Although Terlingua tends to be a haven for singer/songwriters in the Texas Americana tradition, it’s not surprising that there’s a strong Grateful Dead influence here, too.
Last night we celebrated Jerry Garcia’s birthday at the starlight with music, dancing, good food and beer. And maybe some other stuff…
Uh Clem gathered the initial band- Laird Considine on bass, me on guitar. Mark Lewis heard the music from the porch and joined us on mandolin.
Later on, Butch and Rory Hancock came in for dinner. Soon, Butch was singing and playing Uh’s guitar, Rory had my strat, Mike and Moses were playing drums, and I was on bass.
The band- Rory, Mark, Butch, me and Mike.
In New York, LA or Austin this would have been a sold-out show with high-dollar tickets. Butch is an amazing singer/songwriter and the band was top-notch.
Viva Big Bend Music Festival 2013 – Lost Horse Saloon – Marfa, Texas.
Lost Horse Saloon, Marfa
The Big Bend of Texas is the last outpost for singer-songwriters. Totally uninfluenced by outside trends, it’s a world unto itself. On any night, and pretty much all day long, there is music playing here.
The local bars support the local musicians with money, food and beer. There’s always a jam going on the porch in the Ghost Town – fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and voices raised in harmony.
The Terlingua Music Concert Series is going through some changes. It’s a good thing.
First – there will be no Legiondary Jam at the American Legion in July. The legion is going through some changes, too, and a lot of our favorite musicians will be in Santa Fe then, cheering Greg Grymes on as he makes his new CD.
August will be all about the Terlingua School.
After the “Second Sunday” jam at the high sierra, I was talking to the track coach. He said, “I’ve got a group that I think can take State this year- if only we could afford track shoes.”
So, the second Sunday in August we’re having a “Second Sunday” jam at the High Sierra Bar and Grill in Terlingua. We’re going to raise enough money to buy the team shoes.
Later in the month- similar deal. The local art and music teachers have been buying supplies for their students out of their paychecks – and they’re about the lowest paid teachers in the State of Texas. I’m not going to talk about the lack of support for Art, Music, and education in general in Texas except to say that it would be nice to vote in some representatives who have the kids best interest at heart.
What we’re going to do is fund those programs ourselves. I’ll announce the details as soon as I’ve confirmed the date and location.
Rockin’ the Ranch at Lajitas – Texas Music, BBQ, Beer, floating in a pool looking at the stars…
The end of the story: we lay on comfy pool recliners, drinking excelent Malbec and watching the stars play on the turquoise water of the pool…
The resort at Lajitas is an oasis in the desert. Literally. Green grass covers the golf course. There are two pools. The suites and hotel rooms are “cowboy’ chic” and luxurious.
It’s also way out of the price range that most Terlinguans can (or will) afford.
That’s why I was so excited when I learned about the “Rockin’ the Ranch” party the resort was putting on. Two great bands (playing through Trevor’s new PA system. Very cool.), against a backdrop of desert mountains and a huge sky.
The first “Second Sunday” Jam at the High Sierra exceeded my expectations.
New location. New time. And the Terlingua Moon (the only “newspaper” out here) didn’t include our info, so the PR campaign consisted of flyers. It could have been lonely…
It was a blast. Somehow, word got out.
The room was full of locals, tourists and musicians. George Goss started at 2:00 and Moe and Brandi closed the show around midnight. In between, some truly amazing music happened. Unexpected combinations of musicians played together, some new musicians showed up, and everybody played like they meant it.
It was a good show.
For the musicians, it was also a chance for good friends to hang out, play together, and share gratitude for being part of such a vibrant musical community. For the audience, it was a free concert showcasing the region’s finest talent.
The High Sierra is a great location for the concert. They’ve got a large selection of cold beer, great food (Tacos Alhambra (sp?) for me), cheerful staff, and the best air conditioner in the county.
The experiment was a success. We’ll be doing a “Second Sunday” concert on a regular basis from now on.
We didn’t have a designated charity for this one, so the money raised will go to the Terlingua Music General Do-Gooder fund.
After the concert, a few dedicated partiers gathered at the outside bar for conversation under the stars. The moon was setting- a dark gold sliver over the ghost town. The Milky Way was a spray of diamonds across the sky. Music played from a pickup truck. And, somebody just happened to have a cooler of beverages.
Talking to the local track coach, I learned that he’s got a new batch of kids that he thinks can take State this year- if only they could afford shoes.
I think we’ve found our charity for the next “Second Sunday” jam.
Legiondary Jam continued the tradition of good times, great music, great food, and good friends hangin’ out.
This month, our beneficiary was the American Legion Post. The legion is under new management, and the new team has a nasty fiscal mess to clean up.
The legion is crucial to the folks who live on Terlingua Ranch. For some people, it’s their Internet cafe. For others, it’s a place to leave messages or borrow the phone (not everybody out here has a phone and cell phones don’t work). If you run out of gas or get a flat, it’s a place to go for help. UPS and Fedex leave packages for those of us who live way off-road.
Most of us moved to the desert for solitude. Sometimes, the solitude can get a little oppressive- and there are usually folks at the legion who are up for conversation, a game of pool, or to just provide a connection to another human.
This morning, it was big smile time at the Legion. They had a good night, and we raised enough donations to cover the electric and phone bill for the month.
Thanks to all the musicians who played, the cooks who provided the pot-luck dinner, and the people who listened and partied with us. Thanks to y’all, the legion is well on its way to solvency.
The new Terlingua Music “Hotter’n Hell and Cooler’n Shit” t-shirts made their debut last night, and it seems like everybody was wearing them. We’ll have those at all future jams- all profit goes to charity. Thanks to Anna Oakley for the fine design.
Al Berry leades the band: Chris Baker (flute), Nick Cooper (bass), and Laird Considine (mandolin).Brandi, with Nick and Moses.The legion was full, with as many people outside as in. A good night.
Living in Terlingua, Texas opens up a universe of possibilities. All you have to do is adjust your concept of “neighborhood,” and you have access to a variety of fascinating experiences.
Living at Terlingua Ranch is one experience. Isolation. Off the grid. Technicolor sunsets. Wild, unpredictable weather.
Terlingua Ghost Town is a whole ‘nother experience. Great food, music on the porch and in the bars, and some very eccentric characters to hang out with.
Last weekend, LaRoja and I spent the weekend in Lajitas visiting with Trevor Hickle and his family. Lajitas is a resort, so we luxuriated in the pool, had dinner delivered to Trevor’s place, did some pickin’, and ended up in a very nice suite.
This weekend, we joined Jalapeno Schwartz for a grand tour of Marfa.
JP (Jalapeno) Schwart riding the airwaves.
JP (Jalapeno) Schwartz is a country doctor, volunteer public radio DJ, and local celebrity. He and LaRoja have known each other since they were in college.
Initially, I didn’t “get” Marfa. After hanging with JP all day and being introduced to the city by an insider, I totally get it. It’s definitely the cultural center of this part of Texas. You meet lots of people whose other home is a high-rise apartment in New York or whose other store is on Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills. Continue reading “Marfa – the grand tour. Playboy Bunny, Food Shark, El Cosmico, Padre’s.”
Friday night, Pat Smith and band were booked to play the High Sierra. Pat made it but his band didn’t. The previous blog post describes how a team of talented locals filled in and the show went on. (The Show Goats on!)
Pat seemed a little disappointed that his band hadn’t made the gig.
Saturday night, Pat, Maggie Montgomery, and a crowd of locals formed a pickin’ circle at La Kiva. I had planned to go, but a rainstorm came through the ranch and the roads were flooded. By the next morning, the roads were passable, but I missed that show.
It’s all part of living with nature.
When I walked into the High Sierra Sunday afternoon, the “Hangover Jam” was over. George Goss, Nick Cooper, Jim and Anna Keaveny, and Pat Smith were hanging out, drinking beer, and talking about how good the jam was.
