Texas Music Journal » Upcoming Events

Benefit To Provide Funding for Year of Free Texas Music Events

Sam Moore — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:30:33 +0000

Editor’s Note: The following is a news release from the Levitt Pavilion in Arlington. I personally attended the event last year, and the money raised was extremely valuable to help them put on free public concerts for the remainder of the year.

The legendary 1970s group, Three Dog Night, is alive and rockin’, and they are coming to Arlington June 26! Joy to the World! Three Dog Night in Concert, presented by Titan Operating, will help Friends of the Levitt Pavilion Arlington raise the funds to produce 50 free concerts this year.

General admission tickets are on sale now for the 9 p.m. concert. Gates will open at the pavilion at 8 p.m. For this concert, no coolers or chairs will be allowed. Chairs will be provided, and concessions will be on sale, including beer and wine.

You can purchase tickets online on the Levitt Pavilion Web site or by calling 817.543.4307 between 1 and 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Three Dog Night tickets also will be on sale at the Levitt Pavilion during this week’s concerts and at the gate on the night of the concert.

Three Dog Night’s hits wind through the fabric of pop culture today, whether on the radio, in TV commercials or in major motion pictures. Songs like Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Joy to the World, Black and White, Shambala, One and Old-Fashioned Love Song are testimony to Three Dog Night’s longevity as well as their continued popularity.

Joy to the World! Three Dog Night in concert is sponsored by the Mortimer Levitt Foundation, the United Service Association for Healthcare Foundation and the University of Texas at Arlington.

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Woodlands Hosts Texas Music Festival Tonight

Sam Moore — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:42:41 +0000

More than 100 gifted musicians from around the world will perform a free concert at 8 p.m. tonight for the Texas Music Festival at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands.

Gates open at 7 p.m. with pre-concert activities, including The Pavilion Partners instrument petting zoo and hands-on activities provided by Audi of America and Woodforest National Bank.

Ira J. Black, a prominent music scholar and professor, will host a discussion about the concert from 7:15-7:45 p.m. for Pavilion Talk.

The Texas Music Festival is a summer orchestral training program at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, and participants who have been chosen for the program through competitive auditions, are advanced students and young professional musicians. They represent the United States, Canada, Mexico and countries throughout Europe, Asia and Central and South America.

Under the direction of Horst Foerster, the musicians will perform Wagner’s overture to “The Flying Dutchman,” Bartok’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra and Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique.”

The winner and finalists of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition also will be announced during the program.

Picnics are welcome on the Pavilion lawn, and lawn chairs are available for free. Preferred parking in the on-site Town Center garage, located along Six Pines Drive, is $5 per vehicle. Tickets for garage parking can be purchased in advance at all Ticketmaster locations and The Pavilion box office.

For more information about The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, visit www.woodlandscenter.org.

Texas State Musician To Appear in Arlington

Sam Moore — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:32:19 +0000

Gifted singer/songwriter Sara Hickman has a long list of accomplishments and honors. This year, she added one more: State Musician of Texas. Sara performed her children’s music at the Levitt Pavilion last summer, but this year, she will perform her adult evening of music at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 18.

Since launching her career in Houston at the tender age of 14, Sara has been a force of musical artistry with 11 CDs, appearances on NBC’s Tonight Show, her own VH-1 special, an independent video that won first place in the USA Film Festival, and appearances from festivals to Carnegie Hall. She has won numerous musical awards for her adult music as well as her children’s music and is on the list of the Top 100 Performing Songwriters.

Sara’s concerts are equal parts great music, stand-up comedy and social justice rally. Her performances are always like spending time with a delightful, genuine, extremely talented friend.

Super Bowl Brings Musical Extravaganza to North Texas

Sam Moore — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:41:12 +0000

(Editor’s Note: The Following is a story contributed by the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee.)
There may never come another day in the history of Cowboys Stadium when fans enjoy more bang for their bucks than is likely on September 10.

With tickets prices starting at a mere $25 (and going on sale June 26), a two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza titled “XLV Countdown Live From Cowboys Stadium” presented by Frito-Lay will rock the big house in Arlington.

One day before the Dallas Cowboys kick off an NFL season that will determine what two teams end up in North Texas for Super Bowl XLV, the Host Committee’s mammoth undertaking will include:

• A concert headlining country superstar Tim McGraw. McGraw made the official announcement Saturday night on stage while performing for a sold-out crowd at Superpages.com Center in Dallas. He’ll wrap up the Host Committee’s three-tiered Kick-Off Concert Series, which began with a performance by his wife, Faith Hill, in March at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall.

• North Texas’ own celebration of Emmitt Smith and his Hall of Fame career. The most prolific runner in NFL history will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame a month prior to this celebration. Smith commented, “I am so humbled to be honored in such a way upon my return from Canton. This is a very special evening for me and my family to be able to share this with the greatest fans in America.”

• A tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys. The great stars over Cowboys’ history will introduce five-minute segments of a half-century of highlights displayed on the huge stadium scoreboards. NFL Films is providing the footage, and the 90-piece XLV Symphony Orchestra will score it live.

• A rare public performance by Van Cliburn. One of the great pianists in history, raised in the East Texas town of Kilgore and now living in Fort Worth, Cliburn will perform the “National Anthem” on his grand piano.

• The chance to see Cowboys Stadium, for the many who have yet to step inside. As Kit Sawers, Host Committee VP of Special Events, puts it, “We are expecting more than 30,000 fans to join us that evening…for just a little more than the price of a stadium tour.”

• There’ll be several more announcements this summer. In other words, be on the lookout.

Even those who have only visited the year-old wonder for previous concerts will get a far more striking look at the massive scoreboards, which will be lowered and active throughout the evening.

Tentative plans are to set up the stage at the 50-yard line facing one end zone. Floor seating will reward those who already purchased tickets for all three Series events (Hill in Fort Worth, Sting’s Dallas performance in May, and this big one) and for $65 purchasers.

No upper deck seats will be sold, and the $25 seats will comprise 80 to 85 percent of the configured seating. Bill Lively, the Host Committee’s President & CEO, says pricing is “one-sixth the cost of other major concerts at Cowboys Stadium.”

As with the other two concerts, this one is presented by Frito-Lay. Live Nation and Host Committee partner CorporateMagic are handling event production. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will introduce Emmitt Smith. And the University of North Texas’ internationally acclaimed College of Music is assembling the 90-piece XLV Symphony Orchestra.

“As you can imagine,” Sawers said, “determining the setup of Cowboys Stadium was a little bit trickier than it was for Bass Hall or the Winspear Opera House. But the Cowboys and our partners helped us figure it out, and the large screens will be featured in a way they have not been featured before.”

The high-energy evening will run from roughly 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets go on sale Saturday, June 26, at www.ticketmaster.com or by dialing (800) 745-3000.

Lively emphasized, “It’s important that the people in this region that have supported the Cowboys for five decades and care about where they are now, have a chance to come into the stadium that’s going to host the game and see something that’s really unparalleled here.

“The League has told me this: This will likely be the biggest event introducing an NFL season in history… So the goal is to make this so spectacular, if we can, that people will come to this game who can’t go to the Super Bowl and have an experience that will be memorable.”

Tony Fay, the Host Committee’s VP of Communications, feels McGraw’s broad name identification makes him the ideal performer.

“I think the number one thing we were looking for all along was an act with a wide appeal, somebody who was not slotted into one genre,” Fay said. “Tim McGraw has that wide appeal. He’s had the network specials, he starred with Sandra Bullock in the movie The Blind Side, he has a big following, not strictly a country following.”

McGraw is also a huge NFL fan.

“North Texas has an obvious passion for both music and football,” McGraw said, “and it will be an unbelievable experience to be a part of the official countdown to Super Bowl XLV. This will be more than simply a concert, but rather a celebration, and Cowboys Stadium is the perfect venue.”

Nobody is going to forget the reason for this event: It really is the kickoff to the NFL’s regular season. And at the end of this season, Super Bowl XLV will be played at Cowboys Stadium.

“I think it’s important that each one of the three concerts has not just been a matter of us opening the door and putting an act out there,” Fay said. “Everything we’ve done, we’ve been very conscious of trying to bring it back to the Super Bowl. Whether it be Joe Buck and Troy Aikman hosting Faith Hill at Bass Hall, or Cowboys legends hosting for Sting, we’ve brought it back to the sports page, which is what it’s all about.”

Whoever thought a family of four could walk into Cowboys Stadium for $100 bucks? The bang is coming this fall.

Country Throwdown Cancels Texas Dates

Sam Moore — Sat, 29 May 2010 02:30:32 +0000

Country Throwdown is dead for the two largest markets in Texas.

The Country Throwdown Tour has cancelled four upcoming shows: Houston (June 9), Dallas (June 10), San Diego and Phoenix. In addition, the Bakersfield date (originally set for June16) has now moved to Friday, June 18. Tickets from the Houston, Dallas, San Diego and Phoenix shows will be honored at all other Throwdown tour dates (Except Bakersfield) and refunds are also available at the point of purchase.

Tour Producer Kevin Lyman said, “After many attempts to keep these shows, we’re regretfully unable to bring Throwdown to these four markets.” Lyman cites the following reasons for the cancelations of shows: “Low tickets sales and too many shows competing with one another. We are trying to bring a festival style tour with 21 artists, at a reasonable and fair ticket price (average ticket cost $31), but because most markets are currently flooded with shows, we end up cannibalizing one another and someone ends up with lower ticket sales.” Kevin adds, “As a result, we can’t afford to keep the show on the road for ALL of its intended dates. It’s a first year tour and we expected year one to be full of key lessons, so that next year– and there will be a next year–is even better.”

The Country Throwdown Tour has seen crowds as large at 13,500 already. Fans and bands have expressed huge enthusiasm about the concept. Lyman asks fans in the above canceled markets to accept “our sincere apologies” and if they can’t make it to one of the remaining Throwdown shows, “expect to see us back in those markets next year.”

The tour features some of the most popular acts in country music, such as Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Heidi Newfield. It also includes two of the biggest national acts with Texas roots: Jack Ingram and the Eli Young Band.

Levitt Opens Summer Series with Firefall

Sam Moore — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:35:19 +0000

Firefall, one of the most popular pop bands from the 1970s and ‘80s, opens the free summer concert series tonight at the Levitt Pavillion in Arlington.

Firefall

Among the hits by Firefall are “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” “Cinderella” and “Strange Way.” The show begins at 8pm. The band is sponsored by the Sanford House Inn and Spa.

Tomorrow night, the Levitt welcomes The Tejas Brothers, sponsored by Al Clark State Farm Insurance. Since their first album in 2008 went number two in the nation on the Americana charts, The Tejas Brothers have been making the accordion cool with an original sound born on a little stage in the Fort Worth Stockyards. The high-energy band breaks musical boundaries with a show that’s packed with original tunes, catchy melodies and unforgettable hooks with a sprinkling of new spice given to familiar classics. The Tejas Brothers are fun, funny, amazing, breathtaking, inspiring, and honest – making their audiences fall in love with them at every performance!

With a sound dancing between gut-bucket soul and N’awlins grit-down funk and horn-fueled Motown pop, Mingo Fishtrap is an anomaly in contemporary music. You can hear their indescribable brand of music as they finish the Levitt Pavilion’s opening weekend on Sunday. With each new recording, the group gravitates more toward its 1967 musical roots. In their time together since their University of North Texas jazz studies days, Mingo Fishtrap has performed with such artists as Sting, Blues Traveler, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Little Feat and Johnny Lang. Mingo is an infectious marriage of classic soul sounds and gritty, horn-driven funky stuff.

For more information, visit www.levittpavilionarlington.org.

Music City Texas Theater Hosts New Comedy Show

Sam Moore — Mon, 24 May 2010 15:44:35 +0000

Three nationally known musical comedians have secretly banded together as a trio to bring you one of the most entertaining comedy experiences since Blue Collar Comedy. James Lee Reeves, Denny Johnston and Richard Bowden have teamed up to form “The Smoldering Embers,” touting the motto, “We Ain’t Done Yet.”

Smoldering Embers

James Lee Reeves, well known for his character “Professor Milo Tremley,” has headlined America’s flagship comedy clubs for over two decades and made many comedy recordings for the nation’s popular morning radio shows. As an actor, James made guest appearances on ‘70′s television shows such as “Kung Fu” and the James Garner series “Nichols.” He has performed at Farm Aid with Willie Nelson, plus a couple of Willie’s July 4th picnics in Luckenbach, TX. He has headlined such Las Vegas casinos as The Dunes, The Aladdin, The Golden Nugget, The Rio, The Sands and The Riviera. James was one of the first acts to perform regularly at the Comedy Store in Hollywood along with the likes of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. He was among the first to bring funny songs to the Bob & Tom show. During the Gulf War, his song “Kick Ass USA” was a huge hit on Bob & Tom and the #1 most requested song for all of 1991 on the Dr. Demento Show.

Denny Johnston won Showtime’s Big L.A. Laff-Off out of the 109 comedians who signed up. He has appeared on The Tonight Show and Late Night with David Letterman. Denny’s other television credits include Evening At The Improv, Good Morning America, Merv Griffin (11 shows), Comedy Central, Arsenio Hall, A & E Comedy Channel and Make Me Laugh (20 shows). He has also appeared on the Television Specials, “SELL OUT” (a Showtime SPECIAL for Denny), the HBO Special “Chevy Chase and Friends,” and won Showtime’s game show “LAFF-A-THON” (and as he says, most importantly… he painted Kenny Rogers’ house). Denny has opened shows for Michael Bolton, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kenny G., Julio Iglesias, George Jones, Kenny Loggins, Seals & Croft and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Richard Bowden was the co-founder of the musical comedy duo of Pinkard & Bowden, who recorded 5 albums for Warner Bros. Records throughout the Eighties and Nineties. His comedy songs with Pinkard & Bowden reached the national charts with titles such as “Mama, She’s Lazy” and “She Thinks I Steal Cars.” Live cuts like “Help Me Make It Through The Yard” and “I’ve Got Friends In Crawlspaces” became morning radio hits nationwide and can still be heard on such great nationally syndicated radio shows as the Bob & Tom Show and the Johnboy & Billy Big Show. Bowden’s solo CD cuts are now being heard on Sirius/XM Radio. Before embarking upon a comedy career, Richard provided lead guitar skills for such rock artists as Linda Ronstadt, Dan Fogelberg, Roger McGuinn (Byrds) and Johnny Rivers. He has also recorded on albums for Stevie Nicks, Commander Cody, Johnny Rodriguez, Doug Kershaw and sang backup vocals with Bonnie Raitt on the “Urban Cowboy” soundtrack album.

“We are all 64 years old and we’re finally doing something we’ve been threatening to do for the better part of a decade. We’ve always made each other laugh. This is something that we just plain want to do,” says Richard Bowden, Executive Director at the Music City Texas Theater. “It dawned on us,” added Bowden,“ that there are millions of us 55 and older that have been left sitting in the dust by the nation’s current comedy scene. We are not interested in a thirty-something year old comic, using dude every other word, talking about text messaging or sexting or some other Nouveaux- techno stuff that holds nothing for us electronically challenged fuddy duddies.”

Reeves currently resides in Reno, NV, and Johnston in La Quinta, CA, near Palm Springs. They will be converging on Linden in a few days to do a little fishing before the show on Saturday. The show will also be professionally video taped for a promotional video. “Because of the demographic we are targeting,” says Bowden, “we plan to keep the material no more risqué than “PG-13” … is that still a rating?”

Combining their musical skills with their comedic expertise for the “Smoldering Embers,” the trio is sure to provide the audience with more laughs per second than any other comedy act working today. This is a “MUST SEE” comedy performance.

For tickets and information, contact the Music City Texas Theater at 903-756-9934 or by email at LindenMCT@aol.com. Visit the theater’s website at www.musiccitytexas.org for a complete lineup of events. MCT is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization classified by the IRS as a public charity, and as such, all donations, including tickets, are tax-deductible to the extent of the law. Call the theater, inquire about the Patron and Corporate Sponsor programs and become a part of this great entertainment venue.

Texas Music Awards Coming Up Saturday

Sam Moore — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:48:09 +0000

Tickets can still be purchased at the door for Saturday’s Texas Music Awards in Marshall.

Cost of a ticket begins at $20. Ticket holders will also gain access to a special concert by B.J. Thomas following the award ceremony at the Marshall Convention Center.

The show, presented this year by Northeast Texas-based MyTexasMusic.com, the retail partner of the show’s production company, Payline Productions, presents awards to independent Texas performers in several categories.

The annual event also serves as the main fundraiser for the non-profit Academy of Texas Music, Inc. which seeks sponsorships and donations to further its efforts toward music education programs, scholarships, recognition projects, and benevolence programs for musicians in need.

Prior to the awards, nominees will participate in a “red carpet” entrance, beginning at noon. The awards presentation starts at 2pm. B.J. Thomas will begin at approximately 6pm.

Scheduled to perform at the awards show on Saturday are Michael Martin Murphey with Ryan Murphey and Richard Bowden, Blue Condition, Dewey Wayne Band, Big John Mills, James Lann Band, Josh Langston Band, Robert Frith Band, Shake Russell Trio, Thomas Michael Riley, David Lutes, Jessica Shepherd, Matt Harlan, Christen Sawyer, Bo Carter, Katherine Dawn, and John Arthur Martinez.

For more information, visit www.texasmusicawards.org.

Music at The Bridge

Tue, 11 May 2010 01:36:10 +0000

Recently, David Schechter of WFAA reported on efforts by the City of Dallas to battle chronic homelessness and highlighted The Bridge Homeless Assistance Center. Musicianary John Tracy is excited to be a part of a group of musicians and singer-songwriters who share their gift every Tuesday during lunch with the homeless population visiting The Bridge. He will be there again on May 11 from 11:30 to 1:00 and finds that his participation in this project really keeps his life and mission in perspective and provides an outlet for him to give to a community who might otherwise be overlooked.

Organized by John Fleming, Senior Pastor at Buckingham United Methodist Church, this program seeks to share the message of hope through music and provide a break in the every day routine of the chronically homeless that frequent The Bridge.

For more information on this music program and the artists who participate, contact John Fleming at revjohnf@verizon.net. For more information on musicianary John Tracy, visit www.johntracymusic.com.

Austin Plans a Healthy Celebration

Sam Moore — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:13:33 +0000

The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians is celebrating!

The organization that prides itself on keeping music in Austin alive and well – literally – is hosting the HAAM 5th Anniversary RockStar Brunch, Sunday, May 23 from noon to 2pm. It will be held at the Zilker Clubhouse, 200 Zilker Clubhouse Road, off Rollingwood Drive.

Music will be provided by Ocote Soul Sounds. Tickets are $50 and available at http://tickets.frontgatetickets.com/choose.php?a=1&lid=42940&eid=49706

For More information, visit www.myhaam.org.

Texas Music Concert to Benefit Stabbing Victim

Sam Moore — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 03:46:38 +0000

Texas music stars are coming to the aid of the victim of a senseless crime.

Billy Bob’s Texas will host a special Mother’s Day performance, Texas Music Jam. Proceeds will benefit Brandi Todd. The 28-year-old was attacked in a Stephenville City Park while she watched her two children play. The random attack – her spinal cord was severed – has left her paralyzed.

Brandi Todd

Among the performers scheduled on Mother’s Day evening in Fort Worth are Jack Ingram, Charlie Robison and Zona Jones. Other singers not yet named will also join in.

In addition to the music, a live auction will certainly draw a lot of interests. Items for sale will include World Series tickets, Super Bowl tickets, and a private concert with Jack Ingram.

Tickets are $25. The Texas Music Jam will begin at 5pm. For more information, visit www.billybobstexas.com.

Texas Musician Returns Home for Performance

Sam Moore — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:38:59 +0000

Next month’s installment of the Kenneth Threadgill Concert Series will have a distinctively hometown flavor. Ben Kweller comes home to headline The Threadgill Series on Saturday evening, May 22nd inside the historic Municipal Auditorium in Downtown Greenville.

From his days in Radish through his solo albums, Kweller has been called everything from balladeer to punk rocker, anti-folker to indie-popper. On his latest album Changing Horses, Kweller turns toward country music, which was a major influence while growing up in Greenville.

Ben Kweller

Like Kenneth Threadgill, Kweller has roots in Greenville and Austin. Changing Horses was recorded in Austin, where he moved with his family after several years in New York.

This will be a special evening for Ben to perform at a venue he knows well, in front of fans, friends and family. He will showcase his acoustic side on the Steinway grand piano and Epiphone Texan guitar. His set, like Dylan, will also go electric, with help from his friend and former Radish collaborator, John David Kent. In addition to backing Kweller, John David Kent and The Dumb Angels will perform a set of their own music.

Influenced by the country and classic rock he grew up on, Kent formed the Dumb Angels in 2008 and began recording what he calls the most honest music he’s ever written. “My Girl”, the band’s first single, garnered immediate attention with heavy airplay on 95.3 FM the Range in the Dallas area. The video for “My Girl” became the “pick of the week” on CMT.com and was added to CMT’s Pure Country rotation.

Rounding out the bill is Austin’s The Band of Heathens, which features three frontmen and another Greenville native (John Chipman, drums). Named the Best New Band at the 2007 Austin Music Awards, the group has moved from relative obscurity to playing 250 dates a year for their rabid fan base. Like Kweller, they have performed on PBS’ long running show Austin City Limits. Their new album One Foot in the Ether demonstrates their evolution into a band worthy of the comparisons they receive to the Black Crowes, Little Feat and the Band.

Tickets are now on sale through Front Gate Tickets, 888-512-SHOW and www.frontgatetickets.com , as well as at Bill’s Records and CD World in Dallas and at Cavender’s, Magic Bubble and Calico Cat in Greenville. Limited tickets are available in the front reserved section. Advance tickets are $15-25. Tickets will also be available at the door from $20-30.

Tickets on Sale for 8th Annual Texas Music Awards Show

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:42:49 +0000

MARSHALL, TX – Tickets are now on sale for the 8th annual Texas Music Awards to be held at the Marshall Convention Center on May 15th. Tickets are available online at www.texasmusicawards.org or by calling 1-88-595-4-TIX.

Legendary singer B.J. Thomas will host the event and perform a concert after the awards show.

Tickets range from $20 to $100 and include access to the Red Carpet, the awards ceremony, and the B.J. Thomas concert.

The show, presented each year by Northeast Texas-based MyTexasMusic.com, the retail partner of the show’s production company, Payline Productions, presents awards to independent Texas performers in several categories.

The annual event also serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit Academy of Texas Music, Inc. which seeks sponsorships and donations to further its efforts toward music education programs, scholarships, recognition projects, and benevolence programs for musicians in need.

The show will feature more than a dozen nominated acts, each performing one song between the presentation of awards. The performers will be announced as soon as all the details can be finalized.

Jinelle Boyd, Executive Director of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc. and co-founder of the Texas Music Awards remarks on the quality of the show. ”These are some of the greatest performers in Texas. They’re independent musicians making the music that the world will be listening to in the future.”

Boyd added, “Even though the Convention Center has about 1600 seats, only about 1000 tickets will be available to the public. We encourage all Texas music fans to come join in this unique celebration. I’m sure tickets won’t last long.”

Nominees will arrive to a red carpet affair starting at noon on May 15th. The show will begin at 2:00 p.m. and the concert will begin around 6:00 p.m. Those who hold tickets to the awards show will be admitted to the concert at no charge.

Sponsorships are still available for the 8th annual awards show and range from $100 to $25,000. Each level of sponsorship comes with a pre-determined number of tickets and some levels include access to the VIP party, so this is a sure way to get good seats and support the mission of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc.

Boyd remarked, “The sponsorship packages are designed to meet the needs of a vast array of potential sponsors – families, individuals, clubs, small businesses, and large corporations. The Academy relies on the generosity of sponsors to not only insure an amazing showcase, but to help continue the Academy’s mission. We are very grateful to our sponsors who signed on early this year, and encourage anyone who wishes to support such a wonderful cause to join our family.”

Traveling visitors are encouraged to secure lodging early, as Marshall is also home to the annual Stagecoach Days festival that weekend, and there will be TMA affiliated concerts on Thursday and Friday nights leading up to the big event on Saturday.

Additional Information is available on the website, including past award recipients and nominees, lodging information, and a wish list for those who would rather donate for a specific purpose.

For more information on the awards or sponsorships, www.texasmusicawards.org.

Rich Harney Quintet Makes Rare Concert Appearance

Listen — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:26:50 +0000

Austin is looking forward to a rare concert appearance of The Rich Harney Quintet on April 1, 2010 at The Elephant Room. Featuring Rich Harney on piano, and Alex Coke on sax and flutes, this promises to be an unforgettable evening of truly great jazz.

Harney, a prolific pianist and composer, has been illuminating the Austin jazz scene as one of its brightest stars for many years. His remarkable talents as pianist, composer, and vocalist have gained him acclaim from musicians as one of Austin’s best kept secrets and from the Austin American-Statesman as “one of Austin’s most valuable musical resources.”

As one of the bravest and most diverse talents of the Austin and Amsterdam music communities, Alex Coke has explored everything from Be-Bop to Huddie Ledbetter and beyond. Coke’s multifarious bands include the post-bop quintet, The Worthy Constituents, a collaboration with Harney, which won the Best Unsigned Bands Contest from Musician Magazine in 1990. Harney & Coke released Soul Prayers in 2005 and brought their formidable talents together yet again on Harney’s last release, Where Love Begins on Aardvark records in 2008.

As members of a musical partnership that spans many decades, a concert with Harney & Coke is all ways an opportunity to hear jazz at its best. For the upcoming concert at the Elephant Room, expect many of Harney’s original compositions as well as a few tried and true classics.

The Rich Harney Quintet includes Bruce Saunders on guitar, Masumi Jones on drums and Pat Harris on doublebass.

April 1, 2010
9:30pm-1:30am
The Elephant Room
315 Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas

For more info please visit http://www.xs4all.nl/~alexcoke.

Texas Music Showcase in Conroe Welcomes Vince Gill

Sam Moore — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:54:49 +0000

Editor’s Note: As we all know, Texas music is not limited by the state line. I saw the story below on the Montgomery County Courier. It discusses their upcoming Sounds of Texas Music series. It mentions that country superstar Vince Gill will be a headliner for the series. Vince Gill is, obviously, an Oklahoma native who now lives in the Nashville area. At first glance, he would seem to be an odd choice for a Texas music showcase. However, I had a chance to talk with Vince last year. I told him about what we are doing with the Texas Music Journal. He told me that he loves Texas, Texas music and Texas venues. During the early part of his career, he spent many nights playing in north Texas honky tonks. And he promised me that at some point, he would be open to an interview for our site. So yes, Vince Gill does have strong ties to Texas music. Enjoy the story below.

For more than a decade, Conroe has been home to one of the state’s most popular forums for showcasing veteran musical performers and undiscovered songwriting talent. Vince Gill, one of the nation’s most popular singer/songwriters, is one of the featured performers in the recently announced lineup for the 2010 Sounds of Texas Music Series.

The series of four concerts throughout the spring and summer kicks off this weekend at the historic Crighton Theatre. On Saturday, the STMS kicks off with Grammy award-winner and CMA Top Vocal Group winner Rodney Crowell. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. Opening for Crowell is The Trishas, a girl group known for a unique fusion of musical styles and harmonies – blending bluegrass, blues and country.

On May 14, Mike Farris, voted “New/Emerging Artist of the Year” by the American Music Awards in 2008, opens for Marvis Staples – one of the lead vocalists for the amazingly popular and inspirational gospel group the Staples Singers. Rosie Flores opens for Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives June 25. Stuart is an accomplished string musician, playing the guitar and mandolin in a variety of styles, including bluegrass, gospel, honky-tonk and country.

STMS comes to a close Aug. 21 when Mark Germino and Tony Arata open for the popular country music veteran Gill. Germino and Arata are journeyman songwriters and performers who have written for numerous recording artists as well as performing for enthusiastic audiences across the country.

Gill has sold more than 26 million albums, earned 18 CMA Awards and is a 2007 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is tied with George Strait for having won the most CMA Male Vocalist Awards (five) and is second only to Brooks and Dunn for accumulating the most CMA Awards in history.

Tickets for the 2010 Sounds of Texas Music Series at the Crighton Theatre, located at 234 N. Main St. in Conroe, are available for $47 for individual shows or $168 for the entire season. For tickets and information, call (936) 441-7469.

Ray Benson to Head Texas Music History Concert

Sam Moore — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:27:56 +0000

(Editor’s Note: The following story is courtesy of the San Marcos Daily Record.)

San Marcos — Ray Benson will be the featured guest at the 10th annual “Texas Music History Unplugged” concert, slated for 8 to 10 p.m. March 23, in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom on the Texas State University campus.

Hosted by the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University-San Marcos, the “Texas Music History Unplugged” concert is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.

Benson is the founder of the Grammy-award winning western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Other guests include Cody Canada of the band Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Sisters Morales from San Antonio, Raul Malo of The Mavericks, blues guitarist W.C. Clark, Grammy winning dobro player Cindy Cashdollar and Jason Roberts, fiddler and vocalist for Asleep at the Wheel).

The Center for Texas Music History was founded in the History Department at Texas State in 1999. The Center offers graduate and undergraduate courses on Texas music history, publishes the Journal of Texas Music History, sponsors an academic book series (The John and Robin Dickson Series in Texas Music), and co-produces the Handbook of Texas Music, the first and only encyclopedia of Texas music history.

The Center for Texas Music History also hosts a weekly radio show on NPR, entitled This Week in Texas Music History. It can be heard every Monday morning at 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. on Austin’s NPR affiliate station KUT 90.5.

For more information about the Center for Texas Music History and its many educational activities, visit the Center’s Web site: www.txstate.edu/ctmh

Texas Music Showcased in Downtown Dallas

Sam Moore — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:59:54 +0000

Sons of Hermann Hall

The next monthly edition of the North Texas Music Makers Showcase will be held Sunday, March 28 at 5:30pm at Sons of Hermann Hall in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district.

The doors open at 4:30pm. Hourly acts will be highlighted until midnight. Admission is free. However, a $10 donation is requested at the door.

For a list of upcoming artists, Facebook the Wandering Chicken Wire Show. For more information, visit http://www.sonsofhermann.com/.

Texas Musicians Get Chance to Show Their Stuff at the Bugle Boy

Sam Moore — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:15:40 +0000

La Grange’s The Bugle Boy and founder Lane Gosnay host another of the venue’s Sunday Performance Showcases this month — an afternoon of stage time for up-and-coming singer-songwriters as well as fun time for families and live music lovers eager to hear the next aspiring and inspiring musical artists.

The next Performance Showcase is 1:30-5 p.m. Sunday, March 21, at The Bugle Boy, 1051 N. Jefferson St. in La Grange. Tickets are $5 at 800.838.3006; information: 979.968.9944; www.thebugleboy.org. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

During a Showcase, acts from across the state and the country get 10 minutes each to perform two original songs before an audience and a panel of three judges that chooses three finalists. The finalists return to the stage at the end of the afternoon to perform one more song, and the judges select a winner based on songwriting, vocal performance, playing ability, stage presence, entertainment skills and audience response. The winner earns a cash prize, a spot in the bi-annual Best of Showcase Concert and a Grand Prize performance at the annual Anniversary Show in January.

The Bugle Boy began hosting Sunday Performance Showcases in January 2008. After March, the next one is set for April 18.

Performers can sign up and audiences can check the schedule (and more information) at www.thebugleboy.org.
The Bugle Boy is an intimate 80-seat listening room with theater-style seating for residents of and visitors to the La Grange area, for true live music connoisseurs as well as newcomers to the thrill that comes when artist and audience really connect. It hosts concerts by new and established independent, professional singer-songwriters and developing artists in blues, rock, country, jazz, swing and other Americana genres. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, on select Sundays and on occasional Thursday nights.

Bentley to Help Children Hospital in Dallas

Sam Moore — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:04:38 +0000

Dierks Bentley will play a show in Fort Worth on April 25 as part of his Miles & Music benefit series. The concert will take place at Billy Bob’s Texas nightclub, with five more artists on the bill to be announced at a later date.

The event will also feature a celebrity motorcycle ride. All of the proceeds will be given to the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and the Cook Children’s Medical Center in Forth Worth. Tickets go on sale March 1.

Bentley teamed up with Nationwide Insurance, CMT One Country and the Children’s Miracle Network to take Miles & Music for Kids to six cities between 2009 and 2010. The event has raised more than $1 million since its inception in 2006.

In other news, Dierks performed an acoustic tribute to Brooks & Dunn earlier this week at the 2010 Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Nashville. The singer performed the tribute as the retiring duo were presented with the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Career Achievement Award.

North Texas NSAI Meeting Upcoming

Sam Moore — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:11:15 +0000

Nashville music and texas music mix again this Tuesday night.

The upcoming meeting of the north Texas chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International will take place Tuesday at 7pm in Allen. Members and interested songwriters will gather at Dodie’s Place Sports Grill, in the Village at Allen in Allen TX.

The first half of the meeting will be educational, and the second half will consist of song critiques. For more information, call 972-517-4565.

Blues Festival To Benefit Community Radio

Sam Moore — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:23:42 +0000

They’ll be singing the Texas music blues in downtown Dallas later this month. And a community radio station will be the beneficiary.

The 11th annual KNON Blues Festival will take place January 30 and 31 at Poor David’s Pub. Hours are 3pm to midnight on Saturday and 4pm to 10pm on Sunday.

Lucky Peterson

Saturday’s headliner is the Lucky and Tamara Peterson Band Revue, featuring Greg Smith. Sunday’s main performer will be Denny Freeman, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Denny Freeman

Proceeds will benefit KNON 89.3 FM Community Radio. KNON is a non-profit, listener-supported radio station, deriving its main source of income from on-air pledge drives and from underwriting or sponsorships by local small businesses. The volunteer disc jockeys play their own music or conduct talk shows during specifically targeted programs.

Tickets are $10 in advance. For more information, visit www.knon.org.

The Mark Monaco Band to perform at the Bluebird Cafe

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:25:48 +0000

(Press Release by Kyle “Scoot” Drescher for The Mark Monaco Band)

Texas songwriter/recording artist Mark Monaco has been invited to showcase his songs at the world-famous Bluebird Café in Nashville. The event is being held Tuesday December 8th at 6pm and will feature Jonathan Cain of Journey (co-wrote Don’t Stop Believin’, Faithfully, Open Arms), country artists Brian White and Michael Peterson, as well as Rick Barron. The showcase is sponsored by Sharp Objects, a Music Row-based song-plugging group that represents Mark Monaco and his publishing company Pancho Villa Music.

Monaco will be performing selections from his three studio albums as well as some new unreleased material from his catalog. This show will mark his first appearance in Music City in nearly two years and Monaco says “I’m really psyched about not only playing the Bluebird again, but also about being on the bill with such an amazing line-up of artists.”

The show will benefit the Mary Parrish Center, www.maryparrish.org. Ticket information at www.bluebirdcafe.com. Kyle “Scoot” Drescher and The Mark Monaco Band/Mad Cow Productions are online at www.markmonaco.com and can be reached at madcowprod [at] hotmail [dot] com.