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Jim’s Big State Wrap-up: Saturday
The beer is always free when you can’t drink it.
Lucky enough to be on the VIP list for last weekend’s Big State Festival, I was taunted by the endless supply of free golden-bubbly goodness available in the festival’s private lounges. Let me reiterate: Free. Beer.
But, alas, there were bands to see, interviews to conduct, […] -
And The Bands Played On: Big State Festival Day Two
Kelly Willis and The Wrights were on the brink of starting their 12:30 sets when we arrived at the festival grounds on Sunday. Writing the Saturday wrap-up kept us from showing up earlier to watch Colin Gilmore and Ashley Ray. Our famished stomachs led us straight to the nearest food while we half-heartedly listened to […]
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The Start of Something Big: Big State Festival Day One
Only a few short hours removed, via sleep, from the end of the first day of Big State Festival, and only a couple hours until the second day begins, we find ourselves beat and wore down, but eagerly anticipating another day of great music and fast cars. The blisters, cherry red sunburn, and general […]
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Laidback Atmosphere At The Nutt Complements Drew Kennedy And Bruce Robison
Just before sunset Saturday evening Drew Kennedy climbed the steps to the small side stage at Nutty Brown Cafe to serenade the audience with an acoustic show underneath the Hill Country live oaks.
He started out with “Baytown”, and the hour and fifteen minute performance consisted mostly of other songs from his latest album, Dollar […]Continue reading "Laidback Atmosphere At The Nutt Complements Drew Kennedy And Bruce Robison"
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Mystiqueros Love Beer And Chicken
Deep in the heart of downtown Austin, Wilkins stood center stage at a blues bar telling the story of how he and band mate Marcus Eldridge tried to take the traditional route for country singers through Nashville, but couldn’t make it work. Fortunately for those in attendance on Tuesday night, they were led to […]
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Vince Gill Returns to his Bluegrass Roots
To hear Vince Gill tell it, you’d think that he can’t play bluegrass music.
Gill played in several bluegrass bands in the beginning of his career, but “because none of those bands were recording at the time, I can’t prove it.” Only an average musician at the time, Gill sang harmony and played whatever instrument was […]Continue reading "Vince Gill Returns to his Bluegrass Roots"
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Rhonda Vincent Plays “Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman”
There’s something magical about bluegrass at the Ryman.
In 1945, Grand Ole Opry member Bill Monroe introduced new banjo player Earl Scruggs to the Ryman crowd and his unique three-finger roll style wowed the audience in a performance that is widely acknowledged as the birth of bluegrass. This lifeblood still flows through the Ryman pews, and […]Continue reading "Rhonda Vincent Plays “Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman”"
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Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash Rally Support For Mean Eyed Cat
Inspired by the Johnny Cash song of the same name, Austin’s one-of-a-kind Mean Eyed Cat bar is facing a dilemma as it currently operates. The property that the bar occupies is zoned as a retail space and thus is required to earn 51 percent of its revenue from food sales–an almost unattainable goal for a […]
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Marty Stuart’s Sixth Annual Late Night Jam
One wouldn’t think that on a stage that featured two country music Hall of Famers, five Grand Ole Opry members and several major label artists that the radio DJ acting as the night’s master of ceremonies would come closest to stealing the show. Thirty minutes before curtain, Eddie Stubbs announced that Marty Stuart’s annual benefit […]
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Gary Allan Live At Floores Country Store In Helotes, TX
Gary Allan is by far one of my favorite country music artists, so much so that whenever he’s in the Central/South Texas region I try my best to get out and see him. I’ve caught his live concert about six or seven times, but last Friday night at Floores Country Store in Helotes, TX was […]
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