Don't forget to watch Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses on Letterman Wednesday November 4, 2009.

This Wednesday, November 4th, Love and War in Texas will be presenting Gary P Nunn with a life time achievement award.  Come celebrate this wonderful occasion with live music from Max Stalling,  1100 Springs, The Tejas Brothers, last years winner Tommy Alverson and many more.  There will be a silent auction with proceeds going to the Rusty Wier Fund.  Show starts at 5:30 and is $15 at the door.  Congratulations Gary!!!

Whether you missed it or want to relive last Saturday, here are LoneStar Music's favorite clips from some of the artists:  http://www.youtube.com/user/lonestarnation.  More artists will be added in the near future.  We also have archived interviews with Hayes Carll, Bob Schneider, Wade Bowen, & Cody Braun here http://tinyurl.com/ycf772o.  Be sure to check them out!

There are some awards that you just always aspire to win (Nobel, Pulitzer, World Series MVP, Guinness Award for most consecutive winning lottery tickets, etc.) and then there are those that, upon learning of their existence, you move from "mildly intrigued to win" to "just gotta have it" status.  Such is the case with the "Tastiest Testes" award, given out annually at Doug Moreland's Cattlelacs Calfry event.  Now, if we've already lost you at "Tastiest Testes", well, get over it...  Cow balls were cookin', beers were flowin' and good tunes were rockin' at this year's incarnation, held, as always, in Manchaca, Texas.  And amidst all of the jubilation/debauchery, our own LSM team of assorted chefs, cooks, and stragglers emerged victorious, capturing the elusive "Tastiest Testes" award.

   Thanks again to all the fine folks that took part in the event and especially to Doug Moreland and HAAM (the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians) for making this year's event so enjoyable.  Look forward to repeating in 2010! 

So, without further ado, our winning team:

From L-R: Cody Skaggs, Mike Wrage, Chris Nygard, Shane Jones, Matt Warren

And the trophy itself, which we'll house in store at Gruene for your viewing and photographic pleasure. 

If you've never heard "This Old Porch" by Robert Earl Keen or Lyle Lovett, you might be at the wrong site (and you definitely don't know about class rings and a pitcher of beer at the Chicken - btw, my friend Jessica's time is 5m21s, beat that!). 

Two long-time friends who have gone on to be Texas Music legends are releasing new CDs within 30 days of each other. Robert Earl is our artist of the month for September and you can listen to clips from the Rose Hotel here. Also, get on it and pre-order the CD quick and you can still score an autographed booklet.

Lyle Lovett's new CD is called Natural Forces and will be out on October 20th. We'll have the sound clips up soon and while we won't have autographed booklets, we do have a very cool bonus for pre-orders. More info on that coming soon, but we promise you'll love it. Even if you can't beat Jessica's time.

It's that time of year again to be festive (or at least attend one)!!!

Whether you're a south Texas cabrito lovin' cowboy or a year round beach goer, there's a Texas Music event for all kinds!!!

Check out all these upcoming events and festivals:

Ziegfest!! Lake Bryan, Yorktown, and Houston

Cuero Turkey Fest- 10/9-10/11 Performers include:Roger Creager, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Bleu Edmondson, and Texas Renegade 

Brady Goat Cook-Off- 9/4-9/5 Enjoy live music from Seth James and Wade Bowen

Texas Gator Fest- 9/11-9/13 Live performances by: Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, Casey Donahew Band, and Josh Ward Band

South Padre Island Seafood and Music Festival- 9/18-9/19 Music from: Cory Morrow, Doug Moreland, Kevin Fowler, Billy Joe Shaver, Jason Boland and the Stargglers, Rodney Hayden, Honeybrowne, Sisters Morales, Bob Schneider, Micky and the Motorcars, Ryan Bingham, Zach Huckabee, Kevin Smith, Sam Sliva and the Good, and Uncle Lucius

Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam- 9/26 Rock out with: Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, Toadies, and Stoney LaRue

Tommy Alverson Family Gathering #12- 10/1-10/3 Performers are: Terri Hendrix, Eleven Hundred Springs, Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros, Brian Burns, Johnny Bush, Davin James, Tommy Alverson, Ed Burleson, Cornell Hurd Band, Deryl Dodd, Jamie Richards, Randy Brown, blacktopGYPSY, and Tejas Brothers!!!

Michael is very excited about the clear vinyl on the new Cross Canadian Ragweed LP.

The Randy Rogers Band will be playing a FREE show
at the Alamodome this Tuesday
to kick off the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp.
Come out to support RRB and the Dallas Cowboys!
Doors at 6pm, show at 7PM | Show is free - parking is $10

Not too long ago, just a couple of hundred feet down the road from our store in Gruene, traffic was blocked off all around the corner of Gruene and Hunter roads. There were lots of lights and people and such, and a lot of our customers asked what was going on. It's always better to show than tell, so here you go:

By the way, guess who has a new CD coming out in August?

Polish up your best lyrics and give it a shot. Full details available by clicking on the graphic below. Good luck from LoneStarMusic and Dualtone Records. 

Stick it in some Red Dirt.

New album from one of the architect's of the Red Dirt sound. Sound clips coming soon, but it's McClure - pre-order now!

The Voices of a Grateful Nation/ Welcome Home Project are teaming up with Luckenbach TX, Kerrville Folk Festival, & Cheatham Street Warehouse to organize an attempt at breaking Germany's Guinness World Record for the largest Guitar Ensemble ever assembled!!! All guitar and mandolin pickers are invited! The goal is 2000 attendees to make history!

The event will take place in Luckenbach, Texas on August 23rd. The gates open at noon and get ready to break the world record at 2 pm!!!

This event is a benefit fundraiser for the Welcome Home Project to help pay for guitar lessons for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries as music therapy and healing upon their return from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many artists will also be in attendance to help break the record! Confirmed artists include Jimmy Lafave, Roger Creager, Walt Wilkins, South Texas Destroyers, Robyn Ludwick, Clay McClinton, Bo Porter, Maren Morris, John Arthur Martinez, Doug Moreland, Dustin Welch, Mark Jungers, and many more to be announced...

Registration for this event is available at www.voicesofagratefulnation.org or find more info at www.lonestarmusic.com/events.asp?id=127.

Looking for something to do this 4th of July Saturday?? Here's whats goin on!

New Braunfels:

River Road Ice House: Django Walker opens for Jason Boland & The Stragglers

WhiteWater Amphitheater: Eli Young Band & Jack Ingram

Billy's Ice: Jimmy Kaiser

Gruene Hall: Jason Eady opens for Asleep at the Wheel

Mountain Breeze Camp Ground: Midnight River Choir

Seguin:

Freedom Fiesta: Cross Canadian Ragweed

Luckenbach:

Walt & Tina Wilkins

Concan:

House Pasture Cattle Co: Cory Morrow

Austin:

Nutty Brown Cafe: Bob Schneider

Antones: Carolyn Wonderland

Galveston:

Woody's: Matt Begley & Bitter Whiskey

Hope Everyone has a safe & fun 4th of July weekend! I know I will!!  :)

We are very honored to be a part of Walt Wilkins's new project - a CD titled Vigil. An extraordinary number of people volunteered their time and efforts to make this CD happen and all of the proceeds from the disc will benefit the Longevity Foundation - an Austin-based charity supporting research into a cure for ataxia-telangiectasia, a degenrative disorder causing premature aging of the nervous and immune systems.

The Longevity Foundation was inspired by Patrick Howard who was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 5 and passed away at the age of 14. 

The $11.99 is the suggested donation for this incredible disc from Walt Wilkins and friends and we hope you'll be inspired to visit the Longevity Foundation website to learn more about their work and make an additional donation.

In Texas, it is almost a necessity it seems, to talk about barbeque when talking about music. And that is fine by me because it gives me the chance to eat lots of barbeque, along with a platform to say to TX something I need to get off my chest.

You native Texans eat barbeque wrong.

It is a shame with all the fine establishments you have smoking meat and hosting great music. The proper way to eat it – The Virginian way, the Tennessean way, the North Carolinian way – is to eat your sandwich with the cole slaw on it.

It will be nice to finally have somebody in town that knows how to eat barbeque properly other than myself…another Appalachian Refugee in Scott Miller.

This Saturday at John T. Floore’s Country Store, Scott Miller and Sunny Sweeny will be playing a nice intimate acoustic session inside. That is my favorite way to see Miller. It allows him to break guitar cords and tell his stories in between songs. He may tell you how he wrote a song, how a William Faulkner quote about the best song titles being found in the bible can make you run around the house looking for said bible, how much he likes Miller High Life, or maybe about his fascination with old typewriters.

I have been watching and listening to Scott Miller for years now, ever since a girl played her favorite song by him to me in the car one evening. That was a decade or so ago while I was in college at East Tennessee State. At The Down Home, our version of Gruene Hall in East Tennessee, I used to love sitting there, listening to his music and stories. From album to album, I’ve kept up with him. I’ve tried to share his music with others because I simply cannot think of a better songwriter out there these days. I am going to try to get to him before the show and request my favorite song of his – The Rain, is a ballad about a battle during the Civil War in Virginia and the repercussions of not keeping your powder dry back then. I’ll be doing it for ya'll, trust me.

This past Christmas, while I was home in Virginia I got to go to one of his acoustic shows in Floyd, VA. He had just come out with an acoustic EP he was selling at the show called “Appalachian Refugee,” which is, I guess, a perfect definition of what I am here it Texas – which finally brings me back to barbeque again. I’ll be at the Scott Miller show this Saturday. I’ll be the guy with the huge camera and after the show I’m going to have a word with Scott about this barbeque eating ya'll do here in Texas – without cole slaw between the bread. His gasp, I’m sure will be heard ‘cross the lone star state.

Doors open at 7pm and Scott Miller starts playing at 9, followed by Sunny Sweeney at 10:30 on Saturday June 20th at Floore’s Country Store.

I'll tell you it's the... live music! Especially the FREE live music! 

First of all, I want to make a continuum to Chad's Blog about Saving Austin Music.  Please read it.  Please write the Austin City Council members.  Without live music in Austin, the city will lose its integrity, its culture, and its tradition of being the live music capital of the world.  So, please, take 5 minutes of your time and send in an e-mail against the noise ordinance against live music in austin. 

Secondly...this is why I love Texas: So I was headed up to Austin friday night to go see my boyfriend.  I always exit in Buda and take 183 so I can avoid traffic downtown and I like to take the backroads.  Well, as I'm exiting I see a silver van pulling a little rusty trailer that says "Texas Renegade" on it headed north on I-35.  So first thing I did was call Kristen up at the LSM store to see where they were playing that night.  They were playing at a place called C. Hunts Icehouse (Chester's).  Sure enough, it was right around the corner from where I was headed.  So I figured we'd go check it out.  Not only was Texas Renegade (one of my favorite bands, of course) playing..but the beer was cheap and the atmosphere was really fun and relaxing.  It's definately going to be a new hangout for me. 

This is what I love...no matter where you are in Texas, on any given night...you will find live music.  Whether you look them up online and plan ahead of time, or happen to show up at your favorite bar and a fun new band is playing...or you follow them to Austin ; Keep an eye out this summer for the free shows, they're everywhere.  Don't miss your chance to see these bands for free, because before you know it you'll have to pay a hefty cover to see them! 

Until next time...thanks for reading!

Hey,

I am hoping that in addition to the regular crowd, a bunch of the staff and customers from past can come out for a little get together. There's no "funner" band in the land than Ponty Bone and the Squeeze-Tones, and those Mudcats are just incredible!

So what do y'all think? Can you make it? Forward this on to your old Cheatham Street friends and tell them to meet you there on Saturday night, June 20. Help us CELEBRATE 35 YEARS of TEXAS MUSIC!

Kent

PS: We'll still be celebrating on June 26, 27, & 28 with three big nights of great music.

This week, KGSR's Unplugged at the Grove show was shut down due to the noise complaint of one person. 

This type of thing has happened before and seems to be supported by our city council. In the past, a single person tried to silence Stubb's and other businesses on Red River and police have even walked 6th street with decibel meters to enforce sound level restrictions. 

Although this isn't the first time this type of action has happened, it is very big and could mean the end of live music in Austin ("Live Music Capital of the World"), as we know it. 

I got a copy of a letter that has been circulating, to send to the Austin City Council, and heard there may be a Walk on City Hall. A Council Meeting is NEXT THURSDAY (6-18) and they will be discussing music, noise...

If you live in Austin, please try to participate in any way you can. Even if you don't live here, but want to help preserve our music scene, please take some time to SEND EMAIL to our city council members.

BELOW is a copy of the letter to forward, info about the upcoming meeting and contact info (including EMAIL) for all the City Council Members.


SEND EMAIL TO:

Austin Mayor Will Wynn ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_willwynn.htm
Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_brewstermccracken.htm

Council Members:
Lee Leffingwell ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_leeleffingwell.htm
Sheryl Cole ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_sherylcole.htm
Mike Martinez ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_mikemartinez.htm
Randi Shade ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_randishade.htm
Laura Morrison ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_lauramorrison.htm

Mayor and Council (ALL) ----- http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm


LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL
>>> Received from: Carlos Manolo


Dear Council Members,

On the evening on Thursday, June 11th, Unplugged at the Shady Grove was shut down after a single complaint was filed pertaining to the sound level. What is worse, that single complaint was fully backed by the Austin Police Department and the city council, effectively enabling the whim of one man to send hundreds of Austenites out of the venue and terminate the show before artist Jimmy LaFave took the stage.

This event represents a significant jump in the local government’s disregard for the preservation of the local culture that the people of Austin have cultivated over the past seven decades. When our city council sits idly by to watch the state-supported deconstruction of such a unique and integral part of our culture, the community is facing a disturbing prospect.

Because, indeed, we are now in a position where local culture – that which makes this city different from any other, that which gives those abroad any reason at all to visit our city – is engaged in a stand-off with local government.

No doubt Austin music is nowhere near as prolific as it once was – in the days of the Armadillo, before the existence of city noise ordinances, yet we still boast the largest number of venues per capita and, quite possibly, still the largest music scene in the country. The recently accelerating deterioration of this culture, from Freddie’s, forced to terminate it’s patio music just shortly after being required to end all music by 9 p.m., to now the Shady Grove, a pinnacle of Austin culture, an event that has lasted hundreds of shows throughout 16 years amidst bad weather and power failures, which has finally been overcome, signifies a turn for the worst. 

Hence, we declare that we will not sit complacently as our own city makes stark and blatant efforts to resist the growth and propagation of our own culture. We will support the industry upon which the town has thrived and the industry which is so readily flaunted at our airport and visitor center. For decades now, local music has brought the youngest and the oldest together on the lawns and patios to be happy together, and that’s not something we are willing to see destroyed. 

Sincerely,

-------------------------------------------------

Next Scheduled Meeting is next Thursday
6/18/2009 - Regular Meeting of the Austin City Council

Agenda Includes: RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION

"Approve...city resources...staff...supporting Austin music. 
Sponsor: Council Member Mike Martinez
Co-Sponsor1: Council Member Laura Morrison 
Co-Sponsor2: Council Member Randi Shade 

See at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/item_attachments.cfm?meetingid=175&itemid=10590&item=49

------------------

The Resolution:
RE: Live Music Task Force

"also addressing neighborhood permitting and sound issues;"

"addressing permitting and regulatory issues affecting the live music community."

"accountable official...administering and enforcing Chapter 9-2 (Noise and Amplified Sound)." 

See at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/wams_item_attach.cfm?recordID=17861


PLEASE PASS THIS ON>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>