Over the course of his 20-year career, singer-songwriter Hayes Carll has received a great many accolades and performed on some of the most prestigious stages in the United States.
To suggest that country singer-songwriter Waylon Payne’s life story seems perfect for a book isn’t a stretch. In fact, it’s a bit surprising that a book hasn’t been written about him yet.
A couple of days after Labor Day, University of North Texas grad Jeff Coffin was in good spirits, although he was in full recovery mode from an unexpectedly wild holiday weekend.
If anything about life is predictable, it’s that it isn’t. Not that he needed it, but Casey Hess was reminded of this pandemic-enhanced rule this week.
To properly look back on the year that has been 2020, you need to start in 2019. For many of us, there hasn’t been a more extreme difference between one year and the next as the change from last year to this year has presented. For Peticolas Brewing Co., New…
A common question asked of many songwriters is whether the music or the lyrics come first when crafting a tune. Typically, the artist replies with something along the lines of “Well, it just depends, really, there’s no one set way to write a song.” For Jackson Scribner, such a question…
As difficult as it can be to imagine just how everyday life during this pandemic may look and feel in a month — let alone how we’ll all be getting along years from now — local restaurant, bar and brewery operators don’t have the luxury of sitting calmly to see…
In an effort to detect as much of 2020’s silver lining as we can, it’s important to note that while live music hasn’t been much of an option in recent months, new music from our favorite local artists has thankfully not been in short supply. Just this week a couple…
Before the pandemic shut down North Texas nightlife in mid-March, it would’ve been a tough task to name a local band enjoying more forward momentum than Bastards of Soul. In the first several weeks of 2020, the group released its stellar debut LP, Spinnin’, which flew off the shelves of…
There’s no denying that spending extra time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic has led many folks to see things in a new, unexpected light. That’s certainly the case for Wade Bowen, one of the biggest stars of the Texas country circuit. The Waco native is deriving unexpected pleasure from…
Perhaps you’ve settled comfortably into “the new normal” stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, or perhaps you’re still coming to grips with the daily news developments. Either way, it’s safe to assume you have some extra time on your hands. Simply working from home instead of your usual workplace likely means…
The term “side project” is inherently a tad belittling, really. It’s especially so when discussing a musician’s hard work, determination and artistic expression. Sure, if the artist is the one deeming their efforts outside of their primary gig a side project then it’s cool, but who are the rest of…
Here’s something few, and more likely, absolutely zero, North Texas craft beer lovers thought they would either utter themselves or read about only a few years ago: Not all spicy pickle beers are created the same. Now, for those who have been paying close attention to what’s going on west…
There’s a legitimate reason that ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band From Texas, the documentary that premiered on Netflix last week, currently boasts a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score: It’s simply fantastic. There’s also a major reason the iconic trio with over 50 years under its belt has long been worthy…
If it’s not entirely impossible to keep from using the word “soul” when describing Zac Wilkerson’s music, it is certainly ill-advised. For starters, the Dallas resident’s excellent 2016 album is titled Dustbowl Soul, and plenty of the songs on his new record, Evergreen, feature R&B-powered full-band arrangements, which lend themselves…
Many fans of Texas country and red dirt music will recognize some key figures who give life to the music they love so dearly. The unmistakable voices of Jack Ingram, Robert Earl Keen and Randy Rogers are universally revered, and they’ve soundtracked our lives for over two decades now. But…
Last month Community Beer Company in Dallas celebrated its seventh anniversary with a major shindig inside its Design District taproom. Although it’s hard to believe now, given that craft breweries and brewpubs have enveloped North Texas, a seventh birthday means Community is among the new-era pioneers of the local beer…
Although there’s certainly more to the story of how Chadwick Murray became the lead singer for local soul band Bastards of Soul, the Dallas music veteran sums up the essence of his journey and current status rather succinctly. “So, yeah, after 30 years of being involved in music as a…
For the last four years, Levi Weaver has been a name that fans of the Texas Rangers have become keenly familiar with. As the Rangers beat writer for The Athletic, the 40-year-old Weaver has been praised for his ability to offer insightful columns on even the most mundane games over…
It would seem as though a devoted college student with a full load of intense classes would be as certain in what his future held for him as just about anyone in the undergrad phase of their life can be. Just a few years ago, Novel Coffee Roasters co-owner Kevin…
For a couple of decades now, Eleven Hundred Springs has been one of greatest country bands in North Texas, if not the absolute best, that is. Winners of a fair share of Dallas Observer Music Awards through the years, the Matt Hillyer-led honky-tonk crew has yet another album, its ninth…
Open since September 2019, Westlake Brewing Company joins Deep Ellum Brewing Company and BrainDead Brewing in making the ever-evolving entertainment district of Deep Ellum as much of a top-tier craft beer destination as it has ever been. Unlike the larger Deep Ellum Brewing and the more food-focused Braindead, Westlake is…
