Category: Music News

Yonder Mountain String Band re-release Town by Town

Yonder Mountain String Band re-releases pivotal second album Town By Town for twentieth anniversary. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

September 27, 2021 marked the 20th Anniversary of award¬-winning Colorado bluegrass luminaries Yonder Mountain String Band’s incredibly popular and influential second studio album, Town by Town. To celebrate, YMSB has just announced a 20th-anniversary re-release of this modern classic on 180g double vinyl. Originally released on the band’s own independent label, Frog Pad Records, Town by Town features founding members Adam Aijala, Ben Kaufmann, Dave Johnston, and Jeff Austin, along with album producer and bluegrass legend Tim O’Brien who lends his talent on fiddle and bouzouki. “Wow, 20 years have gone by since I dove in with Yonder for a new recording,” says O’Brien. “It’s a good thing to look back and see what we did and what happened since.” The 20th Anniversary release of Town by Town is available on their online store. (Yonder Mountain String Band, 2021)

Over time, the songs of Town by Town have grown into classics in their own rights and are certainly considered fan favorites at YMSB’s legendary live shows. Additionally, Town by Town paved the way for the next generation of jam-grass talent who regularly pay tribute to the Nederland, Colorado-formed band—and specifically this album—in their live shows. Six-string shredder Billy Strings slides “Sorrow Is A Highway” into his live shows and Greensky Bluegrass cover “Peace of Mind” in their sets. Up and comers The Kitchen Dwellers cover “New Horizons” and fellow jam-circuit veteran Keller Williams put the same song on his first bluegrass album with Larry and Jenny Keel. YMSB’s reach expanded beyond the bluegrass community when rapper Bubba Sparxxx sampled “To See you Comin’ Round the Bend” for the track “Comin’ Round” from his 2003 album Deliverance.

Looking back twenty years later, it is apparent the impact Town by Town had—and continues to have—on YMSB’s fans and contemporaries. “They were excited and determined and open-minded. I pushed them some, they pushed me some and we both learned a lot,” remembers producer Tim O’Brien. “At that time Yonder was exploding on the scene, gathering new fans like a wet snowball rolling down a black diamond slope. I doubt they knew they were carving out their own legacy. I was honored to be there with them.” Check here for a full tour listing.

Town by Town 20th Anniversary Vinyl Track list:
Rambler’s Anthem
Easy As Pie
Idaho
Loved You Enough
Sorrow Is A Highway
Must’ve Had Your Reasons
Wildewood Drive
New Horizons
Check Out Time
To See You Comin’ Round The Bend
Red Tail Lights
A Father’s Arms
Hog Potato
Peace Of Mind

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

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Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas Concert

Multitalented Slim Man returns to headline the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas Concert. Photo: San Antonio Magazine

The inimitable, multitalented Slim Man will be headlining the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas concert on Friday, December 3. Local artist and jazz crooner Ken Slavin will serve as opening act at 7:30 p.m. The free concert will be held at Wonderland of the Americas Amphitheatre in Balcones Heights, Texas. (Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, 2021)

Slim Man, whose birth name is Timothy Camponeschi, is a singer, songwriter, bassist, producer, cook and teacher, and his charm and style have made him a crowd favorite. He will be performing for the 13th time for the jazz festival. He has recorded 12 CDs and was named Best Jazz Vocalist at the acclaimed Coachella Music Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. JD Considine of Rolling Stone magazine described Slim Man’s style as “a near-perfect example of how jazz and soul can be combined as pop.”

Slim Man. Photo: Discogs

Jazz crooner Ken Slavin is a popular and award-winning classic vocalist based in San Antonio. He recently made his New York City debut at the famed Metropolitan Room and produced a CD of the event, which is available at all major online music stores. He is celebrating 25 years as a professional singer in 2015 and recently became a voting member of the GRAMMY Awards.

“We are thrilled to close out our final 2021 concert series on a high note featuring Ken Slavin and Slim Man onstage for a holiday rendition. Slim Man closing out 2021 and marking his 13th year with us will be the event jazz fans will not want to miss out on.” – Director Economic Development & Public Affairs at City of Balcones Heights Lorenzo Nastasi.

“Bringing yet another facet of Christmas joy to Balcones Heights Jazz Festival fans is such a part of who we are as a city, and we are looking forward to concluding the series with talent like Ken Slavin and Slim Man.” – City of Balcones Heights Mayor Suzanne de Leon.

In 2020, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival evolved from a summer concert season to a year-long concert series, which was adopted pre-pandemic to spread concerts throughout the year. As live entertainment was halted due to COVID-19, the City of Balcones Heights featured its first ever virtual Christmas Jazz Festival in December 2020. It was produced and posted online featuring local artists MiChelle Garibay-Carey and Zarabande.

The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has captivated jazz aficionados from across Texas since 1994 with a free, stellar lineup and a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Regulars, or “jazz babies,” come early to grab their favorite spots along the edge of the sparkling reflecting pool and fountains of the city’s main hub, Wonderland of the Americas.
Food trucks will be available.

When he was 5 years old, Slim Man saw a movie, “The Five Pennies,” with his dad, and when Louis Armstrong came on the big screen to play the trumpet and sing, he told his dad, “That’s what I want to do.” Slim Man studied trumpet for the next nine years and taught himself how to play piano and guitar. After studying piano, composition and harmony at Peabody Institute in his native Baltimore, Slim Man began working as a songwriter for Motown Records. His songs have been recorded by The Temptations, Angela Bofill, Carl Anderson and others. Slim Man also recorded a CD for Motown, giving birth to his signature style.

Slim Man also offers singing lessons, focusing on breathing techniques, simple performance hacks, vibrato control, and finding the appropriate range, tone and style.

He has been busy in the kitchen, too, creating recipes for his cookbooks. In 2016, he released “Slim Man Cooks,” containing 52 recipes that include plenty of Italian dishes, all with his own twist, as well as some of his own original recipes. The PDF version also includes links to dozens of videos as well as 52 charming stories—humorous tales about his family, his wild ride in the music business and his canine sidekick, Batu. Slim Man just released a sequel, “Slim Man Cooks 2,” which contains 30 new recipes, 30 stories and 30 videos.

Agarita presents ‘Postcards from the Border’ at UT Health San Antonio

Agarita presents a free live performance to benefit Refugee Health Clinic. Photo: Agarita

Join us for another FREE live performance of “Postcards from the Border” on Monday November 22 at 6p.m. featuring Agarita. Presented by UT Health San Antonio, donations from this concert will directly benefit the Refugee Health Clinic, which addresses the social and health needs of over 4,000+ immigrant refugees living in northwest San Antonio. (Agarita, 2021)

Inspired to tell a more genuine story of our Texas border with Mexico, photographer Joel Salcido and writer Oscar Cásares traveled the length of the Rio Grande River, resulting in the series “Postcards From The Border,” which appeared last year in Texas Monthly. Agarita will pair music to these beautiful and poignant images, narrated by Oscar Cásares.

Featuring music by Ravel, Guastavino, Paul Wiancko, Biber, and Liszt.

This program is bilingual. Masks are required.

UTHSC Holly Auditorium
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229

This event is FREE and open to the public. To register for your free seat, CLICK HERE.

To support the Refugee Health Clinic, you can donate HERE or text “ETHICS” to 91999.

An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement and free, adventurous programming. With concise, eclectic performances that are “splendid – unified, spirited, [and] well prepared” (Greenberg, Incident Light), the young chamber group offers a new, open-armed experience for listeners. 

Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It works intimately with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in the community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations.

TikTok star Galvancillo launches Regional Mexican music career and music label

Part of a growing trend of using social media to launch music careers, twenty year old influencer makes the jump from custom car TikTok videos and Instagram fashion posts to Regional Mexican singer-songwriter. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

With social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram becoming a legitimate outlet for breaking new musical acts, social media influencer Galvancillo, aka Lorenzo Ochoa, pivots from posting custom car videos and fashion photos to that of “Regional Mexican” singer-songwriter. (Galvancillo, 2021)

Twenty year-old Galvancillo’s more than four million followers know him for his custom car videos that he shoots from his friend’s auto shop and posts on TikTok. He also has a burgeoning modeling career. Now in addition to his good looks, cute smile, fashion sense, eye for style, and amazing personality, he is adding to his resume the title of singer-songwriter. Building off the TikTok videos that made him famous, Galvancillo stays true to the fans of his custom car videos and fashion posts by centering his debut single and music video on the same subjects that made him famous.

TikTok has become an important platform for the independent music scene with an increasing number of musical talents using the social media platform to reach millions of fans in ways only previously available through radio airplay which often appeared to be completely booked up by major record labels. In contrast today, a relatively unknown artist can use a simple TikTok post to launch their career. Since TikTok is the platform that made him known it only makes sense that Galvancillo will use that outlet to launch his musical career.

Says Lorenzo Ochoa, the man known as Galvancillo, “I wanted the song and music video for Placozo Mi Estilo to be similar to what people already know me for, but more extravagant.”

Lyrically the song is an expression of overcoming, of moving from locked door, to locked door until you find that one that opens for you. Visually the music video, directed by rising filmmaker known as “Barf,” features Lorenzo Ochoa’s home town of Houston Texas. The custom auto shop where he shot many of his TikTok videos has been sexily lit to look more like a night club and the finest of tricked out trucks and low rider cars are featured along with flossy fashion that Galvancillo is known for modeling.

“In the end it’s what I relate to and what my TikTok fans relate to, that life of luxury and exuberant experiences that we all wish for and work so hard to get. Of course it’s extra and over the top, but that’s the fun pretend part.” Adds Ochoa.

Galvancillo / Lorenzo Ochoa is not creating music completely independently though. He has started his own music label, “De La H Music,” and has joined forces with Fausto Juárez, CEO of Lamat Records and renowned producer of Regional Mexican music artists. Fausto will be managing Galvancillo’s artistic development and distribution of music, coordinating tours and of course promotion.

Lamat Records will use all the traditional musical mediums, but will also heavily involve social media platforms such as TikTok to expose Galvancillo’s charisma, with posts that maintain his approachable humility.

Galvancillo’s TikTok fans identify with Ochoa because he is a young dreamer just like them, full of goals which they work hard to attain each and every day. Galvancillo’s TikTok videos and now his songs and music videos demonstrate that anything can be achieved through perseverance, ingenuity, and most importantly to remain unique, try not to copy anyone, but instead stay true to yourself and your audience.

 

Composer Nathan Felix and the San Antonio Museum of Art present the four harpsichord concert

The San Antonio Museum of Art will present a new orchestral suite by composer Nathan Felix. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

On Friday November 12, 2021, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) will present a new orchestral suite, Black Neon Rose, by composer Nathan Felix, featuring newly written music for four harpsichords, strings, and a choir. The music draws inspiration from SAMA’s exhibition America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution. Local harpsichord builder Gerald Self will introduce the performance with a brief discussion on the history of harpsichords and give insight into his building process. The musicians will be in a formation that best activates the acoustics and spatial qualities of the Great Hall. This performance will be limited to fifty (50) people. Tickets are $15 for non-members and $10 for members. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Nathan Felix – Composer, Filmmaker, Recording Artist
Friday November 12 from 7p.m. to 8p.m.

The Great Hall
San Antonio Museum of Art
200 W. Jones Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78215

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic former Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

Vandalizer releases new EP Ride

Vandalizer’s new EP Ride is available now. Photo: Metal Assault Records

On Friday, New York City’s old-school punk, rock ‘n roll and heavy metal hybrid Vandalizer released their three-song EP Ride via Metal Assault Records. Mixing 1980’s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal with the sounds of ’70s Punk N’ Roll, Ride is one hell of a listen. Issued on cassette tape and on all digital platforms, Ride is available now in the format of your choice along with exclusive merchandise bundles. (Vandalizer, 2021)

Vandalizer first entered the scene with their debut EP New Curse in 2015, followed by the Desensitize EP in 2017. “Some people are kinda confused,” says Vandalizer mainspring Mike McWilliams. “‘Is it metal?’ It’s too punk to be metal, and it’s too metal to be punk. It’s kinda in the middle.”

The only reason anyone might scratch their head is if they know McWilliams’ past thumping bass guitar in old school punk bands ranging from Houston’s Teen Cool and Pure Rubbish to a stint in the U.S. Bombs in the ‘00s. But Vandalizer’s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal throwback sound has now become his focus, allowing his singing and guitar work to shine.

“I’ve never really done that before on any other albums,” he explains. “I’ve always been a songwriter and singer in pretty much every other band I’ve been in. But I’ve never been the front man nor the guitar player. This is my first stab at songwriting/playing guitar/singing in a band.”

The newly released EP amply displays’ McWilliams’ well-honed chops on every instrument apart from drums. Sacha Michaels manages the drums. Tracks like “Dream Hunter” and “Time Can’t Count” are full-on riff assaults that spark memories of classic Judas Priest. The title track is also a standout; an atmospheric, keyboard-drenched power ballad that mostly seethes, before reaching an explosive chorus. Ride makes a notable and instantly satisfying impression as the first release from Vandalizer on Metal Assault Records, while also leaving anticipation at an all-time high for their full length album already confirmed to follow in early 2022.

“Ride is the perfect soundtrack music for blasting in your ‘81 Camaro as you and your buddies execute smokin’ burnouts and pass around the hash pipe.” – Tim Stegall, Alternative Press magazine

Vandalizer is:
Mike McWilliams: Vocals/Guitar
Stosh McMichael: Drums/Backup Vocals
Sam Harris: Bass/Backup Vocals

Ride track listing:
1. Time Can’t Count
2. Dream Hunter
3. A Ride Home

Sam Weber announces new album Get Free

Sam Weber’s new album Get Free will be out February 4, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Sam Weber has already logged more miles as a gigging musician than most of his peers will in a lifetime, earning enviable accolades along the way. He first picked up the guitar at age 12 to form a rock ’n’ roll band with his father and brother in the living room of their family home. Sixteen years later, having collaborated with Grammy winners and with extensive international tours under his belt, the Canadian-born Los Angeleno goes forth with the same intention and mantra as when he began: “Music is an emotional conduit between people and allows us the opportunity to share moments of truth and unity. In an age where the ritual of music-making can be a solitary exercise, I want to live my life to remind everyone that playing music as a communal and spontaneous practice can be healing and powerful.” His new album Get Free will be out February 4, 2022 via Sonic Unyon Records. (Sam Weber, 2021)

Sam Weber’s storied exodus from his homeland of Canada to find new footing and opportunity in America resonates like a classic story of pain, loss, and rebirth. That narrative thread is woven throughout his new record, Get Free, offering a warm, intimate, and multidimensional portrait of the 28-year-old singer-songwriter. With this new collection of material, Weber reaches fresh emotional depths, commanding more expressive personal moments than ever before—at times within the margins of a single verse. Weber gave fans an early look into Get Free ahead of its February 4 release with “Money,” a breezy, piano-meets-fuzz bass rocker seemingly about what it means to grow up and be faced with the need to leave Neverland—or at least the non-fictional equivalent of it. Fans can hear “Money” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Get Free ahead of its release right here. Weber also recently shared with his fans a lyric video for album track “Here’s To The Future.”

Following the success of 2019’s Everything Comes True—which was recorded live-off-the-floor in the iconic B room at Hollywood’s Ocean Way Studios—Weber ended up taking a necessarily-different route with Get Free. “I wrote most of this music before the lockdown happened,” he says. “We wanted to go into another beautiful L.A. studio with another super band to record these new songs, but when all the plugs got pulled, we were sort of left holding nothing but the material. My partner Mallory Hauser was keen to rally and share production duties with me to make the most of what we had, which was liberating somehow: to have this logistical ceiling on how we could record or approach these songs in our living room. We were forced to be as creative as possible with what we had. I think it was the best thing that could have happened to us.” Mallory Hauser is a solo artist in her own right, performing and releasing music under the name Mal. The two met in Los Angeles in 2018.

Weber and Hauser tapped Grammy-nominated engineer Robbie Lackritz (Feist, Bahamas) to mix the album, having collaborated with him on the Juno-nominated Bahamas album Sad Hunk. “I really love [Get Free], don’t get me wrong…but it sort of sounds janky…in a good way! Because our only option was to make it in our house, it gave us permission to let it be what was going to be and not get wrapped up in the details, and in turn, I think that allowed the veil between the performances and the hearts of each song to be very thin. Robbie sort of saved the record fidelity-wise; we gave him some questionable rough mixes with the room mics cranked up so loud. What we got back sounded way rad.”

Certain songs contain a particular sense of grandness across Weber’s recorded catalog. Moments that feel lofty, yet devoid of pretentiousness. With more of these moments present and tangible on Get Free than any other of his releases, the listener can effectively observe Sam’s emancipation. With this record, he assumes a creative identity unique to himself.

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Agarita continues to bring the arts to the community through mobile concerts

Agarita was founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin). The new mobile concert hall is scheduled to complete its season run through all ten city districts. Photo: Agarita

Agarita, San Antonio’s innovative chamber ensemble, has announced that it will be performing six more of its unique Humble Hall mobile concerts during the remainder of the year. The outdoor, open-air concerts, featuring classical and contemporary music, are part of a series taking place in all the city’s 10 districts. (Agarita, 2021)

“At a time where classical music and the arts are needed even more to connect, we’re thrilled to continue to bring free concerts to San Antonio and throughout South Texas. Our theme is bringing the music to you without financial barriers and without the extra expense of traveling to a concert hall or venue. We’re excited to have fulfilled our goal, by the end of year, to have performed in every district in San Antonio, exposing our live music and artist expression to new audiences.” – Marisa Bushman, viola and Agarita executive director.

All ages are welcome and attendees are invited to bring a chair or blanket. The concerts, which are outdoors, are sponsored by the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts. Performances will be held at the following times and locations:

Saturday, October 30
1p.m., Castle Hills, The Commons, 207 Lemonwood Drive
4p.m., District 4, Christus Santa Rosa, 2827 Babcock Road

Sunday, November 7
11a.m., District 4, Pearsall Park, 5102 Old Pearsall Road
3p.m. District 5, Roosevelt Park, 331 Roosevelt Ave.

Saturday, December 18
11a.m., District 6, location TBD
3p.m., Districts 9 and 10, McAllister Park, 13102 Jones Maltsberger Road

Agarita’s Humble Hall, the first of its kind in Texas, debuted in December 2020 and provides easy public access to world-class performances while reinventing the traditional concert experience. The concerts are bilingual and open to the public. They last approximately 45 minutes, with no intermission, and include members of Agarita discussing their art with audiences, thereby forging a deeper connection with them.

Other sponsors for The Humble Hall series include Blossom Storage Ltd., US Signs New Braunfels, Humble House Foods, Terra Nova Violins, Chula Boyle, Marco Chalaby, Angela Pfeiffer, Wine Guys, Alexander Vineyards, Pulmonary Consultants of San Antonio, San Antonio Symphony League, H-E-B, and the Paulena F. Mitchell Testament Trust.

An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement and free, adventurous programming. With concise, eclectic performances that are “splendid – unified, spirited, [and] well prepared” (Greenberg, Incident Light), the young chamber group offers a new, open-armed experience for listeners.

Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It collaborates intimately with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in its community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations.

Barry Waldrep honors Tony Rice with all-star tribute album

Barry Waldrep and Friends Celebrate Tony Rice is due out December 24, 2021. Photo: google

Barry Waldrep is an American Bluegrass, Jam Band, Americana instrumentalist, songwriter, composer and record producer who co-founded the bluegrass/jam band Rollin’ in the Hay in July 1993. Rollin’ In The Hay soon became a full-time band touring the Jam Band circuit of festivals and college campuses across the country until May 2009. The band produced 7 CDs and performed over 300 dates per year for 16 years. During this time, Waldrep recorded 21 bluegrass tribute albums with CMH Records in Los Angeles for Eric Clapton, The Black Crowes, Widespread Panic, Phish, R.E.M., Tim McGraw, The Allman Brothers, Neil Diamond, and others. He was also featured on the CD Masterworks of American Bluegrass also produced by CMH Records. (Barry Waldrep, 2021)

In the era of modern music, describing anybody as the “greatest of all time” is usually met with resistance—if for no other reason than the ever-evolving tastes of both musicians and fans—but if the topic is bluegrass guitar players, there is a universally correct answer to “who’s the best;” the late, great Tony Rice. Rice was one of the most influential, inventive, and beloved musicians in all of bluegrass and Americana music and after he passed away in late 2020, his songs and stylings continue to live on in the musicians he inspired. This year, on the one-year anniversary of Rice’s passing, bluegrass instrumentalist and producer Barry Waldrep will be releasing a tribute to Mr. Rice with the 21-song, special-guest loaded Barry Waldrep and Friends Celebrate Tony Rice. When looking through Waldrep’s list of friends, it is apparent how far Rice’s music reached beyond just bluegrass. Americana greats Rodney Crowell and Jim Lauderdale and Jam-band royalty Warren Haynes and Oteil Burbridge make appearances alongside Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Spooner Oldham and Patrick Simmons and country superstars Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris. And that is just a fraction of who has contributed to this celebration of the music of Tony Rice. Barry Waldrep and Friends Celebrate Tony Rice will be available everywhere on December 24 and can be pre-ordered or pre-saved now at this link.

“Music knows no boundaries and Tony created so many great examples of that. When you cross the line of other genres, that’s when you expand the audience and turn people on to other styles that they would not normally be interested in. The intent of this album and the artists involved is to show what a powerhouse master Tony Rice was at bringing musicians and fans together from different genres.” – Barry Waldrep

A full list of contributors is below and more information is available online.

Featured artists: Jimmy Hall, Rodney Crowell, Darrell Scott, Marty Raybon, Mike Farris, Kim Richey, Warren Haynes, Vince Gill, Radney Foster, Teresa Williams & Larry Campbell, Jim Lauderdale, John Berry, Patrick Simmons, John Paul White, Jacob Bunton, John Jorgenson, Rory Feek, Donna Hall & Kelli Johnson, and John Cowan.

Musicians: Barry Waldrep, Emmylou Harris, Tammy Rogers, Andrea Zonn, Aubrey Haynie, Bryan Hall, Caelan Berry, Spooner Oldham, Oteil Burbridge, James “Hutch” Hutchinson, Jason Bailey, Bryn Davies, Scott Vestal, Benji Shanks, Dillon Hodges, and Heidi Feek.

Barry Waldrep and Friends Celebrate Tony Rice track list:
Why You Been Gone So Long – Featuring Jimmy Hall
Song For The Life – Featuring Rodney Crowell
10 Degrees and Getting Colder – Featuring Darrell Scott
Blue Railroad Train – Featuring Marty Raybon
Walk On Boy – Featuring Mike Farris
Early Morning Rain – Featuring Kim Richey
Wayfaring Stranger – Featuring Warren Haynes
I’ll Stay Around – Featuring Vince Gill
Song For A Winter Night – Featuring Radney Foster
EMD – Featuring Barry Waldrep, Tammy Rogers, John Jorgenson and John Cowan
You Were There For Me – Featuring Teresa Williams and Larry Cambell
Church Street Blues – Featuring Jim Lauderdale
This Old House – Featuring John Berry
9 Pound Hammer – Featuring Pat Simmons
Four Strong Winds – Featuring John Paul White
More Pretty Girls Than One – Featuring Jacob Bunton
Summer Wages – Featuring Barry Waldrep, Tammy Rogers, Spooner Oldham
It’s Cold On The Shoulder – Featuring John Jorgenson
Bury Me Beneath The Willow – Featuring Rory Feek
Where The Soul Never Dies – Featuring Donna Hall and Kelli Johnson
Me And My Guitar – Featuring John Cowan

Courtesy photo, used with permission.
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Barry Waldrep and Friends Celebrate Tony Rice release date