Next in line.... Sammy Fox

One of the first things I noticed about Sammy Fox is he doesn’t sound a thing like you might expect when you first look at him. If he were on The Voice, I guarantee every one of those judges would hit their button to turn around. Then their face would show total disbelief at how the voice and the body just don’t match! But that’s what The Voice is all about, right? To not have any preconceived notions and take an artist strictly on their talent, not their appearance.

If you check out the video of his new single, Love Drunk, on his website, you’ll see lots of ladies in the audience attracted to both. The other thing you’ll see first-hand in the video is the polished talent garnered from years of plying his trade in different venues and music genres. At only twenty-six, Sammy is a self-taught musician. His list of instruments include bass guitar, piano and drums. He also writes his own material and endorses Custom Drums.

Sammy's music is classified as Alt- Country. To me, only one song on his 5-song CD leads me down that road. Everything else showcases Sammy coming into his own as a Texas country artist.

Aside from being nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year (MVY), he, along with his band ‘The Intervention” is up for Live Band of the Year, and Song of the Year (Love Drunk). When you’re checking out the video on his homepage, you will see a link to download ‘Love Drunk’ FREE on CD from CD Texas. Remember, you can pick up Sammy's CD, 'The Intervention EP' at MyTexasMusic.com/SammyFox

Country Blessings!

Male Vocalist of the Year Nominees continue...

Apologies for not getting these next few updates done sooner. Hubby came home and kidnapped me for a long-overdue vacation. He’s back to work now and so am I, with a long To Do list in front of me.

First off, the TMAs are just 4 weeks away! Man. I have to remember to ask Lucky and Jinelle what they were thinking scheduling it way earlier this year. LOL Before vacation I introduced you to Brant Lee Croucher… one of the nominees for Male Vocalist of the Year. Brant was kind enough to stop in and leave a comment and send me a personal email. That’s the kind of networking I like to see.

Today I’m featuring a guy and his band who are not only nominated in three categories this year but carry the title of Male Vocalist of the Year for 2010 AND 2011!

I’m talking about Dave Fenley of Dave Fenley and the Good Deal. His edgy voice carries soul through every note. With every strum of the guitar you can feel the emotions he pours into both the lyrics and the music. On his most recent album, ‘A Minute to Breathe’, you can hear the influences of Travis Tritt in ‘Really Good Man’. The folksy blues tones of Joe Crocker come through in ‘Sooner’, which is nominated for Song of the Year. Dave Fenley and the Good Deal are also up for Vocal Group of the Year, for their contribution to the ‘A Minute to Breathe’ album. If music and talent only get better over time, and with 2 MVAs under his belt, you have to think he could easily add another award to his list of accomplishments!

Country Blessings!

Male Vocalists of the Year Nominees

With the Texas Music Awards only about six weeks away, I thought I'd take the time to introduce you to ALL of the nominees this year. In the past I've focused on special categories and the Entertainer of the Year.

This week we're going to get to know the five nominees for Male Vocalist of the Year. Each bring their own style to Texas music.

The photo to the left is from his website, taken by Amy Whitlock. You can check out her FB page.

Brant Lee Croucher is a talented songwriter as well as vocalist. Whether you sit at a table in the local bar or pop the CD into the player of your rig, his voice creates a yearning for things lost and those yet to be found. Unlike many of the other nominees we'll discuss over the coming weeks, Brant is not up for any other award this year. If his debut album, Old Denton Road, is any indication of what's to come then this is only a prelude of what we can expect on this journey.

Like a lot of entertainers, Brant thought Nashville was the place to take his music. In my estimation he did two things right in that portion of his career. He learned from the experience and came back home to Texas. Personally, I feel that is the best move he could have made. It's okay to explore what's out there, but in this case the nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year proves, 'you can go home again'.

Country Blessings!

A New Year... A New Format

Between internet connections faulting at every turn last year and a couple of personal issues, this blog got away from me. I sincerely apologize. It is not what I want from this little Texas retreat in the south central Ozarks of Missouri.

What I do want is to showcase awesome talent out of Texas, spotlight classic country and keep you informed of what's going on. I've been dubbed the 'trusted on-line voice of Texas music' and feel I've let the hat slide. Picture me more as the Senator from Best Little WhoreHouse in Texas with his hat askew as he performs that song and dance number in the capitol building.

So let's put the cowboy hat on straight and get back to business.

First off...

The Texas Music Awards are a lot earlier this year. It's the 10th Annual Texas Music Awards and it's going to be outstanding! You can check out the nominees list HERE.

I'm glad to see Ryan Murphey up for Male Vocalist of the Year. He has done a lot of background stuff but has a great voice. Comes by it naturally, don't you know.

Pauline Reese is up for Female Vocalist this year. In the history of the awards, she's the only Female to win Entertainer of the Year (2010). She's nominated again this year as well as Album of the Year. I'm happy to see Bob Livingston and Michael Hearne up for Singer/ Songwriter of the Year.

Award of Distinction category this year has a well-known name in the field - Jeff Posey.

Entertainer of the Year is full of Top ranked talent, as always. But I have to ask... What do I have to do to see Mike Blakely take home that well-earned award? Oh yeah... VOTE!

And you can vote, too. Either by Public Ballot or as a Academy Member. The latter distinction has two categories... either entertainer or fan. Just go to this PAGE and click on the appropriate link.

Here's to another great year of some of the best music you'll hear anywhere!

Country Blessings

Kelly

CMA Recap

Or should that be NMA? Just as Texas music has a variety of styles, Nashville can claim the same thing. Should it all be lumped under 'country'. Not in my book. I'll be the first to say that not everything coming out of Texas is 'cowboy' or 'country'. But at least they don't try to tell me it is. They let me pick and choose for myself.

None of the wins surprised me last night. And that includes the Entertainer of the Year. They are going to milk that girl's sales for all they can and with E of Y on her resume they can jack up the costs again. When does the insanity stop?

One group I am looking deeper into is TheBandPerry. I've not given them much of a listen, but if they aren't rockin' the house, their sibling harmony may stand a chance.

Another one is American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. The kid has a voice. And he has talent. Now if he'll just stick to his roots and not let the Nashville scene eat him alive, he might do okay.

One of the most beautiful moments last night was the tribute to Glen Campbell. The man is one of the last living legends of his era. I agree with many of the posts on the above site that he should have been allowed to sing last night. Were they afraid he was going to embarrass them? Please! Handing him a guitar and then cutting him off was about as disrespectful as you can get. They all do a fine job of that themselves. Nashville has lost its heart and thinks with its wallet. Watching him sit in the audience and sing along with the tribute performers was beautiful. Glen is in the throes of Alzheimer but is scheduled to perform 2 final concerts in Branson on December 2nd and 3rd. You can check out the details HERE

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Country Blessings

The Country Angel

CMA Preview

Okay, some of you know this whole CMA thing is a big issue with me. Am I the only one under sixty that remembers when CMA truly stood for Country Music Association? And that what you heard on stage really WAS country music? I think Ralph Emery got the ball rolling when he hosted the show Pop Goes the Country. Because Pop and Rock are what they are passing off as country music. And it's why I listen and promote Texas/ Cowboy music.

I know, like everything else Nashville it's all about the dollar signs. Attracting a younger audience that can afford and will spend their money on CDs, concert tickets, concert memorabilia, yadda yadda yadda is all they look at. DOLLARS and CENTS.

I'm not saying some of these people can't sing. Some of them have great voices and I have my favorites because I like the song. I just don't appreciate them trying to sell it to me as COUNTRY.

Alan Jackson had a song out several years ago about Murder on Music Row. The chorus speaks volumes for the rape and murder that has taken place over the years:

For the steel guitars no longer cry
And you can't hear fiddles play
With drums and rock 'n' roll guitars
Mixed right up in your face
Why the Hag wouldn't have a chance
On today's radio
Since they committed murder
Down on music row

(Courtesy of CowboyLyrics.com)

But tonight I'll be watching and tweeting during the 45th annual CMA's. I guess because I keep hoping I'll catch a glimpse of what Country Music used to be.

Country Blessings!

Kelly

Looking Back

When I think Texas music, I not only think of the current artists I listen to like W.C. Jameson, Mike Blakely, Thomas Michael Riley and Jake Martin to name a few, but the good ole boys like Willie Nelson, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. But last week, another group came to my mind and I began searching for them. They were moderate chart artists with MCA back in the early 1980's. James and Michael Younger.

If the name doesn't ring a bell, don't feel bad. A lot of people don't recognize them. But they were two of my favorite people - well, their entire band, The Younger Brothers (until a conflict with another band came about). Nothing But the Radio On was one of their bigger songs. Country station call-letters were dubbed into the lyrics on records (remember those) sent out to radio stations across the country.

I first met the guys in Baton Rouge LA in 1982 at a little place called Texas Dance Hall. Always having a knack for getting back stage, the guys gave me a brief interview. I wrote articles on the guys for local papers where ever they were to perform and caught them on the road several times over the course of their career.

Then I put my budding freelance career on hold to be a full-time mom and the guys dropped off the recording radar soon after. Often times over the past twenty years I've wondered 'where are they now?'. I even played a couple songs of theirs to Mike Blakely because his music reminded me a lot of them. James (Williams) Younger and Mike Blakely are both extremely talented song writers and their styles are similar. I thought it would be cool if I could get them together sometime. I'm still waiting.

So last week I did the Google thing again. This time I came up with a lead. Not only did I find James and Michael but that they had a Texas music life before MCA picked them up as a country band.

For now, I'll leave you with this thought and see if it rings a bell...

The Playboys of Edinburg (Texas, not Scotland).

Country Blessings

Kelly