Local Music

The past 5 years has been a sort of renaissance for me. That's what I'll call it anyway. Other folks may think something else. One area that has been directly affected has been the music I listen to. Most of my life, I've tried to avoid country/bluegrass music and embrace pop/rock styles including some of the more progressive and extreme expressions.

In the past handfull of years however something changed. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think it started when I first visited Wrecks Bell's musical wonderland the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe (see the link in the sidebar) in Galveston, Texas. I've told the story hundreds of times. My wife and I visited thinking it was a coffee house. We couldn't have been more wrong. It was a plain old Texas bar. All they served was beer and screw-cap wine, served from the refrigerator in the back room (which has since moved behind the bar). I quickly found out that the Acoustic Cafe is not about the drinks. It's about the music. Wrecks' motto is "lyrics count." One visit and you'll understand.

Despite my suprise (until then, I had only been in a couple other bars in my life) I came to love the place. It may not look like much - outside or inside - but it's easily my favorite place on earth. I discovered Townes Van Zandt, Lucky Boyd, Sweet Mama Cotton and others there in the Old Quarter. It wasn't just country music, in the sense that someone was singing a song with an exaggerated twang. The folks wrote and played real songs expressing who they were. It made quite an impression on me. I knew music was in my blood, but I realized that this music was in my veins. That's when my renaissance began.

Since that time, I've discovered other artists much like the ones at the Old Quarter. One group of note is the Sidehill Gougers. Some of the nicest, most talented people you'll ever meet. Another is Hayes Carll. Hayes is a local boy - that is from Montgomery County, where I currently live. One of the better known artists I've discovered is Jimmy LaFave (see his link in the sidebar). Jimmy hails from Wills Point, Texas, a former tri-county rival of my home town. Jimmy has written some of the most beautiful ballads ever put to music. He is definitely one of Texas' best kept secrets.

Speaking of secrets, Wrecks is another to mention. Wrecks traveled with both Townes Van Zandt, mentioned above, and Texas blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins. I hear that he's written a few songs over the years. His favorite ones are those written by his good friend, Townes. Occasionally he will treat the crowd to his own pickin' and grinnin'. He's no slouch. It brings to mind an old saying in Texas bars. It goes like this: "When you're on stage, shut up and play. The guy who owns the bar can play better than you. If you can't shut up, he won't just show you up, he'll kick your ass." Wrecks isn't as young as he used to be, but I'm sure he can hold his own.

So, if you're ever in Galveston, see if you can find the Old Quarter. It's just off the historic Strand. Stop in and have a Starbock and soak up the atmosphere. There's no place like it on earth.