First printed in the Sherman Herald Democrat, 1/2/11 issue.

BY MARY JANE FARMER

Texoma rocks! And it country-es, and blues-es, and acoustic-es, and bluegrass-es! In 2010, music lovers farther away from the Red River learned this fact, as more of the Oklahoma and Metroplex venues, music festivals, and radio stations provided new ears to our Texoma ear candy.

Of course, there were some incredible acts that came into the area, too, and those just complimented what is already here. It boils down to this: When you’ve got it, you’ve got it, and Texoma’s got it!

I put the question, “What was the best thing that happened to Texoma music in 2010?” out this week to a number of fans, and there were almost as many answers as there were fans. Some are combined here for this music scene reporter’s awards.

Ernie (unknown last name) might have summed it up best: “It is a difficult question. Local musicians have had more play on radio, there’s been some new venues opened up for music, and local bands have gotten stronger, have taken major steps up and out into other areas.”

And Scene In Town’s Mark Bickham, whose photographs have graced several CDs, said, “Just the fact that more local music from right here in our little corner of the world is making it out to the rest of the world, that’s so cool.”

Award-wise, the year was unquestionably dominated by blues artists. Kirby Kelley took home the national title, “King of the Blues” in California. Just this week we learned that Jason Elmore’s first-ever CD “Upside Your Head” took top Blues Underground Network honors as best blues CD for 2010. Others on the Top-10 list included other projects from the U.S.A. and from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European country of Estonia. Blues Underground Network said unashamedly that Elmore’s was “by far the best blues rock album to be released in years, and the fact that this is a debut release makes that all the more amazing.”

Other 2010 CD releases also received a lot of airplay, including Dustin Perkins’ “Greener Pastures” off his debut CD, “I Wrote You A Song;” and several from Robby White & the Tejas Gringos’ “Backroad Therapy.”

Merrol Ray’s “Stanley,” released in early 2010, is filled with potential hits and it’s “Dancing Hard” was the most requested song on several radio stations for quite a while. Deryl Dodd hit the end-of-year top 50 Texas Music Awards chart with two songs, “Death, Taxes, and Texas,” and “Back To The Honky Tonk.” Dodd, like Johnny Cooper who’s “Crazy” made it into the top 50 Texas chart, is not from Texoma, but is a regular and a favorite in this area. Miles Penhall’s debut CD “Shelter” is a keeper, and Shawn Fussell reprinted copies of the one he cut in Austin in 2009. Freddie Lee Spears’ “Life’s A Peach,” released in February or March, is the kind that, if it’s not part of your collection, can still be. He’s around Texoma a lot.

The best long-distance, non-Texoma, actually-Nashville CD of the year award, from me, goes to The Grascals for their new Cracker Barrel release “Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin.” I’ll tell you more about this one next week, because I’m still listening to it, and it’s not even released yet. But look for it in early January; it’s a winner. It could possibly even take the same award in 2011, it’s that good.

Several area venues went under new ownership this year, and with that they took on new personalities. It was a disappointment when the Drunken Mule shut down only several months after opening, but during its time, it brought in some of the top names in the Texas music industry: Brandon Jenkins, Rodney Parker, Kevin Fowler, and the ilk. The good news is that the building on Texoma Parkway is now open again under new ownership, called T-Birds, and had it’s first music New Year’s Eve when Double Zero hit the stage. Also re-opening a defunct bar is the One-Eyed Jack Saloon in Whitewright, which hosts acoustic music on Thursdays and bands on Saturdays.

Changing hands, and sometimes names, were Hubcaps now The Texas Bull, Big Slick’s, Susie Q’s now Shady’s Icehouse, Breaktime, Shooter’s, Dorothy’s now the Bumper Club.

Some fans who answered my “difficult” question said they were glad for the many new acoustic music — another word for solo or duo or unplugged — and jam sessions and open mics and song-swaps. ShedStock, a monthly concert held in Bobby Ritchie’s reconverted garage, with limited seating, took the top spot in that category. Ritchie brings in songwriters, like Zane Williams and Shawn Fussell, to perform on a stage about one foot off the floor, to an audience of about 25 or 30 dedicated listeners. The Thursday night Fred Spears & Friends at Loose Wheels Texas in Denison also rank up high with fans, and Fred’s Monday night open mics at the Eagle’s Lodge tied with the long-running country jam session every Wednesday at the Bumper Club.

Venues consistently continuing to bring in the best mix of local and regional talent are Loose Wheels Texas and T-Bones Bar & Grill in Denison, Hank’s Texas Grill in McKinney, and the Drunken Mule in Commerce. But in that mix, one can’t forget the Tuesday nights at the Cadillac Pizza Pub (McKinney) with its stream of incredible songwriters. Breaktime has to be commended for continually providing incredible rock and blues, amongst other genres. And those guys out at The Point at Grandpappy Point have had some one-of-a-kind concerts including Stoney LaRue, Brandon Jenkins, Josh Abbott, and topped off with the local Dustin Perkins Band.

From all the festivals mentioned by fans, the one selected as the best local production was the Ida Road Honky Tonk Festival, held the weekend after July 4 each year, and which was nicknamed “MudFest” last year because of the continual rain that streamed down incessantly throughout it. You’ve never seen so many stylish galoshes in one place, and, yet, no one went home. The festival features entirely local talent except for the final act each year, which for the past two years has been Jarrod Birmingham and his band.

Cassidy Gonzales said about the Honky Tonk Fest, “It’s a place where we can take our children and know they will be safe and have fun. They love music, too, and we can’t take them most places.”

Here are some other responses to the “difficult” question.

* Brent Frailicks said he enjoyed hearing the Nashville Bluegrass Band at Kidd-Key (auditorium in Sherman).

* Robby White listed several favorites: Texoma venue of the year, The Texas Bull; Favorite Texoma song: Zane Williams’ “The Right Place”; favorite Texoma band: Shutdown Town.

* Wesley Joe Malone said his favorite band is Alex Addy & the Tamborine Machine and the best venue is Harley’s in Paris.

* Ryan Littrell (a popular guitar player who picks with several local bands) said, “I don’t know, but it sure didn’t have to do with me.”

* Helen Eaton (Ryan’s cousin) said, “Ryan Littrell and the One-Eyed Jack Thursday night shows.”

* Randy Pelfrey said, “I personally believe the jam scene is incredible! The ability to go hear music through the week, much less join in if you care to. Really friendly scene. Always.”

So what does 2011 have to offer? For starters, several new CDs. Double Zero is headed to Nashville to record. The Eric Beatty Band just released it’s new debut CD. Deryl Dodd’s new CD is hitting the radio stations now with air play on a song in which Deryl has captured an emotion I’ve never heard spoken of before: “The will to love is all but gone.” Several others are writing and selecting.