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 25th 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
