One of the great things about living in Texas is you never know where and when you will run into some great music.
TMJ recently attended a concert in Fort Worth at the First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church. Each month they host the Jefferson Freedom Café, a listening room which features mainly Texas performers. On this night, we were treated to an outstanding performance by Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines.
The duo performed many songs from Terri’s newest CD, “Left Over Alls”. It features songs she has written in the past, but never released. “Posey Road Stomp” is an upbeat tune featuring Terri on her still-learning-how-to-play harmonica. “Hole in My Pocket” is more mellow song which would have fit perfectly into the soundtrack of “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou.” And “Give Me My Flowers” is a simple, touching song which asks the listener to “give me my flowers while I’m living and let me enjoy them while I can. Don’t wait ‘til I’m ready to be buried and slip some lilies in my hand.”
Throughout the performance, Terri’s bubbly personality came through supported by Lloyd Maines’ sense of humor. At one point, while he was tuning his guitar for a particular song, he told the audience, “I tune because I care. Next week, we go to Massachusetts – I won’t tune there!”
Lloyd was particularly excited about the newest honor to his celebrated career. He is one of the newest inductees into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. He even used this to generate some humor.
“I’ve just been named to the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame,” he said, “but I’m still driving Terri back and forth to Austin.”
Watch the Texas Music Reporter for a future story on the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and some of the outstanding musician honored there.
Terri’s rise to success is inspirational. In exchange for tending goats, she received music lessons from Marion Williamson. From there, she began hauling her own P.A. in the back of her beat-up pick-up to gigs throughout the Texas Hill Country. She is one of the many Texas musicians whose careers were launched at the famed Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. Before long, her fan base began building.
By the time she recorded her debut album, 1996’s Two Dollar Shoes, Terri shopped around for a record label. She was turned down by three. She released the record independently, and never looked back. She jokes that after twelve years she is still in business and the record labels rejected her aren’t!
Terri’s style flows seamlessly in her songs from folk and country to pop, jazz and Texas swing. With Lloyd as her musical and personal support, Terri performances are uplifting and inspirational. When you leave her shows, you can’t help singing one of her songs as you walk to car.
For more information on Terri and Lloyd, visit HERE.
To learn more about the Fort Worth musical event, visit HERE.
Posted by: Sam Moore and John South
