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I should be embarrassed that I update this web site so infrequently.
But I'm not! I eventually
get around to adding new stuff and here is some of it. Check my
FaceBook page for more current
information.
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2011 wasn't too bad. I got to play Rockabilly about once a month with
the Texas
Bop Cats and got to play acoustic Blues several times on stage and
with friends. Summer was brutal! North Texas set a new record
for the number of days at 100º or more and just missed breaking the record
for consecutive 100º+ days. Started my 25th year DJing at
KNON 89.3 FM.
Janell bought a Harley and we rode to Austin for the ROT Rally and through
Oklahoma and western Arkansas along the
Talemina Trail. Camped on the beach in Galveston for
the Lone Star Rally in October. Had a nice visit to SoCal to see the
Family over Thanksgiving. Not bad at all. I'm hoping that 2012
turns out even better. |
| Winter is making sure that 2010 is
remembered. In a 24-hour period that ended at 4:00 AM on
February 12th, more snow fell on North Texas than has ever been measured
before. The official total (at DFW Airport) was over 12" and the
deepest I measured at my home was around 9". There
hasn't been a Winter with this much snow in more than 50 years. The
weather folks say that if we get about an inch more before Spring
this will be the snowiest Winter on record. There has been record
snowfall across the South and Eastern Seaboard this year. So where the heck is
that Global Warming stuff when you need it? (Compare
to March 2008) |
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The 11th annual KNON
Blues Festival on January 30th and 31st was excellent. The line up was
stellar and we had large crowds both days. Food was provided by event
sponsor Red Hot &
Blue BBQ and the staff at
Poor David's Pub
was great. I had a great time! Many thanks to the many musicians
that shared their talent, the sponsors and staff at Poor David's, and, most
of all, to the KNON 89.3
FM listeners that made the event a success. Let's do it
again next year! |
| The
Texas Bop Cats
played at the KNON 89.3 FM
Rockabilly Revue benefit backing
Mac Curtis on
November 22nd, 2008. Franchot, our bass player, also plays with the opening
band Walkin' The
Line so he was on stage all night. Walkin' The Line is a
Johnny Cash Tribute band and they did a great job. KNON's Cowhide Cole
joined us on stage at the end of our set for a couple of songs and then out
came Mac Curtis. We've worked with Mac several times before and always
enjoy making music with him. Mac is a great guy and a lot of fun on
stage. That was a busy week! Poor David's on 11/22, my KNON show
on 11/24, Blue Lisa's Thanksgiving show on 11/27, and the Texas Bop Cats
back at Stroker's Ice House on 11/29. I needed a vacation after that! |
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Caddoween was excellent. The weather couldn't have been
nicer and it is always fun to get together with my crazy friends for a wild
weekend on the Texas Bayou. T-Ricky found a great place just outside
of Jefferson. The people, the music, the food, and everything else was
great. And only one canoe tipped over. At night, of course.
A camera was lost to the Caddo gators but, remarkably, all the dropped cell
phones were recovered and worked once they dried out. Ain't technology
amazing? A change of clothes and a bit of strong
drink made the world right again. All agreed this was the best Caddoween ever. Until next year
anyway... |
| I was asked by my good friend
Huelyn Duvall to
play at the Wild West Festival in Springtown in September. I always
enjoy working with Huelyn and it was a treat to get to play with Chris
(bass), Scott (drums), and Kyle (keyboard) again. (We backed Huelyn on
his 2003 CD titled "She's
My Baby" on Brazos Valley Records.) The weather was fine, the
crowd was good and except for the occasional gunfight in the town square
(old west actors thankfully) the music was rockin'. This is the second
time we have played the Springtown Wild West Festival and it was once again
a great time. Springtown is a small town northwest of Fort Worth and
the local people are great. |
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Texas Slim and I were asked to play at the
Blind Lemon Blues Festival again
in 2008. Very kind of Sandy to ask and what a great lineup to be a
part of:
Aaron Burton
and Hash Brown,
Samuel James,
and Paul Geremia
for a truly excellent night of acoustic blues. The show was at
Poor David's Pub
which is an excellent room for acoustic music. Carlos, the sound engineer
at Poor David's, is great to work with and has
a way of making everyone sound good. I had never seen Samuel James
before and he knocked me out! I got to interview Paul Geremia for
Southwest Blues (Sep '08 Issue) and it was great to finally meet him
and hear him play. Paul is legendary for good reason. I hope we
can do this again! |
| Janell and I spent Memorial Day
Weekend 2008 at the Kerrville Folk Festival. It was purty dang hot
that weekend but there wasn't one drop of rain. I've been attending
the KFF since about 1992 and this is the first year I have ever attended
when there was no rain. None. At all. Not even a fog or a
mist. The last time I went to the KFF there were floods and it rained
every day. Shows were cancelled because of lightning. But no
rain this year worked out well because I brought the bike and we were able
to explore the beautiful Hill Country on two wheels. Yes, I trailered
the bike. See all that camping gear behind us in the picture? It
wasn't bungeed on the back of the bike. I'm okay camping but I'm not
willing to give up all the comforts of home. Besides, it's Kerrville.
I had to bring a guitar. Two guitars. And a banjo. And a
ukulele... |
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I celebrated
my 21st anniversary on KNON 89.3 FM on August 11, 2008. I first appeared on KNON
(then at 90.1 FM) in June 1987 as a guest on Marc Tuton's program "Marc's
Hot Licks." A month later a slot opened and I auditioned.
I started in an 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM slot and have been on Mondays ever since.
Thankfully my show is now on from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Central Time.
I
called the show "Red Hot & Blue" until we started the
Texas Blues Radio
block a few years ago. I love being involved in radio and will DJ on
KNON as long as they let me. |
| The weather was perfect for the
Lone Star Rally in Galveston in November 2007. We rode down from
Denton and spent the weekend partying on the Strand with bikers from all
over. Lots of time to ride along the Gulf too. Important
lesson learned: buy your commemorative T-Shirt immediately when you
arrive. Before checking into the hotel if possible. Otherwise
you can spend hours looking for the right size.
More photos here. |
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The Blind Lemon Blues Festival at Poor David's Pub was a lot of fun.
K.M. Williams opened the show with a set that included several Blind Lemon
songs. Texas Slim and I had too much fun during our set. We did
some classic pre-war blues including several Bo Carter and Hokum Boys
tunes. Aaron Burton & Cheryl Arena were great, as always. They
keep getting better every time I hear them. Bob Brozman was the
highlight of the evening. It was his first show in Dallas in about 15
years and it was a show that will not soon be forgotten. Bob is my #1
living guitar hero and he didn't disappoint. He has incorporated
sounds and rhythms from all over the world and
his playing is incomparable now. Friends at the show that had never
heard of Bob were blown away by his performance. Told you so! It
was great catching up with Bob and with Marc Tuton (the guy that got me on
KNON) and other friends. It was a great show.
More photos here. |
| Musical actives are starting to
pick up again. I recently did a show in Springtown with Huelyn
Duvall and a bunch of great musicians. Bob Brozman has been booked to
play the Blind Lemon Blues Festival in September and I've been asked to play
with Texas Slim on the same bill. I even picked up a couple of new
guitars that I am really enjoying. (As if I needed more stringed
instruments!) No desire to "go pro" or tour the world but I
love
playing on stage. I play mainly for myself but it's fun to
rock a live crowd now and then. |
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Now that I've been to Scotland
twice I am getting into the kilt thing. This has
raised an eyebrow but people who know me aren't worried.
Wearing a kilt isn't a gateway to cross dressing
for lads of Scottish ancestry. I only break mine
out on special occasions. And, despite the photo, I don't wear one
riding a motorbike (although I have). Most Scots wear kilts on formal
occasions but young people in Scotland wear them casually to dances and
football games. The plaid is the MacDonald modern tartan. Wondering
what I wear under my kilt? Here's what I say when people ask:
- Shoes and socks
- Lipstick
- For $1 I'll tell you, for $5 I'll show you, and for $10 I'll let you
find out for yourself
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Need up-to-date local blues
information? Visit Don
O's web site for EVERYTHING cool on the local blues
scene. He lists all the shows, clubs, jams, music stores, contacts
for local musicians, and more. The site ain't fancy but there is a
lot of information. Not sure which show to see? You will never
go wrong with Don
O's weekly picks.
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| That's all for now. Go out and enjoy life. You
only get one chance so don't f*** it up! |
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