The Two Step Inn people are getting this thing right. Last year, being the first kick-off event, there were a few holes in the ship regarding accessibility and general needs being met, but this year, they’ve kicked up everything from just a few notches to feet, including lockers to water stations and tents for drug testing. Last year, I was lucky enough to catch both days. This year, I managed to sneak into the fest only on Sunday, April 21 but what I saw was worth the risk of getting towed. (Hey C3, next year, can the press please get parking passes? I checked my phone every :30, hoping I wou ..read more

When attending festivals, there’s a game of cat and mouse between security and journalists. And at the Live Nation-produced country music fest, Two Step Inn in Georgetown April 15-16, me and my media brethren bonded like a pack of wolves. I went into the gig with wholesome intentions to capture the heart and soul of the event, despite the sun’s rays beating down on me while my boots gathered layers of dust.  Arriving at the designated parking lot, far out east at Georgetown East high school, I was impressed with the stream of buses, ready for concertgoers holding bag chairs but also looki ..read more

Last Wednesday, July 28, Charley Crockett and the Blues Drifters taped their debut Austin City Limits (ACL TV) episode. The performance was magical. Crockett and his band entered ACL Live at the Moody Theater primed for the taping, coming off a month-long run that included a number of dates on the West Coast, were ripe for a masterful performance. The self-described Gulf & Western outfit has gone through a number of iterations before settling on a sound that oscillates from Texas honky tonk to authentic country/western and blues thanks to a roster of experienced, talented players. After ex ..read more

Texas has a long history of producing troubadours. We love our wandering and often tortured story poets; reminiscent of days lost to time, and memories the old folks used to talk about in the wee moments of late summertime, between sunset and twilight. Charlie Robison took his place amongst the fabled Texas troubadours even though he flirted with commercial success in Nashville a time or two. But he was a Texas boy. We all knew guys like Charlie, we saw them on Friday nights, around town. His relatable nature as a songwriter was part of his appeal. He passed on September 10, 2023 in San Antoni ..read more

I am not one for the symphony. I am just not sophisticated enough. I can appreciate the beauty, the symmetry, the obvious hard work to achieve the masterful levels of musicianship, but I cannot get lost in the glorious classic concerts any more than I can a massive, yawning festival. The historic Julie Rogers Theatre is home to the Symphony of Southeast Texas (SOST), hosting classical, pops, educational, holiday performances, as well as many specials throughout the year. On October 14,  the SOST welcomed Mandy Barnett, performing music from her Nashville Songbook.  SOST (formerly the ..read more

The First Rose of Spring is Willie Nelson’s seventieth album. That is 70, seven-zero. Let that sink in a minute. The sheer volume of Nelson’s creative output is staggering. The record was released or “dropped” as the kids say, July 3, just before Nelson’s annual Fourth of July Picnic which was live-streamed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You would think there isn’t anything new to say about Willie Nelson. You would think there isn’t anything new and good enough that Nelson could sing. You’d be wrong on both counts. First things first… Willie is old. This isn’t a newsflash. He’s had so ..read more

Editor’s note: Our guest writer today is Michael Maly. If you’re a regular reader, the reason you may recognize that name is the man is also a photographer who has contributed his work to this publication. Maly generously offered to put down some words for this story in addition to filing some fine looking images of gifted Texas songwriter, Joshua Ray Walker who headlined a performance at Coupland Dancehall on December 19. If you decide you like this story, please share it on your preferred social platform and we’ll let Maly know y’all enjoyed his writing as well as his concert photography. As ..read more

The Jefferson Theatre was privileged to host Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group on February 10. The theatre, located in Beaumont, Texas is designated a Texas Historical Landmark and it’s listed on The National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1927, the storied venue features an 8-Rack Morgan Organ. The Jefferson once hosted the premiere of  classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life” with star Jimmy Stewart and director Frank Capra in attendance. It was the perfect place to host an equally storied Texas musician. The Jefferson was closed from 1972 through 1997 with the exception of a handfu ..read more

In the unforgiving desert that is commercial country music, there is an occasional oasis of originality coupled with traditional roots. A shining example is Nashville-based Margo Price. She’s released her third studio album, That’s How Rumors Get Started on July 10. It seems often times in the days of mass produced and marketed music, where some music executive designs an artist from their shoes all the way up, we either have the stereotype of slick, all sound alike example or someone trying to buck the system by pretending to be Earnest Tub from the 1940’s. Seldom do we find an example of an ..read more

Guest Post: Today’s essay, written by noted Austin-based columnist and writer Robert Dean explores the world of country music and what makes artists working in the often hokey yet deeply traditional genre, authentic. Given you may have extra time on your hands with a new work from home schedule or self-quarantine measures to combat the COVID-19 virus, we thought it timely to share the piece with our readers -Editor First things first, I loathe pop-country. Even trying to explain how much I want to be thrown into a cornfield Goodfellas-style whenever Sam Hunt or Jason Aldean comes on feels like ..read more