by Phil Houseal | Mar 24, 2022 | All Articles, Events, People of the Hill Country, Venue
Mar 23, 2022–Back in high school, my friend John approached me with the complete libretto (text and lyrics) for an Amish Rock Opera he wanted set to music. I remember the first line to this day: Just been existing in an Amish world, Driving my buggy with my Amish...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 4, 2021 | All Articles, Events, History, Music, Venue
Aug 4, 2021–Like Neil Sedaka, Cher, and Lady Gaga, the Rockbox Theater keeps reinventing itself to keep the music playing and new fans entertained. KK and Kelly Welch are the latest empresarios to take a turn at the wheel of this iconic “Fredericksburg jewel.” The...
by Phil Houseal | Jul 1, 2020 | All Articles, Education, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
July 1, 2020–Last week I ventured out. Out of the house, out of town, out of my comfort zone. I took a class. I’ve always been fascinated by the art of script writing. Which is unusual, because writing of any kind was not a plausible path out of the corn patch, and I...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 7, 2018 | All Articles, Education, Events, History, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Nov 7, 2018–My first exposure to “fine art” growing up was the work of Charlie Russell. My dad, who raised horses, loved the way Russell rendered them in his paintings, as well as the unadorned representation of the life of the cowboy that ironically emphasized the...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 2, 2018 | All Articles, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy, Venue
Aug 1, 2018–There I was, immersed in what I call a “found experience.” Hovering in breezy shade, buoyed by fellow music travelers. Ten feet away, Max Baca of Los Texmaniacs plucked his bajo sexto. Accordion legend Flaco Jimenez added lilting counterpoint. Asleep At...
