Concert review: The Arc Angels in Houston

By Paul T. Mueller – For a band that made only one studio album – 30 years ago – Arc Angels has quite a devoted fan base. That loyalty was clear at Houston’s Heights Theater on November 16, when the band drew an enthusiastic near-capacity crowd for its third Houston show of 2022. Arc Angels – named for the Austin…

Outlaw Country West cruise: A wide net of rocking, raucous music

By Paul T. Mueller – Despite its name, the inaugural Outlaw Country West music cruise wasn’t just about country music. Producers Sixthman and Renegade Circus cast a wider net, including a couple of Southern California punk bands as well as several purveyors of West Coast country and rock. The floating festival departed Los Angeles on November 3 aboard the Norwegian…

Review: John Egan’s musical twists and turns

By Paul T. Mueller – You never know quite what you’re going to get at a show by Texas singer-songwriter and bluesman John Egan. A song title might be familiar, but most likely Egan will throw in some twists that make it sound different from what you’ve heard before – sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. This dynamic was on…

Steve Earle in concert, with a nod to Jerry Jeff

By Paul T. Mueller – Steve Earle’s August 31 show at Houston’s Heights Theater began with a seven-song tribute to one of Earle’s musical heroes, Jerry Jeff Walker. Fittingly, Earle opened with “Gettin’ By,” which happens to be the opening track of his latest album, Jerry Jeff, featuring 10 Walker songs, and also the first track on Walker’s iconic 1973…

James McMurtry taps into his rich body of work

By Paul T. Mueller – Singer-songwriter James McMurtry released his first CD in 1989, so it’s pretty much inevitable that his shows these days resemble career retrospectives. At an August 26 solo acoustic show at Houston’s McGonigel’s Mucky Duck, McMurtry led off with “Melinda,” from his 1995 album Where’d You Hide the Body. Next came the title track of 2002’s…

BettySoo celebrates release of “Insomnia Waking Dream”

By Paul T. Mueller – Texas singer-songwriter BettySoo’s July 7 show at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston celebrated the release of Insomnia Waking Dream, a CD-only collection of 15 demos recorded over more than a decade and assembled with the help of fellow singer-songwriter Curtis McMurtry. BettySoo was the sole performer on the album, but for this show and others…

Robert Earl Keen’s joyous last go-round

By Paul T. Mueller – Robert Earl Keen, who earlier this year announced his intention to retire from touring after more than four decades, probably could have phoned in his farewell tour. His legions of fans likely would have eaten it up in any event. Instead, the beloved Texas singer-songwriter seems to be taking his last go-round very seriously, while…

Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame

By Ken Paulson Tonight’s COVID-delayed Country Music Hall of Fame induction honored three free spirits  – Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and songwriter Dean Dillon  – in a ceremony marked both by celebration of their special talents and gratitude that the country music community could finally convene to recognize the class of 2020. Each of the honorees followed a unique…

Happy 80th Birthday to Steve Cropper

There was a nice event honoring guitar legend Steve Cropper on his 80th birthday last week. He sat at stage right for the entire first half of the show and then took the stage to play with folks like Felix Cavaliere, 84-year-old Eddie Floyd and Billy Gibbons. “Knock on Wood,” “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” “Green Onions” and…

Tonight from WMOT: Rodney Crowell, Carlene Carter and Shannon McNally

By Ken Paulson WMOT Roots Radio celebrates its 5th anniversary tonight with a fundraiser at the City Winery featuring Rodney Crowell, Carlene Carter and Shannon McNally. That’s quite the line-up, fitting for a still-young station that has emerged as one of America’s most influential Americana stations. Tickets are still available for tonight’s Nashville show. If you don’t live in Nashville,…