YOU MAY BE TOO OLD TO PLAY GIGS WHEN

Sometimes laughing at yourself is the only way to make it thru to another day. Thanks to my friend Ginny Bluzgal Ivey for this.

YOU MAY BE TOO OLD TO PLAY GIGS WHEN...
1. It becomes more important to find a place on stage for your fan than your amp.
2. Your gig clothes make you look like George Burns out for a round of golf.
3. All your fans leave by 9:30 p.m.
4. All you want from groupies is a foot massage and back rub.
5. You love taking the elevator because you can sing along with most of your play list.
6. Instead of a keyboard player, your band wants to spring for a roadie.
7. You don't know (or care) who any of the new bands are.
8. You need your glasses to see the amp settings.
9. You've thrown out your back jumping off the stage.
10. You feel like shite before the gig even starts.
11. The waitress is your daughter.
12. You find your drink tokens from last month's gig in your guitar case.
13. You refuse to play without earplugs.
14. You ask the club owner if you can start at 8:30 instead of 9:30.
15. You check the TV schedule before booking a gig.
16. You're related to at least one member in the band.
17. You need a nap before the gig.
18. During the breaks, you now go to the van to lay down.
19. You prefer a music stand with a light.
20. You don't recover from a Saturday night gig until Tuesday afternoon.
21. You buy amps considering their weight and not their tone or cool factor.
22. Feeling guilty looking at hot women at the bar 'cause they're younger than your daughter. 23. You can remember seven different club names for the same location.
24. Your entire set list is 'danceable'.
25. You're playing the same venue in three months time so you ask the club owner if you can leave your amp.
26. Your son is waiting for the gig to end to drive you and your gear home, then go back out to party
27. Your date couldn't make it because she 'couldn't find a sitter for the grandkids'.
28. In consideration of your age, the audience requests some 'British Invasion' songs.
29. Instead of keeping it secret, you start listing your truss as a "business expense".
30. If you get a "Cease and Desist" letter from the Spandex co.
31. You play a Wednesday night gig and call into work sick on both Thursday and Friday.
32. Your hearing has deteriorated so badly that you actually ask the guitar player to turn himself up.
33. You call out the next song only to have someone remind you played it 10 minutes earlier.
34. Your drugs are keeping you alive rather than killing you.
35. You worry more about breaking a hip than being hip.
36. Musicians half your age are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or have appeared on postage stamps.

OUCH!!!

DIVA CHRISTMAS 2007 @ KNON, NATE'S SEAFOOD, & ALEXANDERS

I just love Christmas decorations. You know when you're in the store and you see all that Christmas stuff for sale, like Christmas toilet paper, and you think "Who buys this stuff?" I confess, it's me! My birthday's in December and when I was a really little kid, I swear I thought the whole world decorated just for me! (That Diva attitude has been in the making a LONG time.) Too gaudy? Too many colors? Too big a tree? Not possible - bring on the Griswald effect!

So, in keeping with the holiday spirit, Thursday morning I've invited the most fabulous, witty, and wonderful Blueswomen I know to join me on air in the studio for a very special All Christmas Blues Diva Show. I could tell you myself, but I just love the way Miss Marcy put it on her web site:

Thursday, December 20th, 2007
Blue Lisa Texas Blues Radio
BlueLisa Texas Blues - 9am -12pm
5353 MapleDallas Tx 75235
Price: on radio- FREE!
http://www.knon.org/ or 89.3 fm KNON The Voice of People has invited Dallas' Blues Divas to offend the radio waves with our favorite naughty Girls music! I swear I didn't bring that man gasoline when he asked for water! I promise I didn't have no other mule in my stall! Wild women don't worry, wild women don't have the Blues. The Dallas Divas are: Blue Lisa, Cheryl Arena, Andrea Dawson, and Miss Marcy. Tune in for the dirty underbelly of the Dallas Blues Scene. That's right, it's early in the morning, we're going for mojitos before the show, and we are gonna party like drunken SMU girls with their daddy's credit card!

You don't want to miss this, so don't forget to tune in for a Christmas you'll REALLY remember!

And the fun doesn't end there. Nooooooo. Thursday night join me and the Big D Playboys along with our very special guests Andrea Dawson and Jessica Munn for the 2nd Annual Diva Christmas Celebration at Nate's Seafood in Addison. We start promptly at 6:30 and the whole thing is over at 10, so get there early and get a good seat. Rumor has it that our honorary Diva, Jackie Don Loe, will be gracing us with his beautiful presence during the first set. Exactly what we Diva's ask Santa for this year! For more info about Nate's www.natesseafood.com

And we round out our week with yet another Diva Christmas Show, this time with Andrea, me, Brent Rozell, Kenny Chavez and Popcorn Louden at Alexanders on Oak Lawn. Not a show for the meek or faint of heart - these people know how to party! Andrea and Brent play Alexanders every other week, but I'm really excited to be doing my first show there. For more info, check out Andrea's web site at www.andreadbluesband.com

Trust me, you will be sorry if you miss all this and have to read about it later, so make your plans now to join us for DIVA CHRISTMAS 2007!

FUN FACTS ABOUT BIG TEX

It's time again for the State Fair of Texas! I love the State Fair! I'm proud to say I have been every year of my life, including the year my mother was pregnant with me! For me, skipping a year would be like skipping my birthday or Christmas. Just not acceptable!

In it's 121st year, this years State Fair (the 1st was in Oct 1886) runs Sept 28 - Oct 21. For more info, call the State Fair Information Line at 214-565-9931 or visit the web site at http://www.bigtex.com/

And speaking of Big Tex, here's some things about the world biggest cowboy that even dedicated State Fair goers might not know:

Big Tex started out as Santa Claus, installed as a 1949 Christmas promotion in Kerens, Texas.
After a couple of years, the novelty wore off, and in 1951 State Fair President (and former mayor) R.L. Thornton made a deal to purchase Santa for $750. After a makeover by Dallas artist and stage designer Jack Bridges, Big Tex made his debut at the 1952 State Fair of Texas.

Big Tex was kind of shy and quiet at first, but started talking in 1953. He received an extreme makeover in 1997 resulting in a more mature Tex showing a little gray in his sideburns and the addition of a friendly wave. His earlier armature was tossed and he was fitted with a new, cage-like skeleton consisting of 4,200 feet of steel rods weighing 3 tons. In 2000 he began moving his head.

Big Tex is a popular guy! In addition to local, regional and international news coverage, Big Tex also "co-starred" with Ann-Margaret in the locally shot remake of the movie "State Fair."

Tex's current clothier of choice is Fort Worth based Williamson-Dickie. Every few years, the wear and tear of the Texas climate necessitates all new clothes. The years in between his clothes are dry cleaned before the Fair. Here's some of Tex's measurements:
Height: 52 ft tall
Chest: 31 ft * Biceps: 7 ft 8 in * Hands: 3 ft long
Boots: 7 ft 7 in tall * Boot Size: 70
Head: 8 ft from chin to top * Hat Size 75 Gallon
Pants inseam: 16 ft
Sleeves: 22 ft * Waist 23 1/2 ft * Shirt Collar: 12 1/2 ft

Since 2002, Richardson based vocal talent Bill Bragg has supplied the voice for Big Tex.

Make sure to stop by and say "Howdy" to the big guy when you make your trip to the Fair this year.

FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES JUSTICE AND THE BLUES

Check out this post from Chuck Nevitt;

For those wondering about tickets and other info to the upcoming DNABLUES BALL on Nov 24th, the official website is up. Please, if itisn't too much to ask, pass this website along to your friends thatlike the blues--as well as those who'd like to help free the innocent.We'll likely be adding more performers as the date gets nearer, with asurprise or two. http://www.dnabluesball.com/

OMAR KENT DYKES AND JIMMIE VAUGHAN TAKE THE JIMMY REED HIGHWAY TO “AUSTIN CITY LIMITS” ON OCTOBER 27

This just in my mailbox this morning. Get those VCR's programmed kiddies - looks like a keeper to me!

OMAR KENT DYKES AND JIMMIE VAUGHAN TAKE THE JIMMY REED HIGHWAY TO “AUSTIN CITY LIMITS” ON OCTOBER 27

ONE-HOUR SPECIAL INCLUDES GUESTS KIM WILSON, LOU ANN BARTON, DELBERT MCCLINTON, JAMES COTTON & GARY CLARK, JR.

AUSTIN, TX – Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan, whose new CD, On the Jimmy Reed Highway, is in the Top 5 on the Billboard magazine blues chart, are bringing their all-star salute to the blues master to national television with a one-hour special on the critically-acclaimed PBS concert series, “Austin City Limits,” airing October 27. Joining the two for this stellar concert are special guests Kim Wilson, Lou Ann Barton, Delbert McClinton, James Cotton and Gary Clark, Jr., all of whom appear on the new CD. The backing band for the show includes Derek O’Brien on guitar, Ronnie James on bass and Wes Starr on drums.

The high energy show, fueled by the howling vocals of Omar Kent Dykes and the sinewy lead guitar work of Jimmie Vaughan, features performances of most of the songs from the new CD, including such Jimmy Reed favorites as “Baby What You Want Me to Do,” “Bright Lights Big City,” “Big Boss Man,” “Good Lover,” “Caress Me Baby,” and “Hush Hush,” as well a dynamic version of “Bad Boy,” a tune made famous by legendary Reed guitarist Eddie Taylor (whose original version featured Reed on harmonica).

In addition, Dykes, Vaughan and friends perform two songs not included on the new CD: “High and Lonesome,” one the first songs Reed recorded for Vee-Jay Records in 1953 (the label for which he would record for its entire 13-year run); and a rousing version of “Ain’t That Loving You Baby” featuring a twin vocal/harmonica attack by Delbert McClinton and Kim Wilson. The grand finale performance of “Jimmy Reed Highway” features the entire cast onstage performing a mighty blues jam powered by the triple-harmonica threat of McClinton, Wilson and blues legend James Cotton.

Released in August by Ruf Records, On the Jimmy Reed Highway, has generated considerable radio airplay, rave reviews from the media and substantial sales of the CD.
“The House of Blues Radio Hour” nationally-syndicated program has a major feature interview planned with the Dykes and Vaughan to air the weekend of October 13/14
(http://www.thebluesmobile.com/).

In its review, Blues Revue said, “The album succeeds marvelously ... Vaughan and Dykes get it right, honoring Reed as well as contributing a sparkling gem to their own impressive catalogs.” No Depression echoed that sentiment in its review: “The final result is more than just a very cool tribute album; it's one of the most satisfying blues sets this year.”

For more information on Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan, visit http://www.rufrecords.de/, http://www.omarandthehowlers.com/ and http://www.jimmievaughan.com/.

The 33rd season of “Austin City Limits” begins airing October 6 on PBS (consult local listings for time and station). Over its glorious history, the series has become the standard of excellence for live recorded performances, with the most diverse array of music talent on television, presented before a live audience with stellar production and sound. For more information on the show, visit http://www.austincitylimits.org/.

Nathan Peck From Nate's and Keith Hicks from Ovation at The State Fair of Texas Saturday, October 6th!

Just a heads up that Chef Nathan Peck, known to blues fans and lovers of fabulous cajun food worldwide as Nate, will return again this year to present a cooking demonstration as a Celebrity Chef Saturday October 6th at 4:30 pm in the Creative Arts Building at the Great State Fair of Texas!

Nate's seafood gumbo is my favorite in the whole world. Matter of fact, it was the one thing I craved most while I was away in Scotland last year, and made sure to go get some the moment I came back.

Nate is a tireless supporter of my KNON BIG TEXAS BLUES radio show, my band Blue Lisa & the The Big D Playboys (we'll be performing at Nate's that week on Thursday, October 4th) , and all the blues musicians in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. And you just haven't lived until you've seen him doing the "Nate Boogie." So take advantage of this rare opportunity to see the master at work.

As a matter of coincidence, following Nate in the Celebrity Kitchen will be Keith Hicks, Chef at Ovation Restaurant in Fort Worth. At Ovation, Keith adds his unique flair to some of my favorite southern soul food dishes. Fried green tomatoes with a fried egg on top covered in Bearnaise sauce? Mmmmmm! Keith will be doing his thing in the State Fair Celebrity Kitchen at 6:00 p.m.
Owners Mike & Carrie Musgrove book the finest live Blues and Jazz the area has to offer. For example, when he's not out on the road with John Mayall, Buddy Whittington holds court on stage at Ovation every Monday night.

The cooking demos are free with your paid admission to the State Fair. For more info about the State Fair of Texas, visit http://www.bigtex.com/.

One word of warning - Saturday, October 6th is also the day of the Texas/OU Red River Rivalry Football Game is the same day, which means the Fair will be extra crowded. Don't say I didn't warn you!

DENNY FREEMAN ARTICLE

Regular readers of this blog and listeners to my radio show know what a HUGE Denny Freeman fan I am.

So I hope you will follow this link and check out this story about Denny

http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/stories/2007/09/0910freeman.html

Thanks to Chuck Nevitt for bringing this story to my attention. Chuck certainly appreciates Denny, having released my favorite Freeman CD "A Tone For My Sins" on his Dallas Blues Society label.

Denny has laughingly told me before that he and Derek O'Brien manage to fly pretty low beneath the radar, but that I am constantly trying to rouse them out. And I'm only too happy to be able to shine the light on both of these excellent guitarists. EVERYONE who loves great music should know both their names.