from Montgomery County Courier on hcnonline.com

Well since my last column a lot of quality music and art events have taken place as the energy level on the downtown square continues to heat up.

Two weeks ago the monthly downtown square Art and Wine Walk featured the Thomas Kinkade Gallery on the Square, the Linda Watson Gallery, the Wheeler Gallery and the recently opened Main Street Gift Shop which is owned by Councilman Toby Powell and his lovely wife Venessa who has been a long-time gift shop entrepreneur.

Check this new retail outlet out as it is chocked full of cute, unique and interesting gifts. When you enter the shop to the smell of wassail and Christmas candles you begin to realize you are in a Christmas wonderland reminiscent of the downtown shops of yesteryear.

Go by the Main Street Gift Shop and visit Venessa and Toby, have a cup of wassail and pick out one of their cool hard-to-find gifts. The Main Street Gift Shop makes a nice addition to the downtown landscape.

Look for another gallery to open after the first of the year in the Madeley Building as the Conroe Art League will be moving in as the Gallery in Residence with local sculptor Craig Campobella being the curator and the artist in residence. Look for this exciting project to make its debut in February. Also two other new exciting face-changing projects are scheduled to kick off after the first of the year. Both of these projects have historical significance with one being the re-opening of a locally significant venue which played a major role in the history of downtown. More details on these projects as they become available.

Well on Nov. 6, the Corner Pub hosted local rockabilly pianist and songwriter Ezra Charles and his tight Texas Blues Band. As is the norm, Ezra had close to a full house including super fans Don Buckalew and family and Charles Tullos owner of Tuts. The first time I saw Ezra Charles was at the old roadhouse on Madeley and I’ve been hooked ever since. Don Buckalew has been a long time supporter of Mr. Charles and has used him at many of his functions over the past 25 years.

Between chamber functions, the Catfish Festival, the City of Conroe First Thursday Free Concert Series, Montgomery Wine Festival, the Montgomery County Fair, Tuts, the Corner Pub, Banana Bay, Dosey Does, Del Lago amongst others Ezra Charles has probably played Conroe and the surrounding area over 100 times in the past 25 years. Think Jerry Lee Lewis meets Leon Russell meets Dr. John meets a male version of Marsha Ball. Man, this Texas classic rockabilly artist keeps getting better with age and on an exciting note Ezra and his band have been selected by the Houston Blues Society to represent H-Town at the upcoming International Blues Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Check out Ezra Charles and the Texas Blues Band the next time they are in the area. You’ll be glad you did! Thanks to Big Don and Charles for exposing Conroe to such a wonderful artist!

Well this past Tuesday Dr. Jess and Caroll Legg, Cameron Bammel and his wife Stacey, Dave Clements, Debbie Glenn, Mike Pittman, John Nelson and myself all went to Dosey Doe to catch Kevin Welch and son Dustin perform with host Kyle Hutton at the monthly Real Life Real Music Show sponsored by Greystone Hills and Dr. Jess Legg amongst others. Wow! What a show! Kevin Welch may be this country’s premier songwriter. I know fans of Guy Clark, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Steve Earle, John Prine, John Mellencamp, Mr. Dylan, Bruce Springsteen might disagree but Kevin at least deserves to be on the list. His song “To Old to Die Young” is one of my all-time favorite songs.

Dustin and his sister Savannah prove the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” as Dustin’s co-write with Mark Germino “Whiskey Priest” and “Two Horses” are absolutely great songs and Savannah’s group, The Trishas is arguably the hottest new Americana group this country has to offer. What a great musical family and some of the nicest people you will ever meet! The Dosey Does’ Real Life Real Music Concert is a real popular concert where wonderful songwriters come in to play their songs, tell stories and explain why they wrote their songs and the meaning behind them. I urge everyone to check the Real Life Real Music program out. Kyle Hutton makes a great host and last Tuesday’s show with Kevin and Dustin ranks up with the shows

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