Lori Ellen — “Ghost” There’s a school teacher in South Austin that spends her evenings moonlighting with the Midnight Girls, her summers volunteering for the Kerrville Folk Festival, and her fall in the Terlingua Desert in Far West Texas. Lori Ellen’s first single “Ghost” is an intimate portrait of the memories scribbled in her songbook. […]
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Caleb Wilbourn — Out West Now I rinsed out my eyes for the fifth time as purple clouds escaped over the Santa Elena Canyon. The dust storms can really put a callus on your pupil out in Far West Texas, home to picturesque settings that could serve as the backdrop in a John Ford western. […]
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Kerrville Folk Festival 2022 The mixmaster I’m keen to has eight freeways colliding like rapids on an expedition… where you grip the wheel and grind your teeth as you twist like a bobsled in a corkscrew. The 50th annual Kerrville Folk Festival has a much more inviting mixmaster, one paved with gravel and steeped in […]
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Craig Marshall — “Turn Around” A blurry image of someone pushing through the exit door of a South Austin honky tonk serves as a guide for Craig Marshall’s new single “Turn Around.” “It was late somewhere, it was closing time,” Marshall sings as Grahame O’Shea plays a subtle train beat for anticipation. “I was only […]
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Redbird Listening Room’s One Year Anniversary I’m crunching stones on a gravel road in the river beds of Blanco, Texas praying my crumbling tires won’t explode. I’ve got an hour to cut around Canyon Lake and cruise through Wimberley for the Redbird Listening Room’s one year anniversary. “This old house was built in the 30’s,” […]
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I’m racing the clock on the narrow, pitch black ranch roads that lead into Dale, Texas. The cold winds could take you off into a ditch if you’re not aware of the land, and a sharp memory will lead you into the dawn as reception dissipates and the collective spirit fills your soul. The 35th […]
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Americana fans are celebrating the opening of the 35th annual Old Settlers Music Festival in Tilmon, Texas. Artist in residence Del McCoury is scheduled to give two performances with his all-star band. Festival attendees planning to camp will unwind at “the most unique, magical music celebration in Central Texas. Four days of music, camping, community, […]
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The Holy Child — “Sweet Release” Turquoise mountains slowly pulse as vocalist Robert Alarcon appears with a bundle of sage. The Holy Child has been working tirelessly over the past few months to self produce their own in-house music video and navigate the landscape of DIY promotion. Keyboardist Johanna Alaracon and percussionist Fernando Sanchez wave […]
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Glowing disco balls pulse atop the outdoor stage west of San Antonio, Texas. Calliope Musicals burst into song with all of their might as cheers echo around the canyons in Utopia. Calliope Musicals perform at Viva Utopia. Photo by Andrew Blanton. “Here’s to the ones who love me,” Carrie Fussell announces to the campers […]
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Bear Tales: the Legend of the Hill Country Delta Blues A beam of sunlight in the crystal-clear sky pierces my eye as we drive past rural farmland and a John Deere outlet store northeast of Austin. The modern sign welcoming you into Taylor is fitting for the massive growth the community has faced recently, as […]
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