Music_News

Due to excessive noise complaints from residents near the Cypress Saloon, they regret to inform us that they will no longer be hosting full band shows. They have a few pending acoustic shows left but have had to cancel the rest of the full band shows. I would like to thank the entire staff at the Cypress Saloon for the great job they have done, in the past year and a half, bringing in some of the best acts in the Texas music scene. Cypress Saloon was becoming a real power house in the Houston area's live entertainment business. The Cypress Saloon will remain open with more arcade games, better pool tables, electronic dart boards and a new internet juke box. I invite all that have attended shows at Cypress Saloon to stop in and personally thank them for the great music they have hosted and have a cold beer while checking out the new look of the Cypress Saloon. - Grandpa aka Russell

While flipping through channels, true music fans will always pause on Austin City Limits as soon as they see that signature skyline backdrop. Longtime viewers might have seen Willie Nelson in the 1975 pilot episode. It's almost impossible to fathom the country music stars who have graced the stage since then.
Now the PBS staple is moving -- to a new downtown theater which should be ready in the next two or three years. The black, rectangular, wooden stage is going, too. There's no way you could leave something like that behind.
"It weighs heavy on your mind the whole time you play that this is no less important than recording an album, as far as securing a record of who you are as a performer," says Brad Paisley, whose third episode aired in January. "It's a real humbling experience having seen the high points hit on that stage by legendary performers over the years."
On a quiet day in the studio, producer Terry Lickona finds a comfortable spot on the stage and explains his theory about why the show brings out the best in performers.
"I think a lot of it has to do with the freedom you feel and the casual environment that we deliberately create in this room. It's more like another show on the road, with the exception that it's being recorded by Austin City Limits and will live with you for the rest of your career," he says with a laugh. "And the crowd's great. These are music fans. These are Austin's people who come not just because it's a TV show. Another part of it is because of the free beer we have always served to the audience from the beginning. It loosens people up, and they don't feel intimidated or inhibited by the TV cameras and lights."
Of course, the feel of a concert -- whether it's relaxed or electrifying -- is the hardest thing to capture on tape. Isn't he worried that he'll lose that in the move downtown?
"Our foremost goal, above all else, is to maintain the same vibe, the same atmosphere that was created here, that has worked so well," says Lickona, who has produced the show for 30 years. "The last thing we want is to open this place, after all the dreams we had in the three years of designing and planning, and then have people come and say, 'They ruined it. They had a great thing and destroyed it.'"
The new theater will hold around 2,000 people and can host concerts when the show isn't in production. Lickona says the famous backdrop would fall apart if they tried to move it, so they're considering a 3-D model since they now record the show in high definition. In the 1970s, about 900 people could be accommodated in the small studio located at the University of Texas. Today, due to fire regulations, only 300 seats remain.
Wait -- what? The studio is on a college campus?
It often comes as a shock to viewers (and some musicians) that Austin City Limits is not filmed on a perfectly clear hilltop overlooking the twinkling city. Paisley says, "It's like finding out that the Death Star in Star Wars was a 23-inch by 23-inch globe. It's tiny and intimate ... and indoors! And it's on the sixth floor of a building. It is a rare treat for the few hundred who ever get tickets to these shows because you rarely get to see touring artists in that intimate of a setting."
Consider the musicians who have performed there over the years. In the '70s, you might have caught Texas-based musicians such as Asleep at the Wheel or Townes Van Zandt. Alabama, Reba McEntire and George Strait filmed episodes in the '80s, and so did Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett and Dwight Yoakam. The big country boom in the '90s brought in Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill and Alan Jackson, who told Lickona that watching Austin City Limits as a kid inspired him to become a musician. More recent shows have featured Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Keith Urban.
"I learned so much about guitar watching that show," Paisley says. "You don't see musical creativity on award shows or variety shows or, especially now, reality shows. They restrict you too much. But Austin City Limits is up to the artist. I loved performances by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, the Desert Rose Band, Steve Wariner, Thom Bresh, Chet Atkins. .... I guess all the guitar greats. It's the perfect venue for a player to stretch out."
The series has introduced itself to a new generation with a massive music festival and a series of CDs and DVDs released by New West Records, featuring full concerts from the Austin City Limits archives. Some day, Lickona wants to post every show online after decades of being asked by viewers how they could see their favorite episode again.
"We may be one of the few places left where you can tune in and enjoy a performance of five, six or seven or more songs, as opposed to just one shot, without commercial interruptions, so it really does feel like a concert experience," Lickona says. "Obviously, there are enough people out there who like it and keep coming back for more."

Dolly Parton has been a late scratching from SXSW. After postponing her US tour because of back problems, the country superstar kept her SXSW showcase date open but this week has pulled out of the world's biggest music conference. Her new album 'Backwoods Dolly' was released on February 26 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Charts this week. 'Backwoods Dolly' is her first country CD in 17 years. The album was released on Dolly's own label and quickly became her 4th highest charting album of all-time and her best first week sales week since 'Honky Tonk Angels' in 1993. No-one has been announced as a replacement for Dolly at the Austin Music Hall on March 14.

Johnny Rodriguez was arrested last Friday on the way to a show in Oklahoma . McClain County prosecutors have charged the singer who topped the country music charts in the 1970s with three felony drug counts. Blanchard police stopped Johnny Rodriguez at U.S. Highway 62 and Rockwell west of Oklahoma City on a complaint of speeding, according to a court affidavit filed with the charges. Officers then found what they believed to be bags of marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and an open container of beer in Rodriguez's pickup truck, court papers said. Rodriguez was charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of marijuana and driving under the influence of drugs. The 55-year-old Laredo , Texas , resident also was charged with possession of paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. He was released from the McClain County jail Saturday on $6,500 bail. Rodriguez had six No. 1 hits on the country charts in the 1970s, including I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind, Love Put a Song in My Heart and That's The Way Love Goes.

"In a walk across Texas, the greatest distance is between two brothers." Coyote Funeral, an independent feature film made by Texan filmmakers using Texan actors, has just been released on dvd. The film features an appearance by Cooder Graw as well as a soundtrack of stellar Texas Music artists including Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Robison, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Kevin Fowler, Reckless Kelly, Wade Bowen, Bleu Edmondson, and Texas Renegade. The movie's co-directors, native Houstonians Jason May and Phelps Harmon, both graduates of St. John's School and Washington and Lee University, take a universal theme and add a Texas-sized twist in their first feature film. In Coyote Funeral, two estranged brothers attempt to rekindle the camaraderie of their youth by literally walking 857 miles across Texas. After the journey begins along the Sabine River, the sibling rivalry unfolds amidst the dynamic and rugged terrain of Texas itself, culminating with an emotional high in El Paso. May's brother, Jono Young, stars as the leading protagonist. May says, "We made Jono audition, and he delivered the lines like I heard the character in my head. But that doesn't mean it was easy. Sure I liked the opportunity to tell my little brother what to do, but I don't think he liked putting up with it quite as much. In the end though, it made the film that much more interesting." Filmed along the back roads and honky tonks of Texas, including the legendary Gruene Hall, Coyote Funeral makes Texas as much a character as a setting. But whether or not they make it depends less on braving the elements than surviving each other. "Coyote Funeral" is available through the film's website, www.coyotefuneral.com.

Everyone was wondering what John Sebastain would do when he took over as program director at 99.5 The Wolf in Dallas. Many of us have feared that he would go more mainstream Country and program less Texas Music. This week he discussed his plans to Country Aircheck on changes at the Wolf. His goal is to become a 35-44 demo vs the old 18-30 demo. He blames the ratings decline on too many promotions, not playing some national releases and too much talk with air personalities. He has changed the news time, put in more songs and less promotions. We are now hearing more Patsy Cline, Garth Brooks vs. Kevin Fowler, Deryl Dodd, Robert Earl Keen, etc. It's a sad day. Cody Allen resigned last week over the new direction.

George Strait was forced to reschedule three tour dates over the weekend due to a bout of laryngitis. The Country Music Hall of Fame member began experiencing vocal problems on Thursday (1/24) while getting ready for a show in Jacksonville, Fla. Even though Strait wasn’t able to perform, openers Sarah Johns and Little Big Town went on with that night’s show. Strait will resume his tour Thursday (1/31) in Sacramento, Calif. His shows in Baltimore, Md.; Columbia, SC; and Jacksonville have been rescheduled for April 4, 5 and 6, respectively.

Willie Nelson Releases New CD "Moment Of Forever" TODAY

On January 29, Lost Highway will release Willie Nelson’s highly-anticipated album entitled MOMENT OF FOREVER. The music was produced by country superstar Kenny Chesney and Grammy-nominated writer/producer Buddy Cannon who jumped at the chance to work with the musical icon. The collection of 13 tracks includes songs written by Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Randy Newman and Dave Matthews to name a few. The album also features two new songs written by Willie and an additional tune written with his sons Lukas and Micah.

The new album has already garnered rave reviews in The New York Times, Miami Herald and Austin-American Statesman.

Willie’s upcoming TV performances include the Super Bowl XLII Pre-game Show on FOX-TV, NBC’s Today Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Legendary country singer Charlie Daniels was inducted into the world famous Grand Ole Opry Saturday (1/19) by Opry members Marty Stuart and Connie Smith. Stuart welcomed Daniels into Opry membership, before a sold-out crowd, by saying, “The Opry is American and its reach is universal. A steady force in the midst of passing trends. The Opry is family. God bless Charlie Daniels.” Daniels was then joined on stage by Stuart, Smith, Montgomery Gentry and Trace Adkins to perform “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”

During the induction which aired on Opry Live on Great American Country, Daniels was also presented the Opry Member Award, a 14-inch bronze and oak wood replica of the Opry’s vintage microphone stand designed by renowned sculptor Bill Rains.

SXSW is pleased to announce that Dolly Parton will perform on the BMI showcase at the Austin Music Hall on Friday, March 14. An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the world of music entertainment, penning classic songs such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and her mega-hit "I Will Always Love You." The American singer/ songwriter’s new album BACKWOODS BARBIE will be released on Feb 5. This is her first mainstream country album in 17 years and marks the first release on her independent label, Dolly Parton Records, that will focus on quality releases from her catalog.

Eric Church married music publisher Katherine Blasingame last Tuesday (1/8), in a private ceremony, attended by immediate family, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the artist’s home state of North Carolina.
The wedding took place at the internationally acclaimed Westglow Spa & Resort in Blowing Rock, NC. “Katherine and I stayed there last year, and we just fell in love with the place,” said Church. “We decided that it would be the ideal spot to get married, up in the North Carolina Mountains, with just family around us. I can’t imagine a more perfect spot.”
The bride’s gown was designed by Melissa Sweet, and the groom wore a black Dolce & Gabbana suit. The newly married couple now sport one-of-a-kind rings designed by famed jewelry designer Margaret Ellis (“Sex In the City,” “The Devil Wears Prada”).
Church surprised Katherine with a new song, written especially for her, that he performed during the ceremony for the bride and assembled guests. “My brother snuck my guitar in for me, so I think I surprised her!” grinned Church.
The entire wedding party stayed at Westglow for most of the week, taking full advantage of the relaxing spa treatments and activities available at the resort.
But no additional post-wedding rest for Church . . . the artist is back in the studio recording music for his next album, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut album Sinners Like Me (“Guys Like Me,” “How ‘Bout You”), expected in the summer of 2008. Fans should expect the first single from the album to hit radio in March.

Two Dallas police officers accused of holding country music singer Steve Holy and a friend at gunpoint during a home game of foosball have been fired.

Officers Randy Anderson, 25, and Paul Loughridge, 48, each face a misdemeanor charge of deadly conduct in connection with the Dec. 27 allegation. If convicted, they could face a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
"Their behavior that night is disturbing and not consistent with how we expect our Dallas police officers to perform," said Police Chief David Kunkle, who fired the men Friday.
Holy and his friend said they met the two officers at a bar, then went to Holy's house to play foosball in his garage.
According to police reports, Anderson began questioning the identity of Holy, whose songs include "Brand New Girlfriend."
Holy and his friend told police that Anderson and Loughridge pointed their guns at them and told them to get on the ground. Before the officers left, the report says, Anderson told Holy that he'd kill him if he said anything about the incident.
Holy declined to comment on the firings. "I have a lot to say when it's time to say it," he said.
However, his lawyer, Toby Shook, said the firings were "a no-brainer on Chief Kunkle's part."
"It's clear that everyone who has looked at the facts of the case have found these two officers aren't credible," Shook said. "They're the ones that got fired. They're the ones that fled the scene that night; the victims called 911 right away."
Loughridge questioned the weight given the 911 call. "After listening to the 911 tapes, the level of credibility given these two gentlemen is astounding, and in fact, it's actually scary," he said.
Anderson had no comment except that he said he agreed with Loughridge.
On the 911 recording, the operator sounded frustrated by an inability to get information from Holy, who told her several times that he's a recording artist.
When she tried to ask Holy if the two officers left together, he answered: "He put a gun to our heads."
"OK, you told me that at least five or six times," she said. "I have that. I understand that."
Shook has acknowledged that his client had been drinking, but said the confusion heard on the 911 call came from the shock of the experience.