BIG TEXAS BLUES 6th Anniversary

This weekend marked the 6th Anniversary of my KNON radio show, BIG TEXAS BLUES.

I'm still honored and humbled that I get to do this show on such an incredible station where so many amazing shows have aired. I can't believe it's been 6 years - the time has just flown. Again, on those Thursday mornings I've hosted the show after being up practically all night or done the show between trips to the bathroom (for various reasons you really don't want me to go into), it seems like 60 years! Thank God it's radio and not television - I can be pretty scary at 9 am!

My weekend started, as so many do for me, Thursday morning when I interviewed not one but two Blues Divas, Andrea Dawson and Candye Kane, both on the bill for my Anniversary show. I adore both women as great performers and exceptional examples of contemporary blues.

Friday afternoon I picked Son Henry up from the airport. Son and I go back quite a few years now, and I can't describe how elated I was to have him back here in Texas and on the bill for Fridays show. I've been lucky to have the chance 3 times out of the last 4 years to play gigs with him up in Anchorage, Alaska (and I'll be doing so again in November on the 11th at the Blues For My Brother Benefit, and soon I hope to be playing with him across the pond in his new home of Scotland!!!!), but to have him here in Dallas for a show was a dream come true for me. We have a special bond that's hard to describe. In 20+ years of being in bands, I've only had instant chemistry with three musicians and Son is one of those three. He is also the man that named me Blue Lisa, and yeah, there's a story there, but maybe I'll go into that in another post. Quite a lot of my intial blues education was from this man, and I'm eternally thankful to him for that. Our relationship is all the sweeter because of his incredible wife Carolina and their four beautiful children allowing me to be part of thier lives as well. I wouldn't be Blue Lisa without them!

Anyway, Son & I went down to the KNON studios where Don O did us the honor of interviewing us on his Texas Blues Radio show, and then it was off to D'jango on the Parkway to meet my band, The T-Bonz, for load in and sound check. Son, Jim, Lenno, Nick and Tim hit it off right away, as I knew they would because they are all absolutly amazing men each in their own right, and great musicians.

Since this show was a benefit for the station and my 6th anniversary, I really wanted 2 things - top notch blues and lots of fun. The show kicked off at 9 pm with Andrea Dawson. I honestly believe Andrea is on her way to becoming the reigning Blues Diva in the DFW area, and then, after that, the world. This woman has it all - a powerful, beautiful, commanding voice, riviting stage presence, and a warm, gracious personality. I was so lucky she agreed to be on the bill. (I'm also honored to call her my friend. Girlfriend, you ROCK!!!)

After Andrea's set, Son Henry took the stage with The T-Bonz backing him up and tore through his set of blues, mesmerizing the crowd with his lapsteel playing. It's been quite a few years since Son played in the DFW area, and most of the audience didn't know what to expect, but he made many, many new fans that night. Son's been making waves over in Britain where he is currently living, and I couldn't be more excited that so many people are seeing the brilliance in him I've seen all along!

I was up next with my band, and boy, did we have a good time! The T-Bonz played like the consumate pros they are, and the addition of Son on the last few songs of our set was the icing on the cake for me! I can't remember the last time I was so happy!

The evenings headliner, Candye Kane, stormed onto the stage shortly before midnight, and was everything I hoped she'd be and more! She sang her empowering lyrics with that big blues shouter voice of hers, and tore the roof off!! Her between song comments proved her to be an excellent comedienne as well - all in all a most entertaining show! (Check out my review of Candye's new CD "White Trash Girl" in the October issue of Southwest Blues Magazine at www.southwestblues.com )

I could not have wished for a more sucessful evening: standing room only crowd, great blues and lots and lots of fun. (And free Patron samples! This really was my night!) Special thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make my dream a reality: Dave Chaos, Warren Harris, the folks at D'jango, Fred Dunlop, Kenny Chavez, Pat Lancaster, & Kenny Strouther, Andrea Dawson, Son Henry, The T-Bonz (Jim Hunton, Lenno Summers, Nick Mungia, & Tim Dougherty), Candye Kane and the Candye Kane band and everyone that attended the show.

Can't wait until next year! I'm already thinking about my headliner......

Welcome To My World

WOW! What a fabulous weekend, and a great place to start my blog. But more about that in the next post. Let me just say here either "Thank You" or "Curse You" to Son Henry for literally sitting me down and showing me how to get this thing up and running. (I'll let you know later which one applies!) I can't believe anyone wants to read this stuff, but we'll find out if I'm wrong. But you know, if you're reading this, Son wins. I can hear him laughing now!

I've had been having an absolutely amazing life in the past year and a half, and Son thinks it should be documented. So this blog is my attempt at that, and I'm sure it will be good for me - so much of this stuff passes me by because I can't remember to document it. I'm hoping it will be good for you, the reader, as well.

My plan is to post details about the radio show (the weekly live music calendar, the weekly playlist, upcoming guests), details about my band (especially our calendar) and cool stuff that happens to me, because I'm so lucky lately to be in the right places at the right times.

Remember this folks - all posts here are my personal opinion. If you're offended by that, well, Honey, you need to get yourself some business and stop worrying about mine.

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