really fun live song, as well. IAN SAINT: It’s funny, you mentioned Vince’s humility despite his status. I recently saw him play Musicians Corner, and the cicadas were so loud in the background; but I think he's playing The Sphere with the Eagles right now. (laugh) So the way he can toggle like that so effortlessly is pretty amazing. DREW HOLCOMB: Yep, that's right. (laugh) IAN SAINT: You’re headlining the State Fair Of Texas, six months after you headlined the Longhorn Ballroom — the show that spurred our previous interview. After we spoke, Longhorn Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It’s filled with a bounty of incredible exhibits from its history, including an exhibit featuring Buddy Magazine. How was playing the super historic and storied Longhorn Ballroom of Dallas? DREW HOLCOMB: It was really cool. They have clearly done a great job of restoring the place as a great modern music venue, without losing the historical character. I think it's a place we'll probably go back to. Dallas obviously has a lot of great history, and Texas music has a lot of great history. It was a great show, and we love it. There's so many great rooms in Dallas that we've played over the years: the Kessler, the Majestic Theater, the House of Blues. We've never played the State Fair, though, so we’re very excited about that. IAN SAINT: You’d told me your very first Texas show was at the beloved Allgood Cafe in Deep Ellum. You also mentioned playing Opening Bell Coffee, and they still have your August 31, 2006 show flyer hanging up; they described you as a “National Touring Act,” and had a $3 suggested donation. You plug the wide variety of sized places in Dallas you’ve played on a map — AllGood, Opening Bell, Majestic, House of Blues, Longhorn Ballroom, the State Fair — and they’re all within just a 3 mile radius. So when you play our monstrous State Fair, do you ever take stock of how far you’ve come, from the “$3 suggested donation” show at Opening Bell Coffee down the road? (Opening Bell Coffee 2006 show flyer courtesy of OBC owner, Pascale Hall. ) DREW HOLCOMB: I mean, it makes me tired just hearing you say all that. (laugh) There's a handful of places — Dallas being one of them — where we definitely feel like we've played more often than other places. Places like Atlanta, Dallas, Birmingham, Chicago, New York, and Austin, there are very few venues in those towns that we haven't played. On the one hand, it makes me very grateful for what we built, and what we've been able to accomplish; and the fact that people listen to our music, and let it into their lives, means a lot. On the other hand, it makes me want to go take a nap. (laugh) IAN SAINT: On that note, my last question is definitely the most intensely emotional and personal... Will you try the mustard beer at the State Fair? DREW HOLCOMB: (pause) Well, I didn't know about mustard beer until right now — so I guess I need to learn a little bit more about it before I say “yes. ” But I can't wait to see this Fair scene you're telling me about. Sounds fun. IAN SAINT: Yes, there’s also fried Oreos and fried lemonade; then there are the rides, Big Tex, and the animals — there's a Birthing Barn! DREW HOLCOMB: Oh my gosh, that’s amazing. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors headline the State Fair of Texas’ Main Stage at 8:30 PM on Tuesday, October 15. Attendance to State Fair music performances is free with fair admission. --- ### Ron McKeown Celebration of Life - Sunday December 1, 2024 2 P.M. at Poor David's Pub - Downtown Dallas - Published: 2024-10-04 - Modified: 2024-12-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/ron-mckeown-celebration-of-life-sunday-december-1-2024-2p-m-at-poor-davids-pub-downtown-dallas/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, In Memoriam, Photography - Entity Types: Article This is a public memorial celebrating the life of Ron McKeown, who passed away due to natural causes at his home in Sulphur Springs on September 5th. We will be remembering him for his prolific work as a photojournalist, and more importantly as a dear friend to so many. With special musical guests throughout the afternoon and early evening. There is no charge for this event, but donations will be accepted to help cover costs. Come join us for an uplifting and spirited remembrance of Ron. 2PM - 5PM. Check out the Facebook event listing below for more info. Thanks to David Card and everyone at Poor David'sPub for making the venue available for this event. https://www. facebook. com/events/1048523290105505 --- ### Interview with Butch Hancock - Published: 2024-10-03 - Modified: 2024-10-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-butch-hancock/ - Categories: Cover Story - Tags: Butch Hancock, solo artist, The Flatlanders - Entity Types: Article Outlaw Country artist, songwriter, and solo artist Butch Hancock is a founding member of The Flatlanders along with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Joe Ely, and their most recent album was 2021’s Treasure of Love. But as a member of one of the earliest generations of Country-influenced musicians to realize that they could and should write their own songs, Hancock is also an excellent example of the ingenuity from which the burgeoning Americana and singer/songwriter scene might trace their descent. Growing up in Lubbock, Texas, Hancock’s generation had to find their love of music through radio and through record shops, but they also found that through collaboration and building a community that has, in the case of The Flatlanders, lasted over 50 years. Butch Hancock also has a multi-generational view as his son Rory draws him into musical projects just like he once drew Rory in, passing on the skills and attitudes which help build connections in music. I spoke with Butch Hancock about finding his way in music and how much it means to him to be able to be part of a continuing love of music in his family. The Flatlanders Hannah Means-Shannon: I spoke with Jimmie Dale Gilmore recently, and we were talking about the generational nature of music, and the fact that people need to learn from each other. Do you have anything like that in your background, where people encouraged you as a young person? Butch Hancock: Well, we grew up in Lubbock, and it was kind of whatever we could find. Jimmie and I met in seventh grade, but we didn’t know for five or six years that we both played guitar. In high school, one of us said, “Hey! You play guitar, too? ” It was pretty funny. Besides the ongoing thing of rodeos and a few fiddle contests that I was able to go to as a kid, it was pretty slim pickings, except we had great radio. The radio fascinated us because all this music was coming from somewhere over the horizon. No matter where you looked in Lubbock, you saw the horizon in a big, flat circle around you! That was the beginnings of it. Jimmie’s dad was already a wonderful picker and played electric guitar, so he had a good basis there. In my family, I had a church organist who made good in New York. He was a choir director and would do concerts. He and I finally got to jam together at a family reunion fifteen or twenty years and it was hysterical. Just getting to jam with somebody, he was in heaven. He liked to improvise. I think my first impression of music was a couple of square dances in Lubbock, with a couple fiddle players. There was also a rodeo up in Colorado Springs when I was five or six years old, where we saw the Harmonicats. It twisted my head around and I haven’t gotten it straight yet! I went down to the front of the auditorium to hear more clearly, and as soon as the show was over, one of the guys came over, and we talked a little bit. I said that I sure liked the harmonicas, so he gave me one of those little bitty four-hole harmonicas, the kind that if you’re not careful, you’ll swallow them. He played a little tune on it. That was my first harmonica. You could play a few songs, simply. I played “Taps” or something like that, and went from there. Later on, I got a full-sized harmonica. About seventh grade, things started to happen. By high school, I’d been playing the guitar a couple of years and had been working on a banjo. The main thing in Lubbock was trying to find people who played musical instruments, then reading a chord book and trying to piece that together. I never had any formal lessons, really. I had a couple of piano lessons, but I backed out of those pretty quick. But to return to the radio, that really extended our scope with what was possible. We had a couple of great Country stations. I think Waylon Jennings was one of the DJs for a while, before he was famous. The other little thing that was happening was that I would always spend as much time as I could around the car radio, which was on a national level. The most fun was all the old Chuck Berry and Little Richard tunes, and Border Radio was a high point in our lives. https://youtu. be/kOhsQu06pVQ? si=U-7ImY-Ab1VC_xvc HMS: A couple of things I’m hearing from your story is that with that little harmonica, you were starting trying to break songs down, realizing they were made up of parts, and trying to interpret them. Also, along with the radio, that comes with the realization that there’s a bigger world out there, with people in it who like the same music as you do. It sparks curiosity. BH: Right! With that in mind, in high school, we started figuring out that there was a good record shop in Lubbock that would bring things in from far across the country. I got started early on Folk music, though I had a Country background to begin with, too. We just kind of built it from there. It’s kind of like seeds getting thrown out into a garden, and wondering, “Who am I? What am I doing out here? ” It was just a grand adventure. We realized that we were having an ongoing adventure, without really realizing it. We were busy trying to figure out how to play music. As Joe Ely has said, it was probably years before we figured out that it was legal for people to write songs. I tell everybody, “It took us a while to figure that out, because we’re pretty fast thinkers, but we’re—pretty slow—learners! ” That’s followed us all these years. HMS: Were you someone who started turning over the LPs and looking at the small print and realizing who was playing and who was writing the songs on these records? People still do that, by the way, but things are also a little different with digital. BH: We had heard the word “songwriter”, but it didn’t dawn on us that we could be doing that. All of our information had come from these other sources. Joe had already had a band or two going on by the time we got out of high school. You’re making me think about how my son, Rory, had access to a bigger world of music than I’ve had. Starting out, I have been amazed by the progress he’s made so fast. He’s left me in the dust as far as picking, and with a lot of things. It has been really amazing to me to watch his influences, and some of that has been myself and The Flatlanders’ music, but also lots of kinds of music. It’s a lot of the new music, like Conor Oberst, and those guys. It’s the same process that we were doing, except we had to pick up the arm on the record player, and move it back if there was something that we wanted to learn. But the digital world has made things a little easier and more accessible in some ways. The live music has been the heartbeat of all of it through the years. When you can go and see someone playing music, you can absorb a lot, just listening, and trying to figure out how they are doing what they are doing. Rory has been really good at that. HMS: Have you been involved in Rory’s musical projects over the years? I think he toured with you guys early on. BH: He’s been living in Terlingua, California, the past four or five years after spending some time up in Olympia, Washington. I think he got tired, finally, of not having enough sunshine, so he moved back down. He got back about the time that we moved from Wimberley, near Austin. I’d spent about 25 years there, and then I moved out to Terlingua. Now everyone’s coming out here! But one day Rory came to me and said, “Hey Dad! I just want to play music all the time. ” He was already playing great guitar. Right after he graduated, we did an East Coast tour which he joined us on, and we came to Oklahoma to the Woodie Guthrie festival, and everyone really supported him. Suddenly, he had a huge family of people who loved him. Later, when we all got together in Terlingua, he put together several bands, and he was also booking them. In one of them, he was fronting the band, and I’d play with some of the bands, and that’s when I get to play harmonica with both hands, without a neck rack! We’ve been really busy with those bands for about a year and a half, doing eight or ten gigs a month or more. Everybody in Terlingua wants to pick with him. It’s been a beautiful thing to watch. Terlingua is a little ghost town with tourism and Rory has really led the charge in ramping up the music scene. It’s the same process that we went through in Lubbock, though that was on a larger scale, of trying to find people who loved music, who fit their sensibilities. Once that songwriting gate got opened for us in Lubbock, that opened up a world for us. Actually, I didn’t start recording until three or four years after writing songs. It was kind of like, “How do you do that? ” I woke up one morning down in Austin, and said, “Wait a minute! This is America! I can be my own publisher. I can be my own record company. ” So we put the songs together, and I was one of the first people in Austin to do that. https://youtu. be/XvItcZiEZbI? si=etnBxS56P2SrJM0- HMS: That’s outstanding. That’s a great example to set, too. BH: Well, Rory has seen all that happening in different forms and at different times, and he has absorbed so much of it. He got to be a rodey with The Flatlander for several tours, and would jump up at the end and play a couple of songs. For me, it’s been incredible to watch him go. One time when he was a kid, he had snuck in and gotten my ukelele when I was gone for a bit, and by the time I got back, he had picked out several Beatles songs. It’s been a joy. When I was coming up, I had a lot of great friends who helped me, and that’s something that’s happened for Rory, too, with so many great friends in music. https://youtu. be/g8aNtxv7iTk? si=I49235GqXqcHu1pz HMS: So much of longevity in music, and being able to keep doing the things that you love, is about connecting with other people. They encourage each other and reciprocate that energy. You can do it alone, and some people do, but it’s harder that way. BH: I realized a while back that when you ask, “Who is a person? ”, the answer is, “A person is every person that they have met. ” You know? We are everybody we have met. Parts of everybody stick with us. That’s how we make sense out of our own consciousness, almost. Our consciousness is this huge, ridiculous history of our highs and lows. You’re in the milieu of life. You don’t have to like some of it, but you gotta love it! HMS: If you think about life that way, it certainly takes away some of the ego from it. You learn from others, good and bad. You learn from the bad examples as well as the good ones. BH: That’s the thing! That’s the trick. You learn who you do and don’t want to be around. You’re learning what your preferences are. But sometimes you may think that you don’t really want to be around someone, and then you find that you want to learn from them, because they sound so good. Maybe you can put positive connection on things where it had been negative. We think of that as a disconnection, but it’s really a connection. If that person loves what they are doing, there’s openness, too. Don’t forget about that openness. That’s what enables people to get together. But like you said, leave the ego at the door. That’s the great joy that Jimmie, Joe, and I have had playing together, and especially writing songs together. We were doing that 50 years after we started The Flatlanders. You can take on the whole world with that attitude: leave your ego at the door, and don’t take that door anymore. Just go for it. Once an open heart and mind start happening, then you have love, and compassion, and forgiveness, and trying to help folks where you can. Maybe sometimes you realize where you can’t, but maybe you know somebody else who can. Life is mysterious. Jimmie told me once that he saw a t-shirt that said, “All that is not mystery is guess-work. ” Isn’t that wonderful? -- --- ### In Memoriam: Texas-born Music Icon Kris Kristofferson dead at 88 - Published: 2024-10-03 - Modified: 2024-10-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/texas-born-music-icon-kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88/ - Categories: In Memoriam, Photography - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow Songwriter and Music Icon Kris Kristofferson died on Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, at the age of 88. According to family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland, he was surrounded by his family when he peacefully passed away. Kristoffer Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann (née Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson, a U. S. Army Air Corps officer (later a U. S. Air Force major general. After frequent moves, the family settled in San Mateo, California.   After graduating from San Mateo High School in 1954, he enrolled at Pomona College, hoping to become a writer. His early writing included prize-winning essays: "The Rock" and "Gone Are the Days," both published in The Atlantic Monthly. This one of the late Buddy Magazine Publisher Ron McKeown's favorite shots of Kris and Rita that he captured, and he also displayed it proudly in his home for many decades. Photo by Ron McKeown, Copyright Buddy Magazine 2024. Kristofferson was a Golden Gloves boxer, rugby star, and football player in college. As a Rhodes Scholar, he attended the University of Oxford in England and received a master’s degree in English from Merton College. Following his dad’s example, Kristofferson joined the U. S. Army and achieved the rank of Captain as a helicopter pilot. He turned down an appointment to teach at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, to pursue songwriting in Nashville. After a successful breakthrough, he soon won writing awards as others recorded his songs. Soon, he was recording his own music and collaborating with other Texas-born musicians, such as Willie Nelson, John Prine, and Waylon Jennings. Kris Kristofferson at Moody Coliseum, Dallas, Texas, 1975. Photo by Ron McKeown, Copyright 2024 Buddy Magazine. While he recorded his music and toured with a band that at one time included the Gatlin brothers, among others. Following an affair with Janis Joplin, who recorded his song “Me and Bobby McGee,” Kris married singer Rita Coolidge, and together they won two Grammy awards for songs he penned. His self-recorded music never reached the charts as high as those recorded by others. Only two of his six albums went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. His only single to top the charts was the 1973 single “Why Me. ” “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down” was recorded by both Kristofferson and Ray Price, but Johnny Cash took it to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Later, Cash’s version won Song of the Year at the CMA Awards. Most are familiar with Janis Joplin’s posthumously released 1971 version of “Me and Bobby McGee” off the album Pearl; it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart the same year. Not many will remember that Country legend Roger Miller was the first to record the Kristofferson classic. Sammi Smith’s version of “Help Me Make It Through the Night” became one of the most successful country singles of all time. People soon forgot that Kris had included it on his own 1970 debut album. With Sammi’s voice, it became a top 10 hit on the all-genre chart and won her the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. When country legend Ray Price recorded Kristofferson’s “For the Good Times” in 1970, it became his first No. 1 hit in over a decade. Subsequently, it peaked at No. 11 on the all-genre Hot 100, giving Price his only top 40 pop hit. Only good things could come from a meeting between Kris and Shel Silverstein. That was proven when the song they penned together hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1971. Recorded by former Buddy Holly bass player Waylon Jennings, “The Taker” was the title track on his debut album. In the 1980s, Cash joined Kristofferson, Nelson, and Jennings to form a successful band called “The Highwaymen. ” Hailed as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004. “There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Willie Nelson said at a 2009 BMI award ceremony for Kristofferson. “Everything he writes is a standard, and we’re all just going to have to live with that. ” In addition to his music, Kristofferson pursued an acting career. He made his film debut in "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973), where he starred alongside cinematic icons such as James Coburn and Bob Dylan. He won the  Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in "A Star is Born" (1976) alongside Barbra Streisand, showcasing his acting and musical talents. Throughout his career, he appeared in numerous films and television series, garnering accolades for his performances. Kristofferson retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance with Cash’s daughter Rosanne at Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 2023. The two sang “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again),” a song that was a hit for Kristofferson and a longtime live staple for Nelson. In addition to his artistic achievements, Kristofferson is known for his advocacy on social issues, including support for veterans and environmental causes. He has used his platform to speak out on matters of importance and has remained an outspoken figure throughout his life. Kris Kristofferson has been married three times. His first marriage to Fran Beer in 1960 resulted in two children and divorce. He later married Rita Coolidge, a fellow musician, in 1973, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1980; they had one child together. In 1983, he married Lisa Meyers, and they had five children together; the couple was still together at his death. -- --- ### The Effects of Being Raised on Kris Kristofferson Lyrics - Published: 2024-10-03 - Modified: 2024-10-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/the-effects-of-being-raised-on-kris-kristofferson-lyrics/ - Categories: In Memoriam, Opinion - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow My earliest music memories involved an assortment of eclectic 1960s talent. By the time I was old enough to understand big words and sing along, my mother was firmly ensconced in a lifelong imaginary love affair with Kris Kristofferson. Each new album Kris released had a place of honor in the turntable cabinet. The vinyl disk rarely saw the inside of the cardboard cover until the next album made it home from Safeway. Kris and Rita Coolidge at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, 1975. Photo by Ron McKeown, Copyright 2024 Buddy Magazine. My mother - who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket - would sing along with Kris at the top of her lungs. My daddy would grab a Schlitz from the fridge and slam the kitchen door as he walked out to the patio for some peace and quiet. I once asked my Daddy why Momma was trying so hard to sound like Kris. He laughed and replied, "Neither one of them is trying to sound like that. They're just giving it their best shot. " So, I asked my mom why she loved the guy so much. She gave me a watered-down, filtered version of “because he’s sexy. ” She also mentioned that he was a Rhodes Scholar and a soldier, but he chose to work as a janitor in Nashville because he had such a passion for music. Armed with this new knowledge, I went back inside to contemplate the appeal of the bearded janitor with the gravelly voice. I lay on the living room floor with my Big Chief tablet and crayons, writing the lyrics phonetically. I would then use the big Merriam-Webster hardback dictionary to look up words I didn't know. An urban dictionary would have been beneficial. Thus began my study of lyrics and song appeal. Even before I hit double digits, I knew Kris was some word wizard, casting spells with each verse that swirled upward on the music he conjured with his guitar-shaped wand. https://open. spotify. com/artist/0vYQRW5LIDeYQOccTviQNX Listening to the songs over and over not only taught me to be introspective and expressive but also to be more observant. Lyrics such as “I found my cleanest dirty shirt” and “the Sunday smell of someone frying chicken” have spent a lifetime stuck in my brain. Somehow, fried chicken just never seemed right on a Tuesday after that. My self-taught music education expanded my vocabulary and cool factor. When I freed my dad's old guitar from the hall closet, I intended to write Kris-worthy songs.   Each new Kristofferson album taught me new lessons in breaking boundaries and wrestling words into melodic rhymes. I learned to pay attention to the pictures in my head that appeared with certain phrases, sounds, or smells and then creatively describe those images in a way that might even impress Kris himself. Based on the popularity of Kristofferson’s creations and the singers that went on to record them, Mom and I certainly weren’t the only ones he impressed. Later, I read that the record companies insisted he let others record his songs because his own voice wasn’t commercially appealing. As a young girl, it wasn’t lost on me that Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash didn’t exactly have the greatest-sounding voices either. While they both did Kris’s songs justice, neither had the added soul that only the original songwriter could possess—and that’s what made him so special to fans all over the world. Simply put, Kris changed music. Bob Dylan once said, “You can look at Nashville pre-Kris and post-Kris because he changed everything. ” That monumental change began when Kristofferson borrowed a helicopter and landed on Johnny Cash’s lawn to convince him to record the famous “Sunday Morning Coming Down. ” And just like everything the man touched, that golden friendship lasted until Cash drew his last breath. It didn’t take long for Kris to merit the respect of the entire music industry. Artists started following his example, and he led them like a pied piper toward a new way of doing music. Music lovers all over the world noticed this change. Kris melded country, folk, and rock into one groovy ball that smoothly rolled from the 1960s into the 1970s and beyond. When Kris decided to explore his acting abilities, Mom insisted we all go to the movie theater to share in the monumental experience. My favorite was “A Star is Born,” my brother loved “Convoy. ” After seeing Kris on the big screen, my image of him became three-dimensional; the song lyrics exposed his soul, while his acting showed his charisma. Then, there was the Playboy spread that exposed much more than his soul and charisma. I was smack-dab in the middle of puberty when I found my mom’s copy of the July 1976 Playboy magazine buried in the bottom of a drawer in the bathroom. The photo shoot was touted as publicity for the film “The Sailor that Fell from Grace of the Sea,” and co-star Sarah Miles was also Kris’s partner in the photo shoot. My sex education began right there as I sat on the bathroom rug, shocked and ashamed. Suddenly, some of his more ambiguous lyrics made sense – implications and innuendos were now translated into a language I could understand. I suppose I was lucky that Kris Kristofferson was the first nude man I ever saw. At the same time, it was unfortunate for every male I dated my entire life because no one ever measured up to my image of the perfect man. Like Alladin, I was thrust into a “Whole New World” (pardon the pun). My mom thought my newfound love of Kris’s music and movies had something to do with puberty. She had no idea how much she had to do with it – in fact, I kept that secret long after she died in 2012. As a preteen, I was a big fan of rock' n’ roll. I had both a piano and a ’68 Fender Strat that I was learning to play. At the time, most country music was acoustic, with few opportunities for big, loud guitar solos—then came Outlaw Country. Outlaw Country - or Progressive Country - was a new style my dad called “country hippie. ” Kris was at the forefront, alongside Willie, Waylon, and David Alan Coe. He wrote “Jesus was a Capricorn” in this style, among many other songs. That song about Jesus and the autobiographical anthem “Why Me” taught me more about Christianity than my outdated Sunday School books. The “hippie country” message came over 20 years earlier than the “What Would Jesus Do” movement, and I was ready for it (although it was perplexing how someone could write those songs and also appear nude in a magazine). Adding new songs to my repertoire, I gained a new respect for Kris’s composing talent. Until then, music was just background noise for his lyrics. Suddenly, I understood how he used notes and tempo to emphasize the song's mood. As I picked out melodies on my Strat, I learned how to become one with my instrument. I wanted to produce soulful ballads and rousing anthems like Kris, but I always fell short – and that’s how I knew he was a special breed. During my high school years, while my classmates were getting hooked on pop, I struggled with the cheesy lyrics most bands were coming up with. After listening so long to Kris, I couldn’t stomach songs the writer didn’t perform – I sought out soulful tunes and intelligent lyrics over dance numbers. As I grew and evolved, so did my favorite artists. Outlaw Country became a soft-rock subgenre called “country supergroup. ”  Music pioneers Kris, Willie, Waylon, and Johnny formed The Highwaymen and blew the world away for a second time, joining the Eagles and others on this new wavelength. My mother kept a framed picture of Kris on her desk at work and at home. Her propensity for quoting his lyrics as life lessons was passed down to me, although my boys weren’t attracted to the Kris charisma. When Mom died in 2012, I was responsible for planning the funeral and writing the eulogy. Writing had come easily to me until then, so I turned to Kris. Not only did I quote some of his lyrics, but a mix tape of his music played softly during the visitation and the service. Kris Kristofferson’s songwriting is stitched into the fabric of American music. His lyrics tell stories that resonate with many, bridging the gap between personal experiences and universal truths. Through his music, Kris gives voice to the heartache and joys of everyday life, reminding us of our shared humanity. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations. His contributions to music and film will endure, and his spirit will remain alive in the hearts of those who found solace and connection in his work. Although he may have departed from this world, his light will continue to guide us. As we say goodbye, let us carry forward his spirit and the profound impact he made on our lives. “Don’t look so sad, I know it’s over. But life goes on, and this ole world will keep on turning. Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together (Kris Kristofferson, ‘For The Good Times’). ” --- ### Suzanna Choffel Sings Us Home Again - Published: 2024-10-03 - Modified: 2024-10-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/suzanna-choffel-sings-us-home-again/ - Categories: Feature, New Texas Music - Entity Types: Article By Jessica WallerPhoto by A. Wortz On her newest album, “Bird by Bird,” southern star Suzanna Choffel’s warm melodies and songbird vocals shine like a north star lighting us home.   Once christened “the voice of Austin” by Grammy-winning producer (for Fiona Apple’s most recent album “Fetch the Bolt Cutters") David Garza, Folk musician Suzanna Choffel has been playing in and around Austin since the age of fourteen. Which makes sense given that, in the spirit of all things ‘Keep Austin Weird,’ Choffel, a finalist on Season 3 of “The Voice,” was voted off the show for sounding too weird. Or, “eclectic” in industry speak. Choffel said, "I was definitely the wild card of the show, doing folk and reggae may have hurt me in the end, but it's who I am. ” Choffel took the elimination in stride and returned home with what she agreed was the most valuable offering: praise from highly-revered music journalist (and lone street cred card-holder) Jessica Hopper, who said Choffel’s voice was “the only one I would listen to for a whole album. ”  With so much cynicism crashing around the zeitgeist lately, my conversation with Choffel ended up feeling more like a therapy session than an interview. Choffel’s speaking voice and demeanor were nearly as soothing as the vocal stylings and instrumentals in her lilting compositions. In fact, the title of this new album comes from a therapeutic conversation she had with her step-daughter who was going through a dark time. Choffel told her to “just take it Bird by Bird,” a phrase coined by Anne Lemott in her 1994 book on writing. Choffel said, “I wrote that song (title track and catchy rumination on the power of familial love) to let her know I will always be there; And as a reminder to try and just break down these overwhelming moments into tiny reachable goals when it all seems too big. ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=5fuDVt8w8gg"My Words" I always say the hardest song to write is a happy song. A good happy song anyways, not disco. Yet, Choffel has somehow steeped most of her lyrics in an upbeat glow of peace, gratitude and compassion. When asked how her music has evolved over the last couple decades of playing and releasing four albums at different stages in her life, Choffel said that this new record is her most mature, asking, “How can I help you feel how you want to feel? Instead of me just telling folks how I feel in my lyrics. ”  Choffel said that having her two daughters had much to do with seeing the world, and her place in it, through a renewed lens of selflessness, responsibility, and hope. Although right now she is mainly focused on building a home, promoting the new  record and her day job as a DJ at Sun Radio (a local Austin radio station), the call of teaching has been in her ear again, as upon graduation from music school, Choffel spent time teaching guitar and voice in Austin before moving to New York for three years to focus solely on her music.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CZaPGqSFPns&list=RDGePpsQo0L0Y Planting roots in Austin now, the prodigal daughter has returned to find new maternal superpowers in her family and art. This has led her to write more political songs like “Fast Asleep" on her new album, as well as several she said are currently in the works. “Fast Asleep” stares down the endless abyss of injustice in America regarding the case of Breonna Taylor, a young black woman mistakenly shot in her bed by police. A few years ago, Choffel became fixated on the Breonna Taylor trial and wrote “Fast Asleep” about the looking-glass tragedy of Taylor’s death. Against haunting piano and chamber music, Choffel’s guttural vocals pain-stakingly paint the night of Taylor —an EMT lifesaver who could have gone on to save many lives—being senselessly killed by those trusted to protect and serve.   “Although,” Choffel went on, “motherhood has also made me aware of how important it is to make time to stay true to myself” as a creator of art as well as babies. We discussed how critical it is for all women to find the time to create in a headspace that exists outside the role of mommy. Feminine agency, artistic liberation and freedom from roles of servitude inspired Choffel to pen perhaps the most catchy song, “My Words,” on the album. She describes being struck one day by the revelation that she had only written down words her babies were learning and speaking for years and suddenly knew she needed to get back to her own.   “Having the ability to focus mainly on singing and writing was another way this new album is different,” said Choffel. “I could really just have fun with the vocals without having to worry about all the melodies being my creation too this time. ” Truly this album has some seriously talented musicians on it and given that it was recorded at Sonic Ranch by the brilliant David Garza, with musicians like Sebastian Steinberg and Adrian Quesada, the fact that it sounds like the perfect album to listen to while living your best life is not surprising. Influences from singers like Peggy Lee, Patty Griffin and Erykah Badu shine through with stark clarity on the most ear candy to be released this year for jazz-lovers with a penchant for sultry vocal-stylings.   “Bird by Bird” is a masterfully produced album that shows off the range of a  unique artist working at the height of her talents. Choffel’s decades of classical training, solo experience, intoxicating voice and thoughtful lyrics are on full display in “Bird by Bird. ” Although I must say the album is a bit polished for my personal taste as I miss the distinctive guitar-slapping, scrappy style from her early work. The first time I saw her was a solo gig at SXSW over 11 years ago when she performed “In the Hold of the Night. ” The way she tore up the guitar neck with her bluesy finger-picking  as a one woman band making the danciest music to ever grace a hollow body Gretch (her favorite) is simply something you do not see much anymore in a modern culture: an artist that writes, sings and plays an instrument with passionate fervor (Is it just me or is this becoming nearly extinct in modern music? ). In this way, Choffel had earned her place as a serious musician working the local circuit long before becoming “the voice of Austin. ” Of all the musicians I've interviewed, Choffel is the only one who seemed to be deeply listening and sincerely asking me questions about myself. She even made sure to get the correct spelling of my band name right (which isn't a real word, so I could tell she was paying attention). This sincere curiosity and soulful warmth is what sets Choffel apart as a human, but perhaps most importantly as an artist— with a new album that gives flight to the angels of our better nature.   ---- --- ### Buddy Magazine April 1975 Is What they do in Denton jazz -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-10-01 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7504/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the April 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about sax soloist Spring concert, reviews on artists; Melissa Manchester, Vassar Clements, Old And In The Way, Herbie Mann, Chicago, and Rufus. Mike Pellecchia's investigation into the jazz scene of Denton, Susan Geary interviews Charlie, Chuck Mangione, Tim Dickey shares backstage impressions in Buddy's first-ever poem, interviews of top artists, events highlights and much more. --- ### Book Review: The Bastard Instrument - A Cultural History of the Electric Bass by UNT Music Professor Brian Wright - Published: 2024-09-28 - Modified: 2024-10-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/book-review-bastard-instrument-cultural-history-electric-bass-brian-wright/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By Rob Garner Click here to read more about the book on Amazon. com University of North Texas music professor Brian Wright may have written the most “honest” book ever on the electric bass. Starting with the early history, design, and players of the instrument, Wright takes care to give past credits due to the players who helped shaped its cultural trajectory, in not just popular music, but also many other “legit” styles. The book focuses on the first two decades of the use of electric bass in popular recorded music. As a bass player, decades ago I felt the sting of wanting to dedicate my life to an instrument that was considered a “novelty” in academia, and with other musical powers-that-be  The music school I attended did not think the electric bass was a “real instrument. ” So I also had to pick up the upright bass inorder to get a music degree. I enjoyed playing it, and still do - no regrets. But they are, at minimum, two completely different instruments, ergonomically speaking. In the sheet music business, bass books and sheet music are still categorically filed under “novelty instrument. ” This is what the print industry actually calls it, and it confounded me as to how one single word could diminish the works of Weather Report, the Chick Corea Elektric Band, James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, and Marcus Miller, among all the countless greats who have propagated the electric bass in high musical art form. While most bassists are not bothered by this, the critical and snobbish viewpoint still remains. The title of the book lays this dichotomy bare.   One of the other fascinating things about this book is the question of, “why hasn’t this already been written? ” With literal tons of unique historic print materials on the topic, and the mass of information about the electric bass on the Internet, this is one of the first true academic works on the subject matter. And Wright leaves no stone unturned, with detailed and cited research, and many first person interviews. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=BL9fF4Jtovc A few years ago, Wright made headlines by settling – or not settling – one of the oldest beefs in studio bass recording history. Legendary session players Carol Kaye and Chuck Rainey had something of an open disagreement regarding the studio bass playing on several Motown songs. I had spoken personally many times with both Kaye and Rainey, and knew each of their arguments well. As for me, I couldn’t disagree with either of them. But through research of the actual facts, as well as reviewing all available documentation – or lack thereof – Wright’s comments ended the discussion for now: We don’t really know, and there is the possibility that they were both right. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=hhl-3EOYTkc Considering that this book addresses the cultural impact of the instrument, Wright also makes a compelling argument early in the book. While the guitar has been credited by other writers for pushing forward the Civil Rights Movement, and ending wars, he maintains that the bass is not just for winning wars, but can be used for movements that are for all practical purposes, good, bad, or indifferent. It has become a tool in which humans use to communicate, no matter what the message may be. Part of his mission: ”This book is an attempt to explain how and why electric bassists mattered, not by deifying them or their instruments but by firmly situating their contributions within each of their distinct historical and cultural contexts. ” Wright also goes into detail on highlighting the unsung, and often unknown names that helped shape modern electric bass playing. While most are not close to household names, their work still stands, and their accolades have finally arrived in the academic sense. The book also starts with a review of prior electric bass inventions, many of which were modified or emulative versions of the upright bass. In many ways, the story revolves both directly and indirectly around one man in particular: Leo Fender. Fender came up with his first production electric bass in 1952, and found himself not only trying to sell a new kind of instrument, but also a different type of musical animal altogether. He was often met with outright rejection from upright bass purists, though many players and band leaders who saw themselves as innovative quickly took to the instrument for its benefits of reduced size, and electrification. One of the miracles of Fender’s invention is how little it has changed since it was first revealed. With millions of electric basses sold, most have the basic characteristics of the original instrument in some way, in terms of fingerboard length, basic electronics, and other elements. Sure, every one of these elements has been further perfected, but a player does not necessarily need a modded- or boutique-bass to get the job done on the stage or at home. Wright covers this in great detail, and also elaborates on the symbiotic relationship between artists and players to “get the word out” about the instrument. Louis Jordan, Monk Montgomery, Shifty Henry, Bob Manners, and Liberace are discussed among many others. An extended analysis of Monk Montgomery reveals just how nebulous the early days of electric bass actually were for performing musicians. Monk is quoted several times – including referring to the electric bass as a “bastard instrument,” the book’s namesake – and it is apparent that he was in a difficult position as a jazz bassist, and that he also fought off a lot of criticism from fellow musicians for decades, most likely throughout his lifetime. Wright also notes an interesting Texas tie-in to the acceptance of the electric bass, and much of it happened right here in Dallas. Western swing and conjunto bands were also early adopters, including Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, and Tony de la Hosa. Another checkmark for Texas’ impact and leadership in world music trends. Check out this early video of Bob Wills here, with a beautiful ashtray-intact P-Bass being played in the background. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=S4FIWnI8feE Wright also offers significant ink on additional Texas contributions to electric bass lore. He cites the 1956 hit “Crazy Arms” by Ray Price and bassist Buddy Gillen as the first major hit featuring electric bass. The track also utilized a then soon-to-be popular studio technique of “doubling” (and sometimes tripling with a baritone), or in other words, playing an electric bass line on top of an upright line for more clarity and effect. There is also an extended analysis of the use of Buddy Holly’s own adoption of the instrument, focusing more on J. D. Mauldin, and a little bit on Waylon Jennings. The book also covers the invention of the Danelectro 6-string baritone bass, practically unchanged since its 1956 debut. It has only in recent years had its own virtuoso players  – namely Texas musician and Buddy Magazine Texas Tornado Mark Lettieri – though these players also favor more high-end baritone bass models. Also of interest is Wright’s foray into available books on electric bass pedagogy. He cites the 1957 book - “Bert Gardner’s Complete Course For Electric Bass” as the first. He also cites Mel Bay’s book by Roger Filiberto, “Mel Bay Presents the Electric Bass, Vol. 1,” which was a staple in my own learning and library. Filiberto’s legacy is tremendous in this area, having shaped or informed the playing of millions  of players, and doing so in an “evergreen” way, even for 1963. In 1979, the book was reported to have sold over one million copies. Also poignantly captured in the book is the story of the session musicians who literally invented a new sound for popular music. Studio bassists and musicians were almost wholly uncredited for their work, and working conditions were often not only undesirable, but potentially life-threatening, as in the case of the famously manic and gun-wielding Phil Spector. What these electric bass players accomplished will never be recreated again. Wright notes the geographic constricts, and concentration of the music production industry that were integral to voluminous music output. While many pop music players make the covers of the instrument mags, their attention can be highly disproportionate compared to the sheer volume of output and influence of these pioneering studio payers and working musicians. In this initial 2-decade definitive history of the instrument, some heretofore names unknown are covered in detail. He spends a nice of amount of wordage on the first true artist and “hero” of the electric bass, James Jamerson. While many players were required to play straight off-the-page, Jamerson was given full creative reign in the studios. Will the electric bass ever get the respect it deserves from music pedagogists and historians? This book steers them in the right path, and maybe there is hope. In short, if you are serious about playing the electric bass, this book is indeed a must-have. Read more about the book at Amazon. com --- --- ### All the Way From Memphis with Drummer Chris Craig and Bassist Kinley Wolfe of Frayser Blvd - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-20 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/chris-craig-kinley-wolfe-black-oak-arkansas-lord-tracy/ - Categories: Cover Story, New Texas Music - Entity Types: Article By Colleen GilsonPhotos by Russ Rockwood Rojas, Christopher Lee Helton, Maureen Dalton Wolfe, Danny Craig, Chris Jeans, Keenan NeighborsTHE LONG ROAD BACK TO FRAYSER BLVD. STARDATE:-298448. 98107038054     1609       Earth 32. 7980994,-96. 6992124 Note: As I was preparing to meet my interviewees Chris Craig and Kinley Wolfe at my home in Dallas, the canines alerted me to some visitors, and I opened the door to this: The creatures peeled their headskins off to reveal their human forms: Drummer Chris Craig and bassist Kinley Wolfe show up in standard attire for their Buddy Magazine interview at writer Colleen Gilson's house. Photo by Maureen Dalton Wolfe. Just when ya think you know somebody... It’s been said ‘you can never go back’, and even though Chris Craig and Kinley Wolfe are a long way from their roots in Frayser (aka north Memphis), Tennessee, in both miles and linear chronology, they are utilizing their new drums and bass project Frayser Blvd to mess with the space/time continuum, and to test the theory that sometimes you must revisit the past in order to create the future. In this extensive hybrid narrative-interview, we talk with Craig and Wolfe about their 45-plus year careers as artists, as a rhythm section, and as friends, past, present, and future. Photo by Russ Rockwood Rojas Photo by Russ Rockwood Rojas Photo by Russ Rockwood Rojas Photo by Russ Rockwood Rojas Photo by Russ Rockwood Rojas https://open. spotify. com/artist/4gfKrWZ847XiCmUbBlpomJ? si=JBgsFmQxREqrZ9PhLWwIjg&nd=1&dlsi=bf866a6bdfed41c2 THE PAST Memphis is an undeniably historical music town. From early 20th century legends Memphis Minnie, Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson to the post-WWII sounds of Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Howlin' Wolf, the blues on Beale Street defined Memphis until Elvis Presley walked into Sun Recording Studios in 1953 to make a single for his beloved mother Gladys' birthday present and very soon, Elvis was everywhere with this controversial new sound called rock 'n roll. As Elvis' star continued to rise in the 1960s, Sun became the home behind rockabilly and country artists. The Civil Rights movement served as musical inspiration for artists at the home of soul, the star-studded Stax/Volt roster which included Isaac Hayes, Booker T Washington, Johnnie Taylor, and Carla Thomas. Rock vied for its piece of the Memphis musical pie with The Box Tops “The Letter,” Big Star made some influential noise that was not appreciated til after the bands demise, The Bar-kays' funky “Soul Finger” was a crossover hit, but as far as AM radio rock, Elvis dominated. The 1970s brought bands like The Amazing Rhythm Aces, but on the local rock scene, the band to see was Target. Fronted by singer Jimi Jamison (who later went on to form Survivor who had a massive hit with “Eye of The Tiger” from Rocky 3), Target put out 2 LPs, gigged regularly and was a sort of blueprint to schoolmates Craig and Wolfe on how to bring music out of the garage, and to the stage and beyond. Music was the goal, music was IT. And so in the mid-1970s, Savage was born, with Craig on drums, Wolfe on bass, guitarists Shawn Lane and Tate Yawn, with Danny Craig on the mic. In this first section, Kinley Wolfe and Chris Craig share some key points of the conversation about their beginnings in Memphis. Chris Craig. Photo by Russ Rockwood RojasChris Craig. Photo by Russ Rockwood RojasLord Tracy. Photo by Russ Rockwood RojasColleen: How did you guys meet? Wolfe: When I was in eighth grade, Chris had a band in the high school where we went. And he was a big shit. He was a star... Craig: My band was called Fantasy... This was before he even played. Wolfe:  I always knew that I wanted to play with Chris. I would go over there and hang out and watch y'all record and rehearse or whatever. And then y'all let me play one time, and I thought, 'All right, here's my chance so I can impress them. But that was a huge motivation thing for me, 'Oh, I'm going to show those motherfuckers. ' So I went home and went to work in my bedroom. Played to all my Kiss records. Colleen: Can you talk about local Memphis' rock band Target? Early 80s shot of Chris and Kinley. Kinley "Barney" Wolfe. Photo by Russ Rockwood RojasPortrait of bassist Kinley Wolfe. Photo by Jeff Stephens. Wolfe: Yeah they were some of our heroes. If you were in the club and Jimi Jamison was singing, you can't imagine the impact it had. It was just like, “Man, this guy is world class. He sang just like Paul Rogers of Free and Bad Company, and his voice was so strong he didn't need a microphone. Craig: Well, there's some singers. Jimi's one, I mean, we've been lucky to play with a few, like Jim Dandy and Terry Glaze. They had this presence that when they walk on the stage and they take the mic, they have total control over everything that rolls. Jimi was like that and his voice, you just kind of sit back and he went off, man. Everybody in the band was awesome. It's really funny because the drummer for that band, I still see him all the time. He plays in a local Memphis band. He played for Hank Williams, Jr. for years and has many Grammys. Wolfe: : When you and Shawn were playing with Black Oak, I was hanging around Buddy trying to get something going, but Buddy didn't want a band-- he wanted to record, but he didn't want to play. And he was the lead guitar player for Target, he's the one that wrote all the songs. He was actually friends with Jeff Beck, he sold Jeff Beck guitars. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=FTme3n3D9F4&list=FLzOiFlOWXUdUA32r2rae7oQ&index=46Savage Innocence, with Wolfe, Craig, and an extended solo by a young Shawn Lane. Lane went on to become a Shrapnel recording artist, and is widely regarded as one of the top fusion rock guitarists of his time. Craig: Actually, that story goes a little farther, which is when Savage was playing. And if you read that website and that history for “Sorry You're a Horse” (the first track on All The Way From Memphis), we kind of talked about how we were just a little band of brothers, hung out, played every night, practiced and wrote all these original songs. And so at one point we got the opportunity to open up for Target, and this was like '77, '78-- probably '78 because right before the band broke up-- but we opened up two nights for 'em at a theater down in Memphis, by now we were Savage. Wolfe: We had done that demo with Shawn at Kingsbury of “Sorry, You're a Horse. ” And I remember they wanted to hear what we were doing, or they said they did. They probably didn't... We played it at soundcheck, and they acted like they liked it, like, 'Holy shit, Black Sabbath! '. But it made us feel great. They probably didn't give a shit. I mean, but they were just being nice. Craig: Shawn was so good even then that you didn't get shouldered out too much when he was up there playing because he was fucking blowing all those older guys away. They might've had some critiques about it, but you need to have more tastes. But he was still fucking them up. ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=p7npgU05eHk&list=PLdHzA6WLbVCF2tgQmvoODjcGq22h5sw9Z&index=4 Lane left Savage to join Black Oak Arkansas, and soon Craig and Wolfe followed. I asked how they ended up in Dallas. Wolfe: We didn’t move to Dallas to play with Lightning right away. We were still playing with Jim Dandy and BOA. And we had just gotten Rocky Athas to join the band. We would tour a few weeks, then have a few weeks off . Then one week Chris’s dad asked us if we wanted to make a lot of money working with him in Dallas, so we had down time and we got a Greyhound bus to Dallas to work with his dad. We worked with his dad a few weeks, then toured with BOA a few weeks. We did this for a while until BOA started slowing down. Rocky suggested we could do Lightning in the interim until things got better. At some point, Chris and I got tired of doing it cause it seemed we weren’t getting anywhere. So we started 3D with Jimmy Rusidoff who we knew from Memphis. Then Terry Glaze quit Pantera and came with us to become Traci Lords and eventually, Lord Tracy. . https://open. spotify. com/artist/7fallP8rIWflbvUDg9KRpP Craig: It was about '86-'87 when we got Jim Rusidoff moved down to Dallas to start 3-D. I had been with Lightning, then I was not and then I was again. I had moved back to Memphis on the '85-'86 period after my first stint with Lightning. When I came back (to rejoin Lightning) I had talked Jim into joining us. Kinley had played with Lightning the whole time. In the end Rocky really wanted Walter to resume singing and drums, and that’s what eventually happened. Walter was an essential part of Lightning for so long that made perfect sense. So Kinley and I started 3-D with Jim Rusidoff. Not long after, Terry Glaze joined, and the rest is history. ” --- Lord Tracy formed in 1986, played around a few years til they were signed by UNI-MCA and released Deaf Godz of Babylon in 1989. They had two videos in rotation on MTV, the raucous “Out with The Boys” which reached #40 on Billboard mainstream charts, and the ballad “Foolish Love. ” The band toured extensively until they broke up in 1991. Wolfe then joined The Cult, and went on to play in Milk the Cow, The American Fuse, The Javelinas, a Lord Tracy reunion and release, Porn Again, came out in 2006. Craig went another way. “So what did I do after Lord Tracy? I got with Jimmy R Band,” Craig said. “I did that for about three or four years, and then I ended up moving back to Memphis, and I got into this little country rock band. It was called Ricochet Roundup, and it was a really good band. We played for about four years up until 2001 and that ran its course. I did not play for a while after that... full disclosure, I went to recovery and tried to find out who the fuck I was after all those goddamn rock and roll years. Had to quit drinking, had to quit doing dope -- which I did a lot of dope and a lot of drinking those 10 years after Lord Tracy-- because to be honest with you, I just couldn't fit into that fucking regular life shit. And my phone was ringing off the wall for gigs. I was trying to do shit, but then I had a family. It's the same story you hear from many, many musicians that go through that period. ” A 2013 Lord Tracy reunion at Trees in Dallas brought the original line-up back together to the delight of old and new fans, and the chemistry between Craig and Wolfe had not skipped a beat. THE PRESENTSo this brings us up to the now of Frayser Blvd. , All the Way From Memphis. The project is almost exclusively Craig and Wolfe, drums and bass but not in the 2000's context. To try to describe the songs or the vibe would be a disservice to readers because it is more of an experience to be savored, a listening adventure throwback to the days of gatefold LPs and headphones in a black light postered bedroom, absorbing lyrics and tales, but updated. The www. Frayserblvd. com  website brings it to the tech level, and it is wise to follow along there for the entire trip to be fully absorbed and enjoyed. Craig's IT job gives him June off, so he began thinking of their old material that could possibly be rerecorded. Early days with Chris and Kinley. Lord Tracy. A young Kinley Wolfe getting down on his G&L 1000 bass. With Jim Dandy, Black Oak Arkansas. The conversation continues. Colleen: Can you talk about your latest creation, Frayser Blvd? Craig: We've been wanting to play together forever. We're brothers from another mother. And even when we spend 10 years apart, when we come together, it's like we were together yesterday. It's just like, I mean, you have friends or mates or anything that sometimes you get together and it's like you just got the bond... we had that bond, and we don't have to talk about it. And when we play, it's the same way. We don't have to talk about it. It's like we know where to go, instinctively... you're not always right, but even if you're wrong, they hear what you're doing and they move with you. Right? That's what music does when you get to a certain level. It's pretty retro, pretty self indulgent. We wrote those lists of songs down, and so in my job every year-- I work at Vanderbilt during the day because music don't pay you shit-- but I've been doing it for so long that I can come and go pretty much as I like, and I work out of my garage. We knew that when we were doing it-- it'd be pretentious otherwise. It ain't for everybody, but we're trying to make the story tie in so even if you're not a fan you'll still be interested in the soundscape, and the story and the connections because it's real. I always take the whole month of June off. So I decided to go to Dallas. So I came down here for a week and we booked some studio time in Jim King's studio. We hadn't done any practicing. I think we had Friday, Saturday, Sunday at the studio, and then Kinley had to play a gig Saturday. So we only had part of Saturday, but I came down on a Tuesday, so Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we got into Kinley's living room and just started making shit up - what we're going to go do in the studio and it  wasn't like it was planned. I mean, we had to practice those songs that we knew, like “Radar Love” . I had to go figure out how to fucking do that solo, which was not easy. I had to practice. That's tough practicing. ”--- Their rendition is a faithful cover executed with surprising ferocity, enhanced by The Club Wood Horns-- King Jay Hatler on trombone, Joseph ‘the Lip’ Reyes on trumpet and The Judge on sax (and single life, according to liner notes). The project begins with a reworking of the aforementioned “I'm Sorry You're a Horse. ” I admit it-- I make fun of singing drummers all the time because oftentimes with a singing drummer, you can't be good at two things at once. But there is a theatrical Shakespearean (and rather menacing) quality to Craig's vocal delivery that is even better than the scariest Alice Cooper in its timbre. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=7J0p4S7349o To this point, Craig said, "Alice Cooper was my idol growing up. I know every fucking Alice Cooper song, especially the early stuff, and he's still one of my favorite artists. I was not wrong about Alice Cooper in 1973 when I was 13, and look at him today, I met him at a meet and greet, and somebody bought me a Cameo-- you  know that app-- for my birthday. My wife and my kid sat me down in front of the TV one day three or four years ago, and there's Alice! 'Oh yeah, Chris, man, you played with Black Oak. We probably did some gigs together. Happy Birthday. ' And he sang a song to me, and I'm going, 'Holy fuck! '" This explains Frayser Blvd’s reworking of “Is It My Body,” which features Wolfe’s The American Fuse guitarist Nate Fowler and Craig’s current band mate, Jes Vicknair of Seein’ Red. There is a different take on the original, which initially sounds foreign. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=5xtuTFDCHwk Wolfe: Chris totally rearranged that song... when we were recording in the studio, he's going, 'No, not that part here. We're going to bring it down here. ' The real song is not like that. So I was like, 'Fuck, I only know the way it is on the record. ' The way he arranged it and he wanted to make it was a sultry thing, not like a swagger thing like what Alice did. Craig: “I had a vision for that song for many years, and I didn't think I'd ever get to do it. As matter of fact, he sang it. He did it. Wolfe: Yeah. There's a version of me doing it. I didn't know if Jes was going to do it. Oh, really? So I just did it, like Alice did it. ” Craig: That song, at least the way we were raised with it, and the way I had it in my mind, it had to have somebody singing it. And because I've been playing with her for a while, I knew she could do it. The whole thing to me was, 'Can you get it out? Can you bring it out? ' I knew she could do it, but how do you bring that out to the person? We had one night, we flew the tracks into Memphis and we went down to South Memphis Horn Lake in Mississippi to a guy's studio, and we did that one night. We gave her a bottle of Fireball – 'Here, take that,' and gave him some whiskey... you have to get loose. It takes a while to get loose. --- Vicknair's vocals range from a sexy “come hither” to absolutely wailing. And Fowler's guitar work is faithful to the original yet creative. Things get back to straight ahead rock with “Windemere,” a deceptive musical guise for a tragedy that occurred when both Craig and Wolfe were still in high school. Lake Windemere was where the kids would go drink, smoke, cut loose... and then one day, one of them got tangled in something below surface, and drowned. Even though they would not name their friend, they fondly remembered him. Craig: When you're in school and and you just go do shit, you do things that are crazy... you're indestructible. Wolfe: The guy that happened to happened to be like 'that guy'... everybody loved him. He was athletic... Craig: I try to keep it in a generalized term, but the ones who know, know... somebody's already asking was that about, yeah, fair enough. The thing was, we weren't there when it happened. And you talk about how it affects you. So that song was originally another song from the Savage days, same time. I was riding back to Memphis from that very first session when we started this project and had my phone on voice memo. And that's when I wrote that song. Every few miles I would do another line. And that's what I wanted it to be about. I kept thinking about that Windemere was the name of the lake, right? Still there. And I never mentioned the guy's name in there. It actually turned into more like a haunted lake thing because it was a little more accessible like that. Colleen: The visual of kids partying and then suddenly tragedy striking is easy for the mind, the story's obvious. Wolfe: He has a story for every song. I mean, because we can't just have a song. He's like, 'Well, what's the story? ' And I'm like, 'I don't know... ' Craig: I think that if you can weave a tale for somebody, then they're going to be engaged a lot more in what you trying to do. Wolfe: It makes it honest, and keeps it honest. --- “Flogging a Bass (The Wank Continues),” a three part feature of Wolfe's amazing bass wizardry defies written explanation, but historically, his bass playing is a magical combination of technique, gear, and rule breaking. Lord Tracy's Deaf Gods of Babylon introduced the world to his frenetic styling aka “The Wank. ” Wolfe's youtube channel is a journey of various wanks throughout the years: https://www. youtube. com/user/wolfekdub77 https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=S3kGQpkxddg Wolfe's style is a combo of various stringed influencers such as Stanley Clarke, Eddie Van Halen, come to life with a dizzying array of gear including Buddy Blaze Kinley 1 bass w/ Kahler tremolo, Buddy Blaze Kinley 2 bass w/ Kahler fixed bridge, Kahler Tremolos, Fender P-basses, Fender Jazz fretless bass, Squire Jazz 5 string, Ernie Ball strings, Seymour Duncan pickups, Hipshot tuners and parts, All Parts Musical parts, Tech21 Sansamp Bass Fly Rig v. II, Digitech Whammy pedal, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss Bass Synth pedal, B-3 pedal, Jim Dunlop Jazz III XL picks, Ampeg amps, GK amps and Dark Glass MicroTubes. “Mountainside” features Craig's expertise as a drummer and percussionist, setting a mellowly beautiful and spacey mood in the first part, “Ascent,” and “Enlightenment” is where the lyrics come in describing a spiritual awakening. Craig plays Pearl drums, Paiste cymbals, Tama pedals, Vater Fatback 3A drumsticks, Remo and Evans drum heads (whatever sounded the best at that moment), Rocket toms, Roto-Toms, Djembe, bongos, snake shakers, triangles, chimes and a broken tambourine (“It sounded the best – thanks Jim” the liner notes read, referring to Jim King. ) The song “All Roads” comes at you hard and heavy, dissonant, weird siren-esque bass riffs repeating then screaming... and ends with the “The Star Spangled Banner” just like back in the day when there were three television channels and they'd sign off for the night. (Distress warning? Political statement? Lesson in not paying attention to history making it doomed to repeat itself? ) The project ends with “Only Then,” more of a chant than a song in its brevity, backed with nature's night noises and scant select riffs. Interspersed between the songs are interludes that are Craig and Wolfe's history, and when you follow along on their website (or the booklet in the CD, every story is laid out to help you along their journey. This project began in June 2022, and wrapped (at least studio-wise) in January 2024. Not daily-- but it takes a special relationship with your recording engineer to go that span and still maintain the gist of a project.  The topic of working in Sonic Dropper Studio with Jim King arose. Wolfe: I had worked with him a lot because Nate, our guest on that, he was recording a solo record there, and then Terry, when he would come in town, he would record over there, too. All the gear and everything's like first class and everything. Jim's real easy to work with. Craig: Plus, he's a drummer. Wolfe: I knew that we could do anything because some studios you go into, they just, especially us being drummer and bass player, we're fucking stupid to most studio people because of the instruments we play. So if you tell 'I'm going to do this,' and they're like, 'You can't do that on a bass,' you're not going to be able to have a creative situation. ” Craig: I didn't know Jim when I walked in the studio. I walked into the studio-- Kinley was at work-- I walked in, met Jim and we just hit it off. He's a drummer and he didn't know what we were going to do. Hell, we didn't know what we were going to do. We set the drums up and the first thing for a drummer is you start tuning new drums. How do they sound? How does he think they sound? And you usually know right then, is this going to fucking work out? Well, me and Jim were on the same page. It was just right there from the moment, we got along and we're on the same page. Jim is so smart, he's way smarter than me. Jim King used Nuendo DAW, API, Neve and Crane Song for the analog side, then Pulsar modular, UAD, Fab Filter and many other digital plug ins... Naylor Amps and neural DSP amp sims. Millions of tiny transistors, too. THE FUTURE Just because the tracks are numbered does not mean this particular project is done. During the interview, Wolfe and Craig came up with another cover they'd love to record, and since the website is a living website, more tracks can be added as they are completed. Craig: I truly believe that this is not something that goes viral. This is something that grows in months. And so it's like, let's see where we are in December. Where are we at as far as playing live? As soon as we can, as soon as we feel confident. And we can do that in Memphis. We can do that in Dallas. And those are the only two places that matter to us right now, because that's where our people are. Wolfe: I'm trying to build my arsenal to get it right for live. I have all the stuff I used in the studio, but I need to configure it for doing live. I believe this can and will be accomplished, and exceed expectations. ------------ All The Way From Memphis is something to be savored-- put on your headphones or earbuds in, get your head space right, lie back in a darkened room with your eyes closed, and take a ride with Frayser Blvd. It's well worth the trip. Find more info about Chris and Kinley below: www. frayserblvd. com www. kinleywolfe. com youtube. com/@frayserblvd youtube. com/@kinleywolfe --- ### The Boogie Woogie Life of Rockin' Robert Tomberlin - Published: 2024-09-18 - Modified: 2024-09-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-boogie-woogie-life-of-rockin-robert-tomberlin/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Feature - Entity Types: Article By Robert MaxfieldPhotos by Robert Maxfield I recently sat down for a morning breakfast with Rockin Robert Tomberlin and his wife, Tammie, at our favorite breakfast hangout near Ft. Worth. I had met Robert a few years back at the Dallas International Guitar Festival and our paths had crossed several times.   It seems we both liked the same restaurant in the Mid-Cities and ate there, not ever knowing one another.   Honestly, I had no idea what to expect.    We could have just talked about the weather.   What actually did transpire was an amazing conversation about 62 years of an incredible life in music and tons of great memories. I first asked Robert about his early days and starting out in Amarillo.   What surprised me was a very normal and traditional story.   Robert told me that Amarillo has both kinds of music, Country & Western and Boogie/Rock & Roll, his own brand of which was a little different from the area norm at the time.   “I might be the only one who appreciates my stuff,” he laughs.    “What I play comes from my soul, ya know. ” Rockin' Robert Tomberlin. Photo by Robert Maxfield He started out in music, like many young kids, playing cornet in the school band.  He soon traded it for his first guitar, and that was the beginning of a long career.   “I was 13 years old and in a working band,” he states proudly.   Playing in local country bands eventually left him still wanting more.   So, after paying a visit to the DFW Metroplex, he set his sights on Dallas. Arriving in Dallas in March of 1998, Robert Tomberlin was a somewhat of a latecomer to the Dallas music scene, but he made an impact very quickly.   “Coming to Dallas was key for me,” he explains.   I asked about his connection to Buddy Magazine and photographer/publisher Ron McKeown.   In his early Dallas days, he and Ron would go from location to location dropping off hard copies of the magazine into news stands.   From there, Robert developed a deep friendship and a great level of respect for Ron.   Robert chooses not to have any particular stage image, and is very much a “what you see is what you get” kind of guy.   He looks no different on stage than he does sitting across the table from you.   Robert and Tammie met at Stroker’s, a Dallas biker bar.   She told me about buying his stage shirts for Christmas performances, to which I exclaimed (in mock surprise), “stage shirts”?     We spoke about their deep faith in God and how they are devoted to church.   “Put God first and don’t worry.   That’s what we do. ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=YC5WVbEB1ZY As our food was getting cold,  Robert shared stories of great friendships and meeting people from all over the music industry.   Many of the artists Robert has played with, or opened for, are now considered legends.   Those include Buddy Whittington, Leo Hull, Johnny Nitzinger, Sugarloaf, Grass Roots, Derek St. Holmes, and the list goes on.   Robert genuinely feels that the most important part of his journey is the people and relationships he has developed over the past 62 years.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=OT_HmLVslFE What continues to drive Rockin Robert Tomberlin is his love of music, friendships, and the experiences which come along with those.   His two band mates are David Montgomery, bass player, and Mark Austin on drums.   Robert’s passion for performing is palpable and keeps him forever young at heart.   I look forward to his sets at the yearly Dallas International Guitar Festival, and hearing his shoutout to Jimmy Wallace, whom he’s pretty sure he first met while delivering Buddy Magazines. Tomberlin has no plans to stop.   “I am 75 years young  and still Rockin’! ! ”   For a boy from Amarillo, Texas, who gave up cornet for Boogie Woogie guitar,  I would say he’s done alright. --- --- ### Buddy Magazine March 1975 Auto Sound Issue Issue - Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-09-17 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7503/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the March 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about the Auto Sound issue, cosmic car stereo by Buffalo George Toomer, reviews on Michael Murphey, Can, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Eric Burdon, radio troubles, Dallas premiere, interview of Gregg Allman and more. --- ### At Globe Life Field Tomorrow: Green Day’s Saviors Tour is multigenerational delight for music history buffs and diehard fans alike - Published: 2024-09-10 - Modified: 2024-09-17 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/green-day-globe-life-field/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Ahead of Green Day’s Saviors Tour stop at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wednesday, Ian Saint reviews their Pittsburgh show Green Day perform “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. Photo by Ian Saint Green Day’s Saviors Tour is christened after their new album, but also packs full performances of their greatest-selling albums — Dookie and American Idiot — upon their respective 30th and 20th anniversaries, culminating in a 37-song set list. That is a jaw-dropping, once-in-a-lifetime treat for Green Day’s diehard fans; but I found that it was a compelling set for anyone who’s interested in rock history in general, even with the abundance of album cuts. My sister, Kerry, accompanied me to the Saviors Tour show at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. Our pairing was sentimentally significant, because we saw Green Day’s American Idiot Tour together as teenagers in Cleveland on May 6, 2005. George W. Bush had just been re-inaugurated President, and the veracity of American Idiot’s critiques in our “swing state” were heightening as Hurricane Katrina and the Great Recession loomed. My Chemical Romance was Green Day’s opening act, and the now-legendary emo anthem “Helena” was MCR’s brand-new single. As we drove to Pittsburgh, 19 years later, I acknowledged to Kerry how remarkably groundbreaking Green Day’s American Idiot album and tour were in retrospect. My sister was the big Green Day fan; American Idiot was her first concept album, as it was for so many of our fellow Millennials and Zillennials, and she was enthralled — whereas I’d already dove deep into classic concept albums from our father’s generation, like Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral, so it wasn’t quite as novel for me. But American Idiot struck me as the first time a prominent music act spoke out against the W. Bush administration, and managed to reap blockbuster success in doing so — the opposite outcome of what befell even the most juggernaut of dissenters, like Madonna and the Dixie Chicks, earlier that year (2003). It was a bold move for the band, who could’ve comfortably coasted on the “legacy” status they’d attained with 2001’s International Superhits! compilation. Two decades after their gamble, Green Day is packing stadiums. Watching the Saviors Tour, I was taken aback by how seamlessly the Dookie, American Idiot, and Saviors songs compliment one another — while also being distinctly emblematic of their respective decades. Saviors’opening track, “The American Dream is Killing Me,” is both a catchy and profound introduction to the show; then, Green Day rip straight into Dookie. Dookie came out before mine and Kerry’s time; but Green Day did an effective job of making us feel like we were experiencing the vibe of that mid-90s era, wedged between the disparate explosions of grunge and boy bands. Gargantuan inflatables re-created the unforgettable cover art; and the band played the album with a ferocity that might’ve fatigued the young stoners who’d recorded it. “Let’s put the phones down,” implored front man Billie Joe Armstrong during “Longview,” Dookie Track 4 and their debut single. This served as a fitting reminder of how far fewer distractions there were in everyday life at the time — including at punk rock shows — and how much more common it was to feel the song’s frustrations with intense boredom back then, compared to the present’s common complaint of overstimulation. “Basket Case” made me realize, and appreciate, how many concepts Green Day had championed long before they were widely accepted. Going to a therapist is popular now, but was often stigmatized as a concession of weakness back then – particularly for men. Billie Joe proclaiming his bisexuality was also a bold move, especially for a guy who was marrying a woman (that he’s still married to). It’s easy to shrug about those themes now, but they were challenging the status quo on both of those fronts; which may have played a role in why so many people couldn’t get enough of that longtime #1 alternative radio staple. All of Dookie’s hit singles sent the stadium into a frenzy, and I particularly enjoyed “Welcome to Paradise” — which had actually first come out on Green Day’s 1991 Kerplunk album, and the live rendition was more aligned with that grittier first recording. The album cuts were often peppered with theatrics that kept unacquainted audience members captivated, such as a giant inflatable plane roaming the stadium (and air-dropped mini-planes) during “Coming Clean” and amplifiers spouting a sea of pyro during “In the End. ” Massive inflatables bring the Dookie and American Idiot covers’ art to 3-D. Fans of Green Day’s biggest hits beyond Dookie and American Idiot needn’t worry: evergreen radio staples like Insomniac’s“Brain Stew,” Warning’s “Minority,” and Nimrod’s “Good Riddance” are still slid in, with an air of delight that don’t make those “extra” songs feel like rushed afterthoughts — “Know Your Enemy” (Green Day’s first post-Idiot single) even afforded enough time for bringing two audience members onstage to elongate its snappy refrain. The slew of Saviors selections between Dookie and American Idiot did not slow down the momentum. “Look Ma, No Brains! ” is irresistible, and easy to quickly sing along to; and “Dilemma” is a touching gem about finding sobriety again after relapsing — a setback that often entails a great deal of shame, keeping in step with Green Day’s tradition of tearing down taboos (and cultivating a gigantic fanbase for doing so). The band’s 2. 5 hour marathon set — and making it look easy at ages 52 — is also a testament to the power of their sobriety. Since I’d already experienced Green Day’s American Idiot Tour, which boasted the majority (but not all) of the album in its set list, I wondered if the American Idiot run-through would feel like a retread; but that concern was quickly quelled, and I believe that having the American Idiot Tour experience in memory heightened my appreciation for the full album run-through in 2024. Hearing the deafening singalongs of American Idiot’s singles — like the title track, “Holiday,” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (the only song to ever win both Grammy Record of the Year and MTV’s Video of the Year VMA) — galvanized how monstrous of hits they were. But many of the non-single, album cuts provoked just as much enthusiasm; I got goosebumps as the stadium sang the refrains of “Are We the Waiting” and “Homecoming” in choral unison. It was particularly interesting to absorb the latter’s “nobody likes you, everyone left you, they’re all out without you, having fun” hook in the age of Instagram, where curated feeds have wrecked havoc on self-esteem and struggles with FOMO. Experiencing “Wake Me Up When September Ends” live on September 1st was inexplicable. If you have a chance to see Green Day in September — as Texas does — this song will be extra special. I was flooded with déjà vu of how that song became a requiem for Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005; and I became overwhelmed by recalling the series of people who have “come to pass” since then. The sea of lights also made me recall how Green Day’s 2005 American Idiot Tour was the very first instance I’d seen of cell phones lighting up an arena — rather than the long tradition of cigarette lighters — which is now the norm. Me and my sister pause for a quick snap during “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” 19 years after we caught the American Idiot Tour. Perhaps the greatest surprise of Green Day’s performance was how it unexpectedly left me filled with hope and optimism. It’s easy to get discouraged by world events these days; but revisiting the discontentment of Dookie and (especially) American Idiot left me with an appreciation for how far we’ve come since then. The deluge of nostalgia could’ve left me mourning the loss of youth; but I don’t miss the sociopolitical climates that inspired those albums. Three opening bands are accompanying Green Day on the Saviors Tour: Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and the Linda Lindas. The last group comprises entirely of young women — half Latina, half Asian — who were all born after American Idiot was recorded, some by several years. Their radiant delight at being part of this tour was infectious. Most of the audience appeared unfamiliar with the Linda Lindas’ material, but were roused to their feet anyway. The Linda Lindas go on very early — around 5:30 PM — but are absolutely worth arriving early. They did an outstanding job of getting us pumped for a long night of rock ‘n roll. Rancid sprang from the same Bay Area punk scene that launched Green Day, and their presence on the bill was a great help to contextualizing the magic of that time and place for those of us who missed it. Their set culled heavily from 1995’s ... And Out Come the Wolves, which garnered Platinum certification — a very rare milestone in the punk genre — and all band members on that record, besides drummer Brett Reed, remain today. “Ruby Soho” provoked the most rapturous response, and it was interesting to see an impromptu secondary mosh pit emerge between seated sections; but “Fall Back Down,” off 2003’s Indestructible, was my personal favorite — I remember the ebullient affection of its refrain as an adolescent, and my appreciation for its message has grown after weathering the trials of life since then. Green Day fans will appreciate hearing “Radio,” the song on 1994’s Let’s Go that Billie Joe Armstrong co-wrote. Smashing Pumpkins stood out from the rest for several reasons: their success began prior to Green Day’s, they’re more associated with “goth” rather than “punk,” and they don’t hail from sunny California — instead originating from faraway Chicago — so it was quite jarring to see them performing in daylight; and, unlike the rest of the bands, they engaged in very little talking. Nevertheless, most of their set was sourced from 1993’s Siamese Dream or 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, of which Dookie was released in-between, so there is plenty of timeline overlap for Green Day fans to enjoy in Smashing Pumpkins’ set. It was great to see original drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and guitarist James Iha back in the fold with front-man Billy Corgan; and Chamberlain’s distinctive jazzy groove was especially noteworthy, most prominently on “Bullet With Butterfly Wings. ” It was impressive to observe how clearly nostalgic “1979” made people of different generations feel — including those of us born well after 1979 — which speaks to the genius of Corgan’s songwriting. “Cherub Rock” was a searing sonic highlight, that also boasted very unexpected, vaudevillian theatrics from NWA wrestlers. Shout-out to Pittsburgh’s PNC Park for being an excellent host venue. Entering the stadium was expeditious and orderly, including entry to the floor — a facet that was chaotic and painstakingly slow at the Rolling Stones’ Cleveland Browns Stadium show in June. The stadium is oriented so that even us field-dwellers were mostly shaded from the evening sun, and Downtown Pittsburgh’s skyline was lit gloriously in front of us. Driving from and back to Cleveland was quick and mostly free of traffic congestion, as PNC Park’s North Shore placement meant that we did not have to drive through Downtown. Pittsburgh’s parking rates seem consistently more expensive than what I encounter in Cleveland and other similar-sized cities; but they do have an abundance of convenient parking options. Walking to PNC Park, across the Allegheny River, is easy for those who opt to lodge in Downtown. Green Day bring the Saviors Tour to North Texas on Wednesday, and it’s sure to be a memorable night at Globe Life Field in Arlington. From the perspective of someone who saw the band when they were 20 years younger, I feel that they are in their peak form today; and it’s remarkable that, unlike many of their contemporaries, their member line-up has remained fully intact. No telling whether President George W. Bush will attend their show on his home turf, but I highly recommend that any fan of rock music history get out and see this history-enshrining tour. For tickets, and remaining tour dates, visit Green Day’s official website: www. greenday. com/tour. --- ### Rest in Peace Ron McKeown - Published: 2024-09-07 - Modified: 2024-10-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/rest-in-peace-ron-mckeown/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Photo by Ron McKeown Update: Click here for info on Ron's public Celebration of Life, at Poor David's Pub in downtown Dallas, Dec. 1 at 2 PM. With special musical guests throughout the day. It is with profound sadness and grief that we announce the loss of our dearest and most beloved friend, and Buddy Magazine Publisher Emeritus, Ron McKeown. He passed away yesterday afternoon at his home in Sulphur Springs of natural causes. At the urging of his friend and Buddy Magazine writer Lisa Dupre, he had gone to the emergency room several times this week for swelling in his legs and feet. Many friends were in close contact with Ron during this period, and monitoring his condition. After Lisa Dupre made an emergency call to his next door neighbor asking her to conduct a welfare check, he was found at approximately 8 P. M. on Thursday. He was 78 years old. Ron donated his body for study at Southwestern Medical Center. Buddy Magazine founding photographer and publisher Ron McKeown. Photo by Ron McKeown A public memorial and celebration of Ron's life will be held at a future date, all details still to be determined. We will be following up with an expanded obituary covering his tremendous legacy in a special edition of Buddy Magazine. Buddy Magazine would like to thank everyone who has reached out with their memories, condolences, and outpourings of love. He was truly loved by so many, and it shows. We hope you will all join us in the same spirit for his memorial celebration at Poor David's Pub, in downtown Dallas, on Sunday, December 1st, from 2 - 5 P. M. . There is no charge to attend this event. Rest in peace, Ron. We love you. Facebook event information for Ron's Celebration of Lifehttps://www. facebook. com/events/1048523290105505 --- ### Buddy Magazine February 1975 The Buddy Awards Issue -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-09-03 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7502/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the February 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about Willie Nelson, the Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock. More insights on artists; Freddie King, Mike McGear, Carmen, and Robert Wyatt are given. Further, the generation of Janis Joplin into the Texas Music Hall of Fame, and Buddy Award's Top Newcomer, events calendar. Also, search for a guitarist with unique skills and more. --- ### The Joy of Playing: Interview with Texas Guitar Legend Eric Johnson - Published: 2024-08-29 - Modified: 2024-09-07 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-guitarist-eric-johnson/ - Categories: Cover Story, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article With this issue, Buddy Magazine celebrates 50 years of covering Eric Johnson's career. We first wrote about him in the June 1974 issue, when he had just joined Austin's jazz-fusion ensemble, The Electromagnets. You can read that interview here, starting on page 18. Johnson was also inducted into the first Buddy Magazine Texas Tornado hall of fame, alongside Billy Gibbons, Bugs Henderson, John Nitzinger, Rocky Athas, and Jimmie Vaughan. We called it then, and we are still calling it today. It is fair to say - perhaps "unjournalistically" so - that Buddy staff all hold Eric as rightfully one of the greatest contemporary players in modern guitar history, and we thank him for the reciprocal conversations and contact he has maintained with us for five decades. By Andrew DalyCover photo by Chuck FloresOther photos by Darleen McAdams and Kate Stow12 minute read time With a Stratocaster in hand, an overdrive stomp box at his feet, and backed by any number of vintage tube amps, Austin, Texas six-stringer Eric Johnson has staked his claim via a career spent in perpetual motion.   Of course, most know his iconic track "Cliffs of Dover," which comes off 1990's Ah Via Musicom and netted Johnson a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. But if you really want to dig deep, dial back to Johnson's days with the Electromagnets, when he was a young gun on the Texas scene, or scour through any number of his varied records that are lovingly scattered about his discography. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=aiRn3Zlw3Rw These days, Johnson is about keeping it simple. Despite just getting off tour with fellow G3 alumni Steve Vai and Joe Satriani—who are decidedly techy, Johnson still relies on a few simple Strats, tried and true tube amps, and his well-worn overdrive pedals.   The word is Johnson has new music in the works, though it's not ready yet. In the meantime, he's got a Texas tour to undertake, where he'll hit many of his favorite haunts while dazzling audiences with his rare blend of laid-back virtuosity. In the meantime, having just got home from G3, Johnson is kicking back, but not so far back that he didn't have time for a chat with Buddy, where he dug into his memories of his early days banging around Texas, playing alongside Satriani, and Vai, thoughts on amp modelers, and AI, and more. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=4wsyWLZRXDI You've just wrapped up the G3 reunion. What are your thoughts on the experience of regrouping with Steve and Joe? Yeah, it was really nice to reconnect with Joe and Steve. I hadn't really visited with them in quite a while. So, it was a real treat just to share some time with them, and some music. It was a good thing. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Mq-QIhp00BY As a member of the original G3, the three of you are forever linked. Can you give me your perspective on the connection you three share? Well, I think that we three just enjoy playing guitar and pursuing our guitar dreams as we see them and want to do. We have the same passion for guitar; it's great to be able to witness Joe and Steve play; they just have so much passion and fun playing. They're just out there having a great time; it's kind of what it's all about—the joy of playing. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=BXSDCxfzE8cBuddy Magazine writer and EJ acolyte George Bond says this is one of Johnson's greatest songwriting pieces and solos, and he will fight ya if you disagree. But no one would ever want to fight with as nice of a guy as George. What's a lesson you've learned from Satriani over the years and one lesson you've learned from Steve Vai? You know, I think it became really clear to me while I was on this last tour, I mean, to see Joe have so much fun on stage, and also, he's an extremely consistent player. He (Joe) pretty much nails what he does every night. And I think with Steve, the thing that I kind of enjoyed about what he does is the fact that he'll take so many chances and just go out into outer space. There's something cool about that. G3 aside, as a young musician in Texas, what are some of your memories of coming up? There's a lot, you know? I remember being about to do a couple of interviews for Buddy way back in the late '70s and early '80s. It was a real trip to be able to do that. It's cool that the magazine has been around for so long! Photo by Kate Stow. When Kate first showed us this image of EJ, taken at his DIGF 2023 performance, it immediately stood out as a different type of portrait. Johnson's longtime drummer Tommy Taylor remarked that it captured a completely different side of him that he had not seen before. What sticks out from those years for you as far as playing? Just being able to play at all the different places in Texas, and actually being able to make rent, have groceries, and play original music. I don't know if that's always possible, but we were always lucky to be able to write music, go out and play, and make enough money to survive. But there are so many memories and just the humbleness of getting in a van and traveling. It was very simple; we didn't have a lot of crew, and we had to do everything ourselves. It was all about fun and the cool opportunity to play our own music. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ujtadYpWbC8This song is perhaps more of a classic in Texas, rather than abroad, due to massive regional radio airplay at the time. Don't tell anyone - liking this song above others is the mark of a true Texas EJ fan over our friends abroad. And Roscoe Beck's bass solo is an unsung monster in the pantheon of blues rock bass solos, though it was edited out of this MTV video. Arguably the greatest blues rock bass solo ever. Was there ever a time when you thought you might not make it? Oh yeah, there was. It took a long time and a lot of changing from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C (laughs). Every time a door closed, you'd look for another open door, and I think that was what kept us going. But we never had a problem doing that because we were having so much fun playing, and we loved what we did. Regardless if we had success or not, we always enjoyed what we did. Eric Johnson, House of Blues Dallas, 2020. Photo by Darleen McAdams. What was the turning point for you to take it to the next level? I think it was when we started playing a lot in Charleston, South Carolina. For some reason, we got a foothold there, and that following grew, and we were able to branch out to areas around there. And eventually, we were able to travel to other Southern states, and do halfway decent. That was cool. I also think the first Austin City Limits was important. And what are your memories of the first Austin City Limits? I just couldn't believe that I had the opportunity to be on it. I was really excited about that, and yeah, I was pretty nervous about doing it since it was the first time. I think it went okay, but I'd say the second one we did was probably a little better. But the first one wasn't too bad. With the second one, I think I played more expansively and opened up a little more. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=g3YIiG6nOX4Not "too bad" at all. Classic performance referenced above, with drummer Tommy Taylor, and bassist Kyle Brock. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=sjfzi7YSGcIACL, 1988. Same lineup. These particular performances were highly disruptive to the musical landscape of the time, and continue to impact today's modern crop of guitar luminaries. Just ask Joe Bonamassa - he will tell you, straight up. How would you compare the way you play today versus the way you played back then? I would say I'm trying to be more open-minded about learning more about music, harmony and theory. I'm trying to learn more about and study other styles of music as much as I can. I always liked different styles, so I'm continuing in that same way. There are types of music I listen to now that I'm trying to learn from that I'd never listened to before. https://open. spotify. com/album/6Ftw45Yri2sWfxt36ELUIY What styles are those? Types of music like bluegrass; there's tons of stuff I'm learning from that. I never used to listen to that stuff years ago, but man, I'm listening to some old-school country stuff, and it's great. There are some great guitar players who made that music, and some of the acoustic bluegrass stuff is a real wealth of knowledge and a great learning pool. I'm studying all of that and how those guys play and write songs. Did you ever get to know any of your fellow Texas players back then, such as Rocky Athas? Oh yeah, I know Rocky. He's a great player. There were a whole host of guys back then! But Rocky was great; a friend of mine turned me onto him. I remember going to see Rocky play, and he was really into doing all these cool harmonics and getting them off the strings. I'd never heard anyone else do that before. Another old friend of yours is Roscoe Beck. How did you first meet him? We've worked together on and off for so many years; I first met him when I was in the Electromagnets. He came to see us after he'd just moved to Austin. So, we've known each other for a long time. He's a great musician, a wonderful musical director, producer, and I admire all he's done. He really does it all. He's got the whole big picture of music together. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=VgHJ0fmRpgIEric Johnson and Roscoe Beck, "Rafael. " Moving into the modern era, what are some of your thoughts on the guitar tech we're seeing today? It's really interesting where things are going. I think digital technology is really opening up a lot of possibilities, but as far as getting really straightened, organic sounds, I don't think the new stuff has really caught up yet. But it's offering some other alternative sounds that are pretty cool. Can you imagine a time when you give up your tube amp for a modeling device? I do have an amp modeler; it's like a new thing that came out in the last year, and I like to mess with it. It's better than older versions, and I'm interested in pursuing it, but I'm not quite ready to sign off and jump ship on tube amps just yet. But the modelers have some interesting potential, I think. There is something kind of cool about packing a whole bunch of sounds into one compact device. Totally. A lot of people say they can hardly tell the difference, and a lot of people are using them who normally would never have done that. So, I think it's getting better with each passing year. Eric Johnson and Andy Timmons, House of Blues Dallas, 2020. Photo by Darleen McAdams I'd wager that audience members with untrained ears can't tell, but musicians are probably missing the push of air that tube amps give off. Yeah, that's exactly what it is. It's a whole different deal. I was actually messing with an amp modeler this morning a little bit, and I don't know... it's something to keep around, but I'll just have to see where it goes. But I do think it's getting better and will keep getting better. That said, there's something to be said about the magic of an old tube amp. Even scarier technology is the advancements in AI. What are your thoughts on an Eric Johnson record being released via AI in 50 years? Yeah... I don't want to think about that. I have mixed feelings about it. It's gonna become such outlaw territory, with no rules or regulations. They'll be able to take whatever they want—which is already happening—and just make these AI songs. Some people say they're better than the original artists, which is a little weird. I don't know... that's something that I think is gonna get even harder to tell what's real and what's AI. Who are a few of your favorite guitarists? Oh, that's hard to say. I love Wes Montgomery a whole lot. And I love Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck, too. It's hard to pick just one. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=xiOPvOBd8IAAppealing to Johnson's Beck sensibilities. Well, let's say they made an AI Wes Montgomery record and did it "right. " Would that interest you? I think it would have an ingredient missing. It'll never be right because they're sidestepping some vital ingredients. The music might sound okay, or maybe it'll sound great, but it's gonna have a different function and meaning. Maybe it'll be background music for me in a restaurant, but it won't be something I'd really pay attention to. When you remove someone's spirit, there's going to be a big ingredient missing, and I don't know if I'd be interested. The human element will be gone; you can't manufacture that. Exactly. I think people will pick up on that. On some intuitive level, I don't think it matters how "good" it is; it's still gonna be a total facsimile. I don't know how you would ever, or if you could ever consider it anything more than that. Tech aside, what are some of your favorite places to play when you're in Texas? Oh, well, I love playing the Paramount (Austin); that's a great place. And on this upcoming Texas run, we're going to be doing the House of Blues in Dallas and Houston. I love both of those spots. But also, the Aztec Theater in San Antonio is a nice place to play that's also pretty cool.   But there are a few spots that are gone, like Liberty Lunch in Austin, which was a great place. It's too bad it's gone. There was also a club that's gone called Steamboat, which was a whole lotta fun; we used to play there back in the Electromagnet days. Last one. Are you working on new music? I want to start making a new record, which I think is gonna be more of a straight-ahead record. I want to do something that's more simply done, and hopefully, has little to no effects. I want it to be a straight-up record done like they did back in the 1940s, you know? I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do without a lot of extra stuff and focusing on just simplicity. --- --- ### Buddy Magazine January 1975 Kris & Rita America’s Singing Sweethearts -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-08-20 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7501/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the January 1975 issue, with interviews and articles about  1975 Buddy Awards, Rock On, Ladies Issue, Joni, Linda and Aretha. Interviews with Rita Coolidge, highlighting women behind the scenes, Vicki Britton, February events and much more. --- ### Buddy Magazine December 1974 Michael Martin Murphy; Jerry Jeff Walker - Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-08-06 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7412/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the December 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Michael Murphey and his life, likes and dislikes from the 1975 Buddy Awards, Willie Nelson, John Lennon, David Newman, Jerry Jeff Walker, January events, staff's Top Ten Albums and Bud Buschardt's quiz and much more. --- ### Interview with Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Published: 2024-07-29 - Modified: 2024-08-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-with-jimmie-dale-gilmore/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Hannah Means Shannon Jimmie Dale Gilmore is known in many different areas of music and popular culture. Some know him from his lifetime of work with The Flatlanders, some from his solo work, some from his beloved character Smokey in The Big Lebowski. For a fortunate group, he's also known as a teacher of songwriting and a collaborator. In recent years, Gilmore has taken part in The Flatlanders album Treasure of Love and performance dates that followed, and his new album with Dave Alvin and The Guilty Ones, titled TexiCali, is due out on June 21st, 2024. Gilmore's perspective on music spans many decades, but it also spans many genres and many approaches to sharing music with the world. I spoke with him about songwriting, in particular, and how we pass music on to others, as well as about the importance of cross-pollination among fields and genres to foster creativity. https://youtu. be/3AqAXgGhIVE? si=TcnmnSEbz9l2dNj5 Hannah Means-Shannon:  Something that I’m very interested in is songwriting and, since I have a background as a teacher, I’m also interested in how songwriting continues and gets passed from generation to generation. I know that you are also very committed to teaching songwriting, but were there experiences in your youth that set you on that road? Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Yes, I’ve taught songwriting for many, many years now. I teach one week each year at the Omega Institute in upstate New York, and I’ve also done it a few times at Esalen, out on the West Coast. Then, there was a place here in Austin for a few years called “Omega at the Crossings” and so I did it here. For more than 25 years, I’ve done it at least once a year, except for the one Covid year, and we did it online that year! Since 1996. HMS: That adds up to a lot of teaching! JDG: Yes. I’ve told a lot of people that it’s my favorite thing that I’ve done in my music career. The way it works for me is that, one thing I’ve done is that we use collaboration when we’re in the class. So the whole thing is built out of people talking with each other. These are people all the way from total rank beginners that don’t even play an instrument to real, professional songwriters and performers. Everybody adds some kind of perspective to it, some kind of insight. The whole subject matter is songwriting and that turns out to be pretty vast. My career has been built on that, mainly. I say that, but I always have to point out that I never have been very prolific. I don’t put down my songwriting. I know that I’ve written some really quality material, but I’m slow at it and maybe too much of a perfectionist. And I’ve been around people, Butch being a prime example, who are hugely prolific. He also maintains a high level of quality, even with the output he has. I know a lot of people who have a high output and small amount of quality! But I’ve been around some people who are prolific but also consistent. https://youtu. be/5RYQFSGruJk? si=m5Jn5TVeTSdBNHPl HMS: Not everyone would put people in a room who are coming from different levels of songwriting, like you’ve just described. They’d say, “That would be too stressful for the new beginners and too boring for the professionals. ” But people used to interact more on different levels, like in the old schoolhouses where all the classes interacted, or like in a family situation, where you’re learning from older siblings and elders. Everyone picks up what they can on their own level. JDG: I really like that comparison. I think there’s really something to that. The different backgrounds and contexts that they are coming from can really open up doors for others. Sometimes that’s accidentally. HMS: Even the total newbie might notice something that others don’t. They can bring something. JDG: Right. After all these years of doing it, I can say that the system that we’ve worked out works so reliably, too. HMS: What do you say at the beginning of a class like that? What is day one like? JDG: Well, first, I talk quite a bit about my own background. It’s odd because sometimes there are people in the class because they are fans of mine, then there are some who are in the class who have never heard of me before, but they are fans of the Omega Institute and they are into some kind of creative endeavor. The mix of that is always quite interesting. My career is strangely spotty like that. I’ve been this hybrid for many, many years. In some circles, I’m very well known, and somewhat of a noted personality. Then, in most circles in the world, I’m just a regular person, an unknown. I’m never really sure which one of those environments I’m in. And in the songwriting class, it’s a mixture, which leads to funny things happening. But what we do is that we break into groups of three people, and we try to make sure that no one is acquainted with each other. We don’t put couples together. We set it up in such a way that there’s such open-ended expectations about it from the beginning so there’s not a kind of pressure to things, or nervousness. I have a little formula where I tell them, amongst the three, to come up with either a title, or one line, or just a subject or topic that all three can agree on, that they would like to do something with. It’s a class about communications, not just songwriting, really. Songwriting is a kind of pinnacle of communication, a perfect form for it. What we do is we have that session, then we reconvene as the big class, and discuss what has just happened via each group’s spokesman. And they’ll be at different levels, but the discussion about it is where some of the learning starts to happen. They’ll come up with two verses for a song at that point, or sometimes people are just stuck. But we start on Monday morning, and then on Thursday evening, we do a performance of the song that has been written. So, as the week goes on, the deadline starts to appear. The deadline is really an instigator of creativity! It’s kind of like creating a little microcosm. Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore HMS: Have you had experience of collaborative songwriting that you’re bringing to this? JDG: I haven’t done a lot of collaboration, myself, but I’ve done some. Some of my favorite music that I’ve done has been co-written with friends of mine. But most of my stuff has just been me, solo. So the process that we use in the class isn’t really my process, but what gets learned about the process is important. Some of the objective of the class is to take away things that you can use when you go home, when you’re not with a bunch of musicians. That’s it. HMS: It’s really reassuring to hear about your approach to teaching songwriting because I think there’s a lot of interest in songwriting right now. There’s been a rise in recent years of people who are curious about it, and that may never go anywhere if someone doesn’t see a road ahead. Like you said, the deadline is a great creative force. Are you someone who has had to work to deadlines? JDG: There have been a few projects where I had to work to a deadline. It’s occurred to me that I might have been more prolific if I had more deadlines! I’ve said this to a lot of people, but it’s interesting because I have never thought of myself so much as a songwriter as much as an interpretive singer. My singing always overshadowed both my writing and my playing. I don’t play at the level of my singing. I’ve always surrounded myself with people who play better than me. I’m adequate for what I need to do as a musician, and I got good enough at it to depend on that for songwriting and playing rhythm. When I did solo stuff, I had to really work on it, and get the picking down right. But I never did perceive myself as songwriting or guitar playing being my main thing. I always thought of myself as a singer. I think that’s kind of silly now, though. For anyone to hem themselves in in that way is sort of artificial. But I can see that, looking back on it. HMS: I think it has been normal for a long time now to say, “There is one task that’s my thing and I need to perfect it. If I do any other thing, I’m taking away from that. ” But there’s been more of a change in music in recent years where people want to do more than one thing, even more than one genre. You almost have to give yourself that permission to be multi-faceted. One task may not be the whole story for you. JDG: I completely agree with that. The whole idea of specialization is really useful and has accomplished a lot, but I also kind of think that it’s messed up the world in a lot of way. Not just in music, but in everything. HMS: I was reading a psychology book from the 1940s and 50s and it said, “All this overspecialization could lead to problems in the future. ” I thought, “Yep. That’s exactly what has happened. ” JDG: There were people who foresaw that. As a matter of fact, I studied the writings of Buckminster Fuller, and he was a “comprehensivist”, which is what we’re talking about. It’s the broad range of everything. It was a big thrust in his work, to try to introduce inter-disciplinary studies. He recognized early-on that it was a problem. HMS: These days we talk a lot about “crosspollination” where creativity from one field may help light up another field that’s gotten a little stagnant. JDG: That’s exactly what I’m talking about. The Flatlanders HMS: Musicians often talk about this when it comes to genre and genre-constraints. JDG: Early-on, I noticed that. I come from real Country music, like Hank Williams, and Ernest Tubb. To this day, I love it. But when Rock ‘n Roll came along, a lot of my contemporaries, who were young when that happened, said, “I love this! I’m not going to have anything to do with Country music anymore. ” It was extreme! Back in that time, in the 50s and 60s, amongst my friends, I loved Rock ‘n Roll as much as anybody. I loved Elvis, and I loved Buddy Holly, but I didn’t stop loving the music that I’d come from. We’re talking about crosspollination, and part of my own personal motif in life has been about that. It also happened when I discovered the Blues. I figured out that the Blues was underpinning all the music that I liked, all the Country music, all the Rock ‘n Roll. That was always a very odd thing to me, that people didn’t know that. I also noticed fairly early on that musicians were never quite as exclusive as the fans were. Musicians always tended to like a lot of different kinds of music. HMS: Yes, that does tend to happen a lot. I know what you mean. JDG: Some musicians were really close-minded or cliquish about it growing up, and I’ve also known some very good Country musicians who just despised the Blues. HMS: In some ways that’s improved, but in some ways it’s like that right now. There’s kind of an entrenched Country versus Rock thing that’s still going on, which is bizarre in mind. I can understand that people are afraid of losing traditions if they don’t guard them, but I think there are ways of doing that without being so oppositional about it. JDG: Yes. Also, I think that people who tend to be that way are sometimes unaware of the backdrop to whatever it is they love. They don’t realize that genres have been created artificially. They were marketing ploys that then became so entrenched that they became realities to some people. Somehow for me, it was just really easy to see this. When I figured out when Jimmie Rodgers, who I was named for because he was my dad’s favorite musician, totally got his music from Black musicians, that made sense to me. The great, original spark of creativity came from these Black musicians in the Blues, and Elvis picked it up. Elvis loved it so much and was able to recognize it and use it. I’m forever grateful. But the odd thing, especially in the Country world, is that people don’t recognize this. Lots of the real session musicians were also Jazz and Blues guys. They created Country music in the studios, but they were from this other music. Jimmie Dale Gilmore performs with Dave Alvin this Friday at the Kessler Theatre in Oak Cliff. Get tickets at https://www. prekindle. com/event/31254-dave-alvin-and-jimmie-dale-gilmore-with-the-guilty-ones-dallas --- ### Buddy Magazine November 1974 The Phantom Bo Diddley, Little Feat -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-07-23 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7411/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the November 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Susan Barton from Phantom of the Paradise account, the interview between Ben Ferguson and Nektar, Ed Miller writing about Hairbilly Goodtimes, and Ben Ferguson interviews Bo Diddley. Learn more about Stoney Burns, Little Feat, December events and much more. --- ### Full Schedule: Texas-Sized Music Festival at the 2024 State Fair of Texas Features Extensive Artist Lineup - Published: 2024-07-23 - Modified: 2024-07-23 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/complete-2024-texas-state-fair-music-schedule/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article The State Fair of Texas has announced the music lineup for this year’s fair, offering a diverse range of live performances that include country, R&B, Norteño, and electro-pop. These concerts will take place across the fairgrounds during all 24 days of the 2024 State Fair of Texas and are included with admission tickets. Three primary music venues will host over 100 artists during the event. The Chevrolet Main Stage is an outdoor venue featuring a large festival-type stage and includes an ADA-compliant area. This stage will highlight headlining and regional acts and is situated next to the Craft Pavilion near the Hall of State. Beyond the Chevrolet Main Stage, live music will be accessible throughout the fairgrounds. The Bud Light Stage, located near Cotton Bowl Stadium, will feature local and regional talent throughout the fair. This stage is conveniently located near various fried food vendors. The Yuengling Flight Stage, outside the GO TEXAN Pavilion, will host a Friday night comedy series named “Deep Fried Comedy” and live music throughout the week. Attendees can enjoy these performances with a glass of wine or beer. “We're excited to announce our free-with-admission live music lineup for the 2024 State Fair of Texas, including the Chevrolet Main Stage schedule that will feature more than 25 headliners,” said Jason Hays, Senior Vice President of Brand Experience. “The excitement is palpable as we prepare to welcome an extraordinary array of talent across all our stages that promises to create unforgettable moments for fairgoers. ” The State Fair of Texas continues its partnership with Romeo Entertainment Group, responsible for producing the entire music lineup for the 2024 fair. With over 65 years of experience, Romeo Entertainment Group remains a well-known entity in the entertainment industry. The 2024 State Fair of Texas, themed “24 Days of Fun,” runs from Friday, September 27, through Sunday, October 20. Season passes are currently available at BigTex. com/Tickets. More information on ticketing will be released in the coming months. ___ --- ### The True Blu Sharon Walker No Longer Bears the Weight of Silence - Published: 2024-07-18 - Modified: 2024-07-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/sharon-blu-walker-emory-texas/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Feature - Entity Types: Article By Jessica Waller “I’m sorta like these old folk singers Willie Nelson and Kristopherson in that I don't sing great and I’m not the most intelligent—but I am authentic,” said singer-songwriter Sharon “Blu” Walker of Emory, Texas. She is the first artist I wanted to cover for Buddy as I have seen this bold 70-year-old woman playing her bluesy, “heart-hitting” songs in the trenches of east Texas for nearly ten years now, and have always wanted to know her backstory. Much like myself, many listeners have found her captivating as she’s made her name well-known by way of “whiskey and ramblin’” all across east Texas. Despite the name, Blu says she was born under a yellow blanket, not pink or blue. She says this in regard to gender but it evokes her sound as well, like a sunbeam through pine trees on a deserted road. However, Blu doesn’t pay much mind to pronouns as she’s from an altogether different time.   Raised in Saint Louis, Missouri in the 1950s by a scientist father and artist mother, both of whom subscribed to a rejection of societal conventions, Walker’s freedom and authenticity was nurtured from early on. This freedom was a gift the musician does not take lightly. When Walker first played her songs for her mother, a pianist well-versed in classical music theory, she ruminates warmly on how maternal instincts overcame her dogged practicum as she embraced Walker’s originality with love and encouragement. Though, admittedly, the classical pianist’s knee-jerk reaction to a dissonant chord struck just once, to which Blu simply instructed “just listen. ” Advice relevant today more than ever.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=MC5lRkmdDgc While a childhood free of judgment works wonders for artistic pursuits, Walker experienced a much different reaction upon leaving home in the 1960s. Inspired by the abundance of blues greats in Saint Louis at the time, Walker tells of how shortly after entering the downtown scene she had a falling out with a fellow musician when he wanted her to choose domesticity over music. Knowing how the weight of this had crushed her mother, a skilled painter as well as musician, she put two fingers up, “or maybe it was one,” and hitchhiked out of state.   Throughout the 70s, Blu struggled to be heard when she couldn't quite find her groove in the motion of the era and her originals were never commercial enough to pay the bills. “Shoot, I lived in a chicken coop for a couple years,” she said with a somehow equal measure of humility and bravado. After continually being encouraged to play only covers in line with expectations of the time, Walker closed the case on her guitar and worked in the construction field for the next 30 years. I was most curious how a person so seemingly self-possessed could be silenced, even in oppressive times, but Blu seemed remiss to pinpoint what had caused her 30-year hiatus. “I guess I just wanted to be liked,” she said, unmooring expectation with her trademark authenticity.   At the age of 61, in the aftermath of a torrential divorce, Walker could no longer bear the weight of her silence. She threw out her medications, quit her job, and held a life-altering seance to exercise her demons and resurrect her soul on the hardwood floor of her cabin. It was then that she decided: no more covers and no more wasted years—the only thing that could save her soul was to let it sing. She needed to play her own songs, own her voice and never feel silenced again. Walker had finally obtained the financial, mental, and spiritual freedom it took to pierce the veil and she was ready to pay whatever dues it took to get there; only this time with money instead of her artistic integrity. With her savings she “roadhoused” for years with a band that “got paid even when she made nothing. ” This time she found that the new millennium had opened up a space for her androgynous aesthetic and true Blu sound to flow freely. An unmistakable east Texas sound, made up of unvarnished words, gravel vocals and melodious plucking. Blu built her name this time with a vengance, an indomitable soul finding new life within the sacred space of a 12-string Takamine.   Soon after building a name, Blu was driven to give back some of the joy she had found in these noise rooms and built a place for other local music-makers called the East Texas Songwriters Collective. This collective, still going strong today, is Blu’s pet project to strengthen and unite the “troubadours” of the east Texas music circuit This project came to bolster creativity and friendship among many talented artists like Heather Little, Daniel Westmoreland and Meredith Crawford.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=eO44ArRCd8c Nowadays, Blu plays regularly all throughout Texas, backed by noteworthy muscians like Keith Hass, Darrin Kobeitch and Robb Lindsey on strings and a rotation of percussionists like Marcia Keys, Chase Murdoch and Alan Litt. While other people in her generation are retiring to live out their days in peace and quiet, Walker has turned up louder than ever. She wears her age like a badge of honor, never attempting to conceal the hard-won swagger of years spent proving her worth as a nonbinary artist from long before there was a word for it. Blu has forged her authentic voice, and at long last she refuses to dial it down for anyone or anything. Within the first hour of knowing her, anyone can tell Blu will go out of this world “ramblin’' as loud as she came in. When asked what still keeps her “roadhousing” at the age of 70 she replied, “All I can say is it's an important time for all art, but in particular the art of music—for it is in the times of revelation or revolution that music speaks the loudest. ” Read, listen to, and see more about Blu at her official website, https://sharonbluwalker. com. --- ### Buddy Magazine October 1974 Suzi Quatro, Elton John, B.B. King, Hydra, Guess Who -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-07-09 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7410/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the October 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Suzi Quatro, letters, Hydra and Little Feat, The interview of Ben Ferguson with Suzi Quatro, Ron McKeown captures Elton John, the Memorial Auditorium floorplan, Ben Ferguson interview with the King of the Blues and much more. --- ### Interview with Jesse Dayton - Published: 2024-07-01 - Modified: 2024-07-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/interview-jesse-dayton/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Andrew Daly Inspired by equal doses of country, blues, hard rock, and, oh, yeah, horror movies, there's a very real argument to be made that Texas native Jesse Dayton is one of, if not the most idiosyncratic guitarist in the game today. Don't believe it? Listen to his latest, Death Wish Blues, which he co-penned, co-recorded, and co-shredded his way through alongside fellow modern-day blues rocker, Samantha Fish. One listen to cuts like "Deathwish," "Riders," and "Trauma" tell you all you need to know—Dayton has got it going on. But beyond the chops, vibes, and gorgeous vintage amps—which he's paired with some lovely hollowbody Gretsch curios—there's a sense that Dayton, who has been at it since 1995's sizzling Raisin' Cain, may well be hitting his stride. And that's a bold statement, given that he's served up 17 albums (including Death Wish Blues) and played alongside greats like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Oh, and lest we forget his soundtrack work alongside the indomitable Rob Zombie, which no doubt injected heaping doses of I-can't-put-my-finger-on-what-this-is-but-I-like-it vibes into his preexisting country/blues stew. With Death Wish Blues in the can and loads of shows on the docket, you'd probably assume that Dayton is taking it all in. But no, he's reportedly back in the studio, searching for the next set of sounds that will once again transform him into the player he's yet to become. Restless as he wrestles with his next musical creation, Jesse Dayton dialed in with Buddy Magazine to talk approach, gear, new music, and growing up in the Texas music scene. As a young player coming up in the Texas scene, who were some of your favorite players? Billy Gibbons must be one of the big ones. Those first five ZZ Top records were like the soundtrack of our lives. Growing up in Beaumont, I always saw Johnny Winter around town. I used to see him at a Dairy Queen, and he had tattoos when only sailors and bikers had tattoos. I loved James Burton. I liked the way that James blurred the line between what was blues and what was country and could live in both of those worlds.   All the Excello label stuff was great... Slim Harpo, Lazy Leste, all that stuff. I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan play with Paul Ray and the Cobras when I was a kid, and I distinctly remember leaving, going, "Wow, those British guys on the radio aren't that great. " Not that they aren't; they're all brilliant, but I was a young kid watching Stevie Ray play, thinking, "Pete Townsend can't do that. " You've always got a lot of exciting things going on, like Death Wish Blues with Samantha Fish. How do your Texas roots continue to manifest themselves in your playing? There isn't any way for it not to happen; it finds its way into whatever I play. There's stuff that I try to play and represent that style in a pure, honest way; those Texas roots will just come out. That's the cool thing about it: if I go out and do a session in Los Angeles or New York or whatever, and I'm the only guy from Texas on the session, it becomes incredibly evident when they go back and listen to the recordings. How would you best describe the player you are today versus when you were younger, especially after working with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash? I don't think about that as much as I did back then. That was some heavy stuff for a young guy, so I thought about it a lot. I would overthink it, saying, "Am I playing too much, or am I playing too little? " or "Am I getting the melody line in there? " Now that I'm older, I'm just totally in the moment. I don't worry about any of that stuff anymore. The great thing about getting older is not giving a damn . How has working with Rob Zombie influenced the work you're doing? With Rob, I mostly wrote original soundtracks, so I had a lot of freedom to do what I wanted. I didn't have to go in there and pretend I was John 5 and do a bunch of tricks. Working with Rob was incredible because he helped me see music more cinematically; I learned a lot from him.   Rob is bigger now than he was on the radio, so I learned a lot about business from him, too, and how to make stuff work. After I did those Rob Zombie films, I made my little film, Zombex, with Malcolm McDowell and many other good people in it. It was like going to a little film school. I would send Rob some stuff, and he would give me feedback and constructive criticism, so I learned a lot from that guy; he's a brilliant person. I don't know anyone who works harder. Many people associate you with blues and country, but you've expanded into other genres. What keeps you from getting trapped in a box? It's partly because I'm a Gemini. I get bored quickly, but I think it's simply because I can. I have many contemporary friends I love and admire, but if you threw them in a different genre, they'd be screwed. When I grew up on the Texas/Louisiana border back in the day, I had to learn all these arrangements from rhythm and blues, western swing, honkey tonk, and all that that would go on to form how I play.   Listen to the great rock bands, including the Rolling Stones, Zeppelin, and The Clash. You can hear that every one of their records has a different style... their version of country, swamp pop, rockabilly, blues, or whatever, and people don't make records like that anymore. That's what Samantha and I wanted to do. You and Samantha show very distinct sounds on Death Wish Blues, but it works. Why do you feel your styles play off each other so well? It's because we're so incredibly different stylistically; we're not close in how we play, like Bernie Taupin and Elton John. Bernie was really into country songwriting, and Elton was into soul, and they made this hybrid; that's how I feel about this album with Samantha. She has her own voice on the guitar. She plays real lyrically, and I play differently than that, and that's what makes it work. We're listening to each other and conversing; I'm not waiting for her to quit speaking so I can start blabbering. https://open. spotify. com/album/1V6NLZLBvncmstnaziEQ4C Given your distinctive approach, how do you insert yourself between the lines of Samantha's lyricism? I was kind of playing the contrarian, like, "Oh, you're gonna go there, then I'm gonna go here. " That can make music really balanced as opposed to having two shredders simultaneously. It's cool when one person is doing the opposite of the other: it's like a yin-yang type of thing. Keith and Ronnie call it the ancient art of weaving. Another good example would be Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. They would say there's not necessarily a conversation of "you do you this, you do that;" it's more layering different guitars for textures. Is that how it is between you and Samantha? Totally. We knew our spots; I'm playing this big Gretsch hollow body guitar with a Bigsby on it, and she's playing this SG, and we use these guitars on basically the entire record. We used an old Silvertone in a song and a couple of Martin acoustics. When we were recording and listening back to the songs, you could hear what they needed, and that took the mysticism out of production. We cut that album with the band live in the studio in less than ten days. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=kdHJmnd338o Are there any songs on Death Wish Blues that you identify most with? We wrote all the songs together, and I think Death Wish Blues is our ultimate collaboration method. I believe songs like "No Apology" are more of her world, and songs like "Lover on The Side" are more of mine. But the exciting thing was that we both got to live in each other's worlds, and we got to dip our toes in the other's water, and it was enjoyable. The combination of me, Samantha, and John Spencer became the Three Musketeers. The record sounds the way it does because it allowed us to do something different with blues bass guitar. I'm not saying it's blues music, per se, but it's got Freddie King licks all over it and it was different.   You mentioned that you relied heavily on the Gretsch hollowbody and Samantha the Gibson SG. But how about amps? We had an arsenal of vintage amplifiers; we were constantly changing them up. We used blackface Fenders to Supro's, old Gibson amps, Airline, and Silvertone amps. We use one that was an actual PA out of an elementary school from the ‘60s that we just plugged into. We went crazy, but I made sure we had plenty of room mics to mix and create the vibe we wanted between the solos and the whole band in the studio. What is your approach to solos? Are you an off-the-cuff player or premeditated? I'm not a premeditated type. Unless I know songs will have a strong theme, I'll figure out a sound for it. Is it going to have a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western guitar part or Ennio Morricone or something like that? Most of the time, I go into the studio, roll with it, and see what happens.  Looking back, what does Death Wish Blues mean to you? It was a musical corner I got to turn that many people don't get to turn for one reason or another. This record opened me up to a whole new world, and now I've got this solo record that I just did with Shooter Jennings producing it. This record was Samantha opened me up to do more stuff because I never want to get stuck in that traditional box where I'm just doing impressions of other artists; I want to be more honest than that. And then you've got the new record, The Hardway Blues. The new record is called The Hard Way Blues. I'm really excited for people to hear it. It has a lot of blues-influenced songs, be it electric Texas blues rock or acoustic country blues. The songs are mostly stories about my life or other people's lives that affected me. It's got some rockers on it, too, and I can't wait to play live. The whole thing is a straight-up guitar record.   https://open. spotify. com/album/6vf00vKBwSfYw4KaPxcdor Does your process differ on this record as opposed to working with Samantha? I'm always writing, whether it's song title ideas, lyric ideas, or guitar riff ideas. I'm constantly recording them on my phone, then going back to those ideas and flushing them out. Some musicians have to wait for the ideas to come, but I take a very blue-collar approach to writing music, melodies, and lyrics. I wake up in the mornings with a cup of coffee and just write.   I try not to put pressure on the songs, not judge them, and just finish them. Great songs aren't written; they're rewritten. Usually, I write all of them on my acoustic guitar, but sometimes I set up an electric rig, too, just to feel the power and make some noise!   Where are you pulling inspiration from on this record? I draw inspiration for songs from things that I react to, be it happy, sad, outraged, funny, angry, you name it. It could be a throwaway line someone says in a bar, movie, book, or interview. Sometimes, it's a historical, political, or just a song about sex, which requires love, hope, and dreams. I've spent my 10,000 hours working on songwriting, which is as important, if not more, than the time I've put into playing guitar.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=9J9PAo1G6zg What gear helped shape The Hardway Blues? Yeah, I'm a tube amp-only guy. I've tried digital amps and just don't like them. I like to play the same gear that was used on the records I love and grew up on. I used vintage Fender tube amps the whole time on this new record, a 1962 Princeton and a '66 Black Face Super Reverb. I used an old tube Echo Plex and my King guitar on everything. All the acoustic stuff is played on a 1981 Martin D45 that Wayne Henderson made while he was at Martin... it's an amazing-sounding guitar.   Shooter Jennings worked on this with you. How did he impact the sessions? I met Shooter when he was 16 and I was 24, playing guitar for his father, Waylon Jennings, on a record called "Right for The Time. " Fast-forward 20 years, and Shooter is a Grammy-award-winning record producer for many huge acts, so it just made sense for us to work together.   He was a huge help in creating cool arrangements and getting killer sounds for the songs. People probably thought we'd make an outlaw country record together, but it turned into more of a '70s singer-songwriter-style record with big blues guitar parts and sounds. I'm lucky to have Shooter as a friend. Which songs mean the most to you and why? My songs are like my kids, so I love them all differently. They are all personal, whether directly about my life or not. I've co-written with other writers who either look down on being vulnerable or biopic in their writing or just can't live with it. For me, the more personal my songwriting is, the harder it affects my audience. This batch of songs on this new record is really me opening up a vein and stretching out my arms to the universe.   What does the blues mean to you these days, and how does the guitar fit into that?  I think electric blues guitar is going through a transformation. There's obviously a huge Stevie Ray Vaughan contingent still thriving, but there's also this new crop like Jack White and the Black Keys that are obviously borrowing heavily from the North Mississippi scene as well.   I feel deeper in touch with the East Texas country-blues music like Lightning Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb because that's where I was born and where my family is from. My guitar style is not something I hear much out in the world these days, and it's all rooted in the blues.   Even my more country and hillbilly licks are rooted in the blues; people just can't hear it because most listeners and players are stuck in this pentatonic Clapton thing. That's what they know to be blues, and that's fine. But there's so much more to blues than just that.   Does people boxing you into genres bother you? I think people have a hard time putting me in a category because I've played different styles of music. But all my classic favorite bands growing up, like The Rolling Stones or whoever, all made records with some blues, rock, country, and acoustic folk songs on them. I grew up on the Texas/Louisiana border, so I played everything from zydeco to honky-tonk to full-blown rock n roll. I was amazed when I moved away and found out that most players didn't do that and stuck with one genre.   What is your outlook as you move forward as you prepare to put your next solo record out? I'm moving into this American type of music where I'm really blurring the lines between rock, blues, and country and all these little sub-genres that I love, like swamp pop and punk and rockabilly, hard rock, and metal. If I'm writing good stuff that feels honest, that's a great freedom to have. Are there any genres you wouldn't touch? Not really. I love jazz music. That would be cool to get into. I wouldn't touch on anything, like, I don't think I would make a full-on Jamaican record, but I love that stuff. I love the old Trojan Records recordings and things like that. There's folk, blues, rock, and country, and that's my wheelhouse. I love how Dire Straits did it; they put all their influences into their music.  Have you made your best record yet? That's a tough one to answer. That's for other people to answer. I got a lot of satisfaction out of this new record, and the record I did with Shooter has some heavy blues on it, too, which the record influenced, no doubt, Samantha. And it's a guitar record.   I played leads on just about every song on it, but I wonder if they're the best; that's for the people to decide. I'm about to go into the studio with Ian Moore and Johnny Moeller from The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and we're about to go in and make a blues record.  A lot is happening, and I think Samantha and I will probably do more recording at some point. What are your plans beyond The Hardway Blues and your upcoming tour? Here's kind of an exclusive. I'm working on a new three-guitar band record right now that features myself, Ian Moore, and Johnny Moeller from the Fabulous Thunderbirds. All three of us will be singing and playing together, exchanging vocals and leads.   It's kind of patterned after a blues record we all dug from the '80s called Showdown, which featured Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and Johnny Copeland. The late great Clifford Antone discovered all three of us, and we go way back. I think it's going to be a monster blues record with all original songs, and I'm super excited about it! --- --- ### Buddy Magazine  September 1974 Stereo ‘75 -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-06-25 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7409/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the September 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Pioneer headphones, diverse views and Radio Free Dallas, January Sound Studios' switch to Capricorn and Goose Creek's integrity, Bud Buschardt challenges with song lyrics, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Jack Frazier, Buddy Audio Guide and Boogie Madness with Jimmy Page, Albert Porter and much more Copyright 1973 - 2024 Buddy Magazine --- ### David Card and Poor David's Pub: The Longest Surviving Live Music Venue in Dallas - Published: 2024-06-18 - Modified: 2024-06-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/david-card-owner-of-poor-davids-pub-the-longest-surviving-live-music-venue-in-dallas/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Feature - Entity Types: Article By Lisa DuPre Photos by Ron McKeown. Years ago in the 1970s and 1980s, Dallas was a mecca for live music. There were many venues and plenty of musicians to play in them. Greenville Avenue had clubs up at least as far as Park Lane, and all the way South, almost to downtown with venues like Tango. Dallas was the music capital of Texas at that time just due to the sheer number of music venues, without a doubt, before Austin decided to try to claim the title. In 2024, David Card, owner and operator of Poor David’s Pub, celebrated his 47th year in the music business of bringing quality live music to the Dallas public. It is, indeed, a momentous accomplishment. David stands on a ladder with Mark David Manders and Rusty Weir. Copyright 2024 / Photo by Ron McKeown. When I started this interview, I said to David “my how time flies”. He responded “Yes, life is short and then you pass away. ” His sense of humor is truly unique. David’s first location was on McKinney Avenue from 1977-1983, and was a dart bar called Eton Run. He had it from 1977-1983. He also owned Bo’s Place on Oak Lawn, where Card first started having live music. I asked him why he wanted to get out of the dart business at Eton Run and he said, “Well it just sort of happened. I started music at Bo’s place and I learned there that people who are leaning in and enjoying live music are a much better behaved crowd. And because you pay your cover at the door, you don’t want some idiot ruining your show. So that’s what I learned at Bo’s Place. ” He kept Eton Run and later sold Bo’s Place. Card then said, “I remembered that and one time I booked The Bees Knees Band at Eton Run and had them back several times. After that I changed the name of the bar to Poor David’s Pub. Then David said, “The rest, as they say, is history. ” He remained at that McKinney Avenue location for 6 years. The landlord would not give him a long-term lease, so he moved to Greenville where he signed a new 10-year lease. David and daughter Amelia. Copyright Ron McKeown 2024 When asked where Card was finding all of the great musical acts he booked, he said he wasn’t finding them, they were finding him. The venue’s reputation was growing as a serious listening room. People were there for the show not to watch TV or talk with friends.   One of Card’s “mottos” is “Leave your ego at the door, the show’s on the stage. ” The venue was also known for presenting an extensive variety of musical styles like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Maren Morris, Dixie Chicks. When his lease was ending on Greenville, David started looking for a permanent location that he could purchase. He met Jack Matthews in 2000, several years before the end of his lease. Matthews worked with him and ended up selling him his current space in South Dallas on Lamar. One of the things Card believes adds a great deal to the success of his venue is his sound quality, which is managed by Carlos “The Magnificent” Sanchez. Carlos has been a mainstay at the venue for many years, and makes all of the performers sound their best. David with Joe Ely, Michael Fracasso, and Maria Elena Holly at the Greenville Ave. Green Room. Copyright Ron McKeown 1995-2024. David Card has served up a feast of fabulous music for North Texas music lovers for 47 years and we all hope he will continue to do so for many, many more. --- --- ### Interview with Reckless Kelly's Willy Braun - Published: 2024-06-18 - Modified: 2024-07-01 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/interview-with-reckless-kellys-willy-braun/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Tags: American Girls, American Jackpot, Outlaw Country Music, Reckless Kelly, The Braun Brothers' Reunion, The Last Frontier Tour, Willy Braun - Entity Types: Article Reckless Kelly’s Willy Braun Talks Longevity and Telling American Stories The Idaho-based Americana and Outlaw Country band Reckless Kelly has been going for over 25 years, but they have a new album in the works, have substantial touring booked up through 2025 on The Last Frontier Tour, and this year their family is celebrating the 40th anniversary of local music festival, The Braun Brothers’ Reunion. Like many bands, they’ve been reconsidering what touring means to them and how they’d like to structure that part of their lives, so will be dialing back substantially on strings of live dates after 2025. That opens up other possibilities when it comes to writing, recording, and what events they’d like to focus on. The band consists of Willy Braun, his brother Cody Braun, and Jay Nazz, as well as Geoff Queen and Joe Miller, and while they’ve released a live album and a demos album in recent years, their 2020 double album American Jackpot/American Girls stands as a big testament to their songwriting themes and sonic diversity. I spoke with Willy Braun about touring, acting as sole producer on the double album, and some of the ideas from their recent albums that may well stand the test of time.   Hannah Means-Shannon: I know you’ve started on a process of touring that will continue into 2025, but touring is changing for you after that. Does that feel like a happy horizon for you? Willy Braun: We’re going to cap it at about 35 shows a year after that. It’s been a long 25 plus years of playing between 150 and 200 shows a year, and we’re scaling it back. After next summer, we’re just not doing the every-day, all-day tours, and make a record now and then. We’ll be done with hitting the road full-time. HMS: That’s quite a contrast and I can appreciate that. Over the past couple of years, a lot of artists have been reevaluating touring, since for many people the road dog lifestyle got stopped for a while. That helped them realize this wasn’t how they wanted things to be. They wanted to be making albums and playing select shows. WB: That sort of happened to us. During the pandemic shutdown, we didn’t play a show for 446 days. That was quite a bit of a break. We managed to pull through that, but like you said, it made us reevaluate the way that we’d always done it. That’s the best way to put it for us. It’s not that we were sick and tired of it, it’s just that we realized there was another way to do it. We like this band and we love playing music together, but we’re just redoing things. https://youtu. be/cxiCgUZWIbk? si=hVZCcMZOwgzzg78o HMS: Maybe we need to normalize these conversations for musicians. It’s not a cookie cutter world and not everyone does everything the same way. WB: No, not at all, and the music industry is constantly changing. It’s hard for independent bands to keep up with the changes. With streaming and social media, it gets harder to promote a tour. It’s the constant evolution that’s gotten pretty tough for a lot of musicians, us included. HMS: And if you think you’ve got it figured out, it’s going to change on you! WB: Absolutely. It’s constant. HMS: The other momentous thing that’s happening this year is the 40th anniversary of The Braun Brothers Family Reunion. That is mind-blowing. No one manages to run events for that length of time. How do you think you and your family have managed to keep going for so long? WB: It’s kind of wild. My mom and dad have been doing concerts up in Idaho a long time, and it took us forever to figure out how long we’ve been doing this. We all came to the consensus that it’s been about 40 years. It’s always been something that we kept in-house. It’s a family run business and most, if not all, the people who work the festival have been doing it with us for a long time. Now, their kids are helping us work it. My brothers and I have taken it over from our parents. They are still involved, but we are doing most of the heavy lifting. We haven’t had outside influence to fight with. It’s always probably going to be about the same size because of the town that it’s in. It’s got this built-in cap and I think that’s one of the things people like about it. We probably have room for 10,000 people on the golf course where we do it, but there’s only 3,500 people there, so there’s a lot of room for people to spread out. It’s a really fun, laid-back festival. I think that’s helped a lot and it’s unique in that sense. https://youtu. be/V_qdk2eY6OA? si=tyR37QU1uRS3FZmp HMS: I’ve been talking about festivals lately with folks, mainly newer festivals, and it’s a whole different ball-game when they are trying to retro-fit a festival into a community. But what you have there is invaluable because it’s sustainable, organic connection to the community. WB: For sure. We started with a flat bed trailer and half a dozen local bands. As it grew, it went to two days, and we built a stage. Now it’s a three-day thing and we get fans from all over the country and all over the world. It grew up with the town. The town has really been supportive of it. It’s definitely the biggest weekend of the year for them. HMS: That’s part of local history now. Do you have a sense yet of how scaling back the number of shows you’re doing might affect writing and recording music for you? Will you have more time for that now? WB: That might stay relatively the same. I hope that I’ll start writing a little more, but my writing style has always been to save up ideas. I have ideas all the time, whether it be a hook line or a melody. I just kind of stash them away, then when I have a week or two, I hunker down. I live up in Idaho in the middle of nowhere, so it’s really easy for me to shut the phone off, and pick up a bunch of ideas, and knock them all out at once. I do that a few times a year and I’ll be able to get a record written. It’s a little early to tell, but I might start writing a little more, or writing for other people. We’ve always gone a couple of years between records. It’ll be interesting to see if I do a lot more writing. https://youtu. be/e-crjOpKW_M? si=HVCtvMpjy_c1ehIb HMS: I know that the most recent things that have come out from you all is a live album and a demo collection, but I’m still thinking about that double album that you released. There are so many amazing songs on it. You had taken the bull by the horns on production for that, right? WB: Yes, that was the first time that I did production all by myself. Cody and our old guitar player, David, and I had done a few together, and we’ve had some off-site producers over the course of the history of the band. But I wanted to do that one on my own. Cody actually encouraged me to do that. It got to the point where having three different producers was a lot of input. I’ve always been the songwriter and the tie-breaker in the studio, and just doing that for the record was something we wanted to try out. It was a little nerve wracking and I was a little intimidated by the whole process, but after a few days I got into the swing of things! It ended up being a really fun, cool process. HMS: I think one of the hardest things about a situation like that is that we humans have an idea of there being an authority over us or a right answer to things, but then suddenly, you’re the authority over your work. Then you begin to understand there are many ways to do things. WB: That’s kind of the whole idea about our work. With any kind of art, there are no rules. It’s whatever works for you. Sometimes you get into a rut and you have to shake it up a little bit, and that applies to the studio as well. We just got done making a record about a year ago, and it’s in the can.  A friend of ours, Jonathan Tyler, helped produce it, and so did Cody. It’s the first time that we’d worked with an outside producer in probably five or six records. We were due for that kind of outside influence. We don’t ever want to change the core of what the band is, but you can’t go in and make the same record over and over. A lot of times some outside ears are a great thing to give you some fresh perspective. HMS: Do you think there are some new sounds on that album, things that you might not have otherwise done? WB: It definitely still sounds like a Reckless Kelly record, but it impacted the arrangements and the songs in a way that we wouldn’t have thought of on our own. There are different drum sounds, for example, doing a really dry drum sound. When you’re doing it, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but when you listen to the final product, you think, “Wow, that really makes a huge difference in the final sound. ” It didn’t change the nature of the band, but it definitely changed the sound of the album in a good way. https://youtu. be/v9_FMj8-EJ8? si=RMiCROOLk_SBnTRP HMS: Listening to the double-album, something that jumped out to me was just how much of a variety of sounds you all are capable of. That’s not surprising given how long Reckless Kelly has been going, since you need variety to give you inspiration, I’m sure. When you were putting together those albums, were you aware of how diverse it was? WB: For sure, we’ve always had quite a bit of diversity. That one being a double album was even more so. It wasn’t supposed to be a double album, but that happened organically. It was originally just supposed to be the American Jackpot side. We had the record done and we had five or six extra days booked in the studio. I’d go home and finish songs and bring them back the next day, but all those songs weren’t really in keeping with the theme of the album. They were about relationships and girls. That’s when I had the idea. We had 16 tracks that turned out great, and 10 were slated for the American Jackpot record, so I said, “Let me write four more about relationships and make a double album. ” So we booked another four or five days in the studio, and it became this whole other monster. HMS: The American Jackpot theme was something that was really relevant to the pandemic period. I think people were talking a lot about nationality and identity. How easy was it for you to say, “I need to sit down and write four songs about relationships, right now! ”? WB: It’s not that easy, but I was actually really lucky that Jeff Crosby is a good buddy of ours. He’s a guitar player, singer, and songwriter. He was on the road with us that summer of 2019 and we’ve written a lot together. He co-wrote three or four of the songs that went on American Girls. Having him around made it easier. Normally, it would have taken me quite a bit longer to come up with really good songs. Usually, if I’m going to put ten songs on a record, I’ll write thirty and throw twenty away! You also can’t have too many songs that sound too similar or one that sticks out. HMS: Does the theme of American Jackpot stay with you as being relevant now, or does it feel like a particular time in your life represented? WB: I think it does. I think it’s going to have legs and some longevity. I had actually been working on that concept for a long time and I saved a few songs for that record, knowing that the songs would be on there. I always wanted to write a record of American stories, but not have the songs be about America, or political. There’s a song about my grandpa on there, who was a jack of all trades, and to me, that’s very American. There’s a song about Jackie Robinson that just tells his story. I wanted to have these American themes without having ten songs about wars and politicians. I think, when we started talking about the record, people assumed it would be a political record. HMS: I’m reminded, when you say that, about the artist Norman Rockwell. He represented America every single time, but he told such different stories. WB: That’s a great analogy. He’s my mom’s favorite, mine, too. HMS: I really appreciated that the song “North American Jackpot” is soulful, but not sad. It’s not exactly happy, either. The sound and tone allow some light and shadow. WB: The idea that we’ve hit the jackpot living in North America in the 21st century makes so much sense because anywhere else in the world is not as good as we have it here, for the most part. We also included struggle in the song and added the part about “planting flags on stolen land” to acknowledge that part of our history. We took a lot of lines from the poem on the Statue of Liberty and themes from that. It’s got a lot of hope to it, but it shows a little bit of the darker sides of American history as well. https://youtu. be/4TPVkyi4uPs? si=84L8rZJv9HuJFNoc HMS: I also really responded to the song “Company of Kings” from that album, too, since it reminded me of a lot of advice from older generations that I wish I’d paid more attention to. WB: That one, from my perspective, is mostly aimed at Trump supporters. We’ve never played that one live, I think. It’s definitely about Donald Trump, who was president at the time when I wrote it. It was about my utter confusion about what makes him so popular to a large amount of people, and the fact that he was able to pull the wool over peoples’ eyes and convince them that he was on their side. To my mind, he continues to do so, and that’s something I’ll never understand. I don’t know how he successfully manages to convince so many people that he cares about them. HMS: It’s such a human phenomenon, the cult of personality, but that doesn’t mean we understand how or why it works. WB: It’s also about the polarization that came along not too long before that, and hopefully that’s something that will correct itself eventually. If you stand back, you can see both sides of it, but it’s kind of crazy how there’s no middle ground anymore, at any level. --- ### Buddy Magazine August 1974 At Flagpole Hill -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-06-11 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7408/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the August 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Ray Wylie Hubbard and Sammi Smith at the First Anniversary Party at Flagpole Hill, The Guess Who, Oregon and Gamble Rambles interview with Herby Wells. Additionally, Starfax challenges, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s love for Texas, Stoney Burns recounts the Flagpole Hill Birthday Party, and more. --- ### Lucinda Williams shares songs’ stories in storied Longhorn Ballroom - Published: 2024-06-07 - Modified: 2024-06-07 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/lucinda-longhorn/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Reviews - Entity Types: Article By: Allison Gordon Lucinda Williams and her band are playing select Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets shows on tour, which included a January 18 date at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas. “You can’t keep a good woman down,” goes the old adage, and Lucinda Williams is living proof. Three years since a November, 2020 stroke impaired her left side, she has yet to resume playing guitar — but that hasn’t stopped Williams from putting on a solid show. Seeing Lucinda Williams at the recently-reopened Longhorn Ballroom made for a special evening. The performance had a bit of a rough start; during her second song, Lucinda stepped backstage to quell a coughing fit. The band carried on in her absence, noodling while fans yelled out encouraging cheers like “You’ve got this” and “We love you, Lucinda! ” Over the course of several Lucinda shows I’ve attended, I’ve noticed that her fan base is vehemently loyal and supportive — and the Longhorn crowd was no exception. She was greeted with a shout-filled standing ovation when she returned to the stage a few minutes later. The Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets Tour is filled with poignant tales and memories spanning Lucinda’s life and career, possibly motivated by her brush with death in 2020, paired with accompanying video projections. The crowd lapped up her tender, vulnerable, and sometimes tragic tales — sometimes as simple as kittens drinking a comforting bowl of warm milk. Melancholy was on the menu, and Lucinda served it up piping hot. The story that most struck me was for “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. ” Williams recalled that she first played it for a live audience at The Bluebird in Denver; then, after the show, her father offered an apology — recognizing her pain woven into the final verse, “Child in the backseat, about four or five years / Lookin' out the window / Little bit of dirt mixed with tears / Car wheels on a gravel road. ” She confessed that she hadn’t realized, until that moment, how truly autobiographical those lyrics were. Other story highlights comprised “Little Angel, Little Brother” — penned about Williams’ estranged younger brother, Robert — and “Heaven Blues,” written after the death of her mother, who’d struggled with mental illness throughout her life. Lucinda wrapped the show on a high note, however, with the tracks “Joy” and “Rock and Roll Heart. ” As she belted out the latter’s last verse — Rock ‘n roll reached down into my house / Reached right down and pulled me out / Talked to me and I knew then, what I was gonna be all about — there’s no doubt that Lucinda Williams is going to continue climbing onto stages as long as her body allows her to, and her legions of adoring fans are going to keep showing up to support her as she does. --- ### Buddy Magazine July 1974 The Best Steel Guitars in the World -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-05-28 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7407/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the July 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about the Anderson Brothers, letters, cussed and discussed, Bob Wills' three-record return to origins, MSA-Micro's steel guitars and Alvin Lee's interview. Dennis Harper's glitter rock comic, Bud Buschardt's quiz, July events, and more. --- ### Making the Case for Physical Music… and preserving a legacy that lasts - Published: 2024-05-25 - Modified: 2024-05-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-case-for-physical-music-records-cds-tapes/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Opinion - Entity Types: Article By Lee Zimmerman It’s hard to imagine where the trajectory of modern music would take us had the recordings of the past not be provided in the form of physical records. How would a Sgt Pepper or a Tommy or a Beggars Banquet have fared without the visual stimuli that accompanied them. What would the impact of those early albums by Elvis, Little Richard or Chuck Berry have been without the imagery that accompanied them. They simply would have been anonymous artists — albeit artists making new and revolutionary music — but much of the impact would have been diminished. Nowadays, those lessons have been lost on a new generation of artists prone to streaming, virtual singles and the absence of real albums. Sadly, there are those that insist the era of physical music   is over, that no one wants them anymore and people only want to listen on phones or bluetooth devices. The industry has helped accommodate that mentality by taking CD players out of cars and computers and servicing new releases through streams and downloads only. “Nobody wants physical music anymore,” the pundits insist while insinuating that only old folks want the actual discs. Of course, that’s a form of ageism and a putdown of those with traditional values as far as enjoying music is concerned. There was once a time when a new album offered as much anticipation for its artwork, liner notes and credits as it did for the music that was wrapped up inside. People would get together, discuss every detail of the album design and spend hours looking over the lyrics and coming up with their own interpretations of the messages the musicians attempted to convey. It was a group experience — a communal exercise — that brought people together by comparing their observations and offering their thoughts as to how the art contributed to the album. Nowadays, that experience  is all but lost. The music exists only in the ether, without any connection to physical formatting. One has to wonder how that helps the life and longevity when those sounds simply exist in the ether, without the ability to touch or grasp or put it on a shelf while curating a collection. It serves to make the music merely temporary, a fleeting encounter that’s listened to only a limited number of times before being quickly displaced by some other ethereal offering. Personally, I’m proud of my music collection. I’m fortunate enough to have three rooms to my basement stacked floor to ceiling with vinyl, CDs and all sorts of memorabilia. I consider it all a keepsake that represent my musical memories — signposts of my life in a very real and tangible way. When those moments aren’t allowed to linger, what becomes the connection to that lvoe and obsession? Yes — it could be considered an obsession in my case — but it’s also a hobby. It satisfies the soul, brings a focus, and makes it all real. That certainly can’t be said for something that lacks a physical connection. After all, would a hobbies who collects coins or art or anything else among to maintain any interest if in fact there was no collection involved. How would it work? Is  the acquuisition of physical music any different? Granted, some folks would argue that a single drive can hold thousands more albums than any single shelf. That may be true, but there again, the visual stimuli is simply lacking. As human beings, we are given several senses. Why limit the experience to one without the benefit of another? It’s like hiking to a waterfall and putting in earplugs so as to deter the sound of rushing water. Why deny a second sense? That in itself makes no sense. There are also certain naysayers who look at a vast collection of physical music and say disparaging things, such as “what are you going to do with this when you die? It’s inconsiderate to your heirs that you are leaving this for them to handle. ” I suppose that means we should occupy ourselves with having pleasure in the present, and in turn, only look forward to the day of our demise. As the Grassroots once said, “Sha la la all la, let’s live for today and don’t worry about tomorrow, hey, hey... ” There is something to be said for an old- fashioned adage after all. When you get right down to it, the debate centers on the difference between collecting and passive listening. A collector wants a physical acquisition in hand. The fickle listener doesn’t care. The former is taking stock for the future, building a presence that can carry over into the future and stand the test of time. The fickle listens doesn’t care about past precepts or establishing a signpost for the future. That’s the difference. Don’t get me wrong. I have no-problem with passive listening. But YouTube and Spotify don’t bring me the same satisfaction as having an album I can hold, keep and return to time and time again. Albums are a treasure, a complete package, and failing that, simply a temporary distraction and nothing more. So here’s the message for artists, A&R people and record companies — keep the physical discs coming. You’re securing a template for the future and an accomplishment that lasts. --- --- ### New BUDDY Magazine Print Issue on the Street Now - Published: 2024-05-17 - Modified: 2024-05-17 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/new-buddy-magazine-print-issue-on-the-street-now/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article The latest print edition of BUDDY Magazine is now available at fine establishments throughout North Texas. This is the biggest print issue we have produced in the last 20 years, in full color, at 32 pages. It features nine full color covers inthe issue, one to honor each of the artists we cover. The print issue was released at the Dallas International Guitar festival,with a limited run of 3,000 copies produced, and a passaround audience of over 10,000 people. Pick up a copy at one of these locations (more locations will be added as distribution continues): The Guitar Sanctuary - McKinneyJimmy Wallace GuitarsLove and War in Texas - PlanoLonghorn BallroomThe KesslerZoo MusicKNONTone Shop GuitarsGuitars and Growlers - McKinney and RichardsonPoor David's PubThe Goat --- ### Interview with Grupo Fantasma’s Caramelo Haze – The Resilience of the Create Spirit - Published: 2024-05-17 - Modified: 2024-05-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/grupo-fantasma-caramelo-haze/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Don Ward As many musicians and music fans slowly have slipped back into “normalcy” in the last couple of years since the pandemic was over, some captivating stories have emerged, revealing the extent of effort - and need - for some artists to both create and perform. Even when the whole musical world they had previously known had shut down, these players did everything they could to keep making music, and keep being creative. One such story is that of the founding members of Austin’s Grammy award winning latin rock band Grupo Fantasma, and their latest band creation, Caramelo Haze. While the group has had many offshoot acts such as Brown Sabbath, Dos Santos, and MoneyChicha, this new act emerged from the screeching halt of an unplanned world shutdown. While live performance of music was almost wholly non-existent in Texas in Spring of 2020 (except for The Free Man venue in Dallas), musicians Alex Chavez, Beto Martinez, John Speice, and Victor Cruz continued to make music, not knowing where it would take them. And by the end of it, they realized that they had an entirely new band – one that would get signed to Nacional Records, and also take the band on some high profile gigs, like their October 2023 appearance at the ACL festival in Austin. Buddy Magazine sat down with Caramelo Haze after their performance at ACL last October for a chat. In only a few minutes, it was easy to tell that these tight-knit guys had seen a lot of things after playing for over 20 years together. What also stood out was that these extremely talented musicians are not successful by accident – clearly, they have been prolific in their musical output, diligent in searching for opportunity, and hardworking in their craft. And they absolutely do not shy away from business talk or creative inspiration, and it clearly comes out in this free-flowing discussion. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=6FrPdZBMlv4 Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): Can you talk about the original resilience you had with just keeping the group together over the last few years? Beto: Sure. We formed in 2000, but I've been a working musician since the mid-nineties. John, too goes back, and Alex was playing in bands here in Austin as well in those early 2000s. And this particular band, Caramelo Haze, we put it together over the summer of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. So that was definitely a challenge, but that's when we first got together and started writing and recording. And definitely having that sort of longevity in this business can be rare. What has allowed us to do that has been, first of all, the personal relationships that we've kept. So it's been a pretty tight core of people. There have been people that have come and gone, some people newer than others, but I think working with people that we trust and we've known for a long time, but also being, I think, determined that not we at some point made a decision that this is what we were doing. We weren't doing it on the side, we weren't doing it on the weekend. We were like, this is what we do. So we look at it on the long-term because there's a lot of ups in there in this business. We've had some great moments, super high moments. One that comes to mind in particular is playing with Prince and touring with Prince and doing stuff like that that was at the top of this game. And then shortly after that, you have a gig at a bowling alley or whatever, and no one shows up and the promoter doesn’t want to see you. So there's that dichotomy that exists in this business, and you kind of have to prepare for that through the good times. You have to be ready for the means. I mean, so I think we've gotten good at that because a lot of ups and downs, and that's really what's given us that longevity, I think. Don Ward (Buddy Magazine):Yeah. And as far as the grit that it takes, it sounds like based off of what you just said, you've gone through these challenges, there's a resurgence going on. What's your overall vision of where you want things to go on the business side? John: The business itself is based largely around access, and it's not easy to get access. And what I mean by that is access to opportunities, access to bookings. As Fantasma as a collective, because we have Brownout, we have a bunch of bands. That's also one of the keys to being staying together is having a diverse bunch of projects you can do. So that one thing doesn't just burn you out. But it's difficult to strategize access, you know what I mean? It's kind of like a luck and timing thing as well as just continually putting balls in the hopper and writing for each of these projects and then hoping that you hit the right person's ear, and that they decide that they want to from their end, from the production, from the other end of it. Artistically put energy towards it. And that's another thing that ebbs and flows as well as the creativity is just your ability to get access. That's why people age out of the business. So our strategy is to make good music always. And then we are also constantly trying to make relationships based on past successes. And also just the promise of we can take this to the people for the future, to get some things going in the future. But that's as a studio owner and a producer, and Alex is a professor at Notre Dame. We all are all family people, and we have many irons in the fire from a business point of view to just get by. And we're extremely lucky that we had some success in the early two thousands. That kind of has grandfathered us into some opportunities that maybe some people don't always get. The flip side of that is you’re only really young once. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=F9_4RafCWso Beto: There's a lot of experience that we've attained and we know now that not to chase that stuff. So we're working to build good relationships with labels and publishing companies and stuff that can make you, that can generate revenue down the line once you get older and once you're not on the stage anymore. So that's really important to us, and that's something about building our catalog, Having a lot of music out there, and getting it in the right places and making those relationships. Like Alex, for example, the trustee with the recording Academy with the Grammys, and that's a lot about networking and making those particular relationships.   We played in the BMI stage where there's a lot of people there that we've got to meet, and hopefully work with in the future that can help us get those sorts of placements and things like that, where you can generate that revenue into the future even once you're little too old to shake. Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): As far as being in Austin and having your roots here, how do you think that's really translated in a positive, or negative way for your careers? Beto: I always tell people that Austin also is very important to our musical career because when we started here, it was a very different place. It was a very easy lifestyle. It used to be cheap to live here. So when we were in college and had just moved here in the mid-nineties, it was very cheap. We could get a house, the whole band lived in a house and the whole rent was $550 a month. So we could work some stupid job that we didn't really care about and spend most of our time playing music and building that side of it up. So for me, that’s what I think was so important about being here in Austin, because it was a very cool and laid back place and cheap for musicians, that's changed a lot. And I feel lucky that we got here a long time ago and sort of built our networks and set everything up at this point, because I see young people that are trying to do this, and it's a lot harder. I'm like, how are they doing this money to do it? It's like crazy. So I'm like, you still come here? John: It's a beacon, a live music capital of the world, but it's hard for me to imagine coming here right now and starting. We did in the nineties, we were close to the ground and all the artists lived in 78704, and all the rest were cheap. And so it's still going on with the young people that just quadruple the price, the cost of living. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=IYJ0wScymAI Buddy Magazine: A lot of great art movements have happened in situations like that where everything's affordable, the people are right there, and all the things that are cooking, like the Austin blues and progressive country scenes of the 70s. Then you have this economic shift, then rent goes up and the original scene kind of splits and it becomes commercial. Do you think that kind of creativity is still happening in Austin? Beto: There's good young bands, there's really good young bands, great musicians. It's a different ethos. I feel like a lot of the younger groups come in right away business-minded, and we weren't necessarily business-minded when we started. We were like, let's have fun. And then it took us a while to realize, hey, this is the business. We need to get stuff in order to be able to do this, and we want keep doing it. The younger people are coming at it with that mindset already. So maybe that helps. And I would be foolish to say that ‘no, there's not creativity happening here,’  just because I'm not aware of it. But I know that it's there. So yes, I do feel like it's still happening. It's just different. John: Yeah, 78704 has now moved out to Buda and Kyle. That's where I learned studio, where his studio is. And so we've been pushed out of those zones that used to be so easy to be in. But yeah, creativity and the draw of this place and the support that the community infrastructure gives to music in the form of grants and things like that. We've used that to bring Peruvian masters here to play, and to learn from them. And so it’s about learning how to work the machine, today. But then, the kids are quick and this whole thing has developed where it almost doesn't matter where you're, because it's based upon virality. It's based upon TikTok and YouTube, and just creating every little moment in your everyday life even as content. And then I think through that, you grow this ability to be filmed and to have it not change. And I think that that's transferred over visually as well. Everyone wants to have a little bit of information in a short period of time. And the kids are super good at it. Funny for us, people way younger than us, and they'll be like, you guys, you got to get on TikTok. Buddy Magazine : You mentioned that Alex is a professor at Notre Dame. Alex, what do you teach? Alex: Anthropology and music. I'm from Texas and I came up in the same scene early 2000. In 2010 and 2011, I went up to the Chicago area. I've been up there since. Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): How did that whole creative process go with you? Alex: It was simple that nobody was doing anything during lockdown. You couldn't tour or do live shows. There was nothing happening. Beto has a studio, and I had worked with him in a band that I played in Chicago, with Dos Santos, that's my main project based out of Chicago. We had worked with Beto in his studio here. We toured together as Money Chicha, Los Santos. Long story short, we've known each other for a long time. Play music together on stage. They work in the studio, et cetera. Lockdown happens. We can't do any of that. So I recall Beto putting up these short videos in his studio where he was like, “oh, I'm going to challenge myself to write and record, and produce a song in two hours. ”And so he was doing this himself, and it was great. I was like, this sounds great. And we had worked together before and other shit, whatever. But then I remember reaching out to the dude, that's great stuff, whatever. Then it dawned on me again. I was like, “Hey, man, you just doing stuff in the studio? Nobody's working right there in the studio, right? ” He's like, “no, there's no work right now. ” Imagine, there's no vaccine, there's no nothing. The last place you want to be. So it's like, well, we know each other, we trust each other, whatever. I was like, “Hey man, you want to get back into the studio? ” I was like, just to create in the spirit of that, not even talk about what we're going to do. Not even write anything, just go to the studio and just create. And he's like, “yeah, let's do it. I'm not doing anything else. ” And so I drove down from Chicago. No plane. I was not getting on a plane, no. Drove down and he had hit up Speice. And also Victor . It was us four. And we got together two times that summer just to make music. We didn't know what it was going to be. Just to create. And by the end of it, we're like, ‘oh, this is a record. ’ So I guess we made a record. And in a band. And we're like, okay, well then, and that's what it was. And it was really in the spirit of being creative, and not having a lot of options at that point. And so we just, well, let's just do this. And it was a beautiful experience, beautiful process. And we had this thing, this records beautiful record that we're like, okay, well let's pitch it. Let's see what we want to do with it. And years ago, we would pitch to labels the things that were precious to us, our real, real bands. And one of the labels that we pitched to repeatedly was Nacional, which is the label that we're on, which is the marquee Latin alternative label in the world. And so we're like, screw it, let's pitch it to them. And of course they're like, “yeah, we want to put that out. ”So these things that were our babies, like Grupo Fantasma, or Brownout, here are these labels that would our ideal labels potentially we want to put something out on. They were uninterested. They were like, they passed this thing that was a total lark, that was in the sense of adventure and necessity. And we (Caramelo Haze) were just like, well, let's just do it and pitch it. Of course, that's the thing that all of a sudden gets the traction and that we're here playing ACL. We've only played a handful of gigs. We've played under 15 shows. But it's a testament to the work and the commitment and the fact that we've been around, we've done this, and so we want to be specific about something, we're going to do it. And here we are talking Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): You guys have been at it for a long time. On the entrepreneur side, I remember how scared I was during Covid. I'm a startup. I'm trying to survive, I'm trying to build. And then there's something in you that really dig deeper for me. And going back to Alex's comment, there's some DNA here that I just want you guys to talk about. How do you stay creative? And this is all in the business side. How do you stay creative in the midst of chaos? You could have been like, “I have no creative juices left to work with. ” Beto: Well, to be honest, that's what happened first because it was a shock. We released a record with our band Brownout on the day that they canceled South by Southwest. We were on stage doing soundcheck, and we got our phones they canceled Southby. Then they started canceling the NBA and all this stuff. And then we had a tour, and sure enough that week our agent starts calling us and they're like, dude, they this canceled, this canceled, this canceled. By the end of that week, the calendar was done and it was like, dude, I don't know, man, I hope everybody's safe and at home and was chill. See what happens. Alex: Like a blackout. Beto: And there was nothing from one day to the next, it was all gone. And this record that we had just spent a bunch of time working on and that we were so happy to put out there, it basically just went away. It just disappeared because no one's like, ‘cool, let's get you out for the record. ’ It's like, ‘what the hell is happening? ’So yeah man, for that first while, while it was shocking and depressing and I didn't want to make any music, I didn't want to create, and it was more about figuring out what the hell are we going to do. And I had to kind of navigate some avenues of relief. You know what I mean? There was unemployment, and ‘can we get this grant? Can we get that grant? Could we work and see if they can help us out with this? ’ And there were a few different organizations that were able to help us out. And I think everybody kind of focused on that personally. Once we sort of figured out, okay, we're going to be all right, moneywise, we can weather this for a little bit. Then I got back into a creative mode. Then I was sitting at home. Yeah, my family, we started watching The Walking Dead. That became just every day watching five, six episodes. You know what I mean? But after doing that for a little bit and just sitting around, I was like, man, I started seeing people getting online, getting on social media and doing live shows, you know what I mean? Just from their home. And it just occurred to me, I have a studio, man, I can go in there and make some music right now if I wanted to. I don't have my band, but it gave me an idea. And that's what he was talking about where I was like, what if I played everything? So I sat down and started playing drums, which I'm not a drummer. I would never call myself a drummer, but I can keep a beat. And I had the time and space there to do it. So I started recording stuff and then I stumbled on this idea, or I gave myself an exercise. I was like, just write a song every day and record it and do all of it from start to finish, record it and mix it, finish it, and then put it online. So yeah, that's the way you know that it's done. So you have to turn your work in. Alex: Yeah, and that's the thing, when I saw that, it was the spirit of just going into the studio and just blank slate, just working. See what happens. A lot of times how we work, I feel like you record stuff, road testing or things that are already written and you document them and that's great and you can experiment. But to go into the studio and be like, I have nothing. What do you have? Nothing. I don't know. Well, let's just go in here and just figure it out. And then that's a very different process. But it's also because we were so open to, I think on the one hand, being creative because there was no, to your point, how could you feel creative in a moment that was so much despair? Well, as a creative person, you couldn't play live, you couldn't, couldn't tour. So all your outlets are gone. So it is going to be bottled up. So what do you do? It's like, well go in the studio and see what happens, right? And so we did it. So on the one level, there was that creative outlet. Two is just being willing, because of Covid, and in some ways a lack of a time constraint. The ability and the acceptance of like, well, we are just going to experiment because we're not on a clock here. It's like, well, we don't even know what we're doing, so let's just do it and have that freedom Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): So Beto, you kind of started the charge. Everybody came in and collaborated from there. Once you kind of got the creative spirit back, and then you guys are here now. You guys did at some recent sets in South by Southwest then, right? John: Well, yeah. We went out to California in June, and we played out there Chicago. We played in Chicago most recently and then this, and we're working on new music right now. We have most of a new record already started. Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): What's next for you guys? Who are you from the new music perspective, the messaging, just give the final thoughts on where you guys are going and so we can make sure we can capture that. Capture the essence of what you guys have done. John: We did perform a song today that no one's heard a brand new one that we really just are still finishing writing. We're trying to, I think one thing that kind of didn't get brought up is when you have personal relationships in long-term bands, sometimes the machine is creaky and hard to get rolling. And the way that this formed with four dudes surprising themselves, we had one idea, and then two days later, we had really most of a record without ever putting any thought into it. And so we've really tried to kind of maintain this new latest record that we are trying to do, new record, same thing. We just got in a room and it's like, ‘Hey, here's an idea, here's an idea, here's an idea’. And luckily, thankfully, that creative trust that we've developed started to just form new other good music. And there's a lot of letting go when it comes down to it. You can't control everything, but you can't control if you enjoy what you're doing. And if you truly have a place for it and enjoy it and it's unforced, it doesn't have a lot of baggage, then cool things can happen quickly. And that's been our story thus far, is we've had some really good opportunities quickly. But mostly I think it's due to the fact that we didn't just say, “Hey, we are a band. We're going to write a record. ” We just got together with some ideas and went, “oh look, the band. ” It happened really organically. And so we're kind of trying to try-not-try, we're trying to hold onto that without holding it. But ultimately, I think in that regard, artistically, Beto and I had four bands for 20 years. Beto and I have known each other for 20 years. We've all been doing. And so I think we realized something. I mean, that period of the pandemic, when I look back on it, was actually really inspiring because the artists that I know that are compelled to perform and compelled to play no matter what, whether there was a dollar in it or not, they just had to. And they did. And this was what we just had to do. And it happened. And there's something to be said for not steering sometimes and just seeing if you can make some art that thrills you and tickles you and your friend that you're making it with or your friends are making it with. And that can be contagious, that can go out. But as soon as you start trying to be like, okay, now we're going to do this and we're going to pitch it to this guy, and it can get weird quickly. And so we've been really lucky in our relationship to kind of have a ease. There's certain ease. Don Ward (Buddy Magazine): Any last comments you guys want to make? Beto: Just believe in what you do and do it with good people. I'm always telling people I just want to do dope things with people I care about. We just push forward, you know what I mean? I like to say whether it's a good thing or not, but you do this for long enough. You get to a point where there's no turning back. We're lifers - this is what we do. This is the only thing I know how to do at this point. So yeah, we just keep moving forward, like I said, in all the different aspects with the bands, with the live stuff, recording, we got a studio, writing songs, whatever. And I look forward to being able to continue doing that, man. --------------------------------------------- --- ### Buddy Magazine June 1974 Five Easy Pianists-Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-05-14 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7406/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the June 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Larry Norman, reviews spotlighting Ray Manzarek and Iggy and the Stooges. Manzarek's mysterious façade and Brian Auger's journey, concert hall floor plans, Augie Meyer, Dr. John and the Electromagnets. Dennis Harper's comic strip, Rock History, interview with Mike Finnigan events and more. --- ### Buddy Magazine May 1974 B.W. Stevenson Cover - Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-04-30 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7405/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the May 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about John Michael's reviews on The Three Musketeers and Records covering Chicago, B. W. Stevenson, Alex Harvey Band, Frank Zappa and Buffy Sainte-Marie, Van Morrison, Doobie Brothers, Stevenson's creative process, graduation gift ideas, musician listening choices, Boz Scaggs, Ben Ferguson, Sly and the Stewart family interviews and more. --- ### Drew Holcomb recalls 20 years of Texas gigs, touring with Darius Rucker, Americana’s evolution through “Find Your People” #1 - Published: 2024-04-24 - Modified: 2024-04-24 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/drew-holcomb-recalls-20-years-of-texas-gigs-touring-with-darius-rucker-americanas-evolution-through-find-your-people-1/ - Categories: Feature - Entity Types: Article By Ian Saint Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors will play a series of Texas shows, amid their Find Your People Tour, from April 26-28. (Photo by Katie Sura. ) Twenty years after recording his debut EP, Drew Holcomb found himself with his first #1 song — “Find Your People,” the lead single off 2023’s independently-released Strangers No More album — on the Americana Radio chart. Over the course of his accomplishment’s twenty-year arc, Drew Holcomb has rode the waves of drastic changes in the Americana genre in general. The emergence of streaming services, for example — and placements on their highly-coveted playlists — have catapulted many performers to headliner status, despite lacking a single bona fide hit on terrestrial radio. This shift coincided with Holcomb finally manifesting sustainable show business success in 2011, when “Live Forever” took off and was featured in a pivotal moment of the “Parenthood” TV series’ finale. The Stranger No More crooner was no stranger to Texas, however, long before that breakthrough; it has been a hub in his performing schedule since the beginning of his career. Only months after headlining the Waco Hippodrome and Tannahill’s in Fort Worth last autumn, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors are returning to the Lone Star State for shows in Austin (Scoot Inn), Houston (White Oak Music Hall), and Dallas (Longhorn Ballroom) on April 26, 27, and 28, respectively. BUDDY’s Ian Saint sat down with Holcomb backstage at downtown Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater — laid on the Cumberland River’s banks — last October, shortly before he and his band opened a sold-out show with Darius Rucker, with whom Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors toured throughout the summer of 2023. The spirited Saturday night crowd, a short hop from Music City’s raucous Broadway Avenue, sang along with several of the songs that Holcomb had just discussed in our interview. Watch Ian Saint’s backstage interview with Drew Holcomb below, and find an abbreviated transcript of their conversation beneath the video. Filming credit: Isaiah Cunningham. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=XvUQi7xOaJ8 IAN SAINT: We’re excited for your string of spring dates in Texas, upon so many of your career anniversaries! My understanding is that your Texas history began in Deep Ellum? DREW HOLCOMB: I think my first show, ever, in the state of Texas was at the AllGood Café (2934 Main St. in Dallas) — in maybe 2004 or 2005. And then was the Opening Bell Coffee shop (1409 Botham Jean Rd. ) in the South Side on Lamar. And then, through the years, we’ve played all over Texas. There’s something about the songwriting history in Texas, that I think our music connected pretty early with people there — the narrative piece, the bar bands... you know, there’s so much great history in Texas. As soon as I started getting the opportunity to go play in Texas, we started doing that; so now it's on pretty much every tour. I’m thrilled to come back down there, and continue to build on that story we've been building there for 20 years. My favorite Texas interaction I ever had was, I’d just moved to Nashville, and I got invited via a friend to a very small gathering for Guy Clark's birthday. So Guy Clark is sitting there, and I was like, “alright, I’ve got to figure out how to talk to him. ” He's hand-rolling a cigarette, and I was like, “So, Guy, I'm a songwriter here in town — new guy, 25 years old. Who were you listening to when you were 25? ” And he goes “... me. ” IAN SAINT: Congratulations on the #1 Americana Radio success of “Find Your People,” the lead single off Strangers No More. I was struck by the lyrics of that hit song in this age of social media and dating apps. What was the genesis of that song? DREW HOLCOMB: I was writing with a good friend of mine, Kevin Rhoads, and we got to talking about this strange thing that we both have experienced — everybody's so connected, but they're more isolated than ever before. I think there are less real relationships, and there's more “oh, I kind of know that person, because I follow them on Instagram” or “I know what they're up to, because of social media” stuff. One thing that the pandemic did for me and my family was, we spent less time on those apps, and actually spent more time with just a core group — our little pod of a couple other families. He and I were talking about that; he said “I feel like you guys found your people,” and I was like, “yeah, we definitely found our people” — and suddenly we’re like “there's a song in here, a song about friendship, a song about trust. ” It's also a song about my band. I've been on the road with some of these guys for 20 years, and most of them for at least a half-dozen years. And in this era of chaos, political division, cultural upheaval, and just a divisive, lonely time for a lot of people — myself included — at times when you do have people, it feels like a gift. So it's a song about how much that is necessary, and how much it means. It's a preaching song, but it's preaching to myself. IAN SAINT: I read somebody recently say that dating apps feel like a part-time job at this point, with the abundance of options — you would think it would be a lot easier now, but... DREW HOLCOMB: ... you're always looking for better, yeah. I mean, I don't know the dating apps thing — I'm pretty young, I'm 41, but I've been married for almost 20 years. But I have lots of friends, and even bandmates, who are single; and even though there are more potential ways to connect with other people, it feels harder than ever, and I'm honestly grateful that's not my situation. But I've got kids, so I've got to know about it. IAN SAINT: Listening to your pre-COVID catalogue, I was thinking about how some songs might resonate differently today. For example, “Family” might resonate in a new way — given family member lives lost to the virus, or even the shift of priorities provoked by the pandemic. Have you noticed certain songs from your back catalogue resonating with today’s audiences differently than before? DREW HOLCOMB: Yeah, one in particular is “End of the World” . Pre-COVID, it felt like sort of a joke — it was an ironic, sarcastic song. It’s not like 2019 was a banner year for humanity, but there’s been a lot of stuff besides COVID that has been difficult. “End of the World” had this sarcastic, ironic representation and experience; now people sing it, and they're like, “I mean, but is it? You know, it kind of feels like it sometimes... ” So now, everybody sings the chorus about as loud as they can. “Family,” it's interesting, because I feel like one of the beautiful things about the era that we live in is that people sometimes find their family in ways that are not necessarily traditional blood. While I am very close to my blood family, I also feel like I've got friends that feel like family, and my band feels like family. So when I sing that song, it’s not just singing about blood; I’m also singing about the other ties that bind us together — whether it's your work, or your neighborhood, or common interests and hobbies you share with people. That song feels bigger than just “oh, this is a song about your brother, sisters, kids, parents, and stuff,” so that’s been cool. “Dragons,” I feel has stood the test of time from pre-COVID to post. It’s a song about people overcoming difficult things in their lives. It's this cool narrative about meeting the ghost of my grandfather, and him giving me pieces of advice. The difference between Strangers No More and the pre-COVID was that a lot of those songs were very external — they were about external relationships, whereas Strangers No More was a bit more an internalized conversation with myself, about getting older and the passage of time. The song “Troubles,” I wrote right after Uvalde — as somebody who lives in Texas, you understand the weight of that — but as a father, too... I wrote that song about just wanting to escape all of the troubles that we find ourselves in. So I was allowing myself the fun of songs like “Find Your People” and “All the Money in the World,” but also the introspection of “Troubles” and “Fly. ” And then musically, we allowed ourselves to play in lots of sandboxes — “All the Money in the World” has got this sort of classic Memphis thing going on, and “Dance with Everybody” has got this sort of Graceland and Paul Simon vibe, and then “On a Roll” has got this sort of big Springsteen and U2 thing... so we allowed ourselves to just do whatever we wanted musically, recorded twenty-some songs, and thought they wouldn't necessarily fit together — but then when you have the same band playing together, it all works together, even though genre-wise it's kind of all over the map. That is part of the beauty of whatever we call “Americana,” is that there's not a lot of rules. IAN SAINT: That’s a great segue to the significance of your 20th anniversary of making records. Your first EP was recorded in 2003, and Americanafest had only been first staged just a couple years prior. That was right before social media took off, and song-streaming services. That all was consequential for the Americana genre; but I feel like America, socio-politically, has changed. You look at 2024’s presidential race, compared to the 2004 presidential race of Kerry/Edwards vs. Bush/Cheney... DREW HOLCOMB: Pretty traditional, down-the-middle election cycle. IAN SAINT: Exactly. So as someone who's been through so many changes in the last 20 years, do you feel like it has gotten more conducive to your styles and objectives? And similarly, are there aspects that have endured all those massive changes in society and that particular genre? DREW HOLCOMB: At the end of the day, I think Americana is a big tent for people who have something to say — that is more important than getting famous or rich. Not that that's every pop or country artist's dream; but there's not really a route in Americana to major mainstream success. I mean, there's obviously been some exceptions to that; but the music is sort of the main point, and it's oftentimes performed and written by the same person or group of people. There are so many artists that had a spot on the radio in the ‘70s — the Van Morrisons, Jackson Brownes, Emmylou Harrises — who probably wouldn't have a home if they were making those records now. So the fact that there is this sort of big tent is really neat. I really don't like the sort of political polarization that seems to be happening — like ‘country music is right, and Americana is left. ’ It's like, “hold on a minute, every individual that makes music has a different point of view. ” I'm of the opinion that, while I may share a political point of view on social media or in interviews, I like to let the music speak at the show. Again, that’s just me; I'm not saying that's how it should be, but it would be a loss to me if it was like “oh, if you listen to this, then that means 100% X is your . ” IAN SAINT: You don’t make partisan music, is what you’re saying? DREW HOLCOMB: Maybe I do, but I don't intentionally. I hope my music is provocative ­— every musician wants their music to be somewhat provocative — but in some ways I want it to be provocative . Like for “Find Your People,” I want to people to put their phones away and enjoy their friends for a night, regardless of who they are. My favorite moments with music are sitting around with friends and sharing songs that we love. Sitting in the bus after shows, we’d call it “Pass the Aux” — when you had the auxiliary cable, and everybody plays a song through the stereo... IAN SAINT: Ah, “aux. ” At first, I thought you said “ox” — and maybe you were playing Oregon Trail after the shows... DREW HOLCOMB: Now I just do Bluetooth, but it's the same sort of thing; everybody plays the song that they love, and what it means to them. I think music is a powerful instrument of healing, and it has been that for me for my entire life; so I've never made music to try to fit into a certain category, I've just made the music that I love — that sort of reflects what I need to hear and see. For some reason, I’ve found a lot of people are like, “your music is so hopeful”; I'm like, “yeah, I guess it is, but maybe that's what I need to hear. ” Hopefully it's provocative in that way, instead of the opposite direction. IAN SAINT: We’re backstage at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheatre, as you’re about to open a sold-out show with Darius Rucker. He’s really remarkable for managing to launch a solo career in country music, after already carving out a legacy in rock with Hootie & The Blowfish. I suppose Hootie would’ve been part of your adolescence? DREW HOLCOMB: Early high school, yeah. IAN SAINT: So was that part of your... I was going to say “playlists,” but we didn’t have streaming back then... DREW HOLCOMB: On your mixtapes? Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think you couldn't be a music listener for about three years there, and not have Hootie & The Blowfish be on your radar. I moved to Nashville right around the time that Darius started his country career in 2008; and it's been really fun, because the song that I sing with him on stage every night is his first country hit. There are a lot of things I really love about this tour we did all summer. First off, his band, his, crew and him — they’re all super hospitable and generous. Sometimes, openers can feel a little bit cornered away — “don't bother us, don't touch our stuff, don't eat our food” — and theirs has been the complete opposite of that. You're a part of the family, “what's ours is yours”; and that's been really beautiful. I think that always comes down from the top; so, Darius has been a really generous and hospitable person to us. But the other thing I love, back to you were talking about, is they're one of the few bands in contemporary country music that what you hear out in the crowd is happening on stage in real time — there's no tracks, there's no gimmicks, it's just a great band of great musicians playing this batch of great songs. They do some of the big Hootie songs, and he's had a dozen hits on country radio as well. When I moved to as a Memphis folk kid, I kind of shooed away country; I didn’t want to be associated with it. But as those lines have broken down, I've found out that some of these big country artists are fans of my music — so I started allowing myself to listen , and I'm like, “man, these are actually really great songs and great musicians. ” So it's been a great sort of eye-opener to me, of the great people and great music that exists in popular country music, as well. And I've enjoyed that change of scenery for — their fans are great, they love music — so that's been fun, as well, to build sort of a new audience for us. IAN SAINT: How’s it been, headlining your own tour again after touring with Darius? DREW HOLCOMB: It's been great to get back out with our fans in places like Tannahill’s — these smaller, intimate places, where there's just this palpable energy for our songs, which is very different than playing for people that are hearing you maybe for the first time. IAN SAINT: Your next DFW date is at Longhorn Ballroom, which is often called Texas’ Most Historic Music Venue — they even had their own panel at this past Americanafest. DREW HOLCOMB: Did they really? Cool; I'm excited about that one. I know they just reopened. You know, Dallas has always had great venues; but I'm specifically looking forward to that show. IAN SAINT: Do you reckon you’ll stop by AllGood Café in Deep Ellum before the gig? DREW HOLCOMB: Yeah, yeah. I haven’t been in 20 years, so I guess I should go down the street and pick up some migas. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors are headlining Scoot Inn in Austin, White Oak Music Hall in Houston, and Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas on Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, April 25-27. For tickets, and a full tour itinerary, visit Drew’s official website: https://www. drewholcomb. com/tour. --- ### Interview with Rowdy McCarran - Published: 2024-04-20 - Modified: 2024-05-17 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/interview-with-rowdy-mccarran/ - Categories: Feature - Tags: Country, Here, performance, Rowdy McCarran, songwriting, storytelling, videos - Entity Types: Article Rowdy McCarran Brings The Storytelling Behind ‘Here’ To The Stage In February 2024, songwriter and vocalist Rowdy McCarran, also known in daily life as David Brim, returned with a new album, titled Here. It marked his first album release since 2014 and represented a return that started in 2019 but was impacted by the pandemic period. This new era also represented a newly launched partnership with songwriter, Producer, and arranger Rob Hegel, who saw in McCarran a kindred spirit and one who he felt might be a fit for many of his songs. The songs on the album Here were mainly written by Hegel at different points in time and he and McCarran updated them with an eye towards solid storytelling and reflecting core Country elements they felt often were lacking in new music these days. The stories are unabashedly tied to the experiences of ordinary life, whether it’s the detail of economic struggles in “A Sign of Hard Times” or the hyper-observant “Road Signs. ” A particular radio favorite is the humorous “I Drink” which explains very convincingly why someone might want to hit the bottle. Now, McCarran has just started bringing the new songs to audiences in a live band setting, and sharing his enthusiasm for audience connection once more. I spoke with Rowdy McCarran about this period of inhabiting new songs and bringing their emotions forward for audiences, as well as his anticipation of returning to live shows with these new tracks as part of his outreach. Hannah Means-Shannon: Do you have personal, emotional associations with any of these new songs? Rowdy: They are all really great songs. I think “I Drink” is a really funny song, and it’s fun to play and sing. “Do You Ever Think of Me” is a really good song. I really like “Just As I Am”. There’s quite a few! They are all good, otherwise they wouldn’t be on there. There’s no filler on this album. HMS: Have you been able to play the songs from your new album out for audiences yet? Rowdy McCarran: It’s getting a lot of play on the radio. But I’m still getting the band ready to play out. It’s just coming up that we’ll be ready to play live. HMS: Do you still have a strange feeling when you hear your music on the radio, or have you gotten used to it? Rowdy: I think it’s always exciting to hear it on the radio, right? I guess you kind of get used to it after years. As far as live music, it’s always going to be different from the album. The album was recorded by session musicians, obviously, and there’s stuff they do in the studio that can’t be done live. As an original artist, you keep the signatures there, and you do what you want, pretty much. It’s fun. You give the songs life in a different way. HMS: That’s its own creative process, really, deciding on what the live versions are going to be like. Do you find yourself adding or developing parts, expanding for live play? Rowdy: Absolutely, especially on stops, starts, and endings. We do things differently. In the process of doing that, you need a structure. My whole album is played, though I do cover songs also. Structuring the setlist, especially the cover songs, along the album songs, is very important. You can’t have Rock and Country, and Bro Country, and then come out with “Just As I Am”. It’ll stick out like a sore thumb. You structure the cover songs around the album to complement it. https://youtu. be/pXGVVxxR5Uo? si=SyPhp-uLyCqQ1y_i HMS: I imagine that’s a whole skillset that you’ve developed, not just from being a music fan and listening, but from attending and performing in shows for so long. How do you think that ability has developed for you? Rowdy: I’ve always lived by this: I’m never bigger than the music. I’m never bigger than the fans that are out there. I’m just the messenger. I deliver the songs the way that I feel and interpret them. The audience does dictate sometimes what I’m going to play in my shows, and my whole goal is draw everybody in to have a good time. I want to play the songs that they want to hear, even the original songs that they want to hear. Every show and every audience is different and my job is to read the audience. If I need to amp it up, draw them in, and get them involved in a few songs, then I’ll do that. At that point, I can pretty much play what I want. I try to deliver that message the best I can. Music is so subjective. I hear this all the time, “You changed my life. ” Or “I had a bad day, and you turned it around. ” It’s in the delivery and in interaction with people. You give them your undivided attention. I’m not bigger than those fans out there, because without music, and without them, I wouldn’t have a job. It’s a big appreciation all the way around. HMS: I understand you had some time away from music and this album and touring is part of your return. Rowdy: Yes, my last album was released in February in 2014, and I toured the album and opened for Love and Theft, etc. I did a lot of that. I had to take some time off in 2017 and dissolved the band. Every musician goes through it. Sometimes it just becomes too taxing. But I got back into music in 2019. My wife pushed me. She said, “Every time you talk about music, you light up! You’ve got to get back into it. ” I didn’t want to get back into it because of the drama. There’s a lot of drama. HMS: No doubt! Rowdy: I told her, “It’s a lot of work! ” But I put a band together, and has a residency for about a year and a half. I got back into playing casinos again. I was out at one of the oldest saloons in Nevada, The Pioneer Saloon, and a friend of mine knew Rob Hegel, who has gold records on his wall. He wrote for bands and movies and is very accomplished. He came out and heard me, and we really hit it off. He wanted me to take a couple of Pop songs from back in the 1970s and turn them Country. We did that. We were just going to do a three or four song EP, but that ended up turning into the album called Here. It was crazy how it all happened. It was tough choosing songs for the album, but making sure we could turn them Country was part of it. Some of it’s retro, some of it’s not. I just had a great team around me, and we moved forward. https://youtu. be/SbpxFKInTt8? si=8gkKQx8cMXB9SyGd HMS: I was definitely wondering how you and Rob came to work together. A really significant factor for many people in music is whether they find someone they can really work well with and connect with. It’s about personality, your place in life, and a lot more, but it makes all the difference. Rowdy: That’s exactly it. I know a lot of songwriters, from Spain, all the way to the States. It’s hard to find that camaraderie. Rob just has that knack. He could have chosen any singer out there to do this, but he chose me. It’s been a great relationship that’s developed over the past two years, and it’s pretty much like family. I feel like that about all the guys I work with, whether they are bandmates or headliners. HMS: Certainly with performing, there has to be a lot of trust there. Rowdy: That’s so true. I had a band ready to go about six weeks ago. They were talented musicians, but it wasn’t me somehow. I’m a guy who moves around on stage and likes interaction. So I ended up making a huge leap of faith and going with another band. HMS: It does seem like there are many approaches to live performance in terms of style. There’s the super-accurate, precise, album-focused performance, and then there’s the approach that’s almost more like performing a play for a theater setting. You’re clearly in that category, going for the connection with the audience. There has to be flexibility. Rowdy: You hit that right on the head, because if people wanted to hear the album, why come out and see it? Live performances take it to a whole new level. You give the song an identity and a character that’s different. HMS: With you and Rob deciding on songs, did you sit down and talk about the tracks and where your vocals might go? How does that process usually go for you? Rowdy: In this case, Rob is a Hall of Fame songwriter with a great catalog. He sent me songs that he thought might my personality and character. He’d say, “What do you think about this? ” I’d listen. He’d send another. It was back-and-forth for many weeks, deciding on what songs it would be. Once we chose the songs, it was about choosing what key I wanted to sing them in. I’d go through the different keys, finding out where I was comfortable and where the song was going to be most powerful. There also has to be emotion in the song. You can sing the song, but to deliver the song, emotionally, is a whole different art in itself. Keeping that in mind when choosing the songs is important. Then, I’d work the songs over and over, trying different personalities, intonations, and keys. I’d vocally walk the songs. All kinds of things go into that delivery, but my songs tell a story. Even my songs on other albums tell a story of everyday life, of things that people go through. It’s not like your Bro Country today, where they get up and talk about a girl walking around in a short skirt and boots, and how cute she is. The artist makes a decision about what he wants to do, but for me, my personality and my core is to deliver everyday situations that happen to people. People can relate to that. They can relate to the story in the song, and that makes the song. https://youtu. be/IlUJo_Rv4yA? si=BcYSibwoYIG8QUsz HMS: Are there people who you admire who follow the story in that way? Rowdy: I’ve never been star-struck by anybody, but this one guy, I probably would be. That’s Brad Paisley. I read his book and I know his story. He did it right. I want to do that too. My first time in music, I wasn’t as knowledgeable as I am now. I wish I could change some things, but I can’t. But those doors put me where I am now. They developed my personality and outlook, and made me who I am today. It’s on my bucket list to meet Brad Paisley. Another thing is I’ve had many opportunities to visit the Grand Ole Opry, but when I go there, I won’t go in. When people ask why, I say “I don’t belong there yet. ” I don’t want to step on the stage because all the greats have earned their right to walk in the building and step on that stage. If I was a fan, I’d be up there all day, but as an artist, I say, “One day, I’ll be able to walk into that building and know that I belong there. ” Whether I’m very successful or semi-successful, I want to earn walking into those doors. HMS: Who are some of the people you think of when you think of that stage and who you look up to? Rowdy: Randy Travis, George Jones, Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams Jr. Some of the greats who told those stories are the great spirits who are in there that made Country music what it is today. There’s Johnny Cash. That’s where Country music began. As a musician, I don’t take that place lightly at all. https://youtu. be/368G0B9v9uc? si=tfQ53ctHqGgZVQFU HMS: I also meant to mention that there’s a sense of humor in a lot of the songs you perform. You take the songs seriously, but you don’t always have to take yourself seriously, and that’s for the sake of the audience. Rowdy: The issue with most artists is ego. As an artist, you need to learn to shut it off. When I step off-stage, yes my nick-name is Rowdy, but I also become David Brim. Learning to separate the artist from everyday life is the most important thing. I made that mistake my first go-around. I couldn’t separate that in the past, and it became arrogance and entitlement. What you’re like on-stage has to be turned off and you have to be down-to-earth in your everyday life. I think a lot of artists struggle with that. You have to stay grounded and true to who you are inside. If you lose that, it becomes a job and you lose your audience. I love who I am off-stage and I love who I am on-stage. The trick is to separate the two. HMS: When you’re performing songs by other people, for instance some of these greats we’ve mentioned, how do you approach it so that you’re satisfied with the outcome? Are there core elements that you’re trying to bring across? Rowdy: I guess singing it in the best way that I can, presenting the song in my interpretation. Music is subjective. I’m not going to try to get up and sing like Toby Keith because I’m not Toby Keith. I’m Rowdy McCarran. HMS: That must also help when blending cover songs with original songs because you’re the common factor. That way, it becomes one experience for everybody. Rowdy: It is. It is one experience. I just love what I do. It’s a passion. I’ve been blessed enough to have a talent that people love to listen to. I feel very fortunate in that way. --- ### Buddy Magazine April 1974 How to choose a car stereo -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-04-16 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7404/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the April 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about How to choose car stereo, John Michael envisages Academy Award winners in the magazine. Kim Martin talks with Zappa in "Zappa Rappa. " Bud Buschardt quizzes, Beaucoups of reviews, April events calendar and much more. --- ### Buddy Magazine March 1974 Jerry Jeff Walker ZZ Top Freddie King -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-04-02 - Modified: 2024-04-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7403/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the March 1974 issue, with interviews and articles about Jerry Jeff Walker, Buddy Award Winners, Z. Z. Top, Freddie King, Willie Nelson, Texas, reviews of Genesis, Black Sabbath, and Commander Cody, interviews of Joe Nick Patoski with Jerry Jeff. Gary Osier, and Stoney Burns, a roundup of March events and more. Copyright 1973-2024 Buddy Magazine --- ### Interview with Rocky Athas - Published: 2024-04-01 - Modified: 2024-04-01 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/rocky-athas/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Andrew Daly At the age of 69, it goes without saying that Rocky Athas, a player who has played alongside the likes of John Mayall, Buddy Miles, Glenn Hughes, and more, has been around the block a time or two. He came of age in Texas in the '70s, a period that boasted the likes of Eric Johnson and Rocky’s close childhood friend Stevie Ray Vaughan, among others, leading to Buddy Magazine to induct Athas in the inaugural Buddy Texas Tornado class of 1978, when he was just a young pup aged 23. To this, Athas says, "It was an honor then, as it is now to this day. Being the youngest in a group that included such successful artists as Jimmie Vaughan and Billy Gibbons raised my profile and raised expectations of myself. " He continues, "It has been part of my resume forever, and I am often asked about it. In other parts of the world, Texas seems to have a certain mystic when it comes to guitar players in part, possibly because of that ranking. Thank you, Buddy Magazine. You rock! " While Buddy Magazine noticed Rocky's talent very early on, top players from around the world also recognized his talent, and incorporated his style and phrasing into their own playing. And the result had a major impact - in this Guitar World article from 2023, Queen's Brian May explains how he lifted a few tapping licks from Athas, creating the solo for "It's Late" that became the primary inspiration for Eddie Van Halen's two-handed tapping technique. Accolades aside, Athas has a record to promote in Livin' My Best Life, which is due out on March 10, 2024. Even after all these years, the veteran gunslinger has still got it. The chops that made him a mainstay amongst the greats are all over the thing, so be sure to grab Livin' My Best Life when it drops. https://open. spotify. com/album/681ENiZD4VurWImnYdphdt As for how he feels about his new record, Athas smiles from ear to ear when asked. "Of course, after an album is released, I always hear things in my head that I would have done differently that tend to stick in my mind and drive me crazy," he admits. "But I love writing and recording music more than anything, and I believe that my new album, Livin' My Best Life, is my favorite at this point because it's on the top of my mind. " What inspired you to pick up the guitar? I would love to tell you an interesting, original story, but I, like an entire generation, was mesmerized by the iconic Beatles performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Luckily, my brother, Nick, already played guitar and was willing to start teaching me, and the very next day, I asked my mother if I could start growing my hair out.  A wonderful side note about my mom: she was a hairdresser at The Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas, so the idea of long hair didn't freak her out. She knew she could just cut it off if she didn't like it! True story.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=MZawT2QeQ6g Tell me about your first guitar and what songs you learned on it.   My very first guitar was a Kingston three-pickup "pawn shop special" electric guitar. My parents realized very early on how important guitar was becoming to me. So much so that they memorialized my budding musical interests with a giant 8x10 Sears portrait of me with my Beatles haircut and my Kingston, which I still have, and my wife laughs at. "House of the Rising Sun" was the first song I learned to play, which I also saw on The Ed Sullivan Show when The Animals were on.   As I got better at guitar, my mom bought me my first "real" guitar, a Gibson ES-330, but only if I promised to mow the yard and keep the garage clean without being told. Failure to keep my word would mean forfeiture of the guitar to her. I couldn't deal with losing the guitar, so needless to say, our home never violated code compliance.    https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=B5yT8DdiuH8  Growing up in Texas, what did the music scene around you look like? Two words. Loud and talented. Any night of the week, there were always great bands to go see because there was such an abundance of venues for live music, like Mother Blues, Sneaky Pete's, Savvy's, The Palladium, and Cardi's. They all brought in national acts and were packed. It was a blast! What shops did you like to frequent when looking for guitars and gear? Even though I lived in Oak Cliff, Arnold and Morgan Music in Garland was the place to go in the '70s and 80's because they always had great used gear. I even had the chance to purchase Freddie King's guitar from them, but I was young and thought it was "too" used because Freddie played with a metal thumbpick that nearly rubbed a hole completely through it! I didn't understand the value of the guitar or the concept of "vintage" guitars... yet.     Did any Texas players influence you much? Did you meet them?   That question requires a two-part answer. First, I was influenced by all the good players I grew up jamming with, like Jimmy Wallace, because we were all friends in the same neighborhood. We were more like brothers; everything was a giant open book between us. Remember the days before YouTube?   If you wanted to learn something, you had to actually play the record over and over and over again until you figured it out, much to the irritation of our parents. If one of us figured out something off Axis Bold as Love, we would show each other how we thought it was played. Whether we learned it correctly or not is another question.    As far as professional players, Freddie King was the man! I got to see him countless times in person. When I was 18, I went to see Jeff Beck at The Majestic Theater in Dallas with original Lightning bassist John Rybiski. While we were standing in line, this guy, who was "football big," walked up holding a guitar, shook my hand, and asked if this was the line for Jeff Beck and if he could "cut" in line.    Of course, I knew it was Freddie because he was a regular fixture at Mother Blues and holding his signature 345 Gibson guitar! Not only was his playing phenomenal, but he was one of the nicest guys in the world. He emanated joy on stage through his playing and his smile. He seemed to love making music, which left an impression on me. Music made me that happy, too. It's one of the reasons that we recorded Palace of The King for the new album, Livin' My Best Life.   Above, Rocky with John Mayall, and Walter Trout. What's your wildest Texas music scene story? The wildest gig story happened while we were on stage in Austin, Texas, and a guy was dancing super crazy right in front of the band. All of a sudden, he fell straight down, legs buckling beneath him. The promoter asked us to take a break, and they called medics; the guy had died right there on the spot in front of us! The ambulance took him away, and then the promoter said, "Ok, guys, can you go ahead and start it up again? " Needless to say, this felt pretty weird, witnessing death and all, but the promoter insisted. Can you imagine that? The last thing any of us wanted to do was rock the house, but after we finished the first song of the next set, a guy stood up, hoisting a beer, yelling, "My brother just died on this floor, so let's all have a beer. I am buying it to celebrate my brother's life! " That has stayed with me to this day.    You just can't make this stuff up. Truth really is stranger than fiction, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bizarre and crazy events in the life of a working musician. Next time, ask me about the gig at the topless bar.    Tell me about joining Black Oak Arkansas. How did you get the gig? Was there an audition? No audition. I opened for Black Oak Arkansas in Paris, Texas, and about a week later, Jim Dandy called me directly and asked if I would like to join Black Oak. He basically poached me from my own band; I said yes, and on the road, I went.    What was it like working with Buddy Miles on Bluesberries? What did your rig look like then?    Buddy was a friend long before we recorded the Bluesberries album with Double Trouble. I remember playing football in a huge field next to a hotel if you can imagine that, with all the guys, including Buddy, when we were staying in Houston for a gig. Lots of friendships were forged on the road in situations like that.   https://open. spotify. com/album/3Ca6s5O1IAuOgC6KjO8dfj? si=jBI3vAM8QnKHMa7hfPj8mA Anyway, I was fascinated with the great stories he told about his days with Jimi Hendrix and Band of Gypsies, and I loved his voice and his playing. He always had a groove and some soul. I never got tired of playing with him, and during that time, I used a Fender Twin and Lab L5 for the album. You're one of many guitarists to work with John Mayall. What's the secret to locking in with him? I really don't know. This was another situation where, just like when Jim Dandy called, John called me out of the blue and asked me to join him: no middleman, no handlers, no audition. I actually thought the phone call was a prank from one of my friends, and I didn't take him seriously. That ended up being a tad awkward for a moment, but everything ultimately worked out.   He said he remembered seeing me play years before and heard my album, Miracle, on the radio in the UK. He liked what he heard, so he bought it and then called me. When I went to California to meet him and record Tough, I asked him how he wanted me to play, and I'll never forget what he said. He said, "Just be yourself. That's why I hired you. I want you to be you. " I loved it, cranked it up, and got down to business.    Of your solo records, which means the most to you, and why?    That is a very tricky question because all of them seem monumental at the time of creation. I am so focused on the creative process that I have no clue what the next album will be. All my energy goes into the "now," if you know what I mean.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=M4Czx8EWXb0Without Rocky Athas playing at Mother Blues in the 70s, Eddie Van Halen's two-handed tapping technique (and this solo) may have never happened. Check out the Guitar World link above for more of this story. You've covered classic tracks like "White Room" and "The Wind Cries Mary. " How do you approach that impossible task? I approached the classics in much the same way I did as a kid, only better. I wanted to record the songs that shaped my playing and conjured up great memories. We just tried to be as honest and true to the original versions as possible. Walter and I have an entire album's worth of material that we recorded just for fun, songs that we loved growing up, like stuff from Mountain, Creedence, the Moody Blues, The Rolling Stones, etc. Maybe one day we'll put it out. Great songs are always great songs. What guitars, amps, and pedals have most shaped your tone? Are there any you'd never part with?   The Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9 and TS-10 are my favorite pedals, along with a vintage Vox Wah. I used Lab Series-L5 amps and a Fender Twin for as long as I can remember. I still love the Lab-Series L-5s. They were discontinued in 1981, so any time I have the chance to buy an original L5, I buy it. So, I guess the answer is that the Labs aren't going anywhere.    https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=IRS0X6XHWyIThin Lizzy performing "Rocky," written for Athas. Phil Lynott and the band were fans of Rocky's, and went to see him perform often at Mother Blue's in Dallas when they were in town. What's next for you? Since the world of music is now all about being an independent artist, there is never a shortage of things to do or learn. Gone are the days of just showing up to a gig that someone else booked and playing guitar. Now, I have a complete e-commerce website, www. RockyAthas. com, and social media channels that need content. It's a whole different kind of fun to connect with someone who loves your music when they reach out to me through the website, Facebook, or YouTube.     So, as the life of a musician is always evolving and moving forward, I wrote about those feelings on the new album, Livin' My Best Life. I am so proud of the guys, Walter Watson, Jared Watson, and Rocky II, for their performances. After being on the road together, we couldn't be any tighter, and it shows through on the record. We have a unique bond since I have my son, Rocky II, on bass, and Walter has his son, Jared, on guitar. We are truly a family affair and enjoy playing together, and the crowds see that and seem to be into it, too. Not to sound cheesy, but it really feels like I am Livin' My Best Life, and I couldn't be in a better band than I am right now. I took my time with this album and now, I'm hoping the world will enjoy it and that everybody plays it loud listening to my message.   --- --- ### Buddy Magazine February 1974 Rock n Roll, Buddy Holly -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-03-19 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7402/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the February 1974 issue, with interviews and articles aboutBuddy Holly, Montrose, Buddy Awards Poll; Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson. The magazine also explores The Fireballs, New Year’s Eve, Norman Petty, reviews, and atouching look at Buddy's mother- Mrs. Holley, events through February and more. Copyright 1973-2024 Buddy Magazine --- ### Interview with Matt James of Blacktop Mojo - Published: 2024-03-19 - Modified: 2024-03-20 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/features/interview-with-matt-james-of-blacktop-mojo/ - Categories: Features - Entity Types: Article By Andrew Daly Hailing from Palestine, Texas, five-piece outfit Blacktop Mojo fuses post-grunge, hard rock, bits of blues, and old-time Texas roots, forming a hard-hitting and classic-tinged mix. As for Matt James, Blacktop Mojo's searing lead singer, he's as good as it gets as far as fellas out-front. His range is immense, and his stage presence is top-tier. To catch the vibe, after you dug in on Blacktop Mojo's latest record, 2024's Pollen, and their nifty back catalog, head over to YouTube and take in their cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On," which is mega. As for Pollen, out April 5, 2024, it's Blacktop Mojo's fifth long-player since their debut, I Am, dropped back in 2014. It's brimming with the same passion, expressiveness, and bellowing vocals fans of the Texas natives have come to expect. But there's a progression here, too—mainly in the form of continued maturity in songwriting and a deepening swagger that permeates this new set of tracks. In support of Pollen, Blacktop Mojo's Matt James beamed in with Buddy Magazine to dig into his origins as a vocalist, his favorite Texas haunts, the formation and lifecycle thus far of Blacktop Mojo, and more. What inspired you to become a rock 'n' roll vocalist, and what keeps you inspired?   Singing was something fun for me that gave me a release growing up. I would be at home by myself and try to emulate my favorite songs at the top of my lungs. I think the thing that keeps me going today is that I still get that same release, but now I get to sing along with the folks that come and see us and hopefully help give them the same sort of feeling that I got screaming alone by myself.   Tell me about growing up in Texas. What was the scene like?   I grew up in a town of about 5,000 people. I didn't really have any inkling of a scene back then. The only thing I really knew about music was from listening to my parents' records in the car, watching music videos in the morning on MTV, or listening to the one country station that came in clearly on the clock radio in my bedroom while I was getting ready for school. What were some of your favorite spots to take in shows as a kid?   I never really got to take in shows as a kid. I lived in a small town called Rusk, TX growing up that was about two hours from the nearest major city where most acts would roll through. My parents worked all the time to try to give us a good life, so they didn't really have the time to take us out into the city much.   We were also big into sports and whatnot growing up, so most of my time was dedicated to that. I didn't see my first real concert until I was 18 when I saw Whiskey Myers open up for Johnny Cooper at Hurricane Harry's in College Station.   Did any Texas musicians inspire you as you were coming up?   I always loved hearing stories about Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top when they were coming up, and how they were inspired by the 13th Floor Elevators. Robert Earl Keen's songwriting was always fascinating to me. Stevie Ray Vaughn on Austin City Limits was always a mesmerizing thing to watch. I'll never forget seeing Willie Nelson perform and watching videos of all the old outlaws and him picking and grinning together like they were on somebody's front porch.   How did Blacktop Mojo form, and what was the scene like then? The band was formed in late 2012 after I graduated from college. I met our drummer, Nathan Gillis, and invited him to a coffee shop that I worked at where I was playing an acoustic set. He came to watch me play and, after, invited me back to his house. I showed up with a big bottle of Crown Royal and my guitar. He had his drum kit set up in his living room, and he beat it like it owed him money.   We spent the rest of the night sipping whiskey and talking about starting a band. Being from the middle of nowhere in Texas, there weren't a whole lot of places to play around us that catered to rock music, so we ended up playing in a lot of country bars, playing covers, and taking gigs anywhere we could get them. It wasn't until later when we started venturing out and traveling around to the bigger cities that had Rock clubs/bars. Where are you pulling from regarding songwriting for your record, Pollen?   This record is sort of all over the place. There's everything from songs inspired by grunge and early 2000s rock to songs inspired by Muscle Shoals soul and country. People are gonna be in for a wild ride on this one.   Which new song means the most to you, and why? On this record, we have a song called, "As the Light Fades", and it's a complete departure from some of the stuff we've done in the past. It's a song about a love that never ends, and I think the world could use a little more love these days. How do you view the way you sing today versus the past? What's changed the most? I think in the past, I was really trying to emulate some of my favorite singers, but after the last decade of doing that, I hope I've sort of found my own unique way of singing along the way. I think what has changed the most from when we started is that we get to travel farther than we ever have and play to more people. You've done some cool covers, like Aerosmith's "Dream On. " How do you approach situations like that?   We had been putting out a cover or two every couple of months on YouTube while we were writing our second album. After we put out a couple, a friend of ours told us that we should try "Dream On. " Philip , our producer, thought it might turn out cool, so we all learned the song and gave it a shot. That's kind of how most of our cover songs came together—just messing around, and something sticks. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=qF9dCWmq3pM As continuous members of the Texas scene, what does that mean to you? Texas is one of the most unique places in the world as far as music goes. You can find every sound and every genre here, and people make their living just touring in the state of Texas. There's really nowhere else in the country that happens. We're proud to even be a tiny part of such an awesome place. What's one thing about Blacktop Mojo you want people to know? For those that haven't seen us live, we are a true-blue old-school rock band. There are no laptops, no backing tracks, and no filler. It's rock 'n' roll the way it used to be. Just five guys on stage giving every bit of energy we've got. What you see is what you get.   What are your short and long-term goals? How will you achieve them? Our short and long-term goals are kind of the same at this point. We want to tour as much as possible and give as many people as we can a break from the real world where they can bang their heads and forget about their problems for a while.   --- ### Buddy Magazine January 1974 The Bob Dylan Story plus Kinky Friedman All-Star Issue -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-03-05 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7401/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the January 1974 issue, with interviews and articlesFeaturing Bob Dylan, John Michael's evaluation of Conrad Rooks's movie version of Siddhartha,reviews on Rick Derringer, The Beach Boys, The Siegel-Schwall Band, the J. Geils Band, KinkyFriedman All-star issue, events calendar, reviews and much more. --- ### Review: So Far So Good, Album by Lance Cowan - Published: 2024-02-25 - Modified: 2024-02-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/lance-cowan/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Reviews - Entity Types: Article By Jan SikesI’ve known Lance Cowan for a good many years and it was a real treat to get tolisten to his new twelve track album. The detailed storytelling in each song made a big impression on me. A fullyfleshed out tale from beginning to end. Secondly, Lance’s voice and song deliveryare reminiscent of the late great John Denver. The title track, So Far So Good, is a feel-good song filled with hope and optimism,something we could use a lot more of in these troubled times. While I enjoyed each song, some tracks really stood out to me, personally. Little Johnny Pierce is a heartbreaking story and one that is all too familiar. Butnow I wish everyone would mow a peace sign in their yard. Can you imagine thestir that would cause all across America? I say, let’s do it! https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=VeKboc4yBjo Fields of Freedom is another song that touched me. War has torn apart the worldfor as long as we’ve had recorded history, but the ultimate goal from it all isindividual freedom. Poignant lyrics in this song, “It’s the flowers in the field thatno one marches over... ”The Sound of My Home is told through the point of view of a train engineer in atime when he had to shovel coal for fuel. It’s another fantastic historical story of alife well lived. I could almost hear the train whistle blow as I listened to the song. Julie Lee’s vocals on The Letter are nothing short of astounding. It reminded me ofthe smooth-as-silk voice of Allison Krauss, and the lyrics are touching. The song lyrics, outstanding delivery and production are first-class. Cowanincludes a little of everything from nostalgia, to social issues, loss, love andeverything in between through the lyrics and song arrangement. It’s an exceptionalexample of the songwriting prowess of Lance Cowan, a talent he deserves to berecognized for. Click here to listen to 30-second clips of all songs at Lance's official website. --- ### Buddy Magazine December 1973 Those Weird Werewolves -Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-02-22 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7312/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the December 1973 issue, with interviews and articlesSeab Meader, a Buddy Poll, Mondo Abbot, Xmas Records, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, The Who,Zappa, Lou Christie and those weird Werewolves, reviews and more! --- ### They Saw Her Standing There: Beatlemania in Texas, 1964-65, A Firsthand Account - Published: 2024-02-09 - Modified: 2024-02-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/beatlemania-texas-1964-65-elaine-mcafee-bender/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article By Elaine McAfee Bender Ed: February 9, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ first U. S. television appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. It was a singular cultural event that instantly launched a monumentally vibrant garage rock band scene across Texas. Thousands of bands emerged almost overnight, all in pursuit of just a small piece of the magic they saw, heard, and felt coming out of their flickering TV tubes on that first evening. While these early Texas bands would emulate the Beatles and other bands of the time, many of these Texas kids would choose music careers, with an amazing number of them remaining active to this day as performers in Texas and around the world. At the time of the airing, the North Texas community was still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, just over two months prior. The emergence of the Beatles at that time perhaps served as a salve for many younger Americans, especially for North Texans grieving the loss of the president, as their music offered a glimmer of optimism and hope. At the end of this article, check out links to two documentaries that provide a deeper reveal of the band scene that emerged in the 60s, which produced many Texas musical luminaries in a variety of genres. From the first moment of the Ed Sullivan Show performances, Elaine McAfee Bender knew what she had to do. The Beatles were coming to Texas, and she and her friends were determined to be there for every note played, every step of the way. On February 9, 1964, 60 years ago this month, a record 73 million American television viewers tuned in to watch CBS’ The Ed Sullivan Show, the popular Sunday evening variety program. “Ladies and gentlemen... the Beatles! ” The words were barely out of Ed Sullivan’s mouth when the screams from the audience began. While The Beatles were already popular in the United Kingdom and Germany, they hadn’t received much TV exposure in the U. S. , but they were gaining popularity on the radio. This would be the Beatles’ first live appearance in the U. S. Cover image: The Beatles, live in Houston, 1965. Rare view of the Houston crowd. Elaine was in the front rows near Paul McCartney, in the middle of this picture. Used by permission, Copyright Jospeh Tunzi / JAT Publishing. Manager Brian Epstein had negotiated with Sullivan for the Beatles to perform three consecutive Sunday nights in February 1964 for the price of one, $10,000, on the condition that his band be elevated to the coveted position of “featured act” for those shows. By comparison, years earlier, Elvis Presley was paid $50,000 for three shows, but Epstein knew the immediate exposure would be worth it. Sitting on the floor in my grandmother’s living room that February day, I couldn’t have known that this would be the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the Fab Four. And it would not be enough to just sit back and watch; I decided at that moment that we were going to get organized. It was the beginning of an early Beatlemania journey that took us to two Beatles movie premieres, a frenzied Dallas Beatle-riot, and two concerts - one in Dallas, the other in Houston. Not to mention the countless radio station appearances by the girls in our fan club, dishing out every possible detail that fellow Beatlemaniacs needed to know on a daily basis. The North Texas Beatles Fan Club is born The next day in the auditorium at Monnig Jr. High School in west Fort Worth, three friends and I decided to start a Beatles Fan Club chapter. We playfully called it the “Cheese Forever Club” (Paul McCartney had mentioned his love for cheese in a teen magazine), and I applied to the official fan club headquarters in England. Once I obtained an official fan club charter from the UK, our designation became “The North Texas Beatles Fan Club. ” As more Beatles Fan Club applications began to pour in, Brian Epstein created a Beatles USA headquarters in New York City to deal with all the North American Beatles Fan Club charter requests. Not all were granted, but those selected were given numbers such as Beatles Fan Club #28, etc. At my request (since we were already established and thriving), I was allowed to remain under the UK headquarters. My information and instructions came from both the UK and USA. KFJZ Radio in west Fort Worth sponsored some of our fan club activities. Disc jockey Mark Stevens brought us in for an interview and I was asked to return to read The Beatles News on live broadcasts. Sometimes I read straight off the wire and other times I read reports sent from the fan club headquarters. Fan club members received newsletters which we wrote and published, and even met in person at fan club meetings. A Hard Day’s Night premieres at the Hollywood Theatre in Fort Worth Months after the Ed Sullivan Show, the first Beatles movie, A Hard Day’s Night, premiered at the Hollywood Theater in downtown Fort Worth and other parts of Texas. Advanced tickets for the first special Fort Worth show went on sale Tuesday, July 14. About 100 teenagers lined up outside the theater early in the morning. 1964 was an election year - President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Republican challenger Sen. Barry Goldwater were vying for the office of President of the United States. We had a better idea. We carried placards proclaiming the presidential candidacy of Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr. “Ringo For President” and “Barry Who? Vote Ringo. ” The Fort Worth Star Telegram ran our photo on the front page, the top story that day. Beatles' fans started camping out at Fort Worth's Hollywood Theater to see a special showing of the Beatles' movie "A Hard Day's Night," 08/01/1964. Elaine is pictured holding the "Ringo For President" sign. Courtesy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. On Saturday, August 1, 1964, the place for Beatles fans to be was on the sidewalk outside the Hollywood Theater. The first showing of A Hard Day’s Night was at 9 a. m. , but girls had been camping out in line since 6 p. m. Friday evening. Due to the size of the growing crowd, police sidewalk control was needed by 8 a. m. Saturday. Singing Beatles tunes was a good way to pass the time, and I led groups of fans in song. Our “Cheese Forever Beatles Fan Club” got its second press hit in the Fort Worth Star Telegram in the form of a photo of me - with my mouth wide open singing - and a page 2 story in the evening edition. The theater was packed and noisy, and the film did not disappoint. Oh, those Liverpudlian accents! Written by Alun Owen and directed by Richard Lester, A Hard Day’s Night depicts 36 hours in the lives of the group as they prepare for a television performance. It was an international box office and critical success, and Fort Worth was no exception. Not long after the movie came out, the Beatles’ first full American tour was announced and Dallas was included – on September 18, 1964, at Dallas Memorial Auditorium. I was in line all night outside the box office for advance ticket sales, and grabbed four floor tickets only a few rows back from the stage. Above: Recently discovered raw NBC KXAS-TV footage of Elaine McAfee Bender and friends at the Ft. Worth premiere of A Hard Day's Night. Source: University of North Texas online syndicated archives. Greet the Beatles! The night before the Dallas show, my friends and I were at Red Bird Airport (now Dallas Executive Airport) to greet the Fab Four with waves and cheers. Arrival information had been leaked by various sources, but the crowd was not nearly as large as I had expected. We positioned ourselves as close as possible and watched as they came down the steps from the airplane and walked toward a waiting limo. They returned our waves and climbed inside. A Riot Breaks Out at the Cabana Hotel on Stemmons in Dallas Next stop was the Cabana Hotel on Dallas’ Stemmons Freeway, where the Beatles would be staying. A huge crowd of mostly teen girls were pushing, shoving and shouting, trying to get inside the lobby. There was the sound of breaking glass; then ambulance sirens, followed by police moving the crowd off the property. One girl was seriously injured, having been pushed through a large plate glass window. We moved to the freeway’s large grassy median, where we sat down as the entire hotel property and parking lot were now off limits. A local news team approached us with their cameras and peppered us with questions for the 10 o’clock news. “Who’s your favorite Beatle? ,” and “Did you witness the accident here? ,” they asked. The Beatles spent part of the next day visiting the injured fan in the hospital and telephoning other fans injured in the crush. The hotel later removed the carpet from the suites occupied by John, Paul, George and Ringo and sold off small squares mounted on an official-looking certificate which stated “The Beatles Walked Here. ” 1965-65-era ephemera from the Cabana Hotel, Dallas. Photo by George Gimarc, Gimarc archives The Dallas Concert - September 1964 The next day, September 18, 1964, I was headed to Dallas for my first concert, ever. On a whim, I dropped by the hotel to see if I could get a glimpse of them leaving. Two waiting limos were parked around the back. Keeping an eye on the limos, I reached inside my bag for lip gloss and a hairbrush. As I was brushing my hair, the door behind me burst open and Ringo took the brush from my hand. “Mind if I borrow this, luv? ” he asked me. Not a problem. He ran the brush through his hair and handed it back before getting into a limo with Paul. I laughed and managed a “Hello. ” Paul patted the seat beside him and asked me, “You coming with us? ” A man in the front passenger seat shook his head at Paul, and I answered, “See you there! ” Still shaking, I arrived at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium. Floor seats, center section, 5th row. I was about to see the Beatles live in concert for the bargain price of $5. 50. Showtime was 8:30 p. m. The very talented singer-songwriter, Jackie DeShannon, was one of the opening acts. I remember looking around and feeling pleased with our seats. The crowd was moving around and talking up until the introduction: “And now... the Beatles! ” Our blood rushed; and maniacal screaming ensued. Fans immediately rushed the stage. The band opened with “Twist and Shout,” followed by “You Can’t Do That. ” Each song was introduced, played, and then the next song was introduced. It was hard to get any real sense of the band’s personality other than the energy between the four of them. I did stand up in my chair for “All My Loving” and Paul looked at me and winked. I am often asked, “Could you actually hear them at all? ” The answer is “Yes,” but only because I was near the front. I doubt those fans seated further back or up in the balcony could hear over the roar of screams. The PA systems at the time were inadequate for this type of show. The amps were small, and they weren’t even mic’ed. After years of playing together, John, Paul, George and Ringo were already so skilled they could still keep it together, despite the incessant screaming. Ringo was a powerhouse on the drums, bobbing his head, and keeping the beat where it needed to be. When it was his turn, he sang “Boys. ” Paul and John seemed to have an understanding between the two of them as they traded lines of lyrics and harmonized. George lived up to his reputation of “the quiet one” while he played guitar and added harmonies. He was a bit more animated as he sang the lead on “Roll Over, Beethoven. ” They performed a total of 12 songs in approximately 30 minutes. Other songs performed at the show were “Things We Said Today,” “She Loves You,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “If I Fell,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “A Hard Day’s Night. Paul was featured on the crowd-pleasing closer, “Long Tall Sally. ” Help! Why go to the theater when you can see the Beatles Live in Houston Their second film, 1965’s Help! , also directed by Richard Lester, was the group’s first feature shot in color. Besides the Beatles, the movie starred Eleanor Bron, Leo McKern, Victor Spinetti and Roy Kinnear. The plot centers on the Beatles’ struggle to record a new album while trying to protect Ringo from a sinister eastern cult, and a pair of mad scientists, who are all obsessed with a sacrificial ring given to Ringo by a fan. The movie offered mystery, a bit of James Bond satire, chase scenes, and music being recorded in beautifully exotic settings. It has been suggested this film inspired the idea of music videos. There was less-than-expected hoopla surrounding the premiere Help! on August 11, 1965, here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Maybe it was because fans were preparing for the Beatles arrival in Houston on August 18, to perform two shows the very next week. Elaine, sometime around 1966 With complimentary tickets in hand for both Beatles concerts in Houston on August 19, 1965, three friends and I prepared to welcome our favorite band to Texas, less than a year after seeing them in Dallas. We arrived a day early and went straight to KILT Radio, KFJZ’s sister station in Houston. KILT asked us to come in for a live interview and stir up excitement about this historic station-sponsored concert. We then made our way to Houston International Airport (now Hobby) where the plan was to be in line to greet the Beatles and hand each one a real cowboy shirt, gifts from the fan club. Each shirt was different for each Beatle. As Ringo was very into all things western, his shirt was the most colorful, red with western braiding and pearl snaps. The others were more sedate, but authentic. Blue for Paul, yellow for George, and navy for John. Elaine McAfee Bender, 1966. She was also a teen model, and performed as a dancer with major rock bands that came through the North Texas area in the mid-1960s. The palpable excitement was building, and escalating into hysterics, as we watched their airplane land. But what happened next was terrifying. Another Riot Breaks Out in Houston Hundreds of fans broke through police barricades and rushed toward the airplane. Doors inside were locked as fans ran up the stairs and even out onto the wings. Fans were removed from the airplane, but the police could not safely clear the tarmac. I had already been knocked down once, and my focus was on getting out of the way of the mob and over to the side of the terminal building. Many fans had been trampled and hurt, with some taken by ambulances to the hospital. An elevated catering truck made its way over to the airplane, and the Fab Four stepped onto the top platform, protected on three sides from the chaotic scene below, and sat down. I will never forget Paul’s lovely face looking down at me, smiling as the truck moved past me to safety. He waved at me and I waved back. The other three looked exhausted. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=8n2uS92ipRA I did eventually get to meet them and hand over those cowboy shirts at a reception. At the press conference, they were asked how they liked Texas. John replied that he had only been to Texas once before, and “was nearly killed both times. ” Elaine McAfee Bender today. Sam Houston Coliseum was packed on Thursday, August 19, and we arrived two hours early for the 3:30 pm show. We sat in the Center Floor, 3rd row. This was a much larger venue than where they played in Dallas the year before. Opening for the Beatles was Cannibal and the Headhunters, Brenda Holloway, Sounds Incorporated, and King Curtis and his band, with the Discotheque Dancers. My Friends in the Back Heard Screaming - and Little Else My seat was a little toward the end of the row, facing stage right, in front of Paul. Those of us up front could mostly hear the music. Friends further back in the balconies heard screaming and little else. I was focused on trying to hear every bit of the music. They opened with “Twist and Shout,” followed by “She’s A Woman” and “I Feel Fine. ” Ringo sang “I Wanna Be Your Man. ” George sang “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby. ” Others included “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” “Ticket to Ride,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Baby’s in Black,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help! ” Once again, they closed with a high energy song featuring Paul on “I’m Down. ” The set list was exactly the same for the 8 p. m. show. This time, we sat in the Center Floor, 4th row seats. For those who purchased tickets, the cost was $5. The audience mostly stood up in their chairs once the Beatles took the stage. Surprisingly, the Beatles’ energy levels were high for a second performance that day. I honestly thought I would get to see them again, but their 1966 tour did not bring them to Texas. Shortly thereafter, they quit touring altogether, and who can blame them. The cacophony of constant Beatlemania had taken a toll. But most of us remained lifelong fans and these experiences defined who we are today. Beatlemania was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon, and those of us who were a part of it were fortunate indeed. --- https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=3Zgrr97XeUsFantastic documentary on the Ft. Worth garage band scene that followed 1964 Beatlemania. Many prominent Texas musicians are featured. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jJICjaL0stYThings were cooking in Oak Cliff after the Beatles came to America. This documentary on the Vaughan Brothers was produced by Buddy Magazine editor Kirby Warnock, and covers many of the great Oak Cliff garage bands of the 1960s. For those who want to tie-in a full historic view of many key parts of Texas music history, we highly recommend watching both of these documentaries. --- ### Buddy Magazine November 1973 The Moody Blues – Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-02-03 - Modified: 2024-02-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7311-2/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the November 1973 issue, with interviews and articles onDallas' iconic group, Barbara Cope, Moody Blue Graeme Edge, George and Ira Gershwin, RickWakeman, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Buddy Awards and covers Sha's punk scene, Kinky Friedman'sDallas return, Reviews and more. --- ### Dallas Guitarist Chris Holt: His Long and Inspiring Journey Through Music - Published: 2024-01-19 - Modified: 2024-04-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/chris-holt/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article Interview by Andrew DalyCover photo by Janalee Norris As a guitarist, it's essential to be versatile, and Chris Holt is undoubtedly that. As a self-proclaimed jack of all trades and an admitted gearhead and guitar addict, Holt has parlayed his myriad of skills into a career that's seen him share the stage with the likes of Mike Campbell, Max Weinberg, Bob Dylan, Derek Trucks, Chris Stapleton, and about a million others. Holt's resume is truly endless; that much is certain. While that's impressive, his tone and sage gear choices, which linchpin his outstanding solo work, sets him apart. https://open. spotify. com/album/6ZQlKbCSzq2X1nbfCdqBSE More recently, Holt has been working on his online series, Chris Holt's All-Request Thursday, which helped heal the bruises resulting from lost income over the COVID-19 pandemic. That aside, Holt continues to tour with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, lending his six-string talents to one of his greatest heroes and doing so with panache and skill. Known around Dallas, Texas, as a supreme multi-instrumentalist, Holt still burns with passion and desire when talking about guitar. To that end, Chris Holt dialed in with Buddy Magazine to recount his long and inspiring journey through music. What inspired you to pick up the guitar? Man... it was several things all colliding at once. But centered around MTV in 1981 and a few other things that all happened there in that year, between 1981 and 1982, when I was eight years old. MTV, Rush’s Moving Pictures, Ozzy’s Blizzard of Ozz, and then a year or two later, stuff like Def Leppard’s Pyromania and, of course, Van Halen. I was completely obsessed with the sound of the electric guitar on tracks like "Limelight," "Crazy Train," and "Photograph. " I wanted to be Alex Lifeson; I thought he was the coolest. Steve Clark. Angus Young, oh man, I was obsessed with the whole AC/DC Back in Black record. Those were the earliest days before I even got a guitar. After years of begging and playing tennis racket guitar in the mirror, my parents finally got me one on my 12th birthday in '85. There was an obsession with music and melody long before I could play, but I'm not sure it would've all come together without the visual companion of MTV. I was never in piano lessons or anything; nobody in my family was musically inclined, beyond my dad being a big Stones fan. But MTV shook my world. It all seemed like such a seductive lifestyle to be a rock guitarist, especially to a young kid. Those were the heyday of the rock star. Who were your most significant influences? I have so many of them I couldn't possibly list them all... but I usually just talk about the players that made the biggest impression when I was young because I guess they've stayed with me the longest. Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Alex Lifeson, Pete Townshend, and Mike Campbell were probably the biggest influences on me as a teenager once I really dug in with the guitar and was trying to make a move with it. Those five still have a special place in my heart. But there are hundreds of others. For years, Zeppelin was my be-all-end-all. In my late teens, I branched out a bit. I became obsessed with The Beatles (that's never stopped), Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and The Who, and then my tastes evolved into more sophisticated stuff like Steely Dan. I became completely enthralled by all the guitar players under that umbrella - Larry Carlton, Denny Dias, Skunk Baxter, Elliott Randall, Hugh McCracken, Jay Graydon, and even Walter Becker himself. I went through a jam band phase in my 20s, and I wanted to be Trey Anastasio. Later, I got into fingerpicking and listened to Paul Simon, Mark Knopfler, Lindsey Buckingham, Elliott Smith, Chet Atkins, and Jerry Reed. I love Steve Howe! My playing could never touch any of those guys; they set the bar so high. And they were all so unique. It was always something to aspire to and be inspired by - to want to play wildly inventive stuff like they were doing. At one point, maybe around the age of 30, I rejected it all and just wanted to play other instruments and be a songwriter... eventually I came to my senses and had to re-embrace my first love, the guitar. How do they remain within your sound, and how have you diverged? Ultimately, I'm a creature of habit... I listen to everything that inspires and challenges me, and I steal bits and pieces from each player, but in the end, I still play like me. A lot of my bad habits come from laziness - I'm mostly self-taught; I learned by osmosis more than anything, just absorbing bits and pieces from my heroes and my peers. I was never disciplined enough to figure out exactly what those monster players were doing, so I just took some of their tricks (the ones I could actually figure out) and then twisted them into something that worked for me. Chris Holt recording at Mike Daane's studio in Dallas, 2019. Photo by Mike Daane. As a teacher (in the late 00s/early 10s), I always told students to steal from twenty, thirty, forty different players, mash them all together, and you'll sound like yourself. I know that's what I've done, and ultimately, I say like me. But I'm not original or inventive. I wear a lot of influences on my sleeve shamelessly. I never bought into the idea that artists are just born with it, and they always have to invent their own sound. I firmly believe you should study and learn other peoples' music to learn how it's done. https://open. spotify. com/artist/4qO7aPWhhYxSjNyOYoBfKY Sure, there are some exceptions to the rule, but in the end, we're all standing on the shoulders of giants - there's so much to learn from the greats of the past. And for someone like me, I'm just a rock n' roll hack - it's all been done a million times in the past 70 years. I'm not reinventing the wheel. I'm putting my own spin on something that has been such a passionate love. Do you have a favorite Texas guitar player? How do they influence you? Oh, man... the guy who mentored and showed me the light when I was 14 is still probably my favorite guitarist in this neck of the woods - the great Sam Swank. He's an absolute master of all thing’s guitar... any style, any era, he's just smooth as butter. He inspired me to be better as a kid, and he inspires me now. He taught me things as a teen and showed me what I was doing wrong and how to do it right. Then he pushed me out the door and told me to go practice. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=xcif30HWpF4 I still absolutely love that dude and his playing. Sadly, I don't get to see or hear him do it often enough. He posts videos online, and I love watching them and marveling at his gift. But there are lots of Texas players I love - mainly in DFW, where I'm from. Kenny Withrow and Hunter Hendrickson - those dudes are always pushing forward and playing with such passion and adventurous spirit. I keep asking Kenny to give me some lessons, but we never coordinate our schedules. I need to make that happen for me! My buddy Big Mike Richardson boggles my mind whenever we play together - he's a fearless guitarist. I'm sure I could name a dozen others I love; they're everywhere, and if you pay attention, you can be inspired and challenged around any corner. I feel guilty that I don't get out and see more live music these days. The pitfalls of working on the road and getting older, I guess. https://open. spotify. com/album/4D41CZif8Qz36I5xghfxCD Do you remember your first guitar and amp? Kinda... I got my first guitar and amp on my 12th birthday in the spring of 1985. It was a red Hondo All-Star, and I think I had it for a year or two before I traded it in for a Kramer Baretta (which I still have). I think I just had a tiny Crate practice amp originally. I'd sit in my bedroom and make a most unpleasant noise, but I slowly started to figure it out over a couple of years. When I met Sam, he took me in and changed my life. My Dad told me that as soon as I could play "Johnny B. Goode" convincingly, he'd buy me the "real guitar" I wanted. So, by the time I was 15, I'd convinced him, and he bought me a beautiful cherry sunburst Les Paul Standard at the Arlington Guitar Show. That was the only guitar I played for about a decade until it was stolen, tragically. I never got over that. For years, I played it through a Marshall JCM 800 half-stack. And that got stolen, too! What I learned from that rig was how to annoy sound engineers (and bandmates) while blowing out every person's ear within a quarter mile. What did that rig teach you that stuck? Unfortunately, being loud stuck for a long time, but as I got older, I learned how to get better tones at quieter volumes. Initially, it was "plug and go," overdrive at 11, and rolling back the volume knob on the LP for a cleaner tone. But eventually, I learned the pedal game, like everyone else. It's a constant evolution, and I'm always learning, primarily by trial and error. But I also listen to a lot of advice from players I love and respect. I've never been much of a technician - I couldn't tell you the first thing about the tubes or circuits in my amps and pedals. I just turn knobs until I get the sound I want. And I know what I like - I'm a tube amp and stomp-box guy. I actually was this close to buying a Kemper and trying to learn how to use it a couple of years ago, just because I figured I was gonna have to dive into that world soon or get left behind. But then, right as I was about to buy it, I got the call from Mike to join the Knobs. And now I'm right back to tube amps and stomp boxes. Maybe later, Kemper. What was your first professional gig? My first band was called Thin Ice, and we played our high school Battle of The Bands like you. My first ever gig was one of those, in early 1989, when I was 15. I'm unsure how professional it was, but we made a big noise! I knew from that moment, though, this was all I ever wanted to do. Seriously, that was it for me—musician for life. We did our thing for a few years, and then I went off to college in Norman, OK. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=9tbDQmYttwoBob Dylan at Farm Aid 2023, backed by Mike Campbell, some Heartbreakers, and Chris Holt (far right). What did you learn? I had a few bands that I played with there in town, playing guitar, bass, keys - whatever was needed. That was the beginning of my jack-of-all/master-of-none persona. I started doing acoustic shows and learning how to sing. I was really getting into writing my own songs. Eventually, I started playing solo shows by myself. Mostly, what I learned from that era was just how to hold my own onstage, how to fill three or four hours with music, and then, ultimately, how to be self-sufficient. Is there a Texas venue or spot that you've always loved to play? If so, why? Lots of them! Mostly places around DFW, just because that was my local scene for so long. Though I must admit, I don't get out and do them often. Most of my work is on the road, at this point at least. But I've long loved playing venues like The Granada Theater and The Kessler; I've played those rooms hundreds of times. At one point, Mike Schoder (the owner of the Granada) joked that I should have a plaque on the wall because I'd played there more than any other musician, back in the '00s. But I don't get there nearly enough these days. I really love the AllGood Cafe in Deep Ellum - that's a haven for musicians, and Mike Snider has always treated me like family there. It's a wonderfully supportive environment for songwriters and musicians. And, of course, for years and years, Club Dada was my home away from home. As far as places outside of DFW, I mean, The Moody Theater in Austin is pretty special. I've done Austin City Limits a couple of times, and that was just the most fun to be a part of. I got to play Bass Hall in Fort Worth with Don Henley and Love Lovett a few years back, which was lovely. And, of course, Gruene Hall is a blast. I've been lucky enough to play some big arenas and sheds around Texas, too, but those are a little less personal, aren't they? How do you view the way you play today vs the past? I try to be more self-aware of things like phrasing and tone. The ever-elusive "taste" thing. Some of the best advice I ever got was from a bandmate 25 years ago, who told me, "You need to work on your phrasing. " It was a very constructive criticism, and that really opened my eyes. I was like, "Wow, I'm just mindlessly noodling. " I think most young players probably overplay just because they get excited; maybe wanna show off a bit. I know I did. To show restraint and really play tastefully, for the song and not just for yourself, is something that takes years and a lot of focus and dedication. It's not necessarily instinctive... for me, at least. I almost always have indulgent tendencies. I want to pile everything and the kitchen sink into a song. But if you do that, you often end up with a ton of clutter, and sometimes you must hear it sounding like a mess before it becomes clear that the best option is to deconstruct and strip it back. I was never the king of speed, but many times, especially in my youth, I relied on speed and frantic playing as a crutch rather than doing things that were melodic and restrained. And what has changed most? You could argue that it worked in some of those situations, but as I've gotten older, I've tried hard to be a more laid-back player. I don't play nearly as ham-fisted - or as dirty - as I used to. And I certainly don't have the speed I had when I was young. But that's not important to me now. Looking back, those influences were always there in guys like Mike Campbell, David Gilmour, and Walter Becker. I loved their melodic sensibilities and that they could say more with one or two notes than most players could say with twenty. I just had to pursue that goal actively rather than passively overplaying it all the time. I'm doing a better job with that these days, but it's a constant challenge - not to overplay. I'm still guilty of wanking more than I should. Tell me about your riff and solo writing process. Sadly, I'm not nearly as engaged with writing as I used to be. But I go in and out of phases; I guess it's always been like that, really. Sometimes, I'll write a bunch of stuff all at once, and then I'll go back to sleep and hibernate for weeks or months. When I was younger, it was an almost daily thing to constantly write and arrange ideas when my bands were rehearsing every day. We were practically living together - the things young bands do when they're on the road and in each other's faces all the time. As I got older, got married, had kids, and all that, there became less time for that, so I would have to wait for the inspiration to strike, rather than be constantly doing it all day, every day. It never really went away, but it became more of a special thing rather than just the norm to me. Back in the old days, I used to have a cassette player and four-track, and I would record riffs and work on arrangements all the time that way. Then I got a computer and started doing demos in Cool Edit Pro. Remember that? So, the new tech changed things for you, then? It blew my mind when I was able to start multi-tracking demos and stacking parts that way, so for a long time; I would make these really elaborate demos and drive my bandmates nuts because I'd come to the practice room with all the parts already worked out. When the iPhone became ubiquitous, I simplified my process considerably. I just started documenting everything on my phone - every riff, every melody, every lyric idea. For me, it usually starts with a riff or a couple of chords that sound interesting together, something that sparks a melody. I'm rarely ever a lyrics-first guy. I'm not a particularly good lyricist, so that's always the trickiest part and the thing I'll nitpick the most. Sometimes, I'll get a concept for a song, and I'll think, "I wanna write a song about this topic," or whatever. But most of the time, I'll get a musical idea and flesh out the melody first and then put words to it as soon as I can. Most of the songs I write are lyrical - but I do have a lot of stuff that stays instrumental for whatever reason. I've got hundreds of instrumentals lying around! Writing's just hard, especially currently when it's all been done a million times already. I'm less consistent with writing than 20 years ago, but I still regularly mess around with new song ideas. I've gotten better as a writer - I think what I've written in the past decade is considerably better than what I was writing 20 years ago. I have so many songs that still need to be recorded or released. So, what's the most challenging part? The hardest part for me - and the most important - is finishing a song and not letting a fragment sit on the shelf collecting dust for years. Cause if you don't finish it quickly, you'll forget it's there, and then a year or two later, you hear it pop up, or you're going through your old phone demos, and then you say, "Why didn't I finish that? That's good! " So, I am more diligent about finishing a good idea quickly and not letting it drift away into oblivion. How do you view guitar solos in the modern era? It depends on what your thing is. If you're a guitar god and that's your thing, then solo away! It just depends on the music. You should always play for the song rather than for yourself. But there's a niche for serious players rather than singers or songwriters. I love guitar solos, but I don't wanna hear somebody endlessly shred or do acrobatics the entire time. It gets a bit exhausting. Do they need to be deconstructed and changed from being overblown? Ultimately, I want to hear some melody that moves me, something that touches an emotional nerve, cause that's the kind of music that hits me the hardest. I want there to be some sense of dynamic balance. I think self-indulgence is cool in its proper place. There's a moment in a live show where the energy ramps up, and you want to take a guitar solo through the roof. I have to be careful about that stuff because I can easily get carried away and go on and on without wrapping it up. Noodling on into oblivion can be exhausting for the listener, regardless of how much fun it is for the player. Honestly, I don't have enough tricks in my bag to keep the listener fully engaged for super long solos - once you've heard me exhaust all my licks, you don't need to hear them all repeatedly. There's certainly a case to be made for not soloing at all. If the song doesn't need a guitar solo, leave it out. Is there still a place for a little bit of self-indulgence? I love guitar bands where solos aren't really a thing - it's more about the angular interplay and ping-ponging parts that create a tight, punchy arrangement. One of my favorite bands is XTC - the guitar interplay between Dave Gregory and Andy Partridge is spectacular and unusual. There are some guitar solos, but they're always inventive and different - not just self-indulgent wankery. They serve the song first and foremost. Even when a song calls for a guitar solo, it's appropriate only to play what's needed. I'm a big fan of those who have perfected the art of a tight, composed solo. We should always aspire to that. Look at Elliott Easton. That dude wrote such stellar solos - melodic, dynamic, and tricky. He never went on too long, and he always landed the perfect dismount! Tell me about your amps. Well, it's certainly more complex now than in the old days! As I said before, in the early years, it was just a Les Paul and a Marshall. Then, in the 00's, things changed and evolved a bit. I started alternating between using an ES-335 and various Telecasters, depending on the band or song. I got cozy using big Fender amps - the DeVille for a while and then a Twin. Those are just the loudest amps on earth. Heavy too. But I loved having that clean headroom. And how about pedals? My pedal boards were always relatively simple but got bigger and more indulgent, depending on the bands. When I got the Don Henley touring gig about ten years ago, things started to grow. I had a handful of guitars before, but suddenly, I was able to acquire many of them! I acquired a bunch of gear for that gig, and I needed backups. Where do things stand as far as guitars? How do you pair them with your amps? Lots of guitars in various tunings. I had a road vault and a tech, so it was all reasonable, if a bit indulgent. The past decade or so has been a blur of different guitars, amps, and pedals. For the DH tours and Bastards of Soul, I was using Magnatone amps, and I really love those. https://open. spotify. com/album/5judwOvsGRrwqE3LQ0CUko With Mike & The Knobs, I'm using several different amps, like Fender Deluxe’s and Princeton's, and on our recent fall tour, I just started using a custom Voltmaster amp that sounds amazing. My friend Matt Iddings in Portland builds them, and he made one for me when we reconnected last year. With pedals, I need to figure out where to begin. I have a small board that I use at home for whatever local gigs I have - my Bastards of Soul board. But I also have a tiny micro-pedal "fly rig" for quick road gigs if I'm jumping on a plane and need something small that fits easily into a suitcase. For the bigger tours like Henley and Campbell, I have more extensive, more indulgent boards. But it's primarily simple stuff; all my boards have the "essentials" for me: compression, overdrive, clean boost, Leslie and mod effects, delays and reverbs, fuzz, and wah. Is there a brand you rely on most regarding your signal chain? I love Analogman pedals. The King of Tone - that's a go-to drive. Strymon makes great mod effects. I've got a ton of Keeley and Electro-Harmonix stuff. And, of course, good ol' indestructible Boss pedals. There are so many pedal makers out there it can be overwhelming. I recently got some pedals from the Caroline Guitar Co. I'm digging - the Hawaiian Pizza fuzz and Parabola Tremolo. I'm a pedal hoarder, really; I have hundreds of them lying around at home. I can relate! It's part of the disease. Some pedals will sit there for ages before I find the perfect song. As for guitars, I still lean heavily on Gibson ESs like the 345 and 335. I'm a total Tele junkie, I have a bunch of them - they're so versatile. I still love Les Paul's; of course, that was my first love. In recent years, I've become quite fond of Duesenberg and Gretsch guitars - I've got a White Falcon that I really adore, a Silver Jet, and one of those rare Country Classic Juniors. I've been playing Fender Jazzmasters more recently - they have a unique vibe. I don't play acoustic guitars as often as I used to, but when I do, I love Martins and Gibson's in the studio. And I still have a beat-up old 90's Takamine Santa Fe model, which, I kid you not, is my favorite go-to stage acoustic. It just feels and sounds right. It's like my "Trigger. " I just love guitars; I can't get enough. Whereas I was a one-guitar guy for many years, long ago, I've now become that guy who switches guitars almost every song, especially when I'm playing an electric rig. I'm sure someday the shit will hit the fan, and I'll sell everything and go back to playing one guitar all the time. What are your short and long-term goals? Man, I just wanna stay employed! For me, it's two-fold. I've got my career as a sideman, which has obviously been my bread-and-butter for a while now, and then my considerably more fledgling career as an artist. When the Bastards of Soul ended last year, it was really rough for all of us, but that's a hard thing to keep together at this point. At my age, trying to be in a band where you have multiple songwriters and so many cooks in the kitchen - that's a daunting task. I don't know if I'd want to start another band from scratch like that because it's so much work, and honestly, it's a constant compromise with your art. With Mike & The Knobs, I've now stumbled into a wonderfully lucky situation - because not only do I get to play with one of my biggest heroes (who's become one of my best friends), but it's a guitarist's dream gig. Did you lock in immediately with Mike? Mike and I do a ton of dual guitar interplay, and he gives me so much freedom to play like I want to play while supporting him. I know who the people are paying to see, so I stay within my bounds, but he's very generous with the way he lets me shine onstage. I want to keep doing this gig as long as he wants to keep doing it and as long as he wants me there! I'd love to keep working with Don if he wants to do another tour anytime. Obviously, that's a fun guitar gig, too, though considerably more scripted than the Knobs. It's such a rich catalog of songs. He's been out with the Eagles for a while, and they're still on a Farewell Tour for another year or two, so who knows what his plans are. That aside, what else have you got on tap? I've got other projects that I do whenever I can, touring with Max Weinberg and Tony Kishman in their respective bands; those gigs are always lucrative. The other side of the coin is that I still have a solo career, and there's been a slight uptick in interest in that in recent years. When COVID first happened, I lost all my touring gigs, so I started doing these online all-request shows (Chris Holt's All-Request Thursday series) to keep my mind occupied and make a few extra bucks. That blossomed into this surprisingly beautiful thing over a few years. I built up a small but loyal fan base - we call it the ART Family - and it's been lovely to suddenly have people wanting me to make my original music again. So, I'm working on a new solo album (my first since Stargazer in 2016). I'm eager to start putting out my music regularly again, starting in 2024. Other than that, I wanna stay healthy and stay employed - both as a sideman and an artist. I've been fortunate up to this point, and I'm super grateful that I can have a music career. I don't take it for granted. I hope to keep the train rolling longer. --- ### Buddy Magazine Concert Calendar - Published: 2024-01-12 - Modified: 2024-05-17 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/venues/buddy-concert-calendar/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News, New Texas Music, Venues - Entity Types: Article The new Buddy Magazine Concert Calendar is live. Submit a gig, or check out the listings. Share freely. buddymagazine. com/calendar --- ### Buddy Magazine October 1973 Special Stereo Issue - Full Issue Download - Published: 2024-01-12 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/7310/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the October 1973 issue, with interviews and articles on FMRock, KZEW, Sweepstakes, Croce, Parsons, Denver, Obie, Truckin’ hardware and much more. --- ### Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #3 September 1973 Full Issue - Published: 2024-01-11 - Modified: 2024-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-7309/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Download the full September 1973 issue here. J. Geils Band, Rod Stewart and more. --- ### Interview: Grammy Winning Slack Key Guitarist Jim Kimo West Talks About Guitar, and Some Really Weird Gigs - Published: 2024-01-07 - Modified: 2024-01-08 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/jim-kimo-west/ - Categories: Cover Story, Feature - Entity Types: Article By George Bond If you asked most US music fans across all genres to name their "most beloved" artists, there is no doubt that Al Yankovic would come at the top of that list. Backing Weird Al for the entirety of his career is guitarist Jim "Kimo" West. What many Weird Al fans might not know is that West is an award winning producer and artist in his own right, taking the "Best New Age" album category at the 2020 Grammy Awards. West is back with a new Hawaiian slack-key album, entitled "Of Wood and Spirit," and it shimmers clean and clear as the Hawaiian falls of his home in Maui. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=7Ofzu8WFYmg In this extended interview wih Buddy Magazine, West talks about the new album, guitar gear, tunings, and all things guitar. Jim West, Grammy award-winning mainstay of contemporary acoustic guitar in the United States, long time musician for the king of music parody Al Yankovic, composer, producer. It's an honor to speak with you for the 50th anniversary of Buddy Magazine. How's life these days?   What is currently going on?   Well, let's see-it's Grammy season so I have a new project that I've entered into the Grammys, so we're starting to kind of do all that Grammy stuff which is sort of a little bit of self-promotion and going to a lot of parties and things like that (laughs). I think voting starts in the Fall but the new project is called Of Wood and Spirit.   I released it in July and it's a sort of an interesting dreamy Americana type record, really. It's a little out of the box for what I normally do but it's all instrumental and it's a different kind of project that I'm used to doing, but it's I'm getting a lot of really great feedback from it so I'm promoting that and working on a few other projects. I do have a few little few shows as well here in Southern California. Staying busy, and then I'll be going to Europe starting the first of October for the International Guitar Night tour-it's going to be super fun.   What made you want to play guitar and what were your experiences with keyboards and other instruments as well? Well my older brother played a little guitar kind of like folk music. He's about ten years older than me and I remember him playing just folk songs and this and that, and I think around the time I was twelve I just got interested in guitar, so he let me use his guitar and he got some new strings and he got a chord book and a capo and and I tell you, once I had that, I never looked back! I mean I'd come home from school and the first thing I would do is just try and learn songs, and and this was before YouTube so it was a little harder.   You have to learn by ear and and every so often I'd see somebody on TV like Glenn Campbell or something and try and see what they're doing, but that's kind of how I started, and I think by the time I was sixteen I was already playing electric guitar. I think I played my first first professional show when I was sixteen.   So I got into playing Rock and Roll, of course but I always played acoustic as well, so I never kind of gave up one for the other.   I've always played acoustic, and I think the finger picking that I learned came to serve me well in my Hawaiian slack key career, because I've got about a dozen albums and a lot of them are in this sort of kind of a contemporary Hawaiian slack key, which is all finger style guitar. Who are your main influences back then or now? Well, I think some of the first records I heard were some of my brother's folk music records, of course, and that's when I first started playing. There were players like Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot and when I started getting into music, I started getting into all kinds of stuff, but I remember I used to always like Paul Simon's playing. He was a master songwriter but he was also a pretty good guitar player, too. I just always like to listen to those kinds of kinds of fingerpicking, and then of course once I got an electric guitar I started listening to everything-a lot of British stuff from the day, old Fleetwood Mac and Cream, early Led Zeppelin and of course Jimi Hendrix, but I just kind of soaked it all up, you know (Laughs). Of Wood and Spirit, the latest release by Jim Kimo West. Did you study music formally in any capacity? No.   You know it's funny, I always like to say I have a perfect record-I have no classes or no lessons! (Laughs). When I was in college I was a visual arts major but all the guys I played with were all in the music department so I spent a lot of time in the music department and just playing with people who were formally studying music.   I think a lot rubs off, and you learn a lot just from who you're playing with and I also really like to devour music books. I'm self-taught but I did teach myself to read when I was young. I got a job teaching guitar when I was about twenty years old and I taught myself to read. I studied orchestration books and Jazz. Basically just learning from books and from playing with other people, so I'm completely self-taught, but I do have a real extensive musical knowledge, and I've worked as a composer for many years; not so much lately, but I've worked for as a composer for a long time. I did things that were a lot of orchestral music as wel,l but I am totally self-taught. So did you study anything like Renaissance or Classical or Baroque? Not really. I mean what I did was when I first decided I wanted to learn to read I did get a book of Bach for guitar and I thought this would be good to learn because rhythmically it's not too challenging-it has a lot of regular rhythmic structure.   It's not too crazy rhythmically so I thought, well, that'll be a good way to start and so I started off with some simple Bach, but I you know I never really studied classical.   I mean I love classical guitar, it's just a whole world unto itself and I think to  excel at that you've kind of pretty much do nothing but that (Laughs). I wanted to play Rock and Roll but I did want to learn some basics and learn how to read, so I did learn some Bach guitar when I was very young just to kind of teach myself to read. So checking out the album: I've checked out pretty much all the videos on your YouTube channel going back all these years. Oh, wow! (laughs) https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=QT3H3v0-p1I I don't know if the term Hawaiian Bluegrass is a term or not, maybe I came up with the term "Blue Ocean Grass" or "Slow Blue Grass". What would you call your style eactly? Well, yeah, I used to call it Contemporary Slack Key because I went to Hawaii first in the mid-80s, and I went to a little town called Hana Maui which is one of the most Hawaiian places in Hawaii and that's where I first heard records of slack key guitar like Gabby Pahanui and Sunny Chillingworth and Ray Connie. I had played in open tunings before so I understood the technical concept but I really fell in love with the the sound of slack key-to me, it sounded just like the place.   Hawaiian music sounds like the place, and over the years I never really said, oh I'm going to sit down and learn the style-it just kind of crept in over the years and I started writing my own slack key tunes, so I have a lot of other musical influences like we all do. So when I started writing these slack key tunes of course they had some other other influences-some of them were more traditional than others but a lot of my stuff is more of a contemporary slack key but I like the idea of "Ocean Grass"-that's kind of interesting. (laughs) https://open. spotify. com/artist/51aljngqSf5fmjeQEOXp0k Songwriting techniques: Do you put lay down chords first or and put the melody to it or you lay down melodies first and let the that dictate where the chords go?   Well, a lot of my stuff is basically chords and melody all at the same time because I'm playing the thing where you've got the bass going and the chords. My typical songwriting just comes from playing and improvising, and often times a lot of my inspiration comes from trying different tunings.   I probably used a couple dozen different guitar tunings over the years and sometimes when I'm working with a new tuning I find it very inspiring so as I'm playing with a new tuning, things start happening creatively and I'll come up with ideas, and sometimes I'll just come up with something on the spot and flush it out and and record it just on my phone or whatever.   Other times it'll might just be a little snippet, so I'll record a 15 second thing as an idea. So what I do is I save all those ideas and then I put them on my laptop and I categorize them. I say, well, this kind of thing and this goes in this kind of category and when I'm working on records, oftentimes usually the bulk of an album will be new compositions that I've written and then sometimes if I need a few more songs I'll go back to my catalog of ideas and I'll find things that will fit in that particular album and then I'll come back and develop them, so it works a lot of different ways, but sometimes if I'm working on a piece that's going to be a little more orchestrated or are going to have more elements in it as I'm playing or developing melodies, I will as I'm playing sing melodies and I'll come up with melodies and then I'll record that so I have the basic idea of the melodies, and then once I get ready to record, I start layering things and deciding what instrument the melody will be, whether it's a violin or cello or whatever, but it's like I say, a lot of my inspiration comes from all these open tunings, and some of the sort of magical resonance of these tunings is every tuning sounds different.   Every tuning, of course is different. All the chords are different for every tuning. It's like it's like another language and they all have their own kind of way of resonating and to me.   I find that really inspiring. The album "Of Wood and Spirit".   Where where was it recorded?   I record everything in my own studio which is where I'm sitting right now.   I record it and mix everything myself and I have for all of my albums since my first album and I think my first album came out in 1999. I record everything here and I do have other musicians come over and play on it.   It started a lot during Covid.   Other players will sometimes record their parts at their place and send them over you.   We're doing a lot of that these days, so on this record there were tracks that were recorded in other places and sent over and then some stuff was recorded here.   That's the great thing about doing it remotely. On my previous record, "Guitar Stories", the one that won the Grammy, I had people like my friend Jake Erdogan in Istanbul record a part and send it over from Turkey. How long would it take you to knock out the mix and mastering and all that? Well, mixing doesn't take too long. This record though, I really started it about three years ago and I had the concept for it.   I had this sort of sound in my head, this kind of spacey, dreamy americana-ish type of record and I had this the sound in my head and I had some things started but then last year I was on a tour with Weird Al that was six months long and I had also had done two months on the International Guitar Night tour in the winter, and then this year I was on tour for another couple of months, so all that touring kind of put a dent in my in my record production schedule, because I wanted to finish the record, but after the tour this spring it was like okay, I've got some time, I need to get this thing finished. So I recorded a few more songs and as I said about mixing everything, oftentimes as I'm working on a track I'm adding stuff. I'm kind of mixing it as I'm going along, too I might have somebody send over a violin part and I'll do some tweak on it and get the EQ right and find the right kind of Reverb.   As I'm layering things, I'm sort of mixing at the same time.    What are your main guitars that you were using? Well, for a lot of my acoustic records I've been using some Taylor Guitars for quite a long time.   The one I'm using now is a 514CE.   It's a mahogany and cedar top mahogany guitar. They're very nice and warm sounding and easy to play. They are this kind of production model guitar, but I have them kind of tweaked out a bit. My main Taylor guitar has the factory pickup.   I always use microphones when I'm recording-I rarely ever use the pickup, but for live, of course, you know you have to use the pickup, so I have a the factory pickup that's in there and then I also have a sound hole pickup so I run two pickups on it.   I've also got a couple of Keith tuners, those banjo tuners on a couple of keys that allow you to lock two pitches and go between two pitches on the string, and you can also use it almost like a pedal steel effect.  So they're kind of production guitars, and the one good thing about it is if something happened when I was touring I could get another one it would be pretty close to the same thing (Laughs). I guess the names that jumped out at me as soon as I saw who played on the record: The great bassist Michael Manring and violinist Charlie Bisherat.   Maybe you would agree that Michael kind of picked up as the king of the fretless bass after Jaco. Yeah, Michael's an amazing guy and he's the only bass player I've ever seen that could do an entire instrumental concert with just bass.   He'll blow you away.   He will do a whole show on just bass, and he great control of effects and he's got all these pitch levers on his bass.   He's just an amazing musician.   We had done a show together a number of years ago and I thought, oh I've got a got to get him on a record. Yeah I guess I remember him with Pat Metheny back in the day, and also Charlie Bisharat.   Maybe he picked up where Jean-Luc Ponty left off. Yeah, Charlie's amazing. My record that won the Grammy called "More Guitar Stories"-that record has the opening song called "Windward", and it has a great solo by Charlie, and on that one Jimmy Johnson is playing an amazing fretless solo.   So there's some great playing on that track. I know Jimmy Johnson has been a staple of the LA music scene since the eighties. Yeah, he played with Allan Holdsworth for a long time and James Taylor of course is regular gig, but he's a sweet guy and he's such a great player and so between him and Michael; Manring also played with Michael Hedges.   So I would really like to work more with Michael. Jimmy has been on a number of my records and he's amazing. I think I also had some upright bass on this record and that was a guy by the name of Dan Lutz who lives here in LA. He's a great all-around upright and electric bass player. Great reader, too, if you have anything written.   When I'm having people over to play, it could be a cello part, and the entire thing is I write the whole thing out because it's a melody and I know what I want and then sometimes it's a combination of written out parts and then section four is just improv and I just let people go and do what they want to do. I was going down the song list here,  Were there any standard tunings used? No, there were no standard tunings (laughs). Now, were there any minor drop tunings because I was thinking the song "Griot in Memphis". Was that in G Minor? Yeah, "Griot in Memphis" was played on a banjo and it's a six string banjo, a Deering six string banjo and I had it tuned to a G minor.   A very common tuning in Hawaiian slack key is is what they call Tarot patch, which is just a regular G major tuning, the standard one that even Keith Richards uses, but this was just the same except dropping the major third to a minor third and that's definitely a minor tuning for sure. There's another song here called "A Circle of friends" using a C major tuning. Was there a D minor tuning for the song "Wind in the Canyon"? Wind in the Canyon was like a D minor seven tuning. I had not heard of these! I think it was like D A E F C-I think it had a C in there.   It was basically a D Minor seventh type of tuning and I really like that tuning a lot, it's really interesting. I just had to just listen to these and just do my best guess. Yeah, what I do is on the CD is I actually show all the tunings.   I list them (shows inside CD jacket of all tunings used) and I list what the main tunings were for that song. The last song, "The Love That Forgives".   That song kind of hit me like the chord progression had some some sort of of a finality to it.   It was very direct-almost like it was a hymn or something. It conveyed to me that this is the last song and gave me a sense of finality about the album. Yeah, well, it is like a hymn and it was the only song where I played an electric for the main part that's played on an electric.   It's a Fender Squier Baritone with P90 pickups. It's a fantastic sounding guitar, and not expensive at all-probably three or four hundred dollars or something.   I just played it through a old Fender 59 Deluxe.    So the song has a very hymn-like sound, as you said.   I was reading this book "Songs of America" by John Meacham and it speaks basically a history of music in America of songs, all from the beginning, and there was a story that really touched me. It was about Alabama when the KKK bombed a school and some kids were killed. It was a great big civil rights moment, and afterwards there was a Sunday School sermon. The leader of the sermon called the sermon "The Love That Forgives", and it was basically about forgiveness in the wake of this horrible tragedy and it really touched me. It was just such a beautiful thing and that's why I ended up naming the song as it is. Wonderful. Where do you think you'll be going artistically?   This CD is incredible.   I love listening to it. Where do you go artistically after this?   Well, Right now I'm working on my second record with my friend Joss Jaffe.   He's a multi-instrumentalist who did a record-it wasn't put out on CD but it was called "Alm Akua" and it's kind of a new agey, world music record. He plays tablas. He's a trained tabla player he also plays an african ngoni which is like a cora. It's like a harp you play with two hands.   He also plays flute and all kinds of percussion.   We did a record a couple years ago and it did really well in streaming and on Sirius XM and it's real chilled out record.   Sometimes some of it is based on improvisation where we just lay down these grooves and I'll play some kind of African style guitar and he'll play some Cora and we have some drums going.   The record was pretty successful overall and we decided we need to do another one, so we've got about eight or nine tracks started, and he'll be coming down next week and we'll do some more recording, so I'm doing that and then I've got some other projects.   I'd like to do a kind of a West African record.   I've toyed around on some of my Guitar Stories records with this sort of West African-style guitar-we're sort of imitating a cora, so there's a lot of harp-like arpeggios and that kind of stuff. On my first Guitar Stories record there's a song called "Morning Music" and then on More Guitars Stories there's another song that is African sounding and I've always wanted to just do a whole record of that kind of music. That's another project I want to do before too long (laughs). Are you playing out much these days in Hawaii or LA with anyone whom you are associated? Yeah, I was in Hawaii just recently.   I've been to Hawaii four times this year.   I was over at the Slack Key Show in Napili, which is in West Maui. It's shut down now because of the tragedy, but its an ongoing series hosted by George Kahumoku, who's a very legendary Grammy winner and musician in Hawaii.   Every week they feature a different slack key artist and I've played that for about 10 years, so I was there playing in January and then in June I was there for the annual Workshop, so I was teaching slack key for a week; and of course lots of playing, and then I was back over in Hawaii a couple of times playing shows with my friend Leo Connie, who is a falsetto singer with a beautiful sounding falsetto style that he does, and I'm doing some gigs coming up this Labor Day weekend. We'll have a show tomorrow and Monday with him and then Wednesday in Santa Barbara, and then I have my own show on September 17th in Ojai California, but all gigs out here on the West Coast, and then that's pretty much it until I go to Europe for the International Guitar Night tour. Moving on to working with Al Yankovic. Did you understand early on about what Al wanted to do? I mean, did he make that clear or was that part of the growth process?   Well, when I first met Al, I really didn't know who he was, but he was looking for a guitarist and I auditioned for him and I had to learn some of his tunes. Digging into these tunes, I was really impressed with how well-crafted they were.   His lyrics are very well created he doesn't just let anything go.   He really works on it and I was impressed from the beginning.   I understood what it was all about, but as you know, over the years he's thrown a lot of surprises out there and done things I'd never expect and of course, he just came out with a movie called "Weird", which is a fantastic movie. It's just a biopic but nothing is true (Laughs).   There's even an actor named Jack Lancaster playing me in the movie if you can believe that.   That's kind of a interesting accomplishment to have:  Somebody play you in a movie (Laughs). I guess we are all of the understanding that you can do a parody song as long as it's an obviously a parody song. In all of the years that you recorded with Al did you ever have to alter any guitar parts for copyright reasons? No.   Al always gets permission even though he technically doesn't have to get permission. He will only do a parody if the artist and the writer agree to do it, because he doesn't want to create any problems. I mean if he does a parody we are basically trying to fake people out so they think it's the original recording and sometimes, on some of these tracks, maybe not so much these days but sometimes there would be like six guitar parts and it's like, "Hey wait a minute-the bass player only has to do one part and I have to do six! " It's kind of like being a sonic detective.   You sometimes have to play with the pan and the EQ and try and get parts to pop out, but I've never had to actually change anything because you know he really does get permission up front and basically just do it just like the record if we can.   Okay! So you played on the "Ebay" recording then right?   Oh yeah. I mean I've done that one in clubs and that's exactly like the record!   And "Party in the CIA"? I've played that riff too.   It's amazing that you never really had to change anything. Over the last seven or eight years I've done a lot of keyboard parts, too, because I work as a composer here. I have a lot sounds and I have that ability, so on a lot of tracks it's me doing a lot of the keyboard parts as well. I know his fans are hardcore! what's the craziest thing you've ever seen at an Al concert?   Oh man! Fortunately Al's fans are pretty well behaved! I mean, one of the weirdest things though is to look out there and maybe see like five or six people dressed just like him with a wig and the whole look, and it's just like you're looking out at a whole crowd of Als (laughs). Kimo and his Grammy award for Best New Age Album, 2020. How many dates are you doing with Al these days? Well, it depends. Last year we did 140 shows, if you can believe it.   And in the winter before that tour I did 40 shows on the International Guitar Night, so I did 180 shows last year. Probably more because I do some other ones on my own, so probably more like 200 shows last year (laughs). Do you keep in touch with Toronto these days? Well, I was born there.   As a kid I don't remember much because my family moved to Ottawa when I was about two or something, so I do remember Ottawa but my whole family moved to Florida when I was about nine years old, so I kind of grew up in Florida. That's where I first started playing guitar and playing rock and roll, and in the early in the 80s I came out to LA because you had to either go to LA or New York and I said, well LA is warmer, I think I'll come to L. A. (laughs) It was a good move but yeah, I'm in Toronto fairly often because touring with Al, we always play Toronto, so I've been there many times over the years and I was actually at the airport just a few weeks ago.   With the Grammys I've often understood that if you win a Grammy you can celebrate for a day or so but then after that you got to get back to work right? Well, yeah.   I have won one Grammy but I did get two nominations.   I did win once but of course you know it's not like a Grammy will just all of a sudden set you free and you know there's no money that comes with a Grammy. You know, I'm kind of a do-it-yourself guy so I kind of do a lot of things myself. I have a graphics person who does my graphics and I do hire out some publicity. The awards are nice and it does open doors.   I mean if you're trying to book a certain venue, you'll have a much better chance of getting in the door or if you're trying to reach out to another musician to collaborate with, that really helps as well.   So the the awards really do open doors but you know financially it's not it's not like you can just sit back and coast-you have to keep doing what you're doing for sure. About the nails on your right hand:  Are they acrylic or have your nails always been natural? No, these are these are acrylics. I've been using them for about 15 years. I just go to the nail salon and I usually try and keep them a certain length and then I try and file them down with some real fine grade stuff to where they almost work like glass, because if they're not smooth then you'll get a scratchy sound, and sometimes I hear recordings like "Oh man I should have filed my nails a little more, I guess it's a little too scratchy".   If you break a nail you can play but every string you hit with that finger is going to sound different than the others. What endorsements are you currently running these days? I have had an endorsement with Taylor guitars for many, many years, as well as Elixir strings. I use Elixirs and a few other companies.   Some software companies, and then for electric stuff I use Tom Anderson custom electrics.   I've got three of his guitars, and for the Weird Al show all I use is all digital, so I have a relationship with the Fractal Audio Fractal Axe Effects. I use all their gear on the Weird Al shows and have for about six or seven years. It's made everything so easy because I have one small rack with two Axe Effects units because on tour you always have to have two of everything, right? You can't have the show go down if your rig breaks, so I have a couple of Axe FX IIIs and people go, "You know you can get some amazing tones but you have to spend the time with it and tweak it. The sounds right out of the box are going to be hit or miss but you really need do to spend time and tweak it the way the way you want it. People ask, "What's your signal chain? " I say my signal chain is I plug into the Axe Effects and then it goes directly out to the PA. Yeah there's no signal chain.   I've been in endorsements and things of that nature and now I think I've got everything. I was trying to think of when I last played in Dallas-it was back in like 2017 at Poor David's Pub. That's a fun room and where you played is not the original room, either-it was a shack back in the 80s, but yeah I have played at Poor David's-it's a fun place. That's what I remember. I've played with Weird Al many times in in Dallas at various places, but the last tour we did last year was just sort of the stripped down show so we don't have all the big video and everything and we're playing all his deep cuts you as opposed to all the famous stuff he's famous for playing, all the non-famous stuff which his fans love. I can't remember where we played but we were playing a lot of kind of concert halls, like symphony concert halls.   We played Carnegie Hall in New York, Lincoln Center and all kinds of iconic places but the stripped down show is more like two to three thousand seat places, and then the big tour was 2019, and it was places like Red Rocks and other big venues.   We had a full orchestra every night.    I caught the video I on your website with (Vietnamese classical guitar artist) Thu Le. I was familiar with Liona Boyd while I was studying classical guitar.   She's Canadian if I understand.   I would say Thu Le is the face of female classical guitar players these days. She is amazing, yeah! I worked with her last year on the International Guitar Night tour and we had a great time.   For our duet we did her arrangement of a Vietnamese folk song. We did a little recording of it and I added some Hawaiian slack key and I'm really looking forward to playing with her again.   What's amazing about Thu Le is that she's not only just an incredibly studied and competent classical player, but she's got a great ear. She can sit down and just pick out a Metallica tune and just all of a sudden start playing it.   She can kind of play anything whereas there are quite a lot of classical musicians who are pretty much just like "I gotta have the paper in front of me" (Laughs).   She can just roll with it, She's really good. You can pick up the album "Of Wood and Spirit" on all the streaming platforms, correct? Yes, and my website Jimkimowest. com. --- ### Quin NFN Comes Alive At ACL '23 - Says It Takes This Many Spotify Streams To Be Mainstream - Published: 2024-01-04 - Modified: 2024-01-07 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/quin-nfn-comes-alive-at-acl-23-says-it-takes-this-many-spotify-streams-to-be-mainstream/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News, Feature - Entity Types: Article By Don Ward and Bullicose Bullfeather Buddy Magazine went to ACL Live in Austin on October 14-15, and had a chance to sit down with emerging Austin artist and rapper Quin NFN immediately following his ACL show. While Quin NFN is billed as "emerging," it is worth noting that though he has never toured, he has over 100,000,000 streams on Spotify, over the span of a small group of songs. But Quin has a bigger number in mind for what it takes to be considered "mainstream" in rap and hip hop. Quin NFN We first took in Quin's show on the Shiner Stage at ACL, where roughly 1500 people were in attendance. Quin's success on Spotify and other platforms brought in a faithful crowd that was on-fire for the whole show. A pit-like communion broke out towards the front of the crowd, and became something of a show-within-a-show itself. Quin's crowd showed up, and knew all the songs, all the way through. All on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We sat down and chatted after his performance, where Quin came up with his family, friends, and other show support. While his show is energetic and outfront, Quin's demeanor is somewhat laid back and softspoken, especially considering the fiery scene he just left on the Shiner stage. Quin says that being an Austin-based rapper has helped him diffentiate from the Houston and Dallas scenes, but in a good way. Like many other rappers in his age range (he is in his early 20's), he first gained a following on the Soundcloud platform around 2016-2017 at 16 years old, along with another group of then-emerging rappers who went on to worldwide fame, including Post Malone, Tekashi 69, and Little Xan. And just as he was getting ready to do more live shows, the pandemic hit, and that upward momentum was at least temporarily put on hold. His streaming numbers on Spotify tell a different story from his live performance experience. With over 100,000,000 streams, he outpaces some of the most celebrated and famous Texas music artists in sheer volume of listeners (Quin NFN also has over 1. 4 million regular monthly listeners). While many Texas artists have made full careers monetizing in various ways with much smaller audiences, Quin is still getting ready for the road. He is working with the Empire management group, and with his popularity on the ground, it seems eminent that he is going to find faithul crowds on his tour in cities all across the country - just like his core ACL group that showed up on Sunday. Even with 100MM streams, Quin says he feels he is still and up-and-coming artist. And the number of streams where he feels he has made it as a successful artist? "100,000,000 streams for one song. Once you get to that level, other songs start getting lots of streams as well," he says. At this writing, Quin NFN has one track, "Poles," with 43,827,880 streams alone. Not quite 100MM, but still an enormous footprint. He's getting closer to that 100MM number. We anxiously await that milestone. Quin has also been working on new material, and is moving away from from some of the more hardcore elements of his raps. "I'm working on showing a more positive side," he said. --- ### Badu bestie Miko Marks talks Dallas New Year’s Eve show with Little Feat, roots music, fulfilling Opry dreams - Published: 2023-12-27 - Modified: 2023-12-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/erykah-miko-marks-longhorn-little-feat/ - Categories: Feature, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Interview by Ian Saint Few names are as synonymous with Dallas music history as Erykah Badu. Before Badu became a household name, she worked at a bookstore called Black to the Basics while attending Grambling State University in Louisiana — where powerhouse vocalist, and fellow Grambling student, Miko Marks struck conversation with her. Speaking with me for NPR Ohio affiliate WOUB Public Media last year, Miko shared the story of how she was singing with a group in the musical theater stairwell, then Erykah suddenly appeared to harmonize and “she sounded so wonderful. ” This impromptu epiphany culminated in Miko and Erykah launching an acapella singing group, called Harmony. Just this month, Erykah hailed Miko as “now the biggest Black country-western singer,” while fondly recalling Harmony in conversation with K104-FM’s Bay Bay. Badu’s enthusiasm for Miko’s country foray isn’t new, however; Erykah even played the title character in Miko’s “Mama” music video, way back in 2006, and Miko told me that Erykah “got a trailer and bought, like, 30 outfits... . she showed up for me in a big, supportive way, and I’ll never forget that. ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Op3rQ23tFAg On New Year’s Eve 2023, Miko will play Erykah Badu’s hometown for the first time, opening for Little Feat — the funky classic rock band, boasting a massive “Dallas roots by proxy” relationship of their own: the Dixie Chicks, whose name was inspired by Dixie Chicken, the title track of their 1973 album. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page famously named Little Feat as his “favorite American group” in a 1975 Rolling Stone interview. Miko Marks and Little Feat are playing New Year’s Eve at the Longhorn Ballroom — often hailed as Texas’ Most Historic Music Venue. Opened in 1950, the Longhorn Ballroom’s roster of performing artists is incredible in range — from country (Patsy Cline, Charley Pride) to blues (B. B. King, Bo Diddley) to rock ‘n’ roll (Little Richard, Fats Domino) to jazz (Count Basie, Nat King Cole) to R&B (James Brown, Ruth Brown) to soul (Ray Charles, Al Green)... and the stories of who’s operated the venue – which includes Jack Ruby, who shot President Kennedy’s killer at a news conference — are just as captivating. Buddy magazine sat down with Miko in her dressing room, backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, on Friday the 13 th in October. This was a year after Miko made her Opry debut upon her 50 th birthday — a long-awaited milestone that garnered effusive praise from fellow performers Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, and the Oak Ridge Boys. Her Opry return was commemorated with a performance of “Jubilee,” off her Feel Like Going Home album (released on her Opry debut day), with the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University – honoring the significance of historically Black universities, which brought Miko and Erykah Badu together in Harmony. Miko Marks (pictured) and Little Feat will play the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas onNew Year’s Eve, 2023. Photo by Karen Santos Watch Ian Saint’s backstage interview with Miko Marks below, and find a transcript of the conversation edited for length and clarity beneath the video. Filming credit: Isaiah Cunningham. https://youtu. be/pyQbPBcwFds IAN SAINT: Have you had history in Dallas? We’ve talked a lot about your good friend, Erykah Badu, and that’s her hometown. MIKO MARKS: That's my only history there, is Erykah being my friend. She’s the only person I know from Dallas; but Dallas is rich, from what I can tell from her. IAN SAINT: We’re sitting in your Grand Ole Opry dressing room, a year after you made your marvelous, long-awaited Opry debut to a full house — which gave you two standing ovations. Our camera man, Isaiah Cunningham, saw that; your Opry debut was Isaiah’s first time at the Grand Ole Opry, and it was the night before he made his debut with the Black Opry — at the same age you were, when you released your debut album. As a fellow Black country artist, witnessing your Opry debut was profound for Isaiah; and he was just one of thousands who watched you, so imagine how many others you impacted in their own quests. How does processing that make you feel? MIKO MARKS: For me, it's really come full circle. Because when I got in that Circle , I realized I was not just “me” anymore — I was a piece of the whole experience for the audience, the history, the legacy, the spirits that moved in that Circle... and so I became rooted and grounded in my delivery of what I wanted to say and do. So for Isaiah, or anybody else, I would tell them to just envelop everything around you — like, get out of self for a second — and really bring in the spirit, and the movement, and the sincerity of the people who come here for... because they come here for a reason — because of this legacy, this history, and for all the people that have gone on and left their mark in this space. So I became, kind of, not “me”; I became the roots of the ancestors, I became the roots of what music has transpired in this place, and brought that forward in a way that really was kind of like an out-of-body experience... I was just the vessel to bring it. A lot of times when I do musical things, I'm transported — it's not only me, but it's all those that have gone before me, and the people in the audience that bring this unseen energy to the space. That's what I'm looking forward to tapping into, because it's not about me — I just got a gift, but I'm only the vessel. I don't own this; I'm supposed to share it, give it to the people — and then when you do that, you get something back, and it's just this... it's something you really can't put into words; it's a spiritual experience. IAN SAINT: At your Opry debut, you got to meet Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks. I’ll never forget how stunned I was to find Trisha sound-checking “She’s In Love With the Boy,” right before your soundcheck; Garth was an unannounced performer, and had recently completed his stadium residency in Ireland. Trisha then raved about you on Twitter, and shared the link to your new album. What was meeting them like? MIKO MARKS: I wanted to meet Trisha so bad, and I didn't know if it was going to happen or not. Then she was walking down the hall in her pink costume — because this Opry program emphasized breast cancer awareness — walking down to me. She came up and said, “Girl, if you couldn't sing, I wouldn't be over here right now; but I had to come see who you were! ” And then she gave me a huge hug, and embraced me for a long time. She was like, “you were awesome! ” https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=vimWKPyqzTA&t=22sYouTube video of Miko’s Opry debut with Trisha and Garth And then Garth asked me, “How was your Opry debut? ” I said, “Oh, Garth, I cried like a baby! ” And he said that he cried at his Opry debut, too. They were both such amazing people, and so supportive — just loving, kind, and genuine, so it was a real blessing. IAN SAINT: I saw you open for Little Feat in Lorain, Ohio, near Cleveland. That was super interesting to process, because I had previously always seen you in Nashville, and this was in a very different culture. You've performed all over this country — and a bit outside of this country — since we spoke last year, and for audiences in different genres. What have you observed along the way? MIKO MARKS: Yeah, I get different crowds all the time! But what I know about what I'm doing now, is it's not just country music... it's blues, it's gospel, it's jazz, there's a little hint of R&B in there, even classical is in there. I'm doing roots music. The music that I'm doing is mostly Americana; like, it's this underbelly of things that don't quite fit into one space — it's too big to fit in one space. I started out doing traditional country music, when I started in 2005 ; but as I've grown older, I've brought in different elements of my upbringing, my life, my experiences my singing technique. I try to make a big old gumbo of music, and I think that it just can't be defined by a genre. I feel most comfortable in a space where it's roots music, and anybody can be a part of roots music; it doesn't matter who you are, or what your sound is — if you're bringing all these different elements, hey, that’s roots music. “Roots Music,” that's what I feel like I am. IAN SAINT: When you talk about the gumbo of genres in your upbringing, I’m thinking of how that also applies to the Longhorn Ballroom — which is infamously one of the only places that the Sex Pistols ever played in the USA, but of course it’s also had Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, and also Al Green and James Brown... you gave me goosebumps in talking about enveloping yourself in the spirits of your predecessors — because I'm thinking about if those Longhorn rafters could talk, and what they would say as you become the latest contribution to that vibrant history. MIKO MARKS: Yes, absolutely. I'm feeling like I'm coming into myself; I'm realizing that, for me, genre doesn't really matter — I just want to put out the best quality, soul-stirring music that I can put out. Wherever you want to put that, put it there; but for me, it's about the real interpersonal spiritual giving of my soul. IAN SAINT: You began touring with Little Feat before your Grand Ole Opry debut in 2022; and now you’re on their “Rollin’ Into 2024” Tour. MIKO MARKS: Yes, I’m keeping up with Little Feat! I love Little Feat; I’m looking forward to it. I get to sing with them on certain songs — I won't tell you what songs, because if you haven't seen the show, then I don't want to spoil it for you... but I get to come out and sing with them, and that is an honor; it's a gift, because this is a legendary band, that has been around for over 50 years. They have three members from their classic line-up, and it's just so awesome to be a part of that, and to feel those roots — because that's roots music, too. IAN SAINT: The Longhorn Ballroom had their own Americanafest panel this year. They’re hailed as the most historic music venue in Texas, and that’s where you’ll conclude this amazing year you’ve had. MIKO MARKS: Wow! I’m looking forward to it. When you told me about the Longhorn’s legacy, you made you go research it; and I was like, “oh, this is awesome! ” So thank you for that. Tickets to Miko Marks and Little Feat’s New Year’s Eve show at the Longhorn Ballroom are being sold on Prekindle: https://www. prekindle. com/promo/id/532452769368399712. For a full list of Miko Marks’ tour dates and her music discography, visit Miko’s official site: https://www. mikomarks. com.   --- ### In Memoriam: Thomas "TK" Kreason - Published: 2023-12-14 - Modified: 2023-12-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/thomas-tk-kreason/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Thomas William “TK” Kreason, co-owner and managing partner of the Texas Musicians Museum, passed away on December 4, 2023 at Medical City Dallas. TK was well-known throughout the Texas community for his longtime dedication to the preservation of Texas music. Speaking of Kreason’s contributions, Texas music historian and archivist George Gimarc said, “I had no stronger ally in preserving Texas music than Tom and Marianne. We even took the fight to Austin. Marianne and I are working now to ensure the museum contents will find a new public home. " Thomas "TK" Kreason Thomas caught the concert bug as a youth in the 60’s, doing whatever it took to attend the early tours of many classic rock bands. He began saving ticket stubs, handbills, setlists - whatever he came across - and kept them to this day. As an adult, he was drawn to live music production, where he interacted with an interesting assortment of musicians, from Loretta Lynn to Kid Rock. His production employment at the Hard Rock Cafe opened the door to working with Isaac Tigrett (co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe and House of Blues), handling HRC memorabilia. Tigrett taught Thomas how to display memorabilia “Hard Rock style,” and he was hooked. Thomas parlayed his HRC experience to establish a music memorabilia career, later working with Memphis’ Sun Studio and Dallas’ Red Hot & Blue restaurants, and amassing a large private music memorabilia collection. His music experiences created a passionate dedication to preserving musical history. In 2004, Thomas co-founded the Texas Musicians Museum, in financial partnership with Marianne. Notable Texas artists Steven Fromholz, Trini Lopez, Gary P. Nunn, and Michael Nesmith all visited in support of the museum. TK was known for his enthusiastic encouragement of DFW musicians, who proudly say they played on the Texas Musicians Museum stage. Plans are for the Thomas and Marianne Ellington Kreason Collection to be kept intact in another museum featuring Texas music. In lieu of a funeral for Thomas, the family has chosen to celebrate his life on his birthday, January 9, 2024, at the Balcony Club in Dallas from 7:00 to 9:00 P. M. Thomas is survived by his wife and business partner of 16 years, Marianne Ellington Kreason; his “bonus daughter,” as he called her, Becky Kinnibrugh, and her family, husband Kelly Kinnibrugh, their daughter Kelsey Obeck and husband Tyler, their son Tyler Kinnibrugh and his wife Chazeley, with sons Levi and Kase. Thomas is also survived by sister Mary Kreason Okar of Michigan, and brother Jim Kreason, presently of Ohio, and their respective families, with whom he treasured a close relationship. Honorary survivors include the North Texas musician community, with whom TK had a special bond and considered a part of his family. TK was also a friend and supporter of Buddy Magazine, and will be greatly missed. RIP TK. --- ### Jason Elmore Hits Heavy With His Latest Album, "Rise Up Lights" - Published: 2023-11-15 - Modified: 2023-11-17 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/jason-elmore-hoodoo-witch-rise-up-lights/ - Categories: Cover Story, New Texas Music - Entity Types: Article By Colleen Gilson Photos by Travis Clark In September, Jason Elmore released the video on social media for “Fragile,” from his new effort, Rise Up Lights, and it was a moment of “Ah I KNEW IT! ” for this writer. For instead of the blues and blues rock for which he has become known, it's a foray into smoking hard rock-- heavy beats, booming bass and screaming guitar, and almost like a harbinger of what was to follow on his fourth CD, the chorus: “Let me give you fair warningwhile the air is still calmshe said I'm fragile but not like a flowerI'm fragile like a BOMB” With “bomb,” as in “bombastic,” being the perfect description of this turn in Elmore's musical catalog. https://youtu. be/elE-O0PVNNw? si=GI_VGlHDC6lOZDT2 One listen was all it took for me to want to get into the hows and why's of this other side of Jason Elmore (even though I listened to it non-stop at least fifteen times), and he graciously accepted my invitation to come hang and talk in person about this turn in his musical trip. The explosion of Elmore's heavier side via influences ranging from 1970's through 1990's heavy rock and metal heyday heroes including Black Sabbath, Van Halen/Van Hagar/Montrose up to Soundgarden are clearly audible, not so much in mimickry but more as a tribute. Oak Cliff Lights: Jason Elmore hanging at the Kessler, November, 2023. Photo by Travis Clark for Buddy Magazine. The thought hit me that usually guitarists who start out playing metal end up morphing into blues as they get older but surprisingly, with Jason Elmore, such is not the case.    “I started out playing in metal bands in the Texoma region. My dad would take me to see Pantera and AC/DC and any concert that was in town when he would get me on the weekends, trying to be the cool parent, and if there was not a good concert like, that he would take me to Poor David's Pub or Greenville Avenue Bar and Grill to see Jim Suhler or Bugs Henderson, Mike Morgan, Alan Haynes... blues guys. I developed a love for that and after being in the metal scene, dealing with singers that wouldn't help load out equipment and the turmoil of everybody wanting to be Motley Crue, I just got tired of the ego that went with that scene-- the whole Jagermeister crowd-- and I wanted to express myself in other ways, so it became accessible somehow to get into blues. And Jim (Suhler) had seen me show up so many times to his gigs that he was able to give me a hand and helped me with some gigs in the Dallas area. He gave me opportunities and told people it was okay to like me (laughs)... ”  https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=fCJWbKGGP4YA live clip of Jason Elmore and Hoodoo Witch, from his 2019 DVD, ""Live From Planet Earth. " My first encounter with Elmore was a KNON Bluesfest perhaps in the early 2010. He played an early opening slot solo, and though the forte was blues, the thought came to mind, “I bet this guy can shred. ”  The formation of Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch, after a few trial and error members, resulted in the solid trio with Mike Talbolt on drums for about the past 13 years, and then the addition of a (then) very young Brandon Katona on bass. “Brandon's dad was like my dad-- he'd bring him to the gigs and he started sitting in with us on guitar. And then things happened that I needed to change bass players and we had a tour coming up to Canada basically 'tomorrow,' so I asked him if he wanted to play bass and he said, 'Sure! ' We had a week long residency at this place in Edmonton, and the first gig went really well but the next morning I got a phone call from the owner who said, 'You mean to tell me you brought a 17 year old into my bar? ' so I had to send him back to Texas and use a local guy up there-- it was a disaster! ” However, Katona became third piece of what is now a longtime, solid trio for the past ten years. The chemistry on and off stage is undeniable. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=95zCEdJsPOs The title of the fourth CD, Rise Up Lights, was a puzzle to me... starting with the design of black background with a purple and green font and the simple picture of a razor blade (art by Jason's wife, Lauren). “It's a throw back to Judas Priest records, inspired by that era. I was listening to some comedian podcaster who said if you said 'rise up lights' in an Australian accent fast, it sounded like 'razor blades'. ” (Try it! ) “This is really gonna piss off the blues purists. ” Having won two Dallas Observer music awards in 2012 and 2017 for “Best Blues Act” seems to have been a flattering blessing as well as a curse of sorts for Elmore.   “I don't call myself a blues artist-- I'm blues rock. There are so many sub genres of rock-- like ACDC or ZZ Top or Led Zeppelin-- so I've always tried to stick close to the blues when I've done the other albums and that's the kind of stuff I like cuz that's the way I write, but with this one, I decided they're not gonna like it anyway (laughs) so I might as well not try to stay within these self prescribed limitations of what I think they think it should be, I'm just gonna make something that I like. ” Elmore pauses a few seconds, and turns pensive. “Maybe it's cuz I'm older... but I realized halfway through that this was something different. Eddie Van Halen had just passed away and that hit me hard—because he was and still is one of my top heroes-- everything I was writing started coming out that way-- it's an homage to Eddie. I've always been a fan of Black Sabbath-- I love those doomy riffs-- and Led Zeppelin... it's all blues-based.   There have always been elements of heavier stuff on my other albums but the blues purists are really tough... there's a lot of blues Nazis. 'That's not how Muddy Waters would have played it,' or, 'Oh you've got pedals... ' I'm a guitar player who likes other guitarist-based stuff and of course, Stevie Ray Vaughan was a big part of my influence as a kid and still is important to me, but a lot of purists look down on that because it's  lot of 'excessive guitar' and it's more rock than blues. They get very picky-- well, and so is the metal crowd-- it's gotta be Cookie Monster or nothing. ” We agree that music is art, art is subjective to taste and preference, and not everyone is going to like everything.   https://open. spotify. com/album/3Tzusfpl0jZ1cFPiuYmtwa “People get too hung up on what is blues, and what's not-- everything changes and progresses, and I think if Muddy Waters was around now he'd be using pedals. I love the traditional stuff, too, and I feel it should be done as close to that if you're gonna do it that way. There's guys like Mike Morgan, and Reo Casey, who's a young guy that's coming up-- there's guys doing that blues thing who are doing it much better than me. ” Rise Up Lights was recorded at the now-defunct January Sound, engineered/mixed/mastered and co-produced by Tye Robinson. “Tye was there with me for three years, listening to all my shit. (laughs) He was very valuable because he would tell me honestly when something could be better, if something flat out sucked, or if I needed to stop fucking with something because I already had it right. ” I asked Elmore if he wanted to go song-by-song to talk about them and the lyrical content, but he said that it's best to allow the listener to experience the 46 minute long musical journey on their own rather than break down and analyze each song.   “I try to put a lot of thought and effort into writing-- sometimes I use a rhyming dictionary... to me, the writing is the most important part of music. I won't release a song until it's what I feel is good... like to use a lot of double entendre, not quite as topical of lyrics-- I'm really inspired by Roger Miller and Louis Jordan, as far as songwriting goes—really clever cute songs, funny-- I've always been a fan of good writing. ”  From the opening riffs of “Blind” with its Page-esque guitar sound that gives way to power chords, the song ebbs and flows in its musical journey as the backdrop for the lyrical journey of self-discovery.   Elmore is not a political person publicly, but in the straight ahead rocker “None for All” he points out the division of society, and how we seem to have lost our humanity. The first instrumental is entitled “Leviathan,” chockful of guitar wizardry and definitely hat tips to many of his influences. “Burning Bridge” gives the listener a respite, with lushly strummed chords underscored by crisp drumming and subtle bass, building into a dramatic exercise that perfectly accompanies the lyrics of regretful poignancy. But there's a rather funny story about the video, produced by Jae Worthington of Rainy Day Parade Recordings (as was the straight ahead performance video for “Fragile. ”) “I was out riding my bicycle one day at the start of summer and came across this old bridge in Garland and here I am at this old railroad bridge that was burnt up and you can't cross it... so we started incorporating this bridge. I actually wanted to set it on fire again. We were gonna get some smoke bombs and set them off to give the illusion of it being on fire but there were some pretty sketchy homeless people living out there. They were hooting and hollering like zombies, lurching around... not close to us but their clothes were hanging out there. We didn't want to be intrusive. Plus, well, zombies... ” https://youtu. be/WgjrCeXI3pA? si=XI7XQ2tKPEYz-sBQ The second instrumental, “Moonbird,” is closest to blues on this release, with its moderate pace but the guitar is simply and gorgeously luscious. “I'll Be Damned” evokes the Van Hagar-era with it's heavy boogie bottom end, squealing Van Halen-inspired riffs, breaks of hammer down/pull off, harmonics... the whole bag of tricks that he also credits Andy Timmons and Joe Satriani for influence. Closing out the CD is“Devil You Know” (my personal fave). One thing I have always been drawn to in Elmore's lyricism is how he delves into the spookier side of things, and this is my fave hands down: starting with a Alice Cooper-esque “Welcome to My Nightmare” meets Led Zeppelin's “No Quarter” intro that morphs into nuanced verses which build to the chorus and the lyrics: “I own the night, I black the skythe creature that lights the way with electric eyesBut I won't be afraidwhen the sunshine turns to shadeI'll shed my skin and start all over again. ” Jason Elmore will never fully shed his blues skin, but Rise Up Lights seems like he's starting over again in a way, with a solid and surprising hard rock release harkening back to a bye-gone era of arenas, no phones or social media posts or influencers, just good times and great music.   The CD release party for Rise Up Lights is Friday, November 17 at The Kessler Theater with J Isaiah Evans & The Boss Tweed. Tickets and Info at Prekindle www. jasonelmore. net Jason Elmore Spotify amazon youtube channel https://open. spotify. com/album/5yjAi8XZi5KpewLof5ySnO https://open. spotify. com/album/7sH6PrzkHkBxmR7oOpzoJs --- ### Zounds Sounds Celebrates 18th Anniversary with Concert at the Granada Theatre, Dallas, Tuesday, Nov 21 - Published: 2023-11-12 - Modified: 2023-11-15 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/rock-school-zounds-sounds/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By Bellicose Bullfeather For East Dallasites who may be musically-inclined, the name Zounds Sounds is likely a known entity, though its exact nature may be somewhat enigmatic. Could it be a boutique for vinyl enthusiasts, a haven for artists to record, or perhaps a music label? The answer is a resounding affirmative to all. How it all started The real genesis of Zounds Sounds School of Music, however, can be traced back to its creator, Marc Solomon. In the summer of 2004, Solomon embarked on a journey, cycling through East Dallas with a dual mission: to innovate music education within his community and to fulfill his financial obligations. His philosophy was fueled by the conviction that musical instruction should be imparted with as much passion as the enthusiasm of the learners themselves. By 2005, Zounds Sounds officially came to life. And because of its soaring success, in January 2006, the school found its first official location on Haskell Avenue. Along the way, Zounds Sounds has gathered an exceptional faculty of some of Dallas' finest musicians, including talented artists like Chris Holt, Chad Stockslager, Trey Johnson, Kinley Wolfe, and Bryan Wakeland, just to name a few. The Curnow family In the midst of hiring this incredible faculty, Zounds Sounds found an absolute game-changer: Amy Curnow. Amy, a lifelong musician from a musical family, joined the team and brought a whole new perspective. With a master's in music, she became known for helping her students find their voice, both literally and figuratively. Her passion perfectly aligned with the very foundation that Marc had built this business on.   In that wave of hiring faculty, one teacher would join Zounds Sounds that would change everything. Amy Curnow is a lifelong musician from a very musical family, with a master’s in music. She is known for helping her students find their voice, both figuratively and literally which is the very foundation that Marc had built the business on. The two started their relationship working side by side as teachers at Zounds, later forming a band called Charming Gardeners, eventually falling in love, and starting their own family. In addition to their wonderful Zounds family their relationship added a creative and warm environment that personifies the Mom and Pop shop. Many who experienced Zounds Sounds - whether teacher, student or collaborator - have said that their time there was life changing. People found their voice between those walls, they realized that their opinions mattered, they were heard and respected. It was a place where being who they wanted to be... was paramount. Many of the faculty, who admittedly did not seek out to be music teachers, found a reaffirming love of music and a remembrance of how they caught the music bug it in the first place. Ask anyone, they'll have a story. Giving Back  It was also in those first years of Zounds that Marc noticed many people were priced out of music lessons and in 2009 he spearheaded a non-profit benefiting music education called Way Into Music, a public charity dedicated to providing quality music instruction and musical instruments to students regardless of their ability to pay. The Zounds Sounds 18th anniversary concert will be held at he Granada Theatre on Greenville Ave in Dallas, Tuesday, November 21st. Doors open at 4:30 PM, show starts at 5 PM. Tickets available here through Prekindle   --- ### Dallas' Chocolit Tye - Family Reunion - Published: 2023-10-22 - Modified: 2023-11-16 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/dallas-chocolit-tye-family-reunion/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article It's about time the whole world had a family reunion. Check out Dallas soul singer Chocolit Tye on Facebook and YouTube. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=7ytuDuAA0wc --- ### The Impeccable Tone of Samantha Fish - Published: 2023-10-20 - Modified: 2023-10-20 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/the-impeccable-tone-of-samantha-fish/ - Categories: Cover Story - Entity Types: Article Interview by Andrew DalyPhotos by Ron McKeown Samantha Fish can shred when she wants; make no mistake, but it’s her slow-burning feel that makes her special. As one of the finest players within an energized blues circle, the Midwest native has firmly wrenched her grip around her share of the market through an enticing live show, sometimes sultry, but more often brazen solos, and the type of vocals that can lull you to sleep just as quickly as they'll choke the life out of you. Sounds pretty great, right? We think so. And so does Fish's growing fanbase, which is becoming stouter by the day on the backside of her latest records, Faster (2021), in which she undertook solo style, and Death Wish Blues (2023), which found Fish sharing the limelight with fellow off-the-beaten-path sometimes blues, other times outlaw country guitarist, Jesse Dayton. For Samantha Fish, a Gibson SG in hand may as well be an assault rifle; as she hisses and hums her way to infamy akin to the heroes, she's putting space between through her idiosyncratic brand of modern-day and oh-so-rocking blues. In short, one listen to cuts like "All Ice No Whiskey," "Twisted Ambition," or "Rippin' and Runnin'" tells you all you need to know—at 34 years of age and with a growing stable of gritty yet pretty records under her belt, Samantha Fish isn't going anywhere. https://open. spotify. com/track/7autbXYzSQAs0y1lQMhmnk? si=ff6d0ec860684b3d We talk about generational talents, the type who will be remembered for their exploits when they're dead and gone... Fish is one of those players. A long, dark shadow of Delta, Chicago, and any and all blues has long been cast across the modern-day landscape, but Fish, along with a few brave others, is stepping out from that shadow and now casting their own. https://open. spotify. com/track/5s0ZgnSyYuVejBMtrkDmIH? si=1e739af270734f57 While on the road doing what she does best, Samantha Fish dialed in with Buddy Magazine to dig into the recording of Death Wish Blues, her tone secrets, approach to riffs and solos, love for Gibson SGs, dialing back on the use of pedals, and more. How would you describe the evolution of your guitar playing that got you to where you are today? Over the years, you grow as a player; the more you do it, the more stage time, and the more hours you put in, things naturally progressed and changed, and I've become more melodic. When you start, you learn the scales, then your riffs, and you rely on that to get you going. I find cool melodies and make them a counterpoint to the song or a secondary hook, and I focus on that with my guitar playing. Where do you pull inspiration from as you grow as a guitarist? Samantha Fish at The Dallas International Guitar Festival, 2022. Photo by Ron McKeown. I pick it up from all over. Other guitar players are always very inspiring; it's cool to go and listen to an old recording and try to figure out the synth or horn parts; it just gives you a different perspective on the music. Learning everything, the ins, and outs of what makes a song, and trying to figure out how to play it on guitar. That adds this other dynamic to your playing that is important. It makes you a well-rounded player and gives you new rhythm ideas. What's your process of putting together a riff? My phone is just full of recordings. It often starts with me singing something into my phone, and I'll come back to it later and think, "Okay, is that the vocal hook? Is this a guitar hook? " You can diagnose it, see where it fits into a song, and see what you can build around it. I like to focus on making it singable; I'll use "Deathwish" as an example song I wrote with Jesse. There's a hook on the guitar that is the recurring melodic theme throughout, and if it's singable, people can get into it along with a repeated phrase in a song to make it catchy. If I'm going for a more intricate sound, I try to make sure it's gutsy, something a little different. You have to try and figure out a way to make something unique to you. Do you approach solos the same way? Solos I like to approach with consideration for the song I'm playing, "Are there any themes that you can quote or chase? Maybe the keyboard is playing this cool part and something you can make a counterpart off of. " I liked doing stuff like that, creating these countermelodies that become their hooks as strong as the leading hook in the song. Do whatever you can to make the song more infectious and stick with people. There's a time and a place for flashy, over-the-top guitar playing that people enjoy. I love doing that, and you, I like hearing it. But the most important thing is finding something that makes the solo memorable. What's the recipe for your impeccable tone? I used one amp for the entire record, and I like to go for smaller amps. We often fly into these studios and only have a portion of our arsenal of guitars and amps. That's just how I record: get to the destination with just the tools in the studio. A lot of times a studio will have a killer Fender Deluxe and that works for me, you just crank it up, put a mic on it, and we're set. With Death Wish Blues, it was a little tricky because we're both guitar players, and we wanted to figure out a way to stand out from one another sonically but still be just as present and in-your-face. https://open. spotify. com/album/1V6NLZLBvncmstnaziEQ4C And how do you do that when you're competing within a smaller sonic zone? That's where John Spencer came in because he's been doing that with the blues explosion for years, figuring out how to have two guitar players that complement each other and stand out and they're both just as exciting. We experimented with mixing solid state with tubes on songs; we just went and found different textures. The studio we worked at in Woodstock for Death Wish Blues had this room full of beautiful old amps; I'm talking old-school Fenders, Supros, and Airlines. I think I did a lot of the recording through a deconstructed PA speaker that was sitting on the ground. It was from Woodstock Elementary School, and I got a lot of cool rhythm parts playing through that thing. Just going in there and experimenting, turning knobs, seeing what happens, you can come up with cool tones that way. How do you intermingle your two very different styles from different yet familiar places? Jesse is rooted in this outlaw country world; he has all that chicken-pickin' shit down for days with a real aggressive style. His rhythm is incredible, and the tone that he gets out of that King guitar is so ballsy, and along with his voice, he's just an incredible artist. I love playing with Jesse; the challenge was that I come from the blues world, so we're comparing apples to apples rather than apples to oranges, like Granny Smith to a Pink Lady. Blues and country are closely related in the music world, but we talk about it like we're from different planets. So, he does it his way, you do it yours, and you meet in the middle, then? He does it in his way when he plays a lick, and when I play a lick, I do it in mine. We're two players who chose different backgrounds and shared this love for rock and roll. We were in a honeymoon phase when we first got into the studio. We were tiptoeing around each other, trying to be as respectful and careful as possible because we didn't want to step on each other. Now that we've been playing together for about a year, it's like, whatever, do your thing. In the studio, John was very encouraging and helped us find the way forward because, to be honest, we probably would have been a lot shyer since it was such a new thing, and wanting to let the other shine, we might not have been as out there as we were on the record. Jesse is from an area of Texas that borders Louisiana, which you can hear in his playing. With you being from Midwestern Missouri, do you feel what you were exposed to bleeds into your playing, too? Totally. We are all just a product of our own experiences, and I came up in Kansas City at a perfect time when the scene was pretty hot. Like anything, the scene ebbs, and flows, but many young adults were doing well in Kansas City then, and there was room for me as a young player to come in. People were very accommodating and welcoming. They encouraged me to do shows, perform, and play. And I got to spend a great deal of time on stage. You can't help but soak up your surroundings in that situation. Kansas City shaped me as a player. My musical tastes, exploration, my love for different styles of music, and colors my playing in another way. I moved to Louisiana about six years ago, and sure enough, that's seeped in some ways; you can't help but soak up the surroundings. You and Jesse switched between lead and rhythm, something many artists struggle with. Which role are you more comfortable with? I've never really thought about that; it just feels natural. I've only ever played as a single guitar player in my band, so I've always played rhythm and lead simultaneously. Only now that I'm working with Jesse, I shift gears slightly. We're constantly filling in little things, playing like little riffs here and there, so neither of us abdicates. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=kdHJmnd338o Either of us will do the entire rhythm or the entire lead, and we're just both figuring out our parts and getting what feels right and fits in. While I'm singing, I will lean heavier on the rhythm while Jesse will fill in these little riffs. When Jesse's singing and playing rhythm and I'm filling in, I'm just looking for the holes between his phrasing and what will support the story in the song and the lyrics, what will help us build to the dynamic, the apex of the song. Jesse mainly uses his hollow-bodied King guitar, and you mostly use your Gibson SG. What about that guitar made it the right choice? I didn't know if it would be the right guitar in that setting. It's just the guitar that I'm most comfortable with. It suits my hands best and what I think to be more versatile. It's a great guitar, becoming my signature guitar that I play everywhere. Jesse brought his signature thing, and I brought mine, and it was like, "Well, let's see if this works. " Can you remember your first SG? I've only ever bought one, and I bought it in about 2015. It was the first time I'd ever bought a guitar online. I knew it was a great guitar because I pulled it out of the box at a gig that they shipped it to, and I plugged it in, tuned it up, played it, and it was perfectly fine. For any other guitar, I would have had to get it set up and fine-tune it, but this thing is a workhorse. I could throw it across the stage, then pick it up, put it on, and play it. There's a lot to think about on stage: the pedals, tables, microphones, there's no room for fussing with the guitar. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=fv-_az5nArc Are there any pedals that you lean on heavily when shaping your tone, or are you mostly guitar-to-amp? For rhythm, I like going guitar to the amp for a clean, true tone with minimal reverb, just something with a bit of sustain. When I do lead, I can play and do some crazy stuff. I have entirely too many pedals on my board right now, but one of my favorites is King of Tone by Analogman; it's a significant gain boost that sounds like a warmed-up tube amp; it doesn't have distortion or compression on it, and it sounds like my sound but louder and more kick-ass. I like playing with my delay and the octave pedals; it's always a crazy tone. I've got an EHX Micro Pog that always seems to be a crowd-pleaser because it sounds so weird. Early in my career, I would lean on pedals for the wrong reasons to get the tone I needed, but now I use them more for fun. If I was at a gig, I could unplug the pedal board if I was having problems with it; we could do the whole gig without it. Effects are just color and shaping. Which song on Death Wish Blues best represents you as the player you are today? We tried to make the album as even as possible. Naturally, when I sing a song, it would make sense for Jesse to play the lead and vice versa. I'm currently out on a solo tour and not playing anything off Death Wish Blues because it's our record. It's about this combination and collaboration that we had. If there was a song, I felt people could recognize and go, "Oh, that's Samantha," it would be "Rippin' and Runnin'" because it features my cigar box guitar. Jesse has a fantastic lead on it, and I support him with the cigar box guitar, but it's the tone people are familiar with when they hear me. "No Apologies" was a good singing highlight for me, with Jesse playing fill-in on the lead. It's a soul ballad that will fit into my catalog well down the line. I'd also say, "Settle for Less" is recognizable as "Samantha. " Photo by Ron McKeown, Copyright 2021 You're on tour now and have this record out; what's next for you? A follow-up solo album is needed. I'm out on a solo tour right now, and we're revisiting songs from my past catalog and reconnecting with them. Playing these old songs has been fun, but I'm ready to write something new. It's almost time for me to go into a record because I'm starting to get bored. We're coming up with new ways to play, which keeps things exciting, but I like recording new music and figuring out how to make it work on stage. That's an exhilarating challenge, putting ideas together and trying to make them work. --- --- ### Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #2 August 1973 Full Issue - Published: 2023-10-13 - Modified: 2023-12-26 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-magazine-vol-1-2-august-1973-full-issue/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Click here to download a full copy of the August 1973 issue, with interviews and articles on Michael Murphy, Lightning hopkins, Bob Dylan, Glen Campbell, Grand Funk Railroad, Rare Earth, and more. --- ### Roberta Lea's crowdfunded "Too Much of a Woman" yields a quintessential Millennial album - Published: 2023-10-10 - Modified: 2023-10-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/features/roberta-lea-too-much-of-a-woman/ - Categories: Features - Entity Types: Article By Ian Saint Country-neo-soul artist Roberta Lea has had a banner year; but her remarkable ascent belies how its foundation was laid by grassroots cultivation, and elevated by leaps of faith. An early member of the Black Opry — a collective of Black country, Americana, and folk artists founded by Holly G. in Virginia — Lea made her national TV debut in the summer of 2022, appearing on the “Kelly Clarkson Show” with Holly and fellow musician Jett Holden. https://youtu. be/kS2zxuLOwdg When I interviewed Roberta for Ohio PBS affiliate WOUB Public Media in the subsequent October, she was celebrating the surprising success of her Kickstarter fundraising campaign to record her debut LP. Setting an ambitious goal of $18,000 in four weeks, it appeared that she would fall short of meeting her goal before the deadline. A crucial intervention by Allison Russell led to surprise support from Brandi Carlile and her “Bramily” fanbase, which culminated in Lea managing to eclipse her goal by over 20%. A key source of confidence for launching her Kickstarter album campaign had been the recent premiere of Roberta’s “Ghetto Country Streets” music video on CMT, which was sparked by another self-initiated gamble. Roberta had reached out directly to Leslie Fram, the Paramount executive in charge of CMT’s music strategy; a bold move that resulted in not only getting her music aired on country’s premier music video channel – but also led to Roberta being inducted to CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2023 in January. CMT’s venerated, decade-long Next Women of Country program counts Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley McBryde, and Lainey Wilson as alumni. Emboldened by the honors and avalanche of backers — her Kickstarter campaign totaled over 300 contributions — Roberta Lea set to work on Too Much of a Woman; and just days shy of one year since surpassing her goal, her debut LP has been released. The explosive title track features all-female instrumental backing, including Texas’s Jackie Venson on lead guitar. Roberta’s team offered Buddy Magazine a sneak peek at Too Much of a Woman, which yielded a fascinating smorgasbord of sonic styles peppering its country palette. Shortly after returning from Americanafest in Nashville — where Roberta got to meet her late-stage Kickstarter resuscitator, Brandi Carlile, in real life — we had an in-depth chat about Too Much of a Woman and the codas of milestones she’d highlighted to me last October. Our conversation revealed that although Too Much of a Woman is a deeply personal reflection from Roberta, the album will resonate with folks from all walks of life — especially the millennial generation that Roberta and I both hail from. Its brisk, but hard-won, germination is also filled with takeaways for other independent artists. This revelatory interview can be streamed on-demand in the YouTube widget at the top of this article; and an abbreviated transcript is below. IAN: Welcome, Roberta Lea! Thank you for speaking with Buddy Magazine in Texas. We are hitting the one-year anniversary of when I spoke with you for WOUB PBS in Ohio — you had a bunch of milestones at that time, and I think that was the first interview you had done since hitting your Kickstarter album goal. Let's start out with the new record, which is Too Much of a Woman, coming out September 29th. This is your first full-length release, and there are a lot of key players on that — including Jackie Venson from Texas, my buddy! Can you talk about who's playing on the record? ROBERTA: This record was very special in many ways, because of who's playing on the record. I had the opportunity to include both national and local musicians; so it was a great way for me to get to establish myself — both my local scene , and the national scene. I thought that was very important. It was a little tempting — you know, some folks were like, “oh you should go to Nashville and record your album” or “you should go to New York and record your album” — but it was very important for me to tap into the talent that was here locally, in Virginia, to give us an opportunity to continue to shine like we always do. On the , “Too Much of a Woman,” we have — of course — Jackie Venson, based out of Austin, Texas . We have Megan Jane and Ellen Angelico, who are based in Nashville; and Vanessa McGowan, who is the bassist for Brandy Clark.   Then for the rest of the record, I'm the executive producer. I wrote all the songs myself; and I have a range of musicians who teamed up with me, some of them being members of my band — shout-out to Dion Langley, Bernard Eze on keys, Talton Manning on saxophone, Antione Wesson on guitar.   Then I had the opportunity to work with amazing, incredible co-producers, such as my friend Calvin Merazh — who I co-produced “Girl Trip” with — and Larry Berwald, who was an essential part to coaching me through recording my very first album. IAN: Awesome! Can you talk about how you came across Jackie Venson, and how that came to be? With us being a Texas outlet, of course, we're very proud of Jackie and we're slightly biased towards her. ROBERTA: Well, I'm right there with you, Texas! I'm a huge fangirl of Jack Venson; she's one of the few artists that I kind of gag over a little bit — her and Brandi Carlile kind of have that that thing over me. So with Jackie Venson, I was following her; and we were friends on Twitter for a little while. I became friends with Vanessa McGowan through different circumstances — we're mutual friends with our friend Cassie — and when I put out to Vanessa the idea of doing an all-women line-up , I also reached out to Jackie social media. Jackie Venson heard the demo; I had 100% her blessing, and she was ready to rock! So it was pretty easy to get that going. IAN: Yeah! You know, something that I thought was a real key passage of the interview we did with WOUB PBS last year was you talking about launching your music career in your mid-30s, being married, being a mother — and the effect that that's had on your artistry. I see a little bit of a similar parallel with Jackie Venson, because — contrary to what one might think, upon initially seeing her — she didn't start playing guitar until she was 21, and she was late in her time at Berklee College of Music. Did you guys get to talk about that about sort of finding your groove later on than people might think? ROBERTA: Maybe not specifically that ; but we've had lots of times where we've talked together our journeys in general — our similarities of being women in the music industry, the complications of being an artist and trying to make it. She's been very encouraging on my journey; very inspiring, and just very down to Earth. Our conversations have ranged to all sorts of things that we've experienced. You know, I'm just very grateful to have a reference like Jackie Venson to point to, and to have on my team — even if it's for one song, it's very encouraging to have such a powerhouse like that on this album. https://youtu. be/5OPhMb9oX90? si=Vdo4g8A79w-9JeXG IAN: It's interesting to hear the range of styles throughout the record. I'm glad you brought up regionality, because I am somebody who’s split between Ohio and Texas — that's a really huge swath of the country, going back and forth between Cleveland and Dallas, which are 1,200 miles apart. You know, I see how many regions have bustling scenes, that get a little bit ignored in mainstream media, because of all the consolidation of outlets in general — and increasingly on the coasts. I love New York and LA; but there are a lot of nuances that are going to be missed, when it's such a great big and your opportunities to spend time in are limited. So you hail from Hampton Roads, Virginia, which you've noted is home to artists such as Pharrell, Missy Elliot, and Timbaland. Can you talk about that? Obviously, we perceive you as a country artist — you know, with your affiliation with CMT Next Women of Country and so forth — but I do hear other styles in there, and I'm wondering how much of that is driven by your origins? ROBERTA: Absolutely. I'm definitely proudly from Virginia. I love Virginia's history, its geography, its complexity when it comes to its place in US history — and that complexity, I feel, is what's influenced the arts that have come from here. Because you look at artists and producers like Missy, Timbaland, and Pharrell; and you kind of start strolling back to not only them, but you had the Dave Matthews Band, you had Pat Benatar out of Richmond, you had Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline... You look at that range of artistry that's come out of this area, and it's easy to tell that we have a buffet of influences — because geographically, we're really very Central in the States. Bristol is where we border Tennessee, right, so you have that influence of country music... but then Virginia is where you start to enter into the north. Obviously, the military is here. So we get people from all over the world coming to this area, and that diversity naturally influences the type of music that we produce out of here. I'm a product of my generation — I'm a Millennial — and here in Virginia, I've gotten a slew of influences, and they express that range album. There are songs that are very traditionally country; and then there are songs that are country-pop, and there other songs that are country-jazz... there's all sorts of things kind of happening, and I just like having fun with that. https://open. spotify. com/album/2KvtXHgs5JrpEeA5j3Ycq6? si=eLX9Qi_HTCSF45PL2sWEHQ IAN: You brought up a great point about Virginia and the complicated history. You were a public school teacher. We are going through such a time, right now, when it comes to public education... and it seems Virginia has been an eye of the storm, as far as what can be taught in public education being such a flash point in elections — in the last gubernatorial election, that was a big hot-button issue. As you were talking about that complicated history, I was thinking about how Monticello is in Virginia. Thomas Jefferson's estate is what we perceive as a big origin of the ; but, of course, Monticello was a big hub for enslavement of people — and we’re increasingly aware of how many descendants of Thomas Jefferson hadn't been acknowledged in the past. Then likewise, Charlottesville in recent history, is in Virginia. made me just jump down a rabbit hole of “wow, Virginia's a little bit of a bellwether,” as far as what we're grappling with in this country. with you being a Black woman in country music; where, unfortunately, there has been a real problem with a lack of diversity in country radio. having that public school teacher background — when public education is such a flash point in discourse — factor into your artistry? ROBERTA: They call country music “three chords and the truth,” right? When you have a certain demographic that dominates this “three chords and the truth” conversation — where they kind of tend to have the same experiences — they have the same truths. So when you have diversity in this genre — when you have women, people of color, LGBTQ, and the list goes on — you're going to start having more truths, that don't necessarily reflect the truth that that genre was portraying for as long as we’ve known, right? Those truths start to look a little different. So that's why, here in Virginia — like you said — it's a complexity. I remember a friend of mine described Virginia as a “purple state,” because you have red states and blue states, and Virginia again has historical complexity. We've had Democrat Governor, then Republican Governor, then ; you have somewhere like Charlottesville, but then you go to Northern Virginia and it’s very liberal. So it is complex that way; and my responsibility... you know, I look at being a songwriter — I look at doing music — as a service, and so my responsibility as a songwriter in this service is to share the side of the truth that deserves to be highlighted as well. That's my job. https://youtu. be/L-Wf-BpqP8A? si=8FKAywa_casoCG1TRoberta Lea live at Joe's Pub NYC IAN: Wow, it's interesting how certain epiphanies kind of emerge in the course of conversation — because wow, the parallels the discourse of what's happening in the country music industry, and the discourse of Virginia and the implications that's having nationally is quite striking. So, um, I'm just going to have to stew on that some more. I wanted to talk about a few key tracks on this record. First of all, I loved the spoken word that threads throughout . It reminded me a little bit of Janet Jackson and interludes. Are you are you a fan of Janet? ROBERTA: Absolutely! IAN: So you know what I'm talking about; you know Rhythm Nation, Velvet Rope, etc. had the the interludes. Now, she created separate tracks for those; and you didn't do that... but can you talk about your decision to weave that in? There are concept albums with a real explicit storyline — I think of, you know, Pink Floyd's The Wall — and then there are concept albums that have a bit looser of threading.   Do you have a specific plot of beginning, middle, and end; or is it more of an overarching theme? ROBERTA: This album is definitely a story. the teacher in me, that has to walk people through this lesson and give some hints of explanation. I didn't want to do too much; I wasn't sure how to go about not taking away from the album — because I wanted the songs to speak for themselves — and so those threads, as you call them, are just enough to kind of weave you through. What I've noticed from those who have heard the album, draws a connection to our character in the album. There is a concept; there is a story that's going on. We meet our protagonist at the beginning of the album, and you hear two songs — “Somewhere in the Tide” and “Girl Trip” — where she is on her little high horse, she's bright and starry-eyed, and she has a whole world of her. She's a legend in her mind; she can take on the world. But then once we get to “Too Much of a Woman,” she gets introduced to the antagonist; and I feel like it's intended to reflect how, for me as a young girl — I was raised by my mom, and I had two big sisters — there wasn't anything I couldn't do right. And at some point in my life, there was this moment where I met the antagonist of — whether it be misogyny or patriarchy, or one of those energies that you can't quite put your finger on — but it happens, and next thing you know, you are second-guessing yourself. And so we see her wrestle with that villain, so to speak, between “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” — when it comes to daddy issues — or “Make Up Your Mind,” a song some silly boyfriend who can't stay faithful or doesn't know what to do. We get this vision of the antagonist, and what it means to wrestle with that as a young woman: when you're confident in yourself, but suddenly now you’re second-guessing because of how you're getting treated or things that happened. We get to “Midnight Matinee,” is all about her trusting her intuition, and making decisions in her life for herself — instead of for other people. Then we start to see the fruits of her internal work when we get to “Stronger This Time,” and she's practicing healthy coping mechanisms. We see her enjoy “Dinner, Sunset, Nina Simone” with her family and someone who does love her.   And at the end, we see her kind of coming to herself — where it's like “yes, I admit that I'm confident in my strength; but I'm also confident in my weakness. I'm confident in asking you for help. I'm confident in receiving that help from you, and that doesn't make me less than just because of that. ” So, yeah, there's definitely a story to the entire album; instead of a collective of songs that just so happen to fit together. IAN: I love that! You know, you’d mentioned being a Millennial, which is the same generation for me... and I’m thinking about all the paradigm shifts that have transpired, from growing up in the ‘90s – which I think were a very optimistic time — and 9/11 happening, and then these wars being launched... I've spoken about this with Shirley Manson of Garbage, they were really forward in in the artistry of the ‘90s; and then 9/11 happened, and the climate of the country changed so drastically — that would have been sort of at the beginning of our adolescence. Then you had the emergence of social media, and the ways that would mess with our heads. The effect that has on self-esteem, those conversations are happening now; but I feel like we were sort of the guinea pigs in that. Then coming of age when President Obama was elected, and then of course that was followed by Trump; and then the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement... I guess where I'm going with that is, it's interesting to see your protagonist’s journey — and sort of the broader implications for a whole generation... as far as tapping into that youthful optimism, and perception of what we thought possible — and seeing a lot of accomplishments transpire in that time, but also crushing disappointments, and having to sort of reckon with a different reality than what we had . Do you think that there is, sort of, a broader Millennial ? Maybe not just Millennial — I can only speak from my own lens of that generation. I don't want to overlook the specific nuances for women in particular; but what you described, I saw so much . I might be the same generation; but me being a man, me being a different race, coming from a different part of the country... so much of what you were speaking to was like, “Wow, this makes me want to look back on my own life journey, in the society I was reared in, and where I'm at today. ” ROBERTA: Yeah! Yeah, absolutely. I think that's what's so powerful about telling our stories: we don't know how someone else who has a completely different walk of life from us actually relate to it. I said that the other day, “we all have so much more in common than we give ourselves credit for. ” But yeah, our generation — Millennials — we are the generation that has been pushing through those walls and ceilings, to break what's felt like a curse over our nation... you know, being overworked and underpaid, and “going, going, going” — and we're like “No, stop! We *do* need therapy, yeah, we're going to therapy! ” We are the therapy generation. We are like, “we are finding peace, we are healing, we're going to therapy, we're going to do the work. ” In this record, Too Much of a Woman, obviously I'm speaking from the perspective of my  experience as a woman; but, in general, this reflects a lot of people's sentiment. And it really warms my heart, how many men love the album! How many men love the singles, “Too Much of a Woman” and especially “Girl Trip. ” It tickles my soul so much, how many times I performed “Girl Trip,” and afterwards the dudes walk out and they’re singing “GIRRRRL TRIIIIIP” — they are just all over it! And that's the point! You know, I've listened to lots of songs that were from somebody else's completely different perspective of something that I've never lived... and I'm like, “a good song is a good song! And if it's good, I'm going to sing it! ” A prime example is Dolly Parton's “Dumb Blonde” — she sings that song, and she jokes she's not even blonde. But I hear a song like that, and I can find in my personal life where somebody wanted to discredit me, or treat me less than because of a certain feature that I had, or because I was a woman, etc. So we get to listen to music, we get to experience art, and that's what's powerful about art: is that we get to experience it, it goes through our brain, and we get to calculate in a way that makes sense to us personally. Even if it was from the perspective of somebody else, we get to interpret it in a way that helps us. That's what's so powerful about creating art, is that it's going to speak to people — no matter what — when it's good. IAN: Something I love about this record is the breadth of life goals that are reflected in it. I think you and I are both people who would like to see change and transformation in this society... but at the same time, I'm thinking of us on the “Girl Trip. ” Something that some of us can grapple with is feeling we're not doing enough, and not being effective enough. There's a song like “Girl Trip,” which is about letting loose; and and one could argue “okay, that's time that could be spent trying to affect more change” — but I feel like, in order to charge your batteries, you need escapes! ROBERTA: Yeah! The only way you can pour out is if you pour in. You can't give from an empty cup, you know! That's what the entire record is, this “two sides of the same coin” type of thing: where you have a song like “Girl Trip,” which is about going out with your friends — wilding out and misbehaving — and that is juxtaposed on the same record as “Dinner, Sunset, Nina Simone,” where it is about staying at home, fixing dinner for you and your family, and enjoying a glass of wine on the couch. Both of those things can be true! You also have “Too Much of a Woman,” where she is “girl power! ” and “boss babe! ” —  she gets to the boardrooms, and she's making those changes, and she's making impact in the world — and that is on the same record as “So Much More,” where she tells her loved ones and the people in her community that she needs them, and she can't do the things she needs to do without their love and support. So all of those things are true. All of those things can live simultaneously with each other. a generation who believes that, and walks that out. IAN: Yes! As you were saying that, I was thinking about that sociology side again. In the 2000s — you know, I can only reflect on my own the myopia of my own experience — I feel like the paradigm of the time was “hyper-independence. ” Now, I think there's some reckoning with that; you know, “okay, maybe that's a sign of trauma — maybe some of that hyper-independence is driven by disappointment, and abandonment. ” ROBERTA: Yeah, absolutely. IAN: My favorite of the spoken word passages was when you did acknowledge, “I *am* too much of a woman,” and you have accepted that. I thought “gosh, this is so striking because the title track for Too Much of a Woman at the beginning of the record is where you're getting very defensive of that notion. ”  Did you write the song “Too Much of a Woman” before your decision to have that reckoning spoken on the album? ROBERTA: Yes. I wrote “Too Much of a Woman” in the beginning of 2022. So in January, February 2022 I decided to release it as an acoustic single first — because I was still just picking up momentum, and still building. I got great responses from that; and when I was encouraged to do an album, I decided to build around that theme, and create the concept based off of “Too Much of a Woman. ”  So it was a nice arc in this story; the creation of the album is based off a song that's a little defensive, but then the conclusion to the record is “I'm coming to be okay with that. ” IAN: And at what point did you come to that conclusion? ROBERTA: Let's see, um, when did I write “So Much More”? That's a great question; but “So Much More” was definitely the tail end of the process, perhaps earlier this year — just coming out of being okay, and being secure in that space. IAN: And that's why I wanted to ask: because looking at your trajectory while making the record, I was wondering how much that trajectory paralleled — or even factored into — the storyline, and what wound up taking hold. ROBERTA: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Just experiencing life influences the trajectory of a record — which I think speaks to the integrity of the art. Art reflects life; life reflects art. IAN: Absolutely. Well, it's been wonderful, Roberta, to talk about this groundbreaking new album with you. Congratulations on seeing it come to the light of day, and the impact it's making across the country — I know Texas is not exactly next door to where you are. I just want to wrap it up with milestones that you had attained when we spoke just under a year ago, and where they're at today — because I think you as an independent artist, they're really remarkable. The first being the Kickstarter campaign... you had exceeded your goal when we had last spoken; now the album is recorded. Can you reflect on that Kickstarter experience, now that it's in the rearview mirror? Was enough for your album? Were there things that you hadn't foreseen? What takeaways do you have for those who might want to pursue a similar path? ROBERTA: That Kickstarter was crucial to me, because it really helps me to relax a little bit when it comes to releasing this album... because it's like, I know at the end of the day I have 316 people who are ready for this record — instead of releasing it to the endless abyss of streaming, and crossing your fingers, and hoping that it gets to to the right ears. You know, that there are people to back it up and support it. After we reached our goal, folks were really excited; and they were like, “well, you need visuals, you need a music video, so let's get more money so you can do that” — and we were able to create “Too Much of a Woman”'s music video. challenges that came up; there were a couple of songs where I’d completed the demo and got the band in there, and then I had to take a step back and I'm like “man, no, no, you got to scratch it and start over from the beginning. ” So there were some small step-backs here and there; but overall, it was a process that I definitely learned from, and that $22,000 was still completely mind-blowing — that we raised that much money, and that we were able to get it done. IAN: I was very struck by “Make Up Your Mind” because it reminded me a little bit of heavy metal, ‘80s specifically. Is a strong influence on you? ROBERTA: Yeah. I think “Make Up Your Mind” is Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” meets Michael Jackson. That is actually the oldest song on the record; I've been working on that song for five years, I think. IAN: Oh, wow! You mentioned Michael Jackson; I can hear sort of a “Dirty Diana” type approach to that song, and similarly with Janet — we had mentioned her earlier — I'm like, “okay, this is sort of evocative of when you reach ‘Black Cat’ on the Rhythm Nation album. ” The track before that is “Escapade,” which is very sunny with the finger snaps and all all that; then all of a sudden she lets loose with “Black Cat” — and nobody had heard her like that before. So I didn’t know that you’re a heavy metal fan! ROBERTA: Yeah, you know, that’s rock and roll. The guitar is shredding! I was having a lot of fun, shredding at the end of that record; and there's this fun escalation, musically, in that song. There are a handful of songs that speak to the range of influences; where it's like, you probably can't even really pinpoint exactly what kind of genre it is — I feel like “Make Up Your Mind” is one of them. Is it pop? You got the acoustic going on at the beginning; so you got some Americana in there, but then it goes straight to rock and roll. IAN: I had to play again, because I’m like, “did it bleed into a new track? ” ROBERTA: Yeah! I would say “Dinner, Sunset, Nina Simone” is another track that has a fun weave of influence, where the fiddle is doing its own thing — it's nothing like you've heard on a country record before. Then you have songs that are very traditional, and they perfectly ride the lane — “Small Town Boy” just fits right in that country song lane. Then you have songs that are stripped back — “Somewhere in the Tide,” “Midnight Matinee,” “So Much More,” they're so stripped back as far as production is concerned; they kind of just elevate on their own. IAN: Brandi Carlile. You had spoken to me last year about how . Just the other day, I saw you in Nashville for Americanafest — which Buddy Magazine is covering as well — and you got to meet her in real life! What was that like? ROBERTA: That was a dream come true! I knew it would happen eventually; but, I mean, Brandi Carlile is just... she is definitely a top tier artist in this generation right now, and definitely an inspiration as far as how she's gone about going at it for over 20 years before really hitting mainstream — and she's created a strong fanbase that supports her, and now she's on tour with Pink! So being able to meet her, admiring her as a songwriter and artist — what she's doing to help other artists, both young and old — like, who wouldn't want to be like her? I'm not exactly sure who would say “no” to that. So it was a full-circle moment, especially, to meet her almost exactly a year later from the Kickstarter. I couldn’t ask for a better full circle. IAN: Well, another full circle — that was on an even quicker timeline — was with CMT. When I had spoken to you, it was just weeks after they premiered your “Ghetto Country Streets” music video. Then in January, something I was proud to be part of — and we covered for WOUB NPR — was your induction to the CMT next women of country program, where the MC was none other than Rissi Palmer, who was a foundation for you in this music journey. Can you talk about CMT Next Women of Country, and what that's done for your career — and perhaps broader artistry? ROBERTA: Absolutely. I mean, the franchise of CMT's Next Women of Country is another cornerstone, and foundational for me as an artist. I mean, it is very relieving to be a part of communities that support artists like me — where we just need a little boost, we just need a little bit of support. And it kind of goes to show — between “Color Me Country,” Black Opry, CMT, and also this year becoming a member of the Recording Academy — there seems to be a nice progress of leveling up, so to speak, in my journey as an independent artist. It's just one small step at a time; and they get bigger and even more impactful. I'm just absolutely grateful for Leslie Fram. She is very inviting, and very approachable... it just kind of reflects what happens when women get in the game, and we create a community in which there's enough room for everyone to eat, and we all support one another. That's just your prime example. https://youtu. be/ijYzDmzCTMM? si=j990l4g1J2jqP5vl IAN: Yeah, and I always think what the music business could be like if Leslie Fram was your typical music executive — so I’m with you there. Then the last thing — and this is something that I think sort of parallels themes of the record — that we had spoken about was with Black Opry. You're now going into Year 3 with them. And the story of Black Opry and Holly, the founder, her journey... you know, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the barriers of the times, as far as the widening income inequality, consolidation of companies, rising cost of living — existing — let alone putting on shows, and things of that sort. But her very grassroots rise — and you were an early part of that — I think is a very needed and timely source of inspiration for folks trying to make their way in this precarious era. We were talking about our generation’s adolescence being by hyper-independence; and I think we're going through a process now of realizing that we do need to depend on others. So I think that is a great way to conclude our in-depth conversation about this phenomenal record — is Year 3 of the Black Opry, and what you've learned in that journey. ROBERTA: The Black Opry is another space, another community, that has been foundational to me — and that has given me space to grow, and become who I am as an artist. Approaching Year 3 with them? They have provided a space and opportunities to be on some stages I could have never imagined, and that a lot of people dream of! For example, we did Newport Folk Festival this summer, and that is huge! I mean, absolutely incredible to have had that opportunity. So the Black Opry continues; Holly continues to do the footwork to be able to provide a platform for artists who deserve a chance. So I'm looking forward to continuing to build on that, continuing to expand on that; and hopefully being a resource for somebody else when I get to a point where I could reach back and help someone else. IAN: Wonderful! Congratulations on everything that you have accomplished in the last year, and the growth you've had as a person. It’s very interesting to mirror how the progression of that record has been woven with your progression as a person and an artist — and I think a lot of people, from all walks of life, will find a lot to enjoy and grow from in listening to this record. And you will be forever enshrined as my very first interview for Buddy Magazine in Texas! Thank you for your time; and thank you for you kicking off my new journey in that regard, as well. Hopefully we'll see you in the Lone Star State at some point. ROBERTA: I can't wait! 2022 was my first time visiting Texas; there was Houston and San Antonio, and then Austin for CMT Music Awards. So I love Texas; it's very big, and I have a lot of fans there. They're like “when are you coming? ” and then I'll tell them “hey, I'm coming to Houston! ” And they're like “oh, it's five hours away. ” So I have to get directionally more acquainted with Texas, and hopefully I'll be able to do a few more shows there. IAN: Have you done Dallas / Fort Worth, yet?   ROBERTA: Not yet! IAN: Well, we're going to use this interview to build up further interest in that — because you definitely have to come! And you are correct: for Dallas to Los Angeles, El Paso is about the halfway point; so, yeah, there's a lot of terrain to cover. Thanks, again, Roberta; we wish you all the luck in this record launch, and hopefully we'll see you in Dallas / Fort Worth sometime soon. ROBERTA: Absolutely! Thank you, again, Ian. Roberta Lea’s debut LP, Too Much of a Woman, was independently released on Friday, September 29. It is available for streaming on all major platforms. Physical albums can be purchased on Roberta’s official website — which also includes upcoming tour dates — at iamrobertalea. com. --- ### Buddy Magazine Vol. 1 #1 July 1973 Seals and Crofts - Published: 2023-09-27 - Modified: 2023-09-27 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/buddy-magazine-vol-1-1-july-1973-seals-and-crofts/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Download a full copy here. Copyright 1973-2023 Buddy Magazine --- ### Power Trip & Fugitive's Blake Ibanez: Texas Thrash Master - Published: 2023-09-13 - Modified: 2024-03-09 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/cover-story/power-trip-fugitive-blake-ibanez/ - Categories: Cover Story, Features - Entity Types: Article Digital Edition Cover Story, October 2023Interview by Andrew DalyPhotos by Travis Clark for Buddy Magazine Through shredding solos, chugging riffs, and punk-meets-metal aesthetic and sound, shuttering Dallas headbangers Power Trip changed the game through the release of modern-day classic albums Manifest Decimation (2013) and Nightmare Logic (2017). At the heart of things - and what made the Grammy-nominated Power Trip tick - was the vocalist/guitarist duo Riley Gale and Blake Ibanez. Sadly, while on tour in support of Nightmare Logic, Gale died of an accidental overdose, leaving his band members, which also included drummer Chris Ulsh, guitarist Nick Stewart, and bassist Chris Whetzel, to pick up the pieces. Though Power Trip never disbanded, they've remained inactive in the three-and-a-half years since, leaving fans wondering what might happen next. To that end, guitarist Blake Ibanez tells Buddy, "For Power Trip to reform without Riley, it would take the right person being brought into the fold to make Power Trip something new. But not too new because we've got a lot of pride. We wouldn't do anything that was inauthentic or cheap just to get back out there. I don't think we would ever do that. " Blake Ibanez, at The Warehuse Live, Houston, Texas, August 2023. Photo by Travis Clark for Buddy Magazine. He continues, "The time could come, but for now, I'm not sure. I'd love for that music to see the light of day again, and it would be awesome to play the songs again because Power Trip has a place in a lot of people's hearts. So, I'm optimistic that one day it'll happen, but I don't know when that will be. For now, I'm happy with what we were able to do, and that's never going to change because the songs and the fans still exist even though Riley is gone. " https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=yPRBpKybx_U Power Trip aside, Ibanez has stayed busy with his new band Fugitive, which includes Victor Gutierrez of Impalers, Seth Gilmore of Skourge, Lincoln Mullins of Creeping Death, and Andy Messer of Stymie. Indeed, Ibanez continues to write riffs and shred his way across songs that make one's ears joyously bleed and ring for days. Not that any of that is a bad thing—especially if you're the metal-loving sort. While the future of Power Trip is murky, it's eternally bright for Ibanez, with songs, solos, and more awaiting. And to be sure, fans, both new and old, are prepared to take the ride, be it through Power Trip, Fugitive, or a band yet known. What inspired you to pick up the guitar? I get asked that question a lot when I do interviews like this, but I don't know exactly what it was. It's probably not the coolest answer, but probably Jimi Hendrix. My dad is almost 70, so he grew up with stuff like The Beatles, The Who, Hendrix, and Neil Young. So, aside from Hendrix, I'd definitely say Pete Townsend. When I was a kid, my dad would show me videos of them smashing guitars and lighting them on fire, and it was just so exciting to see. I'd say those two guys were my first real guitar heroes. They're a lot different from what I've done, but I was amazed at how they looked and the idea of watching them as a kid, saying, "Wow... what the hell are they doing? " Do you have any favorite players from Texas that influenced you, too? Oh, yeah, there are a lot of great ones. I've never really thought of my favorites, but guys like Billy Gibbons and Dimebag Darrell are great. What more can I really say about those guys? But obviously, I can't leave out Stevie Ray Vaughan as far as great players from Texas. He's a legend. And you've got Spike Cassidy from D. R. I. and the great Wade Allison from Iron Age. Wade passed away around the same time that Riley did, but he was a big inspiration, and a talented player. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=hOcF_7GB87MFugitive: The Javelin Can you remember your first guitar? I remember getting a cheap acoustic guitar from one of those mail-order magazines. And then, at some point, I got my first electric guitar for what I think was my 12th birthday. Ironically, it was an Ibanez. It was one of those starter pack-type deals with a little amp, so that was my first electric guitar. I had been taking lessons on acoustic, and those thicker strings had callused up my hands. So, when I got the electric guitar, it was a lot of fun because I could turn it up, and the strings didn't hurt my fingers as much. What was your first professional gig in the Texas area? I wouldn't call it professional, but my first-ever gig was like a fourth-grade talent show . We played "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen, and my good friend was on drums. That was like the greatest song you could play at the time, but not long after, we started practicing more covers. I think another was "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett, and we probably did "My Generation" by The Who, too. I went for easy songs that had like two chords in them . But after that, I probably ended up doing some battle of the band's stuff. Your dad showed you classic rock, but were you also surrounded by a lot of metal music growing up? Photo by Travis Clark for Buddy Magazine. I started out in the punk and hardcore scene, really. I'd go out to shows probably in the mid-2000s, and from there, I got into a lot of the crossover metal stuff that came out in the '80s. So, that's how I got into metal, and then progressive music came into the picture. But before that, I was very into punk, like The Ramones, The Clash, and the fast-paced, hardcore stuff, too. That checks out as Power Trip seemed to deeply blend punk, hardcore, and metal. Yeah, with Power Trip, we never really considered ourselves a strict heavy metal band; we blended all of that. It wasn't until the second record came out that we really leaned into metal sound-wise. We didn't even really find ourselves playing with other metal bands until close to the second album, probably around 2016. That's when we did the tour with Lamb of God, and Anthrax, which kinda put us on the map in the metal world. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=FOWf8uqGf8APower Trip official video: Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe) Regardless of outside labels, how did the members of Power Trip categorize the band? After Nightmare Logic came out, we were doing tours with Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, and bands like that, so I guess we became, more or less, a metal band. But we always had one foot in the hardcore scene, even if we were leaning metal. So, I guess Power Trip was always split between those two worlds, which despite being different eras, kind of went hand in hand. They were more separated in the mid-2000s, but not as much now. How did Power Trip's split personality influence your riff writing? I guess the journey we all went on coming from the hardcore and punk scene and ending up in the metal world was an interesting path. And I think it influenced my writing a lot over the years. There's no denying the impact that punk and hardcore had on the way I write in terms of the angles I'd take, even if we were playing metal music. Once I started to get into songwriting and looked at it on a deeper level, at my core, I've always been a big rock song guy as far as arrangements go. I love rock, power pop, and all that stuff from the '70s, so a band like AC/DC absolutely influenced the way I write riffs, too. I'm always trying to connect the dots and take bits and pieces from here and there, creating my style. Different rhythms and all that still inspire me, but I try to keep it within the same realm so that things mesh, even if the influences come from different places. Despite Manifest Decimation and Nightmare Logic being modern records, they're already considered classics by many. Does that surprise you? It's always cool to hear people say that about our records. And, of course, I'm proud of the songs, and I think they're good songs, but I'm not here to say what's classic and what isn't, you know? It's almost kind of awkward for me to hear because, in my eyes, everybody has their own idea of what a classic is, and I'm pretty sure that plenty of people would be like, "Are you fucking serious? Power Trip? Those aren't classic. " https://open. spotify. com/album/3jHTO3fO2WkFIfwbZBsU7c But, looking back on them, I think the timing was perfect. I guess you could say that in terms of our legacy, our timing, and what we did, I can see how it played an important role in where things are now, even if only in a small way. And, like I said, I do think the songs are good; we wrote some good songs. But regardless of if anyone thinks they're classic, I think that's pretty amazing. I'm very humbled by that. https://open. spotify. com/album/3suNG9n4WGYQabXhUTkQ70 Did you know they were special from the jump? Right from the start, I felt like we were doing some good things. We were pushing each other, and Riley and I definitely worked hard, man. Riley and I wrote everything, and our styles meshed very well. He had his own ideas and was a great lyricist, so he was very into writing and all that stuff. So, from the outset, from the first note we ever wrote together for Power Trip on our demo, it clicked. I was always writing and arranging songs, which is the same thing I do now. I won't say that Riley wasn't into that, but he wasn't a songwriter per se; he was a frontman and a lyricist. So, we would butt heads while trying to get on the same page, but things always landed where we needed them to. And looking back, that stuff really does hold up. We were young kids when we started, and I wish I had the wisdom I do now regarding mindset, production, and performance. And when I listen to those records, I hear things I'd do differently, but at the same time, song-wise, they turned out pretty great. With Power Trip hitting its peak at the time of Riley's passing, it must have been frustrating to hit the pause button. It's weird because, on the one hand, in terms of the band, there is a sense of disappointment because we had a whole record written musically. It wasn't fully finished at that point, and there were no lyrics, but it was all there musically. So, it is disappointing. But at the same time, and it sounds stupid to say, you have to take what you're given in life and make the most of it. And as tragic as losing Riley was for us and as disappointing as it is, I grew up a lot through that experience and learned a lot. I don't look back and get angry or upset or feel bad for myself. I've learned that it's better to accept what happened. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=EQRnLc2BiJEPower Trip: Live in Singapore Do you feel like Power Trip left a lot on the table? You never know what could have happened or what we would have done next. But it's a fucking shame, that's for sure. It's one of those things where when you go through that, you just accept it at some point. And so, when I look back, I try to appreciate everything and not be bitter, you know what I mean? Being bitter doesn't do anything for anyone, so you just have to move forward. But, like I was saying, it forced me to grow up and take things into my own hands. So, I've tried to appreciate that element of it and take that as a positive, if there is any. But what can I say? It's not the way I wanted the story to go, that's for sure. How do you apply what you've learned to the music you're making today with Fugitive? It probably put my instincts to the test a little bit. The way I do the music in Fugitive is basically the same thing I did with Power Trip in terms of writing and how I arrange things. So, that hasn't changed. But with Riley, there was definitely a power struggle between us. I'd give him a fully arranged song, and we'd go, "This is where I want the vocals to go; here's the first chorus... " And generally, he would go along with that because it was written that way, but sometimes he would hear it differently, or we'd disagree. A lot of the time, obviously, he was writing the lyrics, and it was his phrasing, but there were times when I'd suggest something like, "Hey, maybe a little fast," or "Try repeating this line," and stuff like that. In Fugitive, Seth is talented in his own right, but he defaults to me when it comes to how I hear the phrasing, arrangement, and vocals going. So, this has tested my natural instincts because I've always known how I want things to go in my head, but the dynamic between Riley and me was much different than between me and Seth. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CZg9e_imlUsFugitive's latest: Blast Furnace Are you comfortable with the weight of the band being on your shoulders? I think I am. I'm more involved lyrically and all that, but it's still kind of the same thing. The big thing is that it's more on my shoulders, but it feels good knowing that I have the creative capacity to get involved with different aspects as opposed to Power Trip, where, even if I tried to get involved, it wasn't always needed because we had Riley. Riley didn't want to take direction from me unless he had to, you know? He would be like, "I'll listen to what you're thinking, but I still want to do my own thing. " There really was a whole lot of meeting in the middle, which generally worked out, but sometimes it didn't. That can be very challenging, and you get fewer ideas in. I don't even know how a third Power Trip album would have gone, but given our capabilities, I'm sure it would have been fine. But regardless, it's very different in Fugitive. Have Fugitive's early returns given you enough closer to move on from Power Trip? It's funny when you start a new band, especially for me since I hadn't done that since Power Trip began when I was a teenager. Starting Fugitive was different because we started Power Trip in the pre-social media era. Well, maybe there was social media, but it was definitely the pre-smartphone era. All we had was Myspace and shit, so it was different. You can start a new band quickly because the internet is so powerful. Plus, I have years of experience networking, which helped, too. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=1JPzrnueeMA It's been a learning experience, and I've had a lot of personal growth doing this. As I'm getting a bit older, I'm getting more on the ball about things. I feel pretty good about where I'm at, and it does feel good to have the same confidence in what I'm writing now in that I'm doing things that are stylistically like Power Trip. It's not totally the same, but it's not crazy different. So, yeah, it feels good to have a diverse and new out. I'm having fun playing with different guys and love what we're doing. With an unfinished record in the can and Power Trip never officially disbanding, despite Riley being gone, do you see a future for Power Trip? It's one of those where the rest of us are still here. And I know that many people didn't get to see us but have gotten turned onto the records and would love to see us. People talk to me after shows and say, "Man, I never got to see Power Trip play; I'd love to see you guys play the songs. " And we'd love to do it again, but it's one of the things where, especially for me, I'm proud of everything we did despite how it ended. I'm proud of where we left things musically. So, I'm not the type of guy to mess with that. And we all have a lot of pride and share the same expectations and standards of what Power Trip needs to be. I'm not the type of guy to force anything or do anything that doesn't feel right. And the truth is that it may never be right. So, if we ever did anything without Riley, it would be different, which could work, especially in metal. And we've explored options, talked about, and met up and jammed, but as of right now, there's just not an avenue to make it happen. *** --- ### Will Sexton and Amy LaVere: The Americana Collaborating Couple - Published: 2023-09-03 - Modified: 2023-09-06 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/will-sexton-and-amy-lavere-the-americana-collaborating-couple/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow With a career that began as a nine-year-old guitar player sitting in with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Will Sexton has had a long career as a musician, songwriter and producer. On July 15th, he performed at Six Springs Tavern in Richardson with his wife, upright bassist Amy LaVere as part of their North American tour. As a teenager, Will was signed to MCA Records and released one self-titled album in 1988 with his band, Will and The Kill, which reached #129 on the Billboard 200. The featured single, “Heart of Steel,” peaked at #28 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The young band included David Grissom and Will on guitar, Alex Napier on bass and Jeff Boaz on drums. That one and only album was produced by Texas musician Joe Ely. Born in San Antonio, Will is the younger brother of Charlie Sexton – a music producer and guitarist in Bob Dylan’s band. The younger Sexton was labelled a music prodigy at a young age. While his solo albums are few, he has been busy as a songwriter, producer and session player on a long list of acclaimed albums over the past three decades. His most recent sit-in was playing guitar on Al Green’s “Perfect Day,” released this year. On a December morning in 2009, Will developed a dull headache, but continued working. Three nights later, he opened his mouth to sing on stage at Austin club Hole in the Wall, and no words came. He could remember the music, but not the words. The morning after, the father of two checked himself into the University Medical Center Brackenridge, where he discovered that the dull headache was a minor stroke. Will was diagnosed with prothrombin gene mutation, a condition that creates a surplus of protein in the blood that causes stroke-inducing blood clotting. A prescription for blood thinning medication keeps the condition at bay. “For a while there, I couldn’t read or write or do a lot of things, but I was able to go and tour and play guitar,” said Will. https://open. spotify. com/album/2yFqFxcz5E8ZkxnSS5aDoy When the tightknit Austin musicians crowd got wind of Will’s medical issue and the fact that he had no health insurance, a fundraising concert was held at Antone’s with a star-studded list of performers in 2016. Brother Charlie joined Chris Layton, Roky Erickson, Patty Griffin, Eliza Gilkyson, Tommy Shannon and more. The concert and the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, of which Will is a member, helped pay his hospital bill. "Tommy was a mentor when I was about 9 years old and me and Charlie would sit in with Stevie (Ray Vaughan) and his band in San Marcos," Will Sexton told Michael Corcoran of the Austin American-Statesman in 2016. "It's ironic that 30 years later he's helping me with the training wheels again. ”The stroke changed many things about Will, but some were positive changes. He quit smoking and drinking, started eating healthier, and claims that his guitar playing has improved. Speech therapy gave him his voice back. Another positive change is his marriage to fellow musician Amy LaVere – herself an accomplished bassist with more than a few albums of her own. For several years they have collaborated both at home and on stage. “We were touring together with Motel Mirrors and then we just realized we enjoyed traveling together and playing together and it was like we seemed to gravitate to each other,” Will said. “I was finishing a tour and I went and jumped in with her band and toured for a while and then we just decided we’re gonna be a couple and travel around the world. ” Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Amy’s family travelled throughout the United States and Canada for her father’s job. She moved to Memphis in 1999 and Will joined her nine years ago. Signed by Archer Records, Amy released her debut album “This World Is Not My Home” in 2006. That same year she made her acting debut as Wanda Jackson in Walk The Line, and another role in Black Snake Moan. In 2007 Amy released “Anchors and Anvils,” produced by Jim Dickinson. This second album rose to number six on the Americana Music Charts and earned her a nomination for the Americana Music Association Awards Best New or Emerging Artist. Her sweet soprano voice, coupled with her whimsical and biting lyrics, is the reason The City of Memphis named Amy "Best Singer in Memphis” in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 she formed The Wandering – a quintet bluegrass band – with Luther Dickinson, Shannon McNally, Valerie June and Sharde Thomas. In 2019 Amy released her eighth album, “Painting Blue”; Will released “Don’t Walk The Darkness” – his first post-stroke album – in 2020. Since their 2014 wedding, the couple have collaborated on “Hallelujah, I’m a Dreamer” (2015) and “Painting Blue” (2019). When not touring, Will is the go-to guitarist for producer-engineer Matt Ross-Spang (Margo Price and Jason Isbell among others) and Bible & Tie label owner Bruce Watson at Delta-Sonic Sound Studios. Amy is working on her ninth album and constantly writes new songs. --- ### Texas Slide Blues Legend Kirby Kelley: The Most Beautiful Day of His Life - Published: 2023-08-22 - Modified: 2023-08-24 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/texas-slide-blues-legend-kirby-kelley/ - Categories: Feature, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow BUDDY Staff Photo by Michael Heeschen There is a realm of guitar playing that few players manage to enter – the “thirteenth note" - the note that figuratively expands the range of the instrument, and aurally touches the heart. So, it’s no wonder that any guitar player that manages to do that would be greatly admired among his peers. Kirby Kelley, slide guitar master and BUDDY Magazine 2018 Texas Tornado is one such musician. “When I first heard Kirby play, he absolutely blew me away,” exclaimed Paul Reed Smith, famed luthier and founder of PRS guitars. “He produced noises I’ve never heard a guitar make – he found the thirteenth note! ” Paul Reed Smith and Kirby Kelley share a warm embrace. Kirby is moved by Paul Reed Smith's address to the audience, Smith, the CEO of the third largest guitar manufacturer in the world was so impressed by Kirby that he was inspired to create a custom PRS guitar for him. The two men quickly formed a bond that has lasted 17 years. “I was playing with Bugs Henderson (1978 Tornado), and we were hired to play Paul’s 50th birthday party,” recalled Kirby. “I was worried because I didn’t have a PRS guitar, but Bugs said Paul wouldn’t care. While we were rehearsing, he came in and looked over our equipment. I guess he wasn’t so impressed ‘cause he sent me a PRS soon after! ” While his musical prowess has been recognized by many, it was Kirby Kelley the man, who was celebrated with an awesome gathering of Texas players on Sunday, June 25 at the Plaza Theatre in Garland. After an introduction by Paul, a concert worth remembering began, featuring performances by stellar musicians, including a long list of Texas Tornados: Guthrie Kennard (1992), Jimmy Wallace (1992), Buddy Whittington (1990), Mike "Junior" Clark (1982), Jerry Don Branch (2015), Jim Suhler (1989), Mike Morgan (1992), Andy Timmons (1991), Mike Daane (1992), Robert “Texas Slim” Sullivan (1987) and drummers Linda Waring (1982) and Mike Arnold (1990). Although these top guns were happy to play together, the reason for it wasn’t so happy. The concert was a fundraiser to help Kirby pay medical bills he’s incurred since being diagnosed with cancer in November 2022. Jimmy Wallace, the owner and CEO of the Dallas International Guitar Festival, put the show together and extended the invites. To enter the event cost a donation to the cause, and there were also several auction items to bid on – including a guitar signed by 1978 Texas Tornado Jimmie Vaughan. "... the most beautiful day of my life. It was taxing and thoroughly exhausting, and worth every millisecond of it! " - Kirby Kelley Kirby’s musical journey began in St. Louis at the tender age of 15. He had a crush on a girl who just happened to have a great record collection that included some old 78’s. It was those recordings that touched Kirby deep in his soul, most particularly one by Edward James "Son" House, Jr. the early Mississippi slide guitar player. Two years later, Kirby moved to Dallas. While working for a moving company, he lived in a furniture storage unit in Grapevine to save money to buy guitars. “I mostly bought vintage guitars and dobros,” he recalled. “You could find them in the weekly "Thrifty Nickel" paper pretty cheap. ” Kirby joined his first band in the early 1980s; they moved to West Palm Beach and rented a one-room apartment. He described the experience thusly: “We played around, got broke, and came home. ” While his guitar playing was restricted to playing for family and friends, Kirby made his living as a carpenter, among other professions. A 1990 foray into ostrich farming didn’t quite get off the ground. It was in 1992, when he was in his thirties that Ibanez artist relations rep Chris Kelly heard him testing an amp at the Dallas International Guitar Festival. Kelly sent Kirby to the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show in California and jump started a new career. While in Los Angeles, Kirby met Texas players Andy Timmons and Mike “Junior” Clark.   He gives credit to Mike for getting him on stage. “Junior tried to coax me into playing, but I had stage fright so bad then,” Kirby said. “He’s my beloved musical brother – we’ve played a long time, on and off together. Junior’s one of the few people I’ve met that is respectful and giving and lets you play what you want to play. ” Playing with Junior led to playing with legendary Texas blues man Bugs Henderson. Kirby honed his Delta-style slide technique until he mastered the use of two slides – on both his middle and little fingers. Playing with Bugs led to that fateful day in 2006 when Kirby met Paul Reed Smith. “He’s been so loving and giving and generous, and so beautifully endorses my playing,” said Kirby of Paul. “He is so complimentary. I can’t explain my love for him. He calls and texts often to check on me. ” “Kirby is a beautiful human – inside and out,” said Paul, who is currently working on a Kirby-inspired accessory to market and sell through PRS. “Kirby keeps a Persian silk cloth that he drapes over his amp, and it changes his tone – it’s so simple, yet genius,” Paul said, adding “I found the textile factory that makes the fabric while on vacation overseas and bought a bunch of it. ” “Paul is a flipping genius, and if anyone can market it – it’s him,” laughed Kirby. “The funny thing is, I got it at Goodwill for about two bucks a long time ago, and the only reason it’s on my amp is 'cause it’s so ugly my wife won’t let me put it on the wall! ” This cloth, draped over his amp, gives Kirby his signature tone (along with his "scary eyes" monkey). The amp it covers is a Dallas model PRS engineered by Dallas' David Sewell, who works for PRS. The combination of PRS amp and Kirby’s PRS custom Modern Eagle axe gives Kirby the sound that helped him win the Guitar Center Blues Challenge in 2009. “It really is the best guitar I’ve ever owned – and I’ve owned a LOT! He did some custom wiring on it and put in special pickups,” Kirby explained. “Plus, it’s just a stunning piece of art. Paul is an amazing architect and artist. ” Kirby's custom PRS Modern Eagle As all musicians know, the business fluctuates between feast and famine. Over the years, when Kirby needed more money than he had in order to take care of his family, he sold or pawned pieces of his guitar collection – 28 in all. And so, it was at such a particularly hard time that Kirby found himself trying to sell his last guitar – the custom PRS – to his friend, Robbie Gustin at the North Dallas Guitar Center. Robbie refused to buy the prized possession, instead entering Kirby’s name in the national chain’s “King of the Blues” contest that year. https://youtu. be/fGmLsLmT11AWatch Kirby’s 2009 King of the Blues performance By this point, Kirby felt burned out after a string of bad deals with promoters and club owners. Not believing a contest was a true test of a musician’s talent, he balked, but Robbie won the argument. Kirby went on to beat over 4,000 entries from all over the country, and pawning guitars became a thing of the past. “Every month he would ask how much we needed and then he’d come in with the money,” Kelley’s wife Peg told writer Dan Acree of Texoma Living Magazine in 2010. “He never said what he was doing, but I knew. ” “Kirby plays guitar like a bird sings - beautiful and naturally. He's a true musical treasure and he's touched so many people's lives with his gentle yet fierce spirit and his unparalleled guitar playing. ” – 1989 Texas Tornado Jim Suhler, George Thorogood and The Destroyers and Monkeybeat Besides carpentry and the ostrich farm fiasco, Kirby has taught countless others to play the guitar through the National Guitar Workshop satellite campus. “I love being able to teach and touch young hearts,” he said. “You get wonderful feedback and inspiration. ” The win gave him a newfound passion for his art, and he began taking steel guitar lessons from 1990 Texas Tornado Maurice Anderson, owner of MSA steel guitars, who is in the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.  So impressed was Anderson that he built a 12-string steel guitar just for Kirby; it’s no surprise they ended up being friends. Being named “King of the Blues” in 2009 catapulted Kirby into the international guitar scene. He enjoyed touring with Dan Toler of Allman Brothers fame, until Dan got too sick to play. “We did a small tour through the southeast. I really enjoyed that time, then Dan got sick with MS and passed,” said Kirby. “Dan was as beautiful a player as he was a human. ” “For as long as I've known Kirby, which has been many years now, he's been a man of few words, with the heart of a baby possum. His soul runs as deep as the Mississippi River, and his music is as real as Robert Johnson standing at the crossroads. There's only one Kirby Kelley. ” – 1992 Texas Tornado Guthrie Kennard, Singer, songwriter. In 2018, Kirby was chosen to teach a slide guitar class at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, during the annual Blues Guitar Week. “Dr. Kim Perlak (department chair) has been a dear friend for a long time, and she asked me and Dave Tronzo to do that,” Kirby remarked in his usual unassuming way – as if he truly doesn’t understand what a monumental honor it was. Life was looking up for the Kelley family, and not one guitar was sacrificed to pay bills. When not playing, Kirby could be found riding his mountain bike, kayaking, or running marathons. “Sitting around is not my style,” he said. Kirby performing at the Buddy Magazine 50th Anniversary gallery exhibit, Honey Grove, Texas Library, April 2022. Photo credit: Mitzi Sherwood The athletic activity slowed considerably in April 2022, when Kirby developed a blood clot in his leg that didn't respond to blood thinners. That November, an astute hematologist at the hospital insisted on an extra sonogram. That scan revealed a mass in Kirby’s right lung and brain. “They diagnosed me with Stage 4 lung cancer, which metastasized into my lymph nodes and brain. There is no remission for this kind of cancer – we can only keep it at bay with heavy rotations of radiation and chemotherapy,” Kirby said. “Dr. Sidda, my oncologist at Texas Oncology, said I had about two to four years – but he doesn’t know me... or maybe he does. ” Despite catching Covid-19 while doing chemo, then double pneumonia, Kirby remains optimistic about his outlook. Although biking and running are temporarily halted, he still loves to work in the garden and play guitar when he can. “I’m learning the pedal steel and loving every second,” he said, full of happy excitement. “David Wright of Pilot Point is helping me – he’s in the Hall of Fame. ” Kirby and Peg live in Sherman, just north of Dallas; daughter Sara, son-in-law Matt and their three children live just down the road. Kirby said being in the delivery room when his two oldest grandchildren were born are two of his happiest memories. “What an amazing guy, not only a unique and incredible player, but a sweetheart of a human being. I love him dearly and I truly hope we will share the stage more often! ” – Tommy Katona, Texas Flood Among his most prized possessions is a handwritten card that was attached to a bouquet of flowers delivered to him. At first, he thought they were meant for Peg until he opened the note – a testament to his artistry. It read: “Dearest Mr. Kirby Kelley, I was deeply moved by your pristine outlook on why you make music. As you said – to touch people, to be precise, touch people’s hearts and remind them that they, like you and I – they matter, they are significant and meaningful. Bless your heart, your mind and your fingers. Look forward to meeting you in the flesh in the future. Love, Respect and Admiration, Carlos Santana. ” When asked what he considers his favorite memory, he replied: “There have been so many. I’ve been gifted with so many beautiful things, it’s hard to choose,” then he added, “meeting Paul was one of the beautiful gifts. Winning King of the Blues, and meeting Dr. Sidda, who is a wonderful soul and a dear friend. ” It’s easy to understand why so many people call Kirby a friend. His humble, easygoing and optimistic attitude is contagious. That is why the Garland's Plaza Theatre was packed on June 25; why Paul Reed Smith flew in from Maryland; and why so many local musicians moved their gigs around just so they could be there. “To say Kirby plays from the heart still doesn’t paint the whole picture,” declared Jimmy Wallace. “He fully invades every heart that can hear him. ” To help with Kirby’s medical expenses: https://www. gofundme. com/f/kirby-kelley-kickin-cancer-fund --- ### Wanda King Rocks the Library - Published: 2023-08-05 - Modified: 2023-08-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/wanda-king-rocks-the-library/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Entity Types: Article There was no "sushing" the crowd at Hurst Public Library on July 20 when Freddie King's daughter showed up and brought the noise. Photos by Robert Maxfield There was no "sushing" the crowd at Hurst Public Library on July 20 when Freddie King's daughter showed up and brought the noise. The Wanda King Allstar Big Band Revue performed as part of the Library's Summer Series. Sharing the stage with Wanda were: Harold Evans - drums; Bill Eden - tenor sax; Preston Cummins- baritone sax; Randy Graham -trumpet; Wayne Sixx - bass; along with special guests Buddy Whittington and Joey Love. --- ### Zac Harmon Band Plays Garland - Published: 2023-08-05 - Modified: 2023-08-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/zac-harmon-band-plays-garland/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Entity Types: Article Zac Harmon Band performed at Garland Audubon Park during the Garland Sounds of Summer Series last month. Photos by Robert Maxfield Zac Harmon Band performed at Garland Audubon Park during the Garland Sounds of Summer Series last month. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Zac Harmon was exposed to a lot of blues music growing up and eventually became the embodiment of the music that emanated from the historic Farish Street district. Today, Harmon is an award-winning guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose distinctive style continues the lineage of American Blues music. Harmon recently received the award for Soul Blues Album of the Year for his latest recording at the 43rd Annual Blues Music Awards. Members of the band are: Drum - Gino Lock Johnson; Bass - Nate Robinson; Piano - Corey Lacey --- ### Heritage Auctions Brings the Heat With Elvis 1968 Prototype Rosewood Telecaster and More - Published: 2023-08-04 - Modified: 2023-08-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/heritage-auctions-elvis-1968-prototype-rosewood-telecaster/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Gear - Entity Types: Article By Andrew Daly Heritage Auctions has long been a haven for all things grand and glorious—especially if you're the sort who loves to accumulate fetishized musical treasures. To that end, the esteemed leaders in all things auctioneering are at it again with their current auction ending on August 11th, this time with a grouping of more than a few of the most hallowed six-strings on the market today. The first is the 1997 Greg Rich Limited Edition Roy Rogers "King of the Cowboys" acoustic. The curio is said to be a prototype, which was initially brought to the market via Dream Guitars and Apparel Inc. Though listed as a '97 model, in reality, the ornate and gorgeously hand-painted guitar was introduced in March of '98 at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum. As the story goes, the "King of the Cowboys" was introduced alongside the 1998 Dale Evans "Queen of the West," both of which were built by Greg Rich and Mark Taylor. Rich is known for his work with Gibson and is well-known for his flair and moxy. The "King of the Cowboys" and "Queen of the West" blend sublime craftsmanship and flash, leaving us with shimmering sights to behold. But what's even more astonishing—and this is considering the granular detail inherent in these utter works of art—is they're highly playable to boot. Both guitars feature jumbo-style bodies, and hand-selected maple sides and backs, with a spruce top and forward X bracing. Of course, the 24k gold hardware and sparkle binding on the bodies, fingerboards, and headstocks aren't too shabby, either. But remember—these guitars are rare, meaning that only six Roy Rogers and one Dale Evans model were produced. And so, with starting bids of $10,000 and a buyer's premium of $12,500, to be sure, if you want to own either of these pristine pieces of history, it'll cost you. Next on Heritage's docket is something oh-so-sweet but perhaps a bit more affordable: a Sunburst Fender Stratocaster, which features a backstage pass signed by Stevie Ray Vaughn adhered to the lower portion of the body near the bridge. This one isn't nearly as expensive as the "King of the Cowboys" or the "Queen of the West," with a current bid of $575 and a buyer's premium of $718. 75. Not too shabby for a piece of six-string history, right? But, of course, while unique, this axe is but a humble paster-caster, meaning it's not a guitar that came straight from the factory. But still, it comes with a gigbag and would make an excellent piece for display in one's collection. And while we're on the subject of Strats, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Heritage's other piece of Vaughan Brothers-related memorabilia up for grabs: a white 1989 Fender Stratocaster signed by both Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, which, without a doubt, sounds undoubtedly tasty. The 34-year-old antiquity is clean as a whistle and all original. But, of course, the best part is the stunning signatures lovingly scrawled across its alder top, with Jimmie's being above the scratch plate and Stevie's—in all its glory—boldly residing under the bridge and tremolo system. Additionally, the guitar comes with its factory-issue hard case and plays wonderfully. Unlike its parts-caster counterpart, this dyed-in-the-wool Fender job will cost you a touch more. But if your wallet can take the hit, to be sure, a $3000 starting bid and $3,750 buyer’s premium aren't too much to pay for a piece of Stevie Ray Vaughan-related history that surely will be a crown jewel within your collection. Moving on to the penultimate piece of the collection, aka "The Star of the Show," we've got a '66 Fender Jaguar in gorgeous sunburst. And that's nice, but what's so special about it? Oh, that's right—this particular Jag was signed by Kurt Cobain. Huzzah! As we know, Cobain was apt to smash his poor and unassuming guitars on a whim, which is fine as it made for some truly memorable, if not hyper-emotive, moments. And so, it's not lost on us that this '66 Jag survived the proverbial wars it was put through via the quivering hands of Nirvana's titular frontman. Survival aside, this Jag is unique because it's not only signed by Cobain, but he somehow managed to misspell his own name: "To the/Guitar Hal/o fame/Kurdt Kobain/Nirvana. " Surely, this was intentional, given the fallen vocalist's laconic sense of humor. And no to worry—the signature has been authenticated by PSA and Roger Epperson. The COAs are included, as is a photo of Cobain holding the guitar and a gigbag. Interested in owning this bit of grunge-related history? Better get your finances in order, as the current bid rests at $50,000, and the buyer's premium is a hearty $62,500. But while it's expensive, there are few instances where one can grab a piece of Cobain's hallowed history. And so, if you've got the means, and pilgrimages down the halls of the house of grunge are your bag—grab this Jag before it's gone. Last but certainly not least is what we'd wager is probably the most gorgeous guitar in this auction: a 1968 Fender Telecaster. But not just any Tele; no, this is a prototype Rosewood Tele once owned by Elvis Presley. Of course, George Harrison made the Rosewood Tele famous in the late-60s uptop Abbey Road studios. And you might even recall that Steve Cropper brandished one, too. But, six proto-type Rosewood Telecasters were made, and one of them went to Presley, aka "The King. " Sadly, Presley only used the Tele for a few months, as he was more apt to use acoustic and semi-hollowbody guitars, sending his Rosewood Tele back to Fender. Thankfully, Presley's Rosewood Tele has endured and is clean, original, and ready for its new home. In accordance with its proto-type status, there is no neck or body date. But there is a yellow "0" written on the neck. Moreover, the guitar is gorgeously preserved, with the pots and electronics all check in as original and date back to early '64. Want to own this pretty piece of Elvis memorabilia? The '68 Rosewood Tele and its original Fender hardshell case are currently sporting a $75,000 starting bid and a buyer's premium of $93,750. Wallet-bruising, to be sure, but when it comes to the legend of the Rosewood Tele, there's a genuine argument to be made that this guitar, and its five oh-so-rare brothers and sisters like it, are utterly priceless pieces of '60s guitar-related history. Bidding ends on August 11th. --- ### Eric Johanson offers a rare gig in Richardson - Published: 2023-07-29 - Modified: 2023-07-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/eric-johanson-offers-a-rare-gig-in-richardson/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Entity Types: Article It’s no surprise that Eric Johanson started singing the blues. The music genre born of trauma and adversity was a perfect fit for a young man who found himself homeless in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Born in the Central-Louisiana town of Alexandria, Eric attended the University of New Orleans, and it was there he formed his musical future until the largest natural disaster in modern times left his home under water. With no possessions holding him down, Eric took off – way off – and landed in New Zealand, where he made his home for the next five years. “It’s just a beautiful place and I think it's almost like an alternate universe of the U. S. ,” he said of the land down under. “A lot of things are similar to the United States and the things that are different are more subtle that you catch onto after a while. ” One of the most notable cultural differences he found was the “tall poppy syndrome,” where nobody really wants to stand out from the crowd. “Musically, we’re testifying, so we give everything on the stage – we aren’t about showing off, but we get excited about the music and express ourselves,” Eric explained. “That was kind of an interesting difference in the way it played out with their musical scene. ” While he doesn’t carry the air of someone with “tall poppy syndrome,” his deep, resonating voice announces him in a big way. His bluesy slide guitar riffs battle with that voice for dominance, resulting in a trembling crescendo of complimenting sounds. He did well on the other side of the world, but in time, he started to realize how much the music was pulling him back to New Orleans. “There was so much I missed about that, and the fact that it felt like if I really wanted to pursue what I was passionate about, I needed to go back. ” There was no better way to announce his comeback, than to land a gig playing with Cyril Neville – the youngest member of the famous NOLA family quartet. Through Cyril, Eric had the opportunity to sit in with the Neville Brothers Band. “That was a great learning experience for just really getting deeper into the New Orleans music scene,” Eric said. “Those musicians take care of each other. For me it was an education in a lot of the stuff that I’d never really dug in too much because I had been a rock guy – not so much a blues guy. ” He soon learned that, whether he realized it or not, he really was a blues guy, and the second time around in New Orleans really brought it out. A deep dive into New Orleans funk to explore all the different rhythms and big tones gave Eric’s music a different feel and helped to redefine his complicated relationship with the city. “I live with the shadows that follow me around; there's good and bad memories there, you know,” he said. “I mean the first sign out in the Gulf of Mexico of a newborn hurricane – it can't make its mind up where to go - and I feel the same. I mean it's a sad thing, like you watch this hurricane out in the Gulf, and you know it could literally just go ‘this much’ that way and it could be a totally life-changing moment; or it could just be another weekend where you bought some extra water and flashlight batteries. There’s always that unpredictability. ” It's that unpredictability that has helped give his sound a unique flavor. “In my music now, even if I might not be playing it the same way as you would play a meter song,” he explained. “Those rhythms have made my stuff funky. ” This year, he’s taken the funk on the road, opening for guitar queen Samantha Fish. “We were on a Blues Cruise together and gradually hung out more and more. Last year her manager took me on and started putting me on tours with her since last August,” he said. It was between Samantha’s shows in Houston and Oklahoma City that Eric found himself with some time to kill. Hence, he picked up a date at Six Springs Tavern in Richardson to promote his new album, The Deep and The Dirty, which hit Spotify yesterday, as well as other platforms. https://open. spotify. com/album/7axAFOQrv524I4Tr23P5X4? si=TkbJZAuYRFquV5vLBY0t7A "I've never tried to stay within one box," he says. "Blues is at the root of the different styles of music I play — hard rock, Americana, New Orleans funk, country — but I don't see the lines between genres, and I'm not following a standard form. What I find important about the blues is the rawness of it. The expression of it. The humanness of it. That's what makes The Deep and the Dirty a blues album: the raw self-expression. " Produced by Jesse Dayton (Supersuckers, Rob Zombie) — another roots-rock innovator who, like Johanson, uses the blues as a springboard for a bigger, broader sound. Eric wrote these tracks during an era that found him at home, live-streaming acoustic performances and releasing two volumes of his Covered Tracks series to a quarantined world. At the earliest opportunity, Eric returned to the road, gaining a fresh appreciation for the musical chemistry generated by a well-oiled touring band. Bassist Eric Vogel (Big Sam’s Funky Nation / Fred Wesley) and Grammy-winning drummer Terence Higgins (Ani DiFranco / Warren Haynes/ Tab Benoit) joined him in the studio, recording 12 songs in two days. "When you're playing this kind of music together, you create moments that can't be replicated if you're recording each part separately," Johanson explains. "I don't write my guitar solos beforehand, and I don't record them separately, either. I need to interact with the band in order to take the solo somewhere special. " https://youtu. be/Ax0gDtA6KIg "Music is a way for me to try and make sense of my world and myself," he says. "The Deep and The Dirty is an evolution of what I've done before — a little more in your face, a little more up-tempo, and a little more rocking. I came out of the slow years with a lot of energy, wanting to blast off. " --- ### In Memoriam: Brad Houser - Published: 2023-07-24 - Modified: 2023-07-27 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-brad-houser/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Dallas bassist, musician, and beloved friend of so many, Brad Houser, has passed. He was removed from life support systems at 4:44 P. M. today in Austin, Texas. Houser suffered a massive stroke on July 17, and had remained in a coma. He was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his passing. Over the last week, countless friends, musicians, and bass players from around the world have shared tributes and remembrances of Houser as a musical influence, and for just being a very down-to-earth and approachable person who always had time for everyone. Brad became a Buddy Magazine Texas Bass Tornado in 1987, also served on the Buddy Magazine Texas Tornado advisory board, and helped vet the class of 2022 Tornados for guitar and bass. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Houser developed a deep connection with music from an early age. On the recommendation of his childhood friend Brian Keith's older brother, Houser picked up the bass as a teenager. His passion for music led him to attend Booker T. Washington High School in downtown Dallas in the 1980s, whose other notable alumni include Erykah Badu, Patrice Pike, Roy Hargrove, and Norah Jones among many others. It was there that Houser founded the New Bohemians with Edie Brickell and other students. In the mid-1980s the band began playing the then-desolate Deep Ellum warehouse district clubs, including the Theatre Gallery, Club Dada, 500 Cafe, among many others, combining rock, pop, and jazz elements into a sound that captivated audiences and critics alike. Their 1988 album "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars" became a landmark recording, reaching double-platinum status. The album also produced a Billboard #1 hit, "What I Am," which featured his memorable fretless bass hook and glissandos throughout the song. He attended Richland College in Dallas in the late 1980s, studying music theory with professor Dr. Jerry Wallace, who Houser credited in various interviews with greatly expanding his musical knowledge, and also being one of his biggest musical influences of that period. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=tDl3bdE3YQAFull label video of "What I Am. " While his work with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians put him on the map, Houser's musical journey was far from finished. In 1993, he co-founded Critters Buggin with drummer Matt Chamberlain and saxophonist Skerik. Houser's bass playing was integral to the band's identity, and his extensive work with Critters Buggin includes their debut album "Guest," "Host" featuring guitarist Danny Blume, and "Stampede". https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=_cRyO1iW5acFull Critters Buggin "Guest" album on Youtube. Reverend Guitars also produced a Brad Houser model bass. This bass was a unique creation in the field of bass design and manufacturing, and is noted for its playability, tone, body style, and unique material composition. Reverend also had a second collaboration with Houser in 2019, resulting in the "Fatfish" bass, a smaller 32-inch scale model. Reverend Guitars owners Ken and Penny Haas made this announcement on Facebook: “It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of our friend, Reverend Signature Artist Brad Houser. Brad was a founding and current member of Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians and of Critter’s Buggin’. He became a Reverend Signature Artist in 2001. Thank you, Brad, for all the great music, for being with us for more than twenty years, and for being a good friend. We will miss you.  — Ken and Penny Haas”  Houser's live performances are as noteworthy as his recorded output, and his Saturday Night Live appearance in 1988 with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians was a significant moment. In front of millions of viewers, Houser's calm, assured performance demonstrated his prowess as a bassist. He was still performing up until the time of his hospitalization, and there is no doubt that he had a lot of music left to create. With his network of musician friends spanning over four decades, this work will be left for them to carry out on his behalf. Brad Houser is survived by his wife, Kiri, and many thousands of friends and fans. --- ### In Memoriam: Oak Cliff Native Daniel Jones - Published: 2023-07-19 - Modified: 2023-07-20 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-oak-cliff-native-daniel-jones/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Just a few weeks after the last “Together Again” tour date, it’s been reported that Janet Jackson’s music director, Oak Cliff native Daniel Jones, has passed away. Just a few weeks after the last “Together Again” tour date, it’s been reported that Janet Jackson’s music director, Oak Cliff native Daniel Jones, has passed away. According to a Facebook post by Marcus D. King, of Dallas, “Yes, Daniel Jones has passed away. ” King went on to say “As his pastor for over a decade and more, please do some things: 1. Grieve. 2. When you post, remember he has a wife and two sons and a family. No one is grieving more than them. Don’t post things that would make the situation even more difficult. 3. Please give his wife and family the space they request during this time. I’m praying for all of you (including myself). God is with us. ” Daniel Jones (third from left) and team with Janet Jackson. The cause of death is unknown at this time. The 41-year-old Jones just completed a string of shows, having backed Jackson in his hometown of Dallas on June 2, with concerts throughout the U. S. that ended in Seattle on June 21. There is one more date on the books – October 27, 2023 in Lincoln, CA. In a June 7, 2023 article written by Crystal Willis and published by www. TheHypeMagazine. com, Jones said “We try to flip up some stuff, and send off to Gil and Janet for approval. We prepare timecodes that signal the lights and lasers. It’s a tedious process that involves a couple of months of preparation. The core band has been with her a few years, I’ve been with her for 15 years, and Gil... basically forever. We know what she likes, and we flow off of that. ” On June 23, Jones posted on Facebook: “Together Again Tour was amazing ... Janet Jackson You are truly Iconic in every way and such a pleasure to with work . Gil D. My partner in crime you are the best ... The Dancers awesome job... Crew/Audio/Production thank you so much ... My Brothers Pik Funk Mike Reid Errol Cooney Maurice DeLoach I could not have done this without you ... it's an honor to share the stage with you all ... I love you all ... Til Next Time ... @solaimanfazel Christian Hicks tech Sam Martin tech Jim Roach mix #3life #togetheragaintour. ” Jones was born in Dallas and attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He was an accomplished pianist, composer, director, producer and artist. Besides Jackson, he has worked with Justin Timberlake, The Weeknd, Demi Lovato, Rihanna, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Eminem and many others. Additionally, he played music at Griggs Chapel. Also, he used to perform frequently at the TBAAL MLK civil rights concerts. https://youtu. be/NJFWydITen8 In the late 1990s, God’s Property, a Dallas-based gospel group, sought him out for membership. The group appeared on television programs, had the smash single “Stomp,” and their album went double platinum. Jones worked on several notable projects, including Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous Tour, Super Bowl LII, Janet Jackson’s State Of The World Tour and most recently, her Together Again Tour. He also produced and composed Beyoncé’s “Sorry. ” Additionally, the Dallas-based artist was the visionary behind her 2018 BMI Icon Award tribute that featured Teyana Taylor, Normani, and more. In addition to performing at the Grammys, Coachella, and Super Bowl, he has also had the honor of appearing on late-night shows like David Letterman and Saturday Night Live. https://youtu. be/PoY-k0ifKD4 Justin Timberlake shared a tribute to Jones on social media. "Where do I start... Daniel Jones, I am going to miss you so much," he wrote. "A spark plug of energy and joy. An incredible musician. A loving soul and a hilarious jokester. Nobody will ever be better at hyping me up in the pre-show huddle up and holding us all down on those keys. " In a Facebook post, Daniel's wife, Breshae Jones, confirmed the news of her husband's death. "I am speechless. I am heartbroken. I am lost. My husband Daniel Jones, my best friend, my headache, my confidante... I truly do not understand," she wrote. "I know God doesn't make mistakes. . but why? ? To everyone who has called, texted messaged, etc. Thank you so much. I've seen them all. " She went on to request privacy for herself and her sons Zadrian 21, and DJ, 12. “Please just give me a little time. I just don't have the energy right now. I miss him so much already. . I don't know what to do. I can’t believe I am typing this. RIP Daniel Jones. My one true love. " We will update this story as more details are publicized. --- ### Fingernails: Joe Ely Goes To Harvard For Inspiration - Published: 2023-07-19 - Modified: 2023-07-19 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/fingernails-joe-ely-goes-to-harvard-for-inspiration/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By George Gimarc I’ve had several encounters with Joe Ely thru the years and they’ve all been eitherunexpected, or just plain surreal. I was familiar with him from my college radio daysat KNTU-FM when his second LP ‘Honky Tonk Masquerade’ hit the station andresonated with my love of rockabilly music. Then seemingly only a few months later,there he was in Dallas, opening up for The Clash at The Palladium (October 6, 1979). Hanging out backstage after the show it was clear that Ely had a bit too much todrink and was convinced that I was his brother who he hadn’t seen in ages. I had togo along with it just to get through to the Clash. But the real shock came many years later when I stumbled across this interesting little musical side road. On the album ‘Honky Tonk Masquerade’ was this tune “Fingernails. ” It was one of the best songs in the set, and was a killer live. MCA even spun it up as a single and it sounded so authentic, so West Texas, so much like something you would hear in a honky tonk. But alas, it wasn’t so. The reveal was when I found an LP by the Harvard Lampoon, a comedic studentorganization at Harvard University, that had been around since 1876. The group putout regular publications that were similar to UK humor magazines like Puck andPunch. In 1961, under the leadership of Christopher B. Cerf, they created a musicalset, recored it and released it as an LP just in time for Christmas of 1961. Amongthose songs was a closing number called “I Keep My Fingernails Long (So They ClickWhen I Play The Piano). ” There is only a single verse of the tune on the record, thenit dissolves into cheering crowds. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=bgxVhm4KOyY The tune goes like this:I keep my fingernails longSo they click when I play the pianoI keep my fingernails longSo they click when I play the pianoAnd I will keep 'em that wayUntil the swallows return to Capistrano. Somehow, this song takes a journey from a reasonably obscure LP from Cambridge,Massachusetts, all they way out to Texas. It got a little reworking of the lyrics,changing the destination of Capistrano to Texarkana, Louisiana, and Alabama. Joeadds a delightful little bridge as well, so he does bring about 15% new content to thesong. What an unexpected thing. Here in Texas we like to believe we invented everything,but in this ONE CASE, it seems that those high-falutin’ college boys have got us bythe short ones. By the way – it begs the question: Can You Play Piano With Long Nails? --- ### RWH Rocks Garland - Published: 2023-07-11 - Modified: 2023-07-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rwh-rocks-garland/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Texas Music Events - Tags: #TexasMusic - Entity Types: Article Ray Wylie Hubbard headlined the June 30th Garland Sounds of Summer show in downtown Garland. Photos by Robert Maxfield Ray Wylie Hubbard headlined the June 30th Garland Sounds of Summer show in downtown Garland. Opening for Hubbard was Wallace-Stacy - the duo of Rachel Stacy and Jimmy Wallace. --- ### KNON 89.3 FM 40th Anniversary Concert, Granada Theatre, Sunday July 30 - Published: 2023-07-10 - Modified: 2023-07-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/knon-89-3-fm-40th-anniversary-granada/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article KNON Community Radio: A Celebration of 40 Years of Broadcasting KNON Community Radio, also known by their longtime tagline as "The Voice of the People," will celebrate four decades of broadcasting with an event featuring four bands playing the diverse genres of music that have resonated on KNON's airwaves since its inception in 1983. KNON holds the distinction of being the first radio station in Dallas to embrace a multitude of formats, pioneering a new era in radio broadcasting, and being the first to play music of many bands and artists who would later ascend to worldwide fame. Taking center stage at the celebration will be the esteemed Tejano superstar and Latin Grammy Nominee, Jay Perez, captivating the audience with his mesmerizing performance. Joining him will be none other than the legendary Dallas Blues icon, R. L. Griffin, accompanied by the Blues Palace Show Band, an acclaimed ensemble recently featured in D-Magazine. Adding to the spectacular lineup are special guests, including Fat Daddy, the son of R. L. Griffin, and Gregg A Smith, a distinguished member of the KNON family and recipient of the esteemed 2022 Jus Blues Award. Rock artist Igor and the Red Elvises will also appear, along with local Country music icon Matt Hillyer. KNON Community Radio started its journey on July 31, 1983, inside a humble house located at 4415 San Jacinto Street in East Dallas. It continues to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with over 100 volunteer DJs who will tirelessly cater to a dedicated listenership of 200,000 individuals each week. Throughout its remarkable history, KNON has overcome various challenges, including natural disasters, the trials of COVID lockdowns, fires, and economic hardships, demonstrating its resilience and unwavering dedication. From everyone at Buddy Magazine, congratulations to Dave Chaos and everyone at KNON for achieving this huge milestone. Find more ticket info at Prekindle. --- ### Historic Dallas Rock Images by Buddy Photographer and Shake Rag Music's John Gasperik - Published: 2023-07-07 - Modified: 2023-07-07 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/music-photography/historic-dallas-rock-images-john-gasperik/ - Categories: Photography - Entity Types: Article By George Gimarc All photos by John Gasperik If you’ve been to rock concerts in the ‘70s all the way up through the next several decades, you might have noticed John Gasperik in the pit at the very front, shooting pictures of some of the best known acts in music. Interested in photography, he took some courses in photography while he was living in Sherman and learned to use a camera and operate a darkroom. John started coming down to Dallas in the mid ‘70s to go to shows and started taking pictures. Here’s just a few of the hundreds of compelling photos. In September of 1977, Frank Zappa was in town and as many musicians did at the time, he came down afterwards to Mother Blues. He was coming in the front door and John said “Hey Frank, give us a snarl as if a weasel just ripped your flesh! " John says that Zappa flipped him off as he took the shot. Led Zeppelin came through Dallas – Ft. Worth many times and Robert Plant and John Bonham came down to Mother Blues several nights after the show and John snapped a few pictures with Robert with several of the waitresses, and had one taken with himself seeing who could unbutton their shirts the lowest.   There’s a few pictures of John Bonham on drums too, probably sitting in with Krackerjack. Freddie King was a true guitar king around DFW.  John had only been in Dallas a little while when Freddie walked in and John took a picture. He looked rather dubious about the whole thing but lightened up when a few girls started hanging on his arms. John was the Hard Rock Café’s official house photographer for several years, beginning taking pictures of the club as it was being built on the bones of the Wrecking Bar there on McKinney. Iggy Pop at the Hard Rock Café – It was for a CD release party or something James Brown at a New Year’s party at the Hard Rock Café. November 1990 – While most people think of Billy Joel as the piano man, he would step out from time to time and play guitar. This is one of the many photos made during the first three songs of a band that they would typically allow you to use your photo pass. These days – John is facing the biggest challenge of his life. He’s had a series of troubles with landlords which have forced the closure of the long-lived Shake Rag Music store and now it is a daily struggle to keep the cash flow coming in, and some of the mountains of memorabilia flowing out, a warehouse or two full of it. Guitars by the hundreds, photos, stereo gear, toys, and all the stuff of a music and pop culture fan’s desires. If you want to help out, he’s set up a Go Fund Me where you can trade ‘donations’ for memorabilia, or you can simply arrange to drop by and go shopping with your cash.   https://www. gofundme. com/f/2m37g-last-resort One of several video stories about Gasperik: https://www. nbcdfw. com/news/local/dallas-music-memorabilia-shop-owner-hoping-to-sell-collection-for-2-5-million/2939761/ --- ### Sheila & the Caddo Kats head to Holland - Published: 2023-06-25 - Modified: 2023-06-26 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/sheila-the-caddo-kats-head-to-holland/ - Categories: Feature - Entity Types: Article Growing up in the Caddo Lake area of East Texas, Sheila Clark Fox had no choice but to sing. As the daughter of a church music director and granddaughter of a Gospel Quartet singer, her talent came naturally. Growing up in the Caddo Lake area of East Texas, Sheila Clark Fox had no choice but to sing. As the daughter of a church music director and granddaughter of a Gospel Quartet singer, her talent came naturally. Sheila, along with husband Alan Fox, front the band Sheila and the Caddo Kats. This summer they will be travelling abroad to receive a songwriting award from Fair Play Country Music of Holland. In 2015 Sheila won Song of the Year for Love is so Right from Fair Play and was featured in their magazine as artist of the month. She was named the 2018 Entertainer of the Year at the Traditional Country Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. Sheila was chosen to have one of her original songs included on the nationally released 2019 Compilation Album from the Texas Country Music Association. Her songs, Little Feather and Harley Fever, were nominated for Song and Video of the Year at the Josie Music Awards for 2017, 2018 and 2019. Her first solo album, "Uncertain, Texas," was produced in 2019 by Kenny Lee Productions of Nashville. It was named 2022 Nashville's Album of the Year and Shelia was named 2021 Entertainer of the Year Multi-Genre at the Josie Music Awards. Her second album, "Would You," was released on May 25th of 2020. Their latest album, "Country Soul Living in The City" was released in January 2022. Hear the album here: https://open. spotify. com/track/2znw1967s2hHM74f4ajhMH? si=f87e2e3bf9104839 Alan is a nationally recognized guitarist from the Alan Fox Band. He received the award for Rock Band of the Year in 2013 at the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards. In 2016 his band won Rock Band of the Year in Nashville, and in 2017 at the ETX Texas Music Awards. He also has been chosen to have an original song on the 2019 Texas Country Music Association's Compilation National Album Release. Alan is endorsed by Curt Mangan Strings and Goulding Guitars, and has performed with such musicians as Bobby Mackey, Bobby Rice, Bugs Henderson, Michael Garvin, Point Blank, Foghat, Black Star Riders, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marshall Tucker, Thin Lizzy and Wes Jeans. Other members of the Caddo Kats are Terry Salyer on vocals and drums; Don Elbert on keys; Ricky Roach on bass; and Stephen Allen on bass and vocals. --- ### Garland Sounds of Summer > The Annual Garland Sounds of Summer event was held June 16, 2023, at Garland Audubon Park - Published: 2023-06-24 - Modified: 2023-07-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/garland-sounds-of-summer/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article The Annual Garland Sounds of Summer event was held June 16, 2023, at Garland Audubon Park Photos by Robert Maxfield The Annual Garland Sounds of Summer event was held June 16, 2023, at Garland Audubon Park Headlining the event was Wanda King Allstar Big Band Review and Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones, a truly authentic Texas bluesman. Wanda King, the daughter of the late blues Legend and master Freddie King, began singing at anearly age, learning from the best music and musicians. Although her father's passing halted her career, Wanda eventually couldn't resist the urge to sing the blues. Wanda’s voice resonates with a ferocity that matches her stage presence. She was personallyasked by Dan Aykroyd of The Blues Brothers Fame to open for them at the grand opening of TheHouse of Blues in Dallas and Houston, Texas. Andrew "Jr Boy" Jones learned how to play the guitar at a very young age and by the age of 16,he began his professional career by joining Freddie King's backing band, the Thunderbirds. In 1997, Jones released his debut solo album "I Need Time," which showcases his craftysongwriting, great guitar playing, and powerful singing. After this release, Jones was nominatedfor a Blues Music Award for "Best New Blues Artist. " --- ### BBQ & BLUES REVUE SET FOR JUNE 24 - Published: 2023-06-18 - Modified: 2023-06-18 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/bbq-blues-revue-set-for-june-24/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article --- ### Lorelei K: Deep Ellum 100 Profile - Published: 2023-06-18 - Modified: 2023-07-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/deep-ellum/lorilei-k-deep-ellum-100-profile/ - Categories: Deep Ellum - Entity Types: Article This is the first in a series of profiles of Deep Ellum 100 featured artists. Their song “Blue Part Four” is featured on the Deep Ellum 100 compilation album. This is the first in a series of profiles of Deep Ellum 100 featured artists. The Lorelei K song “Blue Part Four” is featured on the Deep Ellum 100 compilation album. https://open. spotify. com/track/6vrTC5IbK36nUWF2T0mVoh? si=6dd715999b8f4e1d Denton native Dahlia Knowles has been writing poetry for most of her life. She and her band, Lorelei K, have transformed her poetry into musical magic. Her dreamy vocals float on a mystical synth-heavy river, creating a unique avant-garde indie-pop sound reminiscent of 1980’s era Sade, sprinkled with a Billie Eilish vibe. “I’m inspired by writing poetry and then setting those words to songs - bringing the songs to my band then turning them into massive, atmospheric dream pop,” said Dahlia. “We’re focusing on touring opportunities right now and looking for connections in licensing and sync. I think our music would fit well in a score for a film or featured in a tv show. I see the music going really far - I believe in it, I believe others can relate to it. ” The band is made up of Dahlia, Mills Chaiken on guitar, Rex Davis on bass, Michael Briggs on synth and backing vocals, and Dean Adams on drums. The group is releasing their third album “Gucci Doom” on the Idol Records label next month. They frequently play Three Links, Trees and Double-Wide in Deep Ellum. On July 8, 2023, they will perform at the “Gucci Doom” album release show at the Kessler Theatre. Buy Tickets Now --- ### “SOUNDS OF DEEP ELLUM” TO BE RELEASED JULY 14TH, 2023 > Deep Ellum 100 is releasing the “Sounds of Deep Ellum” live album on vinyl July 14, 2023. - Published: 2023-06-15 - Modified: 2023-06-19 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/sounds-of-deep-ellum-to-be-released-july-14th-2023/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Deep Ellum - Tags: #TexasMusic - Entity Types: Article Deep Ellum 100 is releasing the “Sounds of Deep Ellum” live album on vinyl July 14, 2023.  As an instrument of advocacy for the arts community, the Deep Ellum 100 movement has grown into a ten-song, multi-genre compilation album that honors both the history of the neighborhood and its current musical culture. To mark the 150th anniversary, Deep Ellum 100 is releasing the “Sounds of Deep Ellum” live album on vinyl July 14, 2023. In the wake of the economic hardship created by the global pandemic, service workers, artists, musicians, and small businesses suffered tremendous financial hardship. Deep Ellum 100 has been actively fundraising since the pandemic began in March of 2020 to aid the community during the crisis and to support the people who make up the fabric of the neighborhood. The organization has successfully completed four fundraisers and raised a total of over $60,000 to provide 30 grants in the Deep Ellum neighborhood. “Deep Ellum is a world unto itself,” said Gianna Madrini, co-founder of Deep Ellum 100. “The beating heart of the city - where past and present create a certain magic that can’t be bought or fabricated.   Where you can see a show on the same hallowed ground where Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Charley Crocket, Leon Bridges and Erykah Badu have all played.   It’s the one and only; never will there be another Deep Ellum. ” In 1987, Island Records released the “Sound of Deep Ellum”, a collection of local artists that captured the emerging 90’s sound of the neighborhood featuring the Reverend Horton Heat and Edie Brickell. Today, thirty-six years later, the new album is a mix of Indie Pop Rock, Funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rock. With hundreds of artists applying for a spot on the anniversary album, the top 10 performers were chosen includingLorelei K, Maya Piata, Cure for Paranoia, The Memory Shivers, Stone Mecca, Flower Child, Skinny Cooks, Children of Indigo, Labretta Suede and the Motel 6 and Ducado Vega.   A video from the live recording at Trees can be found here.   The “Sounds of Deep Ellum” was recorded live at Trees on October 25th, 2022, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Deep Ellum neighborhood. The record was produced by Jayanalog with mastering by Crystal Clear Sound and vinyl pressing by Hand Drawn Records. This new album is a time capsule of the current era, featuring a diverse group of musicians that captures the richness and diversity of Dallas’ music scene and highlights the city’s exceptional talent. These young artists are performing on the same streets as the greats that preceded them.   The first record release event will be held on Friday, July 14th at Spinster Records in Oak Cliff at 7 p. m. The record release concert will be held on Saturday, July 29th, atHouse of Blues. Performers for the House of Blues concert include Children of Indigo, Cure for Paranoia, Ducado Vega, Flower Child, Maya Piata, Skinny Cooks and Labretta Suede. There is also a list of notable presenters for the event: Frank Campagna, Eva Raggio, Dave Chaos, and DJ Crash.   Tickets for the live concert can be purchased here.   “Sounds of Deep Ellum” vinyl album can be purchased here. For more information on Deep Ellum 100, please visit their website here or find them on instagram.   Click the link below to hear this incredible compilation: https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/sounds-of-deep-ellum-live-album-side-a? utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud. com%252Fsounds-of-deep-ellum%252Fsounds-of-deep-ellum-live-album-side-a In the upcoming months, BUDDY Magazine will be posting weekly articles to introduce our readers to each of these phenomenal artists. --- ### Rock & Roll Over offers a big wet KISS > Dallas-based tribute band Rock & Roll Over performed Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana last month. - Published: 2023-06-06 - Modified: 2023-06-06 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/rock-roll-over-offers-a-big-wet-kiss/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Feature - Tags: KISS, Rock&Roll Over - Entity Types: Article Dallas-based tribute band Rock & Roll Over performed Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana last month. By Kate Stow If you’re not one of the lucky fans that have tickets for the KISS – End of the Road Tour, take heart! Dallas-based tribute band Rock & Roll Over will be at a location near you this year. We caught up with them at Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana last month. In 2012, out of 225 submissions from around the world, KISS named Rock and Roll Over as being among the top 4 tributes to them at a Las Vegas contest held at Hard Rock Cafe. In 2013 D Magazine named them the top tribute band in Dallas.   Formed in 2010, they go the distance with iconic makeup, costumes, pyrotechnics, and even custom guitars. The band have performed coast to coast, covering all eras of KISS, from the 70's, to the present time.  Dallas native Christopher Paul has the “Star Child” act down, complete with snarky commentary.  As the leader of Rock and Roll Over, Christopher exudes the charisma and stage presence of Paul Stanley, while his vocals perfectly mimic his.  Christopher has also performed with the international KISS tribute band, The Original KISS Army, headed by the Godfather of KISS tribute bands Jim Seda, and remains in good stead with them.   As the newest member of Rock and Roll Over, New York City native Dan Castiel plays Gene Simmons – the blood spitting, bass wielding demon.  With many years of musical performance and recording experience under his codpiece, Dan has played in several national, original, cover and tribute bands, such as Sleepy Hollow, The Dropoutz, Thrillseeker, Jesse Snider (son of Dee Snider of twisted Sister), Saints of Los Angeles, Livewire (both Motley Crue Tributes), and Adrenalize (Def Leppard Tribute). Dan is endorsed by Black Diamond Strings. Playing the smoking lead guitar as Ace Frehley’s Spaceman is Allen Shelley.  His playing is proof of his attention to detail and long hours of practice to hit those familiar licks. Rounding out the quartet is drummer Jeff Gerhardt as the Cat, Peter Criss. Jeff is a veteran of heavy metal bands, Volume Dealer and 100 Proof Hatred. Whether he’s belting out Black Diamond, or crooning the ballads Beth and Hard Luck Woman, Jeff shows an amazing vocal range. https://youtu. be/cZCwWyJH3wY Since their first show in Ft. Worth on Aug. 31, 2010, the band have performed extensively in every corner of The Lone Star State, as well as all over the United States. You can find their schedule at www. rockandrollover. net --- ### Listen to Deep Ellum 100's Sounds of Deep Ellum 2 Compilation Album on Soundcloud > The Deep Ellum 100 Foundation has produced and released Sounds Of Deep Ellum 2, an exciting new compilation featuring ten Deep Ellum bands and artists. - Published: 2023-06-05 - Modified: 2023-06-06 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/deep-ellum/sounds-of-deep-ellum-2/ - Categories: Deep Ellum - Entity Types: Article The Deep Ellum 100 Foundation has produced and released Sounds Of Deep Ellum 2, an exciting new compilation featuring ten Deep Ellum bands and artists. The Deep Ellum 100 Foundation has produced and released Sounds Of Deep Ellum 2, an exciting new compilation featuring ten Deep Ellum bands and artists. The album project is a sequel to the 1987 release of the same name, which featured local artists who performed frequently in the area. Thirty-five years ago, The Sounds of Deep Ellum was the first release for many of its featured artists, and was a spark that propelled some of those acts to international success. Reverend Horton Heat, DDT, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, The Buck Pets, and others, got their start on the first project. The offical new album release party is scheduled for July 29 at House of Blues Dallas, from 7-10 PM. Listed below is a brief summary for all ten artists on the album, along with their Sound of Deep Ellum 2 Soundcloud track, and other videos. Listen to these artists in Buddy's Deep Ellum 100 playlist here: https://open. spotify. com/playlist/7BHTYQhC0gx58KXFppjbK7? si=66a4eff7767b4fa9 Lorelei K Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Lorelei K is a band renowned for their captivating avant-garde compositions and mesmerizing vocals. Their atmospheric sound draws inspiration from the rich legacy of European electronic music, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of the genre towards an exciting future. Dahlia Knowles, the powerful vocalist, skillfully juxtaposes her commanding performances against a backdrop of dark, synthetic elements, creating an eerie yet inviting embrace of the unknown. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/blue-part-four-lorelei-k? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Knowles says, "“We fall somewhere in the avant-garde, post-punk, dream pop world with arresting vocals and atmospheric high production songs. This music helps me channel all of my feelings and emotions and it’s a feeling that can’t be described in any other way. ”  https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=3IVSx61WJjo Maya Piata Maya Piata possesses an angelic voice that resonates with brilliance and glory, living up to her name as a performing and recording musician. Starting in the clubs of Deep Ellum, this New Orleans native has now established herself in Dallas, securing a permanent residency at The Free Man where her group regularly mesmerizes audiences. Being featured in The Sounds of Deep Ellum showcases the undeniable vocal talents of this talented young artist. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=VUhbtUQ3zSc Maya's music is a fusion of indie folk and dream pop molded by her unique background and characterized by delicate melodies and introspective lyrics. She describes her sound as “Sunshine Soul”, mirroring her bubbly personality and endless list of musical influences, ranging from Ms. Lauryn Hill to Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder to Prince, from Sam Cooke to Michael Jackson and beyond.   https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/catch-me-im-falling-maya-piata? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Cure For Paranoia Cure For Paranoia is a dynamic soul-infused hip-hop collective that crosses a contagious energy with thought-provoking lyrics. Their sound combines elements of rap, soul, and funk, resulting in a high-octane fusion that keeps audiences on their feet. Once the new face of the storied Dallas neighborhood, they are now taking Deep Ellum worldwide. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/unbothered-cure-for-paranoia? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing The musicians that make up Cure for Paranoia have their own bold energy - between Tomahawk Jonez’s and JayAnalog’s production, and Cameron McCloud’s brisk lyrical delivery, the band has designed its own brand of “trippy soul-infused hip-hop. ” Cure for Paranoia was awarded Dallas Observer’s Best New Act in 2016 and Best Group Act in 2017. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=qipacH3Ip0U Memory Shivers Memory Shivers stands as the pinnacle of surf, shoe-gaze, and psychedelic rock in Dallas. Spearheaded by Eric Martin, former Hi-Fi Drowning singer and songwriter, this project effortlessly earns critical acclaim for its originality and creativity. Featuring a lineup of esteemed local musicians, including Guyton Sanders, Tom Maccaulay, Poppy Xander, and Marshall Read, the band's live performances achieve sonic perfection, leaving no musical detail unattended. Setting themselves apart, they incorporate striking video and light projections. Undeniably significant, Memory Shivers anchors the Sounds of Deep Ellum live album project, solidifying their importance within the Dallas music scene. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/darkland-desires? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=rI0nNtE29YM Stone Mecca Stone Mecca is a true artist in every sense. Born in New Orleans, he honed his craft on the stages of rock clubs in Los Angeles during his early years. Eventually, he found himself drawn to the vibrant music scene in Dallas, where he set out to immerse himself in its rich musical tapestry. His musical style is a captivating amalgamation of rock, blues, R&B, and a multitude of other genres, seamlessly blending influences from the past with his own audacious and forward-thinking creations. Stone Mecca pays homage to his roots while fearlessly pushing the boundaries of his artistry, propelling it into the future with bombastic flair. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/shaking-me-up? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=V83JOd2Ypjo Flower Child Flower Child, also known as Flozilla, is a dynamic and rapid lyricist who made her debut in 2014 in Deep Ellum. Inspired by vibration and frequency, this hip-hop artist strives to infuse positivity into her music and uplift the world with her vibrant spirit. Notable performances in Deep Ellum include The Nines and Trees. Flower Child says, “I create music that is uplifting and positive for humanity, and have been actively performing in the community over the past five years. I’d like for my musical gifts to open more doors to make way for me to be a professional musician. " https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/chosen? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=WONDBhRIDYo Skinny Cooks Skinny Cooks is an extraordinary fusion of soul, alternative R&B, and fusion genres, brought to life by Nigel Newton and Brianne Sargent. The group originated in Dallas, Texas when Newton embarked on his artistic journey. With a captivating blend of vibraphone and cello, Skinny Cooks pushes boundaries, defying the norms of jazz, funk, rock, R&B, and gospel. Their prolific creativity has yielded over 100 genre-bending songs that showcase their unique musical chemistry. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W0XxM5nZpqo https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/highway-valley-skinny-cooks? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Children of Indigo Children of Indigo, founded by Jo Indigo in 2014, began as a collective of street musicians captivating audiences in Deep Ellum. From the sidewalks, they transitioned to mainstream clubs, where their unique sound flourished. With a lineup of eight talented musicians, each showcasing their distinct musical prowess, the band's evolving sound continues to captivate and expand. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/chicken-bone-children-of-indigo? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Labretta Suede and the Motel 6 Labretta Suede and the Motel 6 is a high-octane rock 'n' roll band that exudes raw energy and vintage style. Formed in 2005 in Auckland, New Zealand and relocated to Dallas in 2020, the band brings back the true essence of roots based rock n roll, punk and rockabilly blues. Fronted by bad girl tease Labretta Suede, with her sexy gritty performances, full frontal outfits and irresistible, irreverent, deep rich vocals that simply undress and unleash you. Johnny Moondog makes you completely unhinged with his wild tone, crazed reverb and mind bending psychedelic distortion and sneer. These two unruly and insatiable founding members are the essence behind this world-traveled jungle of juju strange. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=crhfnJXWpb8 Labretta and Johnny are backed by various ryhthym sections: In the US, Max Speed on bass and Capt. Gerry on drums join them on stage in New York; Texans Marco Villalobos on bass and Clint Phillips on drums join them for shows in the southern states. In New Zealand the lineup is complete with Tweedy Bird (Syl Porizakova) on bass and The Prosecutor ( Stuart Kett) on Drums. https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/crying-shame? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Ducado Vega Ducado Vega is a multifaceted artist, boasting a remarkable career that spans over three decades. Throughout his journey, he has made significant contributions to the vibrant music scene of Deep Ellum. Vega's live performances are characterized by his dynamic stage presence, electrifying guitar solos, and an unwavering commitment to giving it his all. His approach to music is marked by an intense "all or nothing" attitude, where he pours his heart and soul into every note. Beyond his own artistry, Vega is a fervent advocate for local artists, regularly featuring Dallas musicians on his radio show for Deep Ellum Radio. As a DJ and interviewer, he not only spins captivating tunes but also amplifies the voices of fellow musicians, showcasing their talents and fostering a sense of community within the industry. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=dNGXLLEmpOM&t=215s https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/hella-ducado-vega? utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing --- ### Alice Cooper Listening Party and Lookalike Contest, This Thurs at Good Records - Published: 2023-06-05 - Modified: 2023-06-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/alice-cooper-listening-party-good-records-dallas/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article A listening party for the new Alice Cooper album will be hosted at Good Records from 6 - 9 PM on Thursday, June 8, in anticipation of the show at Dos Equis Pavillion on August 24th. They will have free pizza, courtesy of Greenville Ave Pizza Co. Come out dressed as AC, several prizes are to be awarded to the most convincing Alice doppelganger, including a nice "stash" of records, a turntable, and tickets to the show in August. Good Records is located at 9026 Garland Rd, Dallas, 75218, east of White Rock Lake. --- ### Kirby Kelley Benefit Set for June 25 > A benefit to honor Kirby Kelley will be held June 25, 2023, from 2-7pm at The Plaza Theater Garland, 521 State Street. - Published: 2023-05-30 - Modified: 2023-05-31 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/kirby-kelley-benefit-set-for-june-25/ - Categories: Feature, Texas Music Events, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article A benefit to honor Kirby Kelley will be held June 25, 2023, from 2-7pm at The Plaza Theater Garland, 521 State Street. Texas Slide Guitar Legend and 2018 Buddy Magazine Texas Tornado, Kirby Kelley, has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing treatments. A benefit to honor Kirby will be held June 25, 2023, from 2-7pm at The Plaza Theater Garland, 521 State Street. The all-star lineup includes:Andy Timmons Band, Mike Daane Jr & The Journeymen, Mike Clark, Kirby Kelley, Mike Arnold, Johnny Marshall, Dave Johnsen, Brett Reid, Jimmy Wallace & Friends, Mike Holmes, Mike Gage, Danny Ross, Tone Summer, Andrew Supulski, Arnie Newman, Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Shawn Phares, Jerry Don Branch, B'nois King, Linda Waring, Guthrie Kennard Band, and more surprise guests to come! There are a great many financial needs: Donations for Kirby of any size will be so greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a donation, you may do so by the following methods:VENMO: Margaret Kelley @ pegkelley17 PAY PAL: @kirbykelley59 GO FUND ME: https://gofund. me/9058216a Or Mail cks to: Dallas International Guitar Festival / Jimmy Wallace Guitars. 514 Main Street Garland Tx 74040 ** Please Make all checks payable to Kirby Kelley There will also be silent & live auctions day of the benefit . If you have something to donate to the auction for BENEFIT KIRBY KELLEY please email information or questions to benefit@guitarshow. com You can drop off auction items at Jimmy Wallace Guitars 514 Main Street Garland Tx 75040 469-562 8545 11-6 Tuesday - SaturdayThanks to everyone for your support! --- ### Houston's Jordon Alva FOR THE RIDE / feat. GEE TRIPZ > Jordon Alva released "For The Ride," a super catchy track that is likely to give you an earworm for days. - Published: 2023-05-27 - Modified: 2023-07-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/houstons-jordon-alva-for-the-ride-feat-gee-tripz/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, New Texas Music - Entity Types: Article Jordon Alva released "For The Ride," a super catchy track that is likely to give you an earworm for days. Jordon Alva released "For The Ride," a super catchy track that is likely to give you an earworm for days. Hailing from Houston, Texas, Jordon Alva is a talented music artist who has been making waves in the local music scene. With his soulful voice, impressive songwriting skills, and captivating stage presence, Alva has carved a niche for himself as a versatile and dynamic performer. The UT alum is now making his live music home in Austin, where he recently performed at the annual SXSW music festival. "People often ask what my name is inspired by. It felt natural to incorporate my middle name Jordon into my artist identity, with Alva coming from a couple significant influences in my life," Jordon explained. "Since I can remember, I’ve been a huge fan of skating and skate culture, with Tony Alva playing a huge part into that. Another huge influence is my aunt Alva. She was one of the first people to support my music and point me in the right direction to make anything possible through music. I don’t think I would be where I am in life if it wasn’t for figures like her. " Alva draws inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, blending elements of R&B, soul, pop, and hip-hop to create a sound that is uniquely his own. His smooth vocals effortlessly glide over infectious melodies, creating a sonic tapestry that appeals to a diverse audience. "For the past year I’ve been working on an album that I'm really excited to put out into the world," said Jordon. "In addition to some new music videos on the way, we have a few events in the works that’ll allow us to showcase everything we’ve been busting our ass for and give us the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Austin creatives.  I aspire to be one of the most influential artists of my generation, telling a story that has yet to be told and creating community along the way. " https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=a6_N8gNGPPQJordon Alva - Youtube Alva's lyrics delve into personal experiences, relationships, and the complexities of everyday life, offering an introspective and relatable perspective. His heartfelt songs resonate with listeners, evoking emotions and drawing them into his musical journey. According to Jordon, he was inspired to write "For the Ride" by his lack of stability at the time. "What I did on a given day was usually decided in the morning, or to be honest, that afternoon. There was something very liberating about it, and I’d say it really allowed me to appreciate life for what it is. Though the feelings or nature of the relationship might change, the moments spent still hold a lot of value and that’s what I wanted to translate in "For the Ride. " The video for the track was shot during a roadtrip from Austin to California and back. "Shooting was crazy. We knew we wanted to match the on the go feeling the song gives off so we had to make the video feel like it took place on a massive scale. To pull this off we drove by van from Austin, Texas to Yuma, California with a pit stop in Phoenix Arizona to pick up supplies. From Yuma we drove to Tucson, Arizona, finally finishing the shoot back in Houston, Texas. It was a very cramped van. That said, I’m extremely grateful to be able to collaborate with such a talented group of people, there’s no way this could’ve pulled off if it wasn’t for such a great team.  Shoutout to Las Muchachos, the organization responsible for producing & filming this project, and everyone involved that allowed it to become a reality. " --- ### Deep Ellum 100 Foundation: Supporting Deep Ellum Artists, Musicians, and Service Workers - Published: 2023-05-27 - Modified: 2023-05-31 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/deep-ellum-100-foundation/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article In the aftermath of the global pandemic and severe winter storms in 2020 and 2021, the local businesses, bars, and restaurants of Deep Ellum grappled with severe financial hardships. Recognizing the urgent need to support the DE creative community, Deep Ellum 100 initiated fundraising efforts in March 2020, when the pandemic first took hold. Their goal: to aid the community during the crisis and uplift the people who make Deep Ellum what it is. Deep Ellum 100 has continued their work past the end of the pandemic, and is still providing grants to individuals in the Deep Ellum community. Through their efforts, Deep Ellum 100 has successfully awarded sixty financial grants of $2,500 each. As an extension of their goals to help the music community, Deep Ellum 100 has also produced a album compilation featuring Deep Ellum msucial artists. The Sounds of Deep Ellum 2 is a project consisting of ten Deep Ellum bands and performers. It is a sequel to the 1987 release of the same name, which featured the likes of Reverend Horton Heat, DDT, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, and other local artists who performed frequently in the area. The 1987 album was the first release for many of the featured artists, and was a spark that propelled some of those acts to international success. The new album features Lorelei K, Maya Piate, Cure For Paranoia, Memory Shivers, Stone Mecca, Flower Child, Skinny Cooks, Children of Indigo, Labretta Suede and the Motel, and Ducado Vega. A record release show will be held at House of Blues, Saturday, July 29, from 7-10 PM. Listen to the full Sounds of Deep Ellum 2 album on Sound Cloud. Side A https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/sounds-of-deep-ellum-live-album-side-a Side B https://soundcloud. com/sounds-of-deep-ellum/sounds-of-deep-ellum-live-album-side-bSound of Deep Ellum - 1987 https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=klYw1q7RUjM To donate to Deep Ellum 100, visit www. deepellum100. com. --- ### DIGF 2023: Through the Buddy lenses > The 45th Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival was held the first weekend in May, with a record number of Buddy Tornadoes blowing through the building – end-to-end. - Published: 2023-05-21 - Modified: 2023-06-01 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/digf-2023-through-the-buddy-lenses/ - Categories: Feature, Photography, Texas Music Events, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article The 45th Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival was held the first weekend in May, with a record number of Buddy Tornadoes blowing through the building – end-to-end. By Kate Stow If you didn’t make it to the Dallas Market Hall May 5-7, you missed the biggest party in Dallas. The 45th Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival was held the first weekend in May, with a record number of Buddy Tornados blowing through the building – end-to-end. Buddy Magazine was there in full force with no less than four photographers to capture the sights. Enjoy this visual tour! Jimmy Wallace and Kate StowKaren Lawrence and Judy HillBuddy owner Rob Garner and writer Kate StowBuddy writer Kate Stow wearing glasses made from the exact mold that made Buddy Holly's glasses. Kurt Cobain's autographed guitar at the Heritage Auctions boothThe guitar used by Stevie Ray Vaughan in the MTV Unplugged special at the Heritage Auctions boothWriter Kate Stow and Photographer Chuck FloresTrinity River Blues SocietySadie Johnson SparksA grand total of 52 performers were spread across three stages over the three-day festival weekend. This year’s headliners boasted an international lineup: Australian guitarist Orianthi, Texas native and 1978 Tornado Eric Johnson, and Canadian Phillip Sayce. Plagued with technical issues that disabled her amp, Orianthi (born Penny Panagaris) blamed it on the weather. “This Dallas weather keeps knocking my purple beast out of tune,” she said, in regard to her custom PRS electric guitar.   Despite several breaks to re-tune, Orianthi got a standing ovation for her Saturday show - her first in the Lone Star State. For all the trash-talk about the Texas weather, she had two tornados on stage with her: 2022 Tornado Neal Swanson and Johnson, who stepped in for a couple of numbers. Deep Ellum native Swanson has been the guitarist for Orianthi for 11 years now and was happy to be playing back home. “We get along like brother and sister; it’s a lot of fun,” Neal said about touring and playing with Orianthi. (See live interview with Swanson below) Austin native Johnson was back with Virginia (his 1954 Fender Stratocaster) on Sunday for a double-header, that started with Sayce on the outdoor stage. 2017 Tornado Rosco Beck joined Eric for some bass support, and 2017 Tornado Wes Jeans cheered them on, along with Tommy Katona and Grammy winning producer and engineer, Larry Mitchell. Phillip Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillip Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillip Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillip Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillip Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillips Sayce at DIGF 2023Phillip Sayce at DIGF 20231978 Tornado Eric Johnson just before taking the stageEric Johnson at DIGF 20231978 Tornado Eric JohnsonEric Johnson at DIGF 2023Rosco Beck at DIGF 2023Dave Scher at DIGF 2023Andy Timmons at DIGF 20231978 Tornado Eric Johnson and Dave ScherEric Johnson and Dave ScherEric Johnson, Rosco Beck and Dave ScherEric Johnson and Rosco BeckEric Johnson at DIGF 2023Eric Johnson at DIGF 2023Eric Johnson at DGF 2023Buddy Whittington and Wes JeansGrammy winning producer and engineer Larry MitchellBuddy photographer Robert MazfieldThe festival started on Friday with performances by: Jay Cober and the Backline, Darren Wise, 1980 Tornado Alan Haynes, Ariel Posen, Monte Montgomery, Petty Theft, Triple Forte, Matthew Scott, 2016 Tornado Quinten Hope, 1980 Tornado James McIntire, Denny Jiosa, Nathaniel Murphy and Greg Koch – who also joined Orianthi on stage. The Jimmy Wallace All-Star Jam on Friday night included: Derek St. Holmes, Rachel Stacy, Chris Rodriguez, Kara Grainger, Chris Duarte, Tommy Taylor, 1978 Tornado Rocky Athas, 1987 Tornado Mike Gage, Michael Holmes, Nathaniel Murphy, Giacomo Torra, 2016 Tornado Quinten Hope, Danny Ross, Tone Summers, Artur Menezes, Nili Brosh, Arnie Newman, Andrew Supurco, 1996 Tornado Van Wilks, Forrest Lee Jr. , Darren Wise, Sadie Johnson, Denny Jiosa, Nicole Cermanara, Anthony Cullins and Ariel Posen. Izzy Jennings, the young guitarist for Black Rock Candy, won the 10 Under 20 competition at DIGF 2023Taylor Heart of Black Rock CandyTaylor Heart of Black Rock CandyIzzy Jennings at DIGF 2023Ariel Posen at DIGF 2023Jimmy Wallace in the All-Star JamJImmy Wallace calls for a moment of silence to remember bandmate Randy Cates, who died earlier this yearThe doors opened Saturday morning to another day of stellar performances. Sprinkled throughout the day were: The Boogie Men, 1996 Tornado Van Wilkes, 1978 Tornado Rocky Athas, Artur Menezes, Rockin Robert T, Greg Koch, Johnny A, James McIntire, Denny Jiosa, 1991 Tornado Andy Timmons, Nathaniel Murphy and Larry Mitchell. The Saturday afternoon showcase was “Girls of Guitar” on the outside stage and included: Nicole Cermanara and Jin, Sadie Johnson, Nili Brosh, and ended with the final performance of the day by Orianthi. Orianthi and Eric Johnson at DIGF 2023Buddy Whittington at DIGF 2023Rocky Athas at DIGF 2023Ariel Posen at DIGF 2023Ariel Posen at DIGF 2023Triple Forte at DIGF 2023Sadie Johnson SparksTaking it inside that night on the Category 5 stage was an opening performance by a new young band - Black Rock Candy from Los Angeles. Immediately following was the Jimmy Wallace All-Star Jam, part two. Before starting the Jam, Wallace asked for a moment of silence to remember his fellow Stratoblaster, 1990 Tornado Randy Cates, who passed away earlier this year. ENJOY THE SOUNDS OF DIGF 2023! https://open. spotify. com/playlist/3uZCbiaQMkBXVmIxCJoNSL? si=5d9a9057684b4cb8 Sunday – the final day – started with the annual “10 Under 20” contest, which was won by Izzy Jennings, the female guitarist for Black Rock Candy. The last performances of the weekend were by: Jesse Spradlin, 1990 Tornado Buddy Whittington, Chris Duarte, Nate Gregory, Anthony Cullins Giacomo Turra, Nathaniel Murphy, Larry Mitchell, Johnny A, Denny Jiosa and 1980 Tornado James McIntire. As far as the trade show, there was any and everything a musician could need – from instruments, gear, strings, jewelry, and clothes – some old, some new, some borrowed and some blue. 1993 Tornado Brian “Hash Brown” Calway had a booth; 1989 Tornado Jim Suhler and 2017 Tornado Patrick Smith were caught browsing the aisles. There were even vendors that catered to the ladies. One vendor – RubyRibbon. com – encouraged ladies to “ditch their bras” at the guitar show. The enterprising ladies repping the vendor – Laurie and Gypsy – said they were staying busy selling shapewear to women whose husbands were buying guitar gear. “One lady said her husband spent $5,000 dollars on a guitar, so she bought a drawer full of our stuff,” exclaimed Gypsy. Texarkana luthier Bryan Jefferies introduced his handmade guitars to the Dallas crowd and explained the unique story behind his “Mutiny” series. “There was this huge water oak tree in Texarkana that a man was hung from about 500 years ago,” he said. “Fernando DeSoto had stopped there while looking for the Fountain of Youth. He drank from Spring Lake, hung a man for mutiny, then moved on. When the tree was felled five years ago, I bought the timber to make the guitars. ” One of the most popular corners of the floor was the Heritage Auctions booth. They had on display, among other things, a Stingray guitar owned and autographed by Kurt Cobain – complete with authentication and photo. Cobains’ guitar was encased behind glass with one of six Rosewood Telecaster prototypes built for George Harrison to play on the rooftop for the Beatles last performance together. The one at the show, however, was gifted to none other than Elvis Presley, who decided it was too heavy for his taste and sent it back to the company. Another great eye-popping, jaw-dropping guitar they had was the Guild 12-string guitar that Stevie Ray Vaughan played on his MTV Unplugged special. The guitar was taken out of the case so that Tommy Katona – guitarist for the SRV Tribute band Texas Flood – could play it for a minute under the watchful eye of Aaron Piscopo, Director, Vintage Guitars & Musical Instruments for Heritage Auctions - Dallas. Three days later the guitar sold at auction for $225,000. For these performers, it may have just been “another gig” in another town; to the exhibitors it may have just been “another trade show” and another opportunity to make bank. But to the attendees, it’s the greatest music festival of the year, and the best place to find a special guitar for their collection. For Jimmy Wallace and his staff, it’s now time to rest and recharge – but not for long. “We’re already planning next year’s show,” he said. Keep your eyes on www. buddymagazine. com for all the latest DIGF 2024 news! More live interviews from the 2023 show, below: --- ### Gemstone Reveals New Sapphire Combo Amp at Dallas International Guitar Festival - Published: 2023-05-11 - Modified: 2023-05-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/gear/gemstone-sapphire-combo-amp-digf/ - Categories: Gear - Entity Types: Article Gemstone Amps LLC and Port Noise Marketing have teamed up to unveil their latest offering, the Sapphire, at the Dallas International Guitar Show on May 7, 2023. The Sapphire is a cathode-biased 1-12 combo amplifier that delivers 25 watts of power with a 6v6 power source. With two distinct channels, the Sapphire features US and UK voicing and a Master Volume and Three-Way Gain switch, allowing guitarists to cover a wide range of genres, from jazz to rock. The custom cabinet is designed to offer enough volume for live performances while remaining quiet enough for studio recording. The Sapphire is available in two colors, Western Tuxedo and Red Tuxedo, and has a list price of $1,899. Interested buyers can purchase the Sapphire on the Gemstone Amps website at https://www. gemstoneamps. com. Gemstone Amps LLC is a player-grade amplifier company founded in 2021 by James Jiskra, a veteran of the music industry with 45 years of experience on and off the stage. Jiskra has deep roots in both retail and publishing. --- ### Pick up an old Buddy at DIGF!! - Published: 2023-05-03 - Modified: 2023-05-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/pick-up-an-old-buddy-at-digf/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Stop by our booth - we look forward to meeting our readers! We'll have back issues, cover posters, T-shirts and merchandise for purchase! --- ### FIND A BUDDY AT DIGF! > Buddy owner Rob Garner will be at the Dallas International Guitar Festival, May 5-7, 2023. Joining him will be the Buddy staff: photographers Chuck Flores, James Bland and Zoe White; and writer Kate Stow. - Published: 2023-05-02 - Modified: 2023-05-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/find-a-buddy-at-digf/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Buddy owner Rob Garner will be at the Dallas International Guitar Festival, May 5-7, 2023. Joining him will be the Buddy staff: photographers Chuck Flores, James Bland and Zoe White; and writer Kate Stow. Buddy owner Rob Garner will be at the Dallas International Guitar Festival, May 5-7, 2023. Joining him will be the Buddy staff: photographers Chuck Flores, Dakota Sirchio, Darleen Mcadams, and writer Kate Stow. Photography contributors Robert Maxwell and Zoe White are also there. Find the Buddy booth to meet the team and grab some cool merch - back issues, iconic cover posters, T-shirts and more! ! ! --- ### Erykah Badu launches tour with Mos Def > Hot on the heels of being presented the Key to Deep Ellum, Dallas native, Erica Wright, aka Erykah Badu, has announced a 25-city US tour with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). - Published: 2023-04-28 - Modified: 2023-04-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/erykah-badu/ - Categories: Texas Music Events, Texas Tornados - Tags: Braylon Lacy, Erykah Badu, Mos Def - Entity Types: Article Hot on the heels of being presented the Key to Deep Ellum, Dallas native, Erica Wright, aka Erykah Badu, has announced a 25-city US tour with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). Hot on the heels of being presented the Key to Deep Ellum, Dallas native, Erica Wright, aka Erykah Badu, has announced a 25-city US tour with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). The Deep Ellum Foundation honored her in February during her birthday bash at The Factory. The “Unfollow Me Tour” launches on June 11th in San Antonio, Texas, with further dates scheduled in San Diego, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Boston, New York, Atlanta, and beyond. Performing with Erykah is bass player Braylon Lacy, one of Buddy's 2022 Tornados. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster. Erykah Badu Tour Dates: 06/11 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center06/13 – Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena06/15 – San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena06/16 – Las Vegas, NV @ Michelob Ultra Arena06/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto. com Arena06/20 – Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center06/21 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena06/23 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater06/26 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena06/28 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center06/30 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center07/01 – Chicago, IL @ United Center07/02 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena07/07 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden07/08 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden07/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at the Mann07/11 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center07/12 – Norfolk, VA @ Chartway Arena07/13 – Washington DC @ Capital One Arena07/15 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena07/16 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center07/18 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena07/19 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena at the BJCC07/21 – Memphis, TN @ FedExForum07/23 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center --- ### Photos: Bobby Sparks II at Deep Ellum Art Co, 04-01-23 - Published: 2023-04-14 - Modified: 2023-04-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/photos-bobby-sparks-ii-marcus-jones/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Entity Types: Article Portrait of a gig. Robert Maxfield was on hand to capture Sparks and his phenomenal band. Images of Sparks, Marcus Jones, Jay Mck. --- ### Meeting the Fabulous Jimmie Vaughan > Over my years in the media, I have had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, including some notable music entertainers. This new column will serve as a platform for me to write about those experiences - how I met the artist, and anything they said or did that left a lasting impression. I hope you enjoy this peek behind the reporter's curtain. - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/columns-news/kates-music-notes/ - Categories: Columns - Tags: #TexasMusic, Brothers In Blues, JImmie Vaughan, Kate's Music Notes, The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Entity Types: Article Over my years in the media, I have had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, including some notable music entertainers. This new column will serve as a platform for me to write about those experiences - how I met the artist, and anything they said or did that left a lasting impression. I hope you enjoy this peek behind the reporter's curtain. Music has always played a huge role in my life - whether it's playing the piano and guitar, or listening to a wide variety of musical genres, there isn't a period of my life that doesn't have a musical soundtrack attached to it. Over my years in the media, I have had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, including some notable music entertainers. This new column will serve as a platform for me to write about those experiences - how I met the artist, and anything they said or did that left a lasting impression. I hope you enjoy this peek behind the reporter's curtain. Photo by Kate Stow Photo by Kate Stow Photo by Kate Stow Photo by Kate Stow Photo by Zoe White Photo by Kate Stow Photo by Kate Stow The Fabulous Thurnderbirds, mid 1980's Last month I had the opportunity to meet, and speak with, Jimmie Vaughan. Most people think of him as “Stevie Ray’s brother. ” Lord knows, he’s carried that baggage around since Stevie’s untimely death in 1990. But Jimmie was the first Vaughan brother – the first to be born, the first to play guitar, the first to move to Austin, the first to form a recording band, and the first to hit the charts. It was the Fabulous Thunderbirds that I remember from the 1980’s. Ah, the 80’s. All of us teenagers of that decade – the baby sisters and brothers of the “Me Decade” children – were the MTV generation. We got to know our favorite bands in a way that no one else ever had before videos. For us, video didn’t really kill the radio star, but it sure made a difference in the Billboard Hot 100 list that radio stations picked from. The Fabulous Thunderbirds fit nicely between “Beat It” and “Walk Like An Egyptian. ”  We teased our hair high, squeezed into our denim miniskirts, stepped into our stilettos, and danced all night at the local clubs. On Saturday’s we all met up at the house that had cable and got ready while watching MTV. We imagined ourselves in a video world, and adopted the look and swagger of the models we saw the bands drooling over. While we strutted around the dance floor to Vince Vance and The Valliant’s we imagined they were our favorite video bands – like the Fabulous Thunderbirds. I remember sitting at Denny’s one very early Sunday morning looking across the booth at my friend, who had eye liner running down her cheek and her once-perfect hair looked like she had just rolled down a hill into a creek bed. I simply said “you look like sh! t. ” She pulled out her compact and pushed the mirror in my face while saying “so do you. ” Even now, when I think back to the 80’s, that phrase – “you look like sh! t” still comes to mind. We came of age during the decade of excess. Everything was bigger – not just the hair and shoulder pads. We were all living large, like it would never end, and we would never grow up. It should be called the Neverland decade. The year 1990 hit us like slamming into a brick wall. We were mother’s, wives, entry level career women. Our skirts were longer, our hair was shorter - we became homeroom mothers and baked cookies. We could no longer be seen in public looking like we rolled down a hill. Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan were ahead of the curve. They got clean when being sober wasn’t cool. What was even more “uncool,” was that Stevie preached about getting clean during live shows. Looking back, I wonder how many lives he must have saved. How ironic that Stevie died after living through the hell of drug and alcohol addiction. But that isn’t the only ironic thing about August 27, 1990. After he finished playing that Sunday night in East Troy, Wisconsin, Stevie told his brother that he wanted to go home to Dallas early. Jimmie said “I came all the way here to see you and you’re leaving early? ” The truth is that Stevie had a new girlfriend and, since he no longer used or drank, had no reason to stick around. So, Jimmie gave up his seat on the helicopter so Stevie Ray could leave early. Yes – Jimmie gave his little brother his seat on that doomed flight that lasted barely five minutes before crashing into a mountain and killing everyone on board. Let’s pause right here and think about that a minute. Jimmie left later and had no idea what happened until he awoke in Texas the next morning. There were no cell phones, no social media. He had no idea that his little brother died on that helicopter for 24 hours. Eric Clapton lost members of his crew on that flight and was called to the hospital to identify their bodies. Jimmie was called to identify his brother. “The worst thing for me was that Stevie Ray had been sober for three years and was at his peak. When he played that night he had all of us standing there with our jaws dropped,” Clapton told Jay Taysom of Far Out Magazine in the January 2022 issue. “I mean, Robert Cray and Jimmie Vaughan and Buddy Guy were just watching in awe. There was no one better than him on this planet. Really unbelievable. ” So, to recap: Jimmie flies to Wisconsin to watch his little brother play on the same bill with Eric Clapton; Stevie Ray wows even the guitar greats, including Jimmie; Jimmie gives up his seat to Stevie; Jimmie goes back to Texas, where he is called a day later; Jimmie returns to Wisconsin to identify his brother’s body. Prior to the dates with Clapton, Stevie and Jimmie had been working on an album together – the very first, called “Family Style. ” All of the songs were in post-recording stage, meaning the finishing touches were being applied before releasing the album. “You know, the record company called and said they wanted to go ahead and release it,” Jimmie recalled. “I told them ‘well, we can’t promote it with a concert cause Stevie’s dead and I can’t do it without him. ” The song “Tick Tock” was released September 25, 1990 – not even a full month after Stevie’s death. Jimmie said he had written the song in his garage one day, while thinking it was about time the brothers recorded together. Back in 1990, no one spoke of “survivor’s guilt” or “PTSD. ” I’m sure Jimmie probably suffered from both. “I didn’t really do much of anything for a while,” he said. It was three years later that Jimmie and Eric Clapton were, once again, standing on the edge of a stage together. In 1993 Eric invited Jimmie to join him at Royal Albert Hall in London. At the time he didn’t realize that Jimmie hadn’t performed since Stevie’s death. As a testament of his fortitude, Jimmie hasn’t stopped performing since. This September, Jimmie will again join Eric for a series of five concerts in North America: Pittsburgh, PA; Toronto, ON; St, Louis, MO; St Paul, MN; and Denver, CO. Tickets go on sale March 31. Lot’s of stories and documentaries have been written about Stevie Ray. They are full of nice quotes from people who knew him, and some who didn’t really know him. Last week a new show premiered about both Stevie AND Jimmie. The producer, Kirby Warnock, is a past editor of BUDDY Magazine, from back in the “Neverland 80s decade. ” The show opened for one night only at the historic Texas Theater in the Dallas district of Oak Cliff. Every seat was full, and Jimmie was there, seated with the crowd. Afterward, he and Kirby stood on the stage and took questions from the audience. Most of the questions were about his relationship with Stevie – “did they fight a lot? (not really)” and “where is Stevie’s guitar? (in a bank vault). ” As he was coming down off the stage, I seized the moment to speak with Jimmie. What came out of my mouth was something that no born and bred Texas rocker would ever dare say out loud... but I confessed it to the one person on this earth that probably wouldn’t be too upset about it. I bravely looked at Jimmie Vaughan and said “In the 80’s you were my favorite Vaughan brother. ” He didn’t believe me, so I said it again, “I loved the Fabulous Thunderbirds! Wrap it Up! ” He grinned and gave me one of those half-hugs you give people you don’t really know very well. We talked a little bit longer before he was ushered to the lobby to sign more autographs. I asked him how he felt about the show, and about the book Texas Flood, written by Alan Paul. His answer has haunted me all week: “Imagine if you had a little sister, and she died, and everybody was saying how much they knew her... you know, what are you gonna do? ” Of course, no one knew Stevie Ray like Jimmie did. And Stevie Ray couldn’t have a better steward of his legend. So, keep on rocking, Vaughan Brother #1. You’re a legend in your own right, and you’re fabulous. Follow the link to stream Brother's In Blues: The Vaughan Brothers, by Buddy Magazine's own Kirby Warnock! http://www. trans-pecosproductions. com --- ### Space Opera, circa 1972 - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/space-opera-circa-1972/ - Categories: Reviews, Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: Country Max, Sound City, Space Opera - Entity Types: Article It can take decades to have an imprinted bit of data become useful. That happened to me recently when I was archiving some materials that came from the estate of producer Phil York.   Among them, was this reel, nearly totally absent from any identification EXCEPT on the back of the box. “1/4 track  2nd Part  Delbert & play. ”   Well, I know that Phil worked a lot with Delbert McClinton in the early days - perhaps it’s something from that. But alas, when I finally got it to spin up, it was obviously not Delbert. It was a 50 minute live tape, recorded on a ¼ track deck (one channel only) and at a really low level. Even so, I was able to do my typical restoration work and got a nice dub. Now – who was the band? A few minutes into the show, comes a song. It’s the very song that I had heard a 40 second clip of back in 1981. It appeared in the middle of a 1973 KZEW commercial that Jon Dillon had cut for Gertie’s. “I’m in love, that’s no lie You don’t need to ask me why. ‘Cause I’m high, high, high, hiii-iigh. ” It was exactly what I heard on the mystery tape. The band was Space Opera and the song is called “Country Max. ” Mystery #1 solved. But why did a progressive rock band like Space Opera have a tape in Phil York’s pile-o-stuff?   You gotta dig into the roots, and I don’t mind doing that. At the real roots of the 1972 debut Lp by Space Opera, you find Scott Fraser and Edd Lively in a teenage garage band called The Mods. In 1966 they cut their only recording, a 45 with their original tune “Days Mind The Time” paired with a little known Lennon-McCartney song “It’s For You. ”  The single provides the big clue – Phil York was the sound engineer on the session, probably recorded at Sound City in Ft. Worth. By 1968 the Mods were updating their sound and had been joined by two more key musicians, David Bullock and Philip White.   Knocking around exploring new ideas spurred by the rapidly changing musical landscape of the times, they recorded some tunes with 20-year old T. Bone Burnett producing. Again, recording in Sound City, where Phil York was one of the owners. The result of the sessions was an Lp called ‘The Unwritten Works of Geoffrey, Etc. ’ The band was hidden under the name Whistler, Chaucer, Detroit, and Greenhill, and the LP, which was lost in a sea of other releases by UNI Records, disappeared without a trace, but it showed they were no ordinary quartet. These guys had some fresh ideas. Pressing on, Fraser (guitar, vocals), Bullock (guitar, vocals), and White (bass, vocals) dreamed up new ideas and in the spring of 1969 met jazz drummer Brett Wilson, who actually went to high school with all three. The new group came up with a better name, and launched themselves into the local scene as Space Opera. They played all the usual spots and sounded like nobody else. They rose through the ranks quickly enough they were invited to play opening spots for big concerts which put them on the same stage as the Byrds, and Jefferson Airplane – two bands that had obviously exerted a great influence on Space Opera. For several years they crafted their unusual sound. A little country rock, a bit of jazz, toss in some Zappa and whatever else, and they were gaining fans. But still, no vinyl to show for it all. Since DFW was a place where local music was turning to national fare, Space Opera was ‘discovered’ by Columbia Records, and trekked up to Toronto to cut their debut album. The group wove together a complex tapestry with threads of psych, prog, Bryds-ish country, jazz and pop with gorgeous harmonies, and unexpectedly joyous guitar solos. Judging from the number of times their songs have been streamed on YouTube nearly 40 years later, the top of the stack is “Holy River” 24K, with “Country Max” 16K and “Over And Over” close behind at 15K. “Outlines” is at 3. 9K, and “My Telephone Artist”  at 3. 8K. These are only some of the thousands of streams of songs that haven’t been available in any form since the mid ‘70s and rave reviews in the comments. Emerging from long sessions, and months away from their home base, it was then that the complex nature of Space Opera took its toll.  The band spent a long time recording and mixing. In order to replicate the complex LP in a live setting, they needed some new, custom gear, and that takes time and money. All this while away from DFW and playing live the band started to fade.   The LP ‘Space Opera’ hits shop in the spring of 1973 and the band played a few shows, but it just wasn’t the same.  They soon split up. Despite that, the band’s vinyl legacy endures and in the decades since, has become quite the collectible, and when it turns up could fetch $40-$100.   So what was the mystery tape?   It is nearly 50 minutes of a live show. The venue is unknown, the date as well. But you do get to hear eight songs, five of which were not part of their album. Perhaps this is something that needs to be shared as part of their continued legacy, and that might have to see a return to vinyl as well. After all, Space Opera was not like everyone else, so why should this lost tape’s return be anything typical. More to come.   --- ### CES 2023 Round-Up > The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show returned to Las Vegas on January 3rd, after a brief pandemic hiatus. Past attendance for CES was between 200,000 to 250,000, but this “smaller” comeback show had an estimated attendance of 100,000, which has been touted as the largest indoor gathering in the USA since the pandemic began. - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/ces-2023-round-up/ - Categories: Gear, Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: CES 2023 - Entity Types: Article The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show returned to Las Vegas on January 3rd, after a brief pandemic hiatus. Past attendance for CES was between 200,000 to 250,000, but this “smaller” comeback show had an estimated attendance of 100,000, which has been touted as the largest indoor gathering in the USA since the pandemic began The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show returned to Las Vegas on January 3rd, after a brief pandemic hiatus. Past attendance for CES was between 200,000 to 250,000, but this “smaller” comeback show had an estimated attendance of 100,000, which has been touted as the largest indoor gathering in the USA since the pandemic began. This year’s show featured a newly constructed West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, adding to the already massive convention complex. Three BUDDY Magazine staffers each walked about 20 miles per day at the show, checking out literally hundreds of new products and displays. Hologram of Mark Cuban CES 2023. Perhaps the biggest showstopper was seeing the large-scale hologram technology. The HYPERVSN booth provided a “phygital experience” for non-stop throngs of wide-eyed gawkers. One platform featured a 2-story hologram of Mark Cuban, giving a truly larger-thanlife talk. We would place our bets on seeing much more of this tech rolling out on the strip in Las Vegas in large scale form, while making deeper  footprint into branding and advertising in the not-too-distant future. It is absolutely stunning to experience in a live setting, and pics and video do not do it justice. Here are some of our other top finds at the show: High-tech Buddy Holly styled smart glasses. Photos by staff. Fuse Audi Verticle Turntable, spinning some multicolored Bob Marley vinyl Fuse Audio Vertical Turntable https://fuseaudio. net/ This was released a couple of years ago, it was one of our favorite pieces of hardware at the show. Making a vertical turntable that actually works efficiently and accurately is an engineering feat in- and of-itself. Regarding the physics and design on the turntable, Fuse Audio’s Aaron Thompson gave us this run down: “We use a variety of measures to ensure a smooth playback that minimizes wear and tear on records. The biggest factor that affects our players is the reduction of the force of gravity. To offset the reduced gravitational force we counterbalance with (several different) mechanisms. (The) platter angle is set to 85° instead of 90°. This ensures that even if a record has a wobble, gravity can assist with keeping the tone arm in position and reading the vinyl. We use a large spring-loaded counterweight as our anti-skate mechanism. This is a larger weight than would be used for a traditional turntable. A tracking force of 4g keeps the needle in the groove. By removing most of the gravitational force that is applied to a traditional turntable’s tone arm, a higher tracking force is required to ensure consistent playback. This tracking force is within recommended specs for the Audio-Technica AT3600L needle cartridge. A magnetic clamp is used to mount/release vinyl to/from the platter mat quickly. This keeps vinyl stabilized and ensures proper vinyl playback speed. We have played our Bob Marley vinyl over a thousand times with minimal wear on the record. ” Amazon Price at time of pressing: $219. 99 On-site machine used for many different musical instrument engraving applications. Engraving machine starting prices: Approximately $10,000 for entry level units. Epilog Laser Engraving Machine www. epiloglaser. com Epilog is the etching machine of choice for many musical instrument manufacturers, including Rickenbacker, Deering Banjos, Schecter, and Grover Jackson Guitars. It can etch on glass, metal, wood, and other surface types. It is commonly used in the instrument industry for custom pickguards, fingerboards, and inlays. An Epilog rep told Buddy that Taylor also uses their machine for cutting the spruce reinforcements used in some of their acoustic guitar bodies. Audio Technica ATHM50xSTS StreamSet™ Audio Technica ATHM50xSTS StreamSet™ Headset For Digital Creators www. audio-technica. com Audio-Technica debuted the ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet™, designed for digital streamers and content creators, which combines the studio sound of the ATH-M50x headphones, with the clarity of their 20 series microphones. The ATHM50xSTS is equipped with a cardioid condenser microphone, and two distinct ear pad styles to be utilized according to preference. MSRP: $199. 00 Audio-Technica Sound Burger Turntable Re-Release In commemoration of their 60th anniversary, Audio-Technica also released a l i m i t ed- e d i t ion Sound Burger portable turntable in November, over forty years after its original debut. An Audio-Technica representative told BUDDY Magazine, “The Sound Burger sold out globally in two days, before we started our promotion of it. We are going to bring this back as part of our standard line in spring of this year. It is a serious piece of audio equipment. ” The Sound Burger is an entry -level machine in terms of both features and price. With Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity, Audio Technica says the Sound Burger is useful for parties, outdoor gatherings, and that it fits in well with smaller living spaces. It connects to Bluetooth headphones or speakers for up to 12 hours of wireless record listening. MSRP: $199 Roland 50th Anniversary Concept Piano Roland 50th Anniversary Concept Piano Roland USA featured a stunning organically-modern piano with their 50th Anniversary Concept Piano. It was showcased with drone speakers – yes, flying drones – that hover above the keyboard, and can conceivably fly over an audience or listener to literally find the sweet spot in any room. They were unable to demo these speakers inside the conference hall, however, due to restrictions by the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates drone airspace – indoors, or out. Here is how Roland describes the speaker design built into the concept piano: “The key was a 360-degree speaker, a “speaker ball “capable of firing sound in any direction. By placing them in critical areas of the piano - namely the lid and top edges – Roland Piano General Manager Takahiro Murai could reproduce the sound of any piano. To achieve this, they needed an unprecedented number of speakers. “There are 14 general 360-degree speakers,” (said Murai), “seven on the right and seven on the left. This unique 14-speaker array can recreate a three-dimensional sound space not achievable with conventional stereo speaker systems found on digital pianos. ” Roland also says “the new system could faithfully reproduce the immersive sound fields of acoustic vertical pianos or grand pianos. This completely changes the breadth of the sound and the width of the expression. Ultimately, it doesn’t sound like listening to speakers. The experience is closer to being surrounded by natural piano sounds. ” --- ### BLAH-BLAH > Texas music happenings from the Spring 2023 print issue includes news from State Fair Records and Longhorn Ballroom. - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/blah-blah/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: BLAH-BLAH, LONGHORN BALLROOM, STATE FAIR - Entity Types: Article Texas music happenings from the Spring 2023 print issue includes news from State Fair Records and Longhorn Ballroom. 2023 is already looking to be another busy year for State Fair Records. In late January, Jackson Scribner & Billy Law are playing the Kessler Theater together to commemorate their European Fall Tour they did together in Sweden. This show was presented by KXT and proved to be a memorable evening. Matt Hillyer is kicking off the New Year in style at the MusicFest in Steamboat, CO and then he heads off on a West Coast Tour supporting Dale Watson from late January into February. His solo album Glorieta is due for release on Feb 25th on both vinyl / cd and all the streaming services and he’s confirmed for a show at The Kessler Theater on March 25th. 2023 will definitely be a busy year for Matt as he will continue to tour around Texas and the Southwest promoting his solo release. Nathan Mongol Wells from the cowpunk band, The Ottoman Turks has also been busy recording his first solo album with John Pedigo of The O’s / Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner whose engineering and producing the album along with Nathan. The Turks will continue to play regionally throughout the year as well but look for news on Nathan›s solo release later this winter. John Dufilho from The Deathray Davies / CLIFFFS /JDJR amongst many other bands and projects he’s involved in, has yet another musical guise to add to his long list of creative endeavors. He’ll be releasing a solo album under the moniker John Buffalo. This will definitely be a musical departure from anything he›s released before, so be on the lookout for that later this year. Jackson and Levi Scribner are going into Consolvo Studios in East Dallas with the Grammy-winning engineer, now Austin-based, Stuart Sikes (The Walkmen, White Stripes, Loretta Lynn) to record his self-titled follow up due out later this year. Lastly, the offshoot program The State Fair Records, Singles Club has a stocked roster for 2023. SFR Singles Club is designed to champion local and national artists who aren’t on the label but that we want to spotlight as true talent. “We just want to release songs and shine a light on these artists who are producing amazing music,” said State Fair Record’s Jeff Ryan. The Longhorn Ballroom is kicking off its long-awaited grand re-opening with Asleep At The Wheel on Thursday, March 30. Other upcoming shows include Old Crow Medicine Show with Joshua Ray Walker, Friday, March 31, Morgan Wade and Lucero with Kaitlin Butts, Saturday, April 1, Ween on April 25, and Emmylou Harris, Saturday, April 22nd. From our vault of “missed items of note” that occurred during the BUDDY Magazine pandemic leave, Mouse and the Traps released a fantastic set of tunes entitled, Walking In Dylan’s Shoes, a tribute to Bob Dylan. It features 14 Dylan covers, with tunes like “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” “Highway 61 Revisited,” “Like A Rolling Stone,” and many others. The Nervebreakers have just a few copies left of their limited-edition vinyl release, entitled Face Up To Reality. It is a beautifully packaged disk on thick red vinyl, and sounds as great as it looks... Music journalist and music historian John Lomax III (of the famed Lomax music family) is going out on the road, performing a one-man show about his family, and giving life to songs from the past. He has released a new album by John Lomax Jr. , entitled Folk – Live. There are 18 tracks, and each song is aptly described in historical detail. Marcus Jones, drummer and founder of the band The Found, says they are currently recording, with plans to release new music in the Spring. He also says they are planning to play more performances outside of their long-standing Thursday night gig at The Free Man. For the last seven years, BUDDY Magazine publisher Rob Garner has been telling anyone who will listen that The Found is hands-down one of the best bands in Texas. It was an axe-fest at the Granada Theatre last January 6 with Eric Tessmer and Chris Duarte. Photographer Zoe White of SweetAzurePhotos was on hand to capture all the action. Check your socials for more great shots from Sweetazurephotos. MCA Nashville released 70’s era Joe Ely recordings on vinyl on February 17 They include Joe Ely, Honky Tonk Masquerade, and Down on the Drag... BUDDY Magazine Publisher Emeritus Ron McKeown will be inducted into the 8th annual Dallas Songwriters Association Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held on April 15th, 2023 at Love and War in Plano. McKeown is being honored for decades of service to the Texas music community. Beloved Oak Cliff guitarist, David Brown, died November 12, 2022, at the age of 70 in Lodi, CA. Best known for his years with Texas Rock and Brownhawk, David was a consummate showman who played with so much joy. “David was a great friend and one of the best guitar players I had the pleasure to know,” said Rocky Athas. David was “one of the most beautiful souls I’ve ever known,” Bart Campi recalled. “He would always tell me, “When you see Stevie, tell him I’m gonna take him to Kiest Park and whoop his ass. ” And Stevie would always say the same back, and grin. ” Garland native Cedric Moore picked up a Japan tour with Marcus Miller last September. He joins an elite group of drummers to fill that chair for bassist Miller, who is nothing short of contemporary jazz royalty. You can catch Moore playing around North Texas with the Funky Knuckles. Ginny Mac has been tearing up the road with Asleep At The Wheel for the last few months. We at BUDDY Magazine believe that Mac joining AATW is the one of best things to happen to Western Swing since it became our official “State Music of Texas” back in 2011... As we went to press, we heard the sad news that Dallas guitarist Michael McCullough has died. A March 31 Memorial is planned. The fleet-fingered BUDDY Magazine Texas Tornado, Class of 1997 was a dear friend and will be sorely missed. --- ### DIGF 2023 > The 2023 Dallas International Guitar Festival - the world's largest - will be held May 5-7 at Dallas Market Hall. - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/digf-2023/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Tags: Dallas International Guitar Festival, DIGF, Guitar Show - Entity Types: Article The 2023 Dallas International Guitar Festival - the world's largest - will be held May 5-7 at Dallas Market Hall. The 45th Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival - the world's largest - will be held May 5-7 at Dallas Market Hall. The building will be packed, wall-to-wall, with the most guitar, gear and memorabilia vendors ever assembled - including BUDDY Magazine. Known for presenting stellar talent, this year's headliners will be Eric Johnson, Orianthi and Philip Sayce. Tucked into the long list of artists is the man behind the curtain - Jimmy Wallace. He will be performing with his Guitar Army for the annual Saturday Night Jam; and again with Rachel Stacy as they preview songs from their new collaboration, Wallace-Stacy. Austin native Eric Johnson is a Grammy award-winning guitarist, vocalist and composer. Guitar Player magazine has called him "one of the most respected guitarists on the planet. " His 1990 album Ah Via Musicom was certified platinum by the RIAA, and the single Cliffs of Dover won the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance. " Since then he has released 12 studio albums - the most recent being The Book of Making / Yesterday Meets Today (2022). Orianthi Penny Panagaris, known mononymously as Orianthi, is an Australian guitarist, singer and songwriter who rehearsed in 2009 with Michael Jackson in preparation for his This Is It concert series, and performed with Alice Cooper's touring band. Her 2009 debut single According to You peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8 in Australia and No. 17 in the US. She also won the "2010 Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" award hosted by Guitar International magazine. Canadian transplant Philip Sayce has been making waves since the mid 80's with such headliner acts as Jeff Healey, Uncle Kracker and Melissa Etheridge. Sayce released his first solo album - Peace Machine - in 2009 followed by Innerevolution in May 2010. In July 2010, Sayce supported ZZ Top in Europe and in December 2010, he supported Deep Purple on their French dates. To date, he has nine studio albums under his belt. ​Dallas Market Hall is located at 2200 N Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207. The doors will be open to the Public: Friday:  12:00pm to 7:00pm; Saturday:  10am to 7pm; Saturday night Jam: Market Hall 8pm; Sunday:  10am to 6pm For tickets, directions, market hall diagrams, and more information, go to: https://www. guitarshow. com/ Line-up/set times subject to change. Everyone subject to search upon entry. Tickets Required For Entry (Ages 10 & under Free).   --- ### Wallace-Stacy: A match made in…Grover’s > A chance meeting during an all-star jam at Grover’s Bar and Grill has resulted in a collaboration that will, no doubt, be considered legendary one day. It was there that Rachel Stacy’s rich bluesy voice caught the ear of Texas guitar legend Jimmy Wallace. - Published: 2023-04-11 - Modified: 2023-04-11 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/wallace-stacy-a-match-made-ingrovers/ - Categories: Feature, Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: Jimmy Wallace, Rachel Stacy, Wallace-Stacy - Entity Types: Article A chance meeting during an all-star jam at Grover’s Bar and Grill has resulted in a collaboration that will, no doubt, be considered legendary one day. It was there that Rachel Stacy’s rich bluesy voice caught the ear of Texas guitar legend Jimmy Wallace. By Kate Stow A chance meeting during an all-star jam at Grover’s Bar and Grill has resulted in a collaboration that will, no doubt, be considered legendary one day. It was there that Rachel Stacy’s rich bluesy voice caught the ear of Texas guitar legend Jimmy Wallace. While Rachel has performed in many genres, she has most recently used her classical violin training to give her new country music a bluegrass flavor. “Rachel has been concentrating on her country sound, but there are many ingredients in Rachel,” said Jimmy. “She has a remarkable natural blues sound that goes along with what I’m doing. ” Along with Jimmy’s Stratoblaster bandmate Mike Gage, the two have been busy in the studio recording a much-anticipated album that will be released this Spring. “People use the word ‘album’ loosely these days, but we have recorded a full-blown album in a professional studio with professional musicians and engineers,” said Jimmy, who first entered a studio as a high school student, with the band “A New Hi” that included fellow Oak-Cliff resident Stevie Ray Vaughan. When Rachel and Jimmy discovered how well their sounds meshed, the collaboration was a no-brainer. “We literally flipped a coin to decide whose name comes first,” Jimmy explained. While Rachel has been busy promoting her “Trouble” CD, Wallace stays busier than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Besides the Jimmy Wallace Guitars store in Garland and gigging with The Stratoblasters, he is the producer and promotor of the Dallas International Guitar Fest (DIGF). This will be the 45th year for DIGF – scheduled for May 5-7 at the Dallas Market. While there are many other guitar festivals and markets in the world, none are as big or as well-attended as this one. The three-day affair offers several stellar performances by big-name talent, and a contest for young pickers and strummers, called the “10 Under 20 Contest. ” Many of Texas’ best performers - such as this month’s cover girl, Miranda Lambert – have won that first-place title. Other winners include Maren Morris and Ally Venable. Rachel has recently performed with Texas legends Ray Wylie Hubbard and Guthrie Kennard. The trio met up at the Zone Recording Studio in Dripping Springs and collaborated on four tracks of her 2021 album “Trouble”: “The Ghost of Lishe Jackson,” “Take a Little Time,” “Trouble,” and “The Night. ”  The video for “Trouble” was produced at Lizzy Gator Studios. The wardrobe team of Elizabeth Duncan and Torrie Wallace designed a denim dress for Rachel just for the shoot. Set in New Orleans, the video includes snakes, gators and a voodoo witch. “That song and shoot was awesome,” Rachel exclaimed. “We had a great team that came together, and it magically worked – it was good energy. ” That wasn’t Rachel’s first trip to the recording studio, though - her previous records were released in 2005, 2008, and the 2015 album, Full Circle. In 2017 she released “Boomerang,” which reached No. 30 on the Music Row Chart — the only independent single to do so. There’s a good reason why Hubbard, Kennard and Jimmy Wallace are putting their money on her. Calling her career “a curse and a blessing,” Rachel insists she is not trying to be a star. “I’m trying to spread the love through music: stay strong, stay fast, do it sober. ” Add “relevant” to the list of things Rachel is not trying to be. “I’m just trying to do what I do. I’m a survivor; I’m a worker and I love what I do. ” Considering the talent that Jimmy has performed with, it speaks volumes about Rachel when he says he is “excited” about their partnership. The veteran guitarist counts among those he has collaborated with: Bugs Henderson, Rocky Athas, Todd Rundgren, Johnny Winter, Willie Nelson, Albert King, Eddie Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Keith Richards, and George Lynch. With the Wallace-Stacy album almost ready for its’ debut, you can catch them onstage at DIGF in May. --- ### Miranda Lambert: From Texas Barrooms to Vegas Showroom > With ten studio albums under her belt and dozens of awards, the 2022 ACM Triple Crown Award winner is now performing the ultimate gig: Las Vegas. Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino kicked off the first of 24 shows on September 23, 2022, and runs through 2023. - Published: 2023-03-28 - Modified: 2023-03-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/miranda-lambert-from-texas-barrooms-to-vegas-showroom/ - Categories: Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: Miranda Lambert, Spring 2023 - Entity Types: Article With ten studio albums under her belt and dozens of awards, the 2022 ACM Triple Crown Award winner is now performing the ultimate gig: Las Vegas. Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino kicked off the first of 24 shows on September 23, 2022, and runs through 2023. Twenty years ago, Texans knew that Miranda Lambert was the queen of country music. It didn’t take long before the rest of the world knew it, too. With ten studio albums under her belt and dozens of awards, the 2022 ACM Triple Crown Award winner is now performing the ultimate gig: Las Vegas. Miranda Lambert's Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino kicked off the first of 24 shows on September 23, 2022, and runs through 2023. “It has been a really cool journey putting together this show. It’s something very different from touring and very creative. I loved getting to do more production than we ever have on the road,” Miranda recently told BUDDY. The journey from Lindale, Texas to Vegas has taken Miranda all over the world and landed her as one of the most awarded country music artists in history. The 2022 ACM Entertainer of the Year has achieved much more than the young lady from Lindale could foresee.  In a 2005 interview with BUDDY, 21-year-old Miranda said “No matter what I’m singing, I want to say something that makes people think. I want people to hear my songs and feel something. I want to be appreciated as someone whose music is real. I want to be thought of as a true artist, not just as an ‘entertainer. ’” As the most decorated artist in the history of the Academy of Country Music, Lambert has earned 37 ACM Awards including the current ACM Entertainer of the Year title and a record-setting nine consecutive Female Artist of the Year Awards, 14 CMA Awards, three GRAMMY Awards, the Nashville Symphony Harmony Award, ACM Gene Weed Milestone Award and ACM Song of the Decade Award. It all started when her dad, Rick Lambert, gave 14-year-old Miranda a guitar and she started practicing four hours a day. Rick – at the time, an undercover Dallas narcotics officer – played on the weekends with his group “Contraband,” and his daughter often came along on gigs to sing with them. Photo by Robert Ascroft Photo by Robert Ascroft Rick and Miranda perform at the Opry Photo Courtesy of Lambert Family Photo Courtesy of Lambert Family Photo Courtesy of Lambert Family Photo Courtesy of Lambert Family Soon she had a band of her own, called “Texas Pride,” and was singing her own songs. Parents Rick and Bev recorded her 2001 self-titled CD and bought an old camper to travel in while promoting it. Miranda moved to Nashville in 2002 and was on the Nashville Star TV competition, where she placed third out of 8,000 contestants. Shortly after signing a contract in 2003 with Sony, she started working on her first studio CD Kerosene. “I always say that Nashville Star saved me from five more years in the honky-tonks. But I was still scared to death to sign that recording contract,” Miranda told BUDDY in 2005. Since that first release, Miranda’s fans have tracked her moods by the songs she writes. Through the years, her loves, losses and rebounds have told her tale, seemingly with her finger on the pulse of the world. Even if you know nothing about the lady, she has at least one song you can relate to. From the raunchy, no punches pulled, forceful drive of Kerosene, to the woeful, heartbreaking Tin Man, Miranda Lambert’s songs say something. Indeed, she has achieved her original goal of making listeners “feel something. ” Sometimes those feelings aren’t conventional sentiments – sometimes they are awkward and – well, human. Songs like Ugly Lights and Vice that speak about “the Monday morning walk of shame” and “some place where my past can't run me down,” give women permission to be unapologetically flawed – and they love her for it. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut the live entertainment industry down, Miranda took advantage of that time to rest, write and enjoy life. After years of constant touring, crisscrossing the nation – starting in 2006 opening for Dierks Bentley – she deserved the time off. “I have learned balance in my life finally. Taking time to live and experience things instead of working non-stop is so important,” Miranda said. “I do think 2020 helped with that lesson for sure”. Miranda’s fan club, called “Ran Fans,” have noticed a happy lilt in her music since marrying Brendon McLoughlin in 2019 and becoming a stepmother to his young son. Wildcard, released the same year, includes the song Settling Up; the accompanying video features the happy couple together. The happiness continued with 2021’s The Marfa Tapes, which features only Miranda, Jack Ingram and Jon Randall. The album Palomino, released in April 2022 has all the familiar feels that Miranda’s music invokes – sentimental, happy, sad, funky and spunky (the single Geraldine is a pleasant earworm). “I think I am a little of each song on Palomino right now,” Miranda remarked. “I spent a month on the road this summer with my husband traveling in our Airstream and got to live out some of the adventures we wrote about on the record. ” That extended Airstream vacation was spent with Miranda’s backup singer, Gwen Sabastian. “She and her husband Louis (Newman), who is also a musician, are so easy to be around and it helps that we have the same schedule most of the time,” Miranda said. “We both took the Airstreams out west this summer and had a blast wandering around together. ” Gwen has been singing with Miranda for a decade, so it’s no wonder the two are comfortable with each other’s company on and off the road. “... we are the only two girls in the band, so we are pretty much inseparable,” Miranda explained. “It’s fun to have a gal pal out on the road to go do things with, and also during our off time we still spend a lot of time together. ” Miranda is tight with every member of her team – from the band to her wardrobe and hair stylists. Every decision is discussed in advance. Right before the live 2017 ACM Awards show, Miranda felt that she should perform alone, even though her band was backstage ready to go on; the team echoed her feeling, and the result was the flawless acoustic performance of Tin Man to a silent, packed room. “I am very lucky to have the team I have around me. I have had the same manager, Marion Kraft, since I was 19 and we built this thing together. I have also had the same business managers, Duane Clark and Joel Shideler, and my booking agent, Joey Lee, since I was 19. It has definitely been a group effort to build this career. My publicists, Ebie McFarland and Janet Buck, are newer team members, but they fit right in and round out the perfect team. I have an amazing road family as well that keeps the show on the road,” Miranda said. “My manager and I have great communication when it comes to big career decisions – and also personal ones – so I think that is key for any team: to listen to each other and make the best judgment call for the situation, like singing “Tin Man” last minute because it was the right thing to do. I’m glad we talked it out beforehand and all felt good about it,” she added. Managing the world of Miranda Lambert does truly take a whole team; besides her own music, she is a member of the trio Pistol Annies. She also has her own clothing line, boots, The Pink Pistol Boutique in Lindale, and a winery (Rick and Bev run the store and Red55Winery, also in Lindale). In 2015, Certified Roses, Inc. named a pink hybrid tea rose after Miranda and pledged a percentage of sales to her MuttNation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit. The honor is usually given to members of royalty or other dignitaries. To be counted among the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis, is, Miranda says, “pretty dang cool. Being from East Texas (Tyler is the Rose Capital), roses have always been a part of our household. I love that MuttNation Foundation can benefit from something else that makes people happy. And pink is my favorite color, so it’s fitting. ” Another big boost to the Foundation will be the $1. 00 per ticket that Planet Hollywood is donating back to the nonprofit that Miranda and Bev founded in 2009 to ensure that as many dogs as possible could have a safe and happy place to call home. “I’m just very happy that the platform I have can be used for something as near and dear to my heart as shelter animals, and that I can be an advocate for them,” Miranda remarked, adding a list of her furbabies. “We currently have five rescue dogs, three cats, six horses, two mini horses, and two goats. ” While she makes her home in Tennessee these days, she visits her hometown of Lindale a few times a year. “My favorite thing to do is hang in my mom’s backyard and see old friends,” Miranda said. “I also love Petty’s restaurant. It’s a meat and three and it tastes like home. ” For the Ran Fans who can’t make it to Las Vegas to see their girl in concert, Miranda has encouraging words. “I think I will always tour to some degree, so yes we will be back roaming after the Velvet Rodeo residency ends, but I’m happy to be in Vegas for now. ” --- ### BUDDY SPRING 2023 ISSUE - Miranda Lambert > The Spring 2023 issue of BUDDY Magazine is here! - Published: 2023-03-28 - Modified: 2023-03-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/spring-2023-issue/buddy-spring-2023-issue/ - Categories: Spring 2023 Issue - Tags: BUDDY SPRING2023, Miranda Lambert - Entity Types: Article The Spring 2023 issue of BUDDY is on stands now, and it's packed full of great articles and music news! Click the link to read the full issue pdf in Acrobat Reader: https://buddymagazine. com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BUDDYSPRING23FINAL-1. pdf Also check out Miranda's 2005 interview with Buddy Magazine at Issuu. com --- ### Blacktop Mojo paves it's way across the USA > Blacktop Mojo is a rock band from Palestine, Texas, that was founded by Matt James and Nathan Gillis in 2012. The band consists of lead vocalist Matt James, drummer Nathan Gillis, rhythm guitarist Chuck Wepfer, bassist Matt Curtis and lead guitarist Malcolm Booher. - Published: 2023-03-21 - Modified: 2023-03-21 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/blacktop-mojo-paves-its-way-across-the-usa/ - Categories: New Texas Music, Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Blacktop Mojo is a rock band from Palestine, Texas, that was founded by Matt James and Nathan Gillis in 2012. The band consists of lead vocalist Matt James, drummer Nathan Gillis, rhythm guitarist Chuck Wepfer, bassist Matt Curtis and lead guitarist Malcolm Booher. Blacktop Mojo is a rock band from Palestine, Texas, that was founded by Matt James and Nathan Gillis in 2012. The band consists of lead vocalist Matt James, drummer Nathan Gillis, rhythm guitarist Chuck Wepfer, bassist Matt Curtis and lead guitarist Malcolm Booher. “When we started out, we all moved into a house together so we could have plenty of time to write and practice,” said Matt James, who writes most of the group’s songs. “I’m the least talented of the band, but I’m surrounded by great musicians. ” The group pounds out some hard Southern rock mixed with shades of metal. With the help of producer Philip Mosley, they managed to conjure a sound that’s akin to both Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nirvana at the same time, with a little Disturbed thrown in for good measure. They also offer up unique covers of “My Girl” and other well-known songs made popular by others. They have released four studio albums: I Am (2014), Burn the Ships (2017), Under the Sun (2019), Blacktop Mojo (2021). https://youtu. be/Doz14VLuXpc Currently the band is on the Emerald Cities Tour with Nonpoint and Sumo Cyco with these upcoming dates: March 22nd – Tulsa, OK @ Vanguard, March 24th – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live. March 25th – Dallas, TX @ Trees. March 26th – San Antonio, TX @ Rock Box. In 2024 the boys will release their fifth album and take the fun on a European tour. You can find all of their tunes on Spotify and other streaming platforms. --- ### Wes Jeans: Embracing Things That Matter > 2017 Tornado Wes Jeans pulled a full house at Redbone Magic Brewing in Texarkana on January 6. Coming off a year of touring the country and forming a new band, he gave a performance that kept the crowd in their seats. - Published: 2023-03-13 - Modified: 2023-03-13 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/wes-jeans-embracing-things-that-matter/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Texas Tornados - Tags: Wes Jeans - Entity Types: Article 2017 Tornado Wes Jeans pulled a full house at Redbone Magic Brewing in Texarkana on January 6. Coming off a year of touring the country and forming a new band, he gave a performance that kept the crowd in their seats. Any musician will tell you that the toughest time to gig is the week following New Year’s Day - people are either broke from Christmas spending or too tired from New Year’s Eve parties to go out again so soon. Despite the odds, Wes Jeans pulled a full house at Redbone Magic Brewing in Texarkana on January 6. Coming off a year of touring the country and forming a new band, the 2017 Tornado gave a performance that kept the crowd in their seats. The trio of Wes, Kevin Hanks on bass, and Jack Miller on drums conjures up a sound that’s not unlike Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble or the early Edgar Winter Group. Wes hails from Marshall, Texas – about an hour’s drive from Texarkana; Jack was born and raised in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, but now resides in Texarkana. Kevin is well-known in the DFW metroplex for his years of rocking the clubs there before joining Vince Vance and the Valiant’s in the 1990’s. “Wes auditioned me last year and after about two hours of just jamming together, we knew it was the right fit,” said Kevin. In 2021 Wes lost his longtime bass player, Sid Highgrove, to a full-time job. Lance Lopez filled the void during a year jam-packed with coast to coast gigs. In 2022, Wes joined the Arkansas-based DeFrance for a West Coast tour before coming home to regroup. The trio is currently working with Blaine and Kim Newman of Funky Frog Studios in Athens, Texas. This will be the 42-year old’s fourth album. His previous albums include Hands on (2000), Forest of the Pine (2006) and Live at Music City, Texas (2009). “Playing 200 gigs a year will pay the bills, but it doesn’t move the ball forward,” Wes said. “I’m making time for the things that really matter this year – family, recording an album and building my Texas Fuzz pedals. ” With four kids between them, Wes and fiancée Amy White are tackling a home-renovation project to better accommodate their large family. Wes also takes care of his father, who has suffered two strokes and complications from COVID-19 and lives with them. Throughout his career, Wes Jeans has shared the stage with many artists, including B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Billy Gibbons, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Robert Cray, Warren Haynes and David Lee Roth, to name a few. Readers of Guitar Player Magazine voted Jeans #3 among the Young Gun Guitar Players in the nation between Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Jeans was named East Texas (ETX) Blues Artist of the Year in 2012, 2013, and 2014. He was awarded ETX Guitarist of the Year in 2013 and 2016, and the first ever ETX Music Legend award in 2014. The journey began when the 15-year-old Wes entered the International Jimi Hendrix Competition held in Austin and placed second among 1,500 other young guitar players. Al Hendrix, father of Jimi Hendrix, told Wes, “In my eyes, you won because you played straight from the heart like Jimi. ”  Banking on that endorsement, Wes dropped out of Marshall High School in 1997 to homeschool while he toured and recorded his debut album. At the age of 17 he was performing in Shreveport night clubs. In 2000 his debut album, “Hands On,” hit the National Blues Chart at #26, and he was being compared to guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn. Besides the recordings, Wes was featured in the 2003 documentary “Solid Bodies: The 50 Year Guitar War,” which can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video. After receiving a standing ovation during the opening for B. B. King’s 2003 Shreveport show, King asked him onto his bus where he told him: “Son, you keep your head on straight - you are going places. ” According to Wes, that opening for B. B. , along with being asked by Warren Haynes to play with Government Mule in Shreveport are his most memorable sets.   “I named my oldest son Warren, after Haynes,” said Wes. “Wes is well known and loved by most of the premier guitarists living today. (Rest in peace, B. B. ) Onstage with any of these heavyweights, Wes always played like Wes; solid, real, and dazzling in a complimentary manner. That takes talent, confidence, and humility... a rare combination,” said fellow musician Cody Pappas of Atlanta, Texas. “The single most outstanding thing about Wes that you discover quickly is that he is a sincerely nice person. From our very first meeting (onstage, of course! ), I always count him as a best friend. ” If you have a chance to attend a Wes Jeans gig this year, jump on it – there won’t be many of those until he finishes the new album.  “You can do a lot of gigs, but when it’s over, it’s over,” Wes said. “If you want to leave a legacy, you have to record. ” If you’re ever in downtown Marshall on a third Thursday, you can see him and other local musicians playing in Telegraph Park. The “Boogie On The Bricks Jam Session, hosted by Wes and Mason McFarland, starts on March 16, 2023, 8 p. m. to midnight, and will run every third Thursday until November. All genres and experience levels are welcome to join them. --- ### Micah Edwards Brings Texas Soul to SXSW > Texas bluesman Micah Edwards will be showcased during SXSW in Austin on March 15th. He will be performing with his full band (including a rhythm and horn section) at Cooper's BBQ from 9:20 p.m. to 10:10 p.m. - Published: 2023-03-10 - Modified: 2023-03-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/micah-edwards-brings-texas-soul-to-sxsw/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Tags: Micah Edwards, SXSW, Texas Soul - Entity Types: Article Texas bluesman Micah Edwards will be showcased during SXSW in Austin on March 15th. He will be performing with his full band (including a rhythm and horn section) at Cooper's BBQ from 9:20 p.m. to 10:10 p.m. Texas bluesman Micah Edwards will be showcased during SXSW in Austin on March 15th. He will be performing with his full band (including a rhythm and horn section) at Cooper's BBQ from 9:20 p. m. to 10:10 p. m. “This will actually be my first show in Austin, and I couldn't imagine a better introduction than at SXSW,” said Micah. The Houston native, who has been called "Mr. Texas Soul", recently reached over 1 million monthly Spotify listeners. Heavily influenced by Leon Bridges, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Marcus King, Durand Jones & The Indications, Aaron Frazer, and Michael Kiwanuka, Edwards has created a unique fusion of retro and contemporary elements to craft a new genre: Texas soul. https://open. spotify. com/album/25Fj6y3HHWEMfxy1PmtTap? si=ifJ_SVd8S1u-RH2AYBzP_w Edwards' most recent debut full-length album, Jean Leon, offerss a unique 21st-century retro-pop sound mixed with tender lyrics that follow the themes of faith and family. He draws inspiration from, and pays homage to Curtis Mayfield’s retro soul guitar skills while embracing a classic country songwriting style that employs the fiddle and steel guitar. Recently featured on Tiny Desk Contest’s 2022 Top Shelf, and as an opener for duo The War and Treaty, Edwards has more to come in 2023; he will open for Madeline Edwards in both Dallas and Houston (April 2023) and for Kam Franklin and David Michael Wyatt (May 2023).   --- ### Photos: Larkin Poe 2023 - Echo Lounge, Dallas, Texas - Published: 2023-02-26 - Modified: 2023-03-07 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/photos-larkin-poe-2023-echo-lounge-dallas-texas/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By Zoe White Larkin Poe did not disappoint during their show at The Echo Lounge on February 23rd. Soulful lyrics and haunting slide guitar licks blended perfectly to create a sound that is all their own. The sisters entertained listeners in an intimate setting with all of their unique, original songs that left everyone wanting more. Here are a few images from the show. Larkin Poe at The Echo Lounge --- ### Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues premieres March 23 > On Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00 p.m., the historic Texas Theatre will screen Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues as part of a four-city Texas Tour. - Published: 2023-02-23 - Modified: 2023-02-23 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/jimmie-and-stevie-ray-vaughan-brothers-in-blues-to-premiere-next-month/ - Categories: Feature, Texas Music Events - Tags: Brothers, Documentary, Jimmie, Stevie Ray, Vaughan - Entity Types: Article On Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00 p.m., the historic Texas Theatre will screen Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues as part of a four-city Texas Tour. AUSTIN - Stevie Ray Vaughan’s meteoric career has been the subject of several books and documentary films, but none of these biographies had the cooperation of the person who knew Stevie best — his older brother, Jimmie. Until now. Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues has enjoyed the full support of Jimmie Vaughan, from sitting for interviews to sharing never-before-seen family photos, but also contains the memories of Stevie’s contemporaries — Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Jackson Browne and Nile Rodgers — as well as a host of the Vaughan brothers’ early bandmates in Oak Cliff and Austin. The screening is the culmination of nearly four years of overcoming numerous obstacles to create an insider’s look at Jimmie and Stevie’s incredible journey from ordinary kids in Oak Cliff to global acclaim as blues royalty. On Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00 p. m. , the historic Texas Theatre will screen Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues as part of a four-city Texas Tour. Tickets are available at the Texas Theatre’s website: https://thetexastheatre. com/film/jimmie-and-stevie-ray-vaughan-brothers-in-blues/ Although he died 33 years ago, Stevie has millions of fans who were not even born when he was still performing. Yet as good as Stevie was, he always said that his favorite guitar player was his older brother Jimmie. As one of the hottest young guitar players in Texas in the 1960s, Jimmie shared the stage with Billy Gibbons at a sold-out show in Houston, opened for Jimi Hendrix in Dallas, and at age 15 was making more money than his own father. Watching and emulating Jimmie’s guitar licks was his younger brother Stevie. Both brothers were regulars on the Texas club circuit of the 60s and 70s, playing Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Lubbock and Dallas. Unlike other Texas blues players who went on to national fame after moving to California (Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter and Steve Miller), the Vaughan brothers remained in the Lone Star State, playing Texas nightclubs without the media coverage that Rolling Stone, Creem, Circus or The Village Voice gave performers at clubs on each coast such as The Fillmore East and West, The Troubadour, The Roxy or The Electric Circus. Even though Jimmie and Stevie built up a large and rabid fan base, it was all located in “flyover country” decades before the Internet, Tik-Tok or cell phones. That made getting signed to a record label much more difficult. Photo by Tracy Hart During this time, they built a reputation among the greatest rock stars of that era as being “a guitar player’s guitar player,” and soon celebrities such as Bob Dylan, Dickey Betts, Duane Allman, Billy Gibbons, Robert Plant, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Mick Jagger and Muddy Waters were flocking to their shows in Texas bars like The Rome Inn, Antone’s and Mother Blues. Now, the entire tale, with plenty of never-before-told stories, comes to the big screen for one night only: March 23rd. Brothers in Blues also features the only on-camera interviews with Eric Clapton and Jimmie Vaughan discussing August 27, 1990, the night Stevie died after leaving the stage at Alpine Valley Resort, Wisconsin. The screening at the Texas Theatre is part of a Texas Tour that will include Austin (March 22nd) , Houston (March 26th) and Waco (March 27th) For more information, call 214-600-5861 or email kirby@bigbendquarterly. com. Ticket orders and a trailer for the film may be found here. --- ### 23rd KNON Bluesfest - Dallas > The 23rd Annual KNON Bluesfest was held at Poor David’s Pub, February 4-5, with a player list that would put any Memphis event to shame. - Published: 2023-02-20 - Modified: 2023-02-20 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/23rd-knon-bluesfest-dallas/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Tags: bluesfest, Dallas, knon, TRBS - Entity Types: Article The 23rd Annual KNON Bluesfest was held at Poor David’s Pub, February 4-5, with a player list that would put any Memphis event to shame. The 23rd Annual KNON Bluesfest was held at Poor David’s Pub, February 4-5, with a player list that would put any Memphis event to shame. The two-day festival was cosponsored by KNON 89. 3, Trinity Rivers Blues Society and BUDDY Magazine. Nothing goes better with the blues than BBQ, and Pinche Smokerz was on hand to satisfy the hungry crowd. KNON 89. 3 employees teamed up with Trinity Rivers Blues Society President Angela Buffington and various board members to raise awareness of the nonprofit organization and take donations. The monies will go toward blues education in local schools, among other things. The weekend started with the Blues Divas Allstars followed by the lineup of Lady Lotion, Andrea Dawson. Blue Lisa and the Red Casey Band, Jackie Don Loe and the New Blues Revue with C. T. Davis and Rachel Patman, Jr Boy and Kerries Blues Band, Big Jack and the Conspiracy Band, Gregg A Smith and JMAX, McKinney Williams, Jr, and Aaron Burton. The E Flat Porch Band hit the stage Sunday afternoon and ushered in the final day of stellar performances that included Brian “Hash Brown” Calway, Christian Dozzler, Leo Hull and the Texas Blues Machine, and B’Nois King with Jim Suhler. Closing out the two-day event was the Texas Guitar Summit that included Anson Funderburgh, Shawn Pittman and Mike Morgan. What is Trinity River Blues Society? The Trinity River Blues Society is dedicated to educating people of all ages and backgrounds of the deep-rooted history of the Blues and the African American culture from which the Blues was conceived. They work to engage the community by organizing and encouraging live performances by local and national acts, as well as community outreach. When it began on November 12, 2013, the DFW Blues Society consisted of local blues enthusiasts whose mission it was to spread the word about DFW’s rich Blues heritage throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On April 29, 2014, the group voted to change the name to Trinity River Blues Society and a new board was put into place, allowing us to encompass and spread the Blues throughout the entire North Texas area. On December 9, 2016, the Trinity River Blues Society, in conjunction with Poor David’s Pub, presented their first concert-fundraiser - the Lone Star Golden State Revue. The band, made up of musicians from California and Texas, included Mark Hummel (Grammy nominee harmonica-vocals), Anson Funderburgh (of Anson and the Rockets – guitar), Little Charlie Baty (Nightcats – guitar), RW Grigsby (bass) and Wes Starr (drums). On June 17, 2017, the Trinity River Blues Society partnered with 508 Park Avenue to host an anniversary concert and tour of the studio where legendary bluesman Robert Johnson recorded 13 songs in 1937. Performing songs from that era, along with Robert Johnson’s masterpieces, were Dallas’ own Texas Slim, Aaron Burton, Jim Suhler and John “Jmac” MacDonald. On August 27, 2017, the Trinity River Blues Society held its very first IBC Challenge (International Blues Competition) at Babb Brothers BBQ, with the winner Larry Lampkin of Fort Worth, representing North Texas at the challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. On February 12, 2018, the Trinity Blues Society partnered with the Blues Foundation based out of Memphis, TN to raise money for their HART (Handy Artists Relief Trust) Foundation which helps assist Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The concert, held at the historic Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff, featured TJ Norton, Janiva Magness and Oak Cliff’s very own Jimmie Vaughan. Through this endeavor the Trinity River Blues Society was able to raise over $12,000. 00 for HART and in return they provide free health screenings for our local Blues musicians. Besides the annual IBC contest, Trinity River Blues Society works side by side with the House of Blues, producing and booking local and national acts for their Bluesy Tuesday program and worked in conjunction with 222 Main Stage in Irving , TX to produce and book their Saturday night concert series featuring international Blues musician Shawn Pittman and local Blues talents; Blues Love & Trouble and Blueschild. The Trinity River Blues Society is a 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit organization and an affiliate member of The Blues Foundation. The all-volunteer organization is dedicated to promoting Blues music in North Texas. It is a collaborative organization dependent on the support that the community provides; that support can be through volunteering, monetarily or resources in kind.  The TRBS Board of Directors are: Angela Buffington –President and Booking Agent; Ralph Jones - Secretary & Calendar; David Iacobucci – Treasurer; Linda Burkhart - Advisory Chair & Grants Coordinator; Lisa Kelly - Compliance & Sponsorships Coordinator; Jim Ashworth - Development Director & Membership; James Adams - Blues Education & Blues in Schools Coordinator; Lynn Madewell - Newsletter & Communication Coordinator; Bob Madewell - Merchandise & Communication Coordinator; Lisa DuPre - Digital Content & Event Coordinator; Michael Tramel -Volunteer & Event Coordinator. For more information, or to become a member, go to www,trinityriverblues. org. --- ### HONEY Releases EP > Heather Linn & The Deacons sweeten their image with a new name - Honey - and release their first EP. - Published: 2023-02-14 - Modified: 2023-02-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/new-texas-music/honey-releases-ep/ - Categories: New Texas Music - Tags: Heather Linn, Honey - Entity Types: Article Sweeten your playlist with Honey As a child in Bloomburg, Texas, Heather Linn started her career by dancing and singing to John Anderson’s “Swinging” in her aunt and uncles living room. She has since evolved into one of the most popular entertainers in the far Northeast corner of Texas with her band Heather Linn & The Deacons. Formed in 2016, that first band included Jase Bryant on guitar, Brady Stillwell on bass, and Paul Holder on drums. The group developed their sound on the local circuit and their harmony has become as sweet as the new name they have chosen for themselves – Honey. This name change comes on the heels of a new single release: “Bad Ass Bitches” was written by Erica Butler and Kara Jade, a well-known Americana writing duo. You can download the song on most streaming platforms. Add a little sweetness to your playlist and find out why Jane Journo says, “I really love this band. ” https://open. spotify. com/album/6AEDGPqG6ew3ZqR0AeYfdz? si=4ilZLHXuRqGU64GHd9ITqg Collectively, the band is fueled by decades of seasoned experience: Heather developed her smooth bluesy vocal style by singing lead in a gospel trio and as a backup singer for local bands. Jase Bryant, the son of two music educators, grew up playing the drums on the football field and with his youth worship band at church. After picking up a guitar at the age of 13, he found his niche as a lead guitarist in the cover band Dirty Luck in the Dallas area. After moving back home to Texarkana in 2011, he formed his own solo show before joining the indie rock band Buffalo Child, before forming his own band, Canaan, with drummer Jeff Greer and bassist Brandon Smith. Brady Stillwell has been working the Northeast Texas circuit for over four decades now, in projects ranging from classic country to pop, progressive metal, punk, and various mixtures of genres. He has also made a name for himself in the production field, working audio in the recording studio, as well as for live performances. Paul Holder has been keeping the beat for various Northeast Texas bands for most of his adult life. After 30 years of professional playing in a wide range of genres, he has backed such notables as Jamie Richards, T. J. Broscoff and Grammy-winning Cajun artist Jo El Sonnier, before becoming a Deacon five years ago. Together, these stellar musicians have shared the stage with such acts as Neal McCoy, the Bellamy Brothers, Tracy Byrd, Dean Dillon, Stoney Larue, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, The Kentucky Headhunters, Josh Ward, Daryl Dodd, Lorrie Morgan, Aaron Watson, Thompson Square and Mark Chesnutt. Catch the band at the Fort Worth Music Festival on March 4. To book Honey, contact Heather Linn at dixiedesigner25@gmail. com. Heather and Jayce are also available for acoustic duets. CURRENT GIG LIST: 2/17 - Private party; 2/18 - Cancer Benefit (Acoustic Duo); 2/18 - Red Rooster Ice House; 2/24 - Oil Well Club (Acoustic Duo); 2/25 - Mountain Fork Brewery (Acoustic Duo); 2/26 - Neon Moon Restaurant and Club (Acoustic Duo); 3/3 - Hurricane Alley (Bossier City, LA); 3/4 - Fort Worth Music Festival; 3/4 - Neon Moon Restaurant and Club. --- ### FWMF 2023 > Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference at the Stockyards, will take place across multiple venues at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, TX, from March 2 through March 4, 2023. - Published: 2023-02-14 - Modified: 2023-02-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/fwmf-2023/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Tags: Fort Worth, FWMF, Music Festival - Entity Types: Article Fort Worth Music Festival set for March 1-4, 2023 Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference at the Stockyards, a new music networking conference for aspiring agents, managers, promoters, and emerging local Texas-based artists, will take place across multiple venues at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, TX, from March 2 through March 4, 2023. The inaugural event includes panel discussions and keynote speakers featuring well-established and highly respected live music industry executives, networking opportunities, workshops, and live performances. Produced by Live Nation, in partnership with Chef Tim Love and Larry Joe Taylor, the Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference at the Stockyards aims to generate awareness surrounding the Texas music scene while working to build an infrastructure where artists can establish and grow their career in Texas and beyond. The conference will unite music enthusiasts and provide rising artists with an overview on how to enter and establish themselves within the live music industry, while also serving as a showcase for up-and-coming Texas-based talent. The conference will extend across several venues in the Stockyards, including Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall, Tannahill’s Tavern Lounge, White Elephant, Atico Restaurant and Lounge, Love Shack, The Barn at Hotel Drover, and more to be announced. Event passes for the conference will go on sale beginning Friday, January 13 at 10 a. m. at Ticketmaster. com. One pass will get attendees into all panel discussions, attend workshops with established artists, network with industry experts, and see new, emerging Texas-based talent in the heart of Fort Worth, TX. Confirmed keynote speakers include: Eddie Kolesel, Why & How Management; Artists Josh Abbott and Brendon Anthony of the Texas Music Office; Martha Taylor, Promoter and Attorney for LJT Festival; Artist Radney Foster; Artist and festival promoter Larry Joe Taylor and Quinn Donahue of C3 Presents; Henry Glasscock, booking agent from WME; Ray Johnston, former professional basketball player, cancer survivor, and now artist; ... and more to be added! Artists scheduled to perform include: Mike Ryan, Kevin Fowler, Radney Foster, Graycie York, Josh Weathers, Gary P. Nunn, Michael Martin Murphey, Deryl Dodd, Prophets & Outlaws, Honey, The Tejas Brothers, Davin James, Max Stalling, Dave Perez, Tommy Alverson, Larry Joe Taylor, and more. “Our vision is to celebrate the musical heritage and history of the Stockyards and to create an experience that unites this landmark district in the heart of Texas,” said Chef Tim Love. “The Stockyards is home to so many iconic venues, it couldn’t be a better time to showcase the destination through the lens of live music. ” “We are creating the Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference to serve as an infrastructure in Texas where aspiring managers, artists, promoters, and talent, or anyone who wants to enter the music business, can network with industry executives in a live music setting and gain insight,” said Larry Joe Taylor. “Texas is a real hot bed for music and now we are seeing more & more artists from our state on the national stage,” said Anthony Nicolaidis, Market President, Live Nation. “This conference will be an opportunity for many who want to learn more about or establish themselves in the live music industry, and, Fort Worth and The Stockyards is the perfect backdrop for the conference - giving attendees a campus feel while also featuring so many great performance venues. ” The Fort Worth Music Festival & Conference at the Stockyards begins with a VIP Party at Tannahill’s on March 1, followed by three days of panels, workshops and performances from Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4. A special acknowledgement of Texas Independence Day is planned for March 2. Additional panel participants and moderators, as well as discussion topics and the full performance schedule will be announced shortly. More information: https://www. fortworth. com/fwmf/ --- ### T-Bone Walker > T-Bone Walker's electrified guitar licks and clever songwriting helped change the sound of the blues and ushered in a new genre – rock n’ roll. - Published: 2023-02-14 - Modified: 2023-02-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/t-bone-walker-the-first-electric-frontman/ - Categories: Black History Month - Tags: #blues, #TexasMusic - Entity Types: Article T-Bone Walker: The First Electric Frontman In 1910, the East Texas town of Linden had only 329 residents within its city limits. Two of them were musicians Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker. They gave birth to little Aaron Thibeaux Walker that year, divorcing soon after. Movelia moved to Dallas and married Marco Washington, a member of the Dallas String Brand. He taught his stepson, little T-Bone as he was called, to play the guitar, among other instruments.   Throughout the 1920’s the family entertained other musical guests; one being Blind Lemon Jefferson. He took the boy under his wing and T-Bone guided the blind bluesman to his performances. After leaving school at the very young age of 10, T-Bone became a regular on the local blues circuit. In 1929 he made his recording debut with the single "Wichita Falls Blues" backed with "Trinity River Blues" as “Oak Cliff T-Bone” for Columbia Records. T-Bone’s career caught fire as he toured the state of Texas and befriended Charlie Christian – the first jazz electric guitarist. After moving to California in 1934, he also began playing the electric guitar and joined Les Hite’s big band; he left the band in 1940 to form his own group. His recordings in the 1940’s and 50’s introduced a new blues sound to guitar pickers all over the world. His single-note licks and clever songwriting helped changed the sound of the blues and ushered in a new genre – rock n’ roll. Not only did Chuck Berry name T-Bone his influence, but B. B. King cited hearing his "Stormy Monday" as the inspiration for getting an electric guitar. He was also admired by Jimi Hendrix, who imitated Walker's trick of playing the guitar with his teeth. “I thought Jesus Himself had returned to earth playing electric guitar. T-Bone's blues filled my insides with joy and good feeling. I became his disciple. And remain so today. My biggest musical debt is to T-Bone,” King wrote in his 1996 autobiography. Another Dallas native, Steve Miller, stated that in 1952, when he was eight, T-Bone, a family friend, taught him how to play his guitar behind his back and also with his teeth. "Stormy Monday" was a favorite live number of the Allman Brothers Band. The British rock band Jethro Tull covered Walker's "Stormy Monday" in 1968 for John Peel's "Top Gear".   T-Bone’s 1969 album Good Feelin’ won a Grammy Award for best ethnic or traditional recording. He toured nightclubs and theatres throughout the United States until he suffered a stroke in 1974. T-Bone died at his home in Los Angeles of bronchial pneumonia following a second stroke in March 1974, at the age of 64. T-Bone Walker was inducted posthumously into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2012, local artist Brad Attaway painted a mural in tribute to the legend on the side of the Linden Fire Station. --- ### Blind Lemon Jefferson > Of all the musical geniuses born in East Texas, Blind Lemon Jefferson set the standard for all Texas blues musicians that followed. - Published: 2023-02-10 - Modified: 2023-02-14 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/blind-lemon-jefferson-father-of-texas-blues/ - Categories: Black History Month, Features - Tags: #blues, #TexasMusic - Entity Types: Article Blind Lemon Jefferson: Father of Texas Blues Of all the musical geniuses born in East Texas, Blind Lemon Jefferson set the standard for all Texas blues musicians that followed. Born blind to sharecroppers in 1893, Lemon was the youngest of seven children; his birthplace of Coutchman, in Freestone County, is now a ghost town. By the time he was in his early teens, he had acquired a guitar and was performing at parties and bordellos. He soon became a street musician, playing in East Texas towns in front of barbershops and on street corners, singing from eight in the evening to four in the morning. Some reports state that young Lemon was travelling all throughout the Southern states. In Dallas, he met the blues musician Lead Belly and Lemon eventually moved there in 1917. He became a regular performer in Deep Ellum, where he met T-Bone Walker, who exchanged services as a guide for guitar lessons. During the winter of 1925-26, Lemon was taken to Chicago to record his first tracks under the alias of Deacon L. J. Bates ("I Want to Be Like Jesus in My Heart" and "All I Want Is That Pure Religion"). His high-pitched smooth voice and complicated guitar riffs that mimicked ragtime piano licks proved to be a popular combination. “While you may not wish to learn a Jefferson piece note for note, you can easily cherry-pick from his goldmine of turnarounds, bass runs and clever dominant-7th triads, and his piano-like approach,” wrote Jim Campilongo in the September 29, 2021, issue of Guitarplayer. The first releases under the name “Blind Lemon Jefferson” became runaway hits; "Booster Blues" and "Dry Southern Blues" were recorded in March 1926. Of the 100+ tracks he recorded between 1926-1929, 42 records were issued for Paramount Records. Varying reports of his compensation say that he could afford a car and chauffeur or that Paramount gave him a car; others claim he was unhappy with the royalties. In 1927 Lemon left the label and recorded his best-selling songs - "Matchbox Blues" backed with "Black Snake Moan” - for Okeh Records (Paramount issued a new release of the record when he returned to the label). Just as Lemon’s career was riding high, his life was cut short. On December 19, 1929, he was found dead in the middle of a Chicago Street. Despite rumors of foul play, his death certificate lists “acute myocarditis” as cause of death. Paramount Records paid for the return of his body to Texas by train, where he was buried at Wortham Negro Cemetery (later Wortham Black Cemetery) in Wortham, Freestone County, Texas. His grave was unmarked until 1967, when a Texas historical marker was erected. In 1997 a new granite headstone was erected with the inscription: "Lord, it's one kind favor I'll ask of you, see that my grave is kept clean” In 2007, the cemetery's name was changed to Blind Lemon Memorial Cemetery. The list of musicians he influenced is a long and diverse one; even The Beatles covered “Match Box Blues. ” B. B. King, T-Bone Walker, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, Peter Paul & Mary, Counting Crows, Phish, Chet Atkins, and many others have mentioned, or emulated, his body of work. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selected Jefferson's 1927 recording of "Matchbox Blues" as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.  Jefferson was among the inaugural class of blues musicians inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. --- ### ALL THINGS METAL! > The ALL THINGS METAL Festival has been scheduled for May 20, 2023 - Published: 2023-02-03 - Modified: 2023-02-03 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/all-things-metal/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article All Things Metal Festival scheduled for May 20. The ALL THINGS METAL Festival has been scheduled for May 20, 2023, at The Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For tickets and more information visit www. allthingsmetalfestival. com FEATURED ARTISTS INCLUDE: WITHERFALL are unstoppable! The dark melodic heavy metal juggernaut from Los Angeles are blazing new trails and weaving new tales on spectacular new album, Curse of Autumn. Although two years separate WITHERFALL's third opus from their celebrated A Prelude to Sorrow album, it feels like a long time. Even with the Vintage EP bridging the gap, the wait has been cruel.   PISSING RAZORS is an American groove-based heavy metal band formed in 1994 in El Paso, Texas by founding member and tenured drummer Eddy Garcia with guitarist Mat Lynch. The sole purpose was to incite a musical tone loud and aggressive in ferocity and heavy in punk and metal elements.   Edge of Insanity is a metal band from Dallas, Texas with roots in doom metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Edge of Insanity has been described as as a modern take on classic bands like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Saxon, and Motorhead, among others, and their influences range across over 70 years of American and European rock and metal.   We are ASTYANAX, five musicians united by a love for heavy, groovy death metal. Blending a deep-rooted  foundation in the “old school” with influence from contemporary brutal death metal, we aim to create a  uniquely gory atmosphere both on record and on stage.   Texas-based symphonic metal band Epic Death live up to their name in more ways than one: with an imposing musical pedigree and decades of combined experience in multiple bands across several genres, they weave a tapestry of sinister sonic atmospheres, bringing together the imagery, theatricality, and brute force of classic black metal, thrash and technical death metal.  There’s a new brew in the cauldron of Heavy Metal. Under a Spell is an elixir of all that is Heavy Metal; past, present, and future.  With an angelically powerful front woman, thunderous drums, buttery sweet bass, and a full on guitar tonal assault . --- ### Photo Essay: Eric Tessmer - Granada Theater, Jan 6, 2023 - Published: 2023-02-03 - Modified: 2023-02-26 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/__trashed/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article All photos by Zoe White Eric Tessmer at the Granada Theater On Friday, January 6th, Eric Tessmer played to a sold out crowd at the Granada Theater. Fans were blown away with his electrifying solos and flawless performance which resulted in an enthusiastic standing ovation. Featured below are several photos from the show. All photos by Zoe White. --- ### Barbara Louise Smith Conrad: The Rise of a Trailblazer > Until Barbara Louise Smith walked into the University of Texas at Austin, she had only known segregation as a way of life. The 2010 documentary, "When I Rise" includes a scene of Conrad singing beneath the dome of the Texas Capitol during the 2009 legislative session immediately after state lawmakers passed a resolution honoring her and giving her the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and the History-Making Texan Award in 2011. - Published: 2023-02-02 - Modified: 2023-02-04 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/features/black-history-month/barbara-louise-smith-conrad/ - Categories: Black History Month, Features - Entity Types: Article Until Barbara Louise Smith walked into the University of Texas at Austin, she had only known segregation as a way of life. The 2010 documentary, "When I Rise" includes a scene of Conrad singing beneath the dome of the Texas Capitol during the 2009 legislative session immediately after state lawmakers passed a resolution honoring her and giving her the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and the History-Making Texan Award in 2011. BARBARA LOUISE SMITH CONRAD By Kate Stow Until Barbara Louise Smith walked into the University of Texas at Austin, she had only known segregation as a way of life. She was raised in Center Point, a Freedman community outside of Pittsburg, Texas, that was founded by former slaves. Her father was principal of two small negro schools – Shady Grove and Honey Grove – in Cass County, and her mother was the teacher. Each week they came from Center Point to teach the younger children, and Barbara attended high school in Queen City with the local teenage African-Americans.   On the weekends they stayed home and attended Center Point Baptist Church, where she honed her mezzo soprano singing voice. In the Fall of 1956, Barbara learned about integration, and unfortunately, she also learned about a harsher kind of discrimination than segregation ever meant to her. She was one of the “Precursers,”  the very first class of African-Americans to attend and integrate the University. In the Spring of 1957 she auditioned for, and won, the lead female role in “Dido and Aeneas. ” At first she was thrilled to have won, but soon realized that the world of college theatre wasn’t yet ready for integration. It had only been two years since African-American contralto Marian Anderson had broken the color barrier at the Met Opera. Texas State Representative Joe Chapman, ironically from Barbara’s district, discussed the issue with the University President. Soon the Dean of the College of Fine Arts informed her that she would be replaced- But not before she had been thoroughly harassed by many white students on campus. Barbara was quoted at the time as saying that administrators were “trying to achieve the most harmonious fulfillment of integration at the university. ” But outward appearances belied the true feelings she kept hidden.                                      “I felt such pain,” she told a University of Texas alumni magazine in 1998. “Inside I cried for years. You rarely saw a tear. And it was swallowing those tears that I think was the most costly for me. It would have been better if I would have screamed and ranted and raved. ” After a brief hiatus from college, and an offer from celebrity Harry Belafonte to pay for her schooling at any other college, Barbara returned to UT to finish her studies.   Not long after graduation in 1959, she finally found herself appearing on the stage of the Met, and Opera houses overseas. Belafonte had invited Barbara to audition in New York. The trip was financed by Eleanor Roosevelt, who as first lady in 1939 had arranged for Marian Anderson to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial after the Daughters of the American Revolution turned her away from Constitution Hall because of her race. By 1965, she was appearing with the New York City Opera in the lead female role of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” an opera to which she would return throughout her career. Barbara also sang with leading symphonies around the world, as well as at the White House and, in 1995, before Pope John Paul II when he visited New York City. After graduating from UT-Austin, she kept her distance from the university for over 20 years before she accepted an invitation by administrators to return. She eventually received recognitions from the state legislature as well as the school and donated her personal archive to the university’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Don Carleton, the center’s director, was the executive producer of a documentary about her life, “When I Rise. ” Her story was shared with millions through the award-winning documentary. The film premiered at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival and aired nationally on the PBS series "Independent Lens. " It has since been distributed globally. "When I Rise" includes a scene of Conrad singing beneath the dome of the Texas Capitol during the 2009 legislative session immediately after state lawmakers passed a resolution honoring her and giving her the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and the History-Making Texan Award in 2011. She was appointed to the Butler School of Music as a visiting professor and artist-in-residence in 2012, and she spoke at the commencement ceremony for the College of Fine Arts that year. Prior to that, she returned to give master classes and to coach opera students in the 1990s, and she performed in two concerts in the school in 2011.  “Music is a great healer and a great bonder,” Barbara said in 1998. “It just transcends everything. When I first discovered Bach preludes and fugues, I had to think about who I was talking to. You had to be reminded in those moments who was white, who was black, who was Asian, who was whatever. It was somebody who was struggling with the same issues you were struggling with, who was so passionately in love with the art form. ” Barbara’s great trailblazing career ended when she died on May 22, 2017.   Her funeral was held at Center Point Baptist Church – the only building left in the old Freedman town that was absorbed into the Pittsburg city limits. "Barbara Conrad was a trailblazer — from her Precursor days at UT in 1956 and throughout her distinguished opera career," said Gregory L. Fenves, president of UT Austin, upon learning of her death. "Her accomplishments and tenacity represent an important chapter in the university's history. We will miss her talents and presence on the Forty Acres and beyond. " --- ### A Year Without Meat Loaf > When Dallas native Marvin Lee Aday passed away on January 20, 2022, he left a Texas-size legacy and promise to do "anything for love." - Published: 2023-01-30 - Modified: 2023-01-30 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/a-year-without-meat-loaf/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Marvin Lee Aday: September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022 He's been gone a year now. But, since BUDDY wasn't in production at the time, due the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought the one-year anniversary would be an ideal time to memorialize this Texas-size legend. For a boy named Marvin coming of age as the husky-size son of a Dallas police officer in the tumultuous 60’s, life offered just enough angst to serve as a catapult to stardom. But the world only knew Marvin Lee Aday as “Meat Loaf – a name his father gave him because he looked like “nine pounds of ground chuck” at birth.  His father, Orvis Aday, was reportedly a hard-nosed alcoholic taskmaster; it was his mother, Wilma, a teacher and gospel singer, who offered a softer side to little Marvin. She nurtured his musical talent and proudly attended his productions at Thomas Jefferson High School.  After graduating in 1965, he attended Lubbock Christian University before transferring to Texas State University (now the University of North Texas). When he was 19, his mother died; he used his inheritance to fly to Los Angeles where he immediately began cooking up the recipe for the Meat Loaf we all came to love.  The year was 1967 and to prevent being drafted, he said he intentionally packed 60 extra pounds onto his six-foot frame. Having saved himself from the Vietnam War, he formed the band Meat Loaf Soul and booked his first gig in Huntington Beach, California at the Cave, opening for Van Morrison’s band Them.  From there, the big guy with the bigger voice just kept growing. After changing the band name to Floating Circus, they opened for The Who and the Grateful Dead. After releasing the single “Once Upon a Time,” Meat Loaf joined the Los Angeles production of the musical Hair.  Riding on the critically acclaimed “Hair-way” led to a Motown record deal with Shaun “Stoney” Murphy. “Stoney & Meatloaf” was released in 1971 and produced the single “What You See is What You Get,” which rose to 36 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart and 71 on the Billboard Hot 100.  His theatrically-trained powerful voice became the centerpiece of composer Jim Steinman’s discography. It was that stellar collaboration that drove the Bat Out of Hell trilogy to the top of the charts. Bat Out of Hell (1977), Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993), and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose (2006) – has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. That first album – produced by Todd Rundgren - still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually. Meat Loaf earned the Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for “I’d Do Anything for Love,” from the 1993 album. In 1994 he received the Brit Award in the United Kingdom for best-selling album and single. He still ranks 96th on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. " Aside from his theatre work on and off Broadway, Meat Loaf appeared in over fifty films and television shows. His film roles include Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Robert Paulsen in Fight Club (1999). A little-known Meat Loaf fact: In 1976, Meat Loaf recorded lead vocals for Ted Nugent's album Free-for-All when regular Nugent lead vocalist Derek St. Holmes temporarily quit the band. Meat Loaf sang lead on five of the album's nine tracks. In 1999  Meat Loaf published To Hell and Back: An Autobiography, written with coauthor David Dalton. It is available on Amazon. com. As of his 2022 death, Bat Out of Hell had sold an estimated 43 million copies globally, including 15 million in the United States, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. In the United Kingdom alone, its 2. 1 million sales put it in 38th place. Despite peaking at No. 9 and spending only two weeks in the top ten in 1981, it has now spent 485 weeks on the UK Albums Chart (May 2015), a figure bettered only by Rumours by Fleetwood Mac with 487 weeks. In the years leading up to his death from COVID-19, Meat Loaf was plagued by back pain and had four surgeries to help alleviate it. “Before the back surgeries I was still trying to do shows, that’s when some of you saw or heard of me collapsing on stage and finally stopping the tour in the UK. I couldn’t hit high notes because of back pain. Not a slight back pain. Pain that would bring you to your knees,” he wrote on social media. The Texas-size rock star was reportedly planning to attend a business dinner just days before his death to discuss a show he was working on, titled after his famous single, “I’d Do Anything For Love. ”  His wife, Deborah and daughters Pearl and Amanda were by his side as he passed. Perhaps they took comfort in knowing that he never did “do that. ” --- ### KNON Bluesfest at Poor David's Pub Feb 4-5 - Published: 2023-01-29 - Modified: 2023-01-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/knon-bluesfest-at-poor-davids-pub-feb-4-5/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article Buddy Magazine is once again proud to help supprt KNON Bluesfest. Check out the awesome lineup below. See you at the show. --- ### New Year, New Vibe > A name change to 67 Landing and a new GM have brought a venue back to life in Texarkana. - Published: 2023-01-25 - Modified: 2023-01-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/new-year-new-vibe/ - Categories: Feature, Venues - Tags: Clubs, Texarkana - Entity Types: Article 67 Landing rings in 2023 with new GM In 2014 a group of Bowie County entrepreneurs formed a partnership and built the restaurant/concert venue Scottie’s Grill on Highway 67 between Texarkana and Redwater. The site was a popular stop by such artists as Whiskey Myers, Cody Johnson, Stephanie Rice, Neal McCoy and many others. As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the entertainment industry, the venue was among the casualties. But a name change to 67 Landing and a new GM have brought the place back to life. Greg Hagood, a fixture on the East Texas music scene for several decades, took over as GM in early December and threw a New Year’s Eve bash last weekend that won’t soon be forgotten. The evening started with music from the group Insight opening for local favorite Crooked Halo, a rock band that’s been on the Texarkana music scene over 20 years. Crooked Halo consists of five Texarkana guys with a similar interest in old timey rock n’ roll – and the talent to do it right. Lead singer Chris Montano, a vocal shapeshifter, can easily imitate a wide range of singers from Robert Plant, Ozzy Osborne, Axl Rose and David Lee Roth to Chris Cornell, Josh Todd, and other 90s top hit singers. Halo drummer James Williams has been playing local clubs with various bands since the 80’s; Lead guitarist Steven Briggs founded the band over 20 years ago with the late Kenny Attaway, Halo’s bass player that succumbed to COVID-19 in August 2020. Kenny’s replacement is Jimmy Sparks, who has been keeping the rhythm on the local scene for four decades, except when he joined the USO tour in the 90’s and entertained U. S. soldiers stationed overseas. Paul Felder on keyboards is the most recent addition. Greg was the sound man for the band, as well as others. He still uses that talent with every band that plays the Landing. “If my name is going to be on something, I make sure it’s as good as it can be. Whether it’s the food, the service, the drinks, or the sound,” he said. The first order of business for Greg when he took on the GM position, was to hire the chef from Texarkana’s Cattleman’s Restaurant – known for decades to have the absolute best steaks in the four-states area. “We have a completely new menu,” Greg said. “Everything we serve is fresh and we cut our own steaks. ” As for the entertainment, there are two stages available – the enclosed tin-roofed porch is ideal for the average crowd to enjoy local bands. For the bigger concerts, the main stage sits behind the two-story building; a field of AstroTurf stretches from the balcony pillars to the stage for concert-goers to set up their own chairs under the high roof to enjoy the show. One plan that Greg has already put into play is the amount of entertainment booked weekly. “I’m working on having bands Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights,” he explained. “I’m putting together Saturday and Sunday acoustic sets for brunches. ” Tuesdays at the new 67 Landing will be Karaoke with Greg’s wife, Jessica Hagood – a popular local deejay and singer. For schedule, menu and more info, go to 67landing. com or find 67 Landing on Facebook. --- ### Cowboy Mardi Gras - Bandera, TX Feb. 9th-11th - Published: 2023-01-22 - Modified: 2023-01-22 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/events/cowboy-mardi-gras-bandera-tx-feb-9th-11th/ - Categories: Texas Music Events - Entity Types: Article The 11th Street Cowboy Bar located at 307 11th Street in Bandera, Texas, will be hosting the 2023 Cowboy Mardi Gras February 9th - 11th. The annual event which has been celebrated for more than 18 years, honors Mardi Gras and cowboys and features traditional cajun bands, country music, a Cowboy Mardi Gras parade with floats, Cowboy Mardi Gras Costume Contest and a Gumbo Cook-off. The three day celebration brings over 15,000 people from all over the world to Bandera, a town of just 839 people known as the Cowboy Capital of the World. Bandera is located 22 miles south of Kerrville, 35 miles from northern San Antonio, 25 miles from Boerne and 48 miles from Fredericksburg. 2023 Cowboy Mardi Gras Schedule:February 9th6pm John Christopher Way Band7:30pm Cowboy K-9 Mardi Gras Costume Contest9:30pm Jason AllenFebruary 10th6pm Ryan Foret9:30 Bayou RushFebruary 11th8am Gumbo Cook-Off12pm 11th Street Cowboy Bar Mardi Gras Parade1pm Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners2:30pm Cowboy Mardi Gras Costume Contest5pm Gumbo Cook-Off Awards6pm Wayne Toups9pm Kenny OrtsWeekend passes are $75 in advance or $85 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cowboymardigrasbandera. com  --- ### In Memoriam: Jeff Beck - Published: 2023-01-13 - Modified: 2023-01-13 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-jeff-beck/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Guitar legend Jeff Beck, dead at 78 By Kate Stow The music world was stunned Wednesday when the family of Jeff Beck posted on his Twitter account that the guitar great had passed. By midnight the post on @jeffbeck had reached over 13 million views.  “On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss,” the statement read. Beck, who got his start with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton in the 1960’s with The Yardbirds, was ranked in the top five greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone. Beck earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009). The 78-year-old remained active, touring and recording consistently throughout his 50+ year career. His most recent project was the album “18” – a collaboration with actor/musician Johnny Depp that was released in April 2022. “Jimi Hendrix wouldn’t have played the way he did if it hadn’t been for this guy,” Depp said in a 2022 interview. Musicians all over the globe are expressing their grief today, including some BUDDY Texas Tornados. “I met Jeff Beck when I was 17 and I was glad to know a guy like that, a guy who was able to show me how this guitar playing thing should be approached and that’s still very much the case. Jeff was a wondrous soul and we already miss him tremendously, “ 1978 Tornado Billy Gibbons posted on Twitter. Dallas International Guitar-Fest Producer and 1982 Tornado Jimmy Wallace said “Jeff Beck. The Best Of The Best ... His playing was lyrical, as compelling and commanding as a master vocalist, always emotional, transcendent, groundbreaking, inventive and even more incredible, he repeatedly took it to new heights in subsequent decades. Constantly reinventing himself, how remarkable that someone in their 50's, 60's and even 70's could be better than they were at half that age. ” 2017 Tornado Wes Jeans regarded Beck as “a musical giant, a trailblazer. He helped pave the way for some of the most legendary guitarists of all time and was loved and respected by them all. His touch, tone, and phrasing were so unique it's like he was from another planet! He will be greatly missed by music lovers the world over. ” Texas guitar virtuoso Mark Lettieri told Buddy, “Beck was a true visionary. A real risk-taker, always pushing the boundaries of sound. He never settled in his pursuit of expression, ever refining his ability to conjure a multitude of human emotions on the instrument. And he did it in a way that sounded only like him. This kind of singular focus and dedication is something by which all musicians, not just guitarists, can be inspired. ” --- ### RIP Jeff Beck - See Lost Images of Jeff Beck From 1966 - Published: 2023-01-12 - Modified: 2023-01-12 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/rip-jeff-beck-see-lost-images-of-jeff-beck-in-1966/ - Categories: Amazing Performances - Entity Types: Article Buddy Magazine staff and readers are shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of virtuoso guitarist Jeff Beck today. George Gimarc sent Buddy these never-before-seen images of Beck in Dallas, from 1966, performing with The Yardbirds on the Sump'n' Else music show that aired on local TV in Dallas at the time. The images were captured from over 20 minutes of Yardbirds performance film on the TV show, which Gimarc just happened to be editing for an upcoming documentary. Shown in the photo above is a 22-year old Beck, with his Les Paul, ready for action, flanked by the legendary Dallas radio DJ Ron Chapman. The second photo shows Beck with Yardbirds manager, Simon Napier-Bell, playing the piano. Here, Beck is simply a smiling young lad, getting ready to take over the music world by storm. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, fans, and his fellow bandmates. Rest in peace. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=UAy_NQoADR8 --- ### The Buddy Magazine T-Shirt Store is Now Open - Published: 2023-01-10 - Modified: 2023-03-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-buddy-magazine-t-shirt-store-is-now-open/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article We have partnered with our good friends at MerchBooth. com (yes, we really do go way back with these guys) to provide a wide variety of high quality shirts and apparel for Buddy Magazine readers. They were kind enough to offer every Buddy Magazine logo since 1973, on a variety of different shirt and hoodie types. The shirts are top quality, shipping is fast, and 100% of the proceeds go back into running Buddy Magazine. We hope you will pick one up and help represent Buddy on stage, on the street, and in the audience. Thank you again for supporting Buddy Magazine. Check out the full offering here: Buddy Magazine Store at MerchBooth. com --- ### The Pengwins - "It's Christmas Time" - Published: 2022-12-24 - Modified: 2022-12-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/the-pengwins-its-christmas-time/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article by George Gimarc With roots going back to their post-High School days in 1972, the Pengwins have consistently released power pop classics and managed to stay together in one way or another, right through to 2022. That’s quite a legacy. Like most groups, they’ve had several changes in membership, but at the heart of it all has been the remarkable craftsmanship of Lannie Flowers and Danny Wilkerson. In recent times, Lanny has really risen to new heights with many solo records that get my hearty recommendation and are available on vinyl as well, and bandmate Danny Wilkerson’s LP is simply sublime. Together, they are a potent musical force like having our own DFW McCartney-Lennon.   This 2014 single “It’s Christmas Time” reminds me a bit of XTC or Squeeze, so it’s right in my sweet spot of pop but it’s also a really catchy tune that will surely serve to scrub Mariah Carey out of your noggin at this time of year.   https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=qypuFBQY5Mo --- ### Teddy & The Tall Tops: "Christmas In The Congo," feat. Rev. Horton Heat, and Homer Henderson - Published: 2022-12-21 - Modified: 2022-12-22 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/teddy-the-tall-tops-christmas-in-the-congo-reverend-horton-heat/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By George Gimarc Teddy & The Tall Tops were one of those bands that I loved to see down in Deep Ellum back in the early ‘80s. Ted Roddy led the quartet which also included Jim Heath on guitar, Phil Bennison on bass & bongos, and Jas Sephens on drums. This single hit the shops in time for Christmas of 1983. Rockabilly was the thing and DFW had been rockin’ that way since the days of the Big D Jamboree, Johnny Carroll and Groovy Joe Poovey in the ‘50s. That Jim Heath fellow would eventually set out on his own in 1986, and is still blazing away as the Reverend Horton Heat. He’s in the basket-o-heads on the far right, next to Ted. On the old R&R Alternative you could always count on me to spin this one every year for the next decade. I highly recommend it for your Christmas playlist. https://youtu. be/2oAloLkgSrE --- ### The World's First Texas Blues Chanukah Song, "As Chanukah Passes Me By," by the Josh Alan Band - Published: 2022-12-19 - Modified: 2022-12-19 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/chanukah-passes-me-by-josh-alan-band/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Written and recorded by Josh Alan, with the Josh Alan Band, released on the album "Strike A Match," Topcat Records, 2002. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=clNKkg1brH0 --- ### Sound Familiar? Vince Vance and the Valiants Single, "All I Want For Christmas Is You," 1989 - Published: 2022-12-18 - Modified: 2022-12-19 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/vince-vance-valiants-single-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you-1989/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By George Gimarc Vince Vance & The Valiants seemed to be everywhere in the oldies-enthralled, post Sha-Na-Na 70s in DFW. The New Orleans based group turned in their own quirky versions of familiar oldies, peppered in with some originals. Their first release was an LP dubbed ‘Double Aluminum’ in 1977, and they followed it up with several more (collect ‘em all! ). They even got a little radio airplay with their single “Bomb Iran” (their own topical version of “Barbara Ann”). https://youtu. be/w8HWHd0EYJA This single of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was released in 1989 on the band’s own Valiant Records label and had a video as well that got a lot of spins around here and for a decade was a constant on DFW jukeboxes for the holidays. Lisa Layne does a great job pining away on a song that seems sorta familiar. Perhaps it was that the OTHER “All I Want For Christmas” released five years later stepped on the toes of this indie release. Perhaps someday we will hear that the mess has been sorted out. It certainly didn’t work out so well for the Nightcaps and their tune “Thunderbird. ” Despite it all, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is a quintessential Texas 45 for the holidays, even if the band started out in New Orleans. --- ### The Girls Still Go Wild: The Mike Flanigin Trio Feat. Jimmie Vaughan Brings Back the “Old Austin” Vibe - Published: 2022-12-13 - Modified: 2023-01-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/mike-flanigin-trio-jimmie-vaughan-c-boys-austin-tx/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Feature - Entity Types: Article By Kirby Warnock Upon arriving in Austin, the self proclaimed “live music capital of the world”, most newcomers hear a common refrain: “You should have been here in the 70s/80s. You really missed it. ” This usually follows a listing of now-defunct nightclubs that once held sway, such as The Rome Inn, Soap Creek Saloon, The Armadillo World Headquarters, The One Knite and Castle Creek. Yes, to most folks there is the belief that the good old days are gone forever, and the “new” Austin may be shiny, hip and cool during SXSW, but it’s really a bit sterile. As former Austin Chronicle writer, and blogger, Michael Corcoran wrote: “Just as there are two SXSWs, there are two Austins. What you loved about this town when you first moved here is still there, you just have to look for it. ” C-Boys, Austin, Texas. Photo by Kirby Warnock And nowhere does that statement ring more true than at C-Boys, a little club down on South Congress, in the shadow of downtown. Owned by Steve Wertheimer, who used to run the legendary Rome Inn, C-Boys is named after the black man who used to manage that club. His real name was Louis Charles Parks but he got the nickname C-Boy because he was a cook in the Army. The Rome Inn became legendary because of its two “residencies”, that is, bands who always played on a certain night of the week. On Sundays it was Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, but on Mondays, it was The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the hottest band in Austin in the late 70s. With Jimmie Vaughan on guitar and Kim Wilson on vocals and harmonica, Monday nights at the Rome Inn was the place to be. Major rock stars like Bob Dylan, Dickie Betts and Billy Gibbons could be spotted in the crowd on Blue Monday. Billy Gibbons even wrote a song about it for ZZ Top’s Deguello LP, “Low Down in the Street. ” Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Rome Inn, early 1970s. Photo by Mike Buck. Sadly the Rome Inn was sold and eventually became a bakery. To add insult to injury, the building burned down a year ago. But for those still looking for the heart of a Saturday night in Austin, you can find it at C-Boys, where the Mike Flanigin Trio featuring Jimmie Vaughan plays regular gigs on Fridays and Saturdays, whenever Jimmie is in town. Yep, when he is not on the road with Eric Clapton, Steve Miller or fronting his Tilt-a-Whirl Band, Jimmie can be heard playing with the Mike Flanigan Trio on the small stage at C-Boys. Jimmie Vaughan at C-Boys, Austin, Texas, December, 2022. Photo by Kirby Warnock. The band usually starts up around 10:30 pm, throwing down the clean, Texas blues that Jimmie made famous with his early band, Storm, and later the T-Birds. It’s a strange experience to stand on the dance floor, only three feet from Jimmie just two nights after he was playing Madison Square Garden in New York City, but that’s part of his appeal. “I like to keep my chops up,” he explains nonchalantly (as if after 57 years of performing he still needs to practice). Plus it doesn’t matter where I am, on Friday night I’ve got a gig somewhere. ” The crowd is a mix of “old Austin” (I saw Gretchen Barber there the night I attended) and 20-somethings, newcomers who have no idea what the Rome Inn was, or (and this may be blasphemy) who Jimmie Vaughan is. But they cram the small dance floor to shimmy and shake to the righteous Texas blues as only Vaughan can play them. At 71, Jimmie has become the stand in for the older blues men who used to attract a youthful crowd. I was lucky enough in my younger days to see some legendary blues men like Freddy King, Muddy Waters, B. B. King and Lightning Hopkins perform in person. In an odd sort of way, you can experience that by seeing another living blues legend playing at C-Boys. The Fabulous Thunderbirds first album was appropriately titled Girls Go Wild, and on this Friday night on South Congress Avenue, there is a new generation of 20-something girls vibrating on the dance floor. Vaughan and Mike Flanigan lay down a raft of standards, including “Can’t Sit Down” and “Scratch My Back” that gets your feet to moving, but it’s when he goes into “Texas Flood” that you see what made his younger brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan, pick up the guitar. It is not lost on me that Jimmie lived the first half of his life with everyone referring to Stevie as “Jimmie’s younger brother” and today Vaughan is known (rightly or wrongly) as “Stevie Ray Vaughan’s older brother. ”As Bobette Riner wrote in The Houston Press, “We know the Vaughan brothers' hits, together and separately, and their status in the R&B firmament in Dallas, the home of the King. But until now, the hoi polloi has been largely ignorant about the older Vaughan brother, who opened for Jimi Hendrix at age 15 and later took a sabbatical from his own, long-time career to cut a record with Stevie Ray. ”With Stevie’s tragic death in a helicopter accident in 1990, Jimmie has not only had to carry on the family name, but live with the constant comparisons to Stevie. It’s an unfair standard, because they each had their own distinct styles, but it’s Jimmie who has had to bear the burden. But if there was any melancholy about carrying that mantle, it wasn’t shown on Friday night. Jimmie had the crowd in the palm of his hand, and they shared the love, dancing, shouting and just having the time of their lives. There are other, nicer clubs in Austin, and some have a VIP status, but if you want to really enjoy yourself and hear the music that made this town “the live music capital of the world” you need to check the C-Boy’s calendar and catch the Mike Flanigin Trio featuring Jimmie Vaughan one Friday or Saturday whenever he’s in town. You won’t be sorry. Trust me on this. --- ### Johnny Reno & His Solid Senders,"Blues Before Christmas" - Published: 2022-12-10 - Modified: 2022-12-15 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/johnny-reno-blues-before-christmas/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article By George Gimarc One of the hottest acts around DFW in the halcyon days of the 1980s was Johnny Reno and his Solid Senders. Reno is a sax player that’s had a many storied past that includes playing with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble in the late ‘70s, and being a valuable member in the Juke Jumpers with Jim Colegrove. He set out on his own and Johnny Reno & The Sax Maniacs were playing all around the state, and beyond in 1985. This single, under the name “Johnny Reno and his Solid Senders" seems to hail from Christmas of 1986, and has his original “Blues Before Christmas” flipped with his take on the 1948 Mable Scott R&B classic “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus. ” This is yet another Christmas playlist must because we all need a little boogie woogie to make the season swing, right? Dig that it’s on the Miracle Records label – ‘If it sells, it’s a Miracle ! ’  I don’t know if they all came in this rubber-stamped sleeve but it’s pretty fab.   Here’s a link of the band live down in Austin in 1985. https://youtu. be/q548bhnJtmw --- ### Flashback: The Dixie Chicks 1991 Single, "Christmas Swing" - Published: 2022-12-10 - Modified: 2022-12-10 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/dixie-chicks-1991-single-christmas-swing/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article by George Gimarc Bands can certainly change from their first release, to their latest. Ok, perhaps not Boston, but most other bands do, and the Dixie Chicks have really gone thru the changes. Their first release was the well received ‘Thank Heavens For Dale Evans’ which they put out on CD in 1990. At the time, you could see the band all over town, but I recall them playing a lot down at the West End and were a knockout, retro styled act. https://youtu. be/1V-6xoqGJuA This 45 was recorded at Sumet-Bernet Studios in October and rushed out to be in shops in time for Christmas of 1991, and both songs were simply fabulous. The topside “Christmas Swing” is a bluesy instant classic that really gives you an idea of what the original Dixie Chicks were all about back when they were Emily & Martie Erwin, Laura Lunch and Robin Lynn Macy. Of course connecting this band to the current ‘Chicks’ would be like describing Paul McCartney as The Beatles with a few personnel changes. The flipside is “The Flip Side” which is a simply lovely little wistful Christmas song that even includes a little bit of the Sam Cooke classic “You Send Me. ”  Trying to find this on the original vinyl could set you back about $60. The Dixie Chicks are often described as fearless, but they seem to have totally disappeared their past, and this single, and their first three CDs worth of recordings are held back for some reason, not fit for the fans that launched them in Dallas. Let’s defy it all, and go down home on the Radar Range with “Christmas Swing. ” --- ### Pantera to Perform at Home in Arlington, TX with Metallica, August 18, 2023 - Published: 2022-11-29 - Modified: 2022-11-29 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-arlington-tx-metallica-august-18-2023/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Texas Music Events, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article New dates have been announced for the much-anticipated Pantera reunion/tribute. Pantera will support Metallica on a short of leg of their Summer 2023 tour, performing at AT&T Stadium on August 18, 2023. The Pantera boys hung out a with Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield in Arlington in the mid-80's, while Metallica was coming up, and Pantera was on the path to going "heavy", forming a long standing relationship that has followed their entire music careers. Wolfgang Van Halen and Mammoth will also open. The old close connections, and the hometown location will make this a "family" affair. Best wishes to all, from current and past staff at Buddy. --- ### Storm Brewing in Sept. '86: Pantera and Phil Anselmo's Razor White Play North Texas - Published: 2022-11-16 - Modified: 2022-11-16 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-razor-white-1986/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article A capture of the Buddy Concert Calendar, circa September, 1986. Before Phil Anselmo joined Pantera, he sang with Razor White, a Houston-based band that frequently performed in the North Texas area. Pantera played Savvy's in Arlington on a Sunday night; Razor White played the next evening at Matley's Phase II in Dallas. Terry Glaze was still the vocalist with Pantera at the time, and these shows were played before Phil would join the band later in the year. One can only wonder if some of the boys were in attendance at the Razor White show, likely plotting the next incarnation of the Pantera to come... Buddy Magazine Concert Calendar, Sept. 1986 --- ### Dokken+Lynch fulfill club owner’s wish > Imagine owning your own club and hosting your own birthday party; you can book your favorite band and sell tickets. Lance LeMay, owner of Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana, did just that in September. - Published: 2022-10-27 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/dokkenlynch-fulfill-club-owners-wish/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Tags: Dokken - Entity Types: Article TEXARKANA - Imagine owning your own club and hosting your own birthday party; you can book your favorite band and sell tickets. Lance LeMay, owner of Fat Jack’s Oyster Bar in Texarkana, did just that in September. “Lance told me that he saw Dokken when he was 16 and it was his favorite band,” said Marlon Lineberry of Intense Lineberry Productions. “They just happen to be touring again. I met them at a meet and greet and presented them with a proposal. Lance and Don Dokken agreed on a price, and George Lynch agreed to join them. It worked out perfectly! ” Lance arranged for a tour bus to bring the band from a gig in Oklahoma to Texarkana. Marlon drove George himself. “He is just a down-to-earth guy; I really enjoyed my time with him,” he said. George, who has often been called one of the most influential 1980s metal guitarists, is ranked No. 10 on the “Top Metal Guitarists of All Time” list by Gibson. He is best known for his work with Dokken and his solo band Lynch Mob. Don Dokken and George Lynch share a moment on the Fat Jack's stage. The band broke up when Don Dokken and George had a “difference of opinion” in 1989. In the 90s they attempted to get back together, but the animosity between them prevented a successful reunion. Dokken is now the only original member of the band. Their attorney, Jim Levin, is now the lead guitarist, and George joins them on three songs at the end of each show. Bass player Chris McCarvill and drummer B. J. Zampa round out the current band lineup. “... sometimes, it is uncomfortable for me, because when I show up, I have to sit there, and, of course, they're playing the songs that I wrote. And the guitar player, Jon, is a wonderful guy; we're friends. But they're doing my whole thing, and then I walk out,” George told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk" in a January 2022 interview. He went on to explain that it’s a financial decision made by Don and he’s okay with that: “There’s what we do as a business... you have to have that balance of appreciating and producing music that you love, and that people enjoy, and at the same time, it has to make sense financially. ” Those three songs, though, were enough to sell out the little club in Texarkana. There were only 200 tickets, and despite the $160. 00 price, they went fast. People came from all over the region; some brought their guitars to have George autograph them. Local cover band Crooked Halo opened up for the 80’s glam rock band and got the standing-room-only crowd sufficiently warmed up. The band specializes in 80s and 90s rock hits and has also opened shows for Buckcherry and Candlebox. Crooked Halo has been performing for over 20 years in Texarkana, with the current lineup coming together just last year after bass player, Kenny Attaway, passed away from COVID. The five members of the band represent a collective 200 years of performing experience. Steve Briggs, the only founding member, has been playing guitar since he was young and is known as one of the best local players. His flawless rendition of Van Halen’s Eruption is a fan favorite. James Williams is known as the most-requested drummer on the local circuit since the 80s. Attaway’s replacement on bass is Jimmy Sparks, who has also been rocking area stages for about 40 years. Paul Felder is the newest member, adding a keyboard sound that allows the band a more diverse playlist. Rounding out the lineup is vocalist Chris Montano. His superb imitations of Axl Rose, David Lee Roth, Robert Plant, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, and others will cause the listener to do a doubletake. His spot-on performance includes dance moves, leaps, and props such as a bullhorn. The superb billing of Crooked Halo and Dokken made for a show that could have rocked a stadium. The intimate setting of the small club gave the audience an access that is rarely allowed. The show ended with Don and George presenting a birthday cake to Lance on the stage. His response was no surprise: “This is the best birthday ever! ” --- ### Rachel Stacy is Holding Her Own with Texas Legends - Published: 2022-10-27 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/amazing-performances/holding-her-own-with-texas-legends/ - Categories: Amazing Performances, Features, New Texas Music - Tags: Rachel Stacy - Entity Types: Article As a young violinist in the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra, Rachel Stacy didn’t just play to get better – she played to drown out the sadness of her homelife. In spite of her physically abusive stepfather, she did get better and eventually earned both vocal and music scholarships to college. “The terrible darkness of my family - thank God I had scales – playing helped me so much,” Rachel said. “Words just poured out of me. I journaled, wrote poetry and songs. ” Her mother, who played piano on the hotel lounge circuit, moved to California and Rachel joined her after leaving college. It was in Los Angeles that she developed a love of jazz and blues – which fit perfectly with her dark poetry. “My mom was a piano player, an upright bass player and a guitar player,” Stacy said. "She didn't drink, but she chose three husbands that had their share of addictions. " Rachel during a September performance at the Outlaw Taproom, poolside at the Omni Hotel in Irving. After taking lessons from Gram Parsons’ fiddle player, Rachel created her own style. Her playing invokes hints of classical, blues, rock and country – sometimes all at the same time. During her 20s she was packing L. A. clubs as the leader of Tishara (her middle name) & the Earthtones, a rock ’n’ roll band. Her edgy persona made Rachel a crowd favorite at the annual bike rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. But it was that edgy persona offstage that almost did her in. Living in L. A. gave her easy access to a plethora of drugs. She began a dangerous cycle of perform, party, and pass out. Things were getting out of hand when she decided to join a 12-Step program. In 2009 she got ahold of the drug addiction but traded the pills for alcohol; she drank so much that she would have blackouts. She finally sought help from a program and gives credit to it and her Higher Power for keeping her straight. “Addictions change names – drugs, food, alcohol – I’ll always be an addict,” she said. “But I take it one day at a time. I have a sponsor, a wonderful relationship with my Higher Power, and I have friends to lean on. ” One of those friends is none other than Ray Wylie Hubbard, a Texas legend known as the “Wylie Lama. ” Hubbard wrote “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother” a full 20 years before getting sober. He met Rachel early in her recovery and encouraged her to stay the course and keep the faith in her music. “Ray mentored me early on when I got sober, but we didn’t really reconnect until last year,” she says. “He looked at me and said, ‘Lemme tell you something: Your life is just now beginning. ’” In the summer of 2021, Ray and Rachel met up at the Zone Recording Studio in Dripping Springs and collaborated on four tracks: “The Ghost of Lishe Jackson,” “Take a Little Time,” “Trouble,” and “The Night. ” Another Texas legend, Guthrie Kennard (whom she says is “like a father”), joined them on “Trouble. ” https://youtu. be/YSYYvLpWuu0 The video for “Trouble” was produced at Lizzy Gator Studios. The wardrobe team of Elizabeth Duncan and Torrie Wallace designed a denim dress just for the shoot. Set in New Orleans, the video includes snakes, gators and a voodoo witch. “That song and shoot was awesome,” Rachel exclaimed. “We had a great team that came together, and it magically worked – it was good energy. ” This isn’t Rachel’s first trip to the recording studio, though - her previous records were released in 2005, 2008, and the 2015 album, Full Circle. In 2017 she released “Boomerang,” which reached No. 30 on the Music Row Chart — the only independent single to do so. There’s a good reason why Hubbard, Kennard and Jimmy Wallace (another legend who is planning a collaboration with Rachel) are all putting their money on her. Rachel is clean, sober, and thriving these days, performing every weekend and working on new music. But there are still those days she needs to call on her coping skills. “When I write, I dig deep down inside for lyrics; it brings up old stuff,” Rachel explained. “When you sing those same songs over and over, you relive those stories over and over. There are songs I just don’t do anymore because it’s so hard. ” It’s on those bad days that Rachel shares her story and does what she can to help others, because “hearing others’ stories helps me in return. ” Ironically, it’s the overdoses and blackouts that started her journey to graceful maturity. “I feel like I’m finally finding my voice,” she reflects. “I truly believe that when my career was taking off, I would have died of an OD; I wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t gone through that in my 20s. ” “Some of these young girls are being taught the wrong way - going above and beyond to not be who they are. If I hadn’t gone through what I had, I wouldn’t be who I am,” she exclaims. “I do not offer advice, because they think ‘who do you think you are? ’ But if they want my help, I will help them. ” However, she warns those young women to stay focused. “When we are busy honing our craft and creating what we are meant to be, there is no time for hustling others,” she explained. “When you set out to hurt others on your way up, it’s a long ride down, pumpkin. ” “I do want people to like me, and I want them to have a good taste in their mouth,” she reflects. “I try to be loving and generous. ” Calling her career “a curse and a blessing,” Rachel insists she is not trying to be a star. “I’m trying to spread the love through music: stay strong, stay fast, do it sober. ” Add “relevant” to the list of things Rachel is not trying to be. Her explanation is exactly why she's able to hold her own with the older, wiser Texas legends... . without any "trouble" at all: “I’m just trying to do what I do. I’m a survivor; I’m a worker and I love what I do. " You can catch Rachel live at the White Elephant Saloon in Fort Worth every Monday night, but she plays all over the DFW Metroplex. A list of her upcoming shows can be found at rachelstacy. com. On October 29 she opens for Maren Morris at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving. --- ### Ghoultown: The Scariest Band in Texas > When Lyle Blackburn formed Ghoultown in 1999, he mashed up the Classic Country and Heavy Metal genre’s and created a brand new one: Gothabilly. - Published: 2022-10-27 - Modified: 2022-10-28 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/feature/ghoultown-scariest-band-texas/ - Categories: Feature - Tags: Gothabilly, Halloween - Entity Types: Article The Scariest Band in Texas If you are into “spooky stuff” (and who isn’t this time of year? ), then you’ve probably heard, or seen, the most famous cryptid expert in Texas. If you aren’t sure who that is, keep reading. Cryptids are animals that cryptozoologists believe may exist somewhere in the wild but are not believed to exist by mainstream science. Lyle Blackburn not only believes in them; he has based his career on their existence. Lyle has his irons in many fires. Besides being a leading cryptid expert, he is also an actor, musician, producer, guest speaker and an author of several books. For now, let’s talk about the “musician” line on his resume. Growing up in Fort Worth, Lyle was exposed to his parent’s favorite classic country music. But by the time he reached his preteen rebellious period, he was into groups like The Misfits and KISS. As he formed his new band in 1999, he mashed up those genre’s and created a brand new one: Gothabilly. Think “Riders in The Sky” by Johnny Cash, with heavy metal guitar shredding. “I’ve always been into spooky stuff, so I wanted to do something unique that stood out and played into our Texas roots’” Lyle said about the naming of Ghoultown. “We have no set genre. People want to classify us, but we have a fan base made up of rebels from all tastes. ” While he sings lead and plays guitar in the group, Lyle started off as a drummer and bassist, first with Solitude Aeturnus, then The Killcreeps. “When we were auditioning singers for Ghoultown, the guys told me I was better than the ones coming to try out,” he explained. Ghoultown has quite an impressive discography that includes Curse of Eldorado – 2020; Ghost of the Southern Son – 2017; Life After Sundown (vinyl edition) – 2016; Bury Them Deep / Boots of Hell (expanded edition) – 2014; The Unforgotten: Rare & Un-Released (digital) – 2012; Mistress of the Dark – 2009; Skeleton Cowboys (vinyl single) – 2008; Life After Sundown – 2008; Bury Them Deep – 2006; Live from Texas!  – 2004; Tales from the Dead West (European version) – 2002; Give 'Em More Rope – 2002; Tales from the Dead West – 2000; and Boots of Hell – 1999. https://youtu. be/SVC7UbuWGRc For the title track from the 2009 album, Mistress of the Dark, Elvira filmed a video with the band that has over three million views on YouTube. Another video for “Drink with the Living Dead” racked up nearly 14 million views on YouTube alone. Members, other than Lyle, are Jake Dayton on lead guitar, Lizard Lazario on acoustic guitar, Grimm on trumpet, Santi on bass, Logan Black on drums, and Ash on backing vocals. The band appears on soundtracks for the following movies: “Hallow’s End” – 2003, “Suburban Nightmare” – 2004, “Return of the Jackalope” – 2006, and “Butcher Boys” – 2012. Based in the DFW area, they have toured all over the U. S. , Canada and Europe. According to Lyle, they are sticking to the larger festivals and concert events, rather than touring like they used to. They have a show at Amplified Live in Dallas, booked for January 7, 2023, and they are working on material for a new album. Oh - If you’re looking for something spooky to watch this Halloween, Lyle has created several documentaries, including: “The Mothman of Point Pleasant,” “Boggy Creek Monster” and “Monsters and Mysteries in America. ” His television appearances include “The Unexplained” on the History Channel and “Strange Evidence” on the SyFy Channel. And if you just can’t get enough of the spookiest man in Texas, his acting credits include: “Spear Talk,” “Beyond the Trail,” “Everything is OK: A Dallas, TX Punk Documentary,” “The Mothman Legacy,” “Momo: The Missouri Monster,” “Terror in the Skies,” “The Bray Road Beast,” “The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs,” “The Brian Blue Show,” “The Legend of Boggy Creek,” “This is Halloween,” “Finding Bigfoot,” and an episode of “Shipping Wars. ” Lyle’s most recent book is Texas Bigfoot. All of his books are available on Amazon and his website: LyleBlackburn. com. To listen or purchase the bands’ music, go to Ghoultown. com. --- ### Going Bananas in Texarkana > Over a century ago the basement of the old Ritchey Grocery building was used for refrigeration machinery and food storage. Hooks are still in a section of the ceiling where bananas were hung to ripen - thus, the name “1923 Banana Club” was born. - Published: 2022-10-25 - Modified: 2022-10-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/venues/going-bananas-in-texarkana/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Venues - Tags: Clubs, Texarkana - Entity Types: Article As an entrepreneur, Texarkana native David Peavy, is known for owning some of the more unique businesses in town. Three of those are located in the same building – the 1894 Ritchie Grocery building located across the street from the historic Union Railroad Station. He has developed each level of the three-story building as separate entities: The first level is the 1894 Art Gallery; the second floor is home to Studio 71, a party venue with a 1970s vibe; the third level is home to unique high-end loft apartments. To get from the third to the first floor, you can take the elevator; however, the spiral slide is faster. An old freight slide is still in place in the historic three-story building. But the most fun to be had there is in the basement. Over a century ago the space was used for refrigeration machinery and food storage. Hooks are still in a section of the ceiling where bananas were hung to ripen - thus, the name “1923 Banana Club” was born. Decorated as a 1920’s speakeasy, one must have a code to enter the door. Peavy shined up some of the old machinery parts and gears and left them, for a steampunk twist. David Peavy came up with the concept of 1923 Banana Club while exploring the basement of his building, an old grocery store built in 1894. The hooks in the ceiling were for hanging bananas to ripen in the basements cool temperature. “You become cooler just by walking through the door,” Peavy said. “Our motto is ‘Protect the Vibe. ’” A small stage for intimate performances is located on one end of the room, with a vintage bar stretching along one wall. The bartender is dressed as a flapper and could easily be an extra in The Great Gatsby. Stiletto, a trio consisting of Bryan Jefferies, Heather Linn and Selena Jefferies, perform on the small stage meant for intimate shows. The band playing this night is a new one, made up of familiar artists from other locally-known groups: Bryan Jefferies and Selena Jefferies of Split Decision, and Heather Linn of Heather Linn and the Deacons, have billed themselves as Stiletto – a three-person cover band. The over-30 crowd is right at home in the club. The crowd, mostly made up of the “over 30” generation, enjoys appetizers delivered from the best local restaurants as they listen to their favorite songs. The small dance floor is big enough for three or four couples to cut a fancy rug on. This is definitely different from any other club in town, or even the area. As Peavy is fond of saying, “You could be anywhere in the world, but you’re in Texarkana. ” --- ### B's Custom Guitars: Exotic Bodies and Necks Ringed with Gold - Published: 2022-10-25 - Modified: 2022-10-25 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/gear/bs-custom-guitars-exotic-bodies-and-necks-ringed-with-gold/ - Categories: Gear - Entity Types: Article After 50 years of playing, Bryan Jefferies knew exactly what he wanted in a guitar. He had the money and often browsed the “big brand” catalogs, but never found the right one. Being stuck at home during the 2020 pandemic turned out to be productive for Bryan; it was then that he added “luthier” to his resume. “I was surfing around on the web, looking at YouTube videos and found one of a man using a CNC (computer numerical control) machine. That was seventy percent computer work, and computers are really my bag, so I thought ‘hey, I bet I can do that,’” Bryan said. “So, instead of buying a guitar, I bought a machine and a block of wood. After I made my first one, I decided that I could do this as a business. ” After teaching himself to use the CAD program that came with the machine, he then purchased a more advanced program, then a more advanced machine. For thirty years Bryan has operated a recording studio in his Texarkana home, and now he has added a guitar factory – B’s Custom Guitars. The CNC machine takes up most of the garage and guitar bodies cover the kitchen countertops and dining table while their glue dries. Contrasting wood inlays on the neck add a stylish touch. Bryan’s approach to guitar building is a concentration on the three main components of the instrument: aesthetics, feel and sound. “No one guitar will suit every player. I tried to make something that I would love, and I thought other players out there might love the same thing,” he explained. His goal was to have a guitar that was unique, while also being somewhat familiar. He accomplished that by incorporating the old Gibson look and feel into the shape. As for the materials, Bryan prefers the look of exotic wood, and has been known to buy it by the cord. Last year Bryan had an opportunity to purchase what is perhaps the coolest wood of all: a 500-year-old water oak tree that was part of Texarkana’s oldest documented history. In 1541 Hernando DeSoto came through the area in search of the Fountain of Youth and drank from the springs at what is now Spring Lake Park. While he was here, he hung a man on the tree for the crime of mutiny. “The tree lived a long life and grew really large over such a vast time period,” Bryan said. “When the tree died, I was able to purchase some of the wood for a series of guitar builds - I call it The Mutiny Series. ”The second component he concentrates on is the feel of the instrument. “After you pick that guitar up because it looks so good, it’s got to feel good,” said Bryan. “You want your strings to lay fairly low – you want your action to be good, and you want it to be light. ” Each of Bryan’s guitars has a series of chambers carved out of the body before the top is glued on. This gives the guitar the weight reduction, so although it appears to be a solid piece of wood, it’s surprisingly light. B’s Custom Guitars are made up of three layers of wood – top layer, then middle layer of walnut, then the body. The neck of each has a special unique inlay. While most luthiers use wood screws, Bryan puts machine insets into the neck for machine screws. This ensures that no matter how many times you pull it off, it doesn’t wear out. Bryan's guitars may seem to be heavy solid wood, but bodies are chambered to make them lightweight. “Part of the way something feels is the quality of the components. I use locking tuners on all my guitars - all have GraphTech nuts and solid gold fret wire. It’s the perfect hardness and won’t wear out as fast as nickel will, and it’s easier to work with than stainless steel. Aesthetically, it’s beautiful,” he explained. “I also use magnetic back covers so there is no fumbling with screws or chasing them all over the stage. And I designed the output jack location to keep it out of the way. ” The third component is tone, which is mostly derived from the pickups; Bryan uses Seymour Duncan pickups. He also uses components from Hipshot, Wilkinson and Pappas Electronics to achieve stability and offer more sound options. While most companies consider gold fret wires and chambered bodies expensive add-ons, they come standard on B’s Custom guitars, which start at a reasonable $1,500. 00. Each guitar takes about three days to complete, if all of the materials are in stock. There are 10-15 standard shapes to choose from; custom shapes cost more. For more information, check out his website: www. bcustomguitars. com. Exotic wood and solid gold fret wire make B's Custom Guitars unique. “I took all of the best guitar features out there and rolled them into my builds,” said Bryan. “I went to my first guitar show this Spring in Dallas and sold six guitars, so I consider that a success story. ” Bryan has added a guitar factory to his in-home studio. --- ### In Memoriam: Derek Rougeot - Published: 2022-10-23 - Modified: 2022-10-23 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/in-memoriam-derek-rougeot/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Dallas drummer Derek Rougeot passed away on May 20, 2020. The Miami, Oklahoma native played with local Dallas band, The Carsons through the 1990s. He joined the Josh Alan Band, with Robby Garner, from 1999 through 2006. Josh Alan Friedman had this to say: “Derek was the most personable, handsome rock drummer in Dallas. He could book gigs for our band just by showing up in a suit and tie, and flashing a smile to club owners. We shared many musical adventures from Texas to New York. ” Derek was featured on the 2001 Josh Alan Band album, from Topcat Records.     Featured below, "Her City," Josh Alan Band, Derek on drums, with Bernard Wright, David "Fathead" Newman, and Bill Eden. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=hMSNhYA3W4M --- ### Randy Cates Memorial Lineup - Oct. 30, at Amplified Live - Published: 2022-10-13 - Modified: 2022-10-13 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/randy-cates-memorial-lineup-oct-30-at-amplified-live/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Randy Cates Memorial Benefit Lineup Oct 30th Amplified Live Dallas1: 15 Boom Town2:00 Jessee Spradlin2:45 Holland K Smith3:30 Buddy Whittington4:30 The Stratoblasters5:30 Johnny Red6:15 Jerry Clark7:15 Play Town w Danny Ross & Tone SummersW Special Guests : Craig Parker Linda Waring Jackie Don Loe Sparky Montoya and many, many, more. Silent Auctions & more ... --- ### Review: Joshua Ray Walker's "See You Next Time" - Published: 2022-10-03 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/joshua-ray-walkers-see-you-next-time/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article As a journalist, I do a lot of driving around the great state of Texas, always seeking music that will elevate my mood as I cruise through its fields and hills. Finding good road trip music is a necessity for a traveler, and something I take seriously. Generally, the best music for long-distance driving is folk and country music, specifically native to the land. I place a premium on energy and feel, but what does it mean to "feel" like Texas? It may be impossible to answer this question with words. But when you listen to Joshua Ray Walker, Texas bleeds through your speakers, and into your soul. Walker is a country singer from East Dallas who began making music as a teenager. He's had several hit songs already on past records, including Lot Lizard (1. 15M on Spotify), Voices (1. 55M on Spotify), and Canyon (959K on Spotify). His most recent record, which came out last year, is titled See You Next Time, a 10-song jaunt that ranges from deep emotional tracks to hoppin', dance-ready country swings. *** The album opens up with Dallas Lights, an ode to his hometown that discusses how closely tied he is with his city. "So when I die / Lord don't bury me deep / Under the sycamore tree / Burn me, spread me / Where the city can be seen. " The refrain illustrates his deeply rooted relationship with Dallas, one that not only has helped define his life, but that he believes should help define him in passing, as well. https://open. spotify. com/track/2byu1FTipUlyDaK9svVGl5? si=ef3f22a1ab1b4dc1 The next track is Three Strikes, a lively romp of a country jam all about how drinking will "get the best of" the song's subject, which may or not be Walker himself. The "three strikes" refer to the strikes it takes to get to a felony. A song about a down-and-out drinker, he sings about "topping off his Big Gulp" with liquor while he "hits the throttle" on his truck. His drunkenness spirals out of control as he takes the keys to drive since his "buddy can't drive stick," and while they "did not advise," he's "got gals to please. " It's a song about the myopia of a drunk, and how this shortsightedness can result in destructive decisions and behaviors. https://open. spotify. com/track/7FOlKdtmUI07z3qudahtTs? si=bf978ed4a43c4a8b Like many of the songs on See You Next Time, the third track draws on his experiences, this time referencing conversations he's had about growing up. Cowboy is about maturing, making adult choices, and not simply "playing cowboy" anymore. "There ain't no rodeo / It's time to be a man boy / No more blowin' smoke. " Specifically, the conversation refers to how a woman has given him "second chances at romance," but the fact that he "won't hang up" his "spurs" makes it difficult for him to settle down. Overall, Cowboy really discusses his inability to make up his mind about what he wants to do in his life, and how this indecision affects those around him. https://open. spotify. com/track/6Yn9TDVV7fQFq6pIn7adOK? si=368a4e05c4174f4e My favorite song on See You Next Time is the song's lead single, Sexy After Dark, a song about when he feels his best; namely, when he's harder to see. "Fewer words make me sounds so smart," he sings, further elaborating on the motif of the track, which is that the more mystery he has to him, the better. Deep down, it's a song about self-esteem, a song about how he's not sure that anyone will love the real him. "I feel sexy after dark / Be any me I want to be. " He sings about his being a social chameleon, a person who morphs to fit the needs of others. Due to these insecurities, it's clear just why he feels so much sexier after dark. https://open. spotify. com/track/42yHFqG8dKH5Iea4zetMsu? si=d6ef3074c31c4dd3 The fifth track on the album and the second single, Flash Paper, is slower, more melancholy tune that talks about losing some one close: "And a cigar box with notes and letters / And little things you usually pay no mind / Simple words mean more than all the syllables combined / Like 'I love you' / And 'I'll miss you too. '" It's a universally relatable song, whose emotion pours through the speakers. https://open. spotify. com/track/6eeX4ep11gC2ycmhEpQCr1? si=8c8bd27679134868 Track six is Fossil Fuel, an up-tempo country/rock jam that illustrates the plight of an oil worker whose line is "going dry. " "No one ever called me clever," he sings, needing "fossil fuel forever" to make his living. He likes "working for what's ," further showing that he's an independent man, one who could not work in most settings. He's figured out what his calling is, but with resources thinning, he has to reconsider how he will make a living. https://open. spotify. com/track/29bHaEyV73cZZCjNA9gjPM? si=ddffde2846064357 Dumpster Diving is basically a song equivalent to the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure. " The song is full of metaphorical language, discussing how he met a woman at a low point in his life, but that she is worth it, despite all of the baggage the both may have. "Sometimes what's tossed just isn't worth saving / But in this case, I think you're amazing. " The fact that he says he dumpster dives "for a living" is an indication of the lifestyle he lives, likely one that involves heavy drinking at honky-tonks. But, for the moment, he's happy with what he's found in the proverbial "dumpster. " https://open. spotify. com/track/1rVwTkHu9z7JkuWTzBoQgd? si=672aa67ee8f041cf The eighth song on See You Next Time is Gas Station Roses, which leads with a violin before Walker and his band come in. The song is a metaphor for relationships, which can be "propped up in pretty poses" but "once cut" are "not meant to last. " Saying his love "once passed," and that their stems are "made of glass," Walker refers to the temporary nature of romance, that it was "doomed" before it "bloomed. " This heartbreaking song is a cynical look at interpersonal relationships. https://open. spotify. com/track/4spypQZyNiTGlrSxIrKllD? si=4f9b0aa04b374600 The penultimate track, Welfare Chet, discusses the life of a poor person, as many of Walker's songs do. "Everybody wants to go home / But no one wants to go home with me / Is it 'cause I live in my truck? / I'm down on my luck? " He asks into the ether, but to no avail. Like a lot of his work, Walker sings about down-and-out people, and this song is no different. "Welfare Chet" is the subject, a man who just got out of prison ("Ever since the state let me free"), with whom nobody will "go home. " He's dirt poor, lying about "being clean," and using his welfare money to pay for motel rooms for cheap sex. Truly, no one wants to go home with Welfare Chet, because there is no home in which to go. https://open. spotify. com/track/48RAYyaZyhZhfBsf0R7zGP? si=94924422142f487f Walker's finale on the album, which shares its name, only has four bars of lyrics in it, repeated over and over again: "Wish you were here / Glad you made it / These aren't good-byes / They're see-you-next-times. " Upbeat in its melody, See You Next Time is a song about loss as well, but not in a depressing manner; it's simply a way of saying, while a person may be gone for the time being, there will be a reunion eventually. It's similar in theme a bit with Flash Paper, a song about losing some one close. But this song ends the album with hope, hope that it's not a goodbye, but a see-you-next-time. https://open. spotify. com/track/6j31MoqN6edMxs23hYwdd2? si=6e78976742e1476b *** Overall, See You Next Time runs the gamut from heartbreaking to heartwarming, with every emotion in between. It's a truly impressive work where Walker juxtaposes the overarching themes of loss and destitution with themes of hope and belief in a brighter future – whatever a brighter future may look like for the listener. He leaves much of this up to interpretation, of course, as so much of his writing involves metaphor and symbolism. Truly, Walker's lyrics and musicianship create a piece that inspires but also brings tears. --- ### Review: Pinky's Blues - Sue Foley > Sue Foley's new album, Pinky's Blues - Published: 2022-10-03 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/pinkys-blues-sue-foley/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Reviews - Entity Types: Article Award-winning guitarist/singer Sue Foley, recently released a new CD, Pinky’s Blues, as a tribute to her partner in crime—her sidekick, a pink Fender Telecaster she aptly named Pinky. It’s not unusual for a musician to latch onto a special guitar. Or, in Sue’s case, for a guitar to latch onto the artist. While the most famous is undoubtedly Willie’s Trigger, Pinky sits right up there at the top of the blues ladder, along with Sue. She considers her guitar a living extension of herself. About the day she walked into a music store and found Pinky, she said, “It was like a light shined down on this sweet pink Tele hanging on the wall behind the cash register. ” She knew that was the guitar for her. And they’ve been together ever since.    During the COVID lockdown, she, along with Mike Flanigin started a live stream show called “Texas Blues Party. ” In the process of producing this music show, both Foley and Flanigin were inspired to record albums. Mike Flanigin produced Pinky’s Blues. https://youtu. be/Wb4SJ2DawJw The first track is the title and is a perfect rendition of what the blues truly represents. Soulful and despondent, each guitar lick is precisely executed, exactly what you’d expect from this dedicated award-winning artist. “Two Bit Texas Town,” written by Angela Strehli, carries the listener straight into the journey of Pinky’s Blues. Sue’s voice lends itself perfectly to the song. Foley confesses that “Dallas Man” was written about all the great guitar players from the Dallas area. Her list is too long to name but starts with Blind Lemon Jefferson and, of course, includes the Vaughan brothers. However, the album also includes Foley’s special takes on classics such as Lavelle White’s “Stop These Teardrops,” Frankie Lee Sims, “Boogie Real Low,” and even includes songs by Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Willie Dixon. I have to say each rendition of these tunes is unique and powerful with Foley’s signature guitar licks and soulful lyrics. “Hurricane Girl,” penned by Foley, seems autobiographical. Truly, Sue Foley’s guitar prowess and strong vocals could be likened to a hurricane. “I’m a force of nature. I’m a hurricane girl... ” The legendary Jimmie Vaughan joins Foley on this tune. It was interesting to pick out the difference between the two legendary players. Because each has their own distinctive style, it’s not hard to tell when they switch licks. Everything on this album is undoubtedly a labor of love—an undeniable love of the blues, a special pink telecaster, and a passion for playing it. If you’re a fan of everything blues, this album is a must for your collection. For her tour info and more, visit http://suefoley. com/ --- ### Review: Lloyd Maines, Eagle Number 65 - Published: 2022-10-03 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/lloyd-maines-eagle-number-65/ - Categories: Features, New Texas Music, Reviews - Entity Types: Article Lloyd Maines 71 and Still Going Strong By Jan K. Sikes Lloyd Maines is one of the most well-known and highly-esteemed names in the world of Texas music. Over the past fifty years, he has not only produced hundreds of albums but also played on hundreds of recordings. And now, at the age of seventy-one, Lloyd has released his first-ever solo album. There are so many things I love about this project, but first and foremost, how Maines involved his family in the making of the album. When we sat down for an interview, he shared what it means to him to see the music carried forward to future generations. So, what inspired this Texas legend to record a debut solo album? “During the pandemic, I was doing so much overdubbing at my house. Between March 2020 and January 1st of this year, I did over 250 songs for other people, just here in my little funky man cave,” Maines said. “So, during that time, I decided to lay down some on my own and see how it turned out. ” Having listened to the album, I can assure Mr. Maines it turned out great! But being the kind of person he is, he wound up involving lots of others. Lloyd Maines, Eagle Number 65 Maines continued. “I got my grandkids involved in the recording. I tell people I did this project with my grandkids and for my grandkids. ” Being a grandmother myself, I can appreciate that statement. “I’m seventy-one,” Maines said. “I’ve always worked on other peoples’ projects, and I thought it was time I did one of my own. It would give my grandkids something to play for their kids. ” The first song on this new CD is the title track, “Eagle Number 65. ” Maines explained that he had a strong vision for the song. “That is the very first song I did when I was experimenting. I always wanted to do a lap steel and pedal steel together. This song has some really long sustaining chords. Those are played on the lap steel. Then all the active stuff is on the pedal steel. So I just created a click track and started laying down this song with no plan at all. And it came together. Then I added Beatnik bongo drums to keep it moving. ” Another song that stands out to me on this album is one titled “Hank Hill’s Nightmare. ” “I wanted to write a song for my youngest grandson, who is seventeen, to play drums on,” Maines said. “He and I are fans of the sitcom King Of The Hill. Hank Hill, to me, represents the good Texas neighbor. He always wants to do what is right and treat people right, and he likes country music. In some episodes, he’ll even play an acoustic guitar. Whenever my grandkids would come to visit on Christmas we would binge-watch King of The Hill.   So, I decided to write this song with a ZZ Top shuffle and do the Merle Travis finger-picking. Beckett, my grandson, did a great job on the drums. I like doing things that are contrary to the ordinary. ” I’d say that’s a very true statement, as is evidenced by the next song we talked about. The title, “Homer’s Odd Is He” is a quirky jazz tune with a big play on words. And it was written by Maines’ oldest grandson, Slade. “My grandson isn’t a jazz player, but he is well-versed in every genre of music. I asked him if he’d write a song that would lend itself to an electric guitar and steel guitar duet. He came up with this one, and I thought it was cool, but he didn’t have a name for it,” Maines explained. “I had just heard something or saw something on TV about the book Homer’s Odyssey, which I’ve never read, but my grandson had. And because we are also big fans of the Simpsons, I came up with the crazy title playing off the classic book. And when I asked my grandson about it, he loved it, so we named this song after Homer Simpson and Homer’s Odyssey. ” “Irish Blood” is a jaunty Irish tune written by Maines and inspired by a trip to Ireland in 2005 for the christening of a granddaughter. A tune that was written by the amazing Terri Hendrix, “Wallet” is one Maines has played hundreds of times. On this album, he used the pedal steel to translate the great lyrics of the song with such a positive vibe that is a true reflection of Hendrix. “Declan’s Cookie” was co-written with Terri Hendrix about a covert cookie caper involving a ginger snap and a four-year-old grandchild. The most emotive song on the album is, beyond any doubt, “Lullaby,” written by  Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, Emily Robison, and Dan Wilson. The instrumental arrangement is such that it raises the hair on my arms. But the voice that croons the lyrics is truly the voice of an angel. And guess what? Yep. It’s another grandchild, Amelia. Maines shared his thoughts on it. “When the Chicks recorded that song out in L. A. with Rick Rubin producing it, I went out and played on it. And when I heard the playback, I was so overcome with emotion I was pulverized. They’d written the perfect song about their love for their children and how hard it was to be away from them on the road. So I decided to do this instrumental version using an acoustic slide, then realized it needed the lyrics. After all, that is what makes the song so emotional and strong. So, I asked my granddaughter, Amelia, if she would come in and sing the choruses and harmony. ” And sing it, she did. If you only listen to one track on this new album, please listen to “Lullaby. ” The culminating song that brought the entire Maines clan together to create is “Bloodlines” written by Terry Allen. When I say the whole clan, I seriously mean the whole clan. There are fifty-two different voices collaborating with Maines, all descendants of James and Edith Maines, Lloyd’s parents. “I’m not a singer, and I wasn’t going to sing on my instrumental album, but for this song, I had to do it because it means so much to me,” said Maines. “I recorded the instrumental track first, then added my vocals. Then using iPhones, sent an mp3 recording of it to each family member. I asked them to use one phone to play the song and another to record the vocals, then send it back to me. Then I took all of it into Moyers Sound Studio and mixed it down. I had no idea if this would work or not, but it did, and I’m happy with the results. ” There are some other fabulous songs on this album that I haven’t mentioned, but if you know Lloyd Maines and are familiar with his work, you know they are amazing. There’s a version of the “Steel Guitar Rag” that is uniquely Maines, along with “The Water is Wide” and “Auld Lang Syne. ” When asked if he’d ever do another project like this one, Maines responded with, “I want to say no, but then with all these talented grandkids, who knows? ” It is truly a family affair and a beautiful tribute to the ties that bind. My hat is off to Mr. Maines. Eagle Number 65 has landed. --- ### Album Review: Guthrie Kennard's Riverside - Published: 2022-09-19 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/guthrie-kennard-riverside/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, Reviews - Entity Types: Article by Jan Sikes https://open. spotify. com/album/55IYWzRhOgPm1N8D1hydTm From the first time I met Guthrie at a songwriter swap, I fell in love with the raw honesty of his music. Throughout his career, he’s opened for numerous national touring acts. He’s deeply immersed in Delta Blues and funk music, and “Riverside” is a fine showcase of just how deep. “Tremelo Rain,” written by Kennard and 8 Ball Aitken tells a big story. “Mr. Tom is a shady cat down on Bourbon Street. He’ll pick your pockets, steal your watch and go gambling on a Riverboat Queen... ” Of course, that’s just a tiny snippet of the story. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GIy_oeNhfK0 You’ll find a lot of Louisiana flavor in these songs. When asked about that, he replied, “I played music down in Louisiana for many years and their music, as well as their culture, always resonated with me. ”The intro to “Steel & Wood” sets that bayou mood with a slide guitar riff. It is impossible to listen to “Miss Honey” and not tap your foot to that signature Kennard beat. The title track, “Riverside” is a sinister warning. “Ain’t nobody here ever survives. Nobody crosses Riverside... Wham bam another man down. Wham bam blood on the ground... ”Another personal favorite is “Mama’s Cookin’. ” A slice of life told with a raw funkiness that makes you hungry. “Two Dollars Down” is another story song set in the old Storyville prostitute district in 1800s New Orleans. “Two dollars down, boy, will keep you satisfied... ”If I was forced to pick only one song from this CD, it would hands-down be “Across The River. ” It is poignant and laced with so many paradoxes. The melody, lyrics, harmonica, and Guthrie’s signature guitar roll create an atmospheric song that moves. “So, pick me up in the morning, take me for a ride, on the road outside of Richmond across the river to the other side. And I sing hallelujah, hallelujah... ”The album ends with “Rustle in the Corn. ”From start to finish, this is a CD I will listen to over and again. Guthrie does not shy away from his truth. With a raspy voice and unique funkiness, there is no one like him. --- ### True Story: Buddy Magazine Production Office Gets Hit By a Tornado While Preparing For the Fall 2022 Texas Tornado Issue - Published: 2022-09-17 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/hit-by-tornado/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Yep, we got hit. But not by the tornado pictured. True story. As we were preparing our first post-pandemic Texas Tornado issue, the Buddy production office was hit by an actual Texas “tornado. ” A major spring storm hit Gainesville, traversing all the way down to Windom and Honey Grove. High-speed straight line winds of over 95 mph hit the towns, causing the equivalent damage of an F1 tornado, or a level 2 hurricane. Thousands of trees were downed, and hundreds of buildings were damaged. The Buddy production offices had a chimney collapse through the roof, with many of its 127-year-old windows literally exploding inside the house, and severe winds causing over $100,000 in damage. In the moment, the office looked like a scene out of Poltergeist, with doors and windows slamming, glass shards flying, rain pouring in through the ceiling, and thick plumes of ash rising through the air. One of our biggest concerns was that the entire Buddy archive of back issues was stored at the location, but fortunately did not get damaged in the storm. If one were to believe in the spiritual and metaphysical, it was almost as if our late founder Stoney Burns was hazing the newest publisher for his own amusement, or perhaps lighting additional fires under his ass to protect the legacy of the magazine. And if you don’t believe in the otherworldly, it was just a very unfortunate circumstance that almost destroyed the entire historic Buddy archive for the ages.   Though the digitization process of Buddy back issues had already begun (over 240 out of over 550 issues have been scanned), the tornado has made us step up our efforts to preserve our history, and give this content a new life online. But you can put a bow on this issue – Buddy has survived a pandemic, and now an actual tornado. Buddy Fall 2022 is a bona-fide Texas Tornado edition in this world, or any other. --- ### Meet The Buddy Texas Tornado Class of 2022 - Published: 2022-09-17 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/buddy-texas-tornado-class-of-2022/ - Categories: Features, Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Tornado biographies by Kate Stow Intro by Jackie Don Loe Buddy staff This year marks the 44th anniversary of Buddy Magazine's Texas Tornado Award. Since 1978, when the Texas Tornado concept began, we have believed that these players are "The greatest players in Texas, perhaps in the world. " It started with a simple list of elite Texas guitar players, and evolved into one of the hallmarks of this publication. It also became a goal for many up-and-coming musicians throughout the years to make the list.   The award is given to honor individuals who have made an impact on local, regional, national and international levels with their artistry, talent and music. The instrumentation of the Tornado honorees includes guitar, bass, drums, piano, pedal-steel, harmonica, horns and the banjo.    The idea for the Texas Tornados was hatched by the original editors Stoney Burns and Kirby Warnock in 1978 with the selection of Rocky Athas, Billy Gibbons, Bugs Henderson, Eric Johnson, John Nitzinger and Jimmie Vaughan. Rocky Hill and Stevie Ray Vaughan were inducted in 1979.    "In retrospect, those were pretty easy picks, it is much harder today," said Ron McKeown, editor and publisher of Buddy from 1989 to 2021. The idea of the Buddy Texas Tornado award was neatly crafted as a response to other national acts coming to town and really not impressing the locals. Texas pride and attitude was the catalyst for the whole thing. Kirby Warnock shared his recollection of the beginnings of the Texas Tornado award: “Basically we were around the office talking about how incredible our Texas guitar players were, but they got no mention in the national rock press Rolling Stone and Circus magazines, and Creem. We were sick and tired of reading how great Jerry Garcia was, or Neil Young. Our idea was that Gibbons, Vaughan, Rocky, et al could play rings around those guys, but because they weren't from the West or East coast, the national writers (Ben Fong-Torres, Lester Bangs, Chet Flippo) could not see them in person. It was pure Texas chauvinism, believing that Texans are better at everything, from women to football. So we hatched that list. Stoney was a big Doug Sahm fan, and his song "Texas Tornado" got co-opted for our title. You have to remember that this was before MTV or the Internet, so if you were a big deal in Texas, you were just a big deal in Texas, not anywhere else. We had seen those national acts when they came through Dallas and just were not that impressed. Our guys can do that. So that first list got going. We never knew it would still be around all these years later. And I am pretty certain we were all stoned. We were just about every day. ”  Congratulations to the Buddy Magazine Texas Tornados, Class of 2022. The highest number of players inducted in one year was 36 in 1995.   Lucky Peterson and Roger Boykin are the only two Tornados that were inducted twice, but for different instruments. Charlie Sexton was the youngest Tornado at 15 years old in 1983. Current membership includes over 500 Texas musicians, featuring illustrious players representing the jazz, blues, rock, soul, R&B, gospel, country, and heavy metal genres. From entertainers to music instructors, from virtuosos to legends, the collection reflects a true taste of what Texas has to offer.    Pat Boyack - Guitar Pat Boyack wasn’t born in the Lone Star State, but upon learning he had been named a Texas Tornado, he said, “This makes me feel like I am a Texan now. ”Born in the small town of Price, Utah and raised in nearby Helper, Pat got his first guitar at the age of 15. Inspired by a Stevie Ray Vaughan album, he chased the Texas blues sound all the way to Dallas in 1991 to follow the musical footsteps of the Vaughan brothers – Jimmie and Stevie Ray (1978 and 1979 Tornados, respectively). He swiftly made the rounds of Dallas bar bands, including a notable stint with the Weebads, which featured Memo Gonzalez - a bigger than life blues/soul singer, bassist Terry Montgomery Groff (1994 Tornado) and drummer Bobby Baranowski (1993 Tornado). In 1993, Pat formed the Prowlers with bassist John Garza (1997 Tornado) and Doug Swancy. After the addition of Jimmy Morello, the Prowlers were signed by Bullseye Blues Records. In 1994, Pat Boyack & the Prowlers released their debut, Breakin’ In (where Pat was credited as Pat “The Heart Attack” Boyack). This was followed by On the Prowl (1996). By the time the third album, Super Blue & Funky was released in 1997, a new backing band had been assembled. In 2000, Pat’s former label mate Marcia Ball (1984 Tornado) recruited him for her backing band. With Marcia, he toured the world and recorded three Grammy-nominated albums, and Presumed Innocent won Album of the Year at the 2002 W. C. Handy Blues Awards. During his tenure with her, Pat was included in two music documentaries: Falsifyin’ and New Orleans: Music in Exile. His songs have been featured in movies and TV shows, including Sex and the City. In 2004, his fourth album, Voices from the Street, was released on Doc Blues Records. During his time, Pat honed his singing voice and started writing his own songs. He began working with bassist Kinley “Barney” Wolfe (1992 Tornado) and drummer Taz Bentley (1993 Tornado) and together they formed the Javelinas, a formidable band, indeed. When it comes to his “go-to” axe, Pat favors his Custom Shop R9 Les Paul because he doesn’t have “to deal with the noise that a single coil pickup produces. ”“My music philosophy is that it’s ALWAYS about the groove,” Pat declared in a 2014 interview with Michael Limnios’ Blues Network. “Whether you are playing Chicago blues, swing, Wilson Pickett, James Brown or Hank Marr, it’s all about getting people to move their asses in their seats. ” James Driscoll - Bass Whether he’s backing top performers such as Don Henley and Stockton Helbing, playing on countless commercial jingles, laying down the rhythm with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, or working in his mastering studio, bassist James Driscoll epitomizes the definition of a true Texas Tornado. After earning a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas, James began an adjunct faculty position at Richland College (DCCCD) where he teaches bass performance. In addition, he operates a small studio called “Hot Tonic Mastering” in Dallas where he composes for music production libraries and mixes and masters artist recordings. As an active member of the Dallas/Ft. Worth music scene for over 25 years he has performed or recorded with Don Henley, Doc Severinsen, Andy Timmons, Tim Miller, Ariel Posen, Ed Soph, Arlington Jones, Stockton Helbing, Petty Theft, Chomsky, Tony Hakim, DSO and many more. He has played on countless commercial jingles at Luminous Sound and TM Studios. James has been listed in the credits of over 20 albums, beginning in 1997 with North Texas Jazz – Fifty Years, up to the 2021 release of the Hanlon Brothers Quintet album NSTX. “Every drummer knows that they are only as good as their bass player and that is why I count my blessings that for over 25 years I have been made better by playing with James Driscoll,” said Stockton Helbing. “James has an easy-to-play-with rock-solid time feel with a big, warm sound on both upright bass as well as on electric bass. He improves any music situation with his keen ears, accommodating approach, and vast knowledge of styles. James Driscoll is simply as good as it gets. He’s the first person I call when I am booking my band and if he is unavailable for the gig I almost always turn it down. ” Emily Elbert - Guitar With a soft, lilting voice that belies her strong and powerful spirit, Emily Elbert is at home in the spotlight, as well as in the shadows of a stellar list of performers. Emily was born in Dallas in 1988 and came of age in a computerized society that she learned to use to her advantage. Emily recorded her first album Bright Side while in high school, paid for by local gigs and crowdfunding, and began touring the U. S. independently. At 18, she was awarded a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. While there, she continued to tour nationally and internationally, and released two more independent albums, Proof (2010), and Alive, In Love (2011), both crowd-funded. In 2010, Glamour magazine named Emily Elbert one of their “Top 10 College Women of the Year. ” In 2013, she released Evolve, an EP recorded at Brooklyn, New York’s Mason Jar Music. In 2018 she released We Who Believe in Freedom, a project featuring original music and cover songs focused on social justice. “My love for rhythm, harmony, and story sharing is woven in with my compassion for the Earth and its people” she remarked. Though she counts Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix among her inspirations, Emily’s composition and delivery offer sweet and earthy flavors of Joni Mitchell fused with Eartha Kitt. Her unique styling makes her a popular choice among A-listers looking for new band members. Emily was a member of Esperanza Spalding’s experimental jazz and theater project from 2015 to 2016. The band toured internationally and recorded one album, Emily’s D+Evolution. In 2019, she joined the band of songwriter Jenny Lewis. Elbert has also contributed to projects led by Jacob Collier, Lorde, Gwen Stefani, Jenny Lewis, Leon Bridges, Sara Bareilles, Mike Gordon of Phish, Dweezil Zappa and Bruno Major. Emily Elbert released her sixth album, Woven Together, in summer 2022. Dwayne Heggar - BassWhile he is known as the bassist for Dallas-based party band Emerald City, Dwayne Heggar is more than just your typical “bass face. ” He has managed to insert his style into the D/FW music scene by becoming one of the most sought-after bass instructor in the area, and he is widely respected by many of the area's top musicians. Growing up in Mexia, Texas, just outside of Waco, Dwayne started piano lessons at 12 and played trombone in the school band. But he found his real calling when he picked up a bass guitar at the age of 16. After receiving a music scholarship to McLennan College, he was the first graduate of a newly designed commercial music program that is now in colleges and universities throughout the country. Dwayne supplemented his degree with arrangement classes at the University of North Texas before pursuing jingle writing as a career. Texas Tornado Jeanette Brantley hired Dwayne after his very first audition upon moving to Dallas in 1984. He stayed with her for three years while also playing for jazz vocalist Suzy Hoskins, Laurie Hollingsworth, Martha Burkes, Richard Thomas and the Sesame Street, and pianist Robert Saunders. In 1987 he left the Brantley Group to explore the pop scene, and once again was hired on first audition by Dallas Brass and Electric, where he stayed until getting the call from Emerald City Band in 1989. His career with ECB has taken him around the globe, playing everything from corporate events to White House engagements. Dwayne started teaching bass guitar in 1990 and has taught over 700 students thus far – including Texas Tornado Dave Moro. He still has time to play with the Dallas Mavericks house band and serve in worship bands for various Dallas churches. Currently he is blessing the services of The Pathway of Life church. Whether he is wielding his Fender 5 string, or his Marcus Miller Sire V7, you can recognize his style on recordings by various jazz, rap, country and blues artists. Watching him lay down a rhythm on his Zeta Electric Upright Bass will definitely put you in a dance mood. Chris Holt - Guitar Chris Holt is an extreme multitasker and a favorite among some of the world’s best performers. When Chris isn’t touring the world as guitarist for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend Don Henley, this five-time Dallas Observer Music Award winner (three of them for Musician of The Year) juggles his time between being an in-demand multi-instrumentalist and a songwriter fronting his own bands, while releasing solo albums in-between. Even before joining Henley’s touring band behind the 2015 Cass County, Chris was prolific. Besides his own bands, the Slack and Olospo, as well as his work in Hard Night’s Day, a popular Beatles tribute band, he found the time to release a trio of solo records over the years, most recently a double LP, Stargazer (2016). The list of legendary artists Chris has played with includes Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, the Doobie Brothers, Timothy B. Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett, Jamey Johnson, the Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Clint Black, Steve Earle and Patty Smyth. Most recently, he’s been playing guitar with The Dirty Knobs and creating new original music with Bastards of Soul, whose two studio albums, Spinnin’ (2020) and Corners (2022) have been released to critical acclaim. While Chris has gigged and recorded with dozens of acclaimed artists from the DFW area over the past 20 years, he’s also spent many years as a teacher and mentor to budding musicians across the DFW metroplex, while being a husband and father of three. He not only plays guitar, but also piano, bass, drums, pedal steel, lap steel, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and harmonica. During the pandemic of 2020, Chris began a weekly Facebook Live series, All-Request Thursday, that he continues to this day. “The way it works with my show is, people send me their requests every week, and I put them on the master list, which is about 300 songs or so. And it never really shrinks, because every week, I’ll knock 20-ish songs off, and then I get 30 more requests. So, the list never really shrinks,” he said. “I’m doing what I love now,” Chris said. “I don’t want to take for granted or miss out on how fun it is to do this. ” Braylon Lacy - Bass Since 2000, Braylon Lacy has appeared on 23 albums, not only as a bassist, but also as a composer and co-producer. The Dallas native has racked up a string of awards and accolades during his career on both the upright and electric bass. Lacy is currently a part of the eclectic group, RC & the Gritz, and he also backs fellow Dallasite and internationally known recording artist Erykah Badu. Like Badu, Braylon attended the Dallas performing arts magnet school Booker T. Washington High. He went on to study music at Weatherford College and the University of North Texas. His desire to be a musician was inspired by formal training with bass instructor Dean Hill. As with so many other successful musicians, Braylon played in church during his youth. While church inspired his gospel spirit, the jazz styling he’s known for was flavored by his family’s musical roots. Onstage, Braylon has a knack for feeling the moment and offering up a solo full of flavor guaranteed to blow away the audience. Well-schooled in technique and theory, he learned rhythm from listening to old recordings of various genres. After college, he toured the globe with an array of artists in all genres, including Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Erykah Badu, Chaka Khan, Roy Ayers, Israel Houghton, Kirk Wha­lum, Oleta Adams, N’Dambi and the late Wayman Tisdale. Braylon has been featured on numerous recordings including Kirk Franklin’s Grammy award-winning Hero and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. He has several endorsements including Aguliar Amplification, DR Strings and Fender guitars. While he’s a self-proclaimed “vintage Fender cat,” he tours with a Mulan bass - the closest he can get to his favorite Fender sound. On being named a Tornado, he said, “I am humbled and honored to be in such great company of the great musicians who have won this award. Thank you. ”Braylon maintains a busy schedule of recording, teaching, and touring nationally and internationally. Chris McQueen - guitar Chris McQueen started out in Austin as a true guitar geek, playing and recording songs on a 4-track Tascam by the time he hit the big 10 – (years, that is). Chris has been known to juggle several different projects at once, but is most notably 1/18th of the Grammy award-winning instrumental ensemble, Snarky Puppy. By the age of 13 Chris was playing with guitar prodigy Will Knaak in Red Headed Stepchild, a western swing band in Austin. He played and composed for the Westlake High School Jazz Band before attending the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the acclaimed One O’Clock Lab Band (only the best-of-the best get that spot). Following college, Chris remained in the Dallas area, co-leading the rock band Oso Closo with Adrian Hulet, and studying music with Bernard Wright and other members of the Dallas R&B/jazz/Gospel scene. Oso Closo performed on stage in the Who’s Tommy at the Dallas Theater Center and released two albums. As a singer/actor, Chris has been featured in several rock musicals, including David Bowie’s Lazarus at New York Theater Workshop (featuring Michael C. Hall) and the Rocky Horror Show at The Dallas Theater Center. After Oso Closo broke up, Chris and fellow band member Danny Garcia joined with singer/songwriter Cade Sadler to form the rock band Foe Destroyer. Foe Destroyer recorded an eponymous album, toured for several years, and performed on stage in Dallas and NYC in the musical Fly By Night. Along with Henry Hey, he co-leads Forq, an explorative, groove-oriented instrumental band which has released four albums, and his acoustic guitar duo project with Matt Read is preparing a second album. He is an original and current member of Grammy-nominated world music group Bokanté as well as a frequent member of Banda Magda. Snarky Puppy is an American instrumental ensemble founded in Denton in 2004. Led by bassist Michael League, the group combines a variety of jazz idioms, rock, world music, and funk and has won four Grammy awards (Best R&B Performance in 2014, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2016, 2017, and 2021). On November 14th, 2019, Snarky Puppy recorded their sold-out show from the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London. Recently, Chris has expanded beyond guitar playing to focus on music arranging, mobile app building, teaching private lessons and video editing. He lives in Austin with his wife, Erin and their bunny, Georgia. Chris Maresh - Bass Chris Maresh has obliterated the myth that says “Those who can’t do, teach. ” Chris not only teaches master classes at the Austin MediaTech Institute but is a Grammy-nominated bass player who has appeared on more than 200 albums. Chris began his professional music career in Austin in 1984 after receiving a BM in Applied Double Bass Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz Performance from the University of Texas in Austin. He has since been named Bassist of the Year three times (2002, 2005, 2006) at the Austin Chronicle Music Awards at the SXSW Festival and in 2011 was chosen to be Fender’s poster bassist in the 60th Anniversary promotional video for the Fender Precision Bass. Chris has performed and recorded with artists and organizations including the Austin Symphony, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Pinetop Perkins, Mitch Watkins, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, Michael McDonald, Monte Montgomery, Ferenc Illenyi and Ellis Marsalis. He also spent 10 years performing with 1978 Tornado Eric Johnson. His composition “Rain,” with Alien Love Child was nominated at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 2002. He has appeared on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival DVD and Eric Johnson’s Live at the Grove DVD. Recordings for movie soundtracks include Spy Kids 2, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Michael, Happy Texas and Sliding Doors. He has released two solo albums of original compositions, Tomorrow (2002) and Side Street (2004). In 2014, he appeared with Eric Johnson and Mike Stern on the Eclectic album. In a 2020 interview with bassist Roscoe Beck, Chris described his technique: “I try to get in the flow of the beat. I try to be relaxed about it. If I find myself in a place where there’s a groove in my head, I relax and stick to it. It’s essential for a bass player to lock in the groove. It has to feel good. ”Although he has a deep assortment of new and vintage basses at his disposal, he has recently been seen with a Modern Vintage MVJ466 in Piano Black finish. Between tours, Chris lives in Austin and works as a session bass player, participating on major recording projects. He is also a guest lecturer at Austin MediaTech Institute and appears on the music scene in and around Austin. Monte Pittman - Guitar Monte Pittman, the son of a rodeo cowboy, was born and raised in the Bible Belt town of Longview. Against those odds, Monte made his way to Hollywood where he became an award-winning heavy metal guitarist and along the way ended up teaching Madonna how to play the guitar. After taking guitar lessons he was 13 when he joined a band, Insanity which morphed into the East Texas metal band Myra Mains. Monte moved to Hollywood in 1999 and went to work at the Guitar Center where he gave guitar lessons to Guy Ritchie and his wife, Madonna, who then invited him to join her on the Late Show with David Letterman. Madonna then invited him to join her Drowned World Tour (2001). Monte has played in every incarnation of Madonna’s live band since then. He shares writing credits with Madonna on the tracks “Easy Ride” from American Life (2003) and “It’s So Cool” from Celebration (2009). Monte has also played on Madonna’s studio recordings, appearing on 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor (Like It Or Not) and 2008’s Hard Candy (Spanish Lesson & Ring My Bell). He also backed her during the 2012 XLVI Superbowl Halftime show where he debuted his new signature Jarrell MPS guitar. When he’s not on the road with Madonna, Monte is the bass player and composer for Prong with whom he has recorded four albums. He has also worked in the studio with Melanie C. and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. He is currently on the road with Ministry, adeptly filling in the shoes of late Texas Tornado guitarist Mike Scaccia. Prior to Adam Lambert’s audition on American Idol, Pittman, Lambert, Tommy Victor from Prong and Steve Sidelnyk formed a band named The Citizen Vein. For the tour supporting his debut album, Lambert hired Pittman as his guitarist and musical director. Lambert and the band appeared on several TV shows as well as the Gridlock New Year’s Eve 2010 festival. When he isn’t playing with Madonna or Prong, Monte has found time to release six solo albums: The Deepest Dark (2009); Pain, Love & Destiny (2011); The Power of Three (2012); Inverted Grasp of Balance (2016); Between the Space (2018) and Better or Worse (2018). Monte was nominated in four categories at Artists in Music Awards and by popular demand he was also invited to perform at the ceremony on February 10, 2012. He won the award for “Best Solo Artist. ” He is also the recipient of a “Career Achievement Award – Guitarist” for the Hollywood F. A. M. E. Awards. Wes Stephenson - Bass In a twist of fate, Wes Stephenson, co-founder of the Dallas-based Funky Knuckles, wouldn’t have even become a musician if not for being hit by a car during his freshman year of high school. By his own account, Wes had been looking for his sense of purpose as a 13-14-year-old, and had decided to turn things around and was looking forward to playing 9th grade football. Wes had a friend who had been talking about a buddy of his who was a killer bass player, so they went to the guy’s house. When Wes heard his pal’s friend play the Red Hot Chili Peppers version of “Higher Ground,” he was blown away and his world. On his way home, he was hit by a car in a bad accident, and while it ended his high school football career, the desire to be a musician was born. Wes has come a long way since learning to play the $100 Memphis bass his mom bought him. Lessons followed with Dallas blues and jazz bassist Richard Thomas, who taught the boy how to slap and pop at weekly jam sessions. Although he had dropped out of school and admits he was headed down an “interesting path,” he discovered that you could go to college for music studies. He went back to high school, graduated, and enrolled at the University of North Texas. After a year at UNT, Wes got a road gig playing the blues with Tutu Jones and dropped out. Having cut his teeth on the music of Les Claypool, he and some young friends formed a band, playing what they described as “munk” – a unique fusion of hip hop, funk and metal that resulted in really fast, distorted music. While Wes stayed busy with local gigs, it was at church that he found his future in music. That is where he met drummer Cedric Moore and keyboardist Caleb McCampbell. Playing with them on Sundays and jamming with mentor Bernard Wright and John Carruth during the week helped Wes create his own unique style of bottom end and low-mid pulses that hit you in the chest as the other instruments dance in and out and around it. The Funky Knuckles, born of that church trio, are now five albums into their collaboration. The first of the impressive portfolio was 2012’s As of Lately. The 2014 release, Meta Music, reigned as #1 on the iTunes jazz chart for several weeks. It was followed in 2016 by New Birth and in 2019 with Delicious. The group, currently comprised of Wes, Cedric, Phil Aelony on guitar, Ben Horhorquez on saxophone, Evan Weiss on trumpet and Kwinton Gray on keyboards, is currently recording their fifth album. Neil Swanson - guitar Neil Swanson was already playing Deep Ellum bars when he was 15; it didn’t take long before he had made the round of DFW venues and went off to tour the world. After winning Guitar Center’s “Steve Vai Sessions” contest, he was flown to Hollywood to meet Vai, and while there, he entered another contest called “Be My Band” which he won. Neil soon met platinum-selling guitarist Orianthi (Michael Jackson/Alice Cooper). Afterward, he received an email from the organizer of the competition, Dave Stewart of the band Eurythmics. “He liked my style and asked if I would like to play with his all-star band,” said Neil. “For the next couple of years, I joined Dave in performing places like the Hollywood Bowl, Greek theater, and many others. ”On the heels of that success, he was hired by Orianthi as her regular guitarist which allowed him the opportunity to regularly perform with Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi). He later became the guitarist for Diamante, with whom he spent several years touring arenas and amphitheaters. Neil was then hired as lead guitarist for platinum-selling rock singer Tommy Vext and played on several singles that reached top 5 on iTunes and Billboard streaming sales charts. As a session player, Neil has worked with producers such as Carlos “Six July” Broady (Diddy, Nas, Lil Kim, The Notorious B. I. G. , Mary J. Blige), Aaron Accetta (American Authors, Forever The Sickest Kids) and others. Corporate sponsors started to take notice as well; he is now sponsored by several top tier music gear sponsors including Charvel guitars, Boss/Roland and Orange amps. In 2020 Neil released Story Of Ro, a comic book style solo album that blended rock music with a futuristic sci-fi story to create a unique listening experience. “I’ve definitely become known for creative thinking and musical diversity, though I personally lean towards the rock genre,” Neil told Voyage Dallas in 2020. “I like to keep several lines open and multiple irons in the fire. Eventually, something new gets hot, and I try to be right there when it happens. There’s a reason so few musicians are able to grow outside of their local scene. It boils down to being able to see a bigger picture and not being afraid to risk everything. ” Ally Venable - Guitar At the ripe old age of 23, Ally Venable is an old pro who excels at breaking all the rules. In 1999, Ally was born in Kilgore, the home of oil derricks and the high-kicking Rangerettes. Ally started singing in church when she was just four-years old. With four albums under her belt and multiple awards already, she’s proven that you need not be a man with decades of experience and heartbreak to lay down a bluesy lick; and it IS possible to be pretty with an awesome voice AND play the guitar at the same time. From her black eyeliner to her pink high-heeled boots, Ally packs a punch with her rich vocals and guitar licks that will make you forget her age. In 2013 she released her debut EP, Wise Man, which earned her the 2014 ETX Music Awards Female Guitar Player of the Year. She won the award again in 2015. She and her band were the ETX Music Awards Blues Band of the Year in both 2015 and 2016. Ally’s first album, No Glass Shoes, finished at No. 16 in the RMR Electric Blues Charts in 2016. Her second album, Puppet Show, debuted at No. 7 in the Billboard Blues Albums chart. With guest appearances by Gary Hoey and 2015 Tornado Lance Lopez, that album earned her nominations for Best New Artist and Best Blues Rock Band at the 2018 Independent Blues Awards. By the time her Texas Honey album dropped in 2019, she had proven herself to be a formidable contender in the blues world. The 2019 Blues Caravan Tour with Ina Forsman and Katarina Pejak was giving Ally some national exposure just before the pandemic hit. While live gigs were shut down, Ally made good use of her time by going into the studio. “My vision was to really spread a positive message of love,” says Ally. “The world needs that right now. ”Heart of Fire (Ruf Records, 2021) offers up a guest appearance by Kenny Wayne Shepherd as Ally steps over the line to a heavier rock sound. Mitch Watkins - Guitar As a young boy in the border town of McAllen, Mitch Watkins started piano lessons at the age of eight and picked up a guitar at the age of twelve. It was the early 1960’s and Mitch joined a young band playing covers of surf-rock songs. It’s no surprise that his inspirations were Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, given that Mitch came of age as they were burning up the airwaves. He dropped out of Texas Christian University to travel with a rock n’ roll band, but after two years of touring, he enrolled at the University of Texas to study jazz guitar. Along with classmates, Mitch formed Passenger and played all over the Austin area. In 1979, they served as the backing band for poet Leonard Cohen, touring Europe and Australia with him. In 1989, Mitch released an album of his own compositions, Underneath it All. He followed it up with Curves in 1990. He has also toured extensively with songwriters Jerry Jeff Walker, Joe Ely, K. T. Oslin, Jennifer Warnes, as well as jazz artists Jack Walrath, Bennie Wallace and Barbara Dennerlein. His production credits include a Grammy nomination for his work with singer/songwriter Abra Moore. In 1992, along with a group of Texas musician friends, Mitch recorded the album Strings with Wings (Tiptoe). Humhead (Dos, 1995) and In the Time of Long Shadows (Viewpoint, 2006) followed. He also worked with Austin singer/songwriter Bob Schneider on Underneath the Onion Trees (Shockorama, 2000). He was guitarist for Lyle Lovett and His Large Band and made numerous appearances on the Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and Austin City Limits. He did live work with Lyle until he joined Leonard Cohen on his 2012-2013 world tour. Mitch is currently working with his own band. He owns his own production studio and works with Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, mandolin player Paul Glasse and bassist John Fremgen, and many other collaborators. In addition to performing and recording, he has served as an educator at the University of Texas at Austin. --- ### Album Review: Chrystal Thomas, Now Dig This! - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/chrystal-thomas-now-dig-this/ - Categories: Reviews - Entity Types: Article by David Deal Great blues singers are song stylists. They take standards as old as the hills, sprinkle them with a layer of grit and soul, and make you feel like you’re hearing the familiar blues chord progression for the first time. That’s what Crystal Thomas does on her album, Now Dig This! , with a husky singing style that evokes a bluesy Aretha Franklin. For instance, the song “Take Yo’ Praise” -- the Camille Yarbrough composition that Fatboy Slim famously sampled in 1998 -- is delivered as a sultry slow burn evocative of Al Green’s grittier side. https://open. spotify. com/album/1FMHPgXqq17cezLr8aJ1Rj What makes the album memorable is how Thomas jells with a crack band that includes Chuck Rainey on bass, the late Lucky Peterson on organ and piano, Jason Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller on guitar, and Thomas on trombone, an instrument she has been playing since the fifth grade. (She plays with authority, too, as on “Blues Funk”). Together, they create a tight, funky blues vibe with some biting guitar (especially on “I Don’t Worry Myself,” “Blues Funk,” and Janis Joplin’s “One Good Man”). Lucky Peterson’s organ anchors the album with soul and even a gospel refrain, as on “Ghost of Myself,” which suggests Ray Manzarek’s shimmering Hammond on the Doors’ “Hyacinth House. ”Thomas avoids the overwrought crescendos that often sound so much better live than on vinyl. She sings with a commanding, muscular style that holds on to you and never lets go. She sings blues, but her sass and bravado won’t let her be defined by the blues – and that’s why she transcends the genre as a song stylist. --- ### Congratulations To Mitch Watkins, 2022 Texas Guitar Tornado - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/mitch-watkins-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article As a young boy in the border town of McAllen, Mitch Watkins started piano lessons at the age of eight and picked up a guitar at the age of twelve. It was the early 1960’s and Mitch joined a young band playing covers of surf-rock songs. https://open. spotify. com/artist/4z2ch0DBq3xcE5vlHckUsi It’s no surprise that his inspirations were Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, given that Mitch came of age as they were burning up the airwaves. He dropped out of Texas Christian University to travel with a rock n’ roll band, but after two years of touring, he enrolled at the University of Texas to study jazz guitar. Along with classmates, Mitch formed Passenger and played all over the Austin area. In 1979, they served as the backing band for poet Leonard Cohen, touring Europe and Australia with him. In 1989, Mitch released an album of his own compositions, Underneath it All. He followed it up with Curves in 1990. He has also toured extensively with songwriters Jerry Jeff Walker, Joe Ely, K. T. Oslin, Jennifer Warnes, as well as jazz artists Jack Walrath, Bennie Wallace and Barbara Dennerlein. His production credits include a Grammy nomination for his work with singer/songwriter Abra Moore. In 1992, along with a group of Texas musician friends, Mitch recorded the album Strings with Wings (Tiptoe). Humhead (Dos, 1995) and In the Time of Long Shadows (Viewpoint, 2006) followed. He also worked with Austin singer/songwriter Bob Schneider on Underneath the Onion Trees (Shockorama, 2000). He was guitarist for Lyle Lovett and His Large Band and made numerous appearances on the Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and Austin City Limits. He did live work with Lyle until he joined Leonard Cohen on his 2012-2013 world tour. Mitch is currently working with his own band. He owns his own production studio and works with Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, mandolin player Paul Glasse and bassist John Fremgen, and many other collaborators. In addition to performing and recording, he has served as an educator at the University of Texas at Austin. --- ### Congrats To 2022 Texas Tornado Guitarist Ally Venable - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/ally-venable-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article At the ripe old age of 23, Ally Venable is an old pro who excels at breaking all the rules. In 1999, Ally was born in Kilgore, the home of oil derricks and the high-kicking Rangerettes. Ally started singing in church when she was just four-years old. With four albums under her belt and multiple awards already, she’s proven that you need not be a man with decades of experience and heartbreak to lay down a bluesy lick; and it IS possible to be pretty with an awesome voice AND play the guitar at the same time. From her black eyeliner to her pink high-heeled boots, Ally packs a punch with her rich vocals and guitar licks that will make you forget her age. In 2013 she released her debut EP, Wise Man, which earned her the 2014 ETX Music Awards Female Guitar Player of the Year. She won the award again in 2015. She and her band were the ETX Music Awards Blues Band of the Year in both 2015 and 2016. Ally’s first album, No Glass Shoes, finished at No. 16 in the RMR Electric Blues Charts in 2016. Her second album, Puppet Show, debuted at No. 7 in the Billboard Blues Albums chart. With guest appearances by Gary Hoey and 2015 Tornado Lance Lopez, that album earned her nominations for Best New Artist and Best Blues Rock Band at the 2018 Independent Blues Awards. By the time her Texas Honey album dropped in 2019, she had proven herself to be a formidable contender in the blues world. The 2019 Blues Caravan Tour with Ina Forsman and Katarina Pejak was giving Ally some national exposure just before the pandemic hit. While live gigs were shut down, Ally made good use of her time by going into the studio. “My vision was to really spread a positive message of love,” says Ally. “The world needs that right now. ”Heart of Fire (Ruf Records, 2021) offers up a guest appearance by Kenny Wayne Shepherd as Ally steps over the line to a heavier rock sound. --- ### Meet 2022 Texas Guitar Tornado Neil Swanson - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/neil-swanson-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Neil Swanson was already playing Deep Ellum bars when he was 15; it didn’t take long before he had made the round of DFW venues and went off to tour the world. After winning Guitar Center’s “Steve Vai Sessions” contest, he was flown to Hollywood to meet Vai, and while there, he entered another contest called “Be My Band” which he won. Neil soon met platinum-selling guitarist Orianthi (Michael Jackson/Alice Cooper). Afterward, he received an email from the organizer of the competition, Dave Stewart of the band Eurythmics. “He liked my style and asked if I would like to play with his all-star band,” said Neil. “For the next couple of years, I joined Dave in performing places like the Hollywood Bowl, Greek theater, and many others. ”On the heels of that success, he was hired by Orianthi as her regular guitarist which allowed him the opportunity to regularly perform with Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi). He later became the guitarist for Diamante, with whom he spent several years touring arenas and amphitheaters. Neil was then hired as lead guitarist for platinum-selling rock singer Tommy Vext and played on several singles that reached top 5 on iTunes and Billboard streaming sales charts. As a session player, Neil has worked with producers such as Carlos “Six July” Broady (Diddy, Nas, Lil Kim, The Notorious B. I. G. , Mary J. Blige), Aaron Accetta (American Authors, Forever The Sickest Kids) and others. Corporate sponsors started to take notice as well; he is now sponsored by several top tier music gear sponsors including Charvel guitars, Boss/Roland and Orange amps. In 2020 Neil released Story Of Ro, a comic book style solo album that blended rock music with a futuristic sci-fi story to create a unique listening experience. “I’ve definitely become known for creative thinking and musical diversity, though I personally lean towards the rock genre,” Neil told Voyage Dallas in 2020. “I like to keep several lines open and multiple irons in the fire. Eventually, something new gets hot, and I try to be right there when it happens. There’s a reason so few musicians are able to grow outside of their local scene. It boils down to being able to see a bigger picture and not being afraid to risk everything. ” --- ### Meet 2022 Buddy Texas Bass Tornado Wes Stephenson - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/wes-stephenson-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article By Kate Stow In a twist of fate, Wes Stephenson, co-founder of the Dallas-based Funky Knuckles, wouldn’t have even become a musician if not for being hit by a car during his freshman year of high school. By his own account, Wes had been looking for his sense of purpose as a 13-14-year-old, and had decided to turn things around and was looking forward to playing 9th grade football. https://open. spotify. com/artist/0su3WUFcvO40NtFuDiaT88 Wes had a friend who had been talking about a buddy of his who was a killer bass player, so they went to the guy’s house. When Wes heard his pal’s friend play the Red Hot Chili Peppers version of “Higher Ground,” he was blown away and his world. On his way home, he was hit by a car in a bad accident, and while it ended his high school football career, the desire to be a musician was born. Wes has come a long way since learning to play the $100 Memphis bass his mom bought him. Lessons followed with Dallas blues and jazz bassist Richard Thomas, who taught the boy how to slap and pop at weekly jam sessions. Although he had dropped out of school and admits he was headed down an “interesting path,” he discovered that you could go to college for music studies. He went back to high school, graduated, and enrolled at the University of North Texas. After a year at UNT, Wes got a road gig playing the blues with Tutu Jones and dropped out. Having cut his teeth on the music of Les Claypool, he and some young friends formed a band, playing what they described as “munk” – a unique fusion of hip hop, funk and metal that resulted in really fast, distorted music. While Wes stayed busy with local gigs, it was at church that he found his future in music. That is where he met drummer Cedric Moore and keyboardist Caleb McCampbell. Playing with them on Sundays and jamming with mentor Bernard Wright and John Carruth during the week helped Wes create his own unique style of bottom end and low-mid pulses that hit you in the chest as the other instruments dance in and out and around it. The Funky Knuckles, born of that church trio, are now five albums into their collaboration. The first of the impressive portfolio was 2012’s As of Lately. The 2014 release, Meta Music, reigned as #1 on the iTunes jazz chart for several weeks. It was followed in 2016 by New Birth and in 2019 with Delicious. The group, currently comprised of Wes, Cedric, Phil Aelony on guitar, Ben Horhorquez on saxophone, Evan Weiss on trumpet and Kwinton Gray on keyboards, is currently recording their fifth album. --- ### Buddy Inducts Ministry and Madonna Guitarist Monte Pittman As a 2022 Texas Tornado For Guitar - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/monte-pittman-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Monte Pittman, the son of a rodeo cowboy, was born and raised in the Bible Belt town of Longview. Against those odds, Monte made his way to Hollywood where he became an award-winning heavy metal guitarist and along the way ended up teaching Madonna how to play the guitar. After taking guitar lessons he was 13 when he joined a band, Insanity which morphed into the East Texas metal band Myra Mains. Monte moved to Hollywood in 1999 and went to work at the Guitar Center where he gave guitar lessons to Guy Ritchie and his wife, Madonna, who then invited him to join her on the Late Show with David Letterman. Madonna then invited him to join her Drowned World Tour (2001). Monte has played in every incarnation of Madonna’s live band since then. He shares writing credits with Madonna on the tracks “Easy Ride” from American Life (2003) and “It’s So Cool” from Celebration (2009). Monte has also played on Madonna’s studio recordings, appearing on 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor (Like It Or Not) and 2008’s Hard Candy (Spanish Lesson & Ring My Bell). He also backed her during the 2012 XLVI Superbowl Halftime show where he debuted his new signature Jarrell MPS guitar. When he’s not on the road with Madonna, Monte is the bass player and composer for Prong with whom he has recorded four albums. He has also worked in the studio with Melanie C. and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. He is currently on the road with Ministry, adeptly filling in the shoes of late Texas Tornado guitarist Mike Scaccia. Prior to Adam Lambert’s audition on American Idol, Pittman, Lambert, Tommy Victor from Prong and Steve Sidelnyk formed a band named The Citizen Vein. For the tour supporting his debut album, Lambert hired Pittman as his guitarist and musical director. Lambert and the band appeared on several TV shows as well as the Gridlock New Year’s Eve 2010 festival. When he isn’t playing with Madonna or Prong, Monte has found time to release six solo albums: The Deepest Dark (2009); Pain, Love & Destiny (2011); The Power of Three (2012); Inverted Grasp of Balance (2016); Between the Space (2018) and Better or Worse (2018). Monte was nominated in four categories at Artists in Music Awards and by popular demand he was also invited to perform at the ceremony on February 10, 2012. He won the award for “Best Solo Artist. ” He is also the recipient of a “Career Achievement Award – Guitarist” for the Hollywood F. A. M. E. Awards. --- ### Snarky Puppy Guitarist Chris McQueen Inducted Into 2022 Texas Tornado Class - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-mcqueen-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Chris McQueen started out in Austin as a true guitar geek, playing and recording songs on a 4-track Tascam by the time he hit the big 10 – (years, that is). Chris has been known to juggle several different projects at once, but is most notably 1/18th of the Grammy award-winning instrumental ensemble, Snarky Puppy. By the age of 13 Chris was playing with guitar prodigy Will Knaak in Red Headed Stepchild, a western swing band in Austin. He played and composed for the Westlake High School Jazz Band before attending the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the acclaimed One O’Clock Lab Band (only the best-of-the best get that spot). Following college, Chris remained in the Dallas area, co-leading the rock band Oso Closo with Adrian Hulet, and studying music with Bernard Wright and other members of the Dallas R&B/jazz/Gospel scene. Oso Closo performed on stage in the Who’s Tommy at the Dallas Theater Center and released two albums. As a singer/actor, Chris has been featured in several rock musicals, including David Bowie’s Lazarus at New York Theater Workshop (featuring Michael C. Hall) and the Rocky Horror Show at The Dallas Theater Center. After Oso Closo broke up, Chris and fellow band member Danny Garcia joined with singer/songwriter Cade Sadler to form the rock band Foe Destroyer. Foe Destroyer recorded an eponymous album, toured for several years, and performed on stage in Dallas and NYC in the musical Fly By Night. Along with Henry Hey, he co-leads Forq, an explorative, groove-oriented instrumental band which has released four albums, and his acoustic guitar duo project with Matt Read is preparing a second album. He is an original and current member of Grammy-nominated world music group Bokanté as well as a frequent member of Banda Magda. Snarky Puppy is an American instrumental ensemble founded in Denton in 2004. Led by bassist Michael League, the group combines a variety of jazz idioms, rock, world music, and funk and has won four Grammy awards (Best R&B Performance in 2014, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2016, 2017, and 2021). On November 14th, 2019, Snarky Puppy recorded their sold-out show from the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London. Recently, Chris has expanded beyond guitar playing to focus on music arranging, mobile app building, teaching private lessons and video editing. He lives in Austin with his wife, Erin and their bunny, Georgia. --- ### Meet 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Chris Maresh - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2023-06-19 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-maresh-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Chris Maresh has obliterated the myth that says “Those who can’t do, teach. ” Chris not only teaches master classes at the Austin MediaTech Institute but is a Grammy-nominated bass player who has appeared on more than 200 albums. Chris began his professional music career in Austin in 1984 after receiving a BM in Applied Double Bass Performance with an Emphasis in Jazz Performance from the University of Texas in Austin. He has since been named Bassist of the Year three times (2002, 2005, 2006) at the Austin Chronicle Music Awards at the SXSW Festival and in 2011 was chosen to be Fender’s poster bassist in the 60th Anniversary promotional video for the Fender Precision Bass. Chris has performed and recorded with artists and organizations including the Austin Symphony, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Pinetop Perkins, Mitch Watkins, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, Michael McDonald, Monte Montgomery, Ferenc Illenyi and Ellis Marsalis. He also spent 10 years performing with 1978 Tornado Eric Johnson. His composition “Rain,” with Alien Love Child was nominated at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 2002. He has appeared on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival DVD and Eric Johnson’s Live at the Grove DVD. Recordings for movie soundtracks include Spy Kids 2, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Michael, Happy Texas and Sliding Doors. He has released two solo albums of original compositions, Tomorrow (2002) and Side Street (2004). In 2014, he appeared with Eric Johnson and Mike Stern on the Eclectic album. In a 2020 interview with bassist Roscoe Beck, Chris described his technique: “I try to get in the flow of the beat. I try to be relaxed about it. If I find myself in a place where there’s a groove in my head, I relax and stick to it. It’s essential for a bass player to lock in the groove. It has to feel good. ”Although he has a deep assortment of new and vintage basses at his disposal, he has recently been seen with a Modern Vintage MVJ466 in Piano Black finish. Between tours, Chris lives in Austin and works as a session bass player, participating on major recording projects. He is also a guest lecturer at Austin MediaTech Institute and appears on the music scene in and around Austin. --- ### Buddy Congratulates 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Braylon Lacy - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/braylon-lacy-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Since 2000, Braylon Lacy has appeared on 23 albums, not only as a bassist, but also as a composer and co-producer. The Dallas native has racked up a string of awards and accolades during his career on both the upright and electric bass. Lacy is currently a part of the eclectic group, RC & the Gritz, and he also backs fellow Dallasite and internationally known recording artist Erykah Badu. Like Badu, Braylon attended the Dallas performing arts magnet school Booker T. Washington High. He went on to study music at Weatherford College and the University of North Texas. His desire to be a musician was inspired by formal training with bass instructor Dean Hill. As with so many other successful musicians, Braylon played in church during his youth. While church inspired his gospel spirit, the jazz styling he’s known for was flavored by his family’s musical roots. Onstage, Braylon has a knack for feeling the moment and offering up a solo full of flavor guaranteed to blow away the audience. Well-schooled in technique and theory, he learned rhythm from listening to old recordings of various genres. After college, he toured the globe with an array of artists in all genres, including Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Erykah Badu, Chaka Khan, Roy Ayers, Israel Houghton, Kirk Wha­lum, Oleta Adams, N’Dambi and the late Wayman Tisdale. Braylon has been featured on numerous recordings including Kirk Franklin’s Grammy award-winning Hero and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. He has several endorsements including Aguliar Amplification, DR Strings and Fender guitars. While he’s a self-proclaimed “vintage Fender cat,” he tours with a Mulan bass - the closest he can get to his favorite Fender sound. On being named a Tornado, he said, “I am humbled and honored to be in such great company of the great musicians who have won this award. Thank you. ”Braylon maintains a busy schedule of recording, teaching, and touring nationally and internationally. --- ### Buddy Honors Guitarist Chris Holt With 2022 Texas Tornado Award - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chris-holt-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Chris Holt is an extreme multitasker and a favorite among some of the world’s best performers. When Chris isn’t touring the world as guitarist for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend Don Henley, this five-time Dallas Observer Music Award winner (three of them for Musician of The Year) juggles his time between being an in-demand multi-instrumentalist and a songwriter fronting his own bands, while releasing solo albums in-between. Even before joining Henley’s touring band behind the 2015 Cass County, Chris was prolific. Besides his own bands, the Slack and Olospo, as well as his work in Hard Night’s Day, a popular Beatles tribute band, he found the time to release a trio of solo records over the years, most recently a double LP, Stargazer (2016). The list of legendary artists Chris has played with includes Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, the Doobie Brothers, Timothy B. Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett, Jamey Johnson, the Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Clint Black, Steve Earle and Patty Smyth. Most recently, he’s been playing guitar with The Dirty Knobs and creating new original music with Bastards of Soul, whose two studio albums, Spinnin’ (2020) and Corners (2022) have been released to critical acclaim. While Chris has gigged and recorded with dozens of acclaimed artists from the DFW area over the past 20 years, he’s also spent many years as a teacher and mentor to budding musicians across the DFW metroplex, while being a husband and father of three. He not only plays guitar, but also piano, bass, drums, pedal steel, lap steel, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and harmonica. During the pandemic of 2020, Chris began a weekly Facebook Live series, All-Request Thursday, that he continues to this day. “The way it works with my show is, people send me their requests every week, and I put them on the master list, which is about 300 songs or so. And it never really shrinks, because every week, I’ll knock 20-ish songs off, and then I get 30 more requests. So, the list never really shrinks,” he said. “I’m doing what I love now,” Chris said. “I don’t want to take for granted or miss out on how fun it is to do this. ” --- ### Buddy Honors 2022 Texas Bass Tornado Dwayne Heggar - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/dwayne-heggar-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article While he is known as the bassist for Dallas-based party band Emerald City, Dwayne Heggar is more than just your typical “bass face. ” He has managed to insert his style into the D/FW music scene by becoming one of the most sought-after bass instructor in the area, and he is widely respected by many of the area's top musicians. Growing up in Mexia, Texas, just outside of Waco, Dwayne started piano lessons at 12 and played trombone in the school band. But he found his real calling when he picked up a bass guitar at the age of 16. After receiving a music scholarship to McLennan College, he was the first graduate of a newly designed commercial music program that is now in colleges and universities throughout the country. Dwayne supplemented his degree with arrangement classes at the University of North Texas before pursuing jingle writing as a career. Texas Tornado Jeanette Brantley hired Dwayne after his very first audition upon moving to Dallas in 1984. He stayed with her for three years while also playing for jazz vocalist Suzy Hoskins, Laurie Hollingsworth, Martha Burkes, Richard Thomas and the Sesame Street, and pianist Robert Saunders. In 1987 he left the Brantley Group to explore the pop scene, and once again was hired on first audition by Dallas Brass and Electric, where he stayed until getting the call from Emerald City Band in 1989. His career with ECB has taken him around the globe, playing everything from corporate events to White House engagements. Dwayne started teaching bass guitar in 1990 and has taught over 700 students thus far – including Texas Tornado Dave Moro. He still has time to play with the Dallas Mavericks house band and serve in worship bands for various Dallas churches. Currently he is blessing the services of The Pathway of Life church. Whether he is wielding his Fender 5 string, or his Marcus Miller Sire V7, you can recognize his style on recordings by various jazz, rap, country and blues artists. Watching him lay down a rhythm on his Zeta Electric Upright Bass will definitely put you in a dance mood. --- ### Buddy Congratulates 2022 Texas Tornado Guitarist Emily Elbert - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/emily-elbert-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article With a soft, lilting voice that belies her strong and powerful spirit, Emily Elbert is at home in the spotlight, as well as in the shadows of a stellar list of performers. Emily was born in Dallas in 1988 and came of age in a digital society that she learned to use to her advantage. Emily recorded her first album Bright Side while in high school, paid for by local gigs and crowdfunding, and began touring the U. S. independently. At 18, she was awarded a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. While there, she continued to tour nationally and internationally, and released two more independent albums, Proof (2010), and Alive, In Love (2011), both crowd-funded. In 2010, Glamour magazine named Emily Elbert one of their “Top 10 College Women of the Year. ” In 2013, she released Evolve, an EP recorded at Brooklyn, New York’s Mason Jar Music. In 2018 she released We Who Believe in Freedom, a project featuring original music and cover songs focused on social justice. “My love for rhythm, harmony, and story sharing is woven in with my compassion for the Earth and its people” she remarked. Though she counts Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix among her inspirations, Emily’s composition and delivery offer sweet and earthy flavors of Joni Mitchell fused with Eartha Kitt. Her unique styling makes her a popular choice among A-listers looking for new band members. Emily was a member of Esperanza Spalding’s experimental jazz and theater project from 2015 to 2016. The band toured internationally and recorded one album, Emily’s D+Evolution. In 2019, she joined the band of songwriter Jenny Lewis. Elbert has also contributed to projects led by Jacob Collier, Lorde, Gwen Stefani, Jenny Lewis, Leon Bridges, Sara Bareilles, Mike Gordon of Phish, Dweezil Zappa and Bruno Major. Emily Elbert released her sixth album, Woven Together, in summer 2022. --- ### Meet 2022 Texas Tornado Bassist James Driscoll - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/james-driscoll-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Whether he’s backing top performers such as Don Henley and Stockton Helbing, playing on countless commercial jingles, laying down the rhythm with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, or working in his mastering studio, bassist James Driscoll epitomizes the definition of a true Texas Tornado. After earning a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas, James began an adjunct faculty position at Richland College (DCCCD) where he teaches bass performance. In addition, he operates a small studio called “Hot Tonic Mastering” in Dallas where he composes for music production libraries and mixes and masters artist recordings. As an active member of the Dallas/Ft. Worth music scene for over 25 years he has performed or recorded with Don Henley, Doc Severinsen, Andy Timmons, Tim Miller, Ariel Posen, Ed Soph, Arlington Jones, Stockton Helbing, Petty Theft, Chomsky, Tony Hakim, DSO and many more. He has played on countless commercial jingles at Luminous Sound and TM Studios. James has been listed in the credits of over 20 albums, beginning in 1997 with North Texas Jazz – Fifty Years, up to the 2021 release of the Hanlon Brothers Quintet album NSTX. “Every drummer knows that they are only as good as their bass player and that is why I count my blessings that for over 25 years I have been made better by playing with James Driscoll,” said Stockton Helbing. “James has an easy-to-play-with rock-solid time feel with a big, warm sound on both upright bass as well as on electric bass. He improves any music situation with his keen ears, accommodating approach, and vast knowledge of styles. James Driscoll is simply as good as it gets. He’s the first person I call when I am booking my band and if he is unavailable for the gig I almost always turn it down. ” --- ### 2022 Texas Tornado Pat Boyack: "I Feel Like a Texan Now" - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/pat-boyack-2022/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article Pat Boyack wasn’t born in the Lone Star State, but upon learning he had been named a Texas Tornado, he said, “This makes me feel like I am a Texan now. ”Born in the small town of Price, Utah and raised in nearby Helper, Pat got his first guitar at the age of 15. Inspired by a Stevie Ray Vaughan album, he chased the Texas blues sound all the way to Dallas in 1991 to follow the musical footsteps of the Vaughan brothers – Jimmie and Stevie Ray (1978 and 1979 Tornados, respectively). He swiftly made the rounds of Dallas bar bands, including a notable stint with the Weebads, which featured Memo Gonzalez - a bigger than life blues/soul singer, bassist Terry Montgomery Groff (1994 Tornado) and drummer Bobby Baranowski (1993 Tornado). In 1993, Pat formed the Prowlers with bassist John Garza (1997 Tornado) and Doug Swancy. After the addition of Jimmy Morello, the Prowlers were signed by Bullseye Blues Records. In 1994, Pat Boyack & the Prowlers released their debut, Breakin’ In (where Pat was credited as Pat “The Heart Attack” Boyack). This was followed by On the Prowl (1996). By the time the third album, Super Blue & Funky was released in 1997, a new backing band had been assembled. In 2000, Pat’s former label mate Marcia Ball (1984 Tornado) recruited him for her backing band. With Marcia, he toured the world and recorded three Grammy-nominated albums, and Presumed Innocent won Album of the Year at the 2002 W. C. Handy Blues Awards. During his tenure with her, Pat was included in two music documentaries: Falsifyin’ and New Orleans: Music in Exile. His songs have been featured in movies and TV shows, including Sex and the City. In 2004, his fourth album, Voices from the Street, was released on Doc Blues Records. During his time, Pat honed his singing voice and started writing his own songs. He began working with bassist Kinley “Barney” Wolfe (1992 Tornado) and drummer Taz Bentley (1993 Tornado) and together they formed the Javelinas, a formidable band, indeed. When it comes to his “go-to” axe, Pat favors his Custom Shop R9 Les Paul because he doesn’t have “to deal with the noise that a single coil pickup produces. ”“My music philosophy is that it’s ALWAYS about the groove,” Pat declared in a 2014 interview with Michael Limnios’ Blues Network. “Whether you are playing Chicago blues, swing, Wilson Pickett, James Brown or Hank Marr, it’s all about getting people to move their asses in their seats. ” --- ### Flashback 1973: Stoney Burns Comes Up With an Idea For a Music Magazine - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/idea-for-a-music-magazine/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article by George GimarcAs Buddy Magazine goes through a bit of a rebirth in 2022, it is only fitting that we reflect on the origin of “The Original Texas Music Magazine,” and share a few remarkable items from our archives never before revealed. Stoney Burns first conceived the magazine on February 22, 1973. He wrote in his journal that day, “I had an idea for the name of an entertainment magazine for Texas - “BUDDY” after Buddy Holly. The logo could be very friendly, rounded letters, not angular like Iconoclast... I don’t know why I dig designing or laying out a publication, but I sure do. It’s a real kick to trace a good design and then watch it come to life, finally seeing it printed, whether it’s as good as your layout looked... I picture it looking like LIFE magazine of the 50s, being a very in mass market phenomenon. “Where’s There’s LIFE, There’s BUDDY! ”Publisher Stoney Burns’ dream came true when Allied Printing, his family’s printing shop, rolled out the first issue of Buddy in July,1973. Burns penned an opening article, explaining his emotional tie to Buddy Holly (Holly’s song “That’ll Be the Day” was the first record Stoney could remember buying). Response to Buddy was immediate and terrific. Circulation swelled from the original 25,000 to double that, to a whole lot more through the 1970s and beyond. Buddy was always at the forefront of Texas music, and championed the rise of ‘outlaw country’ with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Buddy was also there to introduce Joe Ely, Bugs Henderson, Pantera, and so many others. 49 years ago, the original Buddy Magazine was the size of a comic book, but with so much to write about, it grew in size to a large format, and even started working in color. Now, embracing the technology of today, Buddy can take on a new improved form. You will find more stories, more pictures, more artists and more br­­­eaking trends in Buddy, still “The Original Texas Music Magazine. ” --- ### Album Review: Randy C. Moore, Luckenbach - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/randy-c-moore-luckenbach/ - Categories: Blah Blah News, New Texas Music, Reviews - Entity Types: Article Randy C. Moore is no newcomer to the music business. His career started at the age of 15. Not only is he an enigmatic performer, but also a talented songwriter. With his new CD release, Luckenbach, you’re sure to find whatever style of music you gravitate toward. The first song, which is the title track, embodies the state of mind that Luckenbach, Texas is all about. “We spent too many ticktocks working the time clock, dead on our feet. And too many nights going to bed and just going to sleep... . ” This toe-tapper makes you want to get up and dance. “James Dean Dream” has a great message about living your life based on a truth you believe. It’s not about breaking laws and being a bad guy, but being true to your authentic self. The third track, “A Mother’s Prayer,” is a heartfelt tribute to the beautiful spirit of mothers and the lifelong bond with their children. Randy’s Uncle Gene went to Hughes High School in Memphis in 1953 with Elvis Presley. “Before Elvis” is the heart and soul of rockabilly. In the same rockabilly vein infused with a dose of soul, “Big Bertha” co-written with the late and great Carl Lee Perkins is about a golf club. It will get you on your feet! “I’ll Save A Place” is a heartfelt and moving story about two brothers and their unbreakable bond. The instrumental arrangement on this one is as rich as decadent chocolate with full strings and piano. Have a tissue handy when you listen. “Mosey Off” is a fun song about dying. Oh, wait! Dying is supposed to be sad and morbid. Not the case with this tune. With a bit of sarcasm, “Undertaker” is a rocking tune about the man who claims the body after the soul is gone. The album closes with a spiritual tune, “Jericho. ” What are you going to do when the walls of Jericho tumble? “Are you gonna roll? Are you gonna run... ? ”I cannot say enough about this album. Each song is fantastic. The songwriting is superb, the instrumental arrangements are varied and the vocals are smooth and spot-on. It’s a journey from beginning to end. --- ### Concert Review: Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown, Love Convention Center, Paris, Texas - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/reviews/tyler-bryant-shakedown-paris-texas/ - Categories: Reviews - Entity Types: Article July 21, 2022 A phenomenal thing happened in Paris, Texas in late July. A summer heat spell had culminated into the hottest day of the summer - a crushing record 108 degrees, with a heat index of 116 degrees. There had been no rain for the prior 7 weeks, and the fields were so dry that huge swaths of the Texas prairie had burned to a blond crisp. Back in Dallas, even the squirrels were splooting to stay cool. On the morning of July 21, while 100 miles to the southeast, Dallas was burning at 106 degrees, Paris got soaked with rain, and the temperature dropped precipitously to 75 degrees. It was as if the massive seas of hair-dryer grade heat had parted with cool mountain air, creating a microclimate that invited everyone in the area to get outside and enjoy it. In other words, it was a perfect night for a summer Texas rock ‘n’ roll show. Honey Grove native Tyler Bryant and his band the Shakedown were in Paris for a homecoming of sorts, with over 1,000 of his friends, family and fans all showing up. They were performing at the 903 Sunset summer concert series. Though he now lives in Nashville, Bryant told Buddy back in June 2019 that while he has no problem opening cold for 80,000 AC/DC fans in a stadium, playing to his hometown crowd makes him a little edgy. But if he was nervous that night, it didn’t show. Tyler and his band busted out with a “family and friends” version of their arena rock show, which they have honed through years of club gigs that morphed into touring stints with major touring acts around the world. They’ve developed a rare knack for hitting the stage and winning over stadiums of fans who didn’t know their name 45 minutes before. But this crowd knew the band well, and they were on their feet from the first song. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=K1ACyoGRMAg High energy blues-rock tunes melded into straight ahead heavy riff-rock. Solo resonator guitar licks brought the dynamics back down a little, only for the band to kick in and bring it back up. The band abandoned their set list within the first two songs, and Tyler began to interchange between his pink-Cadillac Strat (a painted homage to his idol, Elvis Presley), and a resonator guitar for some slide blues fare. In between songs, he paid tribute to one his guitar teachers and primary influences, the late Paris native Roosevelt Twitty. He dedicated Elvis’ “That’s All Right Mama” to his parents, thanking them for allowing him to pretend that he was indeed Elvis for a good part of his childhood. At one point in the show, Tyler called out his guitar tech to bring another guitar change, and when he turned around to grab it, he realized his dad had pranked him by playing the tech role. They both smiled, and he launched into the next tune. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CddIwB3KOH4 The show ended with the blues rock dirge “Ramblin’ Bones,” building up slowly, with drummer Caleb Crosby banging a bass drum at the front of the stage, then transitioning to a bashing finish-out on the full kit. The song stayed in my head for days afterward. Guitarist Graham Whitford also kicked out a nice Texas-styled blues solo, and the bottom end was adeptly held down by bassist Ryan Fitzgerald. Overall, it was a very enjoyable and energetic homecoming show for the band, infused with the flavor of Northeast Texas blues, on a perfect night. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GC2_8GBa_50 --- ### In Memoriam: Randy Cates - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/randy-cates/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Sadly we have lost another Texas music icon, legendary bassist Randy Cates. In his successful career of over 60 years, Randy was inducted into the Minnesota Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, from his time with RCA Recording Artist “Gypsy”. Randy was in the Texas Tornado class of 1990, and a member of The Stratoblasters for over 30 years. There will be a memorial benefit for Randy on October 30, location TBD. Speaking about Randy, The Stratoblasters Jimmy Wallace stated that he was “a true gentleman. ” --- ### In Memoriam: Michael Jeffrey - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/michael-jeffrey/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article We are sad to report that Texas guitarist Michael Jeffrey, brother of drummer Jack Miller, passed away in August. He came up with the 60’s Oak Cliff music wave that included the likes of Jimmie Vaughan, SRV, Rocky Athas, Bugs Henderson, John Nitzinger, and he also played at The Cellar, Mother Blues, and The Longhorn, among many other legendary Dallas venues. He went on to play and record with Jimmy Buffett, and was a Coral Reefer for 3 years. Jeffrey performed on Jimmy Buffett's most famous recording, Margaritaville. Rest in peace. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ohDqjRGqpIU --- ### Buddy Magazine is Back - Publisher's Note - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/publishers-note/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Buddy is really glad to be back. The last Buddy issue was printed and distributed in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, and we are excited to finally put this print issue into your hands as proof of our non-demise.    My name is Rob Garner, and I am the new publisher of Buddy Magazine. I want to thank my dear friend (and former Buddy publisher) Ron McKeown for his support, advice, and help in learning the ropes of running the magazine. My entire professional and educational life has been involved with music performance and digital publishing. I have been a voracious reader of Buddy since the late 70’s, and was inducted as a Texas Tornado bassist back in 2002. I was co-featured on a cover with my younger twin sisters, Beth and Linda Garner, on an issue that same year. I’ve been fortunate to get a few press hits in my time as a bassist and digital publisher, but the Buddy coverage with my sisters has always been the most cherished.   Don’t expect a lot of big changes to the magazine format in the near term. We want to preserve what founder Stoney Burns, Ron McKeown, Kirby Warnock, and many others have built. What you can expect to see is a new website with regular coverage of the original Texas music scene, past, present and future. We are also working on a few unique web features that we think you are going to like. As we near our 50th year of publication in 2023, we believe that Texas music coverage is more important and needed than ever, and our key purpose is to bring it to you in both print and online. I couldn’t be more pleased that the Buddy staff and volunteers are sticking around to help produce and distribute the magazine, as well as contribute to the new website. I would like to thank everyone, especially Chuck Flores and Ron McKeown, for making this issue possible. We have had discussions on whether or not to continue with print issues, and instead focus on the website. At this time, a monthly print publication is not an option. We are initially shooting for two issues a year in the near term, and with the right support, our goal is to publish on a quarterly basis. If we had it our way, we would publish every month, or even bimonthly (twice a month), as we did for a period back in the 1970s.   We have also begun the largest printing initiative in the history of Buddy. Out of more than 550 issues printed since 1973, we have 240 scanned PDF files at this writing. The challenge to completing the mission has been cost and time. Universities have offered to help with this process, but at a cost of up to $40,000, with the project timeline of 2-3 years. Fortunately, we have found a much cheaper and faster solution. We are still working to pay for the cost of scanning the remaining 310 issues. Once we have scanned all copies, we will be making many individual copies and individual content more accessible to Buddy’s longtime readership. Again, this is the largest publishing effort in the history of Buddy, and we will succeed in making Buddy live for the ages in the digital medium. And to also mitigate against future Texas tornados that may again attempt to destroy the archive. One other thing that will not change is our focus and dedication to showcasing the world-class work of our photographers. Chuck Flores, James Bland, and Ron McKeown have arguably shot more iconic music images than any other group in Texas in the last 50 years. The very images that were first published in Buddy have found their way into major music documentaries, international news coverage, museums, galleries, and on and on. Head curator of the Hard Rock Café and Country Music Hall of Fame curator Warwick Stone has said that Ron McKeown’s collective photographic coverage of the Outlaw Country / Progressive country scene in the 1970s is unparalleled amongst the top music photographers in the country. So just as we all knew about SRV, Darrell, Eric Johnson in Texas before the rest of the world, the same can be said for Buddy photography - created and documented first for Texans; now appreciated by Texas music fans all over the world. Again – thank you for supporting Buddy, and stay tuned - we look forward to many great things to come. --- ### In Memoriam: Terry Montgomery Groff - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/in-memoriam/terry-montgomery-groff/ - Categories: In Memoriam - Entity Types: Article Longtime Dallas bassman Terry Montgomery Groff (1994 Tornado) died on Sunday, August 7, 2022 after years of ill health. These words from Brian “Hash Brown” Calway about the beloved Oak Cliff native: “Terry 'Montgomery' Groff was a great musician, a great bass player, and also an accomplished classical/jazz guitar player and songwriter, and a good friend. He always had a youthful view of life and the world. I am grateful that he was in my life, and that we played thousands of gigs together in the 15 years we played together. ” --- ### Pantera Re-forms For 2023 Tour: Here Is Buddy's Take - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/pantera-2023/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article This summer, Pantera announced that they will be touring in 2023, with Zakk Wylde filling the shoes of his close friend Darrell Abbott, and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante performing the work of Vinnie Paul on drums. Founding Pantera bassist and 1994 Texas Tornado Rex Brown returns, along with vocalist Phil Anselmo. There has been a mixed reaction across the web about this tour, with many eager to see this lineup perform Pantera classics, and those who are opposed to the sight and sounds of a band missing its heart and soul in the Abbott brothers. Buddy has covered Pantera since their inception (we even gave Dime the “Dean From Hell” as winner of a Buddy sponsored guitar contest in 1981), and the general consensus among staffers is that Dime in particular would love to see his music and legacy continue. But it is all speculation from either side. Overall, this tour will help Pantera’s music stay alive for generations to come, and will expose them to a new audience. Everyone knows that Zakk and Charlie are not “replacements” for the irreplaceable Dime and Vinnie. By all accounts, they come into Pantera with the utmost respect, and as friends of Pantera from its earliest days. Whether it is actually a “tribute” or not, we think Dime would be pleased, especially with this lineup, and we wish them all complete success. --- ### The Fall 2022 Buddy Texas Tornado Issue Is Hitting the Streets - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/fall-2022-issue/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article In our return Fall 2022 print issue, which will be available in selected clubs, music stores, and other fine establishments all over North Texas, we return to honoring some of the best musicians in Texas with the induction of 13 new Buddy TexasTornados. The Texas Tornado “hall of fame” was initiated in 1978 by Buddy publisher Stoney Burns and editor Kirby Warnock. The inaugural class of inductees were Jimmie Vaughan, Billy Gibbons, Rocky Athas, Eric Johnson, John Nitzinger and Bugs Henderson, foreshadowing a massive wave of worldwide recognition for these players in the years to come. In the 44 years since the Texas Tornado recognition began, over 500 musicians have been inducted. We proudly resume that tradition with 13 well-deserving guitarists and bassists. Check out their profiles, and more importantly, go check them out live and online – they represent some of the best playing and musicianship that Texas has to offer. --- ### All the Goings-On at State Fair Records - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/state-fair-records-f22/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article There is a lot happening lately at State Fair Records. . Matt Hillyer of Eleven Hundred Springs has recorded his second solo album Glorieta. The first single, “All About The Ride," will be released digitally on Sept 23; the full digital album and the vinyl will be released at a later date. State Fair Records will host a State Fair of Texas's party called The Wild Ride at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall on the same date. Matt will also have an official showcase at Americana Fest 2022, and he’ll play at the State Fair Records Official Day Party on September 17 in Nashville. Nathan Mongol Wells of Ottoman Turks has recorded a solo album with John Pedigo and Magic Pilsner, which is due out Spring 2023. Nathan will be playing at the Americana Fest official Day Parties in Nashville. Paul Slavens, of Radio KXT fame, just released Alphabet Girls Vol II on the label to wide acclaim not only locally, but nationally.   State Fair Records is planning the Spring 2023 version of Live From Fair Park "A Fairly Intimate Experience. " The event consists of six weekly shows in the historic Margo John Theater with partners Goodfriend Beer Garden, KXT Radio and Four Corners Brewery. The label is also looking forward to their fourth installment of running stages at the State Fair of Texas, where they've booked artists 24 days straight on the Bud Light Stage and the Wine Garden Stage. --- ### Dallas Guitarist Chris Holt Joins Fleetwood Mac's Mike Campbell and His Band The Dirty Knobs - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/chris-holt-joins-mike-campbell/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article All-Star guitarist Chris Holt, (2022 Texas Tornado) has added yet another major credit to his resume, joining Mike Campbell (the late Tom Petty’s guitarist) in his band, the Dirty Knobs. Holt has performed in the last few years with Ringo Starr, Don Henley, and James Taylor, to name a few, and has continued to impress in the highest echelons of popular rock. Congrats to Chris on the gig. --- ### Heather Lynn and The Deacons Release New EP - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/heather-lynn-and-the-deacons/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Heather Linn and the Deacons, a band from the far Northeast Texas corner on the Arkansas border, is releasing a five song EP in October. The independent artists have headlined shows all over the four-state area, but haven't signed with a label yet . The band members are Heather Linn on vocals, Jase Bryant on guitar and vocals, Paul Holder on drums and Brady Stillwell on bass and vocals. The EP was recorded at SG Studios in Fort Worth and will be available on all streaming platforms. --- ### It Was a Hot Summer For Texas Musicians - Published: 2022-09-16 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/hot-summer/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article It was another scorching summer in Texas, with long stretches of 100-plus degree days, and even a few hot high-notes around 108 degrees. But many Texas musicians still had to slug it out in the punishing heat. At an outdoor June gig, Texas Tornado (2022) bassist Wes Stephenson commented on Facebook, “Dude... it should be illegal to have a wedding outside in Texas during the summer. Got us out here lookin like crisp bacon. ” Over in East Dallas, even the squirrels were “splooting,” splaying out flat to cool down. Andy Timmons Band bassist Mike Daane captured this photo in July as proof. --- ### Buddy Flashback-Issue: Johnny Reno, Feb 1999 - Published: 2022-06-08 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/back-issues/back-issue-johnny-reno-feb-1999/ - Categories: Back Issues - Entity Types: Article Download the full scanned back issue here: https://drive. google. com/file/d/1BqYbFRliF8PGU9h9HP8oq6boRDnda7JD/view? usp=sharing --- ### Dallas Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist Quincy Forte Releases New Track "Save Me From Myself" > quincy forte save me from myself - Published: 2022-06-08 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/new-texas-music/quincy-forte-save-me-from-myself/ - Categories: New Texas Music - Entity Types: Article https://open. spotify. com/track/53X7cVD7m978iqxodwjVdK? si=815ba590cc264ce0&nd=1 --- ### Watch 13-Year Old Bassist PJ Pugh Rip A 5-String Bass at The Free Man - Published: 2022-06-08 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/news/pj-pugh-bass/ - Categories: Blah Blah News - Entity Types: Article Live at The Free Man. Just wait, this kid is going to be a monster player. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=G9O8rAmAYgY --- ### Chuck Rainey Awarded Doctorate By Berklee School of Music - Published: 2022-06-05 - Modified: 2022-10-05 - URL: https://buddymagazine.com/texas-tornados/chuck-rainey/ - Categories: Texas Tornados - Entity Types: Article test https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=EZIBq0hWlpI ---