I have a stack of CD's to review-treasured recordings of songs well-loved and labored over. Artists go to great lenghs to get their songs out. Some pay studio musicians, book studio time, find a producer and engineer and set out on the project. Some wait until they get a recording deal with a label, leaving many of the decisions to the label. Some get a label deal and keep the final say on their work. The artists who records a CD, keeps the publishing rights, finds a distributor and sells at all gigs often comes out best financially. Something to consider.

I really respect the artist who has such faith in his or her own work, that self-publishing seems the way to go. The stack of CD's at my office is varied, many coming from small independent labels. I have known of performer named Bart Trotter for a long time. He has won numerous awards for his fiddle-playing. Now he joins Jr. Pruneda and friends at the Hunt Store on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. I've had his CD, "It's About Time," for a couple of weeks now. He has a stellar cast, including Lloyd Maines, Mark Rubin, Johnny Gimble on two songs, Cindy Hobbs on two songs, Dave Peters, John Brock, Paul Goad and Steve Smith.

The music was recorded at Treehouse Studio in Spicewood and mastered in Austin. Dedicated to his wife, Mimi, this music includes classic country and western songs, including "Orange Blossom Special," "Maiden's Prayer," "Milk Cow Blues,"" Sweet Georgia Brown," "Yellow Rose of Texas," and "Summertime." We heard Bart singing a blues standard, made famous by Bob Wills, call "Trouble in Mind, I'm Blue" on Sunday at the Hunt Store. I've not talking average fiddle playing here. This music lit up the group of musicians playing along and the magic happened---again. 
Dan Bacon joined the group with his Trombone, and Jim Herring (time to get his name spelled right!) took some amazing leads on his clarinet.

Magic is the word that best explains what happens when veteran musicians hang out together at the Hunt Store---a Hill Country tradition.  We heard jazz at its finest, each musician taking a lead and finally returning to the track. Jr. run his fingers up and down the neck of his bass guitar. Doug Davis, "Lonesome Doug," joined the group this Sunday. Bert Winston, music aficionado extraordinaire, sits calmly behind a small set of trap drums. Carson Wells plays steel. Hoppy Hopkins shares some light notes from his guitar, played with dancing fingers. 

According to Jr. and his friend, Reed Wells, the Segovia Senators derived their name from a discussion with Bert Winston, who owns a ranch in Segovia. Jr. was playing around with s's, and the name stuck.

Nice to hear the Segovia Senators playing when the thermometer reads, in the shade, 100 degrees. No one seems hot or grouchy. Ah, the healing spirit of music. Jr. asked Jim Wilson to join the band and we heard a Merle Haggard on, "My Favorite Memory," and a Bob Wills song, "San Antonio Rose." Jim had some good stories about Bob Wills and will be performing at the Lubbock Cowboy Poetry Gathering before coming to Kerrville to play the Texas Heritage Living History Day on September 28. Remember, we still need help! 

Now a word about Bart's CD. If you like fiddle playing, if you like Texas music, if you like good music, this CD might just fill the bill. He's the 1986 World Champion fiddle player, and he holds 5 national championships. E-mail him at bluheron@ktc.com.  Musicians do like to talk to fans, believe it or not.

Another performer joining the group at the Hunt Store is a cowboy from New Mexico who now works for a ranch in the area and drives a stage coach for Wells Fargo--Ben Rogers. According to Gene (Silver Strings on the loop in Ingram), Ben also does rope tricks and plays cowboy songs. We heard him yodel through some classics, and he'll be at the Living History Day on Sept. 28, if the ranch work doesn't pile up. Gene repairs violins and other stringed instruments at his shop on the loop. He'll be talking about instruments (He's a luthier.) at the event, and he's bringing Ben.

Don't miss an evening with Texas songwriter (and deejay extraordinaire at Texas Rebel Radio), Tim Steele at the Java Pump on Broadway on August 10. I'll be heading to Ft. Worth on August 4 for the Robert Earl Keen show at the Bass Concert Hall. Barnes and Noble has asked me to sign some books before the Keen show. Hope we can get him to come by for some coffee! 

School is about ready to start, and my road adventures may be coming to a slowing down. I will be heading out to Alpine from time to time!

Free Leonard and down the road. 

Kathleen
kat@maverickbbs.com

www.texasheritagemusic.org

Click here to return to the previous page