Photos and short review by Mary Jane Farmer Go to the end of this and click on the link for photos of all performers.
Speaking of great music — what a day of great music Sunday (Jan. 13, 2013) which was the end of Round Two of the Rusty Wier songwriting contest.
Seven incredible songwriters and musicians hit the Love & War outdoor stage, aka (affectionately known as) “The Rusty Wier Pavillion.” These were: Blake Burrow, Byron Dowd, Phil Wallace, Erica Perry, Tyler Rogers, Big John Mills, and Whitney O’Neil , and these seven were competing not only against each other, but also against those who vyed the previous two weeks. Total scores took those musicians into Round Three.
Round Three, instead of the 14 people expected, will now see 16 musicians, or eight each Sunday, Jan. 20 and 27. But before telling who those are, here’s a recap of what this past Sunday’s musicians brought to the mic.
Blake Burrow’s songs were about strength and hope (“making memories,” “a gypsy at heart… travelling long.,”) plus one about what he realizes on those days when he looks around and sees God’s work.
Byron Dowd wrote a pretty powerful song called “Footsteps” about the people in Arizona and New Mexico, among his other originals. He also commented about what an honor it is to him to “Be a part of this (contest) in his (Rusty Wier’s) name.”
Phil Wallace displayed a sense of humor on stage, explaining that he got his guitar at Sears, and “that’s why it’s being held together with duct tape.” Perhaps his heaviest song was about a bartender he met years who had been beat up one night, and he created a story set to music about that.
Erica Perry’s four-song set included one she said she wrote for her husband, before they were married, asking if he could be comfortable with a “Honky Tonk Wife,” and another she had only finished the night before. “Deep down you know she’s screaming inside.”
Tyler Rogers, a prolific songwriter, too, sang, with emotion in his voice, about homemade wine and another he wrote, prefacing it with “You can’t write a song in Texas without it being about killing people and going to jail.”
Big John Mills also displayed a sense of humor, talking about Rusty and “He’s the reason I quit drinking.” His most serious song was about his sister, whom he lost years earlier, “Somebody took my sunshine away,” then went back to humor with the hook line, “I got the dog, he got you.”
Lastly, Whitney O’Neil’s powerful voice delivered her cleverly penned “Six Strings Attached,” and another about Johnny and June (Cash), and thanked the dancers who got out on the floor during her set.
ROUND THREE
Round Three holds two weeks of music, followed by the final round, all at Love & War in Plano, beginning at 4 p.m. the next three Sundays. Because there are eight musicians each week, instead of the usual seven in the past rounds, musicians will get three songs each, all originals.
Jan. 20 — Those moving on this week are: Big John Mills, Erica Perry, Greg Schroeder, Grady Yates, Chad Purdom, David Byboth, Scott Copeland, and Town Walsh.
Jan. 27 — Those moving on this week are: Mark Shelton, Whitney O’Neil, Phil Wallace, Jake Bays, Tyler Rogers, Byron Dowd, Heath Webb, and Matt Dunn.
Feb. 3 — This will be the final round, and here each musician must perform one Rusty Wier song along with their originals.
Musicians are competing for a new Kono guitar, an on-air interview with KHYI personality Brett Dillon (also the organizer and judge along with Chip Campbell), a pair of season tickets for 2013 Shiner Sunday concerts at Love & War in Plano, and a few other perks.