publish_date:
October 30, 2008
Several Texas artists will be heading to Washington, D.C., to celebrate this historic election and the inauguration of Barack Obama as our country’s 44th President. Among those performing are Tracy Byrd, Jack Ingram, Kevin Fowler, Dale Watson, Asleep at the Wheel, Kelly Willis, Bruce Robison, Sunny Sweeney, Charlie Robison and Rick Trevino. Nearly 10,000 guests have already reserved their tickets for the Ball. Tickets are only available to dues-paid members of the Texas State Society. Jan.
When the five members of the Randy Rogers Band talk about their allegiance to one another and the cause — building musical success together, all for one and one for all, like country-crossover musketeers — there’s no question that they really mean it.
The first time that I encountered Todd Lewis and Lisa Umbarger from the Fort Worth-based Toadies was somewhat of an interesting experience. In 1990, I was the booking agent at a live music club in Deep Ellum called Trees. We had just opened the venue a month or so beforehand, and one evening these two kids brought me their demo cassette tape to try and land their first Dallas gig. 
They're not old, these three 97’s dutifully assembled on this Saturday morning in March for their last round OF SXSW press chores of the week, but they do look beat. Or, closer to the truth, past the point of beat and coming around the bend to second-wind giddy as the finish line gleams in the distance. Two more interviews and a quick performance for Austin’s ME TV to go, and they’re outta here.
The albums that T Bone Burnett produces — from his new solo release, Tooth of Crime, to the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss smash, Raising Sand, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack or his collaborations with Elvis Costello, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Los Lobos — all have a particular sound. It’s a bottom-heavy, reverberant sound full of enough extraterrestrial embellishments to suggest that we’ve entered a different world.
You don't even need to listen to Ian McLagan’s new album, Never Say Never, to feel a few tears coming on. Just reading the lyrics is enough. Actually, just looking at his face on the cover could do it, if you know the reason why he can’t quite bring himself to smile, why you can’t see any sparkle in his eyes. “As always, for Kim,” it says on the back cover, under a picture of a beautiful young woman. He lost her two years ago, after 28 years of marriage. He didn’t get to say goodbye.
FROM PAULA NELSON TO FOLK UKE TO 40 PTS., WILLIE’S KIDS HAVE THEIR OWN SONGS TO SING.
GEOFFREY HIMES, Texas Music contributor
