LJT Fest 2014, Saturday
Matt Hillyer, Eleven Hundred Springs
With a good supply of Bloody Mary’s under their belts, LJT festival-goers hit both other stages, the Allsop acoustic stage and the Bud Light main stage, with the enthusiasm of fans who knew it was going to end after this Saturday night. Thanks to Thom Shepherd and Coley McCabe for keeping the T-Birds Garage Pub stage moving every morning.
This particular festival-goer took full advantage of the Stephen Fromholz tribute hour, Saturday morning, to let go of some grief, not only for Fromholz, but also because it was happening about the same time that a tribute was being held in Kerrville for its producer, Rod Kennedy, who had passed away about 10 days earlier. Fromholz and Kennedy were so inter-connected that it was hard to think of one without remembering the other, too.
As an example, the bumper stick on the guitar case, which presumably held one of Fromholz’ guitars, held the adage, “It’s Fromholz Fault,” which began on one of the numerous Kerrville Festivals On The Road tours in the early 1980s. So much easing among the traveling musicians on the bus, and that saying became the unofficial slogan of the tour. Then, when the next festival came to Kerrville, and sure enough, there was Fromholz playing it, someone tagged his daughter Darcy on the back, in white shoe polish, with “It’s Fromholz’ Fault.”
Then, one performer, Matt Martindale, said to the audience that he knew he wanted to be a songwriter after listening to one of the early Kerrville Folk Festival tapes. And there were several other statements and songs that brought the two 
men, musician and producer, together in heart. Unashamedly, this fan cried through most of it, for both old friends. But then, that’s what tributes are for.
For photos of performers at Steven Fromholz tribute, click here
Davin James came up, and you can see the sequence of hat switches in his set of photos. First he used his hat to fan LJT, who sat in with him. Then, it was back on James’ head. Then, he put it on LJT’s head, and then Larry Joe threw it to this fan. Davin went on and played, saying once, “I can’t believe I lost my hat,” but he did get it back after the show.
For Davin James pix, click here
The remainder of the line-up went as one would expect — perfectly. No one can find fault with Ray Wylie Hubbard at all, Jason Boland & The Stragglers always are a treat, and there were Eleven Hundred Springs, the Tejas Brothers, Brandon Rhyder, Reckless Kelly. Larry Joe Taylor’s band closed it all out with the power they always deliver with their, especially, Coastal & Western style of music.
Beer hair!
The beer slingers turned and went home, and I took my by-then-glued-together hairdo to lay it down in the van before heading out Sunday morning. There’s a pic… and I can’t blame the beer slingers for the gray hairs also in the picture, although they might have added a few to the set.
Larry Joe Taylor will host Rhymes & Vines festival — the 9th one — on September 18, 19, and 20, back at Melody Mountain Ranch. Watch his Website: LarryJoeTaylor.com, or call 254-968-8505.
For Terri Hendrix photos, click here
For Ray Wylie Hubbard pix, click here
For pix of 1100 Springs, Click here
For Tejas Brothers, click here
For Brandon Rhyder pix, click here
Larry Joe Taylor band, click here
For crowd and other shots, click here
Category: *- Features, 2014
About the Author (Author Profile)
In the music production business, including event production, booking, photography, reporting, and other such essentials, since 1980.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
