by Phil Houseal | Jul 27, 2023 | All Articles, Events, History, People of the Hill Country
July 26, 2023–From time to time I tire of “real” news and turn my hand to “Not Newz.” It’s outrageous, obtuse, and yet, increasingly plausible. Camels Return to Texas Hill Country The U.S. Agricultural Research Station has received federal funding to reestablish...
by Phil Houseal | Jul 5, 2023 | All Articles, Education, Food, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
July 5, 2023–Soap in a sock, batteries in the dishwasher, and banana peels on burns. These are a few of your favorite hacks, according to responses to my online request. I always regret crowd-sourcing my column, but sometimes it’s fun to let people try at home what I...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 1, 2023 | All Articles, Events, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Venue
June 1, 2023–Deb Rouse has been named Executive Director of the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation by the Board of Directors, assuming full duties in July, 2023. Rouse feels ready, both professionally and personally, to step into the role of Executive Director of the...
by Phil Houseal | May 17, 2023 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country
May 17, 2023–(Note: Last week I wrote about my stint as an extra in the movie Barbarosa, filmed around Fredericksburg in 1980 and starring Willie Nelson and Gary Busey. On what was to be my last day on the set, the film crew hired me as a stand-in for actor Danny De...
by Phil Houseal | May 10, 2023 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country
May 10, 2023–(NOTE: Joining the scrum of fans telling their connection to Willie Nelson on his 90th birthday, I’m resharing the story of the time he came to the Texas Hill Country to film a movie.) I was perched on the low limb of a live oak tree. The sun was...
by Phil Houseal | May 8, 2023 | All Articles, Events, History, People of the Hill Country, Venue
Exclusive story for ArtsAliveSA May 8, 2023–When Chad Matthews, then a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, and producer, decided to start an independent film festival back in 2010, why did he choose Fredericksburg, a tiny Texas town far from the hills of Hollywood?...
