Six Strings At Sunset Set For April

Six Strings At Sunset Set For April

The Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area and 107.9 The Duke are hosting the 8th annual Six Strings at Sunset on April 7. This acoustic concert showcases country music artists that are not only performers, but songwriters as well.

This year, the Tivoli Theatre again will house the award-winning singers and songwriters, which include Richie McDonald, formally with Lonestar, Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Bryan White, Katie Armiger and Jeremy McComb.

Review for Richie McDonald:
Richie McDonald has long been one of music's most accomplished and wide-ranging talents. Recognized as one of country's best singers, he was the face and voice of Lonestar, ranked among the genre's preeminent groups. A polished and engaging entertainer, he was the focal point of the group's storied touring career. As one of the industry's most successful songwriters, he has penned some of the era's most memorable songs and earned a mantle full of awards and nominations. Hits include I’m Already There, Amazed, Mr. Mom, Coming Home, My Front Porch Looking, and many more.

Review for Larry Stewart:
Larry Stewart is best known for his role as lead singer of country band Restless Heart. Restless Heart charted 18 Top 40 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart including six Number Ones. Hits include The Bluest Eyes In Texas, That Rock Won’t Roll, Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right), I'll Still Be Loving You, among others.

Review for Bryan White:
Bryan White has been a strong force within the country music industry for over two decades. He has charted 17 singles on Billboard's Country Charts, had six number one singles, two platinum records, two gold records, he joined forces with Shania Twain and together they took From This Moment On all the way up to number four on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. He has garnered several awards for himself, including a Grammy, a CMA Horizon Award, and an ACM Top Male Vocalist award among them. And, with his songwriting, he helped several other artists climb the charts; Sawyer Brown and Diamond Rio both got in the top five with songs co-written by White and Wynonna, Joe Diffie, LeAnn Rimes and Lila McCann all recorded songs he co-wrote. However, despite all of his music successes, it is an award from outside of the music arena that is probably the best indicator of who White really is; People Magazine named him one of their “50 most beautiful people” in the world and everyone who knows him finds it easy to understand why.

Review for Katie Arminger:
Newcomer Katie Armiger's powerful vocals and skillful songwriting are clearly showcased on her new music. At the ripe age of 18, Katie does not hold back and has an inspiring combination of determination and passion that shines through in her music. Her current breakthrough album was created by Katie along with some of Nashville’s elite songwriters that have written songs for Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood and many more.

Review for Jeremy McComb:
Singer/Songwriter, Jeremy McComb got his start as a writer and tour manager for Larry The Cable Guy. With that start, doors opened up for Jeremy to pursue his passion for music and gain radio play for his music. His most recognized songs include This Town Needs A Bar, Wagon Wheel, and Cold. Jeremy continues to have a powerful, yet humorous, presence on stage and will deliver a performance that guarantees fun.

Six Strings at Sunset will be April 7 starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre. Tickets are $30 for priority seating and $25 all other seats. Reserve tickets now by calling 642-TIXS. VIP Packages are available by calling 265-4397. All money raised will go directly to benefit kidney patients in the greater Chattanooga area.

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Bama boy talks music in Augusta

Bama boy talks music in Augusta

AUGUSTA, GA - You may remember me from the radio. I was the voice on Augusta airwaves for years, telling people exactly what I thought. No holds barred.

But, for those of you who may not know me, I’m just a guy from Alabama who now calls the CSRA home. A guy who just happens to be in the music business.

Some background on me... I was born in South Carolina to a Marine who moved us across the country. At an early age, my family made our home in Tuscumbia, Ala., just outside of Muscle Shoals, Ala. (Yes, it’s part of the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, “Sweet Home Alabama”).

I grew up with music all around me. After all, Muscle Shoals is known as the “Hit Recording Capital of the World.”

This small town in northwest Alabama is famous for recording many hit songs by music legends such as Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Willie Nelson at FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio from the 1960s up until today.

People referred to it as the “Muscle Shoals Sound.”

Growing up, my dad loved Elvis, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline and the other Grand Ole Opry stars. He would always have music playing in the house. He was the one who introduced me to music. Still today, the one day that will always get to me is Sept. 8. It is my son’s birthday and the day that my father passed away.

My first concert was Night Ranger with The Outfield. At 15, I was a huge Outfield fan and won tickets from a local radio station to the show in Huntsville. My best friend, Jason, and I went to the show. I was immediately hooked. I knew I wanted a career in music.

Dakota Quick Hits… My first album was KISS’ “Destroyer,” first 45 single was Charlie Daniels’ “Devil Went Down To Georgia,” first cassette was Rick Springfield’s “Living In Oz,” first CD was Genesis’ “Invisible Touch” and the first song I recorded off the radio onto an 8-track was Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me.”

So, who is Dakota West? I’m what you would call a “special-ed student” who dropped out of college, but now has a job that I love.

After 18 years of radio and learning from some of the best, including Nikki Nite in Dallas, Cat Thomas in Jacksonville, Fla., and Tee Gentry here in the CSRA, I was asked in 2006 to become the promotions and entertainment manager for a new business in Augusta called The Country Club Dance Hall and Saloon.

Now, after being open for four years, we have brought some great acts to Augusta including Joe Diffie, Gretchen Wilson, The Bellamy Brothers, David Allan Coe, Jamey Johnson and Luke Bryan. I’ve also had the opportunity to help promote several other shows including Lady Antebellum, Static X and Theory Of A Deadman.

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Rodney Crowell, Trishas kick off 2010 Sounds of Texas Series

Rodney Crowell, Trishas kick off 2010 Sounds of Texas Series

Well the last two weeks the sounds of Texas music have permeated the air in Conroe.

Starting Feb. 27, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys rocked the Sparkle Event Hall with great Texas country music and side-busting humor. Kinky was on rhythm guitar and lead vocal with his sidekick Little Jewford on keyboard and vocals and Rastus on lead guitar and vocals.

Man Kinky looked great and both his vocals and humor were in top form. Kinky today is probably most well known as a mystery novelist and humorist and a political candidate (Friedman ran for Texas Agriculture Commissioner on the Democratic ticket.) That night under the stars at the old ice house he showed that first and foremost he is a singer/songwriter.

He did my favorite song of his “Sold American” and most all of his most popular songs. After the show he promised he would sign anything but bad legislation. I got the opportunity to visit with Kinky after his show and he told me how much he liked Conroe and how he would love to come back to the Historic Crighton Theatre.

He and Billy Joe Shaver played there about five years ago at a Sounds of Texas Music Series concert. I think having him back would be a great idea.

Mr. Friedman did not win the Democratic Primary although he made a good showing. He did win the vote in this county. No doubt Kinky Friedman is the real deal and a Texan through and through. No doubt Kinky is the most popular Texan Jewish cowboy and country western singer.

Texas Independence Day Festival


Well last weekend the 3rd Annual Texas Independence Day Chili Cookoff and Music Festival took place in downtown Conroe at the Heritage Place Amphitheater.

Man did the downtown area rock with the sounds of Texas country rock, Texas blues, Texas Americana and Texas honky tonk and rockabilly. About 50 chili teams gathered and cooked some of the best chili this side of the Pecos River.

The crowd in excess of 5,000 Saturday heard the blues rock sounds of Stevie and Jimi by 16- year-old guitar singer Clay Melton followed by the country rock Americana sounds of Cypress Station.

Jubal Lee Young with a full band tore the joint up and Austin’s acoustic blues masters the Porter Davis Band showed why they are being invited to large outdoor events all over the globe.

Dustin Welch, son of the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Kevin Welch and brother of Savannah Welch of the Trisha’s and his tight band showed why he and his band are on fire and once again proved correct that old adage that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Next up was blues diva and singer/songwriter Bonnie Bishop. Ms. Bishop whose stepdad is legendary football coach Jackie Sherrill introduced her early on to Darrell Royal and Willie Nelson and after graduation from the University of Texas she hung around Austin perfecting her singer/songwriting skills. She several years ago moved to Nashville and started hanging around Delbert McClinton, Rodney Crowell, Will Kimbrough, Mike Farris and Gary Nicholson.

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The 27th annual Choctaw Firemen's Fair

The 27th annual Choctaw Firemen's Fair, a three-day event at the Choctaw Volunteer Fire Department, 2854 Choctaw Road, has it all, said Craig Rink, Choctaw fire chief and fair organizer.

“It's a lot of food and fun,” Rink said, “and hopefully beautiful weather. It's basically going to be a big gathering of happy people.”

The fair kicks off at 6 p.m. today and opens at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Food includes seafood gumbo, fried catfish, hot dogs and hamburgers. For the first time in 20 years, the fair will have bumper cars along with nine other rides.

“A lot of kids in the community are excited,” Rink said.

The fair is one of the Fire Department's largest fundraisers, said Willie Andras, assistant chief.

“Without this, we don't function,” Andras said.

While admission is free, all proceeds from food, beverages and tickets for rides go to the Fire Departmen.The fair includes four to five live auctions of donated items, including an aluminum barbecue pit and cypress rocking chairs.

Choctaw resident Rose Hebert, 75, likes the music and dancing best.

“It's beautiful,” Hebert said. “They play all kinds of music, and everybody's there.”

Tête Dur is scheduled to perform from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, and Gary T. is scheduled to perform his brand of swamp pop from 4 to 8 p.m. The variety band The Groove is set to close out Saturday's lineup by performing from 8 p.m. until midnigh.

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, whose critically acclaimed production of "Ragtime" transferred from the Kennedy Center to Broadway last fall and is nominated for six Helen Hayes Awards, will direct and choreograph the Reprise Theatre Company production of the 1962 Pulitzer Prize winner "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

Josh Grisetti will star as Finch. Grisetti won the 2009 Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Lortel, Drama League, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for starring in the hit off-Broadway revival of "Enter Laughing" last year, and John O'Hurley, who recently played King Arthur in "Spamalot" in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as J. B, Biggley.

Simon Helberg, a regular on CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" plays Bud Frump and Reprise veteran Vicki Lewis, star of NBC's "Newsradio" and "Three Sisters" plays Smitty. "How to Succeed" will preview on Tuesday, May 11 and open on Wednesday, May 12, and continue through Sunday, May 23 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

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