Jimmy and Jimmy James of The Rodeo Clown Dropouts
Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer
NOTE: This coming Thursday night, Sept. 15, will mark the end of Round 1 and will have Manny Trevin & The Gringoderos, the Scrips, and Brad Dunn & Ellis County vying at Love & War in Texas, Plano. Music starts at 8 p.m.
Shiner Rising Star is a band contest sponsored by Shiner Records, Shiner Beer, and KHYI. It is held in three rounds with 24 contestants gleaned down from several hundred who try each year. The prizes include a recording contract complete with professional production and promotions, the opening slot on KHYI’s yearly (March) event, Texas Music Revolution, and this year also includes the promise of a feature article in Alternative Route magazine and band equipment furnished by Kono Guitars and GP Percussions.
Sept. 8 marked Week 7 of Round 1, and brought three amazing bands together at LaGrange Bar in Deep Ellum, each unique in its own style and presentations. Moving on will be the Rodeo Clown Dropouts, and giving them a run for the honor were The Dallahachie Boys and the Casey Daniels Band.
Judges were Darryl Lee Rush, who won the first Shiner Rising Star and has judges each year since then, all the while putting out new CDs of his own, Brett Dillon and Chuck Taylor, both KHYI radio personalities.
The Rodeo Clown Dropouts is a three-piece group, father and son Jimmy and Cody Duvall on stand-up bass and drums, and lead guitarist Jimmy James Arnold. This group brought together a mix of rockabilly and southern rock and just about any other type of music out there, in a non-descript style called alternative country or Americana. No holds barred, electrical, a can’t-take-yours-eyes-off band that entertained as much as it played. One reviewer called it, “Psycho-billy.” I think it’s called talent.
Jimmy Duvall started the performance portion about 3 licks into the first song, when he laid his doghouse bass on its side and climbed on top. From that point on, that bass was played sideways and used as a stage booster at least half the time.
Their original “Texas Jewel” had a familiar twang to it — anyone else notice that?
For their cover song, The Rodeo Clown Dropouts chose Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” Their version captivated the crowd and the judges.
Brett Dillon led the critique. “You guys killed that (cover tune). You have great chemistry and it was great fun.”
“If I wanted to see someone who sounded like you guys, I would have to see you guys,” Rush said. “You have very original sounds. I dug the sound originality. I don’t think I’ve heard a better cover song.”
Taylor said, after commenting on a flyer that the band handed out inviting the crowd to another Deep Ellum bar as an after-party, “I don’t see Shiner Rising Star anywhere on that. But, I gotta hand it to you. We saw the emergence of def metal country, one mean fiddle tune, done with energy.
Rodeo Clown Dropouts MOVING ON pix
The Dallahachie Boys drew the straw that let them lead the night’s line-up. The 4-piece band is Trent Peterson on vocals, Jeff Grossman on lead guitar, Kyle Venable on bass, and Josh Lambert on drums. The band, like all, had 30 minutes to get on stage, set up, perform originals with one cover included, and then leave the stage clean for the next band.
Sound, and the basic drum kit, is set up before they step on stage. The Dallahachie Boys had a bit of a problem with the sound system, but began their music while technicians worked on the equipment. That was a point the judges noticed, and commented on later during critique. One of the songs they performed was their original “Rainin'” which is currently on the Texas Regional Radio chart.
Dillon commented on the sound situation. “You guys were playing before that was fixed and the middle mic wasn’t working. That was cool, that was professional.” Dillon also commented on the three-way harmonies, unusual, he remembered, and on Peterson’s singing voice. “You are a, pofessional band,” Dillon stated.
Rush said he reiterated everything that Dillon had said, and added, “Hey, rock and roll. You just gotta do that, (talking about the sound problem.) “You gotta play though and you did.” Rush was especially fond, he said, of the strong rhythm section and the interactions between Venable on bass and Lambert on drums. Plus, he liked the switchover for a song o two that Grossman man, moving from electric lead guitar to lap steel.
Rush, who also has a rain-themed voice “Raindrop,” said that when the Dallahachie Boys did “Rainin'” it “feels like it was raining. It was almost 1978 retro vocals.”
Taylor said he had positives and negatives to comment on. Musicianship was high on his list of attaboys, and the songwriting ability was good, he said.
But on the negative side, go to the (Dallahachie Boys) Website, and there is no mention of this event at all. We needs band who will draw (crowds). You talk about Bon Jovi, but I don’t see anything about Shiner Rising Star. You have got to promote,” Taylor critiqued, ending by saying with a smile, “I am on a tirade tonight.”
Casey Daniels Band, from the Denison/Sherman area, brought their quieter energy to the stage. Casey is on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Harrison on lead guitar and backup vocals, Marc Wilson on bass and backup vocals, Joe Marshall on hythem guitar, and Brian Christopher Page on drums.
One of their originals was written two years ago, before Casey brought the band together and before he had considered entering the Shiner Rising Star contest. “Shiner Bock Brew.” He explained that he has been a Shiner Bock beer drinker since he turned 21, and that the words in it were genuine.
The Casey Daniels Band stumped the judges with their cover. They chose a song by Nashville newcomer Bantley Gilbert, “Kick It In The Sticks.”
Brett said he didn’t catch the cover, but said, “You guys wee bad ass. You bought the fans. You have a great Texas outlaw feel. You got fans, followers. I’m a big fan of the Casey Daniels Band.”
Darryl Lee, a songwriter, pointed out that the songwriting abilities were top notch. “Wild Saturday on a Tuesday Night” will be your single, It has the right beat, the right sound, the lyrics.”
Taylor said, with that ubiquous smile about not knowing the cover song or artist, “Maybe Brett and I are a little old.” Daniels explained that Brantley Gilbert just got signed to Reba’s label. Taylor commented on the larger number of fans that came for the Casey Daniels Band. “Part of your job is to get asses in these seats. I checked your Facebook, Twitter, My Space, and you mentioned it (tonight) more than any other band. I gave you six extra points for that.”
All this, and all seven weeks, and all the six weeks still to go can be seen on Thursday nights at RogueTV.net, and caught up with later on that site. The videos can also be purchased from them.
All this, and all previous six weeks, and all the six weeks still to go can be seen on Thursday nights at RogueTV.net, and caught up with later on that site. The videos can also be purchased from them.
Links to all: