8 minute read
O-O-O, Listen to the Music
by Donnita Fisher
Cranking 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 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 is never paid what they are actually worth,” Rob said. “They may conclude that a few hundred dollars for a two-hour gig is a lot but when you consider the hours that go into practice, memorizing and learning new material, when the shows goes on, the actual pay is sometimes less than $10 per hour.”
Rob said his days now are spent writing his first novel and practicing his music. “I spend about five to six hours, five days a week working on my vocals, listening and learning new songs and playing guitar,” he said.
Coming from a family of musicians, Rob has been performing most of his life. “I began singing and playing the piano when I was 5 years old,” he said. “I got into music by mimicking my parents. The first song that I learned on piano was ‘Blueberry Hill’ by Fats Domino. The second was ‘Stand by Me’ by Ben E. King. When my first-grade classmates would stop by my house to walk with me to school, I would end up playing a song or two before walking to school with them.”
Mike Jones retired from corporate America in 2020 and got a real estate license so he could work with his wife, Anita. But the 73-year-old has been performing since he was about 8 years old. “When I was in second grade, my teacher asked me to sing to ‘Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going’ One’ by Jerry Lee Lewis for the class. So I did! From then on it was easy to get up and perform.”
At 11, Mike started playing guitar for family and friends. “By the time junior high came around, I had my own band with a couple of classmates, and we would rehearse early morning before school in one of the classrooms a teacher let us use to keep our equipment,” he said.
In high school, his band played teen parties and school functions. In college at SMU, his group played frat parties and live on radio station KNUS. “I’ve played in numerous bands around the area for many years including a wellknown band of the ’80s and ’90s, Starfire,” Mike said. “We played many corporate party functions and weddings.”
David Fox, the keyboard player and singer at the Wylie Opry, was also in Starfire.
Recently, Mike has played in an Allman Bros. tribute band called No Angel, and he’s currently working on a Linda Ronstadt tribute band named Simple Dream.
“My solo performing act is a rockabilly-themed project where most of the music is self-composed, arranged, tracked and performed,” he said. “During the pandemic, we held several Friday Night Kitchen Concerts on Facebook Live, using this technique, to help entertain people sheltered in place. I recently released my first rockabilly album through all streaming services entitled ‘Rockabilly Rumble,’ and I go under the artist name “Rock the Old Man.”
Why Live Music?
These musicians agree, there’s just something special about performing and listening to live music.
“People should go listen to live music because it serves many purposes,” Rob said. “It supports the entertainer and, just by listening, they become active participants whether they realize it or not. Live audiences sometimes become the spark that allows the entertainer to be more creative and go places in song that they would not normally achieve.
“The presence of an audience will sometimes cause the artist to hit higher notes and produce more brilliant vocal runs because they draw the talent out of the performers.”
The audience, Clay said, makes the difference “At the end of the day, live music is nothing without a live audience, and that’s what makes live music great,” he said. “The connection between the two and how every gig is unique because of the people involved.”
Mike Geldon echoed that live music brings something to the performer and the audience.
“People should experience live music to get that spontaneous thrill of a great performance by the artist up on stage, to experience it with friends and to help support musicians financially,” he said.
Live music can be calming and exciting and “extremely honest,” Mike Jones said. “Live music is performance from the soul of the performer. It’s real, it’s right there in front of you and it’s extremely honest in nature.
“People need to channel in to music for their own salvation and stress-relief. The performer doesn’t have to be stellar, but know this … whoever he or she may be has worked extremely hard to try and perfect the music experience being delivered. It has its own rewards for both the performer and the audience.”
Musicians performing live are sharing a part of themselves, Aaron said. “We live to play our songs. We are compelled to create and share parts of our souls. The greatest thing you can do for a musician is listen.” •
Give These Wylie Musicians a Listen
Cory Brooks
Rob Hunter
www.facebook.com/rob.hunter.77770
Clay Mobly
Mike Santacangelo
Mike Jones
Soundcloud.com/rock-the-old-man
Mike Geldon & Rick Woodul
Dave Christen with Don Maracle
www.facebook.com/davechristenmusic
Aaron Wilson
www.facebook.com/tincantroubadour
Hear Here!
Several local locations to enjoy Live Music:
The BackYard Murphy 217 E. FM 544, Murphy
The Boathouse 2202 St. Paul Rd., Wylie
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083277155645
Bold BBQ Pit 114 N. Ballard Ave., Wylie
Char Bar & BBQ 7340 Hwy. 78, Sachse
Herman Marshall Whiskey 121 N. Ballard Ave., Wylie
www.facebook.com/HermanMarshallWhiskey/
The Ol Girl 211 N. Keefer St., Wylie
Villa Vinci 117 N. Ballard Ave., Wylie
Wylie Opry 111 N. Ballard Ave., Wylie
Meet The Ol Girl
Owner Sandra Stone turned her circa 1906 Craftsman home into a place to honor her brother, Billy Stone. Billy was a singer/songwriter in Nashville for more than 30 years.
“Billy left us a catalog of great music as he was a true Texas troubadour and I had also lived in Nashville for several years and loved the opportunity to listen to up and coming singer/songwriters, Sandra said. “I wanted to be able to share his music with others and I wanted to create a place for others to play their music also.”
With the help of neighbors Aaron (a singer/songwriter himself) and Mandi Wilson, “House Concerts at The Ol Girl” began. (“The Ol Girl is what I’ve affectionately called my home for years,” Sandra explained.)
The Ol Girl offers a “small, intimate, non- commercial venue,” Sandra said, “and advertising is word of mouth or social media.”
Concerts are March through June and September through October, the second Saturday of the month.
“Everyone is welcome,” Sandra said. “We have three singer/songwriters play each concert and the variety of music varies.”
For information about the concert series, visit The Ol Girl Facebook page: www.facebook.com/theolgirl1 •
