I was sitting under a canopy of stars, surrounded by trees that were planted during my early folk festival days, and listening to Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros singing “Here’s to the trains I’ve missed,” and suddenly a wave of tears flooded through me. I wondered about that. Memories? Nostalgia over the 38 years I’ve attended this event? Power of these words and that story? Knowing each man in the group as a wonderful human being? Enough said. I just know I had a huge emotional reaction to a song and a story. And that inspires me to do my life in the context of stories and songs and transformation.
I am writing this column in the House of David, my writing cabin, and a huge mandella hangs on the wall with a butterfly in the center. More transformation. I will be teaching mythology in the fall at Schreiner University, as well as a course in Texas music. I have started painting by using “feeling flows” on the page with color and words. My life is revolving around a center committed to transformation. And that is how I approach this writing as well as my own life in education.
The highlights of my life on the road in the last 30 days include the following:
___An evening with Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines at the KFF, followed by myfirst experience
with the Indigo Girls. The passion and honesty in both performances moved me to take a look at my own life. My granddaughter, Angel, age 8, is now listening to Terri’s cd for children as she paints in a cabin on my place, newly named, House of Sun.
___an introduction to The Indigo Girls singing “Take some time for yourself,” “If you ain’t got nothing to say, don’t say nothing at all,” “I waited for you to return from the sea, and I’ve always known I was waiting for me.” Again, Kathleen loving the words!
___An evening celebrating Woody Guthrie, including the film “Bound for Glory,” with Ronnie Cox present. He performed in the film and sang songs at the tribute. Wonderful connections. The Woody Fest in Okemah, Oklahoma, is a free festival, July 15-17, and I would love to go this year! Arlo performs, along with Jimmy LaFave and many others. Jimmy hosted the tribute to Woody and read excerpts from the novel between songs. A perfect way to honor such a huge contribution to American culture. In fact, I started thinking that a night at the Kerrville Festival honoring Jimmie Rodgers would be a great sundown concert during the week. By the time this is in print, I will have talked with producer, Dalis Allen. I love her ongoing conversation on collaboration as she broadens the context of the festival by having nights that feature other organizations.
___A night at the festival featuring Poor David’s Pub and the B.W. Stevenson Songwriting Contest. David Card, owner of the Dallas Club, an historical venue in the history of Texas music, was the host, and I remember my first road trip to Poor David’s. I was still married to Ben Hudson, and we went to Poor David’s to follow the music. The discoveries I made back in those days (the 70’s) were often invited as guests in my English class at Aledo High School (Ray Wylie Hubbard).
___A night in Aledo at the 1975 high school reunion. My students used Facebook to find me and to invite me. What a joy to hear those stories again, and to see the many students who helped shape my life as a teacher! In order to get that job at Aledo in English, I also had to sponsor the drill team. We went to the state championship that year, and I had to put in a lot of overtime work. Donna Henry, one of those drill team captions, is now married to a musician, Dan Chambers and we discovered he is the brother to Craig Chambers, a musician who has worked with Bert Winston, Tommy Morrell, and Western Swing. I am now listening to “Alive and Swinging,” Dan’s cd and Western Swing CD of the Year 2007. And his last line on the back, “All photos by the lovely and gracious Donna Chambers.´ What a beautiful tribute to his wife, my former drill team captain, Donna Henry.
___Hearing Owen Temple and Gabe Rhodes at the Poor David’s evening. Owen, along with Adam Carroll, helped create the new Texas Song Series. We are collaborating on our projects featuring Texas songwriters so August 15-17 in Concan also features songs of Jimmie Rodgers, September 1 Texas Music Coffeehouse features Owen and Adam, and September 24 Texas Heritage Music Day (formerly the Living History Day) features Owen and Adam paying tribute to Jimmie AND sharing their own songs in the songwriting circle in the Union Church. What fun!
___An evening with the Walt Wilkins Band (again!) at Mambo’s in Ft. Worth. I had the chance to introduce brother Charlie Pillow to their music and to their lives. “We are all the traveling breed,” are words that speak to me. We met Walt’s gracious parents, and we enjoyed a new series being presented by Clubhouse Concerts. Slaid Cleaves was next in the series. Ft. Worth, my hometown, has a great music scene. See clubhouseconcerts.com
___An afternoon at Luckenbach with Stephanie Urbina Jones and Florin Sanchez. Yes, Mariachi’s always make me cry too! We heard a group from Austin that included a Grandfather and 17 year old grandson (on accordion). Family and Texas. I was invited to eat a “test” jalapeno before the jalapeno eating contest. Not hot for me. Stephanie sings with passion and performs with fervor. Florin, the THMF scholarship winner in 1992, accompanies with gorgeous guitar work, and the entire performance is a work or art. I always have a percussion instrument in my purse just for opportunity to join in the rhythm of Latin songs. Her songs tell of her family, her love of Mexico, and her own spiritual journey. Yes, I resonate with the songs of Stephanie.
Ahead in July we can look forward to the annual Willie Nelson Picnic held at the Backyard in Austin. The usual list of characters is on board with a few new names. David Allen Coe, Billy Joe Shaver, Leon Russell, Paula Nelson and more and more. Best buy on tickets might be through Willie’s website.
The local Hill Country Music Scene is flowering. I had a great Thursday night at the open mike at Pampell’s. Heard some new local musicians, and heard some electric leads by our man Turk! Art and Lisa host an open mike at the Guadalupe. And Jr. Pruneda and Friends have moved their Sunday afternoon jam to the Roddy Tree Ranch and Cantina on Highway 39 heading to Hunt. From 2-6 expect great classic Texas music, and Jr. Pruneda is one of our local treasures! I have invited him to come to the September tribute to Jimmie Rodgers. Roddy Tree has beer and cheeseburgers for sale, a dance floor and covered listening spot. Keith Asbury hosts an open mike and jam from 7-9 on Saturday and Kareoke on Friday nights. Try out this way to experience Texas music, and let me know your story.
In fact, I am always inviting people to share new ideas, venues, and discoveries with me. kat@maverickbbs.com is a good address! Also consider joining the Texas music team at www.texasheritagemusic.org Have fun with us. I started that organization in 1987 and we are approaching a 25th anniversary. We have altered the name of our September event from Living History to Texas Heritage Music Day. We are all about learning with stories and songs. History AND music play a huge role in our education, and this free event is sponsored by local businesses and foundations. The THMF is not just a local organization, with projects that spread out across Texas. I have been invited to the Cambridge Folk Festival in England at the end of July. Time to go international as well!
Some cd news: I am absolutely entranced with the new and first Casey Hubble cd. He was the THMF scholarship winner a few years go, has graduated from University of Texas, and showed up at Luckenbach when we were watching Stephanie. As he handed me his cd, he also invited me to a performance in Kerrville that night. I missed the performance, but wore the cd out! In line with my love for interesting lyrics and unusual voices (Leonard Cohen and Dylan), I heard “You Make Me Better,” with sensitive ears. This does not sound like any other debut cd I’ve heard, does not sound like the “boys” of Texas, but does contain rhythms that move you, words that intrigue, and songs to remember. Caseyhubblemusic.com contains both the lyrics and background stories. This is one I keep in my player on all road trips. He makes ME better!
“Cry Till You Laugh,” is the latest cd by Terri Hendrix and featuring Lloyd Maines and Glen Fukanaga, her tireless trio! First, the website terrihendrix.com. Lloyd Maines writes a beautiful tribute to the latest cd he has produced for and with Terri Hendrix. She also has a collection of essays to accompany the lyrics. And when a recording starts out with a Texas woman on her harmonica giving a rendition of Dorthy Parker poems, this English teacher heart beats a little faster. What an interesting project to share with my new Texas music class this fall. And Terri, who has always given her fans her heart, is speaking up in a new and unpredictable way. I love the cd, which has songs that intrigue me. When I hear “Slow Down,” I know she is speaking to me! Terri is a businesswoman as well, adding this to her label Wilory Records. Check out the catalogue she has created.
By the time you read this, I will have attended the Monterey Bay Blues Festival. Ruthie Foster not only plays this festival on a stage where Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar at the Monterey Pop Festival, but she also is speaking at the Young Rhetorician’s Conference, a conference for those young at heart in the teaching profession. I am taking Liz Stewart, a Schreiner English student, who is giving a talk on the archetype of the shadow in popular culture. Another way the threads of my life weave together. Music (songs), literature (stories) and teaching!
Ils sont partis KH