Man, oh man. It must be Spring in Texas. Why so? The bluebonnets sprouting along the interstates? Sure, I guess. The arrival of another Texas Rangers or Houston Astros baseball season? OK, I guess.
Perhaps the most fun sign that Spring is upon us, at least here in North Texas, is the return of Shiner Sunday’s at Love & War in Texas in Plano. This past Sunday was the second week for the series that must be starting it’s 10th or 11th year at this point (we’ve been going for 9 of them, including this year). Each year, the roster of acts seems to be more and more packed with big stars from the world of Texas Country and Red Dirt. This week was absolutely no exception, as Austin’s Reckless Kelly took the patio stage (recently renovated to become a shrine of sorts to the late, great Rusty Wier) in front of what must’vebeen 400-500 rowdy fans, many of which had no problems jumping on-top of their wooden picnic tables and shaking their groove-thing, with little regard for personal safety. That’s what Reckless Kelly’s live show will do.
As the show was being broadcast, live on KHYI 95.3 The Range, Willy Braun and crew took a rather business-like approach to their rocking. Picking a few older cuts from their pre-Yep Roc catalog, such as “Back Around,” “Vancouver,” “Seven Nights In Erie,” “I Still Do,” “Motel Cowboy Show,” and the extremely sing-along worthy, “Wicked Twisted Road,” Reckless Kelly got the crowd, including many toddlers that seemed to be closer to the speakers than we can imagine is safe, going before busting out material from their last two albums, Bulletproof and Somewhere In Time.
While the haze of a late Sunday afternoon can bring-about moods of laid-back ease, such wasn’t the case for the wild throng on-hand. Slower songs – like “Vancouver” and “Wicked Twisted Road” – were amped up and quickened with a pulsing rhythm that was appropriate for each tune, as well as for the overall vibe of the show.
With shows from Jesse Dayton, Charlie Robison, Chris Knight, Darryl Lee Rush and even Swampadelic, on the way, there can be no mistaking that spring-time in Plano will be blooming with good times.
While outlaw country legend, Billy Joe Shaver, has received some recent notoriety that isn’t what most would call “welcome” or even “positive”, he has made overcoming obstacles as regular of a part of his life as penning and performing classic country tunes has been.
Born in Corsicana and spending a good deal of time in Waco, Shaver has become a household name in his home state. The fact is, many people outside of Texas are familiar with his work, even if they don’t know it. After leaving Texas over 40 years ago (his move was only temporary), Shaver found work as a songwriter, most notably landing several tunes on Waylon Jenning’s Honky Tonk Heroes album. That album, as much or more than any other record, is credited with beginning the so-called Outlaw Country movement.
Over the last couple of decades, Shaver has continued to churn out excellent records that have caught the attention of country music’s elite artists and have bolstered his appeal as a worthy elder statesman of a time that has sadly seemed to have passed in Country music. Also, however, has Shaver had to deal with crushing blows that would’ve leveled so many other lives.
In 1999 and 2000, Shaver suffered the losses of both his mother and wife, Brenda (whom he had married and divorced on multiple occasions) and then, his son and musical partner, Eddy, died from the results of a heroin overdose.
Relying on the faith that he vocally carries with him, Shaver has continued to soldier on and is still a man on a mission. This week, in Plano at Love & War in Texas, Shaver will be honored by many of his contemporaries and many of the artists that have been inspired by him with a “Rusty” Award. This prize is given annually to a prominent Texas artist who has influenced so many, within the state and beyond.
Many great acts will be features, beginning at 6:00 pm. Darryl Lee Rush, Gary P. Nunn, The Tejas Brothers, Mark David Manders and many others will be on hand to say thanks to this living Texas legend.
Kelly Dearmore is a freelance writer, mean pot of chili maker and opinionated music lover. To read more about what Kelly is listening to, visit him here on The Squawker weekly or daily on his personal music blog, The Gobblers Knob
Man, oh man. There are certain afternoons where I am convinced that I couldnt be experiencing what I am at experiencing at that given moment in any other state. Sure, that’s a bit shallow, perhaps. There are many unique locales that boast myriad opportunities, unique to their perspective areas that we, as Texans, may not be privy to on a regular basis. Regardless, last Sunday afternoon (and many other previous Sunday afternoons, for that matter) was one such moment where I felt especially Texan.
For eight spring and summers running, I have made a point to attend at least a few Shiner Sundays at the Plano, TX location of Love & War in Texas. For a couple of dozen Sunday afternoons each year, the best and biggest names on the Texas Country scene share the stage with the most promising newcomers, while all of it is broadcast live on KHYI 95.3, The Range. Personal highlights from the past, for me, have been due to solid, and perhaps rare parings of talent. In 2004, Jesse Dayton and Dale Watson carried out a marathon set, with Dayton and his band playing for literally hours beyond the two hour broadcast portion of the show. Last year, Darryl Lee Rush and Jason Boland packed the Hill Country-style patio to its absolute capacity and turned the time into their own mini-Red Dirt festival.
As I prepare to head on over for this weeks boffo bill, featuring Charlie Robison and John David Kent as the opener, I cant help but wonder how tough it will be for today’s acts to top the show from last week, featuring a prodigal Texan, Zane Williams, fresh off of his return from writing hits in Nashville and one of the finest writers to ever come out of the heralded tradition on the Brazos, Hal Ketchum.
Looking more grizzled than suave with his glorious mane tamed by father time, Ketchum professionally worked through his catalog of solid, radio hits from the 1990′s. Truthfully, I had forgotten how many great tunes the man has in his considerable portfolio. Few need reminding that the simple-life classic “Small Town Saturday Night” is his, but I’ll be darned if “Sure Love”, “Hearts Are Gonna Roll” and “Stay Forever” werent every bit as enjoyable to hear again. Ketchum brought the reverent crowd to their feet, and to tears (literally, in many cases that I personally witnessed) with an acapella rendtion of “Yesterday’s Gone”, a song that he wrote in honor of and about his Grandfather. Simply beautiful.
It really was an amazingly Texan afternoon. For most Sunday’s, Love & War in Texas is all about the love.
Kelly Dearmore is a freelance writer, mean pot of chili maker and opinionated music lover. To read more about what Kelly is listening to, visit him here on The Squawker weekly or daily on his personal music blog, The Gobblers Knob
