OUT OF THE CHUTE - John Arthur Martinez!

You know the saying 'anywhere a truck driver eats, you know the food has got to be good'? Well, that's how I felt about John Arthur Martinez when I first heard about him. He's a good friend and has done projects with my friend Mike Blakely. Anyone Mike associates with just has to be good, in my opinion. Mike only works with the best. With that in mind, I knew I had to get to know more about jAm. Yep, that's how he writes it and what his friends call him. It's a nod to his writing-major past... after the poet, e.e. cummings.

Born in Austin, TX, John Arthur Martinez grew up listening to his relatives harmonize on mariachi ballads.
Trying to head in a more traditional direction, he graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in English and broadcast journalism (and minors in speech and philosophy) and then entered  graduate  school  at  the  University  of  Arizona  in  Tucson. But he couldn't stay away from music and continued to hone his song craft in college town coffeehouses. From there it's pretty much been a steady climb. He has nine albums including a live album and has appeared on two Christmas albums. His tenth album - 'You Play My Heart' was released on Saturday (I'll have a review tomorrow). jAm lives in Marble Falls TX with his family.

Let's pull the gate for John Arthur Martinez!

I’m going to step back in time for a moment with this interview and apprise some of you of something you did not know. jAm was a contestant on the first season of Nashville Star, coming a close second to winner, Buddy Jewel and ahead of one of today’s hottest female vocalists, Miranda Lambert. Great company to be in.

You had already released thre albums, ‘Spinning Our Wheels’ and ‘Stand Your Ground’ and On the Border (with many former Asleep at the Wheel veterans). Why did you make the decision to do Nashville Star? And what’s the most important thing you learned about yourself from the experience? I really didn't want to enter what I first thought was a frivolous contest, but after pressure from a local fan, a call from the talent buyer Hill's Cafe, the host venue for the local competition, and encouragement from my wife, Yvonna, I took the leap of Faith.

Do you remember what your first career decision was after coming out of Nashville Star (2003) and did the show have any impact on what has brought you to this point? My first decision was to sign with Stuart Dill of Refugee Management, who handled Jo Dee Messina at the time, and while Stuart is really a great guy and a nice person, for business purposes he chose to hand me off to a new partner in his firm named Norbert Nix, who wasn't in a financial position to devote to my career at that time. They bailed on me just as my new album was being released by Dualtone Records and distributed by Sony. In hind sight that may not have been the wisest choice because Stuart Dill had steered me toward The William Morse Agency, even though they weren't passionate about booking me like another agency had shown. But this all said, the limelight from Nashville Star has led to an international fan base that is still with me; many of these fans book me for private house concerts all over the map.

Your solid in your Texas roots and it shows in your music. What is it about Texas music that makes it so special? Texas brings many influences to the mix. Six flags flew over the Lone Star state and the mix of the German settlers, the Mexican culture, the Austin scene, the singer-songwriter culture, and more work together to create many unique artists like Willie, like Lyle, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Holly, ZZ Top, George Strait, Janice Joplin etc.

Your journey has a long list of great influences. Who do you think are some of the current artists that will continue to influence future performers? That's a hard one as I'm influenced by many, but I'd have to say that I'm most influenced by the serious singer-songwriters like Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Walt Wilkins, Rodney Crowell and others like them.

You’ve recorded with some great people in Texas music, been awarded Record of the Year in 2005 and 2010 as well as Entertainer of the Year in 2006 with the Texas Music Awards and other nominations. You are highly respected in the Texas music industry. Those are all great reasons to walk a little high in your boots. What keeps John Arthur Martinez grounded? My Faith, my wife, my love of small town life.

You parallel your varied music styles to a menu – ‘It all comes out of the same kitchen’. Is there anything new on ‘You Play My Heart’ we might not have seen on the menu before? There are two tracks entirely in Spanish, something I didn't do on Purgatory Road or Lone Starry Night. Plus it includes only the players from Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country. Furthermore, I had a hand in most of the mixing and engineering, all of which give this album more of an organic feel.

You had your first poem published at the age of 9, you have a Bachelors in English and you continue to write – reinforcing the singer-songwriter are the best match with oneself as an artist. Does a song come all at once or do you have to work at it over a period of time? Can you give us examples of your songs that hit either of those marks? Usually it's a simultaneous process but sometimes the lyrics come first and on occasion the melody first. On this song "You Play My Heart" that I co-wrote with Jan Landry, the melody and the lyrics came together quickly. On "Emmylou's Guitar" it evolved over time, but again the lyrics and the melody were written simultaneously.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received you would pass on to other artists? 
My mentor Kent Finlay, from the San Marcos, TX area told me to write about what you know!

I want to thank jAm for taking the time out of a very busy schedule to do this for us. Tomorrow, I'll have a review of the brand new CD - You Play My Heart. I hope you'll come back.

You can find all of jAm's former albums currently on his page at My Texas Music To pick up his new CD, check out his website... www.johnarthurmartinez.net
Country Blessings!

4th Annual PAWLESS FEST

This year's event benefits the:

The Back Pack Buddy Program

Gates open all day Friday for raw camping:

Tents, Travel Trailers & RV's - $10 per night (no hook-ups)

 

LOCATION: The Cedars Ranch 2621 FM 1201 - Gainesville TX

ADMISSION:

Friday - Free with donated item from the Back Pack Buddy Program List (see website)

                            $10 without  These are both PER PERSON

Saturday - $15 per person. 13 yrs and under are FREE

 

Click HERE for all the details and links.

THE PARTY LIST - Sept. 28th

Thank you all for your patience yesterday while I got some computer issues straightned out. I'm sorry I was unable to post the Thursday night parties as there were some good ones. But that does not discount the FUN to be had THIS WEEKEND.

Note: Please remember to check with the venue as to whether or not there is a cover charge or ticket required for the shows you plan to attend. I have provided links to the venues when possible, making it easy for you to check it out.

Let's Get This Party Started!

TEXAS

Friday:
4th Annual PAWLESSFEST- Gainseville. See separate post for details
                                Awesome 2-day event for a great cause!
John Arthur Martinez - The Badu House - Llano - 8 p.m.
Byrd and Street – Southwest Regional Folk Conference – Austin 7 p.m.
                     This is at the Holiday Inn midtown – Tickets are $10
Jean Synodinos – Southwest Regional Folk Conference – same as above.
Randy Brown – 4^th Annual Rib cook-off – Pottsboro – 8 p.m $10 donation at the gate.
                     Gates open at 10 a.m. for this event. Make it an all-day Party!
Casey Hubble – TX Heritage Music Festival Silver Jubilee – Kerrville –
                    Casey will also present a Free Songwriting workshop!
Jeff Keith Band – Auslander Biergarten and Restaurant – Fredricksburg – 7 p.m.
Chad Johnson Band – The Saxon Pub – Austin – 12:30 a.m. – Tix $5

Saturday:
John Arthur Martinez – Hondo’s on Main – 8 p.m.
Byrd and Street – Dahlia’s Café – Liberty Hill – 6:30- 8:30 p.m.
Scotty Thurman and the Perfect Trouble Band – Nocono VFW Post 8558 – 9 p.m.
Mike Blakely – Hunter’s Swap Meet – Hills of Texas Taxidermy – Llano – Noon
                       W. C. Jameson, and Woody Eastman join Mike
Casey Hubble – Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo – Pasadena –
Michael Landau – The Saxon Pub – Austin – 9 p.m. – Tix $15 Advance/ $20 door

　

Sunday:
John Arthur Martinez - Silver K Cafe' - Johnson City - Noon


Tuesday:
Byrd and Street - Tom's Tabooley - Austin- 7 p.m.
                         % of restaurant proceeds benefit Health Alliance for Austin musicians
Matt Dunn – Love and War – Plano -

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

The Party List - September 27th

Due to Computer issues, I am not posting the Party List today. Hopefully I can find the problem and have things up and running early tomorrow. Thank you for your patience and Country Blessings!

BENEFIT for a precious baby boy!

Normally, this would be Out of the Chute Monday. I'm getting interview questions out to artists today and should have spotlights in the near future.

Today I have something very important to share with my readers because Country Fans are so giving.
Birch Tree Missouri is a small community of just over 600 people. Where some towns are not quick to let 'new' people into their area, Birch Tree has been amazing to my husband and I since we moved down here from IL almost 6 years ago. We try to keep our money in the local business whenever possible and give back to the people who've welcomed us.

In writing my newspaper column this morning I told my readers about a little boy in need of surgery.
Brantley Wade Gilbert is only 1 month old! He has a congenital heart defect and has to have surgery. For someone so tiny to need something so major is just not right in my book. But as in the past, businesses are stepping forward to help Brantley and his famly. Here's that portion of the newspaper article with all of the information.

Brantley Wade Gilbert is a precious one-month-old boy in need of our help. Brantley has a congenital heart defect requiring surgery. I can’t fathom what his parents are going through. To know that someone so tiny and precious arrives with such a critical condition. Burch’s Taxidermy in (218 W. First St.) Mountain View is raffling off a Savage Arms Axis 243 bolt action rifle with a 3x9x40 Bushnell scope. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Tickets may be purchased at Burch’s and at Main Street Grocery in Birch Tree. You may also call: 417-934-6435 or 417-362-0084. The rifle will make a great gift for that young hunter in your life but more importantly it might just be the ticket that insures Brantley will be hunting with his dad someday. The drawing will be November 2nd, just in time for deer season.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is NO WAY endorsed by country artist, Brantley Gilbert. I just thought it was a cool coincidence the names were so close.

The first thing that caught my attention was the boy's name - Brantley Wade Gilbert. If you've been reading this blog you know I'm a big fan and supporter of Country artist Brantley Gilbert. I hope you are too. So here's the deal:

Call and purchase raffle tickets for any or all of the following reasons:
You want to help this family
You are a Country music fan
You are a Brantley Gilbert fan
You need a new rifle for hunting season

For whatever reason, please consider buying a raffle ticket. No one ever expects this to happen to their child. When it does, however, it's nice to know people truly care!

Country Blessings!

TEXAS MUSIC CARES Benefit

Outskirts in Witchita Falls TX is the place to be on Sunday October 4, 2012. Through the incredible generosity of great sponsors and talented music artists, this has all the makings of a not-to-miss event. Here's what Chris Weathers (Red Cactus Music Co) has to share (from their FB page):
Come out and join us for the first of many Texas Music Cares benefits. We wanted to start the first year as just a simple song swap style benefit but here we are going all out for the fans. 

This year will host some of the best local and non-local up and coming talent Texas has to offer. 3-4 FULL BANDS as well as an acoustic song swap to start the day off. We will also be having a live auction and raffle items throughout the day. 

There will be a $10 cover at the door to aid in raising as much money as we can for this great organization. it's gonna be an event your not gonna want to miss, that's for sure! To learn more about the organization, go to TexasMusicCares

The outpouring of love and support for the benefit has been beyond anything Chris and his team could have imagined. News of the event spread faster than a grass fire and has been burning up his email with donations and support from the beginning. Chris mentioned a live auction. Auctions are always a great place to pick up items on your wish list for a 'song'. One of the items up for grabs is a Live Recording Session compliments of Clinton Bennett and Texas Music Spotlight.  Other items include goody packs from artists or tickets/ back stage passes for a concert.

The acts are top notch. Some names like our buddy Matt Dunn as well as Scotty Thurman and the Perfect Trouble Band and Randy Rogers are familiar while others such as Bailey McLaa's name might not be but this talented young lady has to be heard!

Aside from supporting the Texas music community through benefits like this one, a local non-profit organization is also chosen to reap a portion of the rewards.

This event is only THREE WEEKS away and there are a couple of things you can do to help. 1) contact Chris on FB to find out what types of donations he can still use  or 2) See if there's a spot for you to play. It's going to be an AWESOME event for an even GREATER purpose. Everyone can help in some way to see this is the first of MANY!

Get your Party On for a great cause!
Country Blessings!
~Kelly

The Party List - Sept. 20-23

Hey y'all, I apologize for this not posting this morning. My whole week started out of wack with my neck and it's taking me awhile to heal and catch - up.


Note: Not all events take place in Texas. With that in mind I will begin listing them not only by day but by TEXAS and ELSEWHERE. With that in mind, let’s get this party started!



TEXAS!

FRIDAY
Kelly McGuire – House concert hosted by Matt Koger – Greenville – 7:30 p.m.
Contact Matt – mk@mattkoger.com for details and RSVP
Randy Brown – Big Barn BBQ – N. Richland Hills – 8-11 p.m.
Casey Hubble – Pier 27 – Kerrville TX –
Wade Bowen – Floore’s Country Store – Helotes –
Roger Creager – Midnight Rodeo – Amarillo –
Tommy Alverson – Melody Mountain Ranch – Stephenville
This is the Rhymes & Vines Music Festival. Music Fri/ Sat.

SATURDAY
Kelly McGuire – 4th Annual Noah’s Ark Benefit – Lake Kiowa  - 6-9 p.m.
Awesome benefit. For details contact Donna – dsallen02@yahoo.com
Mike Blakely – Round Up For Hope Chuck Wagon Cook-off and Music Festival
Charley Taylor Rodeo Arena south of Marble Falls – Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Roger Creager – JAB Fest – Lubbock – 9:15 p.m.

SUNDAY
Texas Red Dirt Roads – Railhead BBQ – Willow Park 3-6 p.m.
                         Line-up to include Tommy Alverson, Danielle Reed & Jamie Richards
Pauline Reese – WW Fairfields Club Helping Hands Fundraiser –
                                                         Richardson – 8 p.m. – Midnight


ELSEWHERE:

FRIDAY
Buddy Case – Hibernia Irish Tavern – Little Rock AR – 8 p.m.

SATURDAY
Thomas Michael Riley – Hill Country – New York City, NY – 9:30 p.m.
From here, Tommy heads out on his music cruise with Max & Heather Stalling
                                   and Brian Burns. Sept 22nd – 29th. NY, Boston, Maine and Canada
                                                             Travel Safe!

Out of the Chute with James Williams

Back in March, I had the amazing opportunity to connect with James Williams. We hadn’t spoken in over twenty-five years. I first met James as part of the group, James and Michael Younger (they were The Younger Brothers then before legalities forced them to modify their name to James and Michael Younger), at a place called Texas Dance Hall (Baton Rouge LA) in 1982. Their single, Nothing But the Radio On, was climbing the charts. I spent six years following the career of James and his brother Michael, Don Faires, Tommy Kotzur, Keith Medley and Jim McCord before life interfered and we lost touch. Since their two LIVE cassettes are a staple in my truck (and sorely in need of replacing and yes, 25 years later I’m still playing them- that’s quality!)  I never stopped wondering what happened to them. I knew each of them had gone their separate ways. Through periodic internet searches I finally came up with a hit, leading me to this moment.  
Thanks Val for your help. I couldn't have done it without you!


 Over time, I’ll introduce you to everyone and a special group called The Playboys of Edinburg. But today is all about my friend, James Williams.. of Williams Productions and Promotions.



How much time elapsed between 87/88 when James and Michael Younger Disbanded and you moved into what you’re doing now?
We quit the road in 1988 and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I thought about going back out on the road as a single.” But as chance would have it, something else came along for James Williams. His first promotions gig was with a twins duo from extended family. He worked with them from the beginning. When asked to carry his involvement into promotion, James said ‘well, I guess I could. I could give it a shot. Probably do as good as some other people that we hired to promote us’.” 

“I remember sitting on the bus telling Michael ‘You know if we could find one guy who does what he says he’s gonna do, he’d be worth his weight in gold’. So about ten years ago I decided that I might be doing this for a long time so I’d better get serious about it. So I’m pretty ingrained in what I’m doing and working with a lot of good acts.”

Aside from doing what you say you’ll do, what do you think are some of the similarities in the way you guys were handled and what you offer?
It was easier back then to get a record on the billboard charts. You could have about five stations and have a record on the charts. It’s not as easy now. There’s a whole lot more records that released. There’s not as many independent promoters here in Nashville as you might think. There’s only about 15 or so that are out there all the time. Of course, on the labels, they have their in-house teams and stuff. I work with a lot of independent acts. 

It’s relationships. It’s always been relationships. I’ve gotten to know a bunch of DJs out there and industry people. When I’m working your record we’re going to get you ads. I can’t guarantee #1s but I can guarantee they’re going to get played and they’re going to hit the charts and move up. And however it does is based on whatever it’s compared to at the time. Use to be a record would last 15 weeks. Records are lasting 30 weeks now. They’re getting their money’s worth.

How do you define your artists’ music?
Every artist is different. Some are more contemporary. Some are more traditional. Oriented. Some more rock. It just depends on the age of the artist. Your older artists are going to be more traditional. That’s where there heart is.

Do you think Nashville is sacrificing it’s roots for the numbers?
That’s a good question. We talk about that with DJs every day. Whether they ought to have a contemporary chart and a traditional chart. So many fall in the cracks. It depends on the artist. If enough of those artists would cut that kind of stuff, radio would play it because they’d have to. I think the pendulum swings back and forth. I’ve seen it swing both ways, and you have too, where it’s more contemporary like the Garth Brook Days. How do you define Taylor Swift’s music? It’s not country, it’s not pop. She’s communicating with every girl out there. And they’re playing it on country and they’re playing it on pop. 

If you were to record and tour again, what would you do differently and why?
What would I do differently? You know, I think first and foremost I would have a great business manager and money/ investment in place to take care of you so you can do your craft, do your business, and be an artist instead of trying to make a living. Write and do the best recording you can do and surround yourself with the best musicians you can get and support. Just go out there and try to keep a pulse on what’s happening. You don’t want to be behind but you don’t want to be too far ahead either.

And you don’t want to lose your self-esteem at the same time
Right. Go out there and compete and be relevant to what’s happening in country music. But you have to have your business together. We never had the correct management to get us where we needed to go. That’s crucial. I realize that now in retrospect. Having correct management and investment. Any major artist that’s happening out there nowadays, to start, has had an investor. It’s a business. I try to tell people, you don’t get a KFC franchise just because you’re a good cook. It’s a business and you have to have money to make money. And you have to treat it as a business.

We always did things, the right things,  as far as treating radio good and being accessible and trying to be a good show. But that’s not all of it.

Do you miss touring and performing?
Every once in awhile… probably 10 years ago or so, I felt like it would be fun to do it again. But as time goes on you realize the sacrifice… when the sacrifice is greater than the reward it’s time stop.

After the James and Michael thing, did you think about going back to Texas? 
It’s a strange thing. Ever since I moved here, I’ve never felt like it was permanent. Now all of my kids are here. All of my (immediate) family is here – five kids and five grandkids. I have a brother and sister still in TX around San Antonio. So that’s my only connection to Texas now. I’d like to go back to visit. But I don’t think I’ll ever move back.


NOTE:I want to thank James for an unforgettable afternoon. For me, our visit was more about reconnecting than the questions I asked. This post is a small part of our long conversation. I covered a lot of material that day and will be sharing it over a period of time. Today was all about James Williams – the Promoter. Please check out his website. He represents some talented people in the business. If you’re looking for someone who will do right by you in this business, give him a call. 

Follow-Up:
Aside from his promotional work, James still keeps in touch with the roots of his music, the band that started it all … The Playboys of Edinburg. That article is for another time. However, I do want to give you a sneak peak at an awesome YouTube video compiled from a reunion concert in South Padre Island, TX on June 23, 2012 . The original members of The Playboys of Edinburg got together with approximately 300 of their family and friends for an unforgettable bash marking nearly fifty years of music.

Country Blessings!

KICKIN' CANCER!

Normally I don't post pics/ graphics without permission. The following graphic can be pulled at a moments notice should their be copyright issues. However, I felt promoting this event was important and I just heard about it.

This event takes place at The Wormy Dog in Oklahoma City on Sunday September 16, 2012 - THIS SUNDAY!  Among the 15+ artists on the list, you'll hear Josh Ward and Steve Helms. Those two alone are awesome reasons to attend. But let's remember it's for a great cause. Because CANCER SUCKS!

If anyone attends, I'd love for you to share pics. Post them somewhere then come back here and leave a link in the comments section.




Country Blessings!
~Kelly

The PARTY LIST!

Beginning this week, the Party List will run on Thursdays… giving you an extra day to plan your weekend FUN!

Note: Not all events take place in Texas. With that in mind I will begin listing them not only by day but by TEXAS and ON THE ROAD. With that in mind, let’s get this party started!

Some shows may have a cover charge or ticket fee. Please follow artist/ venue links for complete information.

THURSDAY
TEXAS:
WC Jameson  and Friends – The Badu House  - Llano
WC is joined by Mike Blakely (7 p.m.) and Byrd and Street ( 8p.m.)
Pauline Reese – Bastrop Brew House – Bastrop – 8 –10 p.m.
Matt Dunn – Deep Ellum Brewing Company – Dallas – 6 – 8:30 p.m. Canceled due to weather

FRIDAY
TEXAS:
Byrd and Street – BB Rovers – Austin – 8:30-11:30 p.m.
Josh Ward – Ransom’s Steakhouse – Montgomery – 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Randy Brown – Poodies Hilltop – Spicewood – 8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Pauline Reese – Bastrop Brew House – Bastrop – 8 –10 p.m.

ELSEWHERE:
Buddy Case – Prost in the River Market – Little Rock AR – 8 p.m. –midnight

SATURDAY
TEXAS:
Josh Ward – Outlaw Country – Palestine (call venue for time)
Randy Brown – Luckenbach  TX – afternoon show
Pauline Reese – Brenham TX – Washington County Fairgrounds – 9-10:30 p.m.
Casey Donahew Band – Brenham TX – Washington Co. Fairgrounds – 11-12:30 a.m.

SUNDAY
TEXAS –

ELSEWHERE –
Josh Ward – The Wormy Dog Saloon – 3rd Annual Kickin’ Cancer in the Colon event
I don’t have a time on this event but there are approx. 15 musicians participating
                    Including Steve Helms.

Review Wednesday - TEXAS TONIGHT

TEXAS TONIGHT carries 14 tracks of some of the most soulful music I’ve heard from W.C. Jameson. Reminiscent of his Songs from the Long and Winding Road, Raised by the River opens with a bit of honky tonk flair and a fine picking bridge. From there, the tone of the album slides into a gradual change. I Can’t Ride the Trains Anymore carries a yearning for times lost. As I listened, I heard strains of his other albums, but different. Through the ebb and flow of the tracks, W.C. has stayed true to who he is as a musician and a poet. He brings everything full-circle with Fare Thee Well.

Texas Tonight is a compilation of not only great music but a talented team who helped bring his vision to fruition. From the co-writing with his wife Laurie to the production team of Pat Keating and the ever-talented ear of Casey Hubble. The recording took place at the beautiful Little "d" Art Ranch, owned by Pat Keating.

One thing you can always count on with W.C. Jameson's music… consistency. That doesn’t mean the songs are all alike. It does mean you won’t be hit with any disappointing surprises. If you like one W.C. album, you’ll want them all, no questions asked.

I give this CD 5 Hats. (still working on that graphic thing)

If you’ve enjoyed W.C. Jameson’s other albums, this one is a must have. If you’re new to his music, Texas Tonight is a great introduction to what I bet will be the first of many you’ll add to your player.

TEXAS TONIGHT may be ordered directly:
W.C Jameson
P.O. Box 989, Llano, TX 78643

$15 post paid

For the rest of his library, check out his page at MyTexasMusic

Tuesday Review - Treasure Hunter

For over five decades, I have been a professional treasure hunter. During dozens of quests to locate lost mines and buried treasures, I've faced death and injury, broken national and international laws, neglected my family, and occasionally found fortune.  ~ W.C. Jameson

Have you ever dreamed of searching for treasure? Of seeing the beam of your carbide headlamp flash on stacks of gold and silver ingots left behind in the face of death? Of crawling through arachnid-infested caves or wondered what hundreds of rattle snakes coiled together looked like? Some people are meant to only dream... and some, like W.C. Jameson, are meant to act.

Through the pages of Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses and Deadly Confessions, W.C. Jameson takes you on several of his adventures over the past fifty years. Together with his trusted companions James Poet, Mungo Slade and Dr. Trenton Stanley, Jameson has researched and explored hidden caches in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Sometimes they found a few treasures, while other times, it was just enough to come away with their lives. The search was never about fame and fortune for Jameson and his friends. It was about the quest. 

The best part about this book is the ability for anyone to experience the quest right along them. W.C. Jameson has the uncanny ability to make you feel the spiders he encountered in a Kentucky sinkhole, to hear the buzz of hundreds of rattlesnakes guarding Spanish gold and find peace and  reverence in placing ancient bodies in their final resting place. 

Some claim this book is a cleverly-crafted work of fiction. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What I do believe is through the pages of this book, W.C. Jameson has taken me along on expeditions I could only dream of seeing first-hand. While there are areas you wouldn't catch me anywhere near in real life, I've enjoyed every detail of our expeditions together within the pages of Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses and Deadly Confessions.

Thank you, W.C., for taking us along.

I give this book 5 HATS (sorry for no actual hat. Having a Jpeg glitch)


NOTE: As of this review, W.C. Jameson is looking forward to his next expedition. Safe travels, my friend.

Out of the Chute with WC Jameson

Today's guest is the multi-talented W.C. Jameson. W.C. Jameson is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than seventy books and over 1,500 articles and essays. In addition, he is an accomplished songwriter and performer, having recorded five albums of his original music and acted in five films. He has written the sound tracks for four films, and wrote and performed in the musical, Whatever Happened to the Outlaw, Jesse James?
Jameson is the creator of the "Buried Treasures of America" series. His success and fame as a professional treasure hunter has led to appearances on television's Unsolved Mysteries, the Travel Channel, the Discovery Channel, Nightline, and National Public Radio and most recently the History Channel. Jameson is the best-selling treasure author in the world. 

When I first approached W.C. Jameson about being my guest in the country, I was a bit nervous. We've built a friendship over the past twenty years and I knew one important fact. W.C. doesn't like to do interviews. He’s been misquoted so much over the years, he just doesn’t like to go there. I can understand. But I am also one that goes by the ‘if you don’t ask, they can’t tell you YES’. So I asked. Inside, I knew he’d do the interview with me not only because of our friendship, one of trust, but because I promised his answers would be in his own words… verbatim. I’ve copy/ pasted them from the Q & A I sent him. So let’s throw open the chute…

1. You have an outstanding reputation for being the foremost authority on treasure hunting. You’ve been involved in treasure hunts both with others and on your own since a young age. What is it about treasure hunting that draws you?

The quest, the challenge, and the adventure. And every once in a while we find some treasure. 

2. Would you consider yourself most ‘at home’ when you’re out in nature? Is there a particular location you’ve hiked more than once…  that gives you that ‘I’ve come home’ feeling? 

I’m at home pretty much anywhere, but I am particularly comfortable in the out-of-doors. I’ve had decades of experience living and packing in primitive and challenging environments and conditions and have learned a great deal about not only surviving in such locations, but actually thriving on it.

I have probably packed into the Guadalupe Mountains of west Texas more than anyplace else. I still return to that location to this day. Most of my other favorite location are in the Sierra Madres of Mexico.

3. Of all the treasure books you’ve written to-date, which one provided the most challenges to research? Which was the most interesting?

All them provided challenges and I mean that in a positive way. The biggest challenge, I guess, was writing my memoir, Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses, and Deadly Confrontations. I didn’t want to write it at all because I don’t possess a need to write about myself, but my wife, the famous writer Laurie Jameson, encouraged me for so often and so long that I wound up agreeing to it. In the end I’m glad I did. The book won Best Book of 2011 and seeing some great sales figures. 

4. I think it’s safe to say you enjoy the ‘quest’ for something. Where have your research travels led you that provided that least expected nugget of information?

Always Mexico. Some of the greatest adventures to be had take place in some of the unexplored regions of Mexico. There is knowledge to be gained with almost every step in some of those rugged and challenging environments.

5. You have a massive amount of published credits, some of which include books on the craft of writing. When you first started on your writing journey, what was the hardest lesson for you to learn?

Patience.

6. You mix business with pleasure, book tours with music. How do you make time to do it all and still have space for your private life?

I’m fortunate to get to perform my music around the country. Sometimes I will try to book some literary events in between the music gigs. Other times when I am on a book tour, I will try to lock in some music gigs. It winds up being double the fun! Since most of what I do is music and writing, my so-called private life is tied up in those activities. In between I get to do some television and film and interviews like this one!

7. Do you believe in soul mates? If so, how do you know when you’ve found yours?

I do believe in soul mates. It would be a better world if everybody finds theirs.

8. Your most recent CD, Texas Tonight, is a beautiful collection of 14 tracks. All were written or co-written by you. One of my favorites is Glass-eyed Paint in the Rain, which you wrote with your wife, Laurie, based on one of her poems. If you were to pick one song you feel the CD wouldn’t be complete without, which one would it be and why?

All fourteen songs are integral parts of the whole album. I put a lot of thought into the songs selected for the album. They consist largely of those that are most often requested at my current shows and some that were simply fun to write and remain fun to perform.

I want to thank W.C. Jameson for agreeing to this interview. Talking to him is always a pleasure. If you think it stops here... we're just getting started. Tomorrow I'll be reviewing his most recent book,

Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses and Deadly Confrontations

The Party List!

Get Your Party On!
Please Note:  Some shows may have a cover charge or ticket fee. Please follow artist/ venue links for complete information.


Friday 7th
John Slaughter – Floore’s Country Store – Helotes 8 p.m.
Teaming up with the great Johnny Lee!
Hayden Whittington – Luckenbach TX – 4 p.m.
Kick-A-Boot Band plays at 7 p.m. for stompin’ good time!
Jayson Boland  - Billy Bob’s Texas – 10:30 p.m.
Thomas Rhett – Cowboy’s Dance Hall – SanAntonio – 7 p.m.
Mark Jones & 20 Paces - Dosey Does Coffee Shop – Spring TX–  8:30 p.m.
Brian Pounds Opens!
Scott Copeland Band – The Mule Pub – Fort Worth – 10 p.m.
River Trip Band – Railhead BBQ – Willow Park – 7:30 p.m.
Cody Johnson – Midnight Rodeo – San Angelo – 10 p.m.

Saturday 8th 
Thomas Michael Riley – Pat’s Hall- Fredricksburg – 7 p.m.
Benefit for the Gillespie County Crime Stoppers. Come show your Support!
Stoney LaRue – Banita Creek Hall – Nacogdochs – doors open at 8 p.m.
Mitch Jacobs Band – Hondo’s On Main – 8 p.m.
Roger Creager –Floore’s Country Store – Helotes TX – 11:30 p.m.
Jon Wolfe kicks things off at 8:15
Aaron Watson takes the stage at  9:45

Sunday 9th 
john Arthur Martinez – Silver K Café – Johnson City – 12 p.m.


And if you really want to make a weekend of it – Check out the Crocketsville Charity Concert and Trail Ride Saturday and Sunday September 8th and 9th. All the details HERE. So load up the 4-wheeler, the campin’ gear and get your Party On!


Another packed weekend! Get Your Party On and keep it safe!
Country Blessings
~Kelly