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Soulful Circuit Queen
One of the most important aspects of Marcia’s career is her role as a bandleader. In a world of male-dominated musicians and bands and groups, she forged a almost exclusive path as a woman. Not a chick singer or additional instrumentalist, she was the artist, the bandleader. Continue reading
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Viva Fiesta, San Antonio!!
“Mexican conjunto music, also known as conjunto tejano, was born in south Texas at the end of the 19th century, after German settlers introduced the button accordion. Continue reading
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Dreamin’ of the Rolling Stones
Last night, I dreamed of my geriatric self. I was one of several older folks, lying in a row of hospital beds, on one of those long screened-in porches you sometimes see at rest homes. We were all watching TV, waiting for Mick Jagger to come on and perform. Continue reading
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ALLMANS BEGAT the HIPPIE SWAY
The first albums, Allman Brothers Band and Idlewild South were testaments to deep south influences on the soul of rock and roll. As much as Janis Joplin’s gospel, pain-wracked emotional outpouring vocals tied Black southern music to the rock form, Continue reading
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Winter in the Summer of ’68
SOMETHING WAS IN THE AIR THAT NIGHT Acccording to an article in the Texas Standard, “Johnny Winter’s historic show at the Vulcan Gas Company broke new Ground.” Yes, he did! And, those of us who were there in the audience knew he would be a star! Continue reading
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TOMMY SHANNON RULES
First off, Tommy Shannon drove that bus. He and Uncle John were a tremendous rhythm section. Continue reading
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Forgotten Austin: Les Moore
Les came to Austin like so many in the 70s. On his way somewhere else, escaping some repressive, soul-crushing apathetic town or other. Continue reading
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Surely Duane Allman
‘Blue Sky’ It gives me goosebumps and brings me to tears. And, I believe as this anonymous comment on a fan page states, “I think he (Dickey) wrote it for God.” Continue reading
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Risky Business at Soap Creek Saloon
Soap Creek Saloon was a bar at the top of a hill in Austin on a dirt road just off Bee Caves Road. It was a twisty, turny, potholed, very steep road. Soap Creek hosted some of the best live bands around. Continue reading
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Random Access Memories–#1
Bluegrass music was also part of the Austin scene. While living in the Patterson St. house, I met Sam Bass. Not the outlaw, but his mother said the family was related. Sam played bass guitar, banjo, and other instruments. We had a sort of ‘on and off ‘ again relationship. Continue reading
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Lubbock Or Leave It
Butch is a master songsmith. The first times I saw him he was performing brilliant fully realized epic songs and concise waltzes and ballads. As a writer, he was already a force to be reckoned with The Winds Dominion, Bluebird, Grand Hotel. LAWDY—how does he do that! Continue reading
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Led Zeppelin August 14, 1969
And then there was the singer. He howled, he moaned, he growled, he whispered, he shouted and he crooned. His emotive capacity, second to none, produced skin-crawling sensations. Continue reading
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Navigating Rock and Roll in a Racist Environment
Sent with peace, love understand and most of all Rock-n Roll Continue reading
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My First Festival/the Summer of 1969
My first Festival was the profound live event in Northridge, CA, dubbed Newport 69. Held at Devonshire Downs, an old race track in smoggy San Fernando Valley of LA, it was heralded as “The Weekend The Giants Get It Together Live In Person”. Continue reading
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Waters and Winter
But the real treat was that actual heavy-weight blues artists headlined regularly, Big Mama Thorton, Jimmy Reed, and Mance Lipscomb. Clearly it all came from the blues. Continue reading
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KAPE Radio or How I Got the Blues
Our car and home radios were always set to KAPE. The DJ’s like Cesmo, Hal King, Franklin Collins, Rudy Green, and Marvelous Mel Waiters were stars who were like family. Continue reading
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BEATLES OR STONES?
by Jack Reid In 1964 the big bang of the British Invasion music knocked Motown and the Surf music right off the charts of our local radio stations. In San Antonio, these were KTSA and KONO, the teen stations. In January of 64 the charts read like the nation charts, except being in the south,… Continue reading
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The Blacksmith and the Song Smith
This is a chapter of my life’s story. A time and place which was very meaningful for me, and one that has stayed with me all my almost 77 years on Earth. I don’t talk about those Clarksville days much– back in the late sixties and early 70’s in Austin, TX. Maybe, I was afraid that… Continue reading
Amnesiacs Memories of Rock and Roll 