This week’s contestants…

Jenny Simms – Goodbye Letter

vs.

War Pony – Unpolished

Cody Johnson called in to my day job today and we did one of those always interesting cookie cutter interviews that I am slowly learning to do. I have almost perfected my cheesy “Radio Rita” cornball on air voice…almost. I am trying very hard.

Cody is a great at this stuff and much more of a radio/media trained professional than I am and of course that shows, but it really killed me to not ask him the questions I really wanted the answers to like…what is the strangest thing you ever discovered shoved up a prisoner’s ass when you were working at the prison or what is the worst fake scenario the Troubadour, Tx camera crew has ever pitched to you?

I would embed the audio here, but if you just do a simple little click HERE the original post will get more traffic and my bosses will praise me for all my hard work. I need praise. Trust me.

~Rb

Hey boys and girls in/around Austin…I got us the hook up!

The Texas Music Scene and Crown Royal are launching “The Crown Lounge”. The Lounge is going to be in the Gibson Showroom on Congress in Austin. Their first show will be NEXT WEDNESDAY and I can’t give away who the surprise performer is, but I will be dropping hints here and there. (Trust me, it is a BIGGIE.)

There will be free food and drinks and the good peeps from the Texas Music Scene has given me TWENTY spots on their exclusive and private guest list to this shindig. That’s right…it is NOT open to the public…it’s fancy and exclusive and stuff.

Would you like to come?

The FIRST TEN people to email me at rawhidandvelvet@gmail.com will be put on list with a plus one!

And lookie-lookie here people, I never get to be involved with cool stuff like this because I am the black sheep…so PLEASE only email me if you REALLY want and CAN go. It will be first come, first serve and I have to turn the list into the powers that be TODAY. Once it is in, it is in…so hurry, hurry, hurry and email me if you’d like to come.

It really is going to be a special, fun and exciting EXCLUSIVE evening!

~Rb

Agenda much?

I can’t believe all the comments on this Kevin Fowler article from The Blaze. I also think it is bullshit that the title doesn’t even include Kevin Fowler’s NAME…but besides that…dude, calm down. It is Kevin Fucking Fowler. He is the redneck messiah.

“I think our music is just beer-drinking, hell-raising, fun music, you know, it’s not serious,” he said. “I’m not out trying to save the whales…I don’t have any political agenda with the music, I try not to. It’s just about having fun.”

DUH…

I am just pissy and maybe I am a little too sensitive when it comes to my Kevin Fowler. No one better be shit talking my Kevin.

Anyway…you can read all about beer drinking, gun toting, Kevin’s show at the Rockin’ Rodeo in Denton HERE.

~Rb

BUT…

I HAVE seen the video! Yes, yes I have.

Allow me to be one of those annoying ass people who go out of their way to make sure and post things like “I heard so and so’s new album first” because they think it makes them look cool, when in fact it usually makes them look douchey for being a Braggy McBraggerson. I’m okay with that because I promised Randy (first name basis name-drop) that I would blog about the video.

Highlights:

Waffle House hair net
Tattoo shop
Hot Tub
Big ass’d Burlesque dancers
Furverts
Bouncing Trampoline boobs
Urinals
Strobe lights

It really is a cute, funny video and I think y’all are going to like it. It definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously and it is perfect for the song. I have no clue WHEN it comes out, but of course I will try and get it posted as soon as possible.

I broke out the old SLR this weekend and took a few pictures of the performers at the Bloomin’ Temple Festival, including RRB. Check them out.

Brian Gowan:

Lee Roy Parnell:

Randy Rogers Band:

I gotta tell y’all, I was a little disappointed in the Lee Roy Parnell show. He’s obviously a sick, talented guitar player, but holy crap was I bored out of my ever loving mind. I am a huge fan of his music, so I KNOW his songs have words…and I don’t remember hearing him singing any. Holy 12 minute guitar solo on EVERY SINGLE SONG. My ADD couldn’t handle it.

~Rb

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Buddy & Jim, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
Cheaters Game, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
From The Ground Up, John Fullbright
O Be Joyful, Shovels and Rope
Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Dwight Yoakam
Emmylou Harris
Richard Thompson

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
JD McPherson
John Fullbright
Milk Carton Kids
Shovels and Rope

SONG OF THE YEAR
Birmingham – Shovels & Rope
Good Things Happen to Bad People – Richard Thompson
Ho Hey – The Lumineers
North Side Gal – JD McPherson

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis
Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
Shovels & Rope

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Doug Lancio
Greg Leisz
Jay Bellerose
Larry Campbell
Mike Bub