7th Annual Texas Music Awards, Palestine, TX

© April 2009 / Bruno Michel

 

For years I have preferred singer/songwriters from Texas because to me and many other fans their music is more authentic and more honest than the commerce driven mass-sound of today's Country Music. After being in Texas for eight months, it was logic to follow an invitation to the 7th Annual Texas Music Awards. After a three hour drive we arrived in Palestine and signed in at the Civic Center.

 

The Producers, Jinelle and Lucky Boyd (www.mytexasmusic.com) spared no effort and rented the entire center for their show. Despite permanent stress levels, Lucky Boyd found some time to quickly answer a few questions.

BM: Lucky, did you ever get an advice that you never forget?
LB: I did indeed. A few years ago, Murph (Michael Martin Murphey) called me out of the blue and said: 'Lucky, I spent 61 years to finally find out.' I said: 'What?' He said 'There's only two things in life that you can really control. Diet and Attitude.' I said 'I got the attitude, it's the diet I sometimes struggle with.' And ever since, I live with a positive attitude and treat people good - and sometimes try to remember the diet thing.

BM: Of what would you warn an alien first who lands in Texas?
LB: Stay away from Washington D.C. Stay in Texas. It's safer here.

BM: What question would you ask yourself in an interview?
LB: What happened to your hair. It used to be real long. And the answer would be: I had to find myself a real job.

With the help of some eighty volunteers the event went smooth and professionally. After all nominees were introduced and interviewed on the Red Carpet, the Awards started at 2pm. There were many celebrities to present the nominees, among them the master himself, Michael Martin Murphey, who's also well known in Switzerland.

Here's the list of winners. Maybe some readers want to listen in and see what they miss by listening to commercial sound only. All artists have an own website or some material on myspace, so click the links and enjoy listening.

Category Winner
Male Vocalist of the Year: Wade Bowen (www.wadebowen.com)
Female Vocalist of the Year: Crystal Sands (www.crystalsandscountry.com)
Vocal Duo / Group of the Year: Smythe and Taylor: (www.smytheandtaylor.com)
Rising Star Award: Cody Riley (www.myspace.com/codyrileyandthetxpirates)
Musician of the Year: Rodney Pyeatt (www.myspace.com/rodneypyeattmusic)
Producer of the Year: Billy High (www.mytexasmusic.com/highspeedhayride)
Song of the Year: Gather 'Round (www.mytexasmusic.com/treswomack)
Singer/Songwriter of the Year: Connie Mims (www.conniemims.com/home.html)
Record of the Year: Jerry Audley: Lucky Me Lonely You (www.mytexasmusic.com/jerryaudley)
Disc Jockey of the Year: Ryan Fox, 99.5 The Wolf (www.995thewolf.com/ONAIR/RyanFox.aspx)
Broadcast Radio Station of the Year: KHYI 95.3 The Range (www.khyi.com)
Internet Radio Station of the Year: Radio Free Texas (www.radiofreetexas.org
Live Band of the Year: Ben Morris & The Great American Boxcar Chorus (www.myspace.com/benmorrislive)
Album of the Year: Highspeed Hayride: Highspeed Hayride (www.mytexasmusic.com/highspeedhayride)
Entertainer of the Year: Michael Martin Murphey (www.michaelmartinmurpheymusic.com)

In between awards several artists presented their music live. Among the special awards presented, the host, Michael Martin Murphey received a custom made Texas Hat and a basket full of gifts. With only four minutes delay on the original timetable the award show was ending

Now it was time for the next highlight, an acoustic concert by Michael Martin Murphey. In the intro he mentioned that this type of concert was his favorite, usually performed around a campfire but that the promoters did not allow him to lite a fire on stage. So he asked the audience to imagine that scenery while he played a full hour of his hits spanning a career of more than four decades. In between he offered little stories and he also played several tunes from his current album Buckaroo Bluegrass. The audience listened attentively and thanked him with several standing ovations.

 

But Murph had another surprise in stock after his solo show. A reunion of the Lost Gonzo Band, the CosmicCowboys from the early 70's. Bob Livingston, Gary P. Nunn, Craig Hillis and Steel-Legend Herb Steiner were on stage the "old school guys" had real fun. Time flew by and by 8pm after two hours of nonstop music the show wass over. There was no encore but it was understandable looking at the fact that the main actor, Michael Martin Murphey was on and off stage that day since noon.

A big THANK YOU to Jinelle and Lucky Boyd and all the involved organisations, artists and sponsors. A great event presented in an appropriate setting, professionally presented and with a focus on what counts: The Musicians and the Music. Congratulations and see y'all next year.

Bruno Michel