If you read this early enough, you can join us at the Cailloux Snack Bar for the Tom Russell show at the Texas Music Coffeehouse. Open to the public and free of charge. My daughter, Lisa, and I share a birthday on October 2. Ah, we Libra women! The annual Past is Prologue workshop is happening at Schreiner University on October 11. New trainers, new workshops and lots of learn! Using the work of Paula Underwood, we explore the power of Native American learning stories. See www.schreiner.edu for the PIP page.

Willie Nelson returns to the John T. Floore Country Store in Helotes on October 9. He started playing here decades ago, and he still loves the place. See www.johntfloorecountrystore.com for the monthly lineup. Located about 40 miles outside of Bandera on Highway 16, this venue is synonymous with Texas heritage. Geronimo Trevino, in his book on dancehalls in Texas, does some important research and writing on these places that make Texas distinct. Honky tonk music started up in a roadhouse, with workers heading there at the end of the day for a musical release. In fact, the entire tradition started up in East Texas. The recent radio series on NPR, "Honky Tonks, Hymns and The Blues," documented the growth of music. See www.npr.org for more details on that series.

We've had our annual tribute to Jimmie Rodgers. Thanks to all who contributed and participated. We are already planning for 2004. Contact us at 367-3750 with your phone number, if interested. The THMF is taking a bus to the International Jazz Festival in San Miguel de Allende over Thanksgiving. Join us by calling this same number. A seat on the bus is $450, and that includes lodging and the tickets for the three-day festival.
The Hill Country Opry featured Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones on September 19. It was an outdoor show, due to a building code requirement, and it worked well. See www.hillcountryopry.com for the schedule. We did have fun rocking with Ponty!

I have in my hands the new CD called "The McKay Brothers." I first showcased them at Schreiner University about ten years ago. This CD is a tribute to their heritage and their musical journey. They have played the John T. Floore Country Store and Luckenbach with regularity. Noel and Hollin hail from Bandera and have a strong fan base in the Hill Country. They recorded a song by Esteban Jordon as well as one by Guy Clark. The rest on the CD are originals, and some good ones they are! I love "Harrisburg" and "Hey Old Man." Gurf Morlix, one of my favorite musicians and producers, produced this album. He is also the producer of "Growl," the latest by Ray Wylie Hubbard.

The Thursday night open mike hosted by Cindy Terry is the happening place to be. Located at the Downtowner in Kerrville, this event gives everyone a chance to play. I even performed with Mark Jackson, adding some castanets to one of his songs with that Mexican flavor. The list of local participants is long, but the magic created at a gathering of this type is not just about the performers. The audience is part of the show, sometimes singing along, sometimes listening. Cindy adds her flute and her beautiful voice as well as her gracious emceeing. John Wood adds the wild and haunting notes played on a soprano sax, and Denny Hardy has added sax and guitar. The night is lots of fun, most of the time.

The Waring Wednesday Night Steak Night held in, guess where, Waring, Texas, is another local tradition. Dime a Dozen have been playing that evening for several years. Jay Boy Adams comes and adds his brand of guitar work and vocals, and Will Owen Gage has been showing up (age 15 going on 16), adding hot guitar licks with the encouragement of veteran Jay Boy Adams. And you can order steak prepared by the Don Strange crew.

My sister Carolyn joined my musical trail for a week, Sept. 22-29. The steak night in Waring on Sept. 24 featured Ruben V from San Antonio, along with the regulars. Ruben tears up a guitar, Jay Boy Adams holds the veteran spot in the middle, and young Will Owen Gage brings a rhythm influenced by listening to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. We danced once on the grassy lawn.

Mike Kasberg has a local schedule, bringing jazz and rhythm and blues to the scene. He not only has a regular gig at Francisco's, but he also is the featured band at the annual dance at the Star in downtown Kerrville on October . Free Leonard and down the road.