Roots Music Journey: The Sequel : Luckenbach. . . .Too Cool

(Hi friends I added a you tube link to a video we shot . . . . I finally figured out how to shrink it and upload it. . . . see web address below)

I have been talking about Luckenbach with lots of people in recent months using it as an example of the commodification of American music. The town of Luckenbach hardly exists and yet everyone knows about it from the Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson recording of the same name. I have to admit that I was quite misinformed about this very unusual place. I had always heard that it is a very small town and I was under the assumption (bad idea to assume anything as it makes an “ass” out of “u” and "me") that the current country music venue was the result of the media attention generated by the popularity of the Jennings / Nelson recording. I never really did any research but I also thought that there was a relatively new large venue that had big shows and attracted folks from a large radius.

The Big Dance Hall

In fact the history of the venue and the town is quite complex but the venue is actually supposed to be the second oldest dance hall in Texas.

There is an eclectic gift shop/record store and a bar with no food and an outdoor performance space and the dance hall is only used for big shows a few times per month. The rest of the week there are outdoor picking sessions/jam sessions that are hosted by solo acts, duos, and trios. The crowd includes locals and tourists but the night we were there it was mostly locals who came to drink a beer and either listen or jam or both.

The performers hosting the session were Jon Hogan and Maria Moss and Sean "Cornbread" Andrews on washtub bass who play a folk style usually called “old time music.” There were at least 6 folks sitting in as well on guitar, harmonica, and singing some of their own songs. Hogan and the group were outstanding and I almost sat in myself but we hadn’t planned well and the music started at 5 so we assumed that there would be food. . . . whoops, no food in Luckenbach :)

I had a nice chat with them on their break and when I explained the focus of my trip Jon was very enthusiastic about it. This has continued to be true everywhere we go and with every musician I have spoken with. I asked him if they had much of a following as their music is certainly out of the commercial mainstream and he said absolutely. Jon then explained that although they play old songs from a wide range of styles, folk music, string bands, blues, early jazz, they inevitably add something of their own to the sound so it doesn’t sound stale or like a museum piece. Jon said that he was also working on a major project making a film of their music while traveling on a train . . . .or something like that.

Check out a song on You tube that we shot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J9v5vlYX80&feature=youtu.be

This was the perfect roots music experience if one is looking for the continuation of roots music traditions. Here we have young musicians playing old American songs, maintaining a historic thread to the past while acknowledging that the music needs to be fresh and energetic. Frankly I couldn’t believe how lucky we were yet again. The Luckenbach scene, at least the night we were there was one of the hippest, least commercial music experiences I can remember. I have heard that it can get pretty touristy but our experience was quite the opposite.