Day: November 22, 2021

Del McCoury Band dives deep into working-man songbook with upcoming new album

Del McCoury Band’s new album Almost Proud will be out February 18, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, not to mention one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audience members number in the tens of thousands and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jam band royalty Phish count as two among them, there is Del. (Del McCoury Band, 2021)

The easy humility of Del McCoury, after more than 6 decades of awards and honors, is remarkable. He sees himself as a working man who chose music as his vocation. So, it is no wonder that the collection of songs that comprise his upcoming album Almost Proud (McCoury Music) reflects a blue-collar mindset—four songs about love lost, one love song that sounds like many others he has cut as a tribute to his wife of 57 years, Jean, two cheatin’ songs, 2 drinkin’ songs, one extolling the virtues of hard work, and one about a working-class hero standing up to big coal in the West Virginia of the early nineteen hundreds. On February 18, McCoury’s latest venture into the recording studio will go live, but right now, Del and the boys of the Del McCoury Band have shared a sneak peek of Almost Proud with the tune “Running Wild,” a song that he started over 15 years ago and decided to finish when his son and band member Ronnie McCoury played him a portion of a demo that had been recorded and forgotten about. Clocking in at barely over two minutes, “Running Wild” is a classic bluegrass burner featuring McCoury’s unmistakable voice enveloped by the singing and picking of his sons Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo), as well as long time band members Alan Bartram (bass) and Jason Carter (fiddle). Fans can check out “Running Wild” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save Almost Proud ahead of its February 18 release date right here.

Almost Proud is packed with songs from a wide variety of writers—well known and obscure—and includes a few performances from old friends. There are new songs like the aforementioned “Running Wild” and “Almost Proud,” a song written by his good friends Eric Gibson and Mike Barber that was cut just hours after it was written. McCoury tapped into his long friendship with Vince Gill to find the right high country vocal for “Honky Tonk Nights” and chose a little-known song from a recent Kris Kristofferson album called “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” to tell a story of married couples who have become perfect strangers. With “Once Again,” McCoury collaborated again with Josh Shilling, who joined him on piano.

Almost Proud Track list:
Almost Proud
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
Rainbow of My Dream
My Little Darlin’
Running Wild
Brown Paper Bag
Honky Tonk Nights
Once Again
Sid Hatfield’s
The Misery You’ve Earned
Workin’ Man’s Wage
Other Shore

2022-02-18T13:34:00

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Almost Proud release date

Taco Cabana to donate to Texas food banks this holiday season

Taco Cabana is giving back to the community this holiday season. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.

This holiday season, Taco Cabana will donate a total of $25,000 to area food banks across the state to help feed Texans in need. Following the sale of TC’s popular Halloween Taco Treats For A Cause coupon booklets, which featured five free classic bean and cheese tacos, 100% of proceeds will be distributed to major food banks in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas Fort-Worth, and El Paso. (Taco Cabana, 2021)

“Taco Cabana is proud to be a Texas-based brand and a growing presence across the state of Texas. It’s very important to us that we give back to the communities that support us every day. We’re happy to be able to donate and help our fellow Texans, especially during the holiday season.” – Ulyses Camacho, Chief Operating Officer, Taco Cabana

The holidays typically bring a greater demand and need at food banks, and these donations are expected to provide meals for thousands of families across the Lone Star State. Each organization will receive $5,000 this holiday season, including the San Antonio Food Bank, Central Texas Food Bank, Houston Food Bank, North Texas Food Bank, and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger.

See below for a list of the food banks receiving donations and for additional information about individual giving.

San Antonio Food Bank
5200 Enrique M. Barrera Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78227

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non‐profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to over 530 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas serving those in need. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long‐term food security.

Central Texas Food Bank
6500 Metropolis Dr.
Austin, TX 78744

The mission of the Central Texas Food Bank is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. Founded in 1981, the Food Bank provides food and grocery products through a network of nearly 300 Partner Agencies and nutrition programs, serving nearly 65,000 people every week. Headquartered in Austin, the Food Bank serves 21 counties in Central Texas, an area about twice the size of Massachusetts.

Houston Food Bank
535 Portwall St.
Houston, TX 77029

Houston Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for better lives. In the last fiscal year, which includes COVID-19 response, we provided access to 207 million nutritious meals in 18 counties in southeast Texas through our more than 1,800 community partners of food pantries, soup kitchens, social service providers and schools. Filling gaps on plates, we have a strong focus on healthy foods and fresh produce. In collaboration with our community, we advocate for policy change and racial equity, and promote dialogue on ways to increase access to food and to improve the lives of those in our communities, including services and connections to programs that address the root causes of hunger and are aimed at helping families achieve long-term stability: nutrition education, job training, health management, and help with securing state-funded assistance. 

North Texas Food Bank
3677 Mapleshade Ln.
Plano, TX 75075

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of more than 200 Partner Agencies across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries. In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 125 million nutritious meals, a 28% percent increase over the prior year. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more food for today and hope for tomorrow by addressing the root causes of food insecurity.

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger
9541 Plaza Cir.
El Paso, TX 79927

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank is El Paso’s only food bank and a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief network. In 2020, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger distributed 139.7 million pounds of food, making us the third-largest food bank in the nation in terms of distribution, behind Houston and Los Angeles. EPFH commits to making sure no one goes hungry.

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of YTC Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, tacos, flour tortillas and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of beer and $2 tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up and delivery. As of November 1, 2021, Taco Cabana operates 142 company-owned restaurants in Texas.

Celebrate Thanksgiving weekend with Taco Cabana’s new smothered burritos

Taco Cabana’s new smothered burritos are available while supplies last during extended holiday hours at all Texas locations. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.

Starting November 24, 2021, for four days only, Taco Cabana will extend its hours of operation around Thanksgiving to offer TC favorites and their new smothered burritos. The new smothered burritos will be available with the guest’s choice of ground beef or shredded chicken, wrapped in a flour tortilla and filled with refried beans, rice, pico de gallo, a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack shredded cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and smothered in Taco Cabana’s signature queso. Ground beef burritos are available for $7.49 and the shredded chicken burrito will be available for $6.99, while supplies last. Offer available at all participating Taco Cabana locations in Texas. (Taco Cabana, 2021)

Also included with this new limited-time item is a side of TC tortilla chips. Create your own “TC hack” by mixing the chips with your chosen burrito to add a little crunch. Guests 21 years of age or older can pair the limited time smothered burritos with a selection of $2 frozen margaritas or their choice of a lime, strawberry or mango-flavored gallon margarita to really make their Holiday party a hit for only $34.99 each. Smothered burritos will be available through drive-thru or in-restaurant only.

Thanksgiving week hours:
Wednesday, November 24, 2021: 6a.m. – Midnight
Thursday, November 25, 2021: CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
Friday, November 26, 2021: 5a.m. – Midnight
Saturday, November 27, 2021: 6a.m. – Midnight
Sunday, November 28, 2021: 6a.m. – 10p.m.

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of YTC Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, tacos, flour tortillas and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of beer and $2 tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up and delivery. As of November 1, 2021, Taco Cabana operates 142 company-owned restaurants in Texas.