Tim Henderson at Folk Festival

Still figuring out this "blog" system. Finished ten days in Tuscany in May, ten days on West Coast in June, and now looking ahead at the Silver Jubilee for THMF, my non-profit celebrating 25 years. Stayed with Paul Guerin and Jean Bush in Mill Valley, hearing music there at venue owned by Bob Weir of the Dead! Pete Seas was playing when I was there......years with Jefferson Starship among others. One highlight of Kerrville Folk Festival was a tribute to Tim Henderson, songwriter extraordinaire. Paying tribute after someone has "stepped on a rainbow" is bittersweet for sure. The Muses were there to sing, along with Eric Taylor and many others. Tim's life came back into focus as the cameras flashed. I hope a DVD comes out of this tribute. Tim was a soft-spoken gentle man who was ingrained in the Kerrville Folk Festival from the beginning. I spoke with him last year backstage, and he was oh so humble about his music, always praising others. Hugh Sparks helped coordinate this tribute, and the stories flowed! Here's to more about Tim in the future! See www.texasheritagemusic.org for updates on events. September is special with 4 events planned that include Bill Lewis, Max Baca y David Farias, Eric Taylor, Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines, and over 50 more performers....songwriters....and storytellers. Performer list up soon!

On the road for April

I am enjoying the last month of a semester when I am teaching a new course, The Literature of American Music. Dylan reigns, and we have looked at songs and songwriting from many a perspective! The non-profit I started in 1987 is celebrating a Silver Jubilee by adding a songwriting workshop on Sept. 29 with Terri Sharp and Lloyd Maines. Space limited. I head to Tuscany, Italy, with Paula Reynolds in May to create more connections for Texas music...stories and songs! You see the theme in my life, right? Using David Shields as my guide, I am giving you some pieces of reality as they come off my brain. Jr. Pruneda playing Roddy Tree on Sunday afternoons from 2-6. A Texas treasure. Billy Joe Shaver playing Hunt Centennial Celebration at a free show at 4 p.m. on May 19 in Hunt. The Kerrville Folk Festival brings in a moveable feast. The artists are moving, that is. Not the festival. Below is a copy of my article for the April Hill Country Happenings. Deadline for May is today so that will follow soon.

On The Road

April 2012

“Ain’t no use to sit and wonder why babe, if you don’t know by now…don’t think twice, it’s alright.”

April 3-5 is the annual writers conference at Schreiner University, three days filled with free workshops, a writer’s display and reading Tuesday night, and a coffeehouse with slam poetry on Wednesday. Anne Schneider, local treasure, will give the last workshop at 10:30 on Thursday morning. Kirpal Gordon, a New York writer with Hill Country connections, will kick off the event on Tuesday at 3:30 with a workshop and also at 1:00 on Wednesday.  Thom Moon Poet will host a workshop at 3:30 on Wednesday and perform with Kirpal Wednesday night at the coffeehouse. You can rsvp to me at 830-792-7409 or just show up! All events in the Cailloux student center on the Schreiner campus.  

April 29 will mark a special day in Kerrville, Ray Price, beloved by all, will be singing at the Cailloux Center at 3:00 p.m. with actor Guich Koock as emcee. Price once wrote and sang with Hank Williams, he brought Willie’s song “Night Life” to new audiences, he once toured with Willie in the band, and I heard them both as a youngster at Panther Hall in Ft. Worth. And those are but a few tidbits of information about this octogenarian. I once heard him and interviewed him at the YO Social Club many years ago. I placed my camera bag on the edge of the stage to dance to one of his melodious songs, and returned to find it gone. Not such a great memory, but overshadowed by an evening with Ray Price. I talked with his piano player, Goldie, who invited me somewhere in Laredo to visit. I never did and regret that! Goldie is no longer with us. County music history in the making in Kerrville.

Chris Huber, Tivy graduate and director of arts programming with the Cailloux Foundation, brought his research and performance of the life of Buddy Holly to my American music class this month. Many will remember the Buddy Holly Story at the Point this summer, a highlight for me. Chris told us how he got the part (looking a bit like Buddy), and how much he had to practice to emulate the distinct hiccup in Holly’s voice in many of the songs. Students were mesmerized by the stories, some sharing their own young tales of hearing Buddy’s music from a parent. We have also covered Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Mary Gauthier, Suzanne Vega, Pete Seeger, Carol King, Leonard Cohen, REM, Pink Floyd (The Wall as concept), Susan Gibson, and, of course, Stephanie Urbina Jones.

Stephanie Urbina Jones, layered in black, gorgeous in love and shining with joy, entered my creative writing class March 7 to share her stories and songs. Tio Rudy and dad were traveling with her. After we heard her story and a song, she listened to the student writing. Her response was to pick up her ipad and ask to document their responses on film. What a joyful exchange between artist and audience. At six she sat down with my creativity class, sharing her own creative vision. Then, flanked by Florin Sanchez and Rodriguo, also in black, the visual journey continued as the three sat on stool playing her songs for the March coffeehouse honoring the voices of women.

The students had responded to her songs with poetry and art; the creativity class had created tri-boards on any aspect of Women’s history. The evening ended as the day began:  Stephanie beaming and sharing love. She is committed to her life and to sharing it. We both agreed that we want to create together, for conventions, for conferences, for festivals. Our first interview became a chapter in my 2007 book on the women of Texas music. One fan, Maggie Gonzales, who drove over from San Antonio, shared with me her appreciation for Stephanie, “It feels like we have become family as I have been following her around the Hill Country.” And family matters to Stephanie.

March 7 is also a day I pay personal tribute to Townes Van Zandt, born on this day in 1944.  His songs have been informing my life since the first time I heard him at the Kerrville Folk Festival sometime in the 70’s. His writing is integral to my new class on the poetry of American music, and his untimely death on January 1, 1997, opened up a doorway for Roxy Gordon, also born on March 7, to follow in death the next year. Richard Dobson, a man who ran close with both writers, is alive and well, visiting my class on April 25 in 2012 as a member of the THMF Bard project. Everything connects. 

Don Ricardo’s new book, Pleasures of the High Rhine: A Texas Singer In Exile, is a tale of travel, creativity, adventure, and insights into living and traveling. Richard becomes Don Ricardo in a semi-annual newsletter.  Once I called his writing picaresque, and I can still see him riding off on his horse exploring the world. We have shared many experiences, as I included him in my first book of interviews with Texas songwriters. Gulf Coast Boys, his first novel, or memoir, tells many tales of Townes as well. Now living in Switzerland, Richard rides the Texas plains several times a year with his wife Edith beside him.

The book he has written gives insight into a period of time and a mind that will open up new doors of understanding in the history of Texas music. Add this to your collection of stories from the heart.

Notable events since I last checked in here include the first Silver Jubilee event for the 25^th anniversary of the Texas Heritage Music Foundation, the house concert in the Schreiner faculty house with Cosey Sheridan and TR Ritchie. These touring folk artists brought lively songs and great energy to the event in an intimate setting. We heard poems from TR and songs from them both. Cosey kept us laughing at times, and they both told great stories. Rod Kennedy had a reunion with these artists who love him so for starting the Kerrville Folk Festival, which runs again in May as part of the Kerrville Folk Music Foundation, a reorganization of structure.

April is also the continuation of a new music series, hosted at the Auslander in Fredericksburg by Casey Hubble. Casey is a THMF scholarship recipient, and we want to send him into schools for workshops as part of our BARD project. His Fence Post Music Series hosts Jed Zimmerman on April 5, a man compared to the style of Townes Van Zandt. Bet I love him! Jake Martin, another favorite of mine often seen in his dusty boots out at Luckenbach, is playing, along with some new faces in April. A destination on Thursday nights! Casey, an award-winning writer, will begin the evening at 7 p.m. followed by his guests. Cory Morrow, John Arthur Martinez, Noel McKay and Brennen Leigh were the March guests. Now that´s a list to draw to.

Ils sont partis………………KH

January on the road.............

this is the column I wrote for January. Last night I took Rod Kennedy to Auslander for his 82nd birthday. Drew Kennedy was performing, and perform he did with three hours of original songs! Rod was impressed with the writing, as was I. I invited Drew to be part of the THMF Bard Project and to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary. He has written a novel that chronicles the songs on a CD. A unique creative project. As you read his story then see the song as poetry, you also see the story that led to the song! A crowd of lovebirds filled the place, leaning on each other and singing along on the songs. Drew obviously can entertain at a rowdy party, but this evening was also filled with pure listening! I invited him to my creative writing class as well, to tell his story. I will be giving a program on stories that feed us in Albequerque at the Pop Culture Conference in FEb., then a program on the stories of women in Houston in March at the Texas Historical Association Meeting. yep......On the road says it all for me! Drew's last song last night was "I've got some leavin' to do." His one "obligatory" cover was a Johnny Cash song, "I still miss someone." "Songbird" might be my  new favorite, with lines like "She laughs like she cries." and "Songbirds can't help but to fly, and she don't know why." About songwriting, Drew said, "If you can't imagine doing anything else, then do it." Rodney Hayden was there, and he gave us a couple of songs. He and Drew co-wrote one in Europe after seeing a beautiful women in a beautiful dress playing accordion in the square in Hamburg, Germany. I met Rodney out in Alpine at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering when he was about 17. He confirmed playing at the Sept. 28 Texas Heritage Music Day.
Not regular with this blog thing yet. Will include my column monthly, then send out some short ones on my musicial journey On The Road!

On the Road

Jan. 2012

Kathleen Hudson

Some fragments for the new year, a la David Shields and Roland Barthes.  A music lover’s discourses:

If you were waiting for the ship to come in, it did, and now it’s heading out again. We seem to still be here in 2012, but I do know the Mayan prophecy includes far more ideas on transformation than the literal end of this world. What about the end of the world as we know it? And what better time to think ahead then the beginning of a new year. So…it’s the hour that the ship comes in, for sure. Some say we can come and go at the same time,  that reality exits at many levels around us, that everything happens at the same time. TS Eliot says at the end of all our exploration we shall arrive at where we started and know the place for the first time.  Amen.

I begin teaching a new course at Schreiner on January 18 called The Literature of American Music. Our first coffeehouse is February 1. We have invited  Ruben V and his trio playing hot blues and rowdy danceable music. They blew Pampell’s  away in December. Yes, I did some dancing.  See texasheritagemusic.org for confirmation.

My memories of 2011 include a sweet annual Christmas house concert at Jack Fields’ with Cary Cooper and Tom Pradaso-Rao. We heard their class Christmas song, “Christmas in the Ashram,” as well as songs from a new cd by Cary, “Pink Umbrella.” I was smitten with the song “Suzanne,” about a women who ran off with the circus at age 43 and returned at age 44. “You can’t have everything,” is the line repeated, but Cary sings it with such whimsy that I don’t believe that for a moment!  Hey, I can have everything. She also mentioned “Troubador, Texas,”  a show I have not seen yet. Tom played a haunting violin on several songs. Heard a new love son that said, “The truth about the acorn is the tree.” The evening was sweet and delicious.

 A soft grey light was stealing in through the curtains in this upstairs room that has been home to many a wonderful concert since that first one, years ago, with Shake Russell. Jack Fields is also president of Texas Heritage Music Foundation as well as an officer working with the Kerrville Folk Festival. Yep, Jack and Barbara Fields have pioneered house concerts in Kerrville. Paula and Marty Reynolds have been presenting  great music at the Hilltop House Concerts, and Robert Himmer has Western Trail House Concerts. Paula also worked with Sherry and Ken Wardlow at River Bluff in Center Point showcasing Stephanie Urbina Jones in December.

Stephanie, radiant as always, accompanied by Florin Sanchez and her band, gave us an evening of Christmas songs, love songs, and love! She is love wherever she goes. The River Bluff on the Guadalupe River in Center Point is a perfect gathering place for many groups.

 The THMF will host one this spring at the Faculty clubhouse at Schreiner University. The small audience brings a fee for the artist, food to share, and a heart open for listening.  An intimate evening of stories and songs!

I also attended a fundraiser on December 18 at Jovita’s on South First for a true Texas dame, Traci Hancock, a member of the Texana Dames. These women are a permanent part of Texas music history, beginning in Lubbock, Texas, as the Supernatural Family Band with Tommy Hancock. Traci always invited me up to join them on Sunday afternoons at Guero’s in Austin. I carried my own shaker egg or castanets for some percussion.  They are feature in my book on the women of Texas music.  I followed the Dames around Europe once, writing a story on their travels for the Express News in San Antonio. Frutigen, Switzerland and Austria were our two big festivals. This family, Charlene (mom) and Conni and Traci are beloved by all who know them. Joe Ely, Marcia Ball and others will play a fundraiser for them at Antone’s sometime soon. Keep alert. Go to texanadames.com  to read Traci’s story and to donate. I saw her in Austin at the debut of the Texas Music Hall of Fame. Her wig was purple, and she told me this news, “I have a rack of colored wigs, and they all have names!”

Sunday night, December 12, I went to Hondo’s in Fredericksburg to hear the return of an Italian Texas music lover and a performer, Fabrizio. He has recorded with Texas musicians, performers with many of them here, provides opportunities for Texas music in Italy, produces Texas music and has written a book on Texas blues.j Paula Reynolds, THMF board member, Bard coordinator, and all-around cowgirl says, “He has a way of transcending borders while reaching down to get the heart and soul of the blues.”  He speaks to us through his harmonica and his passion. We had an evening with a choir of voices  adding to his rhythmic take on music. Chris, daughter of Hondo Crouch, the Texas Imagineer, could be seen standing on a chair at the table next to me, dancing.  She reminded me so of the spirit of Hondo, her father.

Ahead in January:  Mike Blakely at River Bluff present by Hill Top House Concerts on January 20; Blues Festival at Luckenbach on January 28 featuring Ruthie Foster y mas.

In honor of the red sweater that become my Christmas symbol, and the red shoes that took me out to hear the music, I want to point to Elvis Costello and his song, “Angels wanna wear my red shoes.” More music to define the way I choose to live my life. James McMurtry also says, “Where’d you get that red dress?” as he moves people out on the dance floor. Let’s keep dancing. Ils sont partis………….KH

column for HCH and blog

On The Road

For December 2011

Kathleen Hudson

Let me know what you are reading, and I can tell what you are saying. I said that. “I’ll let you be in my dream if you’ll let me be in your dream.” Bob Dylan said that. David Shields, In his manifesto REALITY HUNGER, says that we can share fragments without giving sources and still give people a sense of reality. And we hunger for reality. Roland Barthes in LOVER’S DISCOURSES uses fragments with sources listed in the margin as a way to share the reality of love and language. I am reading Shields and Barthes, my two new mentors! I have shared these books with another friend north of me, and he has reminded me that as people who write about what we love, we are writing versions of “A Fan’s Notes.” I like that!

As a fan of Guy Clark: I attended his 70 birthday bash held at the Long Center in Austin on November 2 as a fundraise for the Center for Texas Music History. Rodney Crowell started off the evening with a story about Guy and a song; Jerry Jeff ended the evening by singing a new song by Guy and  a story. What a night we had as I accompanied Rod Kennedy, founder of the Kerrville Folk Festival, where I first heard Guy Clark! Yes, you can have an entire evening of Guy Clark hit songs! His storytelling reflects the best of Texas songwriting, and his philosophy runs deep. “She ain’t going nowhere, she’s just leaving.”

As a fan of Michael O’Conner:  I attended a house concert held by the Himmer’s and called Western Trail House Concerts because the house is located on the original Western trail that led north from Kerrville. His songs were passionate and real. His guitar playing has accompanied performers including Susan Gibson, Slaid Cleaves and Ray Wylie Hubbard. The evening reminded me why I keep running after this Texas music. Passionate authenticity!

As a fan of Luckenbach:  For your dose of reality, I am sharing the responses, again, of some of my Texas music students. Next semester I am teaching the literature of American music! What fun this Schreiner reality is for me. My day listening to Walt Wilkings and Robyn Ludwig followed by the exquisite duo and unlikely team of WC Clark and Ray Benson was enriched by sharing this with 10 Schreiner students, many from the Greystone program, who had NEVER been real this way. Below are some comments:

Megan Toomey: As Ray Benson and W.C. Clark step up to play, the crowd gathers in anticipation a quick breath as the people standing up crowd closer to the stage. The resident roosters high in the tree cock-a-do-da-do to each other. With a quick joke to warm the crowd, these "brothers from another mother" begin to play. Soulful jazz, high country, rolling blues, they go it all. The crowd is of all ages, from grandfathers to little babes, all listen as these Texas legends do their thing on stage. Beer is prevalent in practically every hand, yet no-one is rowdy, all quench their thirst while appreciating the music in that fine Texas afternoon weather of around 80 degrees. One man, obviously a big fan, exclaims to the crowd, "this is the best song" before sitting down and listening attentively. Of to the side, a couple begins to dance, the music compelling them to move. Coming in together as a group, the students from Dr. Hudsons's class quickly hit the feedlot and grabbed a table. We slowly meandered off in groups of two's and three's as we experienced the quaint town of Luckenbach, soaking up the scene. Most of us would never have come of our own volition, yet once there, we were easily able to appreciate the atmosphere and quality of both the town and music. At the end of the day, as we came into campus, our experience could be quickly summed up in three words. "I enjoyed that"

Cheyne Kendall: As I walked around Luckenbach, I realized how relaxing this event was. Everyone I looked at had a smile on their face and a beer in their hand. It seemed like no one had a care in the world; no problems to worry about. Even with all the beers being put down, I didn't even notice one person acting too crazy. Everyone had respect toward the performer and other people around. There was a mixture of "regulars", where everyone knew who they were, and tourists, but the saying "Everyone is somebody in Luckenbach" has never been so true. The atmosphere is amazing there. The performers were even better. Luckenbach is definitely the place to go if you are looking for a good time.

Sam Badillo:  My write up on our experience to Luckenbach begins when we first arrived and noticed a live bull posing for pictures. I immediately felt like I had made a wrong turn off the interstate and ended up in a wild western scene. I noticed the lack of diversity of the people around especially the motor cycle riders around. We ate and talked about a variety of things including greystone and the scenery. The one thing I noticed that not many noticed was the license plates of all the visitors from across the country. It proves the old saying true that everyone is someone in Luckenbach! Overall my experience was pleasant and would definitely go back.

As a fan of the visual:  Enjoy the photos of Emily Bissell, another Schreiner student. Ils sont partis, down the road, and let’s welcome 2012 as a new start.

Day one "on the road"

Beginning a new road of communication! After two books and hundreds of interviews and a newspaper column and a radio series, I have decided to start sharing information via "blog." Last night I went to Crossroads Saloon in Fredericksburg to hear Monte Montgomery. I have not heard him for several years, even though I heard him the first time years ago in a small club in Kerrville.                     

 I moved to Kerrville in 1984 so Monte was a youngster. Last night he came out at about 11 p.m., leaned into his guitar and began the song with the energy set on HIGH. Montiacs filled the room, and owner, Maggie, kept going from table to table meeting her guests and picking up empty glasses. Mom, Maggie Montgomery, sat front and center with Cindy, Monte's very significant other. Yes, the room was filled with people sharing stories of other times, even as we all kept moving to the music.

The vision I saw was lines of light coming out of his hands and eyes, going into the through the guitar, weaving though the air like a diagram in a page on quantum mechanics in a physics book, and spiraling around us all! The men were intent watching the guitar licks; the women were feeling the dance of his energy with that guitar; his girlfriend was gazing at him with shining eyes; and his mom was proud  and full of her son! Near the end of the evening, he brought mom to stage and sang about her and with her. We heard "Mirror," "Sarah Smile," "Wishing Well," and all the Monte favorites.

Want to know more about him? Got to his website and blog. He writes there! I will be adding vintage columns here (been writing since 1985 or so), photos, and news. www.texasheritagemusic.org contains more news of the foundation I started in 1987. www.kathleenhudson.net contains more news of me! Teaching a Texas music class at Schreiner University in Kerrville and leading a workshop on creativity on November 5 for the Mind Science Foundaton.