Josh Halverson and Big Joe Walker

For photos, click on the links below

It’s over for another year, and the 12 bands who were involved have all made new fans and expanded their musician brotherhood base. Not bad for seven weeks of participation in the White Elephant Saloon’s 10th annual Texas Music Showdown.

The final night, Wednesday, April 1, found Josh Halverson and his band vying for top honors against Big Joe Walker and his band. Judges Brett Dillon (KHYI and contest coordinator), Tye Phelps (Love & War), Stephen Pointer, Scott Copeland, and Dave Perez selected Big Joe Walker band as the winner.

Big Joe, who plays both acoustic guitar and keyboards, and the guys — Chris Johnson on drums; Adam Carrillo on bass; Casey Green on lead guitar; and Michael Pool on fiddle (and who, btw, is now also

Big Joe Walker

working with Red Dirt legend Brandon Jenkins)  — earned themselves a wheelbarrow-full of prizes. These are: A spot on the Raz on the Braz music festival in June; an 8-hour block of recording time with Bent Leaf studio in Denison; digital distribution and CDs of those recorded songs by Smith Entertainment; personal guests of Donnie Nelson in the Presidential Suite of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo; 3-day VIP pass to the 2015 Austin City Limits fest, compliments of Tim Love; an open slot on one Shiner Sunday at Love & War in Texas; radio interview with Dillon on KHYI; performance at a Texas Legends basketball game, compliments of Donnie Nelson; automatic entry into the 2015 Shiner Rising Star band contest; gift certificates and a

Josh Halverson

cowboy hat from Wild Bill’s Western Store; an ad in Buddy Magazine; a shopping spree at Bill’s Records in Dallas; eight $15 meal coupons to Sweetie Pie’s Ribeyes in Decatur; and two night stays at the Pine Meadow Cabins in Broken Bow, Okla.

Big Joe Walker spotlighted Josh Halverson in an encore song-set after the win was announced — showing the camaraderie and mutual respect that prevailed throughout the entire contest.

Keep an eye on the White Elephant Saloon and KHYI Websites for info on the 2016 Texas Music Showdown, which will probably begin applications this winter. And make note of all the good music the White Elephant Saloon brings to the Fort Worth Stockyards.

For Big Joe Walker band photos, click here

For Josh Halverson photos, click here

Big Joe Walker Band

Click on the links below for many photos

After having been iced out and postponed the previous week, the White Elephant Saloon Texas Music Showdown finalized its first round this Wednesday (3.11.15) with three judges selecting Big Joe Walker and his big band to move into Round 2.

This contest was between Big Joe’s band, the Keith Owens Band, and the Molotov Dogs. Three powerful bands, all of which brought their No. 1 game to the contest.

Each band had three original songs and one cover song to perform for grading, plus they got a full song as a sound check. Usually, these songs get the judges’ attention, too, although they don’t score anything on it.

Judges this week were James Dunning, who leads the Lost Immigrants band; Frank Jackson with Smith Music; and KHYI’s Brett Dillon, who also organizes the contest for the White Elephant Saloon. After each band’s songs, the judges offered some words of constructive critique. Then, when all three had performed, they adjourned to deliberate and make their selection.

Keith Owens Band

The Keith Owens Band opened up. Their sound check song was a good execution of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” and their cover was a Keith Whitley hit. At critique, Dillon said he liked the band from the sound check. Dunning commented he especially liked an AC/DC riff in t he band’s last original song, and Jackson mentioned that he really liked their original songs and said, “you are a musically really tight band.”

Members of the Keith Owens Band are: Owens on lead vocals and guitar; “Captain” Kirk Richardson on bass; Trace Bivens on lead guitar and backup vocals; Dwayne “Gummi Bear” Berry on drums; and Kim Danforth on harmony and backup vocals.

Next up were the Molotov Dogs, led by Blake Brownlee on vocals and guitar. Others in this group are Matt Hall on bass; Lucas Albano on drums; Poppy Xander on keyboard; and Jesse Thompson on electric banjo. At critique, Dillon gave the Zoolander Award to

Molotov Dogs

Thompson, and commented that musicians Mark Shelton and Big Joe were really jammin’ to the band. Their cover song was Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.” Shelton said later, “That was one of the most original covers of that (heavy metal) song I’ve ever heard.” Judge Dunning liked it to, plus, he said, he liked the variety of instrumentation. “It was a great balance, even when the guitar crapped out on you in the end. The band went on and carried the song.”

Jackson commented on that little snag, too. “It was a good move, not to focus on it and just keep going.” He added good comments about Xander’s keyboard work.

Big Joe Walker band covered George Strait’s “Run.” With Big Joe, who plays both guitar and keyboards, were Chris Johnson on drums and background vocals; Adam Carrillo on bass and background vocals; Casey Green on lead guitar; and Michael Poole on fiddle.

Judges reversed their deliveries, with Jackson starting the critique by saying, “Your songs are strong, your smile is so infectious, and it all sounds so good.”

Dunning commented on the band’s dynamics and diverse song selection, plus their musicianship. And Dillon added “You are hit-maker band. You come alive on the keys, Big Joe.” He closed it off saying, “This is a competition and all these bands are amazing.”

Blake Brownlee, Keith Owens, and Big Joe Walker sharing a song

Big Joe, after the announcement, and his band performed two more songs for the crowd. The first was a Zac Brown cover. On the second, he invited Brownlee and Owens back onto the stage to sing along with his band, and that was a great conclusion to the night’s events, with everyone remaining friends and admirers of one another’s music.

This next Wednesday (March 18), Round 2 begins with Josh Halverson Band taking on Twisted Pistols. Then, on March 25, it will be the Matt Nix Band against Big Joe Walker. Until, finally, on April 1, it will come to a close with the winners of those two weeks coming together for the grand prizes. Music starts at 8 p.m., and singer/songwriter Brad Hines performs solo each night from 7-8 and again after the night’s contest ends. No cover charge.

Big Joe Walker photos, click here

Molotov Dogs photos, click here

The Keith Owens Band photos, click here

For other photos, click here