Jerry Jeff Walker's Birthday Bash

We've been sort of focused on working on projects around the place lately so haven't been out to enjoy any of the local music events since last year - quite a drought!

Steve discovered the perfect event to change that - the Texas Bash, Jerry Jeff Walker's annual birthday celebration event at the Paramount up in Austin.

The Paramount is a beautiful old theater and it's a treat just to mingle with the other folks, sip a drink and admire the architecture while waiting for the performance to begin. The Paramount was built in 1915, and was then known as the Majestic.
It's aged a bit since then, but has seen thousands of performances. Major restoration work was done in the 1980's, and more is needed. It's a constant battle to maintain the elegant murals, light fixtures and furnishings.

Fresco on the acoustical shell above the stage

Jerry certainly knows how to celebrate a birthday! He always starts out at the Paramount, and then a few days later takes a party bus gathering down to Gruene Hall. This year he celebrated his 70 years in the usual grand style.

Though Jerry's an original member of the "outlaw country" genre, along with Waylon and Willie (he's immortalized in the Brooks and Dunn song, Ballad of Jerry Jeff Walker ) he's probably best known to the general audience as the author of "Mr. Bojangles" (Jerry's 2008 performance).

The evening's program included that title, as well as "Navajo Blanket" , well known by fans of Ian Tyson who included it on one of his albums (JJWalker, 2008 version). He also wrote "Trashy Women" (Confederate Railroad does the version currently on the radio). The show included a variety of Jerry's titles as well as a few by other country song writers. 

The college students in the crowd chimed in full force when he sang their favorites, including "Red Neck Mother" .  There's more to Jerry and the band than honky-tonk numbers. We thoroughly enjoyed the instrumentation, and watched in amazement as one of the band, Chris Gage, switched repeatedly  between guitar, accordion, and mandolin. The softer side of their music can be heard in the song "Down in Belize", posted on Chris Gage's web site. Though Austin is Jerry's official home, he has a second home in Belize and does an annual trip down there with fans.

Jerry is 70 this year, which may explain why he and his band did the whole show sitting down - not that he sat still. He can boogie better seated in a chair than most people can standing up! One of our favorite numbers of the evening was Jerry's rendition of Guy Clark's "Always Trust Your Cape" - good advice for life!

Road Tripin' Music

We've logged about 1,295 as of lunchtime today.... lots of miles and lots of big rigs. We just heard this on the radio and couldn't resist sharing it!  Check this out on YouTube:  There's a Diesel on My Tail

Drop us a comment and tell us what you think of the song!

Just in case you didn't catch all those lyrics. . . .

Del Reeves - Diesel On My Tail lyrics

I just pulled onto the highway in my little foreign car
Well it's rainin' and the road is really bad
Never saw that big ole diesel but I heard him hit the air
I got a feeling that I might have made him mad

There's a diesel on my tail a making ninety miles an hour
And my reflection in my mirror is mighty pale
I can hear St Peter calling I can almost smell the flowers
Can this compact take the impact there's a diesel on my tail

Well he closed the gap between us pushed the pedal on the floor
He's makin' ninety in that big ole diesel truck
Hear the names he's callin' me above the engine's roar
And the words won't be found in Webster's book

There's a diesel on my tail...

Well I'm huffin' and a puffin' as I try to make the grade
And I wish I had some pedals on this car
Then I'm slippin' and a slidin' and afraid to touch the brake
For this doodle bug could never stand the jar

There's a diesel on my tail...

Well I'm slippin' and a slidin' tryin' to hold it in the road
And I tell you I just got to win this race
While I'm tremblin' and a shakin' he's a pourin' on the coal
So close that I can steal his licence plate

There's a diesel on my tail...

What would Willie Do?????

Hey folks! it's Willie Wednesday here!

Actually, every Wednesday is Willie Wednesday on KVET, the radio station we listen to, so I thought we'd share a little of the local flavor.

Willie's a local icon, very active in all the local venues and a downright nice guy according to anyone who's met him. One of our friends was testing water out at his ranch a few years back and came away impressed at what a genuinely normal and nice person he was. 'Can't say that about a lot of folks who've had both the success and failures that he has.

Every Wednesday Willie makes himself, or his driver or some other member of his staff available to chat with the morning DJ's, and there's always some interesting tidbit to reveal. He cut his braids off last year and wow, did that set folks all atwitter! Kinda like the queen buying a new hat! At any rate, in his honor the following song was written by Bruce Robinson and has been recorded at several concerts. Inspired by all the trials land tribulations Willie has survived (most of his own making), the song was the theme of his H&R Block ad a few years ago, and was also featured in Willie's benefit concert for Tsunami relief.  It's also in Gary Allen's album "Alright Guy". I like this version, which accompanies a series of photos of Willie himself. Enjoy!

If you didn't catch all the lyrics, here they are:

What Would Willie Do?

I was lost in trouble and strife, I heard a voice and it changed my life
And now it's a brand new day, and I ain't afraid to say
You're not alone when you're down and out
And I think you know who I'm talking about
When I don't know how I'll get through
I ask myself "what would Willie do?"

What would Willie do, well he'd travel so far with nothing but a song and his old guitar
And a tour bus and some semi-trucks, thirty crew men and a little bit of luck
Well he loves all the people, the ugly and the randy
If you don't believe me take a look at the family
And they'll tell you that it's true
When skies are gray, what would Willie do?

Well long ago he came unto us, his words were simple but they went right through us
And the whole world sang along, but then they didn't want to hear his songs
He was gone and we thought we'd lost him
But he grew his hair and he moved to Austin
And all of the people smiled, they came to hear him sing from miles
Like a miracle all those rednecks and hippies
From New York City down to Mississippi
Stood together and raised a brew
When it's all gone wrong,what would Willie do?

You know sometimes I wonder when I ain't gettin' nowhere
What would old Willie do when it all gets too much to bear
And I can see him on his lonely old tour bus
And he's got his problems just like any of us
Well he'd just take a deep breath and then he'd let it all go
And he'd take another deep breath and let it all go
And he'd take another deep breath...and he'd hold it
Ah and I bet he'd feel hungry in a way that seems strange
Yeah hungry for all the things that he just can't change
Like the time he passed out in is own bedroom
And his wife sewed him up in the sheets and beat him with a broom and he forgave her
And you think that's rough, well then the IRS came and they took away all of his stuff
They took his golf course and his recording studio, and he just went out and did another show
So when it's all coming down on you
You better ask yourself, what would Willie do?

What would Willie do, well he'd take a little time
And talk to old rooser as he'd drive on down the line
And there's millions down that road, and with a word he's gonna lighten their load
He loves all the people no matter their races
Hell he even had a hit country song with Julio Iglesias
And that ain't easy to do, so when it's all too much, what would Willie
When the game gets tough what would Willie
When they call your bluff, what would Willie do?

[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/what-would-willie-do-lyrics-gary-allan.html , from the album: Alright Guy]

Coast Fork Cowboy Festival 2009

It’s 8 PM and it’s 82 degrees outside, and 71 in, so guess here I am?
I keep promising myself I’ll update this blog, so I’m starting with today and working back through events we’ve missed.
’Just got back from the Coast Fork Cowboy Festival up in Creswell. An evening out was my reward for spending most of the day putting garden produce in the freezer. This year the festival was a little different than past years. In honor of Oregon’s 150 birthday, and Creswell’s 100th, all the entertainers are homegrown Oregon stock. I bought CD's from two of the acts.... it's great to be able to hear them in person, sort of a test-drive before you buy!

Joni Harms is a local Oregon girl from Canby. In addition to being a member of the Grand Ol’ Opry she’s won a bunch of awards for her music, which is very western, not “country”. Her family ranch was homesteaded back in 1870. It’s not on the CD I bought, but she performed one called the Oregon Trail about a Texas cowboy following an Oregon cowgirl as she heads back to Oregon. I need to get that one! She writes as well as performs, and since I don’t track such things it was interesting to hear in her introduction to songs who else had recorded them.

The other album I bought is by the High Strung Band. This is a family band with three really talented kids. Their performance was mostly instrumental, which is the best way to really enjoy their great fiddle and mandolin playing. It’s really uplifting to see such talented kids.