Randy Brown’s
mud boots

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer, and while you’re here on Scene In Town, always check out the Official Texas Music Calendar.

You know, one of the best things, imperative even, to pack up is your sportsmanship when going to a music festival. Wednesday proved that to the countless throngs that came and that stayed in spite of the also countless rain and thunderstorms that drenched Melody Mountain Ranch.

And for those of you just now catching up, it was Day 3, Wednesday, of Larry Joe Taylor’s Texas Music Fest that brought the crowd — and the thunder and rain. LJT the Rainmaker we can call him now,

Mud boots, put to good use Wednesday!

borrowing a moniker from (the late) Rod (Kennedy) the Rainmaker of the Kerrville Festivals.

And my sense of humor is challenged today. One of my cameras is missing (bet it shows up somewhere, maybe in some lost-and-found), and that’s a loss, but it also contained most of the photographs I took… my personal challenge was the rain boots all around. Got pix of dozens of them, but no more. Well, maybe Randy Brown’s galoshes, which I had uploaded to free the disc up.

Brown opens up the T-Birds Garage Pub stage each Bloody Mary Morning. He can and will either sing the whole couple of hours, or turn it into an open mic. Yesterday, Tyler Rogers and Justin Ross both stepped up to that open mic and each gave the audience (indoor audience that is!) their best.

And Wednesday started the afternoon line-up with two stages being active at the same time. The T-Birds stage along with the Allsups stage, both giving protection from the rain!

After Brown finished, and kept the crowd completely engrossed in his voice and his choice of songs. Cole Risner and his band followed, and then it was Tanner Fenoglio and Giovannie & The Hired Guns on that stage. Meanwhile, over on the Allsups stage, there was The Coalition, which consists of Deryl Dodd, Larry Joe Taylor, and Dave Perez. Following him was Max and Heather Stalling and their band of such renown.

Oh, boy, by then the rains were giving the grounds enough moisture to make that Melody Mountain Ranch grass grow all summer, at least it seemed that way. Adam Hood delivered an impressive concert, swagger included. Then it was Shotgun Rider and Shane Smith & The Saints, frankly sounding very much alike.

Justin Ross on the Bloody Mary Morning stage

Casey Donahew and his band always swagger, and finally Turnpike Troubadours. Oh, my, such a mixture of sad drinking songs, but delivered with joy galore.

Now, just so you know, and in case you are still considering making the trek to Stephenville — which is almost in the center of Texas, so it’s not a long trek— the sun is out this Thursday and there is the promise of no more rain — according to every cell-phone source of weather. And there’s still tickets for the taking. Online at LarryJoeTaylor.com.

Deryl Dodd

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer

Well, the folks are coming, moving on down the road and arriving at the Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival. Day two also brought rain, along with Texas music fans, and most of them didn’t even seem to mind. This reporter, however, ducked back into Hippie Van right after Deryl Dodd & his Homesick Cowboys. The sound here from the Bud Light stage is so unlimited that I was able to hear Wade Bowen’s and Pat Green’s sets flawlessly.

It all started off with Randy Brown — and every day will start with Randy Brown hosting the Bloody Mary Mornings inside the T-Birds Garage Bar. He’s happy when other musicians step up to the mic, but Tuesday morning, Randy carried it all off himself.

Color Guard

Over on the Bud Light stage, Larry Joe, Deryl and Dave Perez, aka The Coalition, sang the Star Spangled Banner as a military unit presented the American and Texas flags. The wind made them even more spectacular, if it’s at all possible for those flags to be even more heartwarming!

And then time for Double D, with Steve, Andrew and Kerry to take the stage. DD never fails to bring out the best of feelings, joy, enthusiasm, even sadness when he plays the seldom-heart sad song.

Wednesday, both the Allsups’ and the T-Birds’ stages kick off at the same time. There’s a finely built wall to keep the sounds separate during the back-to-back concerts. It works… sometimes just barely, but it works.

And then on the Bud Light (main) stage, there will be Adam Hood, Casey Donahew band, and Turnpike Troubadours along with several others.

Still tickets left. Buy them online or at the gate.

Josh Grider

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer

It’s the 31st year for Larry Joe Taylor’s Texas Music Festival. Patrons, along with merchandise and food vendors, are setting up in just about every nook and cranny of Melody Mountain Ranch (Stephenville), sound crews are setting up on both the Allsups Stage, which is basically a solo/duo stage, and on the Bud Light main stage. Performers used the T-Birds Garage Pub stage Monday night, along with that tiny spot behind the bar.  Hard to see, but easy to hear that solo performer.

Monday night, it was Buck Fuffalo who sat in that behind-the-bar seat, playing a solo set for almost two hours, while inside the T-Birds stage area, Six Market Blvd, with its roots in Stephenville, worked with the sound crew to get it all right. The five-piece group closed out the night, following Josh Grider and his three-piece group.

Buck Fuffalo

Josh was his usual remarkable self, belting out his remarkable songs.

“I’ve got a pocket full of songs to play for you, and when we’re done, Six Market Blvd has a pocket full of songs to play for you, too,” he opened by saying. And he thanked The Ranch, 95.9, Fort Worth’s radio station for following him for so many years.

Grider played many of his well-known songs, his band behind him all the way. He has a dumbfoundingly great guitarist, stand-up/doghouse bass picker who plays on without ceasing, and a drummer who can kick it up or lay it down—whatever the song needs. Grider’s songs that have made it onto several charts include “One Night Taco Stand,” he said he co-wrote—to begin with— so he could go get something to eat. There’s the one that makes anyone who has lived in a small town remember those days —

Six Market Blvd (some of them)

“Smallest Town on Earth.” Other now-standards, “You Dream I’ll Drive,” “Good People,” and just don’t forget, ever, “Summer and Sixteen.”

Tuesday begins here about 3 pm, back in the T-Birds bar, with Randy Brown at the helm… and speaking of helm, Randy will have Steve Helms with him on one of the upcoming Bloody Mary Mornings. Then, it’ll all pass by the Allsups Stage, today only, and move straight on to the Bud Light stage. LJT always starts that off with presentation of the flags. On tap (pun intended) are LJT and his friends, Deryl Dodd, Wade Bowen, and yes, closing it down will be Pat Green.

One bittersweet surprise was the new remembrance wall back of the Allsups Stage, with large photos of those who have passed away since playing Texas Music Festival. The two that hit this music-lover were Guy Clark and Chuck Pyle. I had known Chuck longer than any other musicians of his stature… since 1974, when he played The Iron Tender in El Paso. And Guy Clark played Kerrville Folk Festivals so many times, when I was there as assistant to producer Rod Kennedy, I can’t count any longer. Plus he took me on a tour of his writing station when I visited Nashville in 1987. Such a kind person, both of them were. Kind and sweet. I’ll share some more photos throughout this week.

There’s still room for more folks here at Melody Mountain Ranch. Pack up a tent or your travel trailer, or like me, just get clean sheets for the Hippie Van, and come on.

Josh Grider

Bass Player with Josh Grider

Mr. Guitar Man, plays with Josh Grider