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His name was Vernon Dalhart, and he released some of the best-selling records of the era, including “The Prisoner’s Song.”
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Why Is America’s First Country Music Superstar Buried In Bridgeport?
His name was Vernon Dalhart, and he released some of the best-selling records of the era, including “The Prisoner’s Song.”
Friday, September 25, 2015
Stevie Tombstone Sings The Troubadour Blues, Along With Ralph White For The Altco Sessions
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| Stevie Tombstone Sings The Troubadour Blues, Along With Ralph White For The Altco Sessions |
Photographer Jeff Harris has been working with Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White as of late on the Altco Sessions and has been welcomed into the crew this year. He recently followed Stevie T and Ralph White to Marfa, Texas where they kicked off a national tour / rolling recording session in September 2015. The trio gathered some candid shots during songwriting and recording breaks as well as some good dashboard scenery. The song Troubadour Blues was originally written and published almost a decade ago and finally saw light in the midst of an impromptu recording session at South Austin's Million Dollar Sound. The core session features longtime friend and bassist John Duer and Daughter of Country Music legend Shelli Coe on backing vocals. Stevie decided to track the tune on a whim and the rest of the pieces fell into place with the timely additon of ex-Bad Liver Ralph Whites classic fiddle style and Banjo tracks phoned in as they say by Buck Thrailkill. The single Troubadour Blues is available on from Altco Recordings.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Listen To Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White Interview On Marfa, Texas Public Radio 93.5
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| Listen To Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White Interview On Marfa, Texas Public Radio 93.5 |
"Austin-based troubadours Ralph White and Stevie Tombstone join us for a conversation and some live pickin’ and singin’ on this episode of West Texas Talk.
White, formerly of the punk-ish bluegrass band the Bad Livers, isn’t a pop star. But he’s highly regarded in underground music circles for his psychedelic and decidedly non-traditionalist take on traditional music. A tree trimmer by day, he’s made his music career by self-recording and releasing his material, or partnering with small-scale record labels.
Tombstone’s music occupies a similar realm of modern readings on old songs, though he’s quick to say he’s not one to dwell on the past – he prefers writing and performing his own material over relying on old standards.
Still, his songs are connected to the history of American roots music – by blood. Tombstone, a Georgia native, is a descendant of Clayton McMichen, a once-popular string band leader from the early 20th century.
Ralph White and Stevie Tombstone joined us in the studio for a few songs and some talk before departing back out on tour. Their latest records are available on Altco Recordings."
Listen to the full interview on Marfa Public Radio
Friday, August 28, 2015
Whiskeydick Debuts Brand New Video For The Title Track, Bastard Sons Of Texas, From Their New Album
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| Whiskeydick Debuts Brand New Video For The Title Track, Bastard Sons Of Texas, From Their New Album |
At the lonesome crossroads where country and metal intersect, stand two swaggering badasses holding acoustic guitars. They're not interested in your soul they have plenty of soul already. Cult favorites WhiskeyDick blow minds with a double barrel blast of dreadnaught shredding and hillbilly bellowing that makes you want to knock back a shot, stand up tall, and holler "Oh-hell-yeehaw!"
The Fort Worth duo carry on the Texas traditions of super-powered guitar slinging and clever songwriting that make lone star music a worldwide curiosity, except Reverend Johnson will remind you more of Dimebag Darrell than Billy Gibbons and Fritz remains more lyrically akin to David Allen Coe than Robert Earl Keen.
WhiskeyDick's live show is a true spectacle: two giant, tattooed, mean-looking dudes saunter on stage and sit down in wooden folding chairs, then pick up acoustic guitars and proceed to amaze everyone by generating more power than a full band by means of Fritz's deep, rich vocals, Johnson's unapproachable acoustic guitar heroics, and their triumphant songwriting.
"We're just a train robbin', gun totin', dope smokin', guitar pickin' muthafuckin' good time band. Taking hillbilly music and spreading it across the land."
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Custom Leather Motorcycle Tool Bag - Come And Take It
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| Brand new custom 12" wide leather tool bag |
We enjoy creating products that will live on for a few generations. Proud to have made this new tool bag for one of our biker brethren in San Antonio, TX. The tool bag is a custom one off based upon the Slogan "Come And Take It" used in 1778 at Fort Morris in Georgia during the American Revolution and more notably in 1835 at the Battle of Gonzales during the Texas Revolution. Nothing like a bit of defiance in the face of adversity.
Find out more on the original motto and the flag, Come and Take It
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| Detail of a mural in the museum at Gonzales, Texas featuring the Come and Take It flag. |
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Don't Follow In the Foot Steps Of The Masters, Seek What They Sought. The Art Of Tim Kerr
The Big Boys are omnipresent when it comes to influence, amongst shaping the punk music emanating from Texas. Their sound was different and highly unique, providing much of the groundwork for the current "Keep Austin Weird" mindset, to even be relative. Within their region other bands such as the Butthole Surfers, The Dicks, Millions of Dead Cops and many more made a huge contribution in underground punk music. Below is a great interview and write up on Tim Kerr of the Big Boys from ESPN. Seeing his progression within art and music is damn cool and knowing that the fire within him, is constantly being fueled with new ideas.
Link to ESPN for original post
"Growing up on the Texas coast in the 1970s, artist/musician Tim Kerr's early creative outlets were playing guitar and surfing. Kerr later found skateboarding, art and punk rock, eventually forming the most recognizable band in the Texas scene: the Big Boys. Kerr's fluidity in music, surfing and skateboarding all seem to inform his artwork; in every medium he immerses himself in, there's a painterly looseness and flow that is rhythmic and soulful.
This year began with a flurry of output for Kerr, starting with a collaboration deck series with Stereo Skateboards. He had a show at the Webb Gallery in Waxahachie, Texas, in February with fellow musician, poet and artist Daniel Higgs, titled "Cosmic Telephone Party Line" -- a celebration of and homage to visionary artists. A second show, "History Is His Story," opened Mar. 2, coinciding with Light In The Attic's re-release of the Big Boys' "Where's My Towel?" and 540 Records' re-release of the 12-inch "Fun Fun Fun." A third show, "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow," featuring Kerr and Stereo's Chris Pastras, among others, opens Mar. 9 in Hollywood, Calif.
In talking to anyone about Tim Kerr, his modesty, love of community and appreciation for creativity are always mentioned. It's fitting that an artist whom many consider visionary chooses to inspire others by sharing his heroes. XGames.com talked with Kerr recently about self-expression, recognizing work from the heart and what's on the horizon for 2013."
XGames.com: The sound of the Big Boys was different than that of
many of your peers in that it wasn't linear; there were different
genres, from punk to funk, being incorporated. What shaped this sound?
Tim Kerr: We started at a time when punk and new wave were all the same thing -- more DIY than anything, and a certain uniform or set of rules was nonexistent. A sort of "do what you want with your self-expression" was alive and well. I can't speak for anyone else, but that and the community of it is what drew me in. It's the same way I feel about self-expression today: It should have no limits. Music, art, skating, surfing -- whatever you are doing, [it's] all self-expression and it should not have boundaries.
As a band, [we] listened to all kinds of music and skated to Ohio Players and Kool And The Gang instead of Ted Nugent, so it was a given if we started a band that that influence was going to be there. It wasn't "thought out"; it was natural. There were no rules.
Big Boys shows were always described as very energetic with a major emphasis on making it a big performance; was that a reflection of your love for art or the attitude of the band?
[Singer Randy] Biscuit [Turner] was very visual on and off the stage. I am talking art-Dada visual. You never knew what he might have on or do from show to show, and that sort of spilled over on us. It was also the idea of just having big "happenings" happen and hoping you might plant a seed into someone there that they should start a band or do some sort of self-expression.
You
obviously grew up skating some legendary ditches in Texas and saw a very
formative time in skateboarding. What do you think about the change in
skateboarding back to concrete parks, and what do you see in kids
skateboarding today?
I grew up surfing on the Gulf Coast, so skating was always surfing to me. My biggest pet peeves about parks today is that any sort of bank they have has that "pitch" at the top instead of being like a ditch. If you do a lipslide, you are going to hang. I just wish there were some areas that had that flow of a ditch where your wheels don't have to leave the ground. I'm not talking snake runs, either. The old guard know[s] exactly what I mean (smile). [Texas'] Pflugerville Park has a great ditch.
I think what is going on with skating today is pretty amazing, but sometimes I think they are missing out on just rolling and sliding and that feeling you get of flowing when you do that.
There are often civil-rights themes in your work; was that a
product of some of the things you saw growing up that showed prejudice
even in the punk scene?
I am definitely a product of my time, then and now. There are so many unsung heroes that people should know about and make the connection that they didn't do what they did to be famous; they did what they did because of a strong belief from the heart. The things that speak to me most in art, music, skating, etc., come from that heartfelt action.
In a time when the idea of "community" has changed with punk and skateboarding growing so much, do you feel connected to your local art or music scene? How important is that idea of community to you?
"Community" and "scene" are two different things to me. The older you get, I think you start realizing that there are a lot more of "them" than us, so when you find one of us, you should hug and celebrate what that person is offering. You form a sort of community of kindred souls through that.
If you and your friends cause some sort of scene to happen around what you are doing, then it will sooner [rather] than later take on a life of its own and you have no control. All you can do is stay true to yourself and values and walk your walk. If you and your friends are always walking forward, there is a good chance you will always be ahead of the curve, though that's not why you do what you do.
What were your earliest interests in the arts and when did you start painting?
I was attracted to art and music for as long as I can remember. I started playing guitar in elementary school and always did some sort of visual art. I did not really take formal classes until I went to college. They did not have guitar in the music department at that time, so I went to the art department. I started painting on big canvases then and was lucky enough to have [famed American street photographer] Garry Winogrand for the photography courses I was taking.
As soon as I graduated, the bands started up and I stopped taking photos and stopped painting on canvases. I was doing art through all the bands, but it was mostly flyers, ads, LP covers and some graffiti (mostly band names or saying something instead of big visuals). When people started asking me to show my art more in the early to mid-2000s, it was looking at [Jean-Michel] Basquiat and Twist's work that really pushed me back into the idea of painting big pieces again.
Tell us more about your collaborations with Stereo Skateboards and how you chose each subject for each rider.
The idea started the first time [Stereo co-founder] Chris [Pastras] saw my art. Russ Pope and I had a sort of crazy weekend pop-up show in L.A. Chris saw my art and said that I should do some graphics for Stereo. A couple of years went by, but it would keep coming up every so often. Last year I did a Vans-sponsored show in Portland [Ore.] and a good friend of Chris' (and now a good friend of mine), Arthur, saw my stuff and the first words out of his mouth were, "You should do some boards for Stereo!" He took the ball and ran with it, and that's how it finally came about.
I had already known about Stereo and always liked their vibe since they started. It's pretty cool to be a part of their anniversary. People keep telling me that it's a perfect match for what I do. I hope I get to do more. I originally sent them about 12 or so things and they picked from that. I am really happy with how they turned out.
You mention on your site that "I had always thought it would be
really cool to do a show of Visionary artists where I do portraits, and
then hanging around the portraits I have done, is that artist's work."
Tell us more about the current show and the inspiration behind it.
The current show is at Webb Gallery [in Waxahachie, Texas]. They have a huge collection of visionary/outsider artist work. I got a list from them of names of artists they have and started doing research. I think in total I did 20-plus artists. Most are around four-by-three feet, but some are much bigger, on old-school pull-down maps. They will hang my portraits of the artist and then put that artist's work up around the portrait that I have done.
My friend Dan Higgs is also in the show with about 14 new pieces. I am pretty excited about it and I think it might be up for about two months.
You have another art show coming up in March; how does this differ from the Visionaries show?
This show had been sort of set a while back when we were talking about the release of the Stereo boards. [Stereo co-founders] Chris [Pastras] and Jason [Lee] and a lot of their crew do art and I thought it would be cool to do an art show when they came out. I was going to do an art show anyway in L.A. around that time and it just made sense to tie it together. Then it ended up that the Big Boys Light In The Attic release would be around the same time, so let's just turn it into a big celebration of self-expression!
My friend Rich Jacobs always has a wall of his friends' art when he does a show, so I have always tried to do the same to promote the community of this ... we just started asking and the list sort of grew (smile). As far as my art, this show will be more varied as far as subject matter, which is what I normally do. The difference is the record releases.
Punk and hardcore, skateboarding and art have always had a symbiotic relationship; why do you think it took 30 years for the artwork from these worlds to be respected outside these circles?
I don't think about that (smile). I think you cross the line into vain if you are looking for respect. All you can do is be responsible for your actions and hope to be some sort of positive influence. If one person picks up on what you are doing, it is an honor not to take lightly.
In the big picture, most people did not know any of those worlds existed till well into the '90s (smile). Depending on how you look at it, for better or for worse, Nirvana broke the dam for punk and hardcore, Tony Hawk and X Games for skating, and graffiti and the whole crew of folks that took the DIY attitude to the art world are doing it for art.
Can you give us all the details on the upcoming Big Boys re-releases?
Light In The Attic will be reissuing "Where's My Towel?/Industry Standard." It was done right after "Live At Raul's," which was a split LP -- us on one side and a really amazing band called The Dicks on the other. The guy that put it out did not really let us have much input, even though he said he would. When we would question something, he would say "Oh, that's just industry standard." Our friend David Bean knew we were not happy and said he wanted us to come record on his label (he was in a great band called The Judy's); that's how this record came about.
[Ed.'s note: Click here for a Light In The Attic mini-doc about the reissue, featuring some incredible archival footage and photos.)
What is on the horizon for Tim Kerr in 2013?
There is an art show Mar. 9 at my friend Libby's shop, Ranch-n-Roll, in Hollywood, Calif., with me, Chris [Pastras] and some of the Stereo crew and a bunch of our friends. It will coincide with Light In The Attic reissuing the Big Boys record "Where's My Towel?". They will be having giveaways at that show, including Conspiracy doing a Big Boys board. Most likely there will be an old-time session going on there as well (smile).
Monofonus will be putting out "Up Around The Sun," which is me and my friend Jerry [Hagins] playing acoustic guitar and banjo. My friend Rich Jacobs and I have done some music together as well, and hopefully that might come out at some point.
A friend is reissuing "Fun Fun Fun" on vinyl and there is a Big Boys tribute record that another friend is doing in Canada.
I am painting a bike for Jim Kish (Kish Fabrications) for a bike show, recording more Lee Bains music and helping out my friends at an amazing non-profit assisting kids that want to be creative, called [Project] L.O.O.P.
More art shows and more Stereo boards? Chris? (smile)
Link to ESPN for original post
"Growing up on the Texas coast in the 1970s, artist/musician Tim Kerr's early creative outlets were playing guitar and surfing. Kerr later found skateboarding, art and punk rock, eventually forming the most recognizable band in the Texas scene: the Big Boys. Kerr's fluidity in music, surfing and skateboarding all seem to inform his artwork; in every medium he immerses himself in, there's a painterly looseness and flow that is rhythmic and soulful.
This year began with a flurry of output for Kerr, starting with a collaboration deck series with Stereo Skateboards. He had a show at the Webb Gallery in Waxahachie, Texas, in February with fellow musician, poet and artist Daniel Higgs, titled "Cosmic Telephone Party Line" -- a celebration of and homage to visionary artists. A second show, "History Is His Story," opened Mar. 2, coinciding with Light In The Attic's re-release of the Big Boys' "Where's My Towel?" and 540 Records' re-release of the 12-inch "Fun Fun Fun." A third show, "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow," featuring Kerr and Stereo's Chris Pastras, among others, opens Mar. 9 in Hollywood, Calif.
In talking to anyone about Tim Kerr, his modesty, love of community and appreciation for creativity are always mentioned. It's fitting that an artist whom many consider visionary chooses to inspire others by sharing his heroes. XGames.com talked with Kerr recently about self-expression, recognizing work from the heart and what's on the horizon for 2013."
 |
| "Monofonus Press did a reissue of the book that Altamont did of my art for me, 'Your Name Here.' I did an interview here in town to help Monofonus out for the release and requested [photographer] Sandy [Carson] if they needed photos. This was from 2011 or 2012 and taken in the "studio." I am pretty sure this is the photo they ended up using for the cover." -- Tim Kerr |
Tim Kerr: We started at a time when punk and new wave were all the same thing -- more DIY than anything, and a certain uniform or set of rules was nonexistent. A sort of "do what you want with your self-expression" was alive and well. I can't speak for anyone else, but that and the community of it is what drew me in. It's the same way I feel about self-expression today: It should have no limits. Music, art, skating, surfing -- whatever you are doing, [it's] all self-expression and it should not have boundaries.
As a band, [we] listened to all kinds of music and skated to Ohio Players and Kool And The Gang instead of Ted Nugent, so it was a given if we started a band that that influence was going to be there. It wasn't "thought out"; it was natural. There were no rules.
Big Boys shows were always described as very energetic with a major emphasis on making it a big performance; was that a reflection of your love for art or the attitude of the band?
[Singer Randy] Biscuit [Turner] was very visual on and off the stage. I am talking art-Dada visual. You never knew what he might have on or do from show to show, and that sort of spilled over on us. It was also the idea of just having big "happenings" happen and hoping you might plant a seed into someone there that they should start a band or do some sort of self-expression.
 |
| The Sweatbox Sessions |
I grew up surfing on the Gulf Coast, so skating was always surfing to me. My biggest pet peeves about parks today is that any sort of bank they have has that "pitch" at the top instead of being like a ditch. If you do a lipslide, you are going to hang. I just wish there were some areas that had that flow of a ditch where your wheels don't have to leave the ground. I'm not talking snake runs, either. The old guard know[s] exactly what I mean (smile). [Texas'] Pflugerville Park has a great ditch.
I think what is going on with skating today is pretty amazing, but sometimes I think they are missing out on just rolling and sliding and that feeling you get of flowing when you do that.
 |
| Higg's Hands by Tim Kerr |
I am definitely a product of my time, then and now. There are so many unsung heroes that people should know about and make the connection that they didn't do what they did to be famous; they did what they did because of a strong belief from the heart. The things that speak to me most in art, music, skating, etc., come from that heartfelt action.
In a time when the idea of "community" has changed with punk and skateboarding growing so much, do you feel connected to your local art or music scene? How important is that idea of community to you?
"Community" and "scene" are two different things to me. The older you get, I think you start realizing that there are a lot more of "them" than us, so when you find one of us, you should hug and celebrate what that person is offering. You form a sort of community of kindred souls through that.
If you and your friends cause some sort of scene to happen around what you are doing, then it will sooner [rather] than later take on a life of its own and you have no control. All you can do is stay true to yourself and values and walk your walk. If you and your friends are always walking forward, there is a good chance you will always be ahead of the curve, though that's not why you do what you do.
 |
| Gulf Coast style of concrete wave |
I was attracted to art and music for as long as I can remember. I started playing guitar in elementary school and always did some sort of visual art. I did not really take formal classes until I went to college. They did not have guitar in the music department at that time, so I went to the art department. I started painting on big canvases then and was lucky enough to have [famed American street photographer] Garry Winogrand for the photography courses I was taking.
As soon as I graduated, the bands started up and I stopped taking photos and stopped painting on canvases. I was doing art through all the bands, but it was mostly flyers, ads, LP covers and some graffiti (mostly band names or saying something instead of big visuals). When people started asking me to show my art more in the early to mid-2000s, it was looking at [Jean-Michel] Basquiat and Twist's work that really pushed me back into the idea of painting big pieces again.
Tell us more about your collaborations with Stereo Skateboards and how you chose each subject for each rider.
The idea started the first time [Stereo co-founder] Chris [Pastras] saw my art. Russ Pope and I had a sort of crazy weekend pop-up show in L.A. Chris saw my art and said that I should do some graphics for Stereo. A couple of years went by, but it would keep coming up every so often. Last year I did a Vans-sponsored show in Portland [Ore.] and a good friend of Chris' (and now a good friend of mine), Arthur, saw my stuff and the first words out of his mouth were, "You should do some boards for Stereo!" He took the ball and ran with it, and that's how it finally came about.
I had already known about Stereo and always liked their vibe since they started. It's pretty cool to be a part of their anniversary. People keep telling me that it's a perfect match for what I do. I hope I get to do more. I originally sent them about 12 or so things and they picked from that. I am really happy with how they turned out.
 |
| Words to live by, written by Tim Kerr |
The current show is at Webb Gallery [in Waxahachie, Texas]. They have a huge collection of visionary/outsider artist work. I got a list from them of names of artists they have and started doing research. I think in total I did 20-plus artists. Most are around four-by-three feet, but some are much bigger, on old-school pull-down maps. They will hang my portraits of the artist and then put that artist's work up around the portrait that I have done.
My friend Dan Higgs is also in the show with about 14 new pieces. I am pretty excited about it and I think it might be up for about two months.
 |
| Howard Finster, by Tim Kerr |
This show had been sort of set a while back when we were talking about the release of the Stereo boards. [Stereo co-founders] Chris [Pastras] and Jason [Lee] and a lot of their crew do art and I thought it would be cool to do an art show when they came out. I was going to do an art show anyway in L.A. around that time and it just made sense to tie it together. Then it ended up that the Big Boys Light In The Attic release would be around the same time, so let's just turn it into a big celebration of self-expression!
My friend Rich Jacobs always has a wall of his friends' art when he does a show, so I have always tried to do the same to promote the community of this ... we just started asking and the list sort of grew (smile). As far as my art, this show will be more varied as far as subject matter, which is what I normally do. The difference is the record releases.
Punk and hardcore, skateboarding and art have always had a symbiotic relationship; why do you think it took 30 years for the artwork from these worlds to be respected outside these circles?
I don't think about that (smile). I think you cross the line into vain if you are looking for respect. All you can do is be responsible for your actions and hope to be some sort of positive influence. If one person picks up on what you are doing, it is an honor not to take lightly.
In the big picture, most people did not know any of those worlds existed till well into the '90s (smile). Depending on how you look at it, for better or for worse, Nirvana broke the dam for punk and hardcore, Tony Hawk and X Games for skating, and graffiti and the whole crew of folks that took the DIY attitude to the art world are doing it for art.
 |
| Jamming in the painting studio |
Light In The Attic will be reissuing "Where's My Towel?/Industry Standard." It was done right after "Live At Raul's," which was a split LP -- us on one side and a really amazing band called The Dicks on the other. The guy that put it out did not really let us have much input, even though he said he would. When we would question something, he would say "Oh, that's just industry standard." Our friend David Bean knew we were not happy and said he wanted us to come record on his label (he was in a great band called The Judy's); that's how this record came about.
[Ed.'s note: Click here for a Light In The Attic mini-doc about the reissue, featuring some incredible archival footage and photos.)
What is on the horizon for Tim Kerr in 2013?
There is an art show Mar. 9 at my friend Libby's shop, Ranch-n-Roll, in Hollywood, Calif., with me, Chris [Pastras] and some of the Stereo crew and a bunch of our friends. It will coincide with Light In The Attic reissuing the Big Boys record "Where's My Towel?". They will be having giveaways at that show, including Conspiracy doing a Big Boys board. Most likely there will be an old-time session going on there as well (smile).
Monofonus will be putting out "Up Around The Sun," which is me and my friend Jerry [Hagins] playing acoustic guitar and banjo. My friend Rich Jacobs and I have done some music together as well, and hopefully that might come out at some point.
A friend is reissuing "Fun Fun Fun" on vinyl and there is a Big Boys tribute record that another friend is doing in Canada.
I am painting a bike for Jim Kish (Kish Fabrications) for a bike show, recording more Lee Bains music and helping out my friends at an amazing non-profit assisting kids that want to be creative, called [Project] L.O.O.P.
More art shows and more Stereo boards? Chris? (smile)
 |
| Skateboards painted by Tim Kerr |
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Dale Watson & Billy Don Burns, Tag Team Ameripolitan Music
There is a new tag team duo, that will be hitting the air waves on February 27th. Billy Don Burns will be joining Dale Watson on the inaugural radio show of Ameripolitan Music. You can listen in live from the link below. To also learn more about what exactly is Ameripolitan, dive into the article below via Saving Country Music.
Listen in on February 27th to hear Billy Don Burns and Dale Watson
"Billy Don Burns will Guest on the debut of Ameripolitan Live San Antonio on Feb. 27th from 7pm -9pm. Ameripolitan Live! San Antonio can be heard around the world at http://www.am1670.org, Dewberry Jam Community Radio AM1670 San Antonio TX. Hosted by Celina, Dew & Texas artist Brigitte London, this show will feature the best in Ameripolitan Music with a LIVE CHAT as well as the taking of LIVE CALLS from Listeners. Tune in to hear Billy Don guest on the show along with Dale Watson. You can call in to ask Billy Don a question and participate in the Live Chat as well.
Original article below is from Saving Country Music
On February 4th, Outlaw Magazine published an interview with Dale Watson where the Texas-based honky-tonk singer submitted his plan for how to deal with the problem of what to call “country music” since, according to Dale, that term has been co-opted and irreversibly corrupted by Music Row in Nashville. Dale’s been throwing around his “Ameripolitan” term for years, but as Outlaw Magazine finds out, Dale is now working to organize behind the name.
“I’ve felt for a long time that the nomenclature, not just the name but the entire genre was successfully changed right under our noses and we couldn’t stop it,” Dale tells Outlaw Magazine’s Brandy Lee Dixon. “There is absolutely no way to get Nashville to stop calling their music country. They believe that it is a natural progression of country music and it’s theirs. I thought if our music is going to be allowed to grow it needs a new genre. Americana is original music with prominent rock influence, Ameripolitan is original music with prominent ROOTS influence.”
When asked why we should abandon the “country” term and not fight for it, Dale responded…
“Nashville has that term and it has been forever tainted. The reason I insisted that the new name NOT have the word country in it, is because it would always be thought of as a step child to Nashville Country.We need to start fresh. Also it’s not just about traditional country music either. Ameripolitan embraces Rockabilly, Western Swing, Hillbilly, Honky Tonk, Soloist, Duos and Instrumentalist. I think they all relate to each other and share the same roots whereas New Country has it’s roots planted in mid air and came from someones wallet.”
The main idea behind Dale’s Ameripolitan at the moment is the formation of an Ameripolitan awards show that would transpire in February 2014 in Austin, TX. The awards would be voted on by three divisions: 1) Fans. 2) Industry. 3) 100 Ameripolitan “captains.” More specific rules and a website are currently in development.
"To begin by playing a little devil’s advocate, Ameripolitan could be a slightly confusing term. “politan” as a suffix means “city,” and “city” is the antonym of “country.” The suffix “politain” has also been used before in country in the term “countrypolitan.”
Countrypolitan was an offshoot of The Nashville Sound created in the 1960′s that featured heavy, polished production with strings and choruses. Countrypolitan was producer Billy Sherrill’s version of The Nashville Sound that competed directly with Outlaw country, similarly to how The Nashville Sound competed with The Bakersfield Sound.
The term “Ameripolitan” may lead some to think that the roots of Ameripolitan music are in country’s countrypolitan past. Countrypolitan showcased artists like Charlie Rich and Charley Pride, as opposed to Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson that rebelled against the polished countrypolitan sound.
At the same time, one lesson we’ve learned over the years of trying to find a new name for true country music is that no term is going to be perfect. You just have to find one that fits, and go with it. Americana continues to fight to define itself (or to defy definition), yet it has seen tremendous growth over the last few years and has built remarkable consensus and infrastructure despite the ambiguity. A term Saving Country music once can up with, “Anti-Country” had its baggage too. In the end, to hold back the idea of unifying the music under a common term until a perfect term can be agreed upon is probably not smart, because that perfect term may not exist.
Shooter Jennings’ now defunct “XXX,” though not in the same sonic vein as “Ameripolitan” sonically, was a logistical mess and caused fracturing and chaos in the country music underground it was meant to unite. After its initial formation over two years ago, Shooter’s givememyxxx.com website was only updated twice in a 1 1/2 year period, and now the site is completely offline, neglected like the lark many charged Shooter would treat XXX as when it was initially proposed. The idea created more drama and infighting than consensus, and never even came close to forming the nationwide “XXX” radio format that was at the heart of the idea.
The other issue is the idea of relinquishing the term “country” to Music Row. I would be lying if I said this is something that I am comfortable with. At the same time I can’t see why Ameripolitan can’t move forward while the battle rages on for the heart of country music in a different theater. The fight for country music has always been one to transpire on multiple fronts, and Ameripolitan might create the infrastructure and strength in numbers true country needs to finally create a counter-balance or a legitimate alternative to Music Row.
A lot is still to be determined, but Dale Watson’s leadership has created an opportunity. By giving Ameripolitan a 1 year lead time to form a system gives Ameripolitan the benefit of a broad, unrushed perspective. By setting simple guidelines to make sure Ameripolitan’s formation has constructive input from fans, the industry, and a select group of people who will keep a watchful eye on the purity and direction of the term gives it strength and a pathway to consensus building.
Ameripolitain will not be perfect, but nothing is except the airbrushed faces and Auto-tuned voices of Music Row, and who wants to hear or see that? We should all move forward with an air of pragmatism and an understanding that discussion and constructive criticism is necessary to creating a healthy environment, but I don’t see any reason not to give Ameripolitan a chance to develop.
Listen in on February 27th to hear Billy Don Burns and Dale Watson
"Billy Don Burns will Guest on the debut of Ameripolitan Live San Antonio on Feb. 27th from 7pm -9pm. Ameripolitan Live! San Antonio can be heard around the world at http://www.am1670.org, Dewberry Jam Community Radio AM1670 San Antonio TX. Hosted by Celina, Dew & Texas artist Brigitte London, this show will feature the best in Ameripolitan Music with a LIVE CHAT as well as the taking of LIVE CALLS from Listeners. Tune in to hear Billy Don guest on the show along with Dale Watson. You can call in to ask Billy Don a question and participate in the Live Chat as well.
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| Can Ameripolitan be the new category of Roots and Country Music? |
On February 4th, Outlaw Magazine published an interview with Dale Watson where the Texas-based honky-tonk singer submitted his plan for how to deal with the problem of what to call “country music” since, according to Dale, that term has been co-opted and irreversibly corrupted by Music Row in Nashville. Dale’s been throwing around his “Ameripolitan” term for years, but as Outlaw Magazine finds out, Dale is now working to organize behind the name.
“I’ve felt for a long time that the nomenclature, not just the name but the entire genre was successfully changed right under our noses and we couldn’t stop it,” Dale tells Outlaw Magazine’s Brandy Lee Dixon. “There is absolutely no way to get Nashville to stop calling their music country. They believe that it is a natural progression of country music and it’s theirs. I thought if our music is going to be allowed to grow it needs a new genre. Americana is original music with prominent rock influence, Ameripolitan is original music with prominent ROOTS influence.”
When asked why we should abandon the “country” term and not fight for it, Dale responded…
“Nashville has that term and it has been forever tainted. The reason I insisted that the new name NOT have the word country in it, is because it would always be thought of as a step child to Nashville Country.We need to start fresh. Also it’s not just about traditional country music either. Ameripolitan embraces Rockabilly, Western Swing, Hillbilly, Honky Tonk, Soloist, Duos and Instrumentalist. I think they all relate to each other and share the same roots whereas New Country has it’s roots planted in mid air and came from someones wallet.”
The main idea behind Dale’s Ameripolitan at the moment is the formation of an Ameripolitan awards show that would transpire in February 2014 in Austin, TX. The awards would be voted on by three divisions: 1) Fans. 2) Industry. 3) 100 Ameripolitan “captains.” More specific rules and a website are currently in development.
"To begin by playing a little devil’s advocate, Ameripolitan could be a slightly confusing term. “politan” as a suffix means “city,” and “city” is the antonym of “country.” The suffix “politain” has also been used before in country in the term “countrypolitan.”
Countrypolitan was an offshoot of The Nashville Sound created in the 1960′s that featured heavy, polished production with strings and choruses. Countrypolitan was producer Billy Sherrill’s version of The Nashville Sound that competed directly with Outlaw country, similarly to how The Nashville Sound competed with The Bakersfield Sound.
The term “Ameripolitan” may lead some to think that the roots of Ameripolitan music are in country’s countrypolitan past. Countrypolitan showcased artists like Charlie Rich and Charley Pride, as opposed to Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson that rebelled against the polished countrypolitan sound.
At the same time, one lesson we’ve learned over the years of trying to find a new name for true country music is that no term is going to be perfect. You just have to find one that fits, and go with it. Americana continues to fight to define itself (or to defy definition), yet it has seen tremendous growth over the last few years and has built remarkable consensus and infrastructure despite the ambiguity. A term Saving Country music once can up with, “Anti-Country” had its baggage too. In the end, to hold back the idea of unifying the music under a common term until a perfect term can be agreed upon is probably not smart, because that perfect term may not exist.
Shooter Jennings’ now defunct “XXX,” though not in the same sonic vein as “Ameripolitan” sonically, was a logistical mess and caused fracturing and chaos in the country music underground it was meant to unite. After its initial formation over two years ago, Shooter’s givememyxxx.com website was only updated twice in a 1 1/2 year period, and now the site is completely offline, neglected like the lark many charged Shooter would treat XXX as when it was initially proposed. The idea created more drama and infighting than consensus, and never even came close to forming the nationwide “XXX” radio format that was at the heart of the idea.
The other issue is the idea of relinquishing the term “country” to Music Row. I would be lying if I said this is something that I am comfortable with. At the same time I can’t see why Ameripolitan can’t move forward while the battle rages on for the heart of country music in a different theater. The fight for country music has always been one to transpire on multiple fronts, and Ameripolitan might create the infrastructure and strength in numbers true country needs to finally create a counter-balance or a legitimate alternative to Music Row.
A lot is still to be determined, but Dale Watson’s leadership has created an opportunity. By giving Ameripolitan a 1 year lead time to form a system gives Ameripolitan the benefit of a broad, unrushed perspective. By setting simple guidelines to make sure Ameripolitan’s formation has constructive input from fans, the industry, and a select group of people who will keep a watchful eye on the purity and direction of the term gives it strength and a pathway to consensus building.
Ameripolitain will not be perfect, but nothing is except the airbrushed faces and Auto-tuned voices of Music Row, and who wants to hear or see that? We should all move forward with an air of pragmatism and an understanding that discussion and constructive criticism is necessary to creating a healthy environment, but I don’t see any reason not to give Ameripolitan a chance to develop.
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| Billy Don Burns will be on the air with Dale Watson on February 27th |
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Mike Snody Talks Gangsters & Hustlers
Our favorite knife maker is good ol' Mike Snody of Snody Knives out of Aransas Pass, Texas. His awesomely personal videos on youtube have become one of our favorite tv channels to watch on a regular basis. If there is anything you desire to know about knife making, he is the dude to check out. The how to videos and solid work ethic are damn great viewing material. Cannot wait to get our first Boss knife from him. Check out the below video as he talks about the difference in a gangster and a hustler.
Check out Snody Knives
Check out Snody Knives
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Another Great Reason To Enjoy Texas, The First 85 MPH Highway
The Dixie Chicks may sing about wide open spaces, but Texas is the reason we should be thinking on higher speed limits through vast open areas. A new highway corridor opened up between Austin and San Antonio. On that new section of pavement 85 mph is the speed limit, but there is just one catch. The new highway is a toll road and privately owned and operated for the next fifty years. To hit cruising speed on America's closest attempt at the Autobahn, pay the $6.17 toll and put the hammer down.
Go to original link on Neatorama
Go to original link on Neatorama
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| Texans can now roll 85 mph and get away with it |
Mike Snody And His Amazing Cutlery
Finding a guy such as Mike Snody on youtube, is akin to finding your new favorite reality show that you didn't know you were looking for. As soon as we found his channel, we ended up watching for the next three hours and damn if this dude isn't a craftsman. What we find the most compelling about his work is how detailed and well he explains knife making, while also creating blades that are of uncompromising quality. If you have any interest in custom knives, enjoy. A Mike Snody Boss knife will be out on our hip before too long.
Watch Snody Knives Reality TV on youtube
Watch Snody Knives Reality TV on youtube
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| Snody Knives - Boss Series |
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| Snody Knives - Crisis Card |
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| Snody Knives - Boss series with paracord handles |
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| Snody Knives - Snake Charmer custom knife |
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| Snody Knives - Acid etched folding knife |
Monday, September 17, 2012
Gas Monkey Garage Has A Sweet Shovel For Sale
We have quite a few friends in Texas, so if any of yall are looking for a sweet Shovelhead that is ready to roll, this one might be for you. It was recently up for auction on ebay but failed to hit the reserve of $6k. Give those fellas over at Gas Monkey Garage a call and see if it's still available.
Check out Gas Monkey Garage
Link to original post on Ebay
Exclusively available to YOU today from Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas, TX, is this fantastically fine example of a 1973 Harley-Davidson FLH. To be featured in an upcoming episode of The Discovery Channel's "Fast 'n Loud", this bike was built by the men themselves HERE at GAS MONKEY! If you're looking for an utterly mean and low FLH, look no further because we've got it sitting here in our shop. All it needs is a new home with someone to cruise it, ride it, thrash it, and do some true Gas Monkey style doughnuts on it if you so desire (kids, don't try this at home).
Specifications:
-1200cc
-Lowered 2'
-74" Shovel Head
-S&S High Flow oil Pump
-S&S Super Carb
-Spike Alternator & Rectifier
-Polished Rocker Boxes
-Crane Hi 4 Ignition
-1.75" Drag Pipes and Carb is Jetted Correctly for Pipes
-16" Chrome Apes
-Polished Jay Brake Hand Controls
-Solo Lepera Saddle
-2" Primo Open Belt Drive
-4 Speed HD Cowpie Transmission
-Final gear 24-48 with Chrome Sprocket
-Kickstart Only (no starter)
-16" Chrome Spokes
-GMA Rear Caliper with 11.5" Rear Disc
-2" Under Fork Tubes
-Polished Lower Legs and Headlight Bezel
-11" Progressive Rear Shocks with Chrome Covers
-Chrome Swing Arm with Billet Adjusters
Check out Gas Monkey Garage
Link to original post on Ebay
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| Gas Monkey Garage has their 73' Shovelhead for sale |
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| Open primary, floor boards and a strong shovel motor ready to roll. This bike is ready for some miles and smiles |
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| Gas Monkey Garage 1973 has been rebuilt and ready to roll, give them a holler as it's for sale |
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| Clean setup with the kickstart a stout motor to boot |
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| Gas Monkey Garage shovelhead for sale, shot from the rear |
Specifications:
-1200cc
-Lowered 2'
-74" Shovel Head
-S&S High Flow oil Pump
-S&S Super Carb
-Spike Alternator & Rectifier
-Polished Rocker Boxes
-Crane Hi 4 Ignition
-1.75" Drag Pipes and Carb is Jetted Correctly for Pipes
-16" Chrome Apes
-Polished Jay Brake Hand Controls
-Solo Lepera Saddle
-2" Primo Open Belt Drive
-4 Speed HD Cowpie Transmission
-Final gear 24-48 with Chrome Sprocket
-Kickstart Only (no starter)
-16" Chrome Spokes
-GMA Rear Caliper with 11.5" Rear Disc
-2" Under Fork Tubes
-Polished Lower Legs and Headlight Bezel
-11" Progressive Rear Shocks with Chrome Covers
-Chrome Swing Arm with Billet Adjusters
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Boomswagglers Are Invading Your Town
Below is a damn great write up on the Boomswagglers who are working with Hillgrass Bluebilly Records. These fine folks down in Austin, TX who are responsible for putting out quality music such as James "Slim" Hand, Possessed By Paul James, Restavrant and quite a few more. After hearing some tracks by the Boomswagglers, we know you are going to dig the tunes as they cannot be pigeon holed. Their sound is distinctive, raw and on point, just the way we dig it.
"Every once in a while you have and artist or band come out that is so pure, so raw, and so good, it is destined to self-destruct from its own internal pressure. Such was the case with the original incarnation of The Boomswagglers, a two-piece band consisting of Spencer Cornett and Lawson Bennett. The name “Boomswagglers” came from their real-life experience of living in a shack, eating out of cans and living off the land, spending days hunting arrowheads like modern day Mark Twain characters.
During this period they both became highly-skilled guitar players and wrote some of the most authentic country songs you will find recorded in the modern era. Hillgrass Bluebilly Records in Austin, TX got a hold of The Boomswagglers long enough to try and record an album, but the project almost seemed doomed from the beginning; they were just too raw, too real. It resulted in a rough, disjointed project that Hillgrass didn’t feel confident enough to put their stamp on, yet as bits and pieces leaked out over the years, The Boomswagglers slowly became underground icons from their raw songs and occasional performances around Austin, TX. After years of the public itching for the project’s release, Hillgrass Bluebilly finally released a Boomswagglers album as a bootleg for a short period.
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| The Boomswagglers - The Bootleg Beginnings From The Shack Out Back |
Something about the authenticity of the whole thing made The Boomswagglers’ bootleg arguably one of the best, most engaging projects released in all of 2011. At some point Hillgrass Bluebilly took the bootleg down, and since then Saving Country Music has been flooded with questions and requests of where to obtain this rare piece of audio gold. The original Boomswagglers album has become an underground classic, and Hillgrass Bluebilly has finally decided to give it a proper physical and digital release, with a brand new version completely remastered from the original studio sessions.
The new Bootleg Beginnings from the Shack Out Back will be a collector’s edition that will include a handmade emergency fishing kit attached to the CD, with a hook, line, and various lures. The physical release date will be July 12th, with the CD Release party happening at Antone’s in Austin, TX, with Hellbound Glory and Cade Callahan performing as well. The digital worldwide release will happen August 21st. ***UPDATE – You can now pre-order the CD!
Guitar player/songwriter Spencer Cornett still plays under The Boomswagglers name with other players, while Lawson Bennett is now the proprietor of the Mustache Podcast."
Handmade fishing kits for collector's edition
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| Image of the inside CD, taken from actual newspaper clipping |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
SXSW 2012 - Another Banner Year
When attending festivals such as SXSW, the general modus operandi is to get out and meet up with as many folks as possible to network and see new acts. As life would have it, our batch of miscreants did just the opposite. We rolled out fifteen deep and created our own party wherever we went and never looked back with Rory Kelly, She Rides, Hellbound Glory and many of our local friends in tow.
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| Best Bloody Mary's in Austin |
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| Leroy and Rico of Hellbound Glory with Billy of Rory Kelly |
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| Hill Country Live at SXSW 2012 with Hellbound Glory, Billy Joe Shaver, Shooter Jennings, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lukas Nelson, Chip Taylor, Roger Alan Wade and more |
At the Hill Country Live showcase on Friday night, we had to break up bar room brawls (leave that to proud Texan Preston), we were to hush up so he could actually be heard by Ray Wylie Hubbard, as we were having to good of a time and they wouldn't even allow Jamie Johnson in the side door by the stage, saying it was too packed. Add in Dan from She Rides standing on tables and dancing, Hellbound Glory blowing away the stage and the one cool mofo that is Shooter Jennings and friday night will be going down, as a night of legend.
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| Billy Duffy of the Cult on the big screen |
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| Local wrassler Cowboy James Claxton's koozie |
Saturday brought about an easy laid back day in which we all decided to chill out at our mother hen's house in Austin with Tammy. Hospitality is known throughout the south but what we witness every year in Texas is beyond comprehension. Tammy's humble abode turns into a band camp and the beer and whiskey flow like a wild river. With that type of good time already on tap, who needs the crowds of sixth street or the cool factor.
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| Zeke's leg is a living canvas of late night tattoo's |
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| Rory Kelly rockin' the Headhunters stage |
Once we had finally decided to leave the creature comforts we embarked on a mission to catch the Cult. Legendary act and rightfully deserved through Billy Duffy's supreme mastery of the guitar and the commanding presence of solid rock n' roll chops. Our main goal for the night though was to get over to the XSXSW Showcase at the Austin Moose Lodge for the weekend showcase put together by Hillgrass Bluebilly, Saving Country Music and Muddy Roots folks. We were able to catch the sets by Hellbound Glory, James Hand and Sunday Valley, but most of all we got to hang with Keith over at Hillgrass and talk shop on some new projects we are going to team up with.
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| A "Bastard" sportster chop we saw outside of the Cult show |
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| Zeke is a good buddy of ours and master spoons player, cigarette roller and metal fabricator |
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| Guitar legend in the making, Rory Kelly never fails to smoke every band playing with them |
As things are shaping up, 2012 is going to be a banner year in our camp. After hanging out with quite a few friends and making many new ones in Austin, be on the lookout for quite a few new projects coming out to the masses and for all the rowdy ones in Rusty Knuckles Music to be invading your local clubs sooner than later.
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| Billy Miller and Pops of Rory Kelly bringing the thunder to Texas Rock Fest |
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| Andrew the drummer from She Rides |
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| Hellbound Glory smokin' the packed house at the Saxon Pub for Hill Country Live |
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| Rico of Hellbound Glory's pedals |
