Shiner Rising Star, KHYI Round 1 Week 2, Toby Keith’s Bar & Grill

Mary Jane Farmer | August 6, 2012

Chuck Taylor-Note the unqiue mustache!

Three strong bands showed up to compete in Shiner Rising Star’s Round 1, Week 2 contest Thursday night (Aug. 2) at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in Dallas. All three wowed the judges, judging by their comments at critique-time, and Friday morning, KHYI’s Chuck Taylor announced on the morning show that it would be Twisted Pistols who would be moving on.

Judges this week were Texas singer/songwriter Deryl Dodd; Tami Millspaugh, Texas Record Chick Promotions; and Taylor. Rules are: each band has 30 minutes and that must include all original songs except for one required cover. At the end of each band’s set, they return to the stage for oral critiques from the judges, who then vote on 10 criteria. Votes are tallied and announced on KHYI the following morning.

For Misc. pix, click here:

Parallel Play, the dynamite band from Denton, opened with Jeremy Drake on vocals, Erin Gayden on upright bass, Jason Miears

Jeremy, vocals with Parallel Play

on banjo, and Pappy McCall on drums. Erin and Tomy also provided harmony vocals. They were a high-spirited group, and probably brought the largest crowd of fans. Their cover was Weezer’s “Surf Wax.”

Deryl Dodd opened the critique, and in his easy-going manner commented on their sound-check, saying, “II play in bars evrey night and love your sound check, I’m using the ‘blah, blah, blah’ thing.” He called Parallel Play “very organic with a folk sound,” and said their setg was a lot of fun. “That helps make up for the fun that’s missing in me. The seller was you broke in with that big sound, and came together on that. God bless you, keep doing what you do.”

Millspaugh said she was intrigued and very enthused by “your performance and the passion in your fans over here.” Millspaugh, who said she works primarly with country bands, said, “I think you are more American-lean, and so this was a step out for me to watch. You have something here, but marketability-I’m not sure where to go with that. I can see it working somewhere with the right tool and the right company to take you there. I hope to see you on the big stage later on.”

Taylor’s critique began by talking about the first song starting a little slow, (as they sometimes are for the first band in these weekly contests). I love the coolness of the Wheezer song. The otgher song that did it for me was when you kicked into the second half after the bridge. nd Sons feel. Americana feel to it.” He compared Parallel Play with the Damn Quails and Sons of Fathers, saying, “There is a place for it in today’s music.”

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Jackson Eli was joined on stage by the incredibles: Dan Hodan on guitar, Jimmy Duvall on upright bass, and Thad Moore on drums. Their cover was “Hot Rod Lincoln,” and during it Jackson engaged the crowd even more by stepping off the stage and

Jackson Eli

walking through the bar, stopping to play his lead guitar for the fans. And, when Duvall went through his customary antics with his bass, while never missing a skinny little beat, the crowd loved it all. All Jimmy held his huge stand-up bass over his head, Jackson lifted his electric guitar and played it over his head, too.

Double D said about that, “I didn’t realize that playing is an atheletic event. My hats off to you from the first song… great players, great talent, and throwing that (bass guitar) around…” and Dodd trailer off with a smile on that note. He called it great country music, with a lot of heart and “I think that is what music is.”

Millspaugh said Jackson needed to work on the songwriting “a little bit more. Your singing is great, and I loved how you did run around (the audience). Keep working on the material and your shows and work the circuit and eventually you will be working a lot.”

Chuck Taylor said he is always thinking of stuff (music) to go on the radio. Both the songwriting is good, and the musicianship — “You have it out the wazoo. Jimmy D,you are awesome.”Hot Rod ln, wr in 1955, Of “Hot Rod Lincoln,” which Taylor said the band Asleep AT The Wheel made different when they did it, “Do your own version of it. You all did a really good job and hopefully we’ll see you guys doing more.”

For Jackson Eli Band pix, click here:

In the Collinsville-based Twisted Pistols are; Zach Hendricks on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; Spencer Whitney on bass and harmonies; Johnny Wilson on lead guitar and harmonies; and Justin Boren on percussion. For their cover, the band did their version of Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Snake Farm,” mentioning that Ray Wylie would be playing Hotter’n Hell Festival the following Saturday. Also, toward the end, Spencer and Zach reached into a canvas bag, pulled out play snakes, and threw them out to the audience.

Dodd said the band has a ground sound, commercial, and one he said he could hear on the radio right now. He commented on

Zach Hendricks, Twisted Pistols

Wilson’s guitar tone and Whitney’s “strong” bass playing.

Millspaugh commented that from a craft standpoint, “You always want to capture those fans, and to make new fans. The cover song was good, but remember… make it your own… don’t make it osund like the original artist.”

Taylor opened his critique saying, “Last year I was a little bit harder on you guys, and this year you stepped it up a notch.” He commented on the band’s talent of engaging the crowd, then on Hendrick’s style, “The enunciation, make sure you have your vocals strong. Part of the point of music is to get people to sing along and understand the words.”

For Twisted Pistols pix, click here:

This Thursday, (Aug. 9) Round 1, Week 3 will be between the Blacktop Outlaws from Denton and Whitesboro; Rhythm n Roses from Terrell; and Rev. Leon & The Repenters from Princeton. Music begins at 8 p.m. at Love & War in Texas, Grapevine. For directions, call them at 972-724-5557.

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