Texarkana Entertainment Blog

Every year I’ve gone to the T-Bone Walker Blues Fest I’ve had a spectacular time. It’s always a high-quality event with great, world-class musical artists and a diverse lineup of folks who are fine and faithful practitioners of the blues. Truly this Linden festival is one of the best in the Four States region.

This year’s event brings an equally amazing array of musicians to the Music City Texas Theater stages both indoor and outdoor, including heralded British blues guitarist Matt Schofield. Also on tap as headliners are The Alan Fox Band and Robin & the Bluebirds, two top regional acts. Because of health reasons, David “Honeyboy” Edwards won’t be making the trip this year, unfortunately, but his replacement is also a living legend: Louisiana Red.

Here at the Gazette, we caught up with Omar Sharriff, who performs the boogie woogie as a jazz pianist (and recently relocated back to the town where he grew up: Marshall, Texas). He was a great interview, and our preview story was in last Friday’s Accent section. He spoke with affection of the generation of musicians that included the likes of T-Bone, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Ray Charles. And he says being back in Marshall, he’s treated just like he was in Paris, France—namely, like the president of the United States. Seems fitting for a great blues man.

Check out a T-Bone Walker Blues Fest schedule and more info right here: TBoneWalkerFest.com.

- Aaron Brand

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The lineups for two of the big upcoming live music events are now out. Top acts for the 35th Annual Hope Watermelon Festival are country: headliner Chuck Wicks and the opening act for him, Little Texas. They’ll play on Saturday, Aug. 13. Wicks appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” and his song “Stealing Cinderella” went to number five on the country chart. Little Texas has been around since the late ’80s and their number one hit was “My Love.” Tickets go on sale June 3.

Over at Music City Texas Theater is the T-Bone Walker Blues Fest on June 17 and 18 with blues musicians across the generations on tap to perform. David “Honeyboy” Edwards is returning; this Delta blues guitarist is a living blues legend and shouldn’t be missed. Others in the lineup for the two-day festival are Buddy Flett, Omar Sharriff, Matt Schofield, Robin & the Bluebirds, Ezra Charles Band, Bobbie Oliver & Jam City Revue, DieDra & the Ruff Pro Band, The Peterson Brothers Band, The Alan Fox Band, Mathew Davidson Band, Bill Lynch and the MidWestern Icons, and the Pleasant Hill Quilting Group. Each year this festival is one of the best music events around the Texarkana area, rich in quality musicians and great personalities.

- Aaron Brand

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The Texarkana area heats up with some local, live music in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully it will thaw us out and help us shake off this unusual snow and biting winter chill.

Texarkana’s newest club, the Coliseum, has the band Steel Magnolia in town this Friday night at 9 p.m. Steel Magnolia was nominated for both Academy of Country Music and CMT Music Awards. Couple and music partners Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones were also winners of CMT’s “Can You Duet?” Their concert follows the Coliseum’s big opening night with Pat Green. Snow last week didn’t deter that Friday night concert.

Over at Hopkins Icehouse it’s Synergistic unplugged on Friday and then Brad Wells on Saturday. Dave Almond and Trey Johnson play there on Feb. 19. At the Wooden Indian in Atlanta, Texas, on Wednesday it’s Rehab (think of the tune “Bartender Song (Sittin’ at a Bar)”). Fat Jack’s Oyster and Sports Bar has Dimlit Daylight this Friday night and Crash Meadows Saturday. Sunday night brings Austin-based indie band The Hi-Tones back to town with the very interesting Megafauna to play at Jack’s.

The Big Easy on East Broad Street now has its “Grown and Sexy” nights of music with a live house band on Thursday nights: R&B, soul, jazz and old school tunes. You may even hear some poetry. The Big Easy has also been hosting a blues night on Sundays.

Just a few doors down, the Blues Iguana coffeeshop has been adding more live music with the soulful, jazzy sounds of Marissa Dodge and George Buckner. They’re scheduled to play a few Thursday dates (no show tonight, however, due to illness). Glenn “SmittyG” Smith played his Narada Weeps tunes there a couple nights ago and should be back the first Tuesday in March. The cozy place also has open mic shows.

Down at Music City Texas Theater in Linden the annual winter bluegrass show features East Texas regional favorites Hickory Hill and special guest Roy Hale. The pickin’ starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Bluegrass is also the theme for an upcoming concert hosted by the Hope-Hempstead Chamber of Commerce. Headliners are Eddie and Martha Adcock, who’ve been consummate bluegrass musicians for decades and played internationally. The show starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Fair Park Community Center.

Then at the end of the month on Saturday, Feb. 26 ,the Perot Theatre series continues with some dynamic and youthful tap dancing: the dance troupe Rhythmic Circus and its “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” show. Joining these four fabulous dancers are seven musicians and it should be a funky good, toe-tapping time.

- Aaron Brand

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If Quadrangle with The Gourds and Ray Wylie Hubbard, Collin Raye and Jamie O’Neal at Collinfest, and the Texas Gypsies for the Cass County Performing Arts Council were not enough, in the coming weeks both Grammy winners Brave Combo and legendary singer and songwriter Guy Clark are coming up for area live music dates. It’s an impressive lineup of musicians hitting local stages the first couple weeks of October.

Clark, a legendary singer-songwriter who released his latest album, “Somedays the Song Writes You,” about a year ago, performs at Music City Texas in Linden at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16. More info: Music City Texas Theater. Tickets are $35 for reserved seating; call 903-756-9934.

Two-time Grammy Award winner Brave Combo, founded by Texarkana native Carl Finch, comes back to town for a show at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Sullivan Performing Arts Center & John Thomas Theatre in Texarkana. The show benefits the Texarkana Public Schools Foundation Tiger Scholarship Program. Tickets ($20) can be purchased at Bryce’s Cafeteria, Paper Dolls, Red River Lumber Company, Sunnyside Natural Food Market, TEXAR Federal Credit Union, Timothy’s Gourmet Grill, and the TISD administrative offices. More info on the band here: Brave Combo – The Official Website.

- Aaron Brand

Brave Combo in a photo by Jane Finch.

Guy Clark in a photo by Senor McGuire.

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I caught this past Saturday’s lineup at the T-Bone Walker Blues Fest down in Linden and must say it was a fantastic musical experience, albeit a sweaty one in front of the outdoor stage where the first act was Robin & the Bluebirds, the latest incarnation of a Shreveport institution. They were loads of fun beneath a killer summer sun—quite possibly during the hottest part of the day. The good music and carefree festival vibes made the heat bearable. The Bluebirds set the mood right and included a few solid originals.

Meanwhile, Dorothy “Miss Blues” Ellis truly belted out the blues to kick off the afternoon shows inside the intimate Music City Texas Theater. I first saw her two years ago at the same festival, and she truly pack soul and heart into her memorable performances. She leaves it all on stage. Following her was the flipside generation with the youthful, effervescent Emily Elbert, whose covers of the Allman Brothers (“Whipping Post”), Michael Jackson (“Thriller”), and Ray Charles showed she’s a talent to watch. Her “Stormy Monday” cover was a fitting nod to the festival’s namesake.

For me, the highlight, though, was feeling musical history come alive in the form of blues pianist Henry Gray, born in 1925 outside of New Orleans and a longtime performer in Chicago. He played piano for Howlin’ Wolf between 1956 and 1968, and that kind of blues heritage inclusion is what makes the T-Bone Walker Blues Festival so outstanding and special. The blues roots are represented. Gray has also been a mainstay at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. It felt like a privilege to see him perform. My only regret is that I didn’t get down Friday night to see David “Honeyboy” Edwards, someone who knows the roots of Delta blues; word is that Friday night’s crowd was the best the festival has seen for that day in its five years.

Other highlights including meeting Buddy Flett (a very nice guy), who said it feels good to be back on stage after encountering some health problems, and catching both some of Johnny Winter’s songs and Zac Harmon’s electrifying set outside. Bruton & Price Swingmasters Revue, Malford Milligan, and Diddley Squat were no less special.

They all showed the blues is alive and very well, something that would surely please Linden native T-Bone Walker. This festival gives blues a good name, and I hope to see it grow and thrive in years to come. (See below for a few of the snapshots I got during the day.)

- Aaron Brand

Robin & the Bluebirds performed a hot set under the hot sun. They kicked off the outdoor action Saturday.

Bruton & Price Swingmasters Revue plays blues in the Texas Roadhouse style.

Zac Harmon closing out the Saturday night lineup on the outdoor stage.

Diddley Squat wins my award for snazziest dressers of the day.

Singer and guitarist Emily Elbert met fans outside of MCT after her show.

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Here’s a quick who, what, when, where rundown for the next show down at Music City Texas Theater in Linden. It’s a bluegrass show (one of two annually for the venue) with two acts on tap for the night.

Who: Hickory Hill with special guests Rebecca Henricks and the Slackers

What: Winter Bluegrass Show with two East Texas bluegrass acts. BBQ sandwiches, chicken and dumplings, and other snacks and refreshments will be available. Tickets are $15 for general admission.

Where: Music City Texas Theater, 108 Legion St., in Linden, Texas – 903-756-9934

When: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20 – Doors open at 6 p.m.

See Friday’s Gazette for a story.

- Aaron Brand

Submitted photos:

Hickory Hill

Rebecca Henricks

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Music City Texas Theater has truly been reeling in some great singer-songwriters in recent years. On tap in December is Jackson Browne, but before then is a true master of Texas-flavored song and independent spirit in Ray Wylie Hubbard, who graces the MCT stage at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. A lot of guys pin that “Texas singer-songwriter” label to themselves, but Hubbard is the real deal, an original who has inspired many others. I spoke with Hubbard yesterday morning, and he said he has an acoustic duo or trio show planned for MCT patrons; although he hasn’t played there before, he’s looking forward to holding court musically in Linden. This region isn’t unfamiliar to him; after all, he grew up in Hugo, Okla. Hubbard clearly has monumental respect for the craft of songwriting. “It’s such a joy and an anguish,” he said to me. He’s also set to release a new album in early 2010. Check out the Gazette’s Friday Accent page a week from today for the full story.

Tickets are $20 and the doors open before the show at 6 p.m. More info and tickets: 903-756-9934.

- Aaron Brand

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Just got some breaking music news late this afternoon. Legendary singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, noted for such important rock albums as “The Pretender” and “Running on Empty,” returns to Music City Texas Theater in Linden, Texas, on Thursday, Dec., 3.

It’s his first solo show at Music City since a sold-out concert in 2004. His MCT stop is part of Browne’s Fall 2009 Solo Acoustic Tour which starts in November.

Browne is particularly noted for the raw honesty, intense emotion, and personal politics he conveys in his finely crafted songs. Browne was a 2004 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also entered into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2007.

His latest album, “Time the Conqueror,” was released in 2008 and the first batch of new material from him in six years.

Tickets for the MCT concert are $195 for the first row, $175 for the second row, $150 for the third row, $125 for the fourth row, and $100 for seats elsewhere in the house. Tickets and more info: 903-756-9934. MCT’s office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tickets go on sale to MCT patrons on Monday, Oct. 5, and to the public on Monday, Nov. 2.

You can also find MCT information at Musiccitytexas.org.

- Aaron Brand

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