In the past decade, the Randy Rogers Band has rocketed from the smallest stages in Texas to headlining the biggest festivals and causing the biggest lines at Will Call than pretty much any other band currently performing under the massive Texas Country umbrella. Sure, Rogers' superb songwriting and signature rasp have proven to be one of the great allures of the band, but make no mistake, the entertainingly feverish fiddle playing of Brady Black has proven to be a trademark the band has benefited from greatly as well. Often bobbing and weaving near the lip of the stage next to Rogers, Black has been the fiddler-model many have tried to follow since.
"As far as style and tone go," explains Black as he prepares to play with the Bird Dogs in Sunday's Second Annual JubJam charity show at The Kessler Theater. "I have always admired the older Texas fiddlers like Johnny Gimble. I've also spent countless hours studying the blues riffs of the late Vassar Clements. But as for stage presence, I have to be honest and blame that on the Alt-Rock music of my youth. During High School I strayed-off to play guitar in a few raucous garage bands. I've always wanted to bring that energy to the fiddle on stage."
While his band has been drawing crowds around the country, including a triumphant show at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado just a few weeks ago, Texas is still home for Black and his home state has needed help in recent months. It's not surprising that Black is ready to lend a helping fiddle to Dunham and The Senior Source, the outfit that will benefit from Sunday's shindig. One will be hard-pressed to find a band that's been more active in helping raise money for the areas devastated by tragedy close to home.
"We've played a few benefits for the town of West, TX and Oklahoma City," Black says. "We also have a benefit show coming up in Randy's home town of Cleburne [which suffered devastation due to deadly tornadoes last month] on July 12th." The greatest thing about Texans is how we always try to take care of each other. We're very fortunate to have the ability to help people in their time of need, and we will always do what we can to help."
Speaking of this Wednesday night's JubJam, hosted by 1310 The Ticket's George Dunham, who also leads the Bird Dogs as songwriter and lead-singer, Black has come to know Dunham through a mutual admiration of sorts.
"I think George had come to see a few of our shows," Black says. "I started getting phone calls from my friends in Dallas-Ft. Worth saying Dunham was talking about me on The Ticket. Being a Dallas sports fan, needless to say I was pretty thrilled. After that we met up and have been friends ever since. George asked me to sit in on some of the Bird Dogs shows over the years, and when it was time to make a record, he called me up. I was happy to be a part of it.
Though Black has been playing instruments for as long as he can remember, and he can play as mean of a mandolin as he can a fiddle, he admits that there's a couple of stringed-instruments he can't quite grasp.
"The Steel Guitar and Banjo are total a mystery to me."
Of course, that means Black is ready to show off his skills on the instrument for which he's best known, and possibly get a bit of help from the stage on Sunday night, even"
"I'm hoping we can get George to play some twin-fiddle with me at Jub Jam!"
