priceless -– take one
Live
MAMMA MIA, AMERICANS “INVADE” ITALY ABHIDNYA GHUGE
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE THE ART OF BEAUTY
And More!
November 2014
November 2014 - Page 2
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CONTENTS
“Art is defined as a product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. Piney Woods Live is an expression of the community it serves.”
12
DARRIN MORRIS BAND
The Darrin Morris Band sings songs of country roots and southern soul throughout East Texas, recently winning several awards. Read more about how the guys got their start, where they’re at today, and what the future holds in store.
ABOUT THE COVER... Featured on the cover this month is the Darrin Morris Band of Gilmer. The band met our staff at Le Cheval Gardens for a photo shoot, and we all had a blast! Those guys really know how to have fun.
6
by Jan Statman
8
19
20
10
22
16
Artist’s World by Jan Statman
PineyWoodsLive.com
8
Artist’s Interview with Abhidnya Ghuge by Jan Statman
Cover Photo by Alisha DuVall
6
Book Review: Mamma Mia, Americans “Invade” Italy
17
10
Texas Rose Festival
19
Fiddler on the Roof
20
The Art of Beauty
21
Poet’s Corner
22
Christmas Open House
by Crystal Davis
by Jan Statman
by Crystal Davis
by Claudia Lowery
by Claudia Lowery
18
The “B” Side of Music
Center Stage Cuisine
by Randy Brown
by Claudia Lowery
November 2014 - Page 3
Publishers Alisha & Ronnie Knox Publicist Andrea Baros Editor Joni Guess Advertising Director Alisha DuVall Contributing Writers Crystal Davis, Jan Statman, Claudia Lowery, Randy Brown Graphic Artists Andrea Baros, Joni Guess Sales Alisha DuVall, Andrea Baros, Crystal Davis, Joni Guess
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www.facebook.com/PineyWoodsLive
Piney Woods Live has experienced some changes recently with its new owners and publishers Alisha and Ronnie Knox. Alisha introduced herself to you last month. This month I am introducing myself. I have been a graphic designer for Piney Woods Live for four years, and now I am also the editor. I look forward to working with the staff to promote the talented people of East Texas to bring our readers interesting stories about the arts and entertainment scene. Our November issue features the Darrin Morris Band. They were awarded Best Country Band of the Year and Best Single of the Year for their song “Country To The Bone” at the ETX Music Awards in Sept. You will find out more about them from Crystal Davis in this issue. Stephanie Chance, owner of Decorate Ornate in Gladewater, has written a book about her adventures in Italy. I hope you will enjoy Jan Statman’s review of Mamma Mia, Americans “Invade” Italy. Our featured artist of the month, Abhidnya Ghuge, is originally from India and now lives in Tyler. She is doing her part “to make a positive difference in the world.” Be sure to read about her journey to East Texas and enjoy her art. Tyler held it’s 81st annual Rose Festival last month. Miss Kathryn Elizabeth Peltier was selected as Queen. She and her court are listed in Crystal’s report on the festival, along with photos of the beautiful young ladies in full array. This month ArtsView Children’s Theatre is presenting an adult production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. You can find out more about the play and its cast members in this issue. The Marshall Visual Arts Center is hosting a Christmas Open House with many unique, handmade arts and crafts for your Christmas gift giving. This will be a great opportunity to support the outstanding artists of East Texas. Be sure to read Jan Statman’s inspirational “Artist’s World” this month about the Thanksgiving holiday. And don’t miss Claudia Lowery’s “Center Stage Cuisine” where she recounts some of her favorite dining experiences. It has been a delight, as always, to bring this issue to East Texas, and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed publishing it. Happy Thanksgiving!
903.853.0977 1200 W. Harrison Rd. | Longview, TX 75604 November 2014 - Page 4
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Tu esd a y –Frid a y
DECEMBER 9th -12th LONGVIEW MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 215 East Tyler Street • Longview, Texas
Alexis Serio Hughes (b. 1977). Interlacing the Hours, 2013. Oil on canvas, 49 x 41 in. Courtesy of the artist
Tea Room
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Featuring works by six Texas artist couples
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903.753.8103 • www.LMFA.org
1300 South Mahon Avenue ● Tyler, Texas 75701 (903) 595-1001 ● www.tylermuseum.org November 2014 - Page 5
Mamma Mia,
Americans “Invade” Italy!
by STEPHANIE CHANCE
Stephanie Chance & her Sicilian papa, Tony Filaci
A BOOK REVIEW BY JAN STATMAN Stephanie Chance is a most unusual woman, and now she has added the title “East Texas Writer” to her long list of accomplishments. She has written a fun filled travel book, and she has managed to light the pages with all the golden sunshine of Italy. She is careful to explain how she was enjoying her career as a legal assistant in Gilmer when she saw a magazine photograph of a beautiful hillside in Tuscany. It was as though that photograph called out to her to welcome her “home.” Most people would have simply put the magazine aside to possibly daydream of taking a trip to Italy someday, whether or not that day might ever come. Not Stephanie! She set the wheels in motion, and she made her dream come true. She relocated to Gladewater, established an antique shop and began arranging tours to take East Texas visitors to Italy. When she realized that many, if not most, of the people she met would never have the chance to go to Italy with her, she decided to write Mamma Mia, Americans “Invade” Italy so that she might share the adventures. Her book takes the reader into the big travel coach with Stephanie, along with Tony Filaci, her Sicilian guide whom she calls her Italian “papa,” and their handsome and long-suffering bus driver Nino. She takes the reader to all the special hidden places, from the hills of Tuscany to the boot of Sicily and beyond. Stefanie is careful to describe many adventures of the tourists who have traveled on that big tour bus. There are hilarious stories, there are hair-raising stories, and there are heartwarming stories of what American tourists will do when they are set loose in Italy. There is the remarkable image of a diminutive Italian boatman who attempted to stuff two plus-sized Texas ladies into a small rowboat in order to visit Capri’s famous Blue Grotto. They did get to see the grotto; although, it was anything but easy. There is the love struck tourist who dared to flirt with a dapper Italian Romeo.
November 2014 - Page 6
There is the distinguished gentleman who mistook his wife’s ex-lax for chocolates with disastrous results, and there is the lady tourist who stored her euros in her girdle for not-so-safekeeping. All of these are told with humor and with sympathy. These adventures not only take the reader to the well-known high spots but to out-of-theway places as well. There are the monuments and fountains of Rome, the palaces and museums of Florence, and the cathedrals and waterways of Venice. Stefanie’s Sicilian “papa” Tony Filaci has his own ways of opening hidden doors so that they can visit the hidden jewels found in the more remote areas of Tuscany, Sicily and Napoli. They see the cave-like homes of Sassi di Matera, the City of Stone, which has not changed dramatically since Neolithic people lived there at the dawn of time. They see the hanging lemon groves of Ravello on the Amalfi coast. They visit the Murano glass factories of Venice. They travel to the grape growing area of Montalcino, as well as to a cheese factory in Parma. And they walk the narrow streets of the five villages of the Cinque Terre, a portion of the Italian Riviera designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The readers will share elaborate dinners with Italian friends for the Final Harvest of the Grapes, and a special dinner hosted by a genuine count in his spectacular villa in Tuscany. They will read about spending magical nights in monasteries or in what the author calls “fairy tale” palaces. They will come to understand that “Mamma Mia!” is a well-used mild Italian oath. It is used early and it is used often to comment on the actions and adventures of Stephanie’s American tourists in Italy. Mamma Mia, Americans “Invade” Italy, True Stories of the Americana in Italy has made four appearances on the Best Seller List of Amazon’s Travel Section. Mamma Mia! What a trip!
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Decorate Ornate Stephanie Chance
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This book contains hilarious, hair-raising, and true stories of what Americans do in Italy. Hop aboard with Stephani Chance and her Sicilian papa Tony Filaci for the most magical and fairytale adventures of your life as they take you to Italy and beyond. After four teen-plus years of taking groups of Americans to Italy twice a year, Stephani finally shares some of the “true stories” of what the Americans experience on her Italy tours.
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Stephanie Chance
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Book is available at local bookstores and worldwide on Amazon.com
Hop aboard with Stephanie Chance and her Sicilian papa, Tony, for the most “magical” and fairytale adventure you’ll ever experience in Italy and Greece. Coming this May 2015, they’re off again to Southern Italy & Greece; however, not just Greece, but the breathtaking island where they filmed the movie, Mamma Mia. This will be there fifteenth (15) year of taking two groups twice a year to Italy and beyond. Along with her long list of titles, Stephanie Chance is now a “Best Seller” author with her new book titled: Mamma Mia, Americans “Invade” Italy! Stephanie is in Italy three times a year, searching for treasures for her shop Decorate Ornate in Gladewater, TX, & taking two fun groups of Americans to Italy & beyond twice a year. If you don’t find Stephanie in her shop, then she will probably be in Italy, zigzagging the narrow roads with her Sicilian papa, Tony, searching for gorgeous castle doors & amazing home decor.
Tuesday-Saturday 10:30am-5pm
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202 S. Main St. • Gladewater
903.845.2519
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interview Untangling My Thoughts by Abi Ghuge
A
“My art is about transforming something that
appears to be unimportant into something worthy of attention and value. It’s about making life meaningful. November 2014 - Page 8
”
n artist can be one thing or an artist can be many things connected to that one thing. Abhidnya Ghuge has lived a life of consecutive layers, each of which has contributed greatly to her art. As a result, she draws from her past experiences, her present life and her hopes for the future when she creates her award winning prints and three dimensional site-determined installation pieces. She was born in Bombay, India. Her mother was an economics professor and her father was a philosophy professor, but he was also a self-taught artist who encouraged her creative activity. Yet it was her mother who was her greatest influence. “Don’t waste PineyWoodsLive.com
“We loved it here instantly. I feel like I have come into the light. I hope it is reflected in my work.” your time in the kitchen,” her mother told her. “Use your mind. Go out and make a difference in the world.” She wanted to pursue a degree in art, but her mother encouraged her to get a medical degree to be able to support herself and her family if that became necessary. She went to medical school where she met her husband, Raghavendra Ghuge, a fellow medical student. After they were married, she continued her residency in dermatology while he worked as a lecturer in medicine. Their income was barely $100 a month when their first child was born. “My mother insisted we go to America where we would have a better life and better opportunities.” They left Bombay for Detroit, Michigan. “Detroit was a culture shock,” she admitted. “Everyone was a stranger. No one would speak to you. We didn’t know our neighbors. The snow and ice were mind blowing, PineyWoodsLive.com
amazing.” After her husband completed his residency, they moved to Henderson where he started his medical practice. She stayed home to raise their children with the idea that she would return to dermatology someday. She particularly enjoys the openhearted people of East Texas. “ We were happy to come to Texas where it is warm, not only the weather but the people,” she said. “ We were in the grocery store and the people were smiling at us and chatting with us. We loved it here instantly. I feel like I have come into the light. I hope it is reflected in my work.” The light she found in East Texas led her back to the road she always wanted to follow. She began studying art at the University of Texas at Tyler and earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts, followed by her Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art. She is now an adjunct instructor with the
Department of Art and Art History at the University of Texas at Tyler. Her work is exhibited in museums and
galleries across the U.S. “ When I was studying printmaking, I needed to add another dimension to the flat surfaces, so I turned to wood block prints. Carving the wood block satisfied my need for depth, the print satisfied the need for space.” The family left Henderson for Tyler where her husband has the Sleep Medicine Institute of Texas. “ We had moved into our house in Tyler and we were eating take-out food on paper plates. One evening I got a phone call from a friend in India. Her 14-yearold son fell off the roof of the school and he died instantly. I remembered looking down at the paper plates in my lap, and it felt as though he was disposable, like a paper plate. Then I realized the important thing was that he lived, not that he died so young. I decided to use the paper plates as a thought for how impermanent life can be. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and where I am in my art because of his death. “I never forgot my promise to make a positive difference in the world,” she explained. “My art is about transforming something that appears to be unimportant into something worthy of attention and value. It ’s about making life meaningful. My mother told me to go out and change the world. I have not been able to change it in big ways, but I can transform it where I am. I have no plans to return to medicine,” she said, “art is my calling.”
Jan Statman and Abi Ghuge November 2014 - Page 9
T
he 81st Texas Rose Festival in Tyler premiered last month, Oct. 16-19, and largely successful at drawing in visitors to the East Texas area. This year’s theme, “Cirque de la Rose,” was decorated completely with old fashioned circus elegance and grandeur.
Each year the festival is held on the third weekend in the month of October and consists of three days filled with festivities designed to pay homage to the rose-growing industry in local economy. Events are centered around the Rose Queen, a Tyler native, and her court who come from all across the state and often wear lavish costume gowns that keep with the theme. Beginning on Friday, the Rose Queen Coronation, along with many informative rose workshops, take place. Each year’s queen is selected by the President of the Texas Rose Festival Association and many of the young women have traditions of family involvement with the event. This year’s Queen was Miss Kathryn Elizabeth Peltier. Her court included Duchess of Texas Rose Festival, Miss Kathleen Sinclair Bertram, along with 12 ladies-in-waiting: Miss Catherine Elizabeth Anderson, Miss Katarina
by Crystal Davis photos by Crystal Davis
November 2014 - Page 10
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Maksimovic Vukelija-Anderson, Miss Lucille Annie Bates, Miss Kaitlyn Elizabeth Boone, Miss Emma Louise Brookshire, Miss Lauren Rachael Brown, Miss Hanna Elizabeth Clarke, Miss Rachel Alexandra Cooper, Miss Kathryn Louise Loggins, Miss Sarah Ann McKellar, Miss Mary Guyton McKellar, Miss Laura Frances Meads, and Miss Mary-Lauren Shelton. In addition, there were several out-of-town Duchesses whose families are usually involved with the event or the rose-growing industry, and they include: Miss Avery Angeline Birdwell, Miss Jenny Elizabeth Bivins, Miss Caroline Elizabeth Boyd, Miss Richelle Mary Braswell, Miss Kristen Nicole Broaddus, Miss Anna Louise Callan, Miss Addison Caroline Clark, Miss Caitlyn Sue Garland, Miss Hannah Claire Gibson, Miss Margaret Camille
Hunt, M i s s Brindall Keely Lucas, M i s s Meri-Margaret Manziel, Miss Melanie Grace Markham, Miss Kristen Nell Massey, Miss Isabelle Caitlin Terry, Miss Mary Katherine Thompson, and Miss Jacqueline Clare Wilson. At a procession called “The Queen’s Tea” the entire court is on display in full regalia for guests to take pictures with and visit with them at the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden. There was also a parade and an arts and crafts show. Anyone looking for more information can visit www.texasrosefestival.net and continue to support a proud East Texas tradition.
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November 2014 - Page 11
November 2014 - Page 12
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by Crystal Davis Photos by Alisha DuVall Knox
Country is king
in the land of East Texas, and it’s an undisputable fact this area is saturated with immense musical talent. One group, The Darrin Morris Band, cherishes their Piney Woods roots and are making quite a name for themselves, after recently taking home “Single of the Year” for their song “Country to the Bone” and “Country Band of the Year” at the 2014 ETX Music Awards two months ago. Morris admits that their winning song draws heavy inspiration from living in this laid-back part of the south. PineyWoodsLive.com
November 2014 - Page 13
Country is king in the land of East Texas, and it’s an undisputable fact this area is saturated with immense musical talent. One group, The Darrin Morris Band, cherishes their Piney Woods roots and are making quite a name for themselves, after recently taking home “Single of the Year” for their song “Country to the Bone” and “Country Band of the Year” at the 2014 ETX Music Awards two months ago. Morris admits that their winning song draws heavy inspiration from living in this laidback part of the south. “This whole area feels like the country to me,” Morris said. The Darrin Morris Band define themselves by their country attitude and beliefs. As the genre of country music has grown, however, it has become subcategorized into many hybrids like pop country, rockabilly and Americana. What originally defined the country genre in the 1950-60s were the predictable I, IV, and V chord progressions and catchy chorus. In modern music, it’s more of a professed love for all things that being “country” values, expressed through song. “We’re not ‘Country Rock,’ but we do rock country,” said drummer, Jeremy Moore of Marshall. “My personal life priorities are to live a life of honor.” Moore states his defining moment with the band came from playing The Gas Monkey in Dallas. The band actually started as a praise and worship group for Restoration Fellowship Church in Longview off Hwy. 259 and four of the members still play there on Sundays regularly. The band played their first country gig at Walking “S” Steakhouse on Gilmer Lake and grew to have a special affinity for this small town setting. They even played Gilmer’s Yamboree Festival last month.
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“My roots and life are based in my faith.”
“Our favorite venue so far has been the East Texas Yamboree Bandstand on Saturday night for the street dance,” said Morris. “There were so many people there it was crazy!” Aside from lead vocalist and frontman, Darrin Morris, the band also includes Jeremy Moore, drummer/ background vocalist; Blake Watson, bassist; Collin Harris, lead guitarist; and Greg Hughes, rhythm guitarist. This eclectic group of musicians draws influences from a broad range of genres, but is very specific about the sound they want to achieve. Morris testifies that they have also stuck to their spiritual music origins in many ways. “My roots and life are based in my faith,” said the veteran singer of 20+ years. According to him, each song has at least one line that was intentionally written with the purpose to glorify God. The next goals for The Darrin Morris Band are to play music full time and eventually sign on for professional industry representation. You can listen to some of their music for free at www.reverbnation.com/ darrinmorrisband or read more about them and connect with the band directly at www. facebook.com/darrinmorrisbandmusic, or www.darrinmorrisband.com. Please see any of these websites for booking information. “The dream is to sign a deal with a record label,” Morris said. The modern music industry, however, is consistently faced with new challenges each year that passes and newer technology emerges.
PineyWoodsLive.com
“With music being as available as it is now, audiences have no reason to pursue or follow a single artist with enough passion to support that artist. Why get to really know one artist when you can listen to them all? In a time when every band has a Facebook, a Twitter, a ReverbNation, their own website, and their music available on iTunes, the music listener has more bands to choose from than ever. You have to have these things to compete, but it can feel futile,” said Blake Watson, bass player. While the numbers and data of these sites represent commodity to big labels, the best affirmation for a musician, both morally and professionally, will always come from community support of live music.
NOV 1 Hiwayman Ink’s, Sulfur Springs, 4-to 5p.m. Cajun Cowboy, Omaha, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Nov 22 Alzheimer’s Awareness show, Carthage
Nov 6 Cajun Steamer, Longview, 7:30 p.m. Nov 8 Barefoot Bay Marina, Pittsburgh Nov 15 Chuck’s Country Smokehouse, Carthage Nov 20 Cajun Steamer, Longview, 7:30 p.m.
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by JANSTATMAN
N
ovember brings us the wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Think of warmth and happiness, glowing fires, friends and family. Thanksgiving is our own spectacular American holiday. No other nation has a celebration exactly like it. Listen to Katharine Lee Bates’ inspiring song “America the Beautiful” and hear the anthem of what’s right with us, with all of us, from sea to shining sea. Thanksgiving is as American as apple pie, except for that one special day the national pie is pumpkin, probably with whipped cream. Even dedicated foodies will admit that when they sit down to the Thanksgiving table, there should be turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce. There will be cornbread dressing in the south, wheat bread dressing in the north, tofu with veggies in California. There will be rolls and biscuits, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, and that
green bean casserole with the mushroom soup and the canned onions. Every dinner table will have something special. You can tell me what it is at your house, but at our house it is Grandma Sylvia’s red Jell-O salad. It has to be there. It’s tradition. Traditions are important at holiday time. When we prepare those special recipes that were once prepared for us by generations of grandmothers and great aunts who are no longer with us, traditions bring us a taste of memories. More than simply food and football, many people are careful to share special blessings for home, for companions, for interesting work. But what makes artists thankful at Thanksgiving Day and every day? Just like everybody else, artists want to contemplate the bounty of our lives. Top of the list would be IDEAS. The artist’s job is to sort through the ideas and pick the most interesting, the most creative, the most
Every artist is thankful for the colors of the world, for life, and for the honor of bringing them forward so other people can see what an artist sees.
November 2014 - Page 16
amazing. Without ideas, without the artist’s inspiration, the world would be a bleak and empty place. Every artist is thankful for the colors of the world, for life, and for the honor of bringing them forward so other people can see what an artist sees. Artists are thankful for the freedom of expression, which we are fortunate to have in our country. It may be hard to imagine, but there are places where making art that is not acceptable to certain groups could result in rejection, or prison, or even death. Artists are thankful for a good supply of materials with which to create our work. Many wonderful works of art were lost because the artists simply could not afford good paints, good canvas, or good papers. What would have happened to Vincent van Gogh if his brother Theo had not been kind enough to pay for his supplies? Once there are supplies, there is the gift of time. Most artists work at one or two other jobs in order to hold life together. Go to any big city, and your waiter is most likely an actor, your truck driver is a sculptor, your hairdresser is a painter. Artists are thankful for whatever time is available to create our art. Artists are thankful for a clean, well-lighted place in which
to exhibit our art. Museums and galleries bring art out of the studio and into the eyes and thoughts of the people who come to see it. Most of all, artists are thankful for the people who share our art, who buy it and take it home and love it. A work of art is never really complete until it leaves the studio and finds its way into a collector’s heart. So this Thanksgiving, may your home be filled with light and warmth. May you feed your family with comfort and love, with turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce, and with real one-of-a-kind art created by a real artist that will nourish your soul and bring you happiness.
Award winning artist Jan Statman’s paintings are owned by museums in Italy and Spain and by art collections across the USA. This month her paintings are on view in a one Artist Exhibit at Salon Verve, 121 E. Erwin Street in Tyler or see her paintings on Facebook at Artist’s Studio of Jan Statman American Artist.
PineyWoodsLive.com
by Randy Brown
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER “No reason to get excited,”
But you and I we’ve been through that
The thief – he kindly spoke,
And this is not our fate
“There are many here among us
So let us not talk falsely now
Who feel that life is but a joke
The hour’s getting late.”
Written by Bob Dylan – made famous by Jimi Hendrix “All Along the Watchtower” is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan. The song initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding, and it has been included on most of Dylan’s subsequent greatest hits compilations. Since the late 1970s, he has performed it in concert more than any of his other songs. Different versions appear on four of Dylan’s live albums. It was covered by numerous artists in various genres, but “All Along the Watchtower” is most strongly identified with the interpretation Jimi Hendrix recorded for “Electric Ladyland” with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The Hendrix version, released six months after Dylan’s original recording, became a Top 20 single in 1968 and is ranked 47th in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is also one of the best examples I can remember when the cover of a song became more well known than the original. Caveat: if you are in a cover band, tribute band or are simply interested in doing cover songs while making them sound exactly like the original, then this month I may not have a lot for you. But please, please read on anyway. There may still be something here for you. Also, I dedicate this column to David Cooley in Jacksonville, Texas. We have had many unfinished discussions on this topic, and those conversations have caused me to think a lot about it. Cover songs – as a performing songwriter, should you do them, stick to your originals or some combination of both? If you do cover songs, is there some magical ratio of originals to covers that will have everyone loving you but still listening to your songs? Throughout my career I have heard seeming endless arguments from other performing songwriters on both sides of the fence. In no way do I pretend this column is the final answer to the question. But I will give you my opinion and my thoughts on playing cover songs, and you can make up your own mind. My simple answer is that covers are fine for performing songwriters if you have a new and unique interpretation of the song, one that makes it yours. Jimi took Bob Dylan’s original version of “All Along the Watchtower” and owned it. He did so to the point that it is by PineyWoodsLive.com
far the best known and most easily recognized version of the song. The question to ask when choosing cover tune is “what can we bring to the cover that the original artist didn’t?” I once met a bluegrass band from Austin that specialized in covers of Pink Floyd done bluegrass style. They were cool as heck and I loved it. It brought something totally new, fresh and interesting to the music, and in truth made me smile a whole lot. There is a lot of great music out there, and to have the nerve to take great music and “re-vision” it to your personal artistic vision takes a lot of guts. When it works, it can be phenomenal. Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower” is the quintessential example of this. The original was a rather nondescript cut on the John Wesley Harding album. Not bad, but if you were not a Dylan fan, it probably passed you by. But then Jimi took it and made it a standard (a difficult one to pull off ) by almost any measurement. His version took it to a new audience and wowed them. The song suddenly became unforgettable. As a songwriter, a creator, I believe that it is my job when I cover a song to make it wholly mine. Another great example of this is Johnny Cash’s stripped down version of “Hurt.” It is almost indistinguishable from the original yet equally and possibly even more powerful. Taking another artist’s song and making it your own is a gutsy and often difficult thing to do. But we are creators, aren’t we? I think we should even create with our cover tunes. It shows the audience another side of ourselves as artists, and it also gives them something familiar to hang on to in our sea of original material. So, as a songwriter/performer, how do you pick something to cover? My rule of thumb for covers is I want rather obscure songs. The song must speak to me lyrically and/or melodically. I must be able to “re-vision” it as something personal. Currently, I do two cover songs. One of them is totally obscure, Hoyt Axton’s “Gypsy Moth” and the other only slightly obscure, Micky Newbury’s “What Condition My Condition Is In.” I do those songs because they speak to me personally, and I believe I can bring something new to the table when I perform them.
I want to keep my cover songs at one or two for any show. That is because for my songs to be heard, someone has to play it. For the most part that someone is me. If you are being covered by other artists, all I can say is “more power to you,” and I would like to find out your secrets after class. Please call or email and spill the beans. I will let you write that column. Now, if you don’t have a lot of originals that you feel are “good enough,” then by all means, do covers that show your musical style and uniqueness. Doing them will help you find your own voice as a performer and a writer. Don’t kick yourself. Instead, keep writing and keep presenting your songs. You will get better, your songs will get better, and after a while, you won’t be able to imagine not doing them. I would not be telling the whole story here if I didn’t mention how many times I have personally been chided by audience members, especially in bars and restaurants, who believe that as the artist in residence, it is my responsibility to be their personal jukebox. My answer to them is that I spent 15 or more years being a jukebox in a cover band, and I ain’t gonna do it anymore. Do I lose tips and potential fans? Yes, without a doubt. Do I care? Not even a little bit. I want my audiences to love me of course, but I refuse to spoon feed them the predigested stuff they think they want. My challenge is to show them that my music is as good or better than what they are asking for. In the end, if they don’t want to hear original music, they can go up the street. Sorry, but that is my opinion. I am very, very good at what I do, and I refuse to let myself be manipulated by the “play something I know so I can see if you are any good” crowd. Yes, I have really heard that. Of course, I want to give the audience what they want, but I want that to be my songs. That means that I have to work hard and prepare for my shows. I always consider my audience. If I have played somewhere before, I look back at my notes (you do make notes about where you play, don’t you?) and I will craft sets to match what I perceived the past mood has been. Then based on that information, I carefully layout
set lists so that the audience gets a ride out of them. I will start with something to grab their attention, then gradually build up to my more challenging material. I carefully consider similarities between songs. I won’t do two songs in the same key or the same tempo and feel. You don’t normally want to go from a dark, sad song directly to a funny song either. You notice I said normally. Sometimes it is what you need to do. You are the expert. The point I am trying to make here is that you should carefully consider the wheres, whens and whos of your shows. I promise it will make a huge difference to how well your music is received. As to where in your set list to put your cover songs, I can only say consider it carefully. Perhaps if it is a well known song, you might open with it. It might grab folks attention, and with that door open, you can then step inside with your own material. But then again, maybe you suck them in with your own material and surprise them at some point with a cover that is totally unlike what they remember. It depends on the night and the audience. Your set lists have to merely be suggestions. You have to constantly be aware of the audience’s attention. Is it waning or do you have them eating out of your hand? Do you think you might lose them with a slow, heartfelt song? If so, perhaps you jump down the set list to that funny song. Live performance is a dance with the audience, and when you pull out those familiar songs, it is simply another step in that dance. Cover songs for the performing songwriter are simply tools to grab their attention long enough to let you in with the good stuff – your originals. I would suggest avoiding “All Along the Watchtower” as a cover. I think Jimi owns that one. See you next month! Randy Brown is a full-time singer/songwriter living in East Texas and has been involved with many sides of the music business over the years, from being a sideman, a sound man, touring songwriter, producer, venue operator, and a recording studio owner/engineer. Some days he thinks he should go back to doing all covers. At least folks wouldn’t ask “what the heck was that?” November 2014 - Page 17
by Claudia Lowery
A JOUNREY CLOSE TO HOME
L
Nachos from Little El Salvador
ooking for restaurants that are review worthy isn’t easy. Sometimes friends post pictures on Facebook of the meal they are about to indulge in, and that’s how I found Little El Salvador. A fairly new restaurant in a small shopping center in Marshall on Pinecrest, the food is authentic Salvadorian cuisine with an occasional Mexican twist. Owners Enrique and Elvira Hernandez have a goal of getting the public to experience the food they grew up eating. They hope what is tasted will be liked and that others will begin to share the news of their delicious, hand-prepared food. Having visited there multiple times over a few weeks, I’ve tried a variety. Pastelitos are like little fried pies filled with ground beef and potatoes, served with a tomato sauce and curtido on the side. Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage slaw with a little kick, the perfect complement. My first visit I ordered the Plato Típico Salvadoreño for dinner that provides a sample of one pupusa, one corn or Salvadoran tamale, one pastelito, and fried plantain plus sides. Amazingly, they don’t bring a basket of the usual chips and salsa as a complimentary beginning to the meal, but a plate full of bean and cheese nachos with lettuce, tomato and sour cream that starts you off pretty full. The servings are generous and priced very reasonably ranging from $1.95 to $10.95. The menu also has Chile Rellenos, Panes con Pollo, Bistec, Salpicon, Lomo de Cerdo, Sopa de Res, Ensalad Fresca and Rusa, and Yuca with ChicharrÓn. Never fear … the menu items have descriptions in English. On the back of the menu there is a short selection of Mexican food for less adventuresome guests. I recommend this place not just for the food, but also for cleanliness, the spacious dining room, and friendly, accommodating staff. Elvira and Enrique have both come into the dining room while I was there just to say hello and check on guests. Little El Salvador is a family hoping to make you feel like family by bringing their country’s cuisine to their community. It’s a journey close to home that I plan to take again.
If you go:
Pastelitos from Little El Salvador
November 2014 - Page 18
Little El Salvador 200C W. Pinecrest Drive in Marshall 903-934-8902 Open all day Monday-Saturday (call for hours) and Closed Sunday
For two years I’ve shared my experiences at a few of east Texas’ best restaurants. From casual, family-friendly lunches to elegant dining, there’s hardly a bite I didn’t love. Some of the restaurants have stood out to me, and I plan to still frequent them when I can. Here are a few of my favorites and why. Lil Thai House in Longview is number one in my heart. I love the food, owners, décor, cool vibe, and the fact that family comes first. I only wish they were open ALL the time, but I’m not alone in that. It’s worth the wait for fresh, perfectly prepared food. Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler deserves that word … famous. The ribs are perfection on a bone. Sides are good too. Well worth the over-an-hour drive for me. Mi Casita in Longview has my favorite fish tacos. I like the décor, music, and laid back atmosphere. The owner is a great guy. I thought I was in Austin for a second. Jack Ryan’s Steak and Chophouse in Kilgore. Oh, my lord, that steak was so good I think I’ll never get over it! Most tender one ever, and the crab cakes were sublime. No place I’ve had crab cakes comes even close. They are the stuff of dreams. R&R Bakery and Coffee Shoppe in Marshall is the only version of Starbucks in town, plus the cinnamon coffee muffin makes me happy. I like to take my laptop and use their Wi-Fi, read a good book, or write in my journal. The owners are kind and encouraging. Nijiya Sushi Bar & Grill in Nacogdoches has the best tempura shrimp ever, and the sushi is premium. I plan to go again on my next trip there. So, those are some of my favorites and why, and there are others I’ll return to like Cajun Tex, Central Perks, and Potpourri House. I’ve decided to discontinue my column, so this will be my last “Center Stage Cuisine” article. But I promise … it won’t be the last time I eat out. I appreciate all of your encouraging words, restaurant suggestions, and being such loyal followers of my column. Who knows? Maybe we’ll run into each other while out to eat some day. Until then remember my disclaimer: The opinions expressed here were based on the writer’s personal experience. Please be sure to visit and form your own opinion.
Lemongrass Soup from Lil Thai House
Ribs from Stanley’s Famous Bar-B-Q
Steak from Jack Ryan’s Steak and Chophouse
Sushi from Nijiya Sushi Bar & Grill
PineyWoodsLive.com
Fiddler on the Roof A production of the ArtsView Children’s Theater by Jan Statman
A
s part of their tenth anniversary celebration, the ArtsView Children’s Theater’s production of the much loved, award winning musical Fiddler on the Roof will take the stage at the Longview Community Center for five performances Nov. 20-23. The play is based on the Sholom Aleichem book Tevye’s Daughters. The book includes short stories about Tevye, the dairyman, and his attempts to raise his five daughters in a proper traditional manner, even though terrible upheavals are coming to their small fictional village of Anatevka in the 1900s. Their world is changing before their eyes. Hundreds of years of carefully held traditions are fading, and ultimately the Great Tsar will evict all the Jewish people from their home in Anatevka. Sholom Aleichem was one of the most popular and best loved authors of Yiddish literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author, whose real name was Shalom Rabinowitz, chose the pen name Sholom Aleichem because it is Yiddish for “peace with you always.” The play was adapted with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein. It is set in the Pale of Settlement in Imperial Russia where the action takes place in 1905. The universal appeal of the story has taken the iconic musical from Broadway to all the distant corners of the world. Audiences as far apart as Tokyo and London, South Africa and Spain have responded to the universal themes. Although ArtsView is a children’s theater, it performs several adult productions during the year. Fiddler on the Roof features a spectacular cast under the direction of Brad Echols. PineyWoodsLive.com
The performers include dramatic singing voices and demanding choreographed dance routines. The lead role of Tevye will be played by Mark Horner while Tevye’s long suffering wife Golde will be played by Laura Bowen. Tseitel will be played by Ashton Eichelman, Hodel by Lacy Hutchinson, Chava by Kelsey McFall, Shprintze by Madison Bowen, Bielke, by Olivia Orren and Yente by Melissa Edwards. Motel will be played by Nathaniel Olson, Perchik by Grant Bridgman, Lazar Wolf by Larry Parker, Mordchai by Craig Walthall. The
Rabbi will be played by C.V. Dickson, Mendel by Scotty Eason, Avram by Jayme Henry and Nachum by Dana DiMambro. Grandma Tseitel will be played by Mariah VanDoren, Fruma-Sarah by Dana Huber, Constable/Dancer by Anton Yastrebov, Fyedka by Jess Vinton, Shaindel by Sue Olson, Yussel by Lowell Irving and the Russian Tenor by Don Esch. Chorus/Swing/Dance Captain will be Brittany Pelaia, Chorus/Swing – Caroline Curfman, Chorus/Swing – Auburn Hilliard, Chorus/ Dancer – Bucky VanDoren, Chorus/
Dancer – Isaac Grimes. Other members of the chorus include, D’Anna Yastrebov, Sophia Yastrebov, Caitlin Boyle, Judy Gillentine and Lisa Brown. This is a sizeable production. It not only features a large on-stage cast, but also involves a large number of people working behind the scenes to make the play run smoothly. For further information or to purchase tickets, please call (903) 2367535 or contact the theater website at www. ArtsViewChildrensTheatre.com.
Downtown Henderson
Homemade Gourmet Meals Fine Wines Craft Beer Gourmet Market & Catering
Vintage Furniture • Home Decor Clothes • Candles • Antiques • Collectibles Chalk & Clay Paint • Baby Items, The Resident Chef Food Products
GO LIONS!
127 E Main St Downtown Henderson
128 E. Main Street, Henderson, TX
903.392.8288
Mon.-Fri. 10am-5:30pm, Sat. 10am-4pm
November 2014 - Page 19
THE OF by Crystal Davis
s a pretty blonde woman sits in a salon chair, one of Longview’s newest, freshest and upcoming hair stylists whizzes through layers of hair with some very sure, swift movements of the shears. “You have to have patience for it,” said John Hamblen of Longview when talking about the challenges of his new job as a stylist for Vargas Salon & Spa. Hamblen, an East Texas native, has spent much of his younger vocational years working labor intensive jobs, like the oilfield or manufacturing plants, until one day he decided to make one of the most dramatic career changes — whe went to cosmetology school. Defying every stereotype, he often comes to work in his own preferred uniform of blue jeans, a Celtic’s ball cap, sneakers, with maybe a few tattoos visible and a charismatically infectious attitude… It is obvious he has the ability to instantaneously put anyone’s nerves at ease with a quick joke and broad smile. Alyssa Simpson, of the Alyssa Mishea band and Hamblen’s client during the interview, confidently watches her blonde tresses fall to the floor. This is her
first time sitting in his chair, but one would guess it was her 50th by the laid back ease carried on between the patron and her new stylist. “Have you ever tried to laugh without smiling? It doesn’t work,” he said. So what is it that inspires a strong, strapping, manly man to take up the hair dye instead? According to him, creativity and an artist’s heart are his main motivators. Raised by his grandparents since he was five, Hamblen found himself constantly surrounded by musicians, and he found a passion for artistic expression at a young age. At 17, he was again surrounded, but this time by the long arm of the law. Hamblen confesses he had stolen a neighbor’s guns to keep the man from following through on a threat he’d made to kill his girlfriend. After receiving a probationary sentence from the courts for burglary, it wasn’t long before he made another wrong choice and was charged with violation of those terms. “At 20 years old, I was serving a 10 year sentence,” said Hamblen. During his time in prison, he found a
... creativity and an artist’s heart are his main motivators.
November 2014 - Page 20
renewed sense of faith as a Christian. He prayed for forgiveness and looked for the lessons he felt God was trying to teach him. “If you do something wrong once, it’s a mistake,” he said. “If you do it again, it’s a choice.” He attended Main Concepts Cosmetology School under the tutelage of Valencia Swift and graduated December 2013. “She taught me way more than I needed to know to just pass the state board,” he said. Hamblen’s dad passed away just before he received his diploma that same month. There are no doubts, however, that the man who had fathered him was beyond proud. “He told me to ‘just keep doing it,’” said Hamblen. After he finished his training and graduated, he was certain of his next move. “This is the only place I ever had any intention on going,” he said as he looked around Vargas Salon and continued cutting Alyssa’s hair. “Peter taught me this,” he said, then he twirled hair here, snipped dead ends there and cut new layers with ease. Remarkably, Hamblen has gained 90% of his business through networking on Facebook. It seems he has finally hit his stride in life: committed to his faith, enjoying his family, building his professional career and making people smile. “I kinda like the fact my grandmother tells me how proud she is every day.”
PineyWoodsLive.com
My Creator Knows Me I feel your love surround me with the cloak of autumn— You know me well, my desire for all things green, gold, crimson, orange.
a dusting of snow brushed off shivering shoulders and gloved hands.
For some it is the love of light and airy blossomed branches moist with spring rain. For others it is the summer spray of ocean mist on hot skin or a frosted face,
You know me well and all your other loves equally, but I feel your considerate passion for my attention when leaves are warm-hued, the air crisp-cool, and your voice whispers my name in rustling, fallen leaves. by Claudia Lowery
Downtown Jefferson
The Old Store The Fudge Store
Piney Woods Live
AND
is seeking
WRITERS!
For more information, call 903.853.0977 or write to story-box@ pineywoodslive.com PineyWoodsLive.com
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JEFFERSON IMAGES 108 East Lafayette Jefferson, TX 75657
903-665-1128 207 N. Polk Jefferson 903.665.8282
123 N. Walnut Street Jefferson, TX 903.665.3562 • 800.227.1030 JeffersonFudgeCompany.com
1-800-657-5073
SPECIAL FACTORY PRICES November 2014 - Page 21
A Season for Giving
by Claudia Lowery
CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE East Texas is blessed with an abundant number of artists who want your Christmas gift-giving to truly be one-of-a-kind as well as affordable.
F
ollowing two highly successful years, more than twenty visual artists in east Texas will again share their creations of handcrafted gifts and art with holiday shoppers at the third annual Christmas Open House at the Marshall Visual Arts Center. Last year artists displayed items that reached beyond usual Christmas and holiday offerings found at the mall. The uniquely creative artwork this year includes pottery, jewelry, paintings, felted fiber art, handbound leather journals, colorful prints, gift cards, carved gourds, decorative eggs, window bling and more. There will be something for everyone on your list. East Texas is blessed with an abundant number of artists who want your Christmas gift-giving to truly be one-of-a-kind as well as affordable. And don’t forget to add your name to the gift
November 2014 - Page 22
list because who knows you better than you? It’s always the right time to be good to yourself. So, whether it is a handmade bookmark, ceramic vase, journal, one-ofa-kind window bling, beautifully crafted egg, or a watercolor landscape, the variety will amaze shoppers who appreciate creativity and art. There’s too much to list here, so plan a visit to feast with your eyes the workmanship of artists who live for creative expression. Save the date now for Friday, Dec. 5, 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Marshall Visual Arts Center is located at 208 E. Burleson (one block south of Hwy 80). However, the entrance marked Art Center is located on the side of the building on Lafayette Street. For more information, please call Claudia Lowery at 903-926-0440. PineyWoodsLive.com
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November 2014 - Page 23
O GREAT FOOD
O
C I S U M E V LI
DAY R U T A S • Y A ID R F • Y WEDNESDA ENTS FOR DETAILS V
SEE CALENDAR OF E
904 BROADWAY BLVD O KILGORE, TX 75662 O 903.984.8141 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK O WWW.THEBACKPORCHKILGORE.COM Jefferson’s Community Theatre
The Opera House Theatre Players presents
A Southern Belle Primer or (Why Princess Margaret Could Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma) Adapted by Ted Swindley from a book by Marilyn Schwartz
DESSERT THEATRE
Opens 26th Continuous Season of Live Theatre!
NOVEMBER 20, 21 & 22 • 7:30 PM
Based on Sholem Aleichem’s stories by special permission of Arnold Perl Book by Joseph Stein Music by Jerry Bock
118 E. HENDERSON • JEFFERSON, TX (Former Beje’s Diner)
Ticket includes complimentary dessert with coffee. Adults $15 / Under 12 $12 Tickets may be purchased at OMG Lulu’s 903-665-8855 or 903-665-2310 or online with Paypal at www.JeffersonOperaHouseTheatrePlayers.com
PERFORMANCE DATES Thursday • November 20 • 7pm Friday • November 21 • 7pm Saturday • November 22 • 2pm & 7pm Sunday • November 23 • 2pm All performances held at Longview Community Center, 500 E. Whaley St., Longview, TX Tickets Prices $15 online/ $18 at the door Purchase Tickets online: www.ArtsViewChildrensTheatre.com