Rusty Wier contest, Rd 2, Wk 3, March 24, 2019

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Brett Dillon, Larry Martin, and Jared Thomas in a hat exchange.

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer. Click here to view and download any photos, no charge. Just click on the bottom right arrow to download.

Love & War in Texas’ 2019 Rusty Wier singer/songwriter challenge finished up its Round 2 with pizzazz that only Texas songwriters can accomplish and that Texas music fans can 100 percent appreciate.

March 24 marked that third and final week of Round 2, with James Lann, Harley Dale Brown, Saille Branch, Nick Flint, Jared Thomas, and Larry Martin sharing four of their original songs, song-swap style. They were not just competing against one another, but also against all those in Weeks 1 and 2 of this round, with all their total scores from the six music-expert judges combined and listed in order from highest score to determine which of these 18 musicians would move into the semi-finals.

All musicians enter and move through this contest each year with a “let’s win” attitude, or more of a “let’s be friends” frame of mind. Some have entered it every year since its inception in 2011.

The ultimate winner receives a 3-song EP recorded, mixed and mastered at WarHorse Studios in Princeton and a feature article in a future issue of Buddy Magazine.

 

 

Rusty Wier contest Rd 2 Wk 2, 2.17.19

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“Will The Circle Be Unbroken?”

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer. There are more photos, Click here to upload photos desired at a good resolution. No charge whatsoever.

Round Two, Week Two of this 2019 Rusty Weir singer/songwriter contest has come and gone, leaving in its wake lots of good music, smiles, and memories.

Kevin Edwards

The contest is held at and sponsored by Love & War in Texas, with KHYI on-air personality Brett Dillon coordinating it this year, and each previous year’s, details since its inception in 2011. Each singer/songwriter is rated on lyrics, musicianship, fan base, and the Rusty factor. Rusty Wier was well known for his love not only for music, but for each and every person listening to his music, and that quite often translated into considerable and direct

Stacey Shope

interaction with the crowds.

This Round 2 Week 2 Sunday, February 17, had Stacy Shope song-swapping with Town Walsh, followed by Kevin Edwards, Parker Twomey, and Zach Pohl in a 3-man song-swap. Each delivered four original songs. The sixth person to have performed, Harley Dale Brown, will be in the contest this coming Sunday instead, as he had a bout of the crud that has struck so many people this past Sunday.

Town Walsh

Another sickie this week was Aubrey Lynn, who is both a musician and a contest judge. She and her guitar-pickin’ husband, Dustin Hendricks, usually add a few songs after the competition portion is over. So, in their stead, Dillon talked the contestants and all other musicians — and

Zach Pohl

there were many — in the crowd to join each other on stage for a rendition of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” Rousing rendition it was, with everyone singing along on the chorus, but no one really knowing the verses after the first one. Someone was heard on stage laughing and saying,  “We need someone to save us up here.” Afterward, Nick Flint sang a couple of his songs.

These five songwriters were not just vying against each other, but against the other 13 still playing in this round.

Parker Twomey

Next Sunday, February 24, will have Harley Dale Brown, James Lann, Saille Branch, Nick Flint, Jared Thomas, Larry Martin, and Mitchell Ferguson on the Love & War in Texas stage, also in songswap style.These start at 4 pm, and there’s no cover charge to attend.

After this following Sunday, all the songwriters’ scores will be tallied up to determine who will move into Round 3, aka The Semi-Finals.

And just another announcement, but worthy of mention — Shiner Sunday 4 pm concerts at Love & War in Texas begin on April 28. Who is playing that date is only described now as a “biggie” and promises to be just that — a biggie…

Rusty Weir contest, Rd 2, Wk 1, 2.10.19

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Brett Dillon, left, introducing songwriters into the Round 2 segment of the 2019 Rusty Wier contest.

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer. Anyone is welcome to download a photo without charge. These are saved on Flickr.com, click here, at 7×5, 360 dpi.

It’s back on, folks — The 9th yearly Rusty Wier singer/songwriter contest held at Love & War in Texas every winter. After a 2-week break, Round 2 began Sunday, Feb. 10, with six of the 18 remaining talented contestants presenting their original songs in two-people songswaps. And, oh, what talent was on that L&W stage Sunday afternoon!

The line-up had Boomer Lowrie and Reid Perry hitting the stage first, followed by Dave Thomas and Matt Johnson. Justin Cashion and Byron Dowd closed it out. Amazingly well-crafted songs from each one of them, some humorous, some poignant, some told stories, some told emotions.

Well, almost — Actually, two of the judges, Aubrey Lynn and Dustin Hendricks played two songs after the contest was over. Aubrey Lynn was the Hank’s Texas Grill open mic contest years ago with that powerful, pitch-perfect voice of hers. L&W fans first heard that voice on its stage before that, when she sang “The Star Spangled Banner” to open a Shiner Sunday concert.

Sunday, there were people from TexasMusic.Live there. This is a trip that includes

TexasMusic.Live

Texas musicians Jamie Richards and Walt Wilkins, not to mention KHYI’s Brett Dillon and Diana Love.

The promoters said there are a limited number of spots still available and offered a $500 discount for those who signed up. Go to that Website for more information.

These six songwriters are not just vying against each other, but against the other 12 still playing in this round.

Next Sunday will have Harley Dale Brown, Kevin Edwards, Stacey Shope, Zach Pohl, Parker Twomey, and Town Walsh in the contest; and then, on February 24, it will be James Lann, Saille Branch, Nick Flint, Jared Thomas, Larry Martin, and Mitchell Ferguson rounding out Round 2.

These shows all start at 4 pm and there’s never a cover charge to attend. Love & War in Texas is at the northeast corner of U.S. 75 and Plano Parkway, and there’s plenty of free parking.

And, as a BTW, last year’s winner, Justin Pickard, is playing tonight at El Patio Escondido in Van Alstyne, starting about 6:30 pm. No cover charge here, either, and it has the best genuine Tex-Mex food in North Texas, bar none!

And just another announcement, but worthy of mention — the Shiner Sunday 4 pm concerts at Love & War in Texas begin on April 28. Who is playing that date is only described now as a “biggie” and promises to be just that — a biggie…

Trey Rose auditioned for The Voice

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First appeared in The Paris News, Sunday, 2.10.19 Story and photo by Mary Jane Farmer

For Jack Rosenthal III, things are hoppin’ like a grasshopper on steroids.

Trey, who goes professionally as Trey Rose, announced Friday that he’s tried out for “The Voice.” At this point, his manager, Chris Gunn, said, they cannot say any more about it, as of confidentiality agreements between Trey and all those who tried out and NBC, “The Voice” host network.

Trey is from Hugo, and has made his home in Paris, and is from a long line of Rosenthals. He, with his children, make their home in Houston now. One wouldn’t know it, because Trey returns home as often as he can.

To date, Trey placed high in the prestigious Larry Joe Taylor Songwriter showcase and came out with a 4-song EP in 2018.

Trey has played for years at Choctaw Casino’s River Bar & Grill and The Cove, at Buffalo Joe’s in Paris, and other local venues. This single-father-of-two also performs regularly all across Texas.

“I have got a lot of gas left in the tank and I’m going to need all of it to get where I’m going,” Trey said in a 2018 interview.

Gunn said that more information is forthcoming as NBC lets them release it, and that he and Trey hope that Trey’s friends and future friends will watch “The Voice” Season 16, which airs on your local NBC station at 7 p.m. (Central),  February 25. Coaches this year are returnees Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, joined this season by John Legend. That Website is NBC.com/the-voice.

This video (click here) from a Facebook page, “Voice Views,” indicates that Trey may have made it onto the stage.

Meet Trey Rose of The Voice Season 16

CD Review: Flatland Cavalry “Homeland Insecurity”

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Flatland Cavalry , “Homeland Insecurity,” Independent Label

Flatland Cavalry, with the release of Homeland Insecurity, has established their niche in the upper echelon of Texas and country music. The 11 songs in this new album get better every time one listens to them. There’s some new phrase that might have been missed with the first or fourth listen, but which leap out the seven time. From the lyrics and the arrangements, Flatland Cavalry has created a masterpiece they can be proud of for years to come.

Lead singer and lyricist Cleto Cordero wrote and co-wrote all of the songs on this, their sophomore album. His co-writers include bandmate Reid Dillon and Texas singer/songwriter on her own, Kaitlin Butts. Cleto said that the arrangements often come when they are putting the song together. “It’s kind of like fixing cars,” Cordero said. “Somehow, if the car still doesn’t work, you figure out what you need.”

It was natural, a no-brainer, he said when asked how they chose “Honeywine” as the first release to radio. “It was the first song that I wrote for this album,” he said. This song stems from a night of drinking with Butts, who he said is his girlfriend. “When the beer runs out and the whiskey’s gone, Honeywine, you’re all I need.”

“Old School” brings back memories of happy times. “I sat out on the front porch, the crickets and coyotes sang harmony… we make old school sound brand new.”

Cordero said that Butts is also helping him with his enunciation when singing.  “She kinda gets me in a corner and works with me on vocals,” he said. And it’s working — the lyrics in these songs are all clear and distinct. And about those arrangements — there’s fiddle sounds soaring high above, like a guardian angel keeping watch. “We went up to Kaitlin’s mom’s farm in Oklahoma and worked on some of this,” Cordero said. “On one song, Reid’s (Dillon) guitar riff nailed it, it was done in 20 minutes. I love that chicken-pickin’ thing. It’s so old school.”

Cordero said he wrote for a few years, and played at his high school and for his mom’s and grandma’s friends. But it was when he got to college that he started searching for meaning to his lyrics. That was 10 years ago, he added. In his writing, too, he has maintained that “Old School” feelin  in every song here. And they are all love songs, although some of the love is of old school times and identifiable lost love, and glory-days of hope.

This CD is available from their Website, FlatlandCavalry.com, at their concerts, and on the streaming sites.

Mary Jane Farmer, Scene In Town

First appeared in Buddy Magazine, February 2019 issue