by Phil Houseal | Jul 3, 2013 | All Articles, Events, History, Music
July 3, 2013–When promoter Gene Wolf asked if I wanted to interview Larry Gatlin before his upcoming Hill Country show, I said yes. I had a question I’d been waiting 30 years to ask him. So when the phone rang and I heard, “Phil, this is Larry Gatlin. How are...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 12, 2013 | All Articles, Education, Events, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy, Venue
June 12, 2013–All we wanted was to play classical music in a bar. We didn’t know we were part of a revolution. It started one cold, dark night back in February when our local string quartet–Theresa Britt, John Reeve, Tammy Widener, and I–stepped on stage at Hondo’s,...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 5, 2013 | All Articles, History, Music, Philosophy
June 5, 2013–Everyone should dance. I’m not in the habit of handing out advice to my children. First, I don’t have any advice. Second, if I did, they wouldn’t take it. I never did. But when my oldest son set off for college, I felt I should say something profound. So...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 14, 2012 | All Articles, Events, History, Music, Philosophy, Venue
Part II of my visit with Ray Price. Read Part I… Nov 14, 2012–When I first came to Texas, I was expected to learn a drumming style called the “shuffle beat.” I had never heard or seen the two-step, let alone been inside a real dance hall. That beat, my band...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 14, 2012 | All Articles, Events, History, Music, Venue
So what do you ask a legend? If you could interview country music superstar Ray Price, what would you say? This gave me considerable pause when Gene Wolf of Sharity Productions arranged a phone interview in anticipation of Price’s Christmas concert at Cailloux Theater...
by Phil Houseal | Jul 25, 2012 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Venue
July 25, 2012–Is it an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny coverup or a double-D big deal? Or maybe it’s just B.S. The national news media have picked up the story about a town in Texas that is causing quite a stir around here. According to the versions I have been reading,...
