Sometimes during the course of working on an interview I come across something that is interesting, but I can't find a way to work it into the Q&A. I really liked this section where Micky talks about singing harmony and the very first concert he went to. It didn't work in the scope of the Q&A, so I present it to you here, in Micky's own words.

This was part of his answer on recording Jon Dee Graham's "Twilight". All of the photos are from the fantastic Carl Dunn and courtesy of mickyandthemotorcars.com.

Enjoy!

From El Presidente:

Some of you guys have inquired what it is like to work at the warehouse. I am now going to post some pictures of us "working" at the warehouse. We really do work there, I promise!!!

I figured I would start things off right. This is Betsy drinking a jug of Ziegenbock. She was working really hard that day!

This is me answering one of the many phone calls we get a day. See, I actually do do some work!

Ok, so this one was at the store, but we still like to have fun and work hard. I think I might start a weekly blog about the random stuff that happens around here. Y'all give me your imput!

Until next time, I am the fabulous Miss Isis!!!

Wow! This is in-store performance week!

Not one, not two, but THREE days of live music just this week.
I don't have to make any entertainment plans now, I can just show up for work. . .

WED * 6/25 * 7PM Reckless Kelly

FRI * 6/27 * 6PM Susan Gibson

SUN * 6/29 * 2PM Honeybrowne

I'm also pretty excited about the KEG! Yeah. It's filled with "adult beverage" and we are getting pretty good at pouring the perfect cup.

Don't tell anyone - OK, I'm kidding - tell EVERYONE!

See you there.

There are a few more things on the horizon:

SAT * 7/26 * 2pm - We will have a Roger Creager “special” in-store - it will be a taping for LSM Live at the store in Gruene that will be open to the public, he’ll also sign autographs when it’s done. 

FRI * 8/29 * 6pm - Chris Knight in-store performance! 

I recently had the great honor of watching Mrs. Loretta Lynn tearin’ it up at Stubbs’s in downtown Austin. Now, I mean this is the utmost respect, but its not like she’s got that much time left in this world, which (as morbid as it sounds) kinda added to the experience. I watched from a distance one of the most unsurpassed musicians of all times sing, laugh, connect, and course sparkle in her blue chiffon puffy dress.

I like to think of myself as kinda worldly and open to most everyone…but my great love for Loretta was kinda distracted by the blue hair, piercings (and no prejudice) gay motorcyclists in town for the Texas Pride fest. I did my best to not feel uncomfortable with gay men staring at my boyfriend, but eventually took it as a compliment and made me a little proud! (He’s going to kill me!)

As you can imagine watching Loretta on stage was such an experience, an experience that came with a cost though. Now I’m not talking about the tickets, beer, or food. Oh no! No amount of money would come between Loretta Lynn and me. This was something so distressing, air wasting, and intolerable that it made my spine curl up and shake. Before Loretta took to the stage, a few people made a little guest appearance. Loretta’s son (who’s name I did not catch) came on to introduce his mother to us. My excitement was at an all time high, and the anticipation was killing me! Just when I thought I was going to explode…. my ears drums did. Her son deemed it necessary to take my ears out behind the barn and shoot them!!! He began with a lovely little tune called, “Little less talk, and a lot more action” The irony of that song title was as obvious as the disgust on my face. Maybe I could have forgiven that, but if I remember correctly he kept going for another three songs, one of them I believe Blake Shelton’s, “Some Beach” which was where I was precisely wishing I was. After it was all over, and I was barley hanging on, her twin daughters (one being named after the great Patsy) came onto stage. Now I can’t tell you one song they sang, but at least it was not Toby Keith.

After the torture ended Loretta finally took the stage, and did her thing!! I heard “Blue Kentucky Girl” among other greats. She talked with the crowd, and made us feel like she really wanted to be our friend and get to know us (the greats can always fake it! Sorry kids, but its true). The highlight of the night came when she began taking requests from the shouting crowd. As you can imagine the unanimous vote was in fact, “Fist City”. As ruff, and hard-core as the lyrics in that song are, Loretta so delicately  pulled the mic cord with one hand, with the other lifted her blue sparkly gown to face the band and say, (ever so serenely), “Alright boys Fist City” ....It was MAGICAL!!!  She is the ultimate, she is the Big Bambino, and I saw it first hand.

I didn’t get any pictures for you guys, way to hard to get up there close. Hopefully when you read this you will feel like you were there (minus her offspring), and do your dang hardest to catch her next time she passes through your town….because lets be honest, she doesn’t have that much time.

 I didn't know it was dirty! I thought "horny" meant cuttin' up and acting silly! -Loretta Lynn

In the most recent email newsletter that went out (what? you're not signed up? take care of that in one quick and painless step) we offered up a free LSM Sampler Volume Three for any subscriptions between now and the end of June.

Lots of Texas & Red Dirt fans of taken us up on it (thanks!), a few have emailed in to let us know they missed an issue here or there (sorry!), and we've received many requests for more info. I stated it simply above, and for more info I'm going to cheat and copy the text directly from the newsletter:

LoneStarMusic Magazine One Year Subscription $24.00 (more)

+

A Texas Music combo that can't be beat; it's chocolate and peanut butter for your ears & eyes!

Now through the end of June all subscriptions to LoneStarMusic Magazine will receive the LoneStarMusic Sampler Vol. 3 along with their first issue.

LoneStarMusic Magazine is your backstage pass to the Texas & Red Dirt scene, and for the next 12 days you'll not only get the brand new issue featuring Reckless Kelly, you'll also get our 13 track sampler, featuring the best new artists on LSM from 2007.

Featuring:
Lil Bit & The Customatics, Matthew Ballard, Rich O'Toole,
Mary Cutrufello, 80 Proof Band, Hunter McKithan Band,
Bois d'Arcs, Josh Ward Band, Level Route, Bo Cox,
Mike Ethan Messick, Stephanie Briggs, Marcus Eldridge

For a full track listing or more information – click here

Well hello folks! It's been a while! I just wanted to share with everyone out there that summer time is my favorite time of year! And I must say I'm damn lucky to live here in the hill country.  I have at my hands (and feet) Gruene Hall, Whitewater Amphitheatre, River Rd. Icehouse, Lone Star Floathouse, Cheatham St. Warehouse in San Marcos, Hill's Cafe in Austin...oh, not to mention the San Marcos, Guadalupe, and Comal Rivers! Oh yeah, and Schlitterbahn...

Summer time in the hill country just really can't be beat.  There are sooo many great concerts going on, free shows, the rivers, and the cold beer is always flowing! A couple of shows you'll more than likely see me at this summer:

• Two Tons Tuesdays@ Gruene Hall (every tuesday during the summer, this is the 13th year running!)
• Zack Walther Wednesdays @ Gruene Hall
• 6/18 Jason Boland @ River Rd Icehouse
• 6/18 Texas Renegade & Aaron Watson @ Hill's Cafe
• 6/20-21 For Sake of the Song w/ Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sunny Sweeney, Micky & the Motorcars, & Ryan Bingham @ Whitewater Amphitheatre
• 6/22 Ryan Bales Band @ Lone Star Floathouse
• 6/25 Austin Collins & Radney Foster @ Hill's Cafe
• 6/25 Reckless Kelly @ LSM in Gruene
• 6/26 Kyle Park @ Cheatham St. Warehouse
• 6/27 Texas Renegade @ Cheatham St. Warehouse
• 6/27 Susan Gibson @ LSM in Gruene
• 6/29 Honeybrowne @ LSM in Gruene
• 6/30 Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen Acoustic @ Cheatham St. Warehouse
• 7/3 Seth Walker, The Gourds, Band of Heathens @ Whitewater
• 7/4 Bleu Edmondson @ River Rd. Icehouse
• 7/11-13 BigFest@ Cheatham St. Warehouse
• 7/12 Bob Schneider @ Gruene Hall
• 7/13 Bleu Edmondson @ Lone Star Floathouse
• 7/17 Austin Collins @ Whitewater
• 7/18-19 Rowdy Float Trip @ Mountain Breeze Campgrounds
• 7/24 Adam Hood @ Whitewater
• 7/25 Ray Wylie Hubbard @ River Rd Icehouse
• 7/26 Aaron Watson @ River Rd Icehouse
• 8/1-2 Reckless Kelly @ Gruene Hall
• 8/3 Doug Moreland @ Lone Star Floathouse
• 8/8-9 Raul Malo @ Gruene Hall
• 8/15 Kyle Park @ River Rd Icehouse
• 8/16 Wade Bowen, Walt Wilkins, Texas Renegade @ Whitewater
• 8/22 Brandon Rhyder @ River Rd Icehouse
• 8/23 Radney Foster @ Gruene Hall
• 8/29 Chris Knight @ Gruene Hall
• 8/30 Will Hoge, Band of Heathens, The Gougers @ Whitewater
• 8/30-31 Charlie Robison @ Gruene Hall

I said a couple and this is just a little list I put together real quick, I already know I'm missing alot of shows I'm planning on making... I hope to see some of y'all out at the shows, or better yet, stop by the store in Gruene.  Friday, Sat, and Sun is free beer!! Come on in and drink a beer with me!

We're already starting to get some questions about the special offer in the back of the new issue of LoneStarMusic Magazine. I've double-checked with the proper folks and the offer is available to both males and females. In other words, it's a unisex offer.

Spots are filling up quick, so hurry for your chance to dance Reckless!

I have officially decided I have the coolest job in the world. Would you like to know why? Well then, grab a cold beverage, prop you’re feet up, and let me clarify why my desk, co-workers, and cups of coffee are some of my favorite things…

When I wake up in the mornings (no matter what day of the week) I can presumably say that once I step foot in my office something incredibly bad will happen to me. Either it will be self-inflicted (usually) like locking myself out of my office, falling down the stairs, or stapling my finger to an invoice. Other times the universe decides to chunk misfortunes at my face. Things like, deadlines creeping up faster than normal, loosing faith in people you thought were trustworthy, or just mean people who rain on your parade. Either way it’s a tuff job working in the music biz…and its not pretty all the time, obviously.

But every once in awhile things happen that make our job the BEST job possible. I am one of the people here who lives and breathes the magazine (that pretty glossy, jam packed, precious thing I eat and sleep with). You know the one. Anyway, I like to think I am that crazy mom at the basketball game who yells at the coaches for not letting my kid play enough (kid being the magazine). You don’t F with LoneStarMusic magazine. I think I lost my train of thought….

Ok back on track. The magazine is something that we put our blood, sweat, and tears into (sometimes all at once). It’s something that I believe in because, when I come into work, get my marvelous hot cup of coffee, greet Kris, sit at my MESSY desk, and begin the day I don’t know what the universe will throw my way. I’m not sure if the deal I had working the day before will fall through, or if I will staple my hand to something. But I KNOW it will all be worth it the day I ship out magazines to all the cool kids who work for FREE and love it. I KNOW that the musician on the cover is going to smile when they see themselves all shiny. I KNOW all the writers who reviewed the music will open to their page and want write for us again next month. I KNOW our WTF’s make people laugh, and I KNOW I helped make all of that possible.

There are so many more reasons why my job is worth all the pain (physical most of the time). The reasons usually come to me at some random inopportune time, either way I know its worth it. So there you have it, I have the coolest job in the world. Now you know, I better see everyone with a Reckless Kelly magazine in his or her hands!!

Willie has a new CD coming out in July. This one might make up for Moment of Forever. It's a CD with Wynton Marsalis. Check ity out for yourself by clicking on the cover:

Here's a question. We have a rule that if any artist does a full album with Willie Nelson, they're in the LoneStarMusic club (thus Emmylou Harris on LSM). Personally, I'd now add Wynton Marsalis in a heartbeat. But I wanted to let the LoneStarNation weigh in. Vote in the comments below. Yay or Nay.

And in case you're wondering - yes. I'm doing this to set a precedent. That Willie Nelson/Jessica Simpson CD is coming out someday.

If you already have an account on LoneStarMusic, you can listen to streaming previews of many of the most popular discs on LoneStarMusic. Make sure you're logged in (it will say "hello {your nickname}" in the Account Menu box on the left if you are logged in), and from the "listen" menu above choose "Streaming CD Previews". Each CD has three tracks handpicked by the LoneStarMusic staff for your listening pleasure.

Is there a CD you'd like to stream, but isn't listed? Drop a note in the comments below and we'll get to work. One exception - many CDs are not available for streaming previews until after their street date. So if you're wanting to listen to the new disc from Wade Bowen (coming out early this fall), you're going to have to wait a bit.

If you are already logged in, let me get you started with my current favorite:

Lots of people ask me questions about Texas music. Makes sense. Some of the more frequent:

"What's hot right now?"
"What are you listening to?"
"What are the best new CDs?"

Usually there are always a handful of titles that are on all of those lists at the same time.In that spirit I offer up my Top 10 CDs of 2008 (so far). I don't like saying one is better than the other so I'm going to put them in alpahbetical order here. Feel free to comment with your Top 10 or why I'm wrong or just poke fun at me in general (there'e your opening, Betsy).

 

Artist	Album	Cover & Link
Adam Carroll	Old Town Rock 'N Roll
Austin Collins	Roses Are Black
Band of Heathens	Band of Heathens
Eleven Hundred Springs	Country Jam
Guy Forsyth	Calico Girl
Mike McClure Band	did7
Nelo	Nelo
Paul Thorn	Long Way From Tupelo
Reckless Kelly	Bulletproof
Rodney Parker	Lonesome Dirge