Photos and short story by Mary Jane Farmer — Click on link below for more photos.

Tony Ramey is a singer/songwriter to be heard, and heard often.  And so are his wife, Debbie Money-Ramey, and their daughter, Savannah. And heard all three were heard in solo, in duo, and in trio style at The Texan Theater Saturday night, (June 23, 2018). The Texan is in Greenville, where The Rameys make their home. It was the third concert for the musical family at The Texan. 

This one was accented by a special announcement made about halfway through the 2-hour concert. Savannah, who just graduated high school and accepted to Schreiner College in Kerrville, signed up to received a music scholarship.

It was a Schreiner College employee, Michelle, who rolled out a signing table, draped with an identifying cover, and called Savannah over. Smiles everywhere, especially from proud papa and mama, Tony and Debbie. Michelle explained that this scholarship, though it is because of Savannah’s musical abilities, does not require her necessarily to major in music. Savannah can pick whatever major she wants to, and still receive the tuition money. Pens flew back and forth between the two young ladies as both put down their Michelle Henry or Savannah Henry on the contracts.

Then, Texan Theater owner Barbara Horan’s brother, who is the chef there, brought out a special cake honoring the occasion. The chocolate cake was made to look like a vinyl record and featured the artwork used on Savannah‘s recent CD cover. It took the young lady by total surprise.

Tony, with three back-up musicians on stage, opened solo covering Merle Haggard‘s “Rambling Fever,” when went into several of his own penned songs, each with a short story about how they came into being, including his “Never Been To Texas,” which has been recorded by Johnny Lee and Jason Meadows. Then, he brought Debbie out, who belted out some songs herself, solo, including “Tell Me Why.” Next, Savannah opened with the classics “Jolene” and “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”

Then, the duos and trios kicked off. Tony sang his original, to which Willie Nelson also recorded to make it their duo, “The Bible, The Bottle, and The Gun.” And so it went, with the trio singing “Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places” and “Grandpa, Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Ol’ Days.” And more, so much more!

Closing it down as a trio, all three added and blended their leads and harmonies to the 1975 hit “Rhinestone Cowboy,” written by Larry Weiss and made popular by the late Glen Campbell.

Concerts at The Texan Theater are not just concerts, but instead are dinner/concerts, with every patron having a 4-course dinner, drinks of any kind, and tips are included in the ticket cost. Parking is free on Lee Street and around the renovated movie theater. One ticket price covers it all. The music featured there covers just about every genre known to most folks. One link below will take you to their Website and upcoming concerts. One they’ve posted inside the theater, but isn’t online yet, is the Riders In The Sky, coming August 4. Another treat-of-a-group! Another link will take you to Tony Ramey’s tour schedule, or you can just keep up with that here on SceneInTown.com ‘s Official Texas Music Calendar.

For more concert photos, click here

For link to website, click here: TonyRamey.com

Click here to link to website: The Texan Theater

 

For photos of Shane Owens and John Anderson at their shared gig, The Texan Theater, click here — Taken after this original article was written

Link to the Line-Dance instructions for “Alcohol of Fame“

Both Shane Owens and John Anderson both caused a standing ovation when they introduced Randy Travis, who was in the crowd at their shared March gig at The Texan Theater. Travis was the executive producer of Shane’s new CD, and was obviously an avid fan as he watched both Shane and his old friend, John Anderson. And between sets, John Anderson took a short visit with Randy in the audience, and the two of them actually were seen crying, in ppreciation of one another and because of the length of time since they’d had a chance to visit. A great/classic sight to behold.

And when John called Shane back out for a encore, he showed his admiration for Shane, as well, when he kicked off with “Chicken Truck,” one of the new songs on Shane’s CD.

Original article:

Shane Owens is a winner is the truest sense of the word — a man with values, with a work ethic, with talent, with tenacity. And his music reflects that in every song he sings, whether it be on his CDs or his videos. The Alabama-turned-Nashville country musician is bringing all that and sharing the stage Sunday with classic country icon John Anderson to The Texan Theater in Greenville, Texas. (www.TexanTheaterGreenville.com)

Owens will be bringing his latest CD, Where I’m Comin’ From which features his charted song, “All The Beer In Alabama,” with him. He said he’ll also be ready to exchange handshakes and hugs with absolutely everyone following the concert.

This CD, on AmeriMonte Records which also produced Ray Price’s final CD, “Beauty Is…”, has as one of its executive producers another iconic country artist, Randy Travis. “I am blessed to call him friend,” Owens said. “He great people. I idolized him growing up. And when he heard my voice, I was told he said, ‘Wow, this kid is country as can be. I’d like to get together with him and be a part of this (recording) project.’ Me being traditional country, which I know is the good stuff.”

The title song on Where I’m Comin’ From seems autobiographical of Owens’ own southern upbringing. And the video is filled with scenes from his school, his family, and the countryside he called home.

“I grew up in Alabama, and we ain’t got a lot to do here except peanut and cattle farm. I grew up in

church, and me and my sisters sang there. I listened to my granddad’s country music and fishing and football, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I lettered in football for four years, then broke my arm and decided to try it as a musician.” He said one of his sisters is a twin, born one minute after he was.

Of the music he learned at his grandfather’s knee, of the singing he and his siblings offered up in church, he said, “They are very good singers, but I’m the only one who pursued it. And I’m finally starting to make a little headway.”

Owens does write, a lot, but regarding this CD, he said, “I’ve got some of the best songwriters and people around me like Dan Murph and Phillip Douglas. It means everything to have those people in your corner; and there’s Randy Travis and others in Nashville believing in my songs. We are writing songs that people can relate to, about the everyday events that me and you and everybody goes through. I write songs everybody can relate to and about real life. Even sometimes about tragedies. Tragedies are a part of every day life. All of these songs are written with a lot of heart.”

His next CD project, he said, will have more of his own songs on it, but for this one, he chose “some of the best in Nashville were pitching me great songs, and we didn’t want to waste a one of them.”

One of those values with which Shane remains true — besides not drinking, drugging, getting in trouble with the law (Owens said he’s never even had a traffic ticket.) — is family.
“I eat, breath, and live country music. But I prioritize everything. I am admittingly a family man first. When I am at home, I shut down and spend time with the family. I love taking my boys, my wife, and my dad fishing. My little boy, my smallest child, is like Dennis the Menace — he gets into everything. I get a lot of material (for songs) from the family.

“Things are just right, just the way they are. I’ve been blessed to be brought up the way I was brought up. And I’ve learned the hard way that you’ve got to be yourself. And that’s what’s gonna sell — me being me. Maybe this whole thing is meant to be, and I’ve been through all of this for a reason, and the third time’s the charm.” Owens was referring to the first two Nashville recording projects that got shelved for Nashville reasons and never released. This new one, Where I’m Comin’ From,” is worth the wait.

About Sunday’s show in Greenville, Shane said, “I’ll do some Randy Travis songs.” And as an aside, Shane was one of many appreciative Randy Travis fans who participated in a recent tribute to Randy in Nashville. “And I, like

Randy, like to mix and mingle, I love everybody. I try not to be a stranger and I think that’s another thing that separates me from some of the others. I couldn’t stand to go hear people who wouldn’t visit with their fans. I will, every time. I appreciate the people who feed me. I love to see people happy, and it’s an awesome feeling to be able to help provide some of that happiness.”

After the Greenville concert with John Anderson, which Owens said he’s been grateful to have worked with Anderson several times recently, he’s “re-grouping in Nashville, and then going on radio tour in Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana, where I’ll hug more necks and shake more hands. The single is doing really well, and I want to show everybody how much I appreciate it.”

A pendulum swings both ways, and now it’s swinging back toward real country music, Owens said. “I am so overwhelmed and so blessed to have all these great names in true country standing behind me and I’m bound to do all I can to keep traditional country music.”

The photos from Sunday’s concert will be posted soon afterward and linked in this article. Also, for more information and tour dates, go to www.ShaneOwensCountry.com.

Also, be sure and make your reservation for Sunday’s concert. Tickets to all concerts at The Texan Theater include a 4-course dinner, drinks, tips — everything necessary to spoil you rotten!

Call 24 hours ahead of time, 903-259-6360, or click on the link provided above.

 

Photos by Mary Jane Farmer / Click on the link below for more photos

Austin Allsup, who really needs no further credentials, but can’t help but introduce him as a top contender on the most recent The Voice series and as the son of the famous and late Tommy Allsup, (look Tommy Allsup up if you don’t know him, there’s a music-history story in him alone), played at Greenville’s historic Texan Theater Thursday, Feb. 16. And he brought with him drummer Jeff Howe, and a knocked-out team of bass and electric guitar pickers, Ruben Salazar (Who, incidentally has the best set of sideburns since Elvis!) and Clay Willis.

Austin and the guys played a few of the Buddy Holly and Bob Wills songs as a tribute to his dad, who played with both those bands. It was also the last stage he shared with his dad, who passed away in January of this year. The crowd rocked along with “Don’t Fade Away” as if it were a rock n roll song on the current charts. It’s that classic!

Only once did Austin mention The Voice, when he introduced the Rolling Stones slow serenade, “Wild Horses,” as one that he sang on The Voice. It was again a winner with his fans!  All that while, The Voice’s coach Blake Shelton’s autograph on Allsup’s guitar spoke volumes. “Austin, love your work. Blake Shelton.” Not a bad guy to have on one’s side, eh Austin?

After the concert, which was longer than the today’s-typical 75 or 90 minutes, Austin visited with fans in the lobby, chatting with each one and having his photo made just as often as they wanted. His road manager, handling the merchandise table, said that several years ago, Austin watched a country music longtimer spending such quality time with his fans, even though the longtimer didn’t need to, and it made a powerful and lasting impression on Austin.

Link to Austin Allsup’s Website

Link to more photos

Link to The Texan’s Website

 

 

 

 

 

For all photos, click here:

Joe Ely has been a leader on the Texas and national music scene since the Texas Progressive Country/Redneck Rock days of the 70s, both with his own band and with the Texas Panhandle band known as The Flatlanders. There, he partnered up with two other guys from the Lubbock area, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and together they maintained quite a presence in the changing country music scene.

And with that setting, if you’ve seen Joe lately, or others of that ilk, it’s likely you’ve seen Jeff Plankenhorn on stage with him or them.

Joe Ely can make a song out of just about any image or word set handed to him, and he proved that again at the Texan Theater in Greenville, Texas, Friday night (Jan. 20, 2017). With such originals as his “Me and Billy the Kid,” which he laughed when he explained how he had to change the lyrics a smidgen once he saw a photo of Billy the Kid playing croquet, and with him singing a Guy Clark song, a musical hero of his, it’s a truism that Mr. Ely can, in fact, write hot-dang good songs.

Mr. Plankenhorn is also a songwriting genius, as demonstrated on his release of last year, SoulSlide, which is a powerhouse mix of soul and rock. When at WoodyFest 2016, Jeff was constantly backing up the other artists also on the bill, just as he was there to back of Joe Ely at the Texan Theater, using his own special steel guitar, mandolin, and acoustic guitar.

And it was more than often that Joe was seen looking at Jeff’s licks with amazement and respect.

Upcoming shows at the unique Texan Theater can be found on its Website, TexanTheaterGreenville.com