What happens at Mile 0 Fest in Key West doesn’t stay in Key West. It resonates throughout the Texas/ Red Dirt world, into Americana, and throughout independent country for the rest of the year.
18 songs is a lot to digest, but it goes down smooth when Randall King is serving them up. Though King’s neotraditional sound might be similar to others, what he has that many don’t is an actual country voice to compliment them.
Mile 0 Fest has established itself as one of the premier destination events in all of country and roots music, especially if you’re into the Texas/Red Dirt side of things. Now after six years, Mile 0 Fest has its own traditions, it’s own nucleus of loyal patrons and regular performers, and a heap of fond memories.
If you’re looking for the band that veritably defines what Texas country music is today at its zenith of appeal and popularity, it is the Randy Rogers Band, period. And if you’re looking for a record that veritably defines the Randy Rogers Band, Homecoming might not be a bad choice.
Combining songs of heartbreak with a little extra steel guitar on this one, it makes Somewhere Between The Secret and the Truth just as much “country music” as it is “Texas music,” while not forgoing the type of songs that are easy to love, and have earned Wade Bowen a wide and omnivorous audience.
Texas music artist Wade Bowen has a new album coming out called ‘Somewhere Between The Secret and the Truth,’ and ahead of the new album, he’s released a stunner of a slow, singer/songwriter country track called “A Guitar, A Singer, and a Song” featuring country legend Vince Gill.
Kennedy and producer Davis Naish brought in a sparse selection of instruments and a beautiful tribute ode to a corner of the world that the singer-songwriter has fallen in love with over the years. They spent a week in a small adobe house in the tiny Far West Texas town after which the album is named.
The benchmarks a Song of the Year winner must meet, and the stress test it must endure is more strenuous than any other in music. We’re not looking for some infectious fanny shaker here, or even a song that might stir an emotional moment.
Live music in 2021 saw its return after the worst moments of the pandemic, but only in fits and starts, with multiple postponements and cancellations wrecking many plans, yet a few important moments still going off in the windows when they could.
What is the litmus test for a Song of the Year nominee? Simply put, it’s something that very well might wet the eye. These are songs that have the power to change hearts and change lives, open you up new ideas or ways of thinking, or unlock memories or emotions you haven’t felt in years
The listening room saying “Shut up and listen” was coined for guys like Jason Eady. It would be a cardinal sin to sully a performance from this sage of singer/songwriter country with something as meaningless as idle chatter. Jason Eady doesn’t deliver songs. He delivers sermons.
It’s the 4th of July weekend! Don’t risk tanking your festivities by turning on some terrible corporate country radio station. Take a listen through the Top 25 Playlist that’s just been reinforced with a bunch of great new tunes from a bunch of top independent country artists.
The places a song can take you, the realizations a song can impart, this is the reason we cherish music so much, and we cherish songs specifically as the kernel root of all musical experiences that we remember forever. These are the best country and roots songs of 2021 so far.
If there was a songwriter out there with the acumen and muster to bust through all the bleeding-heart platitudes and overwrought sentimentally that makes so many of these songs immediately disposable, it would be Jason Eady. That’s what he does with “French Summer Sun.”
It could have been a disaster, or it could have not happened at all. When Mile 0 Fest rescheduled their 2021 festival from late January to late April, a lot of dominoes had to fall their way for them to pull it off. It was a risk. But they pulled it off with flying colors.
With his new album ‘Country Shade,’ John Baumann fortifies his spot in Texas music and beyond as a songwriter. Sure, there’s a lot of artists who write songs in Texas music. But with John Baumann, writing songs is the singular and pure pursuit—to find the perfect sentiment, to put a notion to rhyme.
Country music is also one of the few constants in a world of change. The onslaught of technology and the incursion of automation into our lives hasn’t made country music less relevant, it’s made it even more imperative. These are the themes and reminders you will find throughout the latest record from Noel McKay and Brennen Leigh.
Christmas came early for ticket holders of the Texas Music/Red Dirt/Americana-oriented Mile 0 Fest set to transpire in Key West, Florida on January 28th-February 1st, 2020, as well as for those still sitting on the fence about if they want to go, or those who might have a ticket waiting for them under the Christmas tree.
For the benefit of the Bowen Family Foundation, the Bowen MusicFest has raised over $3.25 million for charity just since 2009, and the event raised $500,000 in 2018 alone. Expanding every year since 1998 into one of the premier events in Texas and Red Dirt music, Bowen MusicFest has assembled an impressive lineup.
Kayla Ray has deep Texas roots and comes by her classic country music sensibilities honestly. On Friday (5-4) she releases her sophomore album entitled ‘Yesterday and Me.’ Jason Eady is back as co-producer with Pat Manske. Kayla was kind enough to spare a little time to talk about her new project.
Started by songwriter Larry Hooper, “Chin Music” as it’s called has put the fate of some of the most signature beards in Texas music on a speculative footing, including the silver streaks of Shinyribs’ Kevin Russell’s mane, Bart Crow’s Grizzly Adam’s look, and Drew Kennedy’s daunting hedge of human whiskers.
For 21 years, The Americana Music Jam has assembled some of the finest talent in Texas music to raise funds for worthy causes. Co-sponsored by Gruene Hall, and hosted by KNBT 92.1 FM out of New Braunfels, this year proceeds went to benefit Hope Hospice and Communities in Schools of South Central Texas.
For years we’ve been waiting for the two Texas country traditionalists, regular tour mates, and fluttering love birds of Jason Eady and Courtney Patton to release a duets album, and very soon we’ll get our wish. Just announced, the duo will be releasing an acoustic album called ‘Something Together.’
But like a diamond, true talent has a tendency to shine through the darkness and Patton’s skill as a singer-songwriter has done just that. She is quickly becoming a driving force within the Red Dirt and Texas music scenes. Patton married fellow musician Jason Eady in March of last year and released So This Is Life today (6-9).