Category Archives: 2013

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2013 Rd 1 Wk 6

Allan Peck, Tip Jones, Amber Ferris

Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer. Go to the links at the end of this story for more photos.

They came from Waco, Waxahatchie, and points in the Dallas area, and each of the three bands brought with them fans, talent, and excitement.

Shiner Rising Star’s Round 1 Week 6 saw The Calamity Janes (Waxahachie), Doc Mojoe (Waco), and Jeremy Powers (Dallas) taking turns on the Southern Junction (Rockwall) stage. Judges Tip Jones (Overdrive Entertainment), Allan Peck (KHYI), and Amber Ferris (Somebody’s Darling) stayed enthralled with the different performances, commenting on their various choices of cover songs and their own talents as songwriters.

In the end, it was announced that The Calamity Janes would be moving into Round 2. In Round 2, the eight bands who will have been selected to stay in the yearly contest, will try again, this time to be one of the four finalists in Round 3.

“Each band has 30 minutes from the time they talk through that back (stage) door until they walk back out through that same door,” Peck told the crowd.

The Calamity Janes were ready for the night, even to steaming their stage dresses in the green room before the show. This was a 7-piece band, with the sister trio of Arwyn Benson, County Childs-Mock, and Alyssa Covington taking turns on lead vocals and harmonies, plus four backup musicians. They opened with their required cover song, Hank The Third’s “Straight to Hell,” then delved into their own compositions and arrangements. One unique action on their part, spontaneous in feel, was a gift to a young girl who had been on the dance floor.

At the end of each set, the judges offer their critiques of the bands’ work. Ferris began that complimenting the band on “pushing through” the initial sound glitches. “That means you are pro. The songs were really good, just tighten it up. You have a good sound.”

Jones said, “I have to say I did enjoy it, I’m a huge fan of sibling harmonies, and also bluegrass. You have great enough voices that will carry a whole show. Loved the cover, right off the bat. There’s not something you’d expect, three chicks pulling out a Hank the Third.”
Peck’s response was, “Your harmony is something that is God given. It can’t be manufactured or learned. Your last song was excellent, it really struck a chord with me.”

Jeremy Powers and his band stepped up next, immediately drawing audience eye with the alto sax and soprano sax that appeared on stage. He opened with “here we go…” and kicked it all off. Judges were particularly fond of his song about Starbucks, and dancers (people go to Southern Junction to dance and for the steaks), filled the dance floor to this band’s music. They chose to rock the Rodney Crowell/Emmylou Harris/Waylon Jennings song “Ain’t Living Long Like This,” as their cover. The band had good stage presence and Powers’ voice is, well… powerful.

Jones opened the critique, complimenting the sax. “The cool thing about Texas music is you can include that in any band.” He said the band had a little “Dave Matthews Band thing going on.”

Ferris said, “I wish I could keep on listening to you. The Starbucks was a very good song, very marketable.” She, too, said she loved the sax.

Peck was also complimentary, saying, “You guys have guts, the very idea in 2013… stand up on a stage, in public, and in front of everybody, and playing a waltz. Yea! That was good.” The band had shades of Ernest Tubb to it, he recalled.

Doc Mojoe, hailing from Waco, consisted of more acoustic musicians than electric, and played more Americana, folky songs that C&W or Texas country. Their cover was by The Carpenters, also a surprise selection for the judges.

Their best song, according to the judges later on, was a song about springs under the Gruene Hall dance floor. They remembered to thank Shiner Beer (a sponsor of the contest, Southern Junction, and KHYI.

Peck’s critique came first. He said the “Springs stands out in my ear.” He offered one critique, as hopefully helpful, saying, “I had to bring you down on stage showmanship. Turning around with your back to the audience is a no no, if I paid a cover charge at the door, I wouldn’t want to see your back side.”

Jones’ comments were that he loved the Texas toe-tapper, the mandolin, and the feel of old-school bluegrass bands. On the cover song, “You did a great job.”

Ferris concluded this final critique by saying, “You looked like you were having fun on stage. Good job.”

This upcoming week will see the bands Grand Ol’ Grizzly, Blacktop Mojo, and Matt Bradshaw competing and entertaining at Smitty’s Bar & Grill in Denison. Music starts at 8 p.m., and there’s never a cover charge for these shows.

For Jeremy Powers Band photos, click here

For Doc Mojoe photos, click here

For The Calamity Janes photos, click here

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2013 Rd 1, Wk 5

The Bodarks

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer — for more photos, click on the links at the bottom

It was hard core country meets hard core string band Thursday night as Swift Justice and The Bodarks battled it out to move on into Round 2 of the 2013 Shiner Rising Star. When the announcement came in, it was learned that judges picked The Bodarks, of Frisco, to make that move forward.

Thursday night’s show was at Branson Rock in downtown Keller, and judges this week were Dawn Gartin, AMP, and artist Matt Caldwell with one vote between them, Kona Guitars’ rep. Mark Jabbon, and KHYI’s Chuck Taylor.

There were two things that, in spite of their different genres, the bands had in common, and that was a mutual respect for one another and a knack for using the stage to best advantage, to entertain as well as play music.

Because the third band, Quiet Morning & The Calamity from the Houston area, had to opt out at the last minute, contest officials gave the two bands 45 minutes on stage instead of the usual 30 minutes. They each had to perform mostly their own original compositions with one required cover tucked in there somewhere.

The Bodarks took the stage first. This band is Jeffrey Brooks on banjo and guitar; Jason Bell on mandolin and a side-by-side washboard combination for percussion; Brian Kelleher on stand-up bass; and Shelly Duell on fiddle. This 4-part string band brought their A-game and included in that were their collective and individual personalities. Their cover was the Queen 1980-ish song, “Fat Bottomed Girls.” Fiddler Duel, toward the end, stepped, or rather jumped off the 4-foot high stage, and played her fiddle up-close-and-personal for the judges’ to enjoy.

After each band’s set, the judges critique them, offering words of encouragement and development. Jarmon started, saying simply, “All you guys sounded real good, I enjoyed it.” Caldwell spoke, saying, “The Americana thing, I get it.” Then, Gardin encouraged the band to consider more than way they dressed, for a cohesive presentation. Taylor closed out the critique saying presentation, that kind of uniform look, separates a band from just being a bar band. He also commented on how well they got over the technical difficulties that held the start of their 45-minutes. Of their cover, Taylor commented, “Kevin Fowler, eat your heart out.”

Swift Justice chose a Thin Lizzy song as their cover, which also pleased the judges. This 5-piece group is John Wurts and David

Swift Justice

Simpson on lead guitars, Scott Jones on vocals, David Knox on drums, and Steve Oldridge on bass. These men were, except of course for Oldridge and Knox, all over the stage, interacting with one another and with their audience. They pulled dancers onto the floor, and kept the music moving with little interruption at all.

Jarmon critiqued them saying it was a full-sounding band, and that he was expecting some country out of them, but there was some rock in there too, a surprise sound. He especially noticed, he said, the musicianship from the guitarists and pointing to Wurts, he said, “You are awesome, man.” He suggested that they work on their lead vocals “just a little bit.”

Caldwell started out his critique saying, “I’m clearly the Simon Cowell here…” Then he critiqued the songwriting, “I am a staff writer in Nashville and know that you try to write songs that are different. It is imperative to find a hook that has never been written.” One of which he commented on was a song with “blue eyes of Texas” as a hook. “That’s very much like Restless Heart’s ‘Bluest Eyes in Texas,’ written by my boss in Nashville, Tim Dubois. That all being said, the band, the guitars, you are great at that. It’s a total package. I’ve just got to be hard on the sound writing, because in Texas, from Walt (Wilkins) to RWH (Ray Wylie Hubbard), they are all so original. It’s imperative we stand out in songwriting.”

Taylor commented, “What is coming out of Nashville is cookie cutter and we have got to stand as far away from that.” He added that the rock part of the band’s style is something “the band probably needs to hear toward. The Texas music scene is open to everything.”

The Bodarks now join Lauren Alexander, Buffalo Ruckus (whose lead singer, BTW, has not missed being in the crowd of a single Shiner Rising Star show yet), Green Light Pistol, and Cody Joe Hodges moving into Round 2.

There’s three more weeks and nine more bands in Round 1: Sept. 5, Southern Junction in Rockwall with Jeremy Powers, Doc Mojoe, and Calamity Janes bands on stage; Sept. 12 at Smitty’s Bar & Grill in Denison with Grand Old Grizzly, Blacktop Mojo, and Matt Bradshaw vying; and Sept. 19 at City Tavern in downtown Dallas, with Scott Dean, Stone Rosevelt, and Mike Stanley Band stepping up to the judges.

And that night, KHYI’s personality, Big Gus Samuelson will play after the show with his band, Swampadelic.

For more Swift Justice photos, click here:

For more The Bodarks photos, click here:

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2013, Rd 1 Wk 4

Cody Joe Hodges

Stories and photos by Mary Jane Farmer — Click on the links at the end for all the photos

The covers were each unique to the three bands that put down some amazing sets at the Shiner Rising Star’s Round 1, Week 4 contest Thursdy (Aug. 22), held at the Grapevine Love & War in Texas’ venue.

Competing were Sean Russell, Cody Joe Hodges, and Ellee Morris, and when the announcement came Friday morning on KHYI, it was revealed that Cody Joe Hodges and his band would be moving on into Round Two.

Judges for the week were KHYI’s Chuck Taylor, L&W co-owner Ty Phelps, and AMP artists promotions company’s Dawn Gardin.

Shiner Rising Star is sponsored each year — and this is the 10^th anniversary of the contest that provides one band with a recording contract — by Shiner Records, Shiner Beer, and Americana radio station KHYI, 95.3. The winning band also takes home more prizes, including new band equipment from KONO Guitars.

Sean Russell open the night up, and his cover (each band is required to perform one cover song along with all their own original songs), was a Ryan Bingham song. Judges, at critique time, complimented the band, saying they had good harmonies, sounded like Neil Young, overall a tight band, but one that could look at using bridges more often and work to bring a larger crowd to support them.

Cody Joe Hodges band followed, throwing in “The House of the Rising Sun” as their cover song. Cody Joe said he didn’t grow up around that sort of folky, swamp blues, but has learned to love it from being around others in his band. At critique time, the judges stressed that he seems to know the importance of a hook, that they liked the fiddle in the band and that Hodges does his own lead guitar work, and that it appeared that, even though they came the farthest distance for the contest, they brought the largest crowd.

Ellee Morris

Ellee Morris brought only one musician, a bass player, to the stage with her, and she played guitar and kick drum. Her cover was one of the many songs featured on the television series, “Nashville.” That impressed the judges, with one of them a little less favorably by calling it a “coffeehouse” style song.

Another thing the three bands had in common was that all three quit with an average of 9.5 minutes left in their respective sets.

For Sean Russell Band pix, click here:

For Ellee Morris pix, click here:

For Cody Joe Hodges Band pix, click here:

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2013, Rd 1 Wk 3

Deryl Dodd and Tip Jones

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer — Links to the photos are at the bottom of this story.

As witnessed in weeks before, Shiner Rising Star bands come in all sizes and all genders. Thursday night’s competition at Coach Joe’s Hat Tricks in Lewisville was no different.

Green Light Pistol, a 6-piece group made up of five siblings, (four girls and a guy) and one boyfriend challenged the 4-piece Hard Country, all men and two of them brothers, and last up was the female-led Shannon Rose & The Whiskey Rebellion.

There were also doghouse and electric basses, acoustic and electric guitars, kick drums, regular drum kit players, and other types of percussions; keyboards; mouth harps; fiddles and mandolins; hhmm, maybe some other types of instruments to boot.

So, with all that mix, judges Deryl Dodd, Tip Jones, and Chuck Taylor basically had their hands full trying to figure out who should move on. When the scores were added up, they had decided, collectively, that Green Light Pistol will go into Round 2.

Green Light Pistols picked as their one required cover, “Some Nights” by the award-winning band Fun! They actually segued into it from one of their originals.

Each band has 30 minutes in which to set up, perform, and clear the stage, and it is volunteer Anita Wagoner who acts as timer, notifying the bands when they have reached the 10-minutes- and 5-minutes-remaining marks, and then checks the stage to be sure the bands have cleared it completely. Wagoner also, this week, helped DB Sound’s David Tarvin move in and set up all the sound equipment that he provides each year for the contest.

Green Light Pistol brought a bevy of fans, many of whom helped them depart the stage.

Once the 30-minute time frame is up, each band receives a critique from the judges. Dodd, who had also been a judge in a Fort Worth club’s band contest earlier this year which Green Light Pistol has won, remembered them, saying, “You are getting even better. You know what you are doing, You have heart and soul, great passion.” Jones said he agreed with ‘Double D,’ that the band offers “something different. I love ‘different’ and it’s so cool to see a mandolin and a fiddle and an upright bass.” Jones spoke about one original, saying, :What makes a great song is that when you hear it, you think you have heard it before.” Taylor commented that Green Light Pistol, as the best band up in this week’s contest, “set the bar high.”

Hard Country at critique

Hard Country is a more traditional Texas country/rockin’ band, with Bryan Adam Joyner on guitar and lead vocals, his brother John Joyner on drums, and Greg Deans and Eric Tamblyn on guitar and bass, respectively. Deans also provides some vocals. Joyner delivered some powerhouse vocals on their original songs, most of which either he or he and John wrote, and Deans’ guitar licks jingled Hat Tricks’ windows. Their cover was also tradition, the Merle Haggard hit, “Mama Tried.”

Critique time: DD said the band “sounded good,” and specifically spoke to Deans’ guitar talent. Jones, with Overdrive Entertainment, said Hard Country’s songs were fun, but without many surprises. “You were a little predictable, but definitely a band with great tunes.” Taylor said he “gotta be honest… the harmonies were a little off key and that happens. One thing you want to keep in mind… it’s a Shiner (sponsored) Rising Star and we don’t want (other drinks) on the stage.” He concluded by wishing Hard Country good luck.

Shannon Rose

Shannon Rose & Whiskey Rebellion closed out the night’s contest, Shannon Rose plays guitar and was joined on stage by musicians on drums, lead guitar, and electric bass. Her interaction with the band members was fun to watch and always delivered with respect and admiration for their respective talents. Her voice blended her influences into a mix of southern rock, blues, country, with a little bit of a folky sound.

DD was one judge who appreciated them, saying, “You got the crowd into it, it was definitely honky tonk time, with a rock n roll mix.” Jones was a fan, saying, “You did a great job. I’m a blues lover at heart and you brought blues with you with a passion in your voice.” He also commented that the lead guitar player, which “Has to do a lot of everything,” has a really good sound. I’m a big fan of unique and you are unique,” Taylor commented that Shannon Rose’s voice “has a Jefferson Airplay quality to it.”

The Hat Tricks venue was packed with band fans, and it appears that The Shannon Rose band seemed to have brought many of those with them.

This next week (Thursday, Aug. 22, Round 1, Week 4) will have Sean Russell challenging Ellee Morriss and Cody Joe Hodges, at Love & War in Texas, Grapevine. Music starts at 8 p.m., and there’s never a cover charge.

Shiner Rising Star is in its 10th year now, and sponsored by Shiner Records, Shiner Beer, and radio station KHYI, 95.3. Bands are vying for a recording contract and other prizes.

For Green Light Pistol photos, click here

For Hard Country photos, click here

For Shannon Rose &Whiskey Rebellion photos, click here

Shiner Rising Star, KHYI, 2013, Rd 1 Wk 2

Buffalo Ruckus, at critique time

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer

Three dynamite bands (to borrow from one of the bands’ name) gave the Shiner Rising Star judges reason to pay close attention before marking down scores. It was Round 1 Week 2 of the 2013 Shiner Rising Star competition, Thursday (Aug. 8) at Dodie’s Place in Frisco, and it followed the Thursday night “Lone Star Legends” KHYI radio show hosted by Brett Dillon and Donnie Nelson. Those two remained as judges and were joined by singer-songwriter Ronnie Fauss.

Fishing with Dynamite, The Matt Nix Band, and Buffalo Ruckus were those three bands, in that order on stage. They each had 30 minutes to get on stage, plug in and tune up, perform their songs, and leave the stage exactly as they found it. And each had to perform original songs, plus one cover song of their choosing.

Fishing With Dynamite, a trio, received quite a bit of judges’ admiration. Fauss said, “If you were playing down the street from me on a Saturday night, I’d go see you.”

Nelson spent quite a bit more time talking with each band during critique time, and extracted from Fishing With Dynamite that one of his favorites, ‘Blue,’ was the very first song they wrote, and that they were inspired, in part, by Gram Parsons. “Your energy is off the hook,” Nelson said. “You did Rockwall proud tonight.”

The Matt Nix Band put twice as many musicians on stage, except that the bass player, having the usual instrumentations of bass, drums,

Matt Nix

acoustic and electric guitars, and also a fiddler and a backup singer. The bass player wandered out into the room for a little closer contact with the fans.

Dillon had Nix, a high school coach and teacher, introduce the other coaches in the band, and then that there were some others in Dodie’s Place, also.

Nix covered the Mel McDaniel’s song, Louisiana Saturday Night, a good choice for Dodie’s Place, which serves Cajun food. Dillon commented that his being a teach could account for his great songwriting.

Fauss said, during critique, that he loved “the asthetics of what was going on… an electric guitar and fiddle combination,” and added, “You were having fun, and when the band is having fun, that’s good for the people out front.”

Nelson started out by asking about ‘Summertime.’ Nix said they wrote that in January, “when we had some down time, as a tribute to the students we teach every day.”

Nelson summed up the Matt Nix Band’s music as “funability.”

Buffalo Ruckus played last, four members with the lead guitar switching off onto mandolin. They covered an Allman Brothers song.

Dillon asked about the band and was told the concept came together in February before the lead singer arrived in Texas, which was in April. They had their first band practice two weeks prior to the contest, and their first public gig the week before. Dillon responded by saying, “You guys played like you had been together for (a while.) I’m very impressed, and with your funkability.”

Fauss continued the easy dialogue between bands and judges when he asked “How you write those songs?” The response, “Pen and paper, usually. “

Nelson asked how they picked their style and was told, “We could do any genre, any style, and if people don’t like us, well, that’s great, too.”

“You came out of the gate like a house on fire, and you didn’t stop,” Nelson commented.

The winning band is always announced the following Friday morning, at 9 a.m., on KHYI, 95.3. This week, it was Buffalo Ruckus who will be moving on into Round Two.

Next Thursday (Aug. 15), the contest continues at Hat Tricks in Lewisville, with Green Light Pistol, Hard Country, and Shannon Rose & The Whiskey Rebellion competing. Music kicks off at 8 p.m., and there’s never a cover charge to be in the crowd.

For Buffalo Ruckus pix, click here

For Matt Dunn Band pix, click here

For Fishing With Dynamite pix, click here

For a few other photos, click here