“Pick a weapon – harmonica, composer’s pen, saw, bandleader baton, voice, guitar – and Forsyth will display his formidable skills, particularly onstage, where the Austin showman shines.”
– David Lynch, Austin Chronicle
Formerly of the The Asylum Street Spankers, Guy Forsyth is known today as a musician with gripping, powerful vocals as well as a master of numerous instruments. He is an insanely talented multi-instrumentalist that puts on a must see show, alternately dazzling and amusing audiences on a musical journey that ventures from ragtime jazz and Delta blues to socially conscious folk and rollicking modern rock.
Forsyth was awarded Best Male Vocalist in the 2005 Austin Music Awards. He has also won numerous other AMAs over the years in categories such as Blues and Best Miscellaneous Instrument Player (singing saw), among others.
“Forsyth’s skills as a bandleader, singer, harmonica player and entertainer remind you exactly why live music rules in Austin.” – Joe Gross, Austin American Statesman
"The band’s four-part harmonies should not be missed.
Don’t blame us if you’re the last on your block to
check out Blame Sally.”- Performing Songwriter
BLAME SALLY is: Pam Delgado, Renee Harcourt, Jeri Jones and Monica Pasqual. These four accomplished instrumentalist/singers combine their strikingly different approaches to create a distinct and beautiful sound that's been described as emotionally charged, highly melodic, and compelling. The San Francisco Chronicle called Blame Sally's self-produced/self released second album "intelligently emotional, intricately harmonized folk-pop" with "imaginatively arranged, expansive narrative songs."
Lend an ear and you will hear strains of the Wailin’ Jennies, Radiohead, Rodney Crowell, and a hundred other diverse and worldly influences runing through their silky sound. Fiddlefreak Music Blog
"One of the finest bands in America right now, like a Folk based U2" San Diego Troubador
"Collectively they create multihued sonic and emotional tapestries, recalling the artful romanticism of Jane Siberry, the rich folk harmonies of the Indigo Girls and the percolating soulfulness of Joy of Cooking" San Francisco Chronicle
When your dad is a founding father of outlaw country and a major musical legend, at some point, you realize resistance is futile: Even if you don't seek a career in music, eventually, it's gonna seek you.
Paula Nelson Band plays a smart collection of jazzy rockers, seductive love songs and heartfelt ballads that makes the most of Nelson's vibrant alto-to-soprano vocals and the band's guitar driven sound.
Like the Cash and Jennings kids, Paula Nelson picked up "Papa Bear" Willie's way with a song early on, along with her aunt Bobbie's skill on piano, which Paula started playing at age 7. Although her dad once advised her, "Remember to watch everything I do and do the exact opposite," she drew influences from his Highwaymen pals and contemporaries such as Kris Kristofferson's then-wife, Rita Coolidge, whose bluesy, supple vocal style provided one of Paula's earliest templates as she found her own voice. Texas Monthly has called that voice "torchy," and the Los Angeles. Times praised, "There's no missing the unforced power of Paula's singing."
"Bernice is really one of the keepers of the
flame of Real Songwriting." - Rosanne Cash Bernice Lewis
With three decades of performing festivals, concert halls, coffeehouses, colleges, and house concerts, along with a half dozen acclaimed CDs, Bernice Lewis has built a solid national fan base. She is also a published poet, a producer, and an educator extraordinaire. Lewis -- who studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, and songwriting with Roseanne Cash and Cris Williamson -- has been a featured performer on NPR's Mountain Stage program, as well as at the Kennedy Center. In 1987, she was a finalist in the prestigious New Folk Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival, where she continues to be a main stage favorite.
Documentary
Q & A with film maker Kevin Triplett
Blaze Foley
Duct Tape Messiah Legends never die, they just get shot.
Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah is a documentary about the doomed poet whose life was a country song. Born in a tree house, killed in a friend’s living room and 86’d from his own funeral, Blaze Foley is now a bona fide Texas legend. His heartfelt, funny and political songs are covered by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Lyle Lovett, Joe Nichols and in concert by the Kings of Leon. This new documentary from Austin, 12 years in the making and featuring archival footage, interviews, animation and an innovative documentary structure, offers the definitive, intimate portrait of a complex artist who struggled for recognition and who died defending an elderly friend.
BOOK SIGNING & RECEPTION
on the La Grange Courthouse Square! Big Red Memoirs of a Texas Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
By Red McCombs, as told to Don Carleton
On Friday, February 24 the Bugle Boy Foundation sponsors and hosts a book signing of Big Red – Memoirs of a Texas Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. Co-sponsored and underwritten by AlgEternal, Katy Sweet Confectioners, and the City of La Grange,the event will be held at Celebrations by Bistro 108, on the historic Fayette County Courthouse Square at 127 N. Main in La Grange, Texas. Doors open at 1pm and the event will begin at 1:30 pm, and both Red McCombs and Don Carleton will speak briefly. Big Red may be purchased for $29.95 each, and McCombs and Carleton will be available to sign books and to visit with guests. Refreshments will be served.
Big Red Memoirs of a Texas Entrepreneur and Philanthropist By Red McCombs, as told to Don Carleton
Texas businessman and philanthropist RED MCCOMBS, grew up in Spur, Texas, began his business career by selling used cars, has successfully founded and operated many diverse businesses, and is a former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings. Red and his wife of over 60 years, Charline, are noted philanthropists.
Dr. Don Carleton is Executive Director of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of numerous biographies of important Texans.
All proceeds from book sales of Big Red at this event benefit the Bugle Boy Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.
The stories blend seamlessly into songs, evoking a flavor of Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, and David Sedaris. "
- Sarah Craig, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY
Greg Klyma is the Rust Belt vagabond - a home-cooked meal and a Vaudeville show in a fast food, karaoke world. As Sarah Craig (Caffe Lena) says, "The stories blend seamlessly into songs, evoking a flavor of Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie and David Sedaris." A prolific songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and seasoned performer, Klyma brings to every stage a catalog of songs that assume audiences are both smart and able to laugh.
A blend of soul, pop, folk and country! Lorrie Singer
& Bradley Kopp CD RELEASE
"Lorrie and Bradley struck gold on this collection of songs for their new cd, A Deep Oasis. Great songs, great vocals, great playing....this all adds up to a great listen".
Lloyd Maines
"Bradley Kopp, a notable Austin producer and songwriter, and partner Lorrie Singer are a compatible pair, possessing the sort of synergy and savvy that’s branded every successful boy-girl combination from Loretta and Conway, up through Johnny and June and Gram and Emmylou. Like those forebears, they glean from a rich rootsy precedent, all back porch rambles and sweet, swaying sentiment."- Lee Zimmerman/No Depression
Heartfelt style & soulful expressions... Michael On Fire
In January, 2010, The Ventura County Star (Ventura, CA) named his performance from Oct. 2009 as one of the Top Five Concerts of the Year (others chosen were Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Paul Thorn and Steve Poltz.)
LA Times music reviewer Bill Locey wrote, “Michael on Fire is so good you’ll be searching for new adjectives to describe it. He’ll make you laugh, cry, see God and tap your feet – all at once"
“The music is unmistakably passionate, wedding Michael’s penchant for dust ‘n’ bones guitar arrangements with his classically-trained musical sensibilities. The result is a sound that is primal, raw and powerful. When I caught his live show last Sunday, his words seemed like gospel. He is an electrifying performer”. – The (East Lansing) State News
“One of our most evocative storytellers and fearless stewards of the emotional landscape…”- Acoustic Guitar Magazine Mary Gauthier w/ Tania
“Gauthier’s new CD, “The Foundling” is the product of two years work, and is quite simply the best collection of songs she’s ever recorded. With ‘The Foundling’, Mary Gauthier has created her first masterpiece. Not for the easily frightened, it is the most raw, brave and ultimately satisfying album I’ve heard in a very long time. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. ”- No Depression Magazine
“Like all Gauthier albums, The Foundling has a languorous quality reminiscent not only of the Cowboy Junkies (whose Michael Timmins produces), but also of Lucinda Williams, Ferron and even Van Morrison in his reflective moments. But this effort proves once and for all that Gauthier is her own woman.” 5 stars - Winnipeg Free Press
“Pure and simple, Mary Gauthier is a true artist at the height of her powers and in full command of her craft.”- Atlanta Music Guide
“This album is riveting because of the extremely intimate nature of the disclosures and reflections, presented in the inimitable Gauthier style that demands attention, compels empathy and dares you to remain unaffected. In a word: masterful.”- Elmore Magazine
"Probably the most charismatic performance I've ever seen."- ACCESLINE, IA.
Originally from England, Zoë now resides in Provincetown, Cape Cod. She plays jazz, jump jive, latin grooves, swing, international folk, funk originals on anything from the piano to the spoons! She describes her blend of music as WORLDBEAT-VAUDEVILLE.
Her music is upbeat, amusing and perfect for all ages. She's part troubadour, storyteller and accomplished musician and has toured internationally, picking up influences along the way. While at once setting listeners off balance with her quirky spin on things she sneaks in simple, potent messages, leaving audiences worn out and inspired.
"She stormed the main stage playing everything from swinging folk and latin jazz to acoustic funk and sprightly celtic flavoured tunes.Her boundless energy was hard to ignore."- OTTAWA XPRESS, Canada
Back by popular demand!
Quirky & Irreverent
Emily Kaitz with Jeanne Kyser on fiddle and Melinda Brooks on mandolin
Emily Kaitz is back by popular demand. Emily has been writing songs for over 40 years and performing them for over 30 years. She performs on guitar, bass and occasionally piano, lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She is known for her quirky, irreverent, mostly humorous original songs about Feng Shui, jaywalking, golf, what to do or not do in the sauna, and a bunch of other oddball subjects in musical styles ranging from country to rhumba, bluegrass to ballads.
“Hot Coffee” is so good that it’s difficult to believe
it was helmed by a first-time filmmaker. Hot Coffee Q & A to follow with Justice Diane Henson, Third Court of Appeals
Sponsored by: Adams Law Firm
Awards:
Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival
Official Selection, Silverdocs Documentary Film Festival
Official Selection, Hot Docs
Everyone knows the case of the woman who sued McDonald’s over spilled coffee. Or do they? More than 15 years after making international news, the case continues to be cited as an example of citizens who use “frivolous” lawsuits to take unfair advantage of the American legal system. But is that an accurate portrayal of the facts?
An eye-opening documentary with jaw-dropping revelations, HOT COFFEE exposes how corporations spend millions on propaganda campaigns to distort Americans’ view of lawsuits—forever changing the civil justice system.
“Hot Coffee” will knock you backward and change your perception of what you thought you knew. The film tackles the corporate demolition of this country’s civil rights system and the constitutional pretzel-twisting taking place to favor big business over those the system is supposed to protect." Elliot V. Kotek - Moving Pictures
"...a gentle but compelling poetic and musical vision"
-Billboard Weather Report Jack Williams
".... his artistry... is nothing short of amazing. Dazzling picking, expressive voice, unique and interesting songs. He is a showman in the best sense of the word and just wowed our audience. I think they would have followed him anywhere." - Rich Warren, WFMT "Midnight Special", Chicago IL
If there is anyone not familiar with Jack's incredible songwriting and prodigious performance skills, my sympathies to you. A Jack Williams show is a slam-dunk win-win-win for all. One of the most enlightened and entertaining performers I've ever encountered. - Dave Humpreys, Two Way Street Coffeehouse in Downers Grove IL
"...simply an understated triumph. Grade: A " - Glide Magazine Carrie Rodriguez with Luke Jacobs
Love and family have always been sources of inspiration for critically acclaimed singer/songwriter/musician Carrie Rodriguez, but never have they featured so prominently than on her brand new release Love & Circumstance, a covers album that includes songs written by her father, and once performed by her great aunt.
Rodriguez' journey from teenage violin student to touring the world with the likes of Chip Taylor (famed songwriter of "Wild Thing), Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, has resulted in a prodigious output of recordings - eight albums in as many years - for the young musician; with the new album, Carrie relies on others to handle the songwriting duties, she provides the interpretations.
Besides the contributions from her immediate family, Love & Circumstance, includes compositions from her extended musical family and friends, including John Hiatt/Nick Lowe/Ry Cooder/Jim Keltner (aka Little Village), Buddy Miller & Julie Miller, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Richard Thompson, Townes Van Zandt, M. Ward, Merle Haggard & Bonnie Owens, Hank Williams, and Lucinda Williams.
Mike Blakely son of Doc Blakley gives life to words — sung and written. His sincerity comes through clearly in the original lyrics he writes and the way he sings the songs. The stories on the pages of his books convey a depth and heart few can express. At age 52, Blakely has written 16 novels and released 11 albums of original TexAmericana music.
Blakely co-wrote his most recent book, A Tale Out of Luck, with Willie Nelson. His work on that title led to a new project he’s working on with Kenny Rogers: A novel that will feature the music business in the 1970s. It’s expected to be published in 2011.
He’s “just plain brilliant,” according to John M. Greenberg, singer/songwriter and Blakely’s friend of 13 years. “…He is as gifted of a novelist as he is a songwriter. You just don’t see that combination very often. Most storytellers can either do one or the other well with the other being secondary or merely a hobby. With Mike, you’d have to flip a coin to which of the two he does better.”
"Austin gives birth to a lot of musicians. Some are good, some not so good, but there is only one John Pointer." -Jack Frink John Pointer
John Pointer is nine-time Austin Music Award winning musician and actor, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, composer and performer. Known for his cross-pollination of genres and use of standard instruments in non-standard ways. Performing vocals over virtuoso guitar work, stomps, and human beatbox, his live show is part music, part magic, completely rooted, and impossible to forget.
When you hear Effron White, you are immediately struck by the uniqueness of his songs and their delivery. His gravelly vocal reminds one of Tom Waits, John Prine, or Bob Dylan; yet, there's a personal earthiness that drives the emotional truth of his songs right into your heart.
As a songwriter, Effron draws his influences from those legends of the past who are looked upon as poets as much as songwriters, such as, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, and Guy Clark. His skills as a singer/songwriter have resulted in nationwide recognition. In 2004, Effron won the coveted "New Folk" Award at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival. He has also been honored as a Northwest Arkansas Music Award's Hall of Fame Artist, as a result of having been voted “Best Singer-Songwriter” in three previous years. In 2010, he was featured in American Songwriter Magazine’s ‘Lyric Spotlight’ for his song, “Long Haul”, a story song about a down and out trucker. In 2011, he won the 18th Annual Billboard Song Contest.
This past year has been a testament to the long-held assertion that Susan Gibson is a road warrior in the truest sense in addition to being a dedicated singer, songwriter, and performing musician. The CMA award-winning songwriter (the Dixie Chicks took the Gibson-penned “Wide Open Spaces” to the top for four weeks) has been hitting the road consistently over the past 14 years, touring nationally in support of her own brand of Texas-Americana-folk music.
Gibson’s 2011 release, Tightrope, is both right at home with and a departure from her previous albums. While the album was recorded before her accident, the mood and tone are fitting of a year spent in reflection. Gibson and producer Gabe Rhodes are the sole musicians on Tightrope, which manages to be beautiful in its sparseness, easily accessible yet full of sophisticated notes for those who take a careful listen.
Blakely co-wrote his most recent book, A Tale Out of Luck, with Willie Nelson. His work on that title led to a new project he’s working on with Kenny Rogers: A novel that will feature the music business in the 1970s. It’s expected to be published in 2011.
