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Community Christmas – Dana Idlet & Friends – Melissa Greener

The music started early yesterday with the Community Christmas Celebration at the Party Barn.

The primary school students started us off with “The 12 Days of Christmas Terlingua Style,” which was announced in English and Spanish. “And a rattlesnake under a rock…”

Then, older students performed on recorder and sang and danced to a carol.

Of course, Santa Claus showed up and was a huge hit with the shorter attendees.

Then, the community choir performed carols.

Through it all, the talented Ted Arbogast made it all come together: accompanying the recorder choir, leading the community orchestra, helping the youngsters who lost the melody find their way back. Continue reading “Community Christmas – Dana Idlet & Friends – Melissa Greener”

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Help Santa Bring Christmas to Boquillas’ Children

For the last 12 years, long-time Terlingua resident Marcos Paredes has taken food and presents to the children of Boquillas on Christmas Day. Marcos and some of his friends and neighbors have bought presents for the children plus turkeys and hams for their families, and delivered them personally.

This is a wonderful tradition. For it to continue, we need to pitch in.

Although there is now a legal border crossing into Boquillas, tourism is way down from where it used to be and without our efforts these children will not have much of a Christmas.

This year, Santa needs some help.  He needs your help so that our less fortunate neighbors to the South can celebrate Christmas.

You can help by donating using the button below. Your money will go to Terlingua Cares, which is associated with the Big Bend Citizen’s Alliance (a 501.c.3 non-profit organization based in Terlingua, Texas), and all funds raised will go to pay for gifts and food for the children of Boquillas.

If you’d like written confirmation of your donation for tax purposes, contact me (Pat O’Bryan) at koanwrangler (at) gmail (dot) com.


 

Santa hands out presents to the children of Boquillas
Santa hands out presents to the children of Boquillas
The reindeer can't swim, so Santa has to paddle.
The reindeer can’t swim, so Santa has to paddle.
Ho, ho, ho.
Ho, ho, ho.
Santa
Santa

x6

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Butch Hancock and Bruce Salmon together at the Boathouse

Just another night in Terlingua.

A couple of locals got together at the Boathouse to sling songs.

Butch Hancock and Bruce Salmon got together for, as far as I know, the first time to trade tunes.

It wasn’t an intuitive match-up. Butch’s songs have a timeless West Texas by way of Dharamsala vibe. Simple chords, deceptively simple lyrics that are as precise as diamonds.

Bruce’s songs sound to me like they’ve been excerpted from an interesting play. Possibly a play set in Eastern Europe. Like Butch, his songs tell stories. His melodies, however, can be based on modes that are more Eastern than Western. Certainly not Country and Western.

They’re both folk singers, and the combination and juxtaposition of their songs and styles made for a fascinating evening of music.

Inevitably, dancing broke out during the last set. Jim Keaveny, who knows a bit about writing songs, added percussion on his tambourine. Stories were told, beer and chicken-fried steak were consumed, and when they played “What’s So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding,” harmonies joined in from various places in the room.

Just another night in Terlingua.

Butch and Bruce
Butch and Bruce 

Continue reading “Butch Hancock and Bruce Salmon together at the Boathouse”

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Ojinaga – Shopping Day in OJ

Lots of Big Bend locals go to Ojinaga (OJ) regularly to shop and eat, go to the doctor, buy prescription drugs, get their shoes fixed… it’s a great resource.

I’ve lived down here over 2 years and I’ve only been once. I’ve got a passport- I think my reticence was that it’s different, strange. I don’t speak Spanish. Crossing back into the U.S. is irritating. And… aren’t there dangerous cartels in Mexico?

OJ is about an hour and a quarter drive to the West of Terlingua.  Today, I rode with a buddy who was going shopping and to the dentist.  It was a blast and a breeze.

The dollar is strong in Mexico:  1 dollar = 16 pesos.  I don’t think in base 16, so I flipped the equation: 100 pesos = $6.25. For some reason that made it easier for me to compare prices.

Getting pesos.
Getting pesos.

Our deal was that I’d buy our meals, and my buddy would drive and show me around. First stop was at the street vendor who sells shrimp cocktails. Because so many of the bank executives in OJ are from Sinaloa on the coast, they’ve arranged for fresh seafood to be delivered daily. Continue reading “Ojinaga – Shopping Day in OJ”

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Terlingua Halloween 2015

Halloween in Terlingua. For about 15 years, the big party was at La Kiva. Gumby behind the bar, Trevor Hickle and band on the stage, and locals in amazing costumes dancing.

Some things change, some things stay the same.

This year, the big party was at the Boathouse. Gumby behind the bar, Trevor Hickle and band on stage, and a packed house of locals in amazing costumes.

The Fabulous Vortexans played the blues and jam-rock, Gumby and Laura served the beer, James cooked dinner and played drums- but it was the vampires, skeletons, and zombies of Terlingua who provided the entertainment.

Betsy grabbed the camera and took the pictures.

h1 h2

Continue reading “Terlingua Halloween 2015”

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Paper Moon Shiners and Daisy O’Connor in Terlingua

Last night was another night of great music in Terlingua. 

At the Starlight Theatre, the Paper Moon Shiners – Elena Antinelli and Frank Meyer – played.

Deeply embedded in the past, the riotously fun, gritty, saucy, sometimes sad, operatic and always soulful Paper Moon Shiners mine time periods that conjure up smoky prohibition speakeasies, dust bowl medicine shows, Mississippi Delta juke joints and Harlem Renaissance night clubs.

Elena owns the songs she sings, whether it’s one of their originals or a vintage classic like Minnie the Moocher. Frank is a multi-instrumentalist and singer, and when he hits the low notes on “Low Yodeler,” people just look at each other and shake their heads. Nobody can hit those notes- and yet, Frank does.

The Paper Moon Shiners are regular visitors to Terlingua, and played to a packed room.

 

p1

Continue reading “Paper Moon Shiners and Daisy O’Connor in Terlingua”

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Jackie Myers Band at the Starlight Theatre

Last night, the Jackie Myers band played a jazzy set at the Starlight. I found it to be a delightful change of pace. We’re rich in “poets with acoustic guitars,” but jazzy trios with hot, tasty licks are pretty thin on the ground.

The set was tight and well rehearsed, with jazzy keyboards, strong vocals, and an excellent rhythm section. Think: Diana Krall with a rocking bass and drums.

Over breakfast this morning at La Posada Milagro, I talked to the band- their next stop is Abilene, then on to New Mexico. Like many Austin musicians, they all play in several bands and although they’re based in Austin spend most of their time on the road.

They’ll be back in March. I’ll be there.

Tonight, the Paper Moon Shiners will be at the Starlight and Daisy O’Conner and the Late Bloomers are at the Boathouse.

Saturday night- Hallowe’en – The Fabulous Vortexans will be at the Boathouse for the big party.

Jackie Myers
Jackie Myers

Continue reading “Jackie Myers Band at the Starlight Theatre”

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Terlingua Music Bash 2015

The “Barlow Fest” – Terlingua Music Bash, 2015, was the 21st (?) annual celebration of Texas Americana Music held here.

There was music everywhere: The Boathouse, The Starlight Theatre, on the porch, in the desert at Gareth Park, at La Kiva…

I’ve known Al for over 20 years… at one point I commented, “back in the day when I’d go to open mics, it seemed like everybody was my age. Now, all these years later, when I go to open mics it seems like everybody’s my age.

Terlingua has pretty much recovered from the onslaught of pickers- the Barlow Fest is the first event of our season, to be quickly followed by two chili cook-offs, the “Ride for Trails” biking convention, and, basically, the Fall tourist season. Continue reading “Terlingua Music Bash 2015”

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Trevor Hickle CD Release Party!

Last night there was a huge party to celebrate the release of Trevor Hickle’s “Desert Road” CD at the Starlight Theatre.

From my point of view, it was a valedictory moment- I produced, recorded and played on that CD along with Trevor and Chase Peeler, and we’ve been working on it for over a year.

To hear it blasting from the PA system in the Starlight and then to actually perform it for an appreciative crowd was… delightful.

After the show there were hugs, wine, and high-fives. Here’s what it looked like. Photos by Betsy Blaydes. Continue reading “Trevor Hickle CD Release Party!”