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June 2018 VOL.7 ISS.3 #75 4 COMICS 5 QUICK READ 6 ALBUM COVER OF THE MONTH 7 CD REVIEWS 8 WILD CHILD: BACK IN AUSTIN 9 JOE TAYLOR: KEEPIN’ IT FUNKY 10 MARK PERSYN : VISIONS OF TEXAS 13 DEBBIE NOBLE’S: PHOTOGRAPHY HELP 14 BILLY STONER: A REAL OUTLAW 16 3 RD C OAST FOOD I E: COACH’S ISLAND GRILL 18 ST EAM’S EVEN T P I C KS 19 NEW MOVIE S & MUSIC PUBLISHER RUSTY HICKS EDITOR TAMMA HICKS COMICS EDITOR ALLENE HICKS STAFF WRITERS STEVE GOLDSTEIN, TAMMA HICKS, RUSTY HICKS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J MICHAEL DOLAN, DEREK SIGNORE, ROB DICKENS, RICK J BOWEN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLENE HICKS, RUSTY HICKS Alternative Weekly Network
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WE NEED THREE MIRACLES J. Michael Dolan
In addition to exceptional talent and extraordinary skills every artist and entrepreneur needs these three miracles:
BUSYWORK J. Michael Dolan
Artists and treps spend a lot of time thinking, wondering, dreaming and imagining. That’s an extremely productive process for us. That’s how we create stuff. However, if someone suddenly walked in, it may look like we’re not doing anything. That’s why we make up a game called “I’m busy.” It’s the best ever excuse to tell friends, coworkers and family when we don’t want to participate. However the danger is we load ourselves up with faux busywork, and then convince ourselves that we really are too busy! Huh?
Important because It’s easy to look busy. Not so easy to look effective.
SWEET URGENCY J. Michael Dolan
I recall the urgency I had back in the day, when the letters at the end of my name were CEO, and the voice inside my head kept prodding me to “keep my eye on the prize.” I still feel it today; the rush to complete, the race to finish, the itch to make a buck, the determination to extract that great idea out of my head—before I lose it. To finally arrive at “a fait accompli” so I can get on to the next big project. That urgency is NOT the stressful kind, nor the nerve-racking kind. Rather it’s the kind of urgency that keeps us awake at night—with excitement and anticipation, as opposed to worry and fear. It’s the kind of urgency that comes with knowing we’re on the right road, even though the final destination is unclear. It’s the kind of creative urgency that tugs at us from deep inside, and beckons us to search further, search deeper, for the answers, for the truth— in our art, in our work, and in our lives. Important because it’s crucial that we continue to strengthen our ability to recognize the difference between the positive, stimulating urgency that pulls us forward and the negative, stressful, urgency that holds us back, and causes us to vacillate.
1. Escort: We need somebody who believes in our mission, supports our efforts, points the way or introduces us to others in the inner circle with the wherewithal to make things happen. No one has ever accomplished their biggest goals or made it in the entertainment industry without a helping hand or expert direction from someone else. No one…ever. 2. Resolve: We need Herculean strength and Wonder Woman balls to dispel the noisy distractions of the day, and lift our cursory commitment up to a new level of ruthless resolve. And then park there indefinitely. 3. Luck? I’m not a believer in luck, it’s too illusive and unreliable for me. However, I love what Roman philosopher Seneca said: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” That said, I think the third miracle is less about luck and more about developing a razor-sharp, fail-safe antenna. So we can see & seize those sudden, unexpected opportunities without flinching or pausing to ponder. And while others depend on hope & luck, we need to keep our radar tweaked, and remain alert & aware enough to recognize the telltale signs of an impromptu opportunity. Just like smart market investors do.
Important because while it’s true that others look at artists & entrepreneurs like WE are the miracle workers, it’s also nevertheless true that we need all the miracles we can get, to help us create all the miracles that others expect from us.
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By the time this, their fifth album came out, Humble Pie had already established themselves as the cream of the English “boogie-rock” bands with previous releases; “Humble Pie” in 1970, “Rock On” and the highly energized live “Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore,” both in 1971. Original lead guitarist Peter Frampton left the band to go on to a stellar solo career that is still very much alive and well today. Clem Clempson was brought in on lead, joining drummer Jerry Shirley, bassist Greg Ridley, and former Small Faces lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott on Humble Pie’s biggest selling album. With Frampton’s departure, Marriott’s soulful, hardedged vocals are on full tilt on all nine tracks. Setting the stage on fire with “Hot and Nasty,” and “The Fixer,” these guys rip through originals and covers that include Eddie Cochrane’s “C’mon Everybody” that they make their own, and a rocking jam on Junior Walker’s “Road Runner.” Stephen Stills had been recording in a studio nearby and dropped by to play Hammond organ on “Road Runner” and add backing vocals on “Hot and Nasty.” Jerry Shirley remained with Humble Pie through its various lineups, and has worked with Syd Barrett, Sammy Hagar and John Entwistle, among others, and still remains active. After leaving Humble Pie, Clem Clempson went on to work with Colosseum, Jack Bruce, Bob Dylan, and many others. He is still active in music. Greg Ridley came to Humble Pie from Spooky Tooth. He tired of the Rock and Roll
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life and left the business in 1975. He died in 2003 at age 56 from pneumonia. Steve Marriott’s life began spiraling downhill because of alcohol and drug usage, and many friends and associates started distancing themselves from his destructive lifestyle. He continued playing and recording, and was even considered as a replacement for Mick Taylor after he left the Rolling Stones. In 1980, Marriott and Shirley revamped Humble Pie to moderate success. This powerhouse vocalist and musician remained busy until his fiery death, supposedly caused by falling asleep with a lit cigarette, in 1991 at age 44. This album is appropriately named; it is “Smokin’” hot! If you need proof, just give a listen to “30 Days In the Hole.”
As a young boy in New York City, Bela Fleck (named for Bela Bartok) was captivated by the sound of Earl Scruggs’ banjo on the theme song from the hit TV show, “The Beverly Hillbillies.” But it wasn’t until a few years later, about the time he entered the prestigious High School of Music and Art in New York that he actually started playing the 5-string banjo given to him by his grandfather. Taking lessons from the likes of Tony Trischka, Bela began making a name for himself playing in bluegrass bands. But having also been influenced by rock and roll and jazz, he didn’t see why this instrument couldn’t be used in more diverse settings. In 1981, he joined the progressive, genre-bending New Grass Revival. He continued to challenge what was expected from the instru-
ment by composing music in unorthodox time signatures and eventually formed his own band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. He electrified his banjo, interfaced it with a midi controller, and was said to have done for the banjo what Jimi Hendrix did for the guitar. He would go on to play symphonic classical music and collaborate with everyone from Dave Matthews to Garth Brooks to Bonnie Raitt to Chick Corea, as well as musicians from around the world. He traveled to Africa to trace the roots of the banjo for an award winning film, “Throw Down Your Heart.” In 2006, he teamed up with The Sparrow Quartet, an innovative endeavor that included fellow banjoist and future wife, Abigail Washburn. He continues to record and tour with Abigail, the Flecktones, and many others. He also managed to rack up 19 Grammy awards along the way, including more nominations in different categories than anyone else. This album includes many of the best musicians from the 2nd generation of bluegrass; Jerry Douglas, Mark Schatz, Mark O’Connor, and guest appearances by Ricky Skaggs, David Grisman, and NGR band-mate Sam Bush. The 11 instrumental tracks are all written by Bela and lean towards bluegrass, but there are definite hints of jazz and the road ahead. Although only 24 when he made this album, his virtuosity is on full display. Check out the recommended track, “Flexibility” and hear for yourself.
BILLY STONER BILLY STONER (TEAM LOVE RECORDS) BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN Back in the hazy days of the 1970’s, in the quaint capitol city of Texas, a musical movement developed as a result of good-timing, dope smoking hippies melding with hard-edged, Lone Star drinking country rednecks. Outlaw Country was on full tilt at places like Austin’s legendary Armadillo World Headquarters where Billy Stoner’s band, Plum Nelly regularly opened for the likes of Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the rest. Shortly after going to Longview Farms Studio in North Brookfield, Massachusetts in 1980 to record his solo effort that became BILLY STONER, he became a forced resident of the Big Spring Federal Prison Camp for three years. With his freedom, Billy found that both Austin and its unique music scene had drastically changed. He eventually returned to his native Tennessee and the album was shelved, but never out of mind. The project, originally dubbed “The Outlaw Sessions,” was revived in 2017 with inspiration from his good friend Jemima James, and now we have a record of Billy Stoner’s fun, honest taste of the times. Stoner is a little Billy Joe Shaver meets Kris Kristofferson at Willie’s Ranch. The songs are pure Texas Outlaw
MIPSO EDGES RUN (ANTIFRAGILE MUSIC) BY ROB DICKENS I have been listening to Edges Run by Mipso for a while and continue to be impressed with this a serene, evocative and sparse musical landscape. Firstly, some background. Hailing from the important music town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, indie Americana quartet Mipso are Jacob Sharp (mandolin, vocals), Wood Robinson (bass, vocals), Joseph Terrell (guitar, vocals), and Libby Rodenbough (fiddle, vocals). The new release is the combo’s fifth and came out on April 6 2018 via a newly inked record deal with AntiFragile Music. The band has a string-band Appalachian aesthetic but augment that with alt. country and folk flavors that provide a broader palette from which we all can draw. Mipso has traditionally been more than the sum of the parts and operate on a highly collaborative ethos. That democratic spirit is evi-
dent on Edges Run. “We’d all seen a lot of change in a short period,” says Sharp of the time between the band’s 2016 release, Coming Down The Mountain and Edges Run – recorded in early 2017. “Three of us moved out of the Triangle area and into other places. We had relationships end and deaths of friends and family members.” (# The Triangle is in the Piedmont of North Carolina and is bound by the cities of Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh.) The album was recorded out of the members’ comfort zone during the dead of winter in Eugene, Oregon with producer (and bassist) Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco, Andrew Bird, Anaïs Mitchell) and this provides for plenty for reflection and inward focus. “We were beginning to feel, probably for the first time, that youth was more behind us than ahead, and so I think we were all feeling different pressures closing in,” says Sharp. It is a profound and thoughtprovoking collection, highly recom-
honky-tonk mixed with themes varying from the bluesy “Lordy Lordy,” a sweet autobiographical mandolin waltz, “Lookout Mountain,” and finding big trouble in South Texas on “River Gang,” which is also the single release from the album. There is “Benny’s Tune,”a touching, working musician tribute to Austin fiddler and 13th Floor Elevator bassist, Benny Thurman, who passed away in 2008. Billy’s whimsical side shines on the appropriately named, guy who’s been there tale, “Honky Tonk Fever.” “If You Want the Candy (Last Time I Left Austin)” is a comically honest look at the lure of cocaine that closes the album. Along with Arlo Guthrie’s band, Shenandoah, Billy Stoner brings the Austin state of mind at the time into a New England recording studio. “I was an outlaw in Austin when outlaws were outlawed,” says Billy. BILLY STONER is a fun listen and nostalgic look back that seems to get better the more it plays.
mended. Key tracks are the wistful “People Change”, “Golden Kettle” and “People Change” The band has now released an official video for “Servant To It”, showing shows the behind-the-scenes dynamic and shenanigans of the band on the road. Libby Rodenbough describes: “There’s a romantic myth about artists that doesn’t square with the banal kind of privilege it usually takes to be one publicly. “Servant To It” is a wink at that myth. This video is a portrait of our reality as working musicians. Jacob Blumberg, the creator, came out on the road with us on a recent run down through the Deep South, and he put together a ton of material— disposable camera stills, old VHS camcorder footage, etc.—in a way that conveys the fun and silliness and strangeness and madness of touring.“ Mipso is currently on an extensive North American album release tour, with more dates to be announced. Look out for them .
LUKE WINSLOW-KING BLUE MESA (BLOODSHOT) BY RICK J BOWEN Known primarily as a “traditionalist,” New Orleans based guitarist Luke Winslow King dares to embrace the mainstream on his fourth album for the Bloodshot label, Blue Mesa, released in May of 2018. King is a gifted songwriter and Americana stylist and fine slide guitar player most well know for playing prewar jazz and blues. On this new album, he delves into classic Southern Rock, commercial Blues, and Country, navigating the multiple genres with ease and keeping the focus on his whiskey-smooth vocals. Opening hymn “You Got Mine,’ is joyous Gospel song, co-written with friend and legendary New Orleans musician “Washboard” Lissa Driscoll (who passed
BILLYSTONER.BANDCAMP.COM STEVE GOLDSTEIN: STEAMMAGAZINE.NET
MIPSOMUSIC.COM LISTENINGTHROUGHTHELENS.COM
away in September 2017), that celebrates unconditional Love. Italian Blues guitar dynamo Roberto Luti delivers scorching leads on the psychedelic swamp boogie of “Leghorn Women” borrowing from the Buddy Guy playbook while King does his best Jim Morrison. The title track is a southwest travelogue ode to booth an enchanting landscape and a lost lover. Four on the floor Rocker “Born To Roam,” is an American Pie anthem and the delicate ballad “Better For Knowing You,” reveals the influence of Townes Van Zandt on King. He and the crew then dive headlong into some deep Hill Country Blues for the stomping “I Thought I Heard You,” that’s filled with dynamic breakdowns and a
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soaring slide guitar jam. The choir joins King for the inspirational “Break Down The Walls,” that could be a lost gem from the Stephan Foster songbook. A sweet horn section joins in on the tasty Blues rhumba “Chicken Dinner,” and the smooth as silk country poem “After The Rain,’ features Chet Atkins styled pickin’ that would be right at home on the Opry stage. King closes with the heartfelt ramble “Farwell Blues,” coloring his sage advice with fiddle, accordion, and lonesome steel. LUKEWINSLOWKING.COM RICK J BOWEN: WABLUES.ORG
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words: D.C. Washington, Sound Magazine
Even in their home city, often referred to as the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin-based Wild Child earned the title of "Best Indie Band." The alt-darlings have exploded from obscurity in the span of three albums by walking a fine line between Folk, Indie, and Americana, and coming home to Austin for ACL Live at the Moody Theater. The last few years saw a few new band members. How has the new transition been working out so far? It's been good. The core of the band has always remained the same. It's actually been a positive experience being able to play with different people over the years. Everyone has their own style and vibe. Right now we're feeling pretty good. Seven members mean’s quite a lot of opinions and personalities. How does the band go about decision making through the creative process with that much perceived input? Usually Kelsey and I demo out the songs on a Tascam 4 track recorder or share songs back and forth on phone voice memos of ideas. Once we have a demo we usually take it to the rest of the band and work out parts.
Some songs on this new record we wrote together as a group in the studio. You are a couple months into your new release Expectations. What tracks off the album are you most excited to play on the tour? Maybe My Town? We haven't ever played that live. We've been playing a lot of the tracks in different forms for about a year now. Think It Over is another one that is so much fun to play.
Austin is‌ the type of place where the whole city gets behind its bands. I don't know if there are too many other cities like that. What spurred on the decision to work with a variety of different producers to put together the 12 song effort? We really wanted to explore the idea of releasing singles consistently instead on a traditional album. That idea set us on the path of talking to a bunch of different producers, and we realized we wanted to work with them all. So that began the journey of making Expectations. Hailing from Austin many people cite the city as the main hub for music in America, while some see it as becoming too
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commercialized. As you travel the country playing city to city, where do you think Austin ranks as far as a music hub? I'd say its number three in terms of music "industry" cities, but number one in terms of community. Austin is the type of place you can hone your skills and work on your craft in an encouraging environment. It's also the type of place where the whole city gets behind its bands. I don't know if there are too many other cities like that. The band has received accolades including "Best Indie Band". How important is it not to let accolades like that go to your head? I think in any situation it's best to say thank you and put it on your shelf and kind of just forget about it. It is always a nice validation that you are doing good work, but at the end of the day, it doesn't mean anything at all. You've been known to walk a "fine line between Folk, Indie and Americana", with instrumentation on the rise again and awards shows swinging in that direction how much of an influence has the mainstream spotlight had on the band? I would say that it really hasn't. I mean I love to watch the award shows and occasionally check in on the happening in the main stream world, but I don't really feel like we are part of it at all. We make music primarily for us. We all have different tastes in music, but it's beautiful how it always comes togeth-
er. I feel like I've struggled our entire career responding to "what kind of music is Wild Child?" And I'm not so sure we'll ever find the perfect answer.
June 21 ACL Live @ Moody Theater
Joe Taylor is an acclaimed performer and ace studio guitarist who continues to delight audiences across the country with his fiery, groove-laden shows. When we talked with him last year, I figured he was a great player and would put on a good show. Well, I was wrong… He is a FANTASTIC guitarist who puts on a show that you really shouldn’t miss. Joe has been called the “Redneck Jeff Beck” by The Village Voice, a “funky mix of Jeff Beck and Chet Atkins” by Rust Magazine, and “Claptonesque” by The San Diego Troubadour, and personally I couldn’t come up with a comparison that can fit any better than those! In fact, the best words I can use to describe the Joe Taylor Group’s show is a “musical joyride”. Joe takes the wheel and cruises you around from Jimi Hendrix to James Bond to songs off his last album, Sugardust In The Devil Wind. His ability to take you through rolling hills of highs and lows, around sharp windy roads with drama and thrills, and through dark tunnels with bright happy endings is a pleasure ride that everyone should be standing in line for. With the exception of an appearance at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville promoting Teye Guitars (featured in the
May issue of Guitar Player Magazine), the Summer of ’18 will be spent in the studio recording a funky new album with the assistance of Multi-Grammy winning producer Steve Rosenthal, and a list of acclaimed players. When asked how he chose the flavors and direction for his upcoming album, he alluded to a conference in a secret bunker in the hills of Virginia, and advice from a consigliere in Las Vegas. “I have been told to “keep it hot, keep it funky, and surround yourself with the best people”, so, that is what we’re doing,” Joe responded with a wry grin. Guided by Rosenthal, with contributions from musicians who have played with Santana, Jeff Beck, McCartney and Bowie, Taylor anticipates the first singles to be released in the Fall of 2018, with a full release before Christmas. Taking a cue from fellow contemporary instrumental artist Brian Culbertson, Taylor says: “It is important this time out to lead with big melodies and deep grooves, so that’s where we’re headed.” JOETAYLORMUSIC.COM
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Do you always use red? No, I use other colors but if I'm doing a bright sunlit scene it needs to be red or orange, so I can have that “pop” but if I'm doing a night scene then I’ll use a green underpainting and if it's evening I use a blue. So, really it depends on the piece, but really in a bright sunlight I want a lot of pop. I try to push the col-
or envelope because I want the eye to bounce around and pick up the colors. I’ve only been in Texas for 7 years, so I have lots of ground to still cover. Do all of the places in your paintings really exist? Oh, yes. Take the Roadhouse (on the cover) that was my dad's uncle's place and the cars in the background are our family cars. Place of Reverence is at the top of The Devil's Waterhole at Inks Lake. That guy is sitting on a cliff that drops several hundred feet straight
Padre Island Afternoon Place of Reverence
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down into a very deep pool. There are several gigantic Granite boulders. That people climb up on and jump into the lake. A lot of the scenes are of Flat Rock Creek near Marble Falls. Do you know all the people that are in your pieces? Yeah, I know everyone in my paintings and I ask them if I can photograph while they're working cattle, so I have an idea as to what I'm looking to incorporate. What I have found is that people don't like people in paintings unless they either
know that person or they’re real obscure, so you'll see the back of a head or a slight profile. That way they can say, “Oh, that looks like Uncle Bob,” and they’ll get that one. With all these great scenes you paint I would think you’re a cowboy. I’m more of a Jimmy Buffett cowboy. More beach oriented than cow. MARKPERSYN.COM. MARK@MARKPERSYN.COM
Riding The Ranch Crossing the Llano
Alpha Omega and Coastal Bend Web are happy to announce their new annual publication… Port Aransas Wildlife. This high gloss, full color brochure will be available on June 21st, the first day of summer. 5,000 will be distributed throughout Port Aransas, North Padre Island, Corpus Christi, Portland, Rockport, Ingleside, and the surrounding area. As part of their desire to contribute and care, they are donating half of the profits from this publication back to Port Aransas Wildlife. From this amount 25% will go to the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (A.R.K.) for their hard work and dedication in helping injured and sick wildlife and 25% to the Recreation Foundation of Port Aransas who supports Port Aransas Nature Preserves that provide necessary habitat critical to so many species. We hope this helps with rebuilding from the extensive damage sustained from Hurricane Harvey. Please visit us online for more
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information on the Port Aransas Wildlife brochure: Dedicated to conservation, education, and wildlife. PortAransasWildlife.com Dedicated to bringing awareness and selection to our
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After a decade of teaching scrapbooking and selling supplies, I learned a few things about making ordinary people’s photos look better. We sold a tiny photo-sized paper cutter so people could cut out people they didn’t know, people they didn’t like, things growing out of the subject’s head, and cars going by in the background. One of the easiest nontechnical things you can do to take better photos is to simply pay attention to background. If you pay attention to what is in the background when you take the photo, you don’t have to (or wish you could) crop anything out (digitally or physically) later on. I once saw wedding photos from a church where the garish red EXIT sign was prominently displayed over every group shot and it totally distracted from the meaningful family memories. There is a difference between using background to show context or setting and having it just get in the way of a good photo. Sometimes, just a step to one side or the other or a tilt of the lens or a tighter zoom will frame what you want and leave out what you don’t want. The photo should highlight or tell the story that you want and not lead your eye or thoughts elsewhere.
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Bay Tamma Hicks & Rusty Hicks STEAM Magazine
Billy Stoner was born on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and he resides there today. As a child, Billy was a member of the Chattanooga Boys Choir and after high school, he learned how to drive a truck and spent time on the road. In the late 1960s, he was a member of Boston band The Family Circus, and in the 1970s Plum Nelly (Austin Texas). He recorded his own musical project in 1980 at Longview Farm in N. Brookfield, Massachusetts, which a friend refers to as the outlaw sessions. All the business he did for almost two decades was to support his music habit. Not long after recording his album, Billy became a member of The Austin Fall Stars, a band based at Big Spring Federal Prison Camp. They performed at community events in west Texas, too. “River Gang” was the first single from Billy Stoner’s album, released by Team Love Records as a CD and a digital album. It was produced by Billy Stoner, and album credits include executive producer Jack
Cheer, engineers Jesse Henderson and Stu Erwin. Players featured on the record are Jemima James and Shenandoah, known as Arlo Guthrie’s band. So, my first question, and I'm sure you’ve been asked before: Is Billy Stoner your real name? I get that a lot and yes it is. Actually I'm a junior, after my father and my grandfather was William Ira Stoner. I thought maybe it was a nickname you got it in the 70s. Yeah well I tried to live up to it as well as I could. I was looking up information on you and I found that you played with the “Austin Fall Stars”. I thought that was pretty cool and then I realized that was in a correctional facility. Oh yeah, the Fall Stars. When I got busted in Austin they sent me to Big Spring. You know the DEA had come into Austin and rounded up a whole bunch of music people. So, Big Spring was full of musicians. But yeah we had a great band that we put together. We played all over at county fairs, rodeos, VA hospitals, and for the senior citizens. Now we were the only band in captivity that got to go out and play. We spent most of our time outside playing music. I won't mention any names but a lot of people from Austin area was in the band. One guy played for Moe Bandy, another played with Asleep At The Wheel, others from Alvin Crow’s group, the Geezinslaw Brothers. Really we had an All-Star line-up. The first person I met when we got there was Tiny
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McFarland and he took me under his wing and we started up a little gospel quartet that went out to the senior citizens and sang for them. I’d heard there was a sax player that had had a 30-piece orchestra in San Antonio, so we grabbed him along with Clifford Antone. You know it's too bad you don't have any recordings from that. Well you know I got a Reel-to-Reel. So, it was illegal to have a tape recorder; you know they didn't allow inmates to have those. We put on a concert for the inmates after we’d smuggled a recorder in. We hooked it to the soundboard and kept it in a broom closet while recording the whole concert. I'll tell you it's really good. You need to put that one out it seems to have a natural ring to it. Well, yeah I guess the statute of limitations is up on it by now so there won’t be any trouble.
With the recent release of ‘Billy Stoner” in the UK they are calling me the “Rip Van Winkle of the outlaw movement”. Tell me how your music career and Big Spring came together. I first went to Austin in the late 60s. I went down there for a different kind of mission but I met up with some pot Smugglers and pretty soon I was off to Boston to set up shop. I started a band up there called The Family Circus which was my first band. We
had some great pickers in that band; in fact Harry Hess followed me back to Austin and ended up with Sir Doug and the Texas Tornadoes. Anyway up there in the Boston area we played ski resorts, military bases, and all over the city and our claim to fame was that The J. Geils Band opened for us. We had quite a band, but the police got on to me from my other project and I had to kind of leave suddenly. I ended up back in Austin real quick, in the middle of the night. And that's when I started Plum Nelly. I ran into Jerri Jo Jones when she was about 19, a wonderful singer. She was slinging pizzas at the Shakey's Pizza Parlor and would do a set in between pizzas. So, we put together a trio with Bobby Lemons and went to Kerrville for the Folk Festival and won. Bobby Lemons is Willie Nelson’s sound man; he's been with him for 30 years. So, at that point jobs were flooding in and this was before Willie came to town. We were booked at the Armadillo, the Opera House, the Soap Creek Saloon (we played there 47 times) and then we played all the other joints around Austin too. The gigs were just flying in so I got Ernie Gammage on bass, Johnny Richardson who was a fabulous lead guitar player, Benny Thurman from the 13th Floor Elevators played fiddle, and percussionist and skirt swisher Melita Flores who was a Brownsville native rounded out the group. Really we just formed the band around Jerri Jo. Really we were just at the right place, at the right time. In fact Plum Nell performed for the Grand Re-Opening of Gruene Hall. So we were already established, playing all the clubs, so we just naturally opened shows for the likes of Willie, Waylon, Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep At The
Wheel; just all of them. When I listen to your album I can hear all those characters just kind of rolled into yours. There really weren’t a lot of bands or good places to play, so I felt confident that we were on the ground floor of Outlaw music and of course when Willy came to Austin it just blew up and the rest is history. But we were right in the thick of it. We went up to Nashville, did some recording, but we broke up after that. Did you play Austin City Limits? No, but we played on the radio show before it became a TV show and back then it was only Austin bands that they featured.
“I was an outlaw in Austin when outlaws were outlawed.” ~ Billy Stoner
Where did the name Plum Nelly come from? Plum Nelly is a place right here on Lookout Mountain where Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama come together. It's Plum out of Tennessee and Nelly out of Georgia. Is there a Plum Nelly album? Ernie Gammage has it. A bunch of it was recorded live in Kerrville, some at the Armadillo, and some of our Nashville stuff too. So, after Plum Nelly broke up I moved to Houston and started the River Gang Band. Which it was another good band and played all the Houston joints and Galveston beach bars. We even went up to Steamboat for some gigs there, but I couldn't stand Houston and didn't last too long around there. But the most interesting thing about the River Gang Band just recently happened. Somewhere, someone had recorded us! A woman in Israel got in touch with me because she had recordings of the band and was sending them to a recording studio in LA. A band there, The Main Squeeze, is adding overdubs and planning to release this album of the River Gang Band. The song
“Lordy, Lordy” is being featured in the full length extreme ski movie, “Same Difference”, by Legs of Steel from Austria. Wow, that's really interesting! Yeah, like I said I didn't even know there was a recording. Anyway, I had moved back to Austin working for the Opera House as security and stage manager in 1980. That's when I got a call to go up to Boston to record my songs. I went to Arlo Guthrie’s new state-of-the-art studio and the guys backing me up are his band, Shenandoah. I came back to Austin and I got busted; I got a seven year sentence which kind of put a stop to this whole project and the master tapes got shelved. You did seven years? No, I did 37 months and the rest of it was on probation, but 37 months was plenty long enough. While I was on Parole I went back to Austin and played bass for the Too Much band until I moved back to Tennessee to care for my mom. At his point I was still carrying around those master tapes. I really hadn't done anything until Jemima contacted me about releasing the album. And this is the Billy Stoner album that was just released, right? Yeah, after 38 years the backup singer on those recordings, Jemima James who is a wonderful singer and has her own album out, got in touch with me and said let's do this. Really, she got this going and got it released. I’d read something you’d said a while back, “Prison put a stop on things, and then life happened.” Yeah, you know music just went to the wayside at that point. And then this opportunity came up to put this album out. That’s really been my life story, everything just fell in my lap. So, basically that's how it all happened. You know, I'm 73 and I had a pretty rough life, so I don't get out and do much traveling anymore. I have a home stu-
Photo: Robin Rudd dio; I still write, I still record. You know it's kind of bittersweet that I did all these things and now I watch other people do it. But we really did open the door for a lot of those people to play in those places. I like to ask songwriters if they have any advice to people that are just getting started. Well, I guess it's like what Kenneth Threadgill told me when I'd asked him that exact same question. He said just keep doing it. So, I guess that's my advice. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best, just starting out, or have lots of know how. All that
matters is what you're trying to say. Stay true to yourself I guess that's key to everything in life. Doesn't matter what you do as long as you do the best you can. Last question, who’s your label and where is your album available? “Billy Stoner” is out on Team Love Records and it's available on Amazon and other online retailers. Just a funny note about the UK release, over there they are calling me the “Rip Van Winkle of the outlaw movement”. BILLYSTONER.BANDCAMP.COM TEAM-LOVE.COM
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I get nostalgic when I think of
717 TARPON PORT ARANSAS TX 78373
361.332.9686 OPEN THU-TUE Thu 6am-2pm & 6-10pm Fri & Sat 6am-2pm & 6pm-12am Sun 6am-2pm & 6-8pm Mon 6am-2pm & 6-10pm Tue 6am-2pm CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
DINE IN, CARRY OUT, & ASK ABOUT DELIVERY!
Facebook.com/ Coach’s Island Grill 16 JUNE 2018 STEAM MAGAZINE WWW.STEAMMAGAZINE.NET
diners. My mind races back to being a kid in the late 70s, early 80s when the family would go to a roadhouse diner for a meal. Never mattered what time we were there, we could get whatever meal we wanted, at whatever time it was. As with so many other things, time has commercialized those feelings – but I’m here to tell you that in Port Aransas the clocks have been turned back with a resounding cheer for Coach’s Island Grill. So not as to confuse you (or me), I’m going to refer to Coach’s Island Grill as CIG and the owner as Coach – because that’s his name. So what makes this diner so special you ask? Well, CIG recently opened their doors to bring you that nostalgic feeling. Memorabilia from Coach’s days in the boxing ring to his great appreciation of basketball and baseball to his love of football and coaching line the walls and takes you back to simpler times while the food fills that nostalgic, homemade need and the biggest of appetites.
CIG is open early for breakfast
and closes late for dinner, while
their close proximity to the beach, waterfront, and bars with live music make it easy to find. Coach, along with his brother Lance and Chefs Stephy and Bob, serve up a wide variety of foods on the menu and good coffee and just about every meal includes the drink. You can eat inside the diner or outside on the lawn and you can call for carry out, but don’t forget to ask about delivery. They have some great activities planned for this summer – from community bike rides to movies on the lawn and daily specials that will knock your socks off, so watch their Facebook page to see what’s happening.
We arrived just as Stephy’s pulled
pork finished, so needless to say that’s where we started, The Pulled Pork Sammich! Lightly seasoned, perfectly tender pulled pork piled high on a ciabatta bun served with pickles and onion on the side. The Sammich also came with nicely sized sides of Steamed Vegetables and K-So Mac. Yep, I have never thought of making macaroni and cheese using anything other than cheddar until now. That was really good! I
don’t know who came up with it but they also serve Wild Macaroni n’ Cheese and we’ll have to go back to try that. Breakfast all day is always a win for us, so we ordered the Grand Slam. Three fluffy scrambled eggs sat a top layers of hash browns, sausage patties, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and cheese. It filled the whole plate and yes, you can substitute bacon for sausage and have your eggs cooked anyway you like. Our next plate was five stuffed Street Tacos. You can get them with ground beef, chicken, steak, or, when they have it, pulled pork. If you’re guessing that we went with the pulled pork, you’re right. It was just so tasty we couldn’t resist and they serve it on corn tortillas, which makes this meal gluten free! A nice surprise, because that’s not something you think about unless you have too.
Finally we reached Coach’s real reason for fame… Philly Cheese Steak! This will fill any appetite and settle your hunger in the most delicious way. A split toasted hoagie roll is stuffed with hand sliced seasoned Ribeye and sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onions before being smothered by Swiss and American cheeses. I have never been to Philadelphia, but I can only imagine that their famed sandwich would be this good! On March 11th Lance, Stephy, and Bob made a deal with Coach... If they sell a million Philly
Cheese Steak sandwiches, Coach will get a tattoo. As of Print they were nearing 1,100!
Lastly we had to get dessert! Which is promi-
nently featured where I think all desserts belong… On the cover of the menu! I haven’t gone to a state fair in Texas yet, but CIG has got me believing I need to go! We are talking carnival style, ooey, gooey, scrumptious Deep Fried Oreos, Twinkies, and Cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce drizzle. And yep, we had them all!! The sugared flour coating bubbled up making a crunchy crust while the Oreo and Twinkie melted in your mouth. The hot crunchy crust kept the Cheesecake cool and creamy. Honestly, Coach’s Island Grill put us in food heaven and we can’t wait to go back for more!
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BOOZERZ ROCK BAR artist, and designer, Mari Hernandez alters her 3854 SPID, Corpus Christi identity and physical appearance through the Live All Month Long! See our ad for full use of make-up, prosthetics, wigs, costumes, listing! and props. Through narrative, she reinterprets histories and proposes new ones. Elements of BORDERLINE BAND performance distinguish her work from other See our ad for full listing! modes of photography and highlight the staging of identity, gender, and action. Hernandez’s FRONTIER SALOON work is made possible through an intentional 9709 Leopard St, Corpus Christi exploration of the creative process and the comLive Music Every Saturday Night! See our plex negotiation of a reliance on memory, histoad for full listing! ry and unlearning. (free & open to the public) GIGGITY’S MEET HER HANDS: ALIE JACKSON IN AUS722 Tarpon St, Port Aransas TIN Live Music Every Night! See our ad for full JUNE 2 listing! Elisabet Ney Museum MIKEL MAY’S BEACH SIDE BAR & 304 East 44th Street, Austin Meet Her Hands is a collaborative exhibition GRILL series featuring three Texan women artists. This Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi Karaoke Every Wednesday and Friday. season, we're proud to host animator and illusLive Music Saturdays and Sundays. See trator Alie Jackson, documentary photographer Deborah Valcin and conceptual artist Cindy our ad for full listing! Popp. Each artist will showcase work within the SHORTY’S Elisabet Ney's collection for two weeks, and 823 Tarpon St, Port Aransas throughout the summer we'll explore sculptor Live Music Every Thursday, Friday & Sat- Elisabet Ney's legacy, while writing a new histourday Nights! See our ad for full listing! ry for women in the arts. The opening reception and artist talk for Alie Jackson's exhibition will THE BAY JAMMIN’ CONCERT SERIES be held on June 28 at the Elisabet Ney MuseEVERY THURSDAY JUNE-AUGUST um. The exhibition opens at 6:30 PM with comCole Park Amphitheater, Corpus Christi plimentary refreshments, followed by a tour of Showcasing a wonderful musical group the museum at 7:00 PM and an artist talk at each week for your entertainment. Music 7:30 PM. will be LIVE—featuring a variety of genres from rock, country, world beat, jazz, blues WILD CHILD and more. JUNE 8 Austin City Limits Live RODEO! THE EXHIBITION Moody Theater, Austin NOW THROUGH JANUARY 2019 Returning home during their extensive us tour. Bullock Texas State History Museum 1800 Congress Avenue, Austin SHRIMPOREE Explore the origins of Texas rodeos and JUNE 8-10 stock shows, the very personal relation200 E Johnson Ave, Aransas Pass ships Texans have with beloved rodeo and Shrimp Eating Contest, Men’s & Women’s Sexy stock show traditions, and the lasting legaLegs Contest, belly dancers, fire dancers, pacificy of youth education, community involveer islanders, mariachis, folkloricos, children ment, and historic preservation these longcharacter shows and a petting zoo. Two stages established competitions hold. Grab your packed with entertainment! gear, pick your mount, and bring the whole family to Rodeo! The Exhibition. No matter DOLLAR AFTER DARK & RIDE-IN MOVIE what your age, there's something to see, THEATER touch, and do! JUNE 8, 2018 The Art Museum of South Texas MARI HERNANDEZ: WHAT REMAINS 1902 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, JUNE 2 THROUGH 29 The Art Museum of South Texas will have reSouthwest School of Art duced admission before the Corpus Christi Ride 1201 Navarro Street, San Antonio -In Theater. Admission to view the current exhiActing as photographer, subject, make-up
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bitions and stroll the museum galleries is free for members and reduced admission $1 for nonmembers. 4TH INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA FESTIVAL JUNE 9 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center 200 East Market Street San Antonio As part of the world celebration of Yoga, we are organizing a FREE conference for all ages and levels. Theme: YOGA for WARRIORS Calling all warriors in life! Start the day off with us and 'Walk with a Warrior'; honoring the men and women who serve our country and protect our communities, this is an opportunity to walk together and share our gratitude for their service. Then, explore a full day of FREE yoga classes, mindfulness classes, wellness lectures, workshops, and kids activities. Wrap up the day with our fun and interactive outdoor yoga class by Mobile OM, and A music and Festival of Colors finale! BUILD A PLAYGROUND JUNE 14 3102 Baldwin Blvd, Corpus Christi The new playground will provide more than 600 kids in Corpus Christi with a fun, safe place to play and make it easier for kids and families in our community to prioritize daily, active play. The project is part of "Let’s Play," an initiative by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to provide the funding, equipment and play spaces for our communities to enjoy playtime and be more active. LIFE ROLLS ON THEY WILL SURF AGAIN JUNE 16 Horace Caldwell Pier Port Aransas Hundreds of volunteers, people of all ages with disabilities, and entire families come together for an epic day in the ocean. BUBBLES & BLING: AN ADULTS-ONLY ART WORKSHOP JUNE 21 Mexic-Arte Museum 419 Congress Avenue, Austin In conjunction with Mexic-Arte Museum’s exhibition "YLA 23: Beyond Walls, Between Gates, and Under Bridges" (Guest Curated by Rocha Rochelli), this workshop allows participants to learn about Chavez’s practice and bring an object of importance that they would like to “visually elevate.” Chavez will guide attendees through the process of adding baubles and
jewels to adorn your objects. Light refreshments and bubbly will be served. 2018 ICE CREAM FESTIVAL JUNE 23 Fiesta Gardens 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin The Austin Ice Cream Festival will feature two uniquely Austin events -- a daytime family focused festival with mounds of ice cream and frozen treats from local favorites and national brands, contests, fun activities, live entertainment, local food trucks and more! As the sun sets, Fiesta Gardens will transform to After Dark at Austin’s Ice Cream Festival, a trendy party with headlining live music, frozen treat vendors, boozy frozen drinks and Austin’s favorite food trucks. Music lineup TBA. CORPUS CHRISTI VEGFEST JUNE 23 Heritage Park 1581 N Chaparral St, Corpus Christi Experience vegan food vendors, music performances and great speakers in the field of animal rights, plant based living, health, and more! OUT AND ABOUT PUB CRAWL JUNE 26 Downtown Corpus Christi Cheers to a night of cocktails, wine, beer, and PRIDE in downtown Corpus Christi for Pride Downtown's first annual Out-and-About Pub Crawl!
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