Recommend music for Christmas purchases! New from the last year, something like that.

Well, @kctipton, here are our top 12 sellers from CDs released in 2009. Some, if not all of these should make your Christmas list!

#1. Cross Canadian Ragweed - Happiness and All the Other Things
#2. Ryan Bingham - Roadhouse Sun
#3. Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day
#4. Mike McClure Band - Onion
#5. Robert Earl Keen - the Rose Hotel
#6. Various Artists - Undone: Tribute to Robert Earl Keen 
#7. Kyle Bennett Band - Grey Sunrise
#8. Micky & the Motorcars - Live at Billy Bob's 
#9.  Walt Wilkins - Vigil
#10. Zack Walter & the Cronkites - Ambition
#11. Jackson Taylor & the Sinners - Aces & Eights
#12. Chris Knight - Trailer II 

   Thanks again to all the fine folks that took part in the event and especially to Doug Moreland and HAAM (the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians) for making this year's event so enjoyable.  Look forward to repeating in 2010! 

So, without further ado, our winning team:

From L-R: Cody Skaggs, Mike Wrage, Chris Nygard, Shane Jones, Matt Warren

And the trophy itself, which we'll house in store at Gruene for your viewing and photographic pleasure. 

Two long-time friends who have gone on to be Texas Music legends are releasing new CDs within 30 days of each other. Robert Earl is our artist of the month for September and you can listen to clips from the Rose Hotel here. Also, get on it and pre-order the CD quick and you can still score an autographed booklet.

Lyle Lovett's new CD is called Natural Forces and will be out on October 20th. We'll have the sound clips up soon and while we won't have autographed booklets, we do have a very cool bonus for pre-orders. More info on that coming soon, but we promise you'll love it. Even if you can't beat Jessica's time.

Whether you're a south Texas cabrito lovin' cowboy or a year round beach goer, there's a Texas Music event for all kinds!!!

Check out all these upcoming events and festivals:

Ziegfest!! Lake Bryan, Yorktown, and Houston

Cuero Turkey Fest- 10/9-10/11 Performers include:Roger Creager, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Bleu Edmondson, and Texas Renegade 

Brady Goat Cook-Off- 9/4-9/5 Enjoy live music from Seth James and Wade Bowen

Texas Gator Fest- 9/11-9/13 Live performances by: Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, Casey Donahew Band, and Josh Ward Band

South Padre Island Seafood and Music Festival- 9/18-9/19 Music from: Cory Morrow, Doug Moreland, Kevin Fowler, Billy Joe Shaver, Jason Boland and the Stargglers, Rodney Hayden, Honeybrowne, Sisters Morales, Bob Schneider, Micky and the Motorcars, Ryan Bingham, Zach Huckabee, Kevin Smith, Sam Sliva and the Good, and Uncle Lucius

Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam- 9/26 Rock out with: Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, Toadies, and Stoney LaRue

Tommy Alverson Family Gathering #12- 10/1-10/3 Performers are: Terri Hendrix, Eleven Hundred Springs, Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros, Brian Burns, Johnny Bush, Davin James, Tommy Alverson, Ed Burleson, Cornell Hurd Band, Deryl Dodd, Jamie Richards, Randy Brown, blacktopGYPSY, and Tejas Brothers!!!

By the way, guess who has a new CD coming out in August?

New album from one of the architect's of the Red Dirt sound. Sound clips coming soon, but it's McClure - pre-order now!

The event will take place in Luckenbach, Texas on August 23rd. The gates open at noon and get ready to break the world record at 2 pm!!!

This event is a benefit fundraiser for the Welcome Home Project to help pay for guitar lessons for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries as music therapy and healing upon their return from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many artists will also be in attendance to help break the record! Confirmed artists include Jimmy Lafave, Roger Creager, Walt Wilkins, South Texas Destroyers, Robyn Ludwick, Clay McClinton, Bo Porter, Maren Morris, John Arthur Martinez, Doug Moreland, Dustin Welch, Mark Jungers, and many more to be announced...

Registration for this event is available at www.voicesofagratefulnation.org or find more info at www.lonestarmusic.com/events.asp?id=127.

New Braunfels:

River Road Ice House: Django Walker opens for Jason Boland & The Stragglers

WhiteWater Amphitheater: Eli Young Band & Jack Ingram

Billy's Ice: Jimmy Kaiser

Gruene Hall: Jason Eady opens for Asleep at the Wheel

Mountain Breeze Camp Ground: Midnight River Choir

Seguin:

Freedom Fiesta: Cross Canadian Ragweed

Luckenbach:

Walt & Tina Wilkins

Concan:

House Pasture Cattle Co: Cory Morrow

Austin:

Nutty Brown Cafe: Bob Schneider

Antones: Carolyn Wonderland

Galveston:

Woody's: Matt Begley & Bitter Whiskey

Hope Everyone has a safe & fun 4th of July weekend! I know I will!!  :)

The Longevity Foundation was inspired by Patrick Howard who was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 5 and passed away at the age of 14. 

The $11.99 is the suggested donation for this incredible disc from Walt Wilkins and friends and we hope you'll be inspired to visit the Longevity Foundation website to learn more about their work and make an additional donation.

You native Texans eat barbeque wrong.

It is a shame with all the fine establishments you have smoking meat and hosting great music. The proper way to eat it – The Virginian way, the Tennessean way, the North Carolinian way – is to eat your sandwich with the cole slaw on it.

It will be nice to finally have somebody in town that knows how to eat barbeque properly other than myself…another Appalachian Refugee in Scott Miller.

This Saturday at John T. Floore’s Country Store, Scott Miller and Sunny Sweeny will be playing a nice intimate acoustic session inside. That is my favorite way to see Miller. It allows him to break guitar cords and tell his stories in between songs. He may tell you how he wrote a song, how a William Faulkner quote about the best song titles being found in the bible can make you run around the house looking for said bible, how much he likes Miller High Life, or maybe about his fascination with old typewriters.

I have been watching and listening to Scott Miller for years now, ever since a girl played her favorite song by him to me in the car one evening. That was a decade or so ago while I was in college at East Tennessee State. At The Down Home, our version of Gruene Hall in East Tennessee, I used to love sitting there, listening to his music and stories. From album to album, I’ve kept up with him. I’ve tried to share his music with others because I simply cannot think of a better songwriter out there these days. I am going to try to get to him before the show and request my favorite song of his – The Rain, is a ballad about a battle during the Civil War in Virginia and the repercussions of not keeping your powder dry back then. I’ll be doing it for ya'll, trust me.

This past Christmas, while I was home in Virginia I got to go to one of his acoustic shows in Floyd, VA. He had just come out with an acoustic EP he was selling at the show called “Appalachian Refugee,” which is, I guess, a perfect definition of what I am here it Texas – which finally brings me back to barbeque again. I’ll be at the Scott Miller show this Saturday. I’ll be the guy with the huge camera and after the show I’m going to have a word with Scott about this barbeque eating ya'll do here in Texas – without cole slaw between the bread. His gasp, I’m sure will be heard ‘cross the lone star state.

Doors open at 7pm and Scott Miller starts playing at 9, followed by Sunny Sweeney at 10:30 on Saturday June 20th at Floore’s Country Store.

First of all, I want to make a continuum to Chad's Blog about Saving Austin Music.  Please read it.  Please write the Austin City Council members.  Without live music in Austin, the city will lose its integrity, its culture, and its tradition of being the live music capital of the world.  So, please, take 5 minutes of your time and send in an e-mail against the noise ordinance against live music in austin. 

Secondly...this is why I love Texas: So I was headed up to Austin friday night to go see my boyfriend.  I always exit in Buda and take 183 so I can avoid traffic downtown and I like to take the backroads.  Well, as I'm exiting I see a silver van pulling a little rusty trailer that says "Texas Renegade" on it headed north on I-35.  So first thing I did was call Kristen up at the LSM store to see where they were playing that night.  They were playing at a place called C. Hunts Icehouse (Chester's).  Sure enough, it was right around the corner from where I was headed.  So I figured we'd go check it out.  Not only was Texas Renegade (one of my favorite bands, of course) playing..but the beer was cheap and the atmosphere was really fun and relaxing.  It's definately going to be a new hangout for me. 

This is what I love...no matter where you are in Texas, on any given night...you will find live music.  Whether you look them up online and plan ahead of time, or happen to show up at your favorite bar and a fun new band is playing...or you follow them to Austin ; Keep an eye out this summer for the free shows, they're everywhere.  Don't miss your chance to see these bands for free, because before you know it you'll have to pay a hefty cover to see them! 

Until next time...thanks for reading!

I am hoping that in addition to the regular crowd, a bunch of the staff and customers from past can come out for a little get together. There's no "funner" band in the land than Ponty Bone and the Squeeze-Tones, and those Mudcats are just incredible!

So what do y'all think? Can you make it? Forward this on to your old Cheatham Street friends and tell them to meet you there on Saturday night, June 20. Help us CELEBRATE 35 YEARS of TEXAS MUSIC!

Kent

PS: We'll still be celebrating on June 26, 27, & 28 with three big nights of great music.