Tag: Artists

Austin Saengerrunde + AIBA

My worlds have over-lapped again and again in my new (temp) role as the venue manager at the unique and wonderful Austin Saengerrunde, last weekend we hosted my Black Fret Family and today it is the community organization AIBA.

AIBA is a nonprofit, membership supported organization representing more than 1,000 locally owned businesses in Austin. You’ll find your peers, colleagues and fellow business owners here—all waiting to connect with you. Through advocacy, marketing, connecting and education, AIBA promotes a thriving local business community. With each new member, our voice grows stronger. We’re glad you’re here to join us!

“We’re local” gives us a geographic place but doesn’t embrace the uniqueness of this amazing city called Austin. We’re more than a location. We are a way of life, an Austin life. We’re AustinTRUE! As an AIBA member, you’ll be Certified AustinTRUE.

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HIRE ME FOR YOUR EVENTS AND PROJECTS

Happy December! In reflection on 2018 and preparation and excitement for 2019 I am accepting project work this year and expanding a lot of what I do to include consulting, project management and partnership development. I have been very fortunate to work with artists and business I love and respect for almost three decades. Each new year showcases something unique in my self and those I work with that I want to bring to the forefront. This new year it is collaboration.

My first project in January is acting as the interim Venue Rental and Events Manager at the incredibly cool Austin Saengerrunde Halle. The Halle accommodates up to 250 seated (300 people max). The bowling alley seats 36 (60 people max) and includes access to our open-air rooftop patio that seats 32 (40 people max).

The Saengerrunde is the oldest ethnic organization in Austin. Scholz Garden, a beer garden established in 1867 by German immigrant August Scholz, became a favorite meeting place for Saengerrunde members. The Scholz Garden property, originally owned by Lemp Brewery of St. Louis, included a dance hall and bowling alley as well as the restaurant and beer garden. 

 In 1904, the Austin Saengerrunde club leased the property from Lemp Brewery and in 1908 purchased the entire property. Under the stewardship of the Austin Saengerrunde, the combined facilities have continued to provide an atmosphere that encourages members and guests to preserve and enjoy the German heritage

The Halle accommodates up to 250 seated (300 people max). The bowling alley seats 36 (60 people max) and includes access to our open-air rooftop patio that seats 32 (40 people max). The spaces can be rented as stand alone or as a package and we can even tag-team with Scholz!

 Austin Saengerrunde allows outside catering and beverage! SPONSORS SPONSORS SPONSORS!!

Amenities:
  • Tables and Chairs Included
  • Ice Machine
  • Kitchen
  • Parking: There is parking in Government lots surrouding hall. They are available after 5pm on Weekdays and all day on Weekends. Unless there is something going on at UT or Erwin Center. We can not promise that they will not charge for parking during events. Otherwise, we do have street parking available.
  • Staff: All Staff is available (at a cost) for events and all are TABC approved.

In January I will  provide tours between 2-6pm on Mondays. I would be happy to create an appointment so I can devote my time to your needs and questions.

 

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DEBUT ALBUM BY TEXAS MUSIC LEGENDS UNCLE WALT’S BAND TO BE REISSUED ON CD, LP AND DIGITAL BY OMNIVORE RECORDINGS ON MARCH 29, 2019

BREAKING: Uncle Walt’s Band nominated for the
Austin Music Hall of Fame 2018 in Austin Music Awards

AUSTIN, Texas — “Walter Hyatt, David Balland Champ Hood have been an inspiration to me ever since the first time I heard Uncle Walt’s Band,” says Lyle Lovett, a journalism student at Texas A&M University when he first heard the band. “Musically, their finely crafted original compositions reflect diverse influences, while lyrically they demonstrate a sensitive, sophisticated understanding of the dignified South.”

Uncle Walt’s Band, originally from Spartanburg, S.C., was an eclectic music trio that moved to Nashville in 1972 and, shortly thereafter, to Austin at the urging of singer/songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey. An attempt at an album with Ramsey at the helm was unsuccessful, so the band headed back to Spartanburg in 1974 to produce their own debut LP, Blame It on the Bossa Nova. The original self-released vinyl edition —1,000 copies sold through performances and self-promotion — disappeared quickly. Heat was gaining for the band, so they headed back down to Austin with a reissue of the album, simply titled Uncle Walt’s Band.(Original Blame It on the Bossa Nova LPs change hands for hundreds of dollars these days.)

Now, a remastered version of Uncle Walt’s Band will be available on CD, LP and Digital from Omnivore Recordings, on March 29, 2018. New liner notes come by the words of Walter Hyatt, Champ Hood and surviving member David Ball, plus fellow artists Lyle Lovett, Marcia Ball, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Marshall Chapman, and journalists Peter Cooper, Doug Freeman and Michael Hall.

While the album gained many fans and followers, it wasn’t enough to sustain the band’s larger ambitions. After taking brief hiatus, they recorded a second album, An American in Texas, released in 1980, followed by a live album, Recorded Live, in 1982. (A cassette-only release of studio sessions titled 6-26-79 was also released along the way.)

Gaining the love of Texas music fans, performing regularly throughout the state, yet unable to get traction nationally, Uncle Walt’s Band decided to take separate paths in 1983. Although remaining friends and working on various projects over the years, the band members pursued solo music careers. Hyatt released several albums (notably King Tears, produced by Lyle Lovett) and performed on Austin City Limits. Hood became a Texas Music Hall of Fame sideman playing for Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker and others, and Ball’s success with the hits “Thinkin’ Problem” and “Riding With Private Malone” established him as a country-music star.

The first-ever, career-spanning Anthology: Those Boys From Carolina, They Sure Enough Could Sing… was released earlier this year tocritical accolades. According to the Austin American-Statesman: “Their deceptively sophisticated amalgam of blues, jazz, country and folk was less reminiscent of Willie Nelson than of classic Southern tunesmiths such as Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael. Though they never broke through to widespread renown, their influence persists today, most notably through the music of Lyle Lovett, an early and devout acolyte. Much of the music collected on the new anthology anticipated what is going on in the Americana genre by three decades.”

Awareness increased when David Ball & That Carolina Sound supported it on tour. Actor/animator Mike Judge showed his love for Uncle Walt’s Band by including two tracks on HBO’s Silicon Valley last year. The band is featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s current exhibition, Outlaws & Armadillos.

Omnivore is now proud to present a deluxe reissue of the original Uncle Walt’s Band album, expanded with 11 bonus tracks. New liner notes include a history of each re-pressing of this private-press classic (reissued no fewer than six times with different covers and sequence variations back in the ’70s). If you were one of the lucky owners of an original that you’ve worn out over the years, here’s your chance to retire that well-loved copy and double your fun discovering the new bonus tracks. For the rest of us, it’s the opportunity to own the classic.

Track Listing:

1. Ruby

2. Dish Wiped Clean

3. Little Sadie

4. High Hill

5. Four ’Till Late

6. Undecided

7. Gimme Some Skin

8. Seat Of Logic

9. Don’t You Think I Feel It Too

10. In The Night

11. Aloha

LP Download & CD Bonus Tracks:

12. After You’ve Gone (Demo)

13. Your Father’s Frown (Demo)

14. Lonely In Love (Demo)

15. Tuxedo Tale (Demo)

16. Rollin’ My Blues (Demo)

17. Time On My Hands (Demo)

18. Rock Island Line (Demo)

19. Since You’ve Been Gone (Live)

20. Early Riser (Live)

21. Trap For Two (Live – Waterloo Ice House)

22. Betty (Live – Waterloo Ice House)

For more information about Omnivore Recordings, please contact Conqueroo: Cary Baker • cary@conqueroo.com 

Please watch The Uncle Walt’s Band trailer

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AKINA ADDERLEY HAS SHOWS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY THIS MONTH

Please join us for a new monthly Austin, TX music series featuring Austin’s finest female artists. Intimate interviews & original music. Hosted by Barbara Nesbitt and performaces by Suzanna Choffel & Lex Land, Shelley Mac & Ginger Leigh, Jennifer Zavaleta & Wendy Colonna, The Belle Sounds & Ali Holder, Barbara Nesbitt & Betty Soo, Akina Adderley & Sarah Sharp!!!

https://www.facebook.com/wonderwomenone2one/

$20 Adult

$15 ages 13-20 (Must be purchased at door)

Akina Adderley 3:30 pm

Sarah Sharp 4:30 pm

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JOIN WARREN HOOD TONIGHT!

Warren Hood will be playing a show for a great cause on August 10th at the Canyon View Event Center. Proceeds from this event will go towards Superhero Kids (supporting Dell Children’s Blood & Cancer Center), HAAM, and the Step Onward Foundation. For tickets visit https://www.concerts4ac.com/events/.

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THE DIVINE HORSEMEN’S ROBYN JAMESON HAS DIED A HERO

Chris Desjardins 

It is with immense sadness I’m letting you all know friend and fellow musician, Robyn Jameson, passed away last evening, July 25. Robyn had been in a coma for the last few weeks due to a nightmarish incident on the street where he was trying to help someone else. Both he and another gentleman witnessed a violent man assaulting a woman. They both went to her aid, and Robyn received the worst of it, receiving severe head trauma & being knocked unconscious. Robyn’s friend and the woman received relatively minor injuries. From all reports, the assailant is in custody and was allegedly not only on parole but is a repeat offender. Due to the wishes of the family and per Robyn’s own ideas of end-of-life situations – with a zero recovery prognosis from more than one doctor – Robyn was taken off life support (respirator, IVs, etc.) on Sunday afternoon, July 22nd. Along with immediate family, Ellen, Bernadette and Justin, friend Jeb, mutual friend/former Flesh Eater (1998-2000) Johnny Ray and I were there. Robyn was one of the few musicians I’ve played with who represented a through-line down through the years, in both several Flesh Eaters line-ups and all Divine Horsemen line-ups, playing bass and making an enormous, versatile contribution in terms of musical ideas. He appeared on the 3rd and 4th Flesh Eaters albums (“Forever Came Today” 1982 & “A Hard Road to Follow” 1983), all Divine Horsemen albums/EPs (“Time Stands Still” 1984, “Devil’s River” 1986, “Middle of the Night,” “Snake Handler” and “Handful of Sand,” all 1987). He also played bass on later Flesh Eaters albums, “Ashes of Time” 1999 and “Miss Muerte” 2004, both of the latter being recorded at Robyn’s rehearsal/recording facility, Yo Studios. Due to the 2008 recession and North Hollywood’s ruthless ’eminent domain’ policy for demolition/construction of the Lankershim/Chandler street LA Metro nexus, Robyn lost Yo Studios and moved to San Antonio, where he had many friends, until returning to Los Angeles earlier this decade. He was very excited at the prospect of the forthcoming Divine Horsemen reunion shows that were going to take place at the end of September. Julie Christensen, Peter Andrus and I have decided to postpone these Divine Horsemen shows indefinitely, most likely until sometime in 2019., rather than rush to find a replacement for Robyn’s invaluable contribution. Below are some pictures from various Flesh Eaters and Divine Horsemen photo sessions over the decades. I’ve tagged quite a few people, please forgive me if I absent-mindedly omitted your name.

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RAJIWORLD + THE BIKE ZOO CELEBRATE LA!

Route Revealed for Massive LA Phil Street Fest

Streets will shutter to cars from Disney Hall to Hollywood, all in honor of the LA Phil’s 100th anniversary.

When the LA Phil announced in the fall of 2017 that a free, mega-of-scale open streets party was in the works, one that would have CicLAvia as a partner, one that would celebrate the legendary music outfit’s centennial, one that stretched from Walt Disney Concert Hall to the Hollywood Bowl, the first word that many locals must of thought was… wow, how?

Okay, two words.

Such a goal could be achieved, of course. It would be done, to be sure.

But closing such a lengthy route to vehicles seemed to be an undertaking that would out-big every other closed-to-cars street festival ever to grace our big city’s big thoroughfares.

And “big” is the keyword as you study the route map for the Sunday, Sept. 30event, which was just released by the LA Phil on the morning of Thursday, July 12. The event’s name? Celebrate LA! LA Phill 100 x CicLAvia.

A few notes? There are six hubs along the eight-mile route, with stages for live entertainment: Walt Disney Concert Hall, MacArthur Park, Koreatown, Melrose, Hollywood, and the Hollywood Bowl.

The main streets to be closed, from DTLA to Hollywood, include Grand, Wilshire, Western, Melrose, and Vine. Sizable portions of those streets will be closed to cars, of course — not the entire street, do note — but know before you go what will be shuttered and where and when.

Helpful to keep in mind? The closed-streets route doesn’t actually go all the way to the Hollywood Bowl, but there will be a Bowl shuttle from the route’s Tinseltown terminus.

The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 in the afternoon.

Activities and happenings along the way include the LA Phil 100: Photo Booth, the Music Mobile Instrument Petting Zoo, yoga, art, and a ukulele workshop.

Artists to perform at the hub stages include Dengue Fever, Las Cafeteras, Ozomatli, and so many other major singers and music acts.

The concert at the Hollywood Bowl later that evening will include Gustavo Dudamel, Herbie Hancock, Kali Uchis, YOLA, and the LA Phil, with more artists to be announced.

This will be one of the biggest parties of the early fall, one of the most joyous, one of the most starry, sizable, and free. Whether you bike it, walk it, or turn out for a favorite band’s set, best start plotting your course from Hollywood to DTLA, or DTLA to Hollywood, or somewhere between the two, now.

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RajiWorld AND TCA, TOGETHER AGAIN

RajiWorld and The Texas Commission on the Arts are pleased to announce that 125 Texas artists and arts companies have been approved to the Texas Touring Roster for 2018-2020. We look forward to helping you book dates with  The Bike Zoo, and Warren Hood! GO TEAM!
The Texas Touring Roster features some of the state’s best artistic talent and is designed to ensure that all Texans may enjoy events and performances by these artists in their local communities.
“Artists on the Texas Touring Roster travel to communities across the state and perform in a variety of venues,” said TCA executive director Gary Gibbs. “In addition to performances, they may also conduct workshops, master classes, residencies, lecture-demonstrations or arts education components as a way to engage community residents. We are proud to offer the citizens of Texas access to such high-quality artistic talent.”
Artists on the roster must have a history of touring and maintain a reasonable fee range. The Texas Commission on the Arts does not provide direct funds to the artists on the Texas Touring Roster. Instead, TCA provides grants to arts presenters, schools, libraries, theaters, and other nonprofits and government units throughout Texas to help with the cost of bringing in companies and artists from the roster. Presenters may apply through TCA’s Arts Respond Performance Support grant category for a portion of the artistic fees for artists from the Texas Touring Roster.
Acceptance onto the Texas Touring Roster is for two years, and benefits groups and artists by giving them a powerful marketing tool. Access to grant funds, combined with the fact that Texas Touring Roster artists have been deemed the best in their field by a panel of statewide experts, makes these artists attractive to a variety of presenters, including schools, festivals, theaters and other venues.

Artists on the Texas Touring Roster range from individual performing and visual artists to large performing arts companies. They represent artistic disciplines including music, visual art, dance, theater, storytelling, literary art and folk art. Options are diverse and range from ballet to African dance, western swing to conjunto, animation to poetry, jazz to children’s theater, sitar to puppetry, and everything in between. The 2018-2020 Texas Touring Roster is in effect for work conducted between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020.

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“BIKE ZOOLOGIST” IS SO CUTE WE MAY KEEP IT!

We are absolutely thrilled to share this invitation with you and announce our client Jeremy Rosen of The Bike Zoo’s appearance!

The next Pecha Kucha Austin is on Thursday June 21st at the Native Hostel. As always the show is free with a suggested donation, open to the public and starts officially at 8:20pm. Come early as doors open at 7:20pm and it’s first come…

The poster designed by event co-director and Pentagram Partner DJ Stout and Michelle Maudet is inspired by the fact that the owners of the Hostel are Native Texans born in Austin. The cowboy is riding an iconic Austin sculpture by Dale Whistler called “Nightwing” (on his way to the new hostel for the night). The sculpture is located near the Congress Avenue Bridge where the largest “urban colony of bats in the world” resides. They fly out into sky in a giant swarm every evening. The bats, Mexican Free-tailed Bats, have become quite the tourist attraction and a symbol of the city.

PK 31 Lineup

1. Sev Coursen – Photographer
2. Todd Sanders – Neon Artist
3. Valerie Fowler – Fine Artist
4. Matthew Johnson – Stone Carver
5. Redd Volkaert – Musician

B R E A K

6. Jennifer Sherburn – Choreographer
7. Bryan Mealer – Author
8. Jeremy Rosen – Bike Zoologist
9. Jonathan Smith – Architect
10. Tiarra Girls– Musicians

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IT IS ALL ABOUT THE GIANT ARMADILLO AT RAJIWORLD!

We are excited to share our latest BIKE ZOO creation with you The best place to begin imagining what we can do live at your event is through video.

Ringleader, co-founder and mechanical engineering graduate of UT Austin, Jeremy Rosen and his company create life-long memories with The Bike Zoo. The ever-growing menagerie of giant, playful, interactive, hand-built creatures includes the following: our 80-foot Rattlesnake, a flurry of Giant Butterflies, the Beloved Bat, our Fanciful Owl, a Majestic Bald Eagle. Our Praying Mantis functions as a stage and our Bicycle Carousel can carry a dozen people at once! The Armadillo is the latest (and the builder says, the greatest) of the Bikes available for booking. We are a unique addition to any festival or corporate event, or as a place-making option for a public space, environmental, arts or science event. You can count on us to engage visitors of all ages and captivate the imaginations of those who see or interact with our work. The Bike Zoo may be booked as a static backdrop  for event video and photo opportunities or as functional roaming displays for guests and VIPs.

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LEADERSHIP, LOVE, LIFE AND LINEAGE IN TUCSON

I have been working from Tucson this week, as my parents help me celebrate clients Flam Chen on the opening night of The Fisher’s Wife: A Pyrotechnic Fish Tale at Mercado San Agustin  Annex Festival Grounds  (just being finished as I type this)!

If you go

What: Flam Chen’s The Fisher’s Wife: A Pyrotechnic Fish Tale

When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m. April 19, 20, 26-28

Where: Mercado San Agustin Annex Festival Grounds, 267 Avenida del Convento

Cost: $25 each or $45 for two tickets, $10 for children at the door. VIP seating is available for $50 a person.

Tickets/information: flamchen.com

This is an exciting time for my hometown. The market district is an expansion of the Mercado San Agustin, led by Kira Dixon-Weinstein, executive director of Mercado San Agustin at the Gadsden Co. they are bringing 13 new locally owned businesses such as Hermosa Coffee, Beaut Burger and Westbound housed entirely in modified shipping containers. The festival grounds will provide a versatile new venue for concerts, festivals and community events. I am happy to say this means more Tucson I my future!

Another event that was new to me was the Tucson Poetry Festival. I attended a workshop and made a new friend who introduced me to his friend, Jake Feinberg. Jake hosts a radio the show Powertalk 1210 which revolves around the 4 L’s (Leadership, Love, Life and Lineage). As you may know these are 4 words I hold near and dear. I learned that Jake has interviewed many of my friends, clients past and present and many others I admire. My turn in the chair is Thursday April 19.

The Henry Gross interview provides great opportunity to hear Jake show off his love of music, life and lineage. My client Henry, like all of the artists I admire has quite a charmed past. Listen below to hear for yourself.

http://www.jakefeinbergshow.com/2016/09/the-henry-gross-interview/

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PATCH ON BIKE ZOO AT SXSW

Working with puppet makers, bike builders create pedaled vehicles that resemble animals for use at festivals, parties, family events and educational settings. Co-founder Jeremy Rosen, a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, attested to the free promotional opportunity SXSW yields.

“We are just here at SXSW so that out-of-towners — people from all over the country and all over the world — get to meet us and see what we do,” he said in an impromptu interview. “We’re proud to display this truly original austin artwork that has become an icon in Austin and is truly original.”

The most popular model is the butterfly depictions, several of which could be seen each day of SXSW so far. By Tuesday evening, the menagerie had grown to include several of those versions along with an impressively detailed depiction of a bat.

Jeremy Rosen (right) with artist/performer David Russ and performer Josephine Reynes

It was at the entertainment district along Rainey Avenue — closed off to traffic to accommodate the crowds — that the breadth of The Bike Zoo offerings became vividly clear. Rosen was holding court with some of his company’s creations pedaled along the street to delighted onlookers. David Russ rode atop a magnificent bald eagle facsimile complete with flapping wings (wooden but with the textured look of feathers) as he glided by. Another rode a bicycle shaped like a snowy owl that piqued the interest of giddy onlookers.

The eagle has landed, as David Russ takes a break from pedaling

“We have a new armadillo that hasn’t come out yet,” Rosen said, saying the new creation could make its debut as early as April. As he spoke, SXSW revelers surrounded the owl that had come to a stop to allow for picture-taking.

Attracting tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world, SXSW is a real zoo. And the folks at The Bike Zoo wouldn’t have it any other way. To book The Bike Zoo, contact Roggie Baer at roggie@rajiworld.com. For more information, visit austinbikezoo.org or email austinbikezoo@gmail.com.

Postscript: In the waning days of SXSW — as one headed to Rainey Street for one more chance of SXSW fun on the festival’s penultimate day — one’s weariness dissipated at the sight of a bolstered menagerie since this story was first written: The armadillo made its promised emergence as butterflies floated past as if flying above the asphalt.

It was a glorious sight to behold, a perfect end to a fun-filled two weeks of fun. Behold:

The party ended all too fast. See you next year, all. I’ll see you where the wild things are.

>>> Photos by Tony Cantú

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WELCOME YA’LL!

I LOVE MY OLD AND NEW BLACK FRET FAMILY and I am thrilled to welcome the 2018 nominees to the family! With over $1,000,000 in grants and payments to Austin musicians in just four years, local nonprofit proudly announces its fifth class of Nominees

(AUSTIN, TEXAS – March 21, 2018; source: Juice Consulting) – Austin nonprofit Black Fret is proud to announce its 2018 Nominees. The Nominees include A Giant Dog, Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad, Dave Scher, Donovan Keith, Greyhounds, Israel Nash, Jaimee Harris, Jane Ellen Bryant, Jeff Plankenhorn, Kalu and the Electric Joint, Los Coast, Megafauna, Otis the Destroyer, Palo Duro, Rebecca Loebe, Shy Beast, The Texas KGB, Tomar and the FCs, Trouble in The Streets, and Wood & Wire.

partial artist + advisor “Speed Dating” event at LZR photo by Amy Price

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“THOSE BOYS FROM CAROLINA, THEY SURE ENOUGH COULD SING…”

As you may have heard, Grammy award winning David Ball has a new project paying tribute to the great music of Uncle Walt’s Band, called David Ball & That Carolina Sound, featuring Warren Hood & Marshall Hood.

Heidi Hyatt will be releasing an Uncle Walt’s Band anthology 3/9 on Omnivore Records !

In his 1996 song, “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas),” legendary singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett included a verse about the members of Uncle Walt’s Band, a seminal pre-Americana group originally formed in Spartanburg.

When Lovett was starting his career, he was often asked to open for Uncle Walt’s Band, which had become a fixture on the Austin, Texas, roots music circuit in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He never forgot how much of a boost the trio – David Ball, Champ Hood and Walter Hyatt – gave him.

Here’s an excerpt from “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas)”:

“Those boys from Carolina, they sure enough could sing

But when they came down to Texas, we all showed them how to swing

Now David’s on the radio, and old Champ’s still on the guitar

And Uncle Walt, he’s home with Heidi, hiding in her loving arms.”

Sadly, Hyatt was killed in a 1996 plane crash not long after Lovett recorded the song and just before it was officially released. Hood died from cancer in 2001.

As the sole surviving member of Uncle Walt’s Band, the Nashville, Tenn.-based Ball has lately made some of the best music of his career, but the line “David’s on the radio” appears to be criminally outdated.

In a recent interview, Lovett continued to heap praise on the members of Uncle Walt’s Band. But he didn’t stop there.

Lovett let it be known that he also admires the musically gifted offspring of the influential band.

“Oh my goodness, I stay in touch with Warren (Hood) all the time,” Lovett said. “I think Warren’s amazing. He sounds so much like his dad – his (singing) and the way he speaks.

“I met Warren, I guess, when he was maybe 7 (years old), in Austin. He was always a sweet little boy, and he’s just the same as he was when I first met him. He writes great songs, and he’s a wonderful musician.

First anthology to chronicle the music of Uncle Walt’s Band, includes five previously unissued tracks and we are celebrating in Austin Friday 3/9/18 at The Saxon Pub!

“Walter Hyatt, David Ball and Champ Hood have been an inspiration to me ever since the first time I heard Uncle Walt’s Band,” said Lyle Lovett, a journalism student at Texas A&M University when he first heard the band. “Musically, their finely crafted original compositions reflect diverse influences, while lyrically they demonstrate a sensitive, sophisticated understanding of the dignified South.”

Uncle Walt’s Band, from Spartanburg, South Carolina, was an eclectic music trio that moved to Nashville in 1972 and shortly thereafter to Austin at the urging of Willis Alan Ramsey. ​An attempt at ​an album proved unsuccessful​, so the band headed back to Spartanburg in 1974 where they recorded their own debut LP, Blame It On The Bossa Nova. One thousand copies pressed, sold through performances and self-promotion, disappeared quickly. Heat was gaining for the band so they headed back down to Austin with a reissued album now titled, Uncle Walt’s Band. (Pressings of their original LP change hands for hundreds of dollars these days)

While the album gained many fans and followers it wasn’t enough to sustain the band’s larger ambitions. Going on hiatus for a few years ​,they reunited in Austin at Liberty Lunch in 1978 which launched a second phase for Uncle Walt’s Band that turned out to be the most popular and productive union yet. A second ind​ie album, An American In Texas was released in 1980 followed by a live album from The Waterloo Icehouse, Recorded Live, along with a cassette-only release of studio sessions titled simply, Six • Twenty Six • Seventy Nine.

Gaining the love of Texas music fans, performing regularly throughout the state, yet unable to get the traction nationally​, in 1983 they called it quits again. Although remaining friends and working on various projects over the years, each went on to pursue solo music careers. Hyatt released several albums, plus performed on Austin City Limits, Hood became a Texas Music Hall of Fame sideman playing for artists like Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, and more, and Ball’s success with the hit, “Thinkin’ Problem” established him as a Country Music star.

Back in the late ’70s at Austin’s famed Waterloo Ice House you could find Uncle Walt’s Band fans listening raptly in the packed venue sitting beside the likes of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Nanci Griffith, Jerry Jeff Walker​, or Marcia Ball. Now, you can pull up a seat next to them yourself. This long overdue collection attempts to right missed opportunities of the past and finally gain Uncle Walt’s Band the recognition they deserve. Enjoy the show!

 

    CD / DIGITAL TRACK LIST:
  1. SEAT OF LOGIC
  2. DISH WIPED CLEAN
  3. RUBY
  4. HIGH HILL
  5. ALOHA
  6. DON’T YOU THINK I FEEL IT TOO
  7. DEEPER THAN LOVE
  8. AS THE CROW FLIES
  9. BLUEBIRD
  10. LAST ONE TO KNOW
  11. STAY WITH THE ONE
  12. SO LONG BABY
  13. HOLDING ON
  14. WALKING ANGEL
  15. GIMME SOME SKIN (Live at The Waterloo Ice House)
  16. WHATEVER REASON
  17. ONE MEATBALL (Live at The Waterloo Ice House)
  18. SHINE ON
  19. GETAWAY
  20. SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD (Live at Austin Aqua Fest)
    BONUS TRACK:
  1. I’LL COME KNOCKIN’ (Demo)

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JOIN ME AS A VIP 2/28/18 AT THE NEW AUSTIN MUSIC AWARDS!

I am excited to bridge the best of the first 32 years with the upgrades brought to the past three years by the new producers, new venue and now, NEW DATE!

Austin Music Awards,

Wednesday, February 28th 2018 at ACL Live at the Moody Theater

Celebrating the Live Music Capital of the World since 1982

36th Annual Austin Music Awards – THE FUTURE IS NOW

The Austin Chronicle, SXSW, and Stratus Properties are proud to present the 36th Annual Austin Music Awards on Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

You’re invited to witness history as Austin Music Awards brings an All-Star line-up of legendary performers together including – LUCINDA WILLIAMS, THE BLACK ANGELS, DAVID RAMIREZ, ADAM TORRES and THIRD ROOT with special guests Riders Against the Storm and Bavu Blakes.

CHARLIE SEXTON will serve as Music Director with The Mayor’s House Band members, Michael Ramos, John Michael Schoepf, and Conrad Choucroun. KUTX hosts LAURIE GALLARDO and RICK MCNULTY return as Masters of Ceremony for the Austin Music Awards.

The Townes Van Zandt Award will be presented to singer-songwriter JOE ELY by artist-musician TERRY ALLEN and the Margaret Moser Award will be presented to LIZ LAMBERT, founder and Creative Director of Bunkhouse Hotels by Grammy Award winner and musician, LUCINDA WILLIAMS.

For 36 years, the Austin Music Awards have honored the local music community and recognized the best Austin artists, bands and industry masterminds which have forged Austin’s international music reputation. This history-making event recognizes Austin’s outstanding live music achievements of the previous year as voted on by the Austin Chronicle readers in the annual Austin Chronicle Music Poll. From its earliest years, past AMAs have featured numerous genres of music emanating from Texas, including rock, country, blues, Latino, folk, punk, pop, world, and classical.

Without fail – legendary performers, guests, and presenters like Robert Plant, Chrissie Hynde, Fab 5 Freddy, Terry Allen, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend have all taken the stage at the Austin Music Awards to celebrate 36 years of Austin musicianship our city is now known for the world over. Who will the surprise guests be this year? Don’t be left out!

Exclusive private floor tables are available from $2,800 – $5,000; shared tables available from $1,500; or individual seats at a shared table on the floor from $250. Individual tickets are available on the Mezzanine for $150. Individual tickets are available on the Balcony from $35 – $45.

Proceeds of the event benefit the Sims Foundation.

Doors: 7:00 PM · Show: 7:55 PM

Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater

310 W Willie Nelson Boulevard 

Austin, TX

2018 Host Committee

Joe Ables

Mayor Steve Adler

Susan Antone

Beau Armstrong

Roggie Baer

Ed Bailey

Becky Beaver

Ray Benson

Alan Berg & Kristin Johansen-Berg

Louis Black

Sandy Boone

Chip Bray

Noel Bridges

Will Bridges

Lonnie & Polly Cooper

Drew Dunavan

Brad First

Liz Lambert

Alan Lazarus

Susan Lazarus

Lana McGilvray

Lesya Miliam

Tom Murphy

Clark Nowlin

Adrian Quesada

Catherine Robb

John Robinson

David Rockwood

Geoffrey Ryder

Erica Shamaly

DJ Stout

Laurie Swan

Nancy Walker

Kenneth Walker

Graham Williams

William Zeitz

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MEET MONTOPOLIS!

I guess there is no better way to announce a new client than with a 4-star-hometown-paper, (thanks Austin Chronicle )review! Please help me welcome Justin Sherburn and Montopolis to the RajiWorld family!

Music for Enchanted Rock (Wren & Shark)

REVIEWED BY KAHRON SPEARMAN, FRI., FEB. 2, 2018

Texas Platters

Local chamber music experimentalists, Montopolis here bends Americana into a meditative celebration of the massive granite pluton batholith that resides north of Fredericksburg. Headed by Justin Sherburn (Okkervil River), “Run” notes warm flannels and glorious Southwestern early mornings in an interplay of strings and country twang. The bandleader swings drum machine rumbles early into the proceedings on the atmospheric “Gravity,” and Ennio Morricone filters through signature Philip Glass minimalism on “Wild Horde” with absorbing string expositions. Sherburn’s freedom is ever-present throughout, unlocked from the twos and fours of straightforward indie rock folk. Though envisioned as a multimedium experience of Southwestern idyllics, the transcendent compositions of Music for Enchanted Rock stand alone.

****

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POLLSTAR LIVE: WILL YOU BE ATTENDING?

I return to Pollstar Live next week. It will be my first in 3 years but perhaps my 15th total. It was the first “grown up” conference I attended. My college used to send me (and pay for) SXSW and CMJ used to pay for panelists to attend. Both had a heavy focus on “alternative music” but Pollstar was for stadium acts and the men attending mostly wore suits! I learned so much from attending years one and two, I volunteered for the next several just to learn even more. To this day, I often feel, I have been able to stay afloat in the crazy waters of this industry but learning the feeding order.. I love to swim and I have an enormous capacity for finding unexplored islands. That has become my specialty over the years. This year I will show off the one-of-a-kind Bike Zoo.

The highlight of the conference is the awards ceremony and it always falls in perfect timing for me, just ahead of my beloved Austin Music Awards. I would love to share the nominees with you and hear your thoughts on who should win this year. Let me know at roggie@rajiworld.com

Pollstar Awards Categories and Nominees

Congratulation to all Pollstar Award Nominees!

Below are the Categories and Nominees for the 29th Annual Pollstar Awards. One ticket to the Pollstar Awards & Party is included with each Pollstar Live! 2018 registration.

Major Tour of the Year

  • Bruno Mars
  • Coldplay
  • Garth Brooks
  • Guns N’ Roses
  • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
  • U2

Most Creative Stage Production

  • Coldplay
  • Ed Sheeran
  • Katy Perry
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Roger Waters
  • U2

Comedy Tour of the Year

  • Amy Schumer
  • Chris Rock
  • Dave Chappelle
  • Jerry Seinfeld
  • Jim Gaffigan
  • Kevin Hart

Country Tour of the Year

  • Chris Stapleton
  • Eric Church
  • Garth Brooks
  • Jason Aldean
  • Luke Bryan
  • Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

Rock Tour of the Year

  • Foo Fighters
  • Guns N’ Roses
  • Metallica
  • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
  • Roger Waters
  • U2

Urban / R&B Tour of the Year

  • Bruno Mars
  • Chance The Rapper
  • Drake
  • J. Cole
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • The Weeknd

Latin Tour of the Year

 

  • Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull
  • Gloria Trevi vs Alejandra Guzman
  • Juanes
  • Luis Fonsi
  • Marc Anthony
  • Marco Antonio Solis

Pop Tour of the Year

  • Ariana Grande
  • Bruno Mars
  • Harry Styles
  • Justin Bieber
  • Katy Perry
  • Lady Gaga

Best New Headliner

  • Halsey
  • Harry Styles
  • Khalid
  • Portugal. The Man
  • Shawn Mendes
  • The xx

Music Festival of the Year

 

  • Austin City Limits Music Festival | Austin, TX
  • Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival | Manchester, TN
  • Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival | Indio, CA
  • KAABOO Del Mar | Del Mar, CA
  • Lollapalooza Festival | Chicago, IL
  • Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival | Indio, CA

International Music Festival of the Year

  • Barclaycard British Summer Time | London, UK
  • Bluesfest | Byron Bay, Australia
  • C2C: Country to Country | London & Glasgow, UK; Dublin, Ireland
  • Glastonbury Festival | Pilton, UK
  • Lollapalooza Brazil | Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Primavera Sound | Barcelona, Spain

Nightclub of the Year

  • 9:30 Club | Washington, DC
  • Brooklyn Steel | Brooklyn, NY
  • The Fillmore Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA
  • House of Blues Boston | Boston, MA
  • Joe’s Bar | Chicago, IL
  • Thalia Hall | Chicago, IL

Theatre of the Year

  • Beacon Theatre | New York, NY
  • Bellco Theatre | Denver, CO
  • Fox Theatre | Atlanta, GA
  • Radio City Music Hall | New York, NY
  • Ryman Auditorium | Nashville, TN
  • The Wiltern | Los Angeles, CA

Arena of the Year

  • Barclays Center | Brooklyn, NY
  • BOK Center | Tulsa, OK
  • Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN
  • Forum | Inglewood, CA
  • Madison Square Garden | New York, NY
  • Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
  • T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, NV

Red Rocks Award / Best Small Outdoor Venue

  • Ascend Amphitheater | Nashville, TN
  • Filene Center At Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA
  • Greek Theatre At UC Berkeley | Berkeley, CA
  • Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA
  • Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, CA
  • Vina Robles Amphitheatre | Paso Robles, CA

Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue

  • Forest Hills Stadium | Forest Hills, NY
  • Gorge Amphitheatre | Quincy, WA
  • Hollywood Bowl | Los Angeles, CA
  • Lakeview Amphitheater | Syracuse, NY
  • Merriweather Post Pavilion | Columbia, MD
  • Shoreline Amphitheatre | Mountain View, CA

Best New Concert Venue

  • The Anthem | Washington, DC
  • Brooklyn Steel | Brooklyn, NY
  • Levitt Pavilion Denver | Denver, CO
  • Little Caesars Arena | Detroit, MI
  • Wintrust Arena | Chicago, IL
  • U Arena Paris | Nanterre, France

International Venue of the Year

  • Manchester Arena | Manchester, UK
  • The O2 | London, UK
  • O2 Arena | Prague, Czech Republic
  • Royal Albert Hall | London, UK
  • Ziggo Dome | Amsterdam, Netherlands

Venue Executive of the Year

  • Becky Colwell | Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
  • David Kells | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
  • Keith Sheldon | Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
  • Ken Kuhl | American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
  • Kim Bedier | Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
  • Nick Spampanato | Forum, Inglewood, CA

Nightclub Talent Buyer of the Year

  • Donna Busch | The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
  • Ed Warm | Joe’s Bar, Chicago, IL; Joe’s Live, Rosemont, IL; The Rave, Milwaukee, WI
  • Jake Samuels | Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL & SPACE, Evanston, IL
  • Josh Moore | Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn, NY & Terminal 5, New York, NY
  • Melanie Cantwell | 9:30 Club, The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, Washington, DC
  • Stacie George | Irving Plaza, New York, NY; Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY & The Paramount, Huntington, NY

Talent Buyer of the Year

  • Ali Harnell | AEG Presents / MTG
  • Amy Corbin | C3 Presents
  • Brian O’Connell | Live Nation
  • Don Strasburg | AEG Presents
  • Rich Best | Live Nation
  • Stacy Vee | Goldenvoice

Bill Graham Award / Promoter of the Year

  • Darin Lashinsky | NS2
  • Don Fox | Beaver Productions
  • Gregg Perloff | Another Planet Entertainment
  • Larry & Fred Frank | Frank Productions Concerts
  • Michael Smardak | Outback Concerts
  • Seth Hurwitz | I.M.P.

International Promoter of the Year

  • Andy Copping | Live Nation – UK
  • Barrie Marshall | Marshall Arts
  • Denis Desmond | MCD Productions
  • Folkert Koopmans | FKP Scorpio Konzertproduktionen
  • Michael Chugg | Chugg Entertainment
  • Simon Moran | SJM

Bobby Brooks Award / Agent of the Year

  • Cara Lewis | CLG – Cara Lewis Group
  • Dennis Arfa | Artist Group International
  • Jay Williams | WME
  • Kirk Sommer | WME
  • Marlene Tsuchii | Creative Artists Agency
  • Marty Diamond | Paradigm Talent Agency
  • Scott Clayton | Creative Artists Agency

Third Coast Booking Agent of the Year

  • Abby Wells Baas | WME
  • Curt Motley | United Talent Agency
  • Jay Williams | WME
  • Joe Atamian | Paradigm Talent Agency
  • John Huie | Creative Artists Agency
  • Matthew Morgan | Creative Artists Agency

UK Booking Agent of the Year

  • Emma Banks | Creative Artists Agency UK
  • Ian Huffam | X-ray Touring
  • James Alderman | Free Trade Agency
  • Mike Greek | Creative Artists Agency UK
  • Rod MacSween | International Talent Booking
  • Steve Strange | X-ray Touring

Independent Booking Agency of the Year

  • Artist Group International
  • The Billions Corporation
  • High Road Touring
  • Madison House

Booking Agency of the Year

  • APA
  • Creative Artists Agency
  • Paradigm Talent Agency
  • United Talent Agency
  • WME

Rising Star

  • Aaron Tannenbaum, Creative Artists Agency
  • James Rasmussen, Golden 1 Center
  • Joe Giordano, BOK Center
  • Keith Sheldon, Barclays Center
  • Lenore Kinder, AEG Presents
  • Tommy Bruce, Full Stop Management

Personal Manager of the Year

  • Clarence Spalding | Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean
  • Coran Capshaw | Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Chris Stapleton
  • Irving Azoff | Eagles, Journey
  • John Silva | Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age
  • Jonathan Kessler | Depeche Mode
  • Tony Dimitriades | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Road Warrior of the Year

  • Dale “Opie” Skjerseth | The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses
  • Gus Brandt | Foo Fighters, Pharrell Williams
  • Jerome Crooks | Soundgarden, Tool, NIN
  • Keith Keller | Drake, Metallica, Jay-Z
  • Mark “Springo” Spring | Paul McCartney
  • Narci Martinez | Red Hot Chili Peppers, Florence and the Machine

Lighting Company of the Year

  • Bandit Lites
  • Premier Global Production
  • PRG
  • Solotech
  • Upstaging
  • VER

Sound Company of the Year

  • Clair Global
  • Clearwing Productions
  • Eighth Day Sound Systems
  • Rat Sound Systems
  • Sound Image
  • VER Tour Sound

Staging / Equipment Company of the Year

  • All Access Staging and Productions
  • G2 Structures
  • Gallagher Staging
  • Mountain Productions
  • Stageco
  • Tait

Transportation Company of the Year

  • All Access Transportation
  • Pioneer Coach
  • Rock-It Cargo
  • Senators Coaches
  • Sound Moves
  • Upstaging

Video Company of the Year

  • Colonel Tom Touring
  • Moo TV
  • PRG Nocturne
  • RD Touring
  • Screenworks
  • Solotech
  • VER

Tech Enhancement of the Year

  • 3D Live, Flying Lotus
  • Eyellusion, Dio
  • Hurdl
  • Xylobands, Coldplay
  • Yondr

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RAJIWORLD HEARTS LYFT BECUASE LYFT HEARTS MUSICIANS TOO!

my live music love story

Lyft Austin Launches First-of-its-Kind Musician Rideshare Program

To kick off 2018 in the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Lyft is announcing the Austin Musician Rideshare Program, which provides local musicians with free rides to and from their gigs.

Lyft is partnering with local Austin music venues like Empire Control Room, Antone’s, and Stubb’s to help foster an environment in which musicians and the entire local Austin music industry can flourish.

Ryan Garrett, GM of Stubb’s, describes the benefits of the program: “Lyft’s Musician Rideshare Program is a tremendous asset for local musicians. Stubb’s is thrilled to partner with Lyft on this progressive program which will positively impact the lives of local musicians and the entire Austin music scene.”

Stephen Sternschein, owner of Empire Control Room, explains a problem he sees the program solving for Austin musicians: “It’s expensive and difficult to park downtown, even harder for a working musician lugging gear. Parking tickets, towing, and accidents can (and do) eat up every dollar a local musician just made on stage. We ought to do everything we can to fix this.”

This first-of-its-kind program launches during the Red River District’s Free Week, which celebrates local Austin bands with free shows at different venues from January 1 to January 7.

How You Can Help

Use code ATXMUSIC for $5 off your first 3 rides with Lyft and we’ll add $5 to the Musician Rideshare Program fund — just in time for a ride to Free Week 2018!

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RAJIWORLD CLIENTS WIN BIG AT BLACK BALL

Austin music patron organization Black Fret announces recipients of this year’s grants

Local music patron organization Black Fret announced the winners of this year’s $18,000 major grants, along with recipients of $5,000 minor grants, on Saturday night at the organization’s annual Black Ball season finale concert at the Paramount Theatre.

The 10 acts receiving $18,000 grants are: Jackie Venson, Warren Hood, Sarah Sharp, Carolyn Wonderland, Bright Light Social Hour, Whiskey Shivers, Eric Tessmer, the Deer, Mobley and Leopold & His Fiction. They were selected by Black Fret members, who pay $1,500 annual dues to attend private functions throughout the year along with the opportunity to nominate and vote on grant recipients.

Another nine acts received $5,000 grants: Akina Adderley, Cowboy Diplomacy, Croy & the Boys, Daniel Eyes, David Ramirez, Greyhounds, Jane Ellen Bryant, Kinky Machine and Los Coast. All 20 acts had been announced as 2017 Black Fret nominees earlier in the year. One nominated act, Black Pistol Fire, “chose to remove themselves from consideration and asked that Black Fret allocate those funds to the other minor grant recipients,” a Black Fret representative said.

Launched in 2014 by Matt Ott and Colin Kendrick, Black Fret has gradually increased the amount of its grants each year. This year’s cumulative total of $230,000 is up from $220,000 in 2016. Recipients must perform tasks such as releasing records or playing shows to unlock the grant money over the course of the following year.

 

Peter Blackstock

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