Category Archives: Other venues

Tyler Rogers Band

George Strait, the early years revisited

Ace in the Hole Band with George Strait Debut at Cheatham Street Warehouse, 10-13-75. Courtesy of Terry Hale.

“Ace In The Hole” debut at Cheatham Street Warehouse, Oct. 13, 1975. Photo courtesy of Terry Hale

By Kent Finlay, Cheatham Street Warehouse owner for more than three dozen years. George Strait is currently on what he calls his “final tour” and it reaches Lubbock on Jan. 18 and Oklahoma City on Jan. 19

October was a mighty important time at Cheatham Street Warehouse, (in San Marcos, Texas) and indeed, in the world of music in general. On October 13, 1975, a new, unknown five-piece band played their first show. They called themselves Ace In The Hole,

Inscription on George Strait CD to Kent Finlay

and the band came to be centered around the vocals of a young fellow named George Strait. That first show was free, and a few dozen folks showed up. That first show turned into a weekly gig for George and the guys, and they played every week at Cheatham, getting better and better with time and practice, and they gradually started getting shows in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and other Texas cities, also.

George made his first trip to Nashville in 1977, We went in the Cheatham Street cargo van. (We still had to go to Nashville back in those days to do music business.) Anyway, George kept on getting more and more attention, and finally Erv Woolsey, who worked at MCA Records, got the powers that were there at the time to take a chance on George — and of course, you know what happened. George Strait and his Ace in the Hole band became the most successful country act in history!

By 1982, they were so busy out there on the road that they were hardly ever home, so the weekly gig at Cheatham Street came to an end, (But then, that was what we were working toward — We love it when one of the acts we are helping gets too big for us).

THANK YOU, GEORGE STRAIT, FOR NOT MAKING A LIAR OUT OF ME . . . YOU ARE MY HERO, AND YOU ARE STILL MAKING ME FEEL PROUD! CONGRATULATIONS! THIS IS OUR 36TH ANNIVERSARY!

AN INTERESTING ASIDE NOTE: George and the Ace in the Hole Band were still playing once a week when Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble started playing every Tuesday in the early 80’s. So for a couple of years we had Stevie Ray and George Strait both playing every week.

MARY JANE’S OWN SIDE NOTE, laughing at myself still for this one: One night during this time, about 1977 more or less, and during my drinking days when I was living in Wimberley, I drove to the Cheatham Street Warehouse to hear Ace In The Hole — like Kent said, it wasn’t even George Strait & Ace In The Hole then… Parked, got out, went inside, and was having fun with the people and the music. Suddenly, the band stopped, and Tommy Foote, then the drummer, had George announce: “Mary Jane, the train has stopped but wants to go on, will you please move your car?” I had parked it on the railroad tracks.

UPDATE: March 2, 2015. The last time Kent and I talked (Feb. 9, 2015), he said he wanted to write another story for Scene In Town, and asked when I was going to trek back to San Marcos. But, he cautioned, “Don’t park on the railroad tracks!” — I loved that man.

Shiner Rising Star KHYI, 2012 Rd 1, Wk 8, 9/13/12

Wow!

Big Gus, with Kerry and Melvis Brooks

That’s the only word that completely describes the three bands who competed in the 8^th and final week of Shiner Rising Star’s Round 1. Mark Shelton & The Greater Good came down from Durant to Smitty’s Bar & Grill in Denison, Adrian Johnson Band drove up from Dallas, and 121 North came all the way from McKinney, back to Grayson County, their county of their roots. Judges this week were KHYI radio personality and songwriter himself, Big Gus Samuelson, Chance Cody, leader of the Spur 503 band, and Texas musician Ed Burleson.

At the end of the contest, 121 North emerged as the week’s victor, although it wasn’t until that was announced on KHYI’s morning show Friday. 121 North will be moving into Round 2.

Shiner Rising Star is a contest that began after sponsoring entities Shiner Beer, Shiner Records, and KHYI narrowed the field of bands from the hundreds who applied to 24 to compete in Round 1. Of those, eight are moving into Round 2.

The bands are competing for the top prize of a recording contract with Shiner Records and several other career-building prizes.

Shelton and his band hit the Smitty’s stage first. After working with the DB Sound crew until every band member was fully hooked up, Shelton asked the crowd, “Can you hear us now?” and kicked the contest into high gear.

David Mathews, KHYI, setting up

Joining Shelton, who had the lead vocals honors, was Matt Hinchey on electric guitar, Eric Grider on bass, and Kyle Walker on drums.

In keeping with the contest, each band is critiqued by the judges following their sets. Big Gus opened it for The Greater Good by, first, thanking Smitty’s for its gracious hosting. Directly to the band, he said that it showed they had rehearsed, and for its great crowd reaction tot heir music. “Awesome vocals, everything was right there, good guitar tone.” On the critical side, Big Gus spoke to the songwriting, saying he believed the songwriter could “make the hook line in your songs a little bit stronger. The songs are good, I’m not critizing them, but a bit of a stronger hook line, to get the people singing along.”

Burleson agreed, saying there was a poet among the band, and the songs’ production was great, but suggested they “slow it down a bit.”

Chance Cody also complimented the band’s overall appearance.

For Mark Shelton & The Greater Good photos, click here

The Adrian Johnston Band opened with their original “Just Another Blond,” rememberable because Adrian is a blond herself. This was a 6-piece group, and probably the most relaxed on stage, seeming as if they weren’t there for a contest, but were there for the crowd and the music.

Joining Adrian on stage were Doran Deshazo and Josh Goode on guitars, David Deshazo on bass, Philip Bradleyon

Chance Cody, Anita, and List Hooks (KHYI)

drums, and Mindy Bell on background vocals. Several of them also helped out on vocals.

Big Gus opened the critique by complimenting their appearance, “You dressed as a professional group.” He was also fond of the rhythem duo of Bradley and David Deshazo, calling them a “really solid professional good job.”

Burleson commented on the harmonies, calling them “great.”

Cody’s comments centered on the three-part harmonies and the tightness of the arrangements.

For Adrian Johnston Band photos, click here

Next up, 121 North, who performed many of the songs from their current CD, and accented that with a Jason Aldean cover song, “”My Kinda Party.” This band consists of Wade Kilgore and Justin Till alternating and leads and complementing each other on vocals, Max O’Neil and Johnny Pope way back there on drums.

Big Gus liked the voices, harmonies, and rhythm section. “It was great, there were no problems.”

Burleson opened his portion of the critique by telling Till, “You got soul, cowboy.”

Cody, who for years was KHYI’s program director, told 121 North “You are definitely a Range band, and I think that is what this whole thing (contest) is about.” Cody did mention that the guitars were, at times, not in tune, but then ended on the upnote, “You are a really tight band, with good presentation and vocals.”

For 121 North photos, click here

This Thursday night is an bye-week, giving, especially, the KHYI production crew a break. It begins again with Round 2 on Sept. 27, the place and contestants being announced.