Aaron Wilson
Clay Mobly
Mike Geldon & Rick Woo
O-o-o, Listen C
ranking up a tune on the radio (or your personal electronic device). Saving up coins to see a superstar at a mega concert venue. Putting on a personal playlist to get through the day. Sitting in a familiar space to hear a guy with a guitar express the emotion of a breakup, birth of a baby or love for his big ol’ dog. Music permeates our lives, and the Wylie area presents an amplitude of options for listening to live music locally. “Live music is the medicine that can lift us up and heal our souls,” according to local artist Aaron Wilson, who bills himself as The Tin Can Troubadour. Aaron, who by day is a quality control supervisor for Tower Extrusions in Wylie, has been performing most of his life. “I come from a theater family,” he said. “I remember performing in plays when I was very young. I put out an album of original music in 1999. I stopped playing live after 9/11. I focused on my family and being a father. I started playing again right as Covid restrictions were lifting.” Wylie is unique in offering several live music venues, Aaron said. “The rest of DFW has not embraced live music – especially original live music. Wylie has a great opportunity to really dig in and become a live music destination in the DFW area.” Clay Mobly has been singing on stage since he was eight years old. “I began singing in choirs and fell in love with country music, which led to performing at the opry circuit and starting live music gigs as I learned to play guitar,” Clay said. “The Wylie Opry was where I first started 6|
| October/November 2023
live country music at the age of 11, and I still go back to sing there to this day!” Leading the contemporary service music as the associate minister of music and worship at First Baptist Church of Garland, Clay knows the impact live music can have. “The energy of not only performing but listening to live music has always been one of the best parts for me,” he said. “Live music puts a smile on my face as I see it does for many people I get to meet while performing. “Connecting and building relationships with people throughout a gig is so much fun.” “Audio artists” is how Mike Geldon, one half of the duo Standards Gazette, refers to himself and his fellow musicians. Mike and his musical partner, Rick Woodul, began performing together at age 15. Now a retired metalsmith and jewelry manufacturer, Mike and Rick, a freelance guitar instructor, are working on recording an album in Rick’s Wylie studio. “People should know that music is art,” Mike said. “More importantly, people should know that what is presented to them in a performance is like the visible tip of an iceberg. Our performance is the result of hours, days, weeks and years of practicing and refining our craft – not only as individual musicians, but also as a part of any ensemble, be it a duo, trio or more.” Musician Rob Hunter, the former owner of Ballard Street Music Company (now Avalon School of Music) agrees that most musicians aren’t doing it for the money. ”People should understand that generally a local musician
