Ray Price and Allen Hurt, kicking up Kerrville
Ray Price
OK, I kind of cheated on this one. The story is a Good Morning I wrote for the Herald Democrat. But, the trip was so worth all the miles and hotel rooms and idle moments, once Ray Price opened his mouth on his first song. Allen Hurt is from Sherman, and he and his bluegrass band opened the show. Greatness
A couple of weeks ago, local bluegrass musician Allen Hurt invited me to be at a concert in which he opened for the legendary Ray Price. This was in the new Callioux Theater in Kerrville, my old boot-stompin’ grounds, and so of course I decided to make a weekend of it.
Camera in tow, I headed back to my previous home sweet home. Saw several good ol’ friends, ate a great grilled catfish at the Cowboy Steak House, shopped at the original, albeit rebuilt and modernized, H-E-B, and heard a new band,The Finger Pistols out of Austin, playing Saturday night. All that would have made the trip worthwhile, but then it came time for Ray Price.
After Hurt’s band finished a solid set of bluegrass classics, Ray Price walked onto the stage. It was set with a dining room chair and a side table holding a glass of water and his hand-held microphone, that was all. Behind the honky-tonker was his band, and behind them was the Kerrville Symphony Orchestra, in all probably 10 fiddles/violins. Lots of musicians, but when he came on stage, they all seemed to just fade into the background, figuratively. He was the star, the legend.
Price sat with a sweet demeanor very common to those in their mid-80s (he’s 86, he said), and in a crackly old voice told a few jokes and stories. He said he’s going back into the studio again soon, to cut another record. He commented tongue-in-cheek about the current music coming out of Nashville and he thanked the supporters of the classic country, his sound. It felt like he was talking to his cronies in his living room.
But, when that man opened his voice and sang, it was the old Ray Price back again. His voice rang with purity, strength, and clarity for nearly two hours as he belted out hit after hit after masterpiece.
Then, just about as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone. He walked backstage, turned the corner, and left the building. But not a one of us left disappointed. It was perhaps the more refreshing concert I’ve been to in a long time, and I go to a lot of them.
If the music-lover in you gets the chance to hear this giant of a man perform, take it. Drive to Albuquerque, Kansas City, Tahachapie or Tonopah, wherever you have to go to see him live. It’s well worth the trip! Oh my!
Dustin Perkins Band: It’s too late to turn back now!
The Dustin Perkins Band
This article is a little long, sorry ’bout that, but I wanted to make it chock full of information on the Dustin Perkins Band. There’s three links to photographs taken each of the three nights.
There’s a group of musicians who are running around, not in circles, but in spiral mode, getting farther and farther outward from their Grayson County home base with every new gig.
The Dustin Perkins Band is spent last week in complete celebration of just how far they have come in their two years together, and in anticipation of just how far the ywill continue to go.
Two years ago in March, Dustin acted on the advice of KHYI D.J. Brett Dillon to get himself a CD and a band. First, Dustin, who had been performing for nearly a decade solely as a solo, hired studio musicians and a producer and came out with his first CD “I Wrote You A Song.” At the same time, he was gathering together a group of the best musicians in this county. In May, Dustin premiered his band at Smitty’s, which was then called T-Bones, in Denison. Joining him was Nathan Brown on drums, Colton Gilbreath on lead guitar, and Jason (Fuzzy) Smith on bass. That foursome played together for a while, and then were signed with an agency that more often worked as agents for athletes. With NvrDul, they began working together on their second CD, “The Next Step,” and it was about that time that Fuzzy left the band to concentrate more on his “real” job.
Nathan Brown
Michael Waitt joined this motley little group on bass, and so did Chris (Jett) Romain, but as mercy man, road man, everything-else-that has-to-be-done man. The deal with NvrDul didn’t work out like everyone hoped, and so the band parted ways with them, but with portions of the new CD intact. Jett then joined the music side of the group, on keyboards, and Alex Witt came on board in his place.
Photos from Friday night at The Rialto Theater
Most recently, 6-man The Dustin Perkins Band signed with Periscope Music Group, based out of Dallas, and these guys seem to be pouring a lot of know-how and pizzazz into the group.
The first weekend in May was a complete, non-stop celebration of these two years.
Dustin Perkins
Friday night, May 4, Denison’s The Rialto Theater featured The Dustin Perkins Band in a premier showing of that “Dashboard Lights” video. But it wasn’t all on the menu. First, the band played a full set for those in attendance. Following that, they showed a 30-minute video which Jett had put together, a compilation of so much of the video footage they had taken during the past two years. A sort of “how we got to this point” production. Good job, Jett! Then, lastly, the “Dashboard Lights” video, which they played twice.
After the crowd met with the band in the foyer and around, Greg and Garrett Guymon (Rialto Theater owners), played it once more for KHYI’s Lisa Hooks, who drove up from Dallas a bit too late to catch it the first two times. But, then, that’s just how the Guyman guys are, always wanting to do the right thing!
Michael Waitt
Saturday night, May 5, it was back to Smitty’s, and its new outdoor stage, for their two-year anniversary celebration. Dustin asked Durant’s Mark Shelton to bring his band as an opener, and Mark and his guys knocked the proverbial socks off the crowd. As did the Dustin Perkins band.
One shining moment was before the DP band began playing. Suddenly, like Santa’s sleigh just kind of appears out of nowhere, there was a large RV-type bus that pulled up behind the tall Smitty’s fence. That was the Periscope Music Group trio, coming to help Dustin and the guys get used to the fact that they are now a touring group, not just a local favorite band.
It seemed to be quite a learning experience. The Periscope folks took care of tuning guitars, making sure the staging and sound equipment was plugged in, and gathered the band together inside the bus for a “band meeting.” Then, when the band finished its set, they headed straight back to the bus.
Dustin said that was an awesome feeling, for each of them to get their thoughts, feelings, and ideas together about the show and unwind for just a few minutes, and then they were more freed up to go back out and join their friends, fans, and loved ones in the celebration.
Chris (Jett) Romain
Matt Ayers, with Perioscope Music Group, said that they are keyed up about working with Dustin and the guys.
“Dustin’s got heart,” Matt said. “That’s something so many musicians don’t have, and it’s something you can’t teach.” That’s going to give him the edge over the countless other bands out there.
Photos from Saturday night at Smitty’s
Colton Gilbreath
Each band Sunday had about 20 minutes to perform, no judges there, but with 5 video cameras pointed at them from every angle. The set done, each band got to select the one song to be mastered for the contest. DP selected his “Too Late To Turn Back Now.” They competed against some prime-time bands, i.e.: Shy Blakeman and Jason Meadows, both national television contest finalists; Randy Brown and his band of renown, Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward, and 5 many others.
That video is up and running, now, (click here), and the voting has begun online, LiveAtBillyBobs.com. Vote often.
Dustin and the band have been diligent on their own through these couple of years too, thinking of ways to promote the band so that the club owners do well when they play, and so that the audiences want to come back for more. Just a few examples, sans the two CDs, which are great, but which so many bands also have. They keep their merchandise line fresh and new. There’s always a new designed kookie available, or T-shirts with different logs on them, or well, it’s always different. They also, for the Saturday night at Smitty’s, printed up their own little roadside signs and placed them at high-traffic areas all across the county. Dustin, usually with Colton by his side, goes to any and every radio station he can for interviews. They’ve hired professionals to take their band photos for, duh, professional use.
And it’s not over yet. The last weekend in June, the band is playing CenterStage at Choctaw in Durant and the Event Center in the Grant, Okla., Chocktaw venue. These are the same stages where, between now and then, Lorrie Morgan, Thompson Square, and Clint Black are playing between then and now. Joining the DP Band on those nights are Chance Cody & Spur 503, and Chase Sanford & Swamp Rat Jackson, and together they are billed as the Rebels of Southern Country. Appropriate, huh, high-five.
That spiral these guys are in right now does exactly what spirals do, it also winds right back into center. And center, for The DustinPerkins Band, is Grayson County. Matt Ayers said they definitely will be returning and playing at home a lot, but they are definitely going to be a ‘road band.’ OK with these guys, they’re ready. They have the get-up and drive and know-how and talent.
B.W.Stevenson ends with Emily Elbert as top finalist
"Poor" David Card in the center with top 6 B.W.Stevenson finalists
It may be a quickie singer/songwriter contest, compared with several others that can go on for weeks and into months, but the B.W. Stevenson 26th contest by far had its fair share of incredible musicians, great audiences, and judges beyond compare.
Poor David’s Pub hosts the B.W. Stevenson contest teach year. After accepting all the entries, the preliminary judges pick the top 12 to compete in person. That happened, this year, on April 18, at, of course, Poor David’s Pub on Lamar Street in downtown Dallas. Vying for the top honor were, in alphabetical order, Lauren Alexander, Brice Beard, Helene Cronin, Emily Elbert, Mike Frieley, Robert Grossman, Ben Higginbotham, Steve Jackson, Mikaela Kahn, Butch Morgan, and Nick Verzosa. ( I apologize if I misspelled any of these.) The contestants varied in ages and in styles, making it a well-rounded night of music. Judges that night picked, Beard, Cronin, Ebert, Grossman, Jackson, and Kahn to move on. Alexander was 1st alternative, as a “just in case” somebody couldn’t return the following week, and Butch Morgan actually made the top list, but bowed out because he couldn’t return to compete April 25.
Emily Elbert
That second Wednesday, the night of the finals, each musician showed style and class and talent and personality on stage that had to have made it hard for the judges to come up with a winner. But, when it was said and done, Emily Ebert took the top honor with Brice Beard coming in second. Both will be re-appearing at Poor David’s in the future, opening for a name act, as part of their winnings.
Emily’s most powerful song was one she wrote after studying the great artist, Michael Angelo. Written about his power and passion, the young singer delivered her tribute to him with her own passion and power.
Emily Elbert photographs, click here
Brice Beard photographs, click here
Helene Cronin photographs, click here
Robert Grossman photographs, click here
Steve Jackson photographs, click here
Mikaela Kahn photographs, click here
Butch Morgan photographs, click here
Ben Higgeinbotham photographs, click here
Mike Frieley photographs, click here
Lauren Alexander photographs, click here
Nick Verzosa photographs, click here
The contest is held annually in April, and is information is on the Website: PoorDavidsPub.com
David Card has kept this progressive, appreciative venue open now for 35 years, and regularly features a large variety of types of music, not just centering in on one style or another. B.W. (short for Buckwheat) Stevenson was a regular artist there before his untimely death in 1988. B.W. penned “My Maria” which reached No. 9 on the Billboard chart in 1973, and again in 1996, and wrote Three Dog Night’s “Shambala,” also a Billboard chartbuster. Author Jan Reid dubbed Stevenson “The Voice” in his book “the Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock.” Stevenson was 38 years old when he died.
David Card continues to keep B.W.’s name, music, and memory alive, and as such has remained a leader himself in the Texas music-of-all-sorts field.
California blues guitarist playing Harmony House concert
Dana Hubbard
This is from a press release issued, and piqued my interest, being the blues lover I am. Let me say this — music listeners are always afforded a quality concert at the Harmony House, and it’s patrons are also music listeners, respectful and concentrating on the performance at hand.
The concert is 3:30-5:30 p.m., Sunday, May 20, at Harmony House, Wildscape Acres, north of Bonham. Call 903-583-2661 for tickets or more information, or to learn more about Dana Hubbard, go to his Website, www.danahubbard.com.
Both a singer/songwriter and an acoustic blues artist, Dana Hubbard deftly combines the two genres with a warm and engaging personality on stage, singing, telling stories, and playing both guitar and harmonica at an impressive level! Since 2009, he has been selected as a finalist in four national songwriter showcase competitions and two national acoustic blues competitions in which he garnered two 1st place wins. He performed as a song competition finalist at Wildflower Festival in Texas, Mountain Music Festival in Utah, and Tucson Folk Festival in Arizona, and was a finalist select at the West Virginia Appalachian Blues Competition. His CD, “The Grounds Keepers,” was included in the Best of 2008 new releases list on 90FM WWSP’s Acoustic Revival show.
Born and raised on the Central Coast of California, Hubbard attended UC Santa Cruz only long enough to finish an elective course on country blues before he hit the road and never looked back. With his acoustic guitar, he busked the streets of Berkeley and San Francisco. He eventually put together his own band, The Delta Twisters which he led for over a decade in the burgeoning Blues scene playing clubs, juke-joints, biker-bars.
By the time Dana moved on to bigger venues and theatres, the guitar in hand had become electric and he began sharing the stage with legends like Albert King, James Cotton, and Etta James and opening shows for artists like Greg Allman, Chris Isaak, and Robert Cray. All this performance experience culminated in his first CD release, “Tummy Lust,” which showcases his impressive guitar skills as well as his songwriting ability.
Dana returned to the acoustic guitar as his instrument of choice with the release of his second CD “Livin’ Live.” What Dana does with the guitar, using only his hands is amazing to watch and a joy to listen to. You hear the bass and the back beat rhythm along with the melody and chords. If you look around for his backup guitar, you won’t find one. This is Dana, performing solo. On his latest CD “The Grounds Keepers,” each track is a single guitar performance with no overdubs, no re-makes. What you hear is a singer/songwriter front and center, addressing issues of environmentalism and social injustice in a voice that sometimes growls, sometimes he lilts or laughs, but he’s always got a little twinkle in his eye.
He has a social activist soul with a bluesman’s grin. — Somebody said that.
After-Easter Gospel Fest, Chrystal Opry House, April 26-28
The celebration of Easter and all it brings into our lives continues at the Melody Ranch in Tom Bean, through three days of gospel music. In this time of possible April showers, it’s good to know one can still enjoy music in a country setting, but inside an auditorium.
It all begins with a pot luck dinner about 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by acoustic/bluegrass/gospel jamming. Thursday night camping is free.
Friday begins again with a jam session, from 2-5. At 6:30, the stage performances begin with Gospel Fare, followed by George Dickerson, Circle Unbroken, Friends of Myrtle Hood, and Melody Ranch Ramblers.
Saturday, sleep in at your camp sites, or just come back out, but remember that the music begins again at 2 p.m., with a jam session, one of the more popular events for gospel and bluegrass musicians. George Dickerson, The Melody Ranch Gospel Band, Bluefield Express, and Copper Canyon complete the Saturday line-up, with music beginning about 6:30 p.m.
Sunday morning will find a 9 a.m. devotional time.
Doors open each evening at 6 p.m., and admission for Friday and Saturday is $18, or $10 for each separate evening for adults, with children under 12 being free. The concession area has brisket sandwiches,and hot dogs as well as coffee, soda, water, popcorn, and candy.
The Chrystal Opry House is located 1.5 miles west of Tom Bean or 6 miles east of Howe on FM 902 and a half mile south on White Mound Road. No alcohol is permitted and there is no smoking inside the building.
Individuals or bands interested in performing at the Chrystal Opry House, or for more information on this festival, contact Bill Hayes at 903-546-6893 or http://www.chrystalopryhouse.
