Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2010 finals, 10/21/10

Mary Jane Farmer | October 25, 2010

By Mary Jane Farmer

Love & War in Texas, Plano

Pictures — KHYI has these pictures, and every band who wants them is welcome to email me for 300 dpi resolution pix @ mjfarmer.music@gmail.com. I thank Joshua Jones and KHYI for allowing me to be their photographer for this incredible 3-month contest.

Fans everywhere, so many judges taking up most of the dance floor in front of the stage, and musicians waiting, guitars in hand, on deck, the Shiner Rising Star came to a close Thursday night with five bands competing for a record contract and the chance to open Texas Music Revolution 2011, being held in March.

Taking top honors were The Will Callers, with The Rock Bottom Ramblers not scoring that far behind them. Also playing, and winners in their own rights, were Saille Branch & The Big Benders, the Chris Miller Band, and Four Left Turns.

The Will Callers

When all was said and done, all bands had played and been critiqued 15 times over, KHYI/ Shiner Records’ Joshua Jones made the announcements, and that’s when the true “We’re all winners” attitude, so prevalent in Texas music, stepped up to the plate. Musician after musician, beginning with Tracy, Shawn, Shawna, and Tony, those RBRs who had brought such delight to everyone at Love & War in Texas.

The Will Callers had lost two of their band members, Brad Schroeder and Chase Monks, in a car wreck six days before, and spent the week being with each other, their families, and Mr. Schroeder’s and Mr. Monks’ families, through the last funeral earlier Thursday. Joining them for the contest were former band members Trent Chapa and Cody Culberson, who, ironically, had also played with Jake Murphy and Daniel Slatton in Round One.

Jake and Daniel, the Will Callers, receive attaboys and handshakes

When all the different band members gathered on stage, though, Chapa and Culberson stayed to the side, their way of giving tribute to Mr. Schroeder and Mr. Monks by giving them space in the winners circle. Several judges, all of whom were aware of the tragedy, expressed their condolences to the band, and each one who did added that there were no pity points added to the scores. So, when The Will Callers heard the announcement, they had to have known it was on their merits as musicians with a future.

The Rock Bottom Ramblers, who arrived later from their Oklahoma City trip because of van troubles, have a uniqueness to their music that, though judges tried to compare it to other bands, is exactly that, unique. Drummer turned washboard player, lead singer picked on guitar/banjo combo, aka gitjo, when he wasn’t on lead guitar or kazoo. Doghouse bass and fiddler streamlined their music, sassy without being at all pushy. The judges used such terms as “peppy soul,” “rockabilly style,” “breath of fresh air,” “cranking it,” and “Texas radio needs this.” I never want to be a judge, but if I were I would also say something about the band’s gusto is like a swift whistling prairie wind or crystal waters rushing over rocks — see, that’s why I shouldn’t critique. But that’s the way they made me feel, cool, comfortable, happy, joyous, and free.

Rock Bottom Ramblers, Tony

Saille Branch

Saille Branch & The Big Benders are on their way to bigger and better things, if they keep up the incredible performances they brought to Shiner Rising Star. Bart Thrasher on guitar, Chris Clifford on drums, and Saille on leads and vocals, and they were joined Thursday night by another guitarist, for whom I never got the names. And those vocals! Saille, from Celina, brought half the town with him. Jones mentioned Thrasher’s guitar tones being right on and that the combination of dueling guitars was a great addition. Other judges terms were “full sound,” “mild and acid mix,” and “feel the heat.”

The Chris Miller Band took a suggestion to heart between their Round Two win and Thursday night. Jones had suggested the trio might had a boss instrument, and, sure enough, Chris showed up with a keyboard player who added volume and depth to the otherwise full and deep trio. The chemistry between lead singer Chris Miller and bassist Chris Pruett is amazing, and several judges commented on the definite entertainment value Pruett adds to the stage. Drumming was Ken Sommerhalter. Critique notes: “harmonica created drama,” “no glitches (drummer),” “serious soul,” “in the pocket,” and “excellent job.”

Chris Miller and Chris Pruett

Two Door Ford brought a couple of new songs to the stage, but it was probably their “Whiskey Dreams” that got more attention from the judges than any other song from any other band. They called it a “necessary first release,” “a sure-fire hit,” and “masterful songwriting.” Judges also commented on the switch in dynamics when guitarist Dustin Nordin switched from electric to acoustic guitar. Zach Figueroa on lead singer and electric guitar, Joey Hollingsworth on drums, and Justin Hayne on bass round out this band, which is building fans all across the Metroplex.

Two Door Ford, Zach

Judges were KHYI personalities Joshua Jones, Chance Cody, Brett Dillon, Coach Joe Avazanno, Big Gus Samuelson; former Rising Star winners Grant Jones, Merrol Ray, Darryl Lee Rush, various members of Somebody’s Darling (one vote only among them); musicians John David Kent, Deryl Dodd, Zane Williams, George Dunham; and media Chuck Taylor and Kelly Dearmore. All were volunteers, there because of their love of music.

Congrats to all these bands, and to the 19 others who gave it their all after being picked in the top 24, selected from hundreds of bands representing the Texas coast, the Texas hill country, the Metroplex, and other areas of the Lone Star State, plus Oklahoma. We’ll let you know when their CD is being released. I hope I get the No. 1 copy out of the first box!

Category: Earlier Posts