I’m heading down the road to Mexico, following the footsteps of my imaginary friend, Jack Kerouac. I know Neal Cassidy died on the railroad tracks in San Miguel de Allende, and I’ll be standing on those same tracks soon. Each May I take a group of students and friends to Mexico, and I always discover more about the power of music. Once I took Butch Hancock, who now calls Terlingua home, to perform at a Texas songwriters showcase in San Miguel. Now an artist/musician in San Miguel, Tim Hazell, wants to create a “pipeline” for the arts between Texas and Mexico. I see that happening.

I recently heard Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson perform. Now there’s “a pair to draw to,” quoting Guy about Larry Mahan and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. I saw in the Cabaret dance hall in Bandera, Texas, and listened to some of the best Texas songs I’ve ever heard from these two. Guy sang many of his classics (no way to sing all of them in one night), and the stories told that night could fill another book. Every song was a accompanied by a story. If you are a true Texas music aficionado, you know about Jack Prigg—the inspiration for “Desperados Waiting For a Train.” And you know the strength of the friendship between Guy and Townes Van Zandt.

No way to fully appreciate Texas music without hearing some of the stories. Wiley Alexander, former country music columnist of the San Antonio Express News, has a book of those stories, called “Country Music:  Morals.” In this book, Wiley shares behind-the-scene true stories “that show the good in your favorite country star.” His book includes Alan Jackson, George Strait, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Johnny Rodriguez, Johnny Bush, Frenchie Burke, Janie Fricke, Darrell McCall, Flaco Jimenez and many more. After telling the story, Alexander adds his interpretation of the moral. An interesting approach to history and country music. For copies of this book E-mail wileya@stic.net or call 210-822-5251. Tell him you read about it in Hudson’s column. He’ll like knowing that the word is getting out Alpine Way.

Another book worth getting is the Sugar Hill Records catalogue. Not only will you find classic Guy Clark, classic bluegrass, but you’ll also find information on the best in roots music—Americana. Rodney Crowell’s Sugar Hill debut is “The Houston Kid,” an autobiographical approach to creating a CD. Find the rare Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas CD, “Yonder,” and everything by The Gourds, even their music of joy from a German label. The catalogue serves as a short history lesson as well, including music by Walter Hyatt, Uncle Walt’s Band, Hot Rize, Chris Hillman, Carl Jackson, Sonny Landreth, Red Knuckels and The Trailblazers, Townes Van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, Nickel Creek, New Grass Revival and more. These folks have great taste in roots/Americana music. See www.sugarhillrecords.com or call 1-800-996-4455 for ordering information.

Kathleen
kat@maverickbbs.com

www.texasheritagemusic.org

Click here to return to the previous page