Troubadours always bring to me thoughts of carrying people’s stories from place to place, and keeping legacies and happenings alive. The Turnpike Troubadours live up to their name by being ultimate storytellers with their songwriting. Their songs aren’t necessarily filled with innuendo and code it’s all about telling a story, giving you a glimpse into another person’s life. The band’s music is reminiscent of southern dance halls and small towns, hard workers and ordinary people. There is a southern drawl added to every lyric and a fiddle twang to every song.

The crowd was just overpowering from the minute the band started. People literally couldn’t help but dance, and spent time hollowing out little spots on the dance floor in between watchers to 2-step. At one point the band had the whole floor singing along with “Whole Damn Town”. ”The Funeral”, a song about returning home to bury a relative, was played beautifully. The microphone was even handed over to the fiddle player for a heart tearing version of “Austin to Ashes” off their first release, “Bossier City”.

As their set was ending, the crowd wasn’t quite ready to let them go, begging for one more song. The guys were happy to oblige and played a brand new song fitting right into the classic Turnpike Troubadour catalogue. It was a glimpse into future recordings, and after hearing it I couldn’t be more excited to hear what’s coming from them next.

Ask anyone who’s been kicking around Lubbock for a few years and you’re sure to hear a story about the time they drank with either Stoney, Cody, Randy, or Wade while one or the other played on the Blue Light stage.  Lately these guys might not come around as often as we’d like to see them but as their careers flourish, a new generation of bands take the stage in hopes of following in their hallowed footsteps.

Estelline is not one of those bands.

Taking the sad country song to a darker place: Estelline

They aren’t trying to be like every Texas country band out there.  They aren’t trying to be like any Texas country band out there.  Founder and frontman Kenny Paul Harris makes no apologies for this, either: there is a depth to Harris’s material that most Texas country bands have yet to find an audience for anyway.  Consider the words of a heartbroken man driven not merely to the honky-tonk on the edge of town but to the abyss at the edge of the world:

I am a monster, lock me away
Was her eyes that drove me insane
Black as hell, cold as ice
When she disappeared it was no surprise

“Old country was all story-based, and that’s what we do,” says Harris.  Estelline takes the sad country song to an even darker place, both lyrically and musically.

Drums, bass, acoustic guitar, banjo, and a twangy guitar sound peppered with just enough delay to echo Harris’s haunting subjects characterize most of the songs they play.  Says drummer Justin Lentz, “we’re going for something honest that people can understand.  I personally don’t want to be that indie band that people don’t get.”

Estelline Founder and Frontman Kenny Paul Harris

Rather than working to mask a vocal timbre that any pop-savvy vocal coach would seek to restrain, Kenny Paul Harris turns this into a defining characteristic of his performance, articulating each line with calculated drawl which sometimes borders on the dysphonic but always delivers with conviction.

“Playing at the Bluelight hasn’t been as tough as one would think,” explains Lentz. “We feel comfortable being the odd band out.  We think that it comes across OK with the crowd.  I’m sure that you’ll find the occasional cowboy who walks in and wonders what the hell we’re doin’ up there, but I think for the most part we’re accepted.”

Connect with Estelline at http://www.myspace.com/estelline1

The Boot Campaign is an organization dedicated to easing the transitions of troops returning home from duty.  They are focused on generating awareness by photographing people in combat boots to show Americans what it’s like when you put yourself in the boots of our troops.  The campaign has taken photos of everyone in boots from Wade Bowen and No Justice to Gretchen Wilson and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

For more information on this great cause, visit The Boot Campaign or Carved Records.

William Clark Green Band made a much needed appearance Thursday night at the bar, as it had been months since they had played at the Blue Light.  Green started out with five or six new songs from the album he is releasing in August, and it is obvious he has stepped up his songwriting skills.  The new material is full of heartbreak, regret, satire, and hope.  He even pulled out a gem of a song they had only played twice before live.  It is a song that is a change of pace for Green, giving his writing skills a swift kick.

Green managed to also throw in some older material.  We heard Down with the Wine, Wishing Well, and Gypsy all from his first album.  His old music never gets boring; it is just as good as in the beginning, if not a bit more polished.  Green’s musicians are such a great fit.  They are so comfortable with each other the show looks less like work and more like fun.

Be sure to catch WCG for his CD release party, August 20^th at the Blue Light.  His first album, Dangerous Man is available at iTunes.

A very special congratulations to David and Stephanie Brooks:  Thursday marked their 5^th anniversary owning the Blue Light!

It was an evening of true craziness at the Blue Light Friday night, with Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights hitting our stage for the first time in months.  The BL faithful were having some serious JTNL withdrawals as was evident by the masses of people who stood in line as early as 9:30 to watch the band.

JTNL played all night long, stopping just shy of their 2am cutoff.  They did just about every song off the new album, Pardon Me, including the title track and the ripping Hot Sake.  They even brought back an old favorite, Sunshine, as a request from the crowd.  The audience screamed along to the chorus of Young and Free and kept them onstage doing encores until closing time.

JTNL is the type of band you know will show you a good time.  We’ve never seen a bad show from these guys (and gal), and with the biggest crowd yet Friday night, it’s obvious they’re not slowing down the pace for anyone.  The dance floor was packed, and if you were not right in the middle of it, you really missed out.

Wisebird was around to open up for JTNL and finally got the crowd they deserve.  After playing several times on the Blue Light stage to less than stellar amounts of people, they enjoyed a packed house and attentive audience this time around.  The boys take turns with the vocals, with all of them getting equal attention.  Each of them is a fantastic musician with a great pulled-together sound.  Hopefully their days of playing to an empty bar at the Blue Light are over.

Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights’ new album, Pardon Me is available at iTunes.  It is absolutely an album you should own.  You can also get free downloads of two songs off of Wisebird’s new album by going to their website and signing up for their mailing list.

Even with a slight delay of showtime due to the band’s bus having broken down in New Mexico, plenty of people stuck around to watch the 70-year-old performer capture everyone’s attention.  Wearing his seemingly trademark denim shirt and jeans, he rambled through a fabulous set, playing all the favorites from his extensive catalogue.

Saying, “God loves you when you dance,” to entice people onto the floor, Shaver spent the entire night smiling, dancing and singing the songs he has probably performed hundreds of times.  He cracked the audience up with That’s What She Said Last Night, and even handed the microphone off to two different band members for their chance at the spotlight.  Black Rose was played to cheeky perfection, singing, “The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own”.  It was a phenomenal showing from beginning to end.

I heard several times from different people during the past few days that this was one of the best shows they had ever seen at the Blue Light, and I cannot help but agree.  The energy and fun that radiated off of this man was intoxicating, and we eagerly await his return to our city.

Such a balance is hard to maintain; after all, music that appeals to the masses seldom appeals to the intelligentsia, but Kenneth manages to make his mark on both ends of the spectrum with unwavering brilliance.  His songs scored top honors with the judges during the Blue Light Live spring Singer-Songwriter Showdown and raised thunderous applause from the hundreds of listeners in the crowd who willingly lent their ears to the outpourings of nearly twenty hopeful writers every night.

As panelist Wade Parks emphasized, “songwriting is not a competition” and we at the Blue Light wholeheartedly stand by this statement; songwriting as an art form is subject to the tastes and prejudices of the listener.  Little wonder then, that this rare confluence of crowd and critic would speak as highly of our listeners as it would of our performers: yielding Kenneth O’Meara as the first songwriter to be awarded with radio airplay and the production of a free E.P. to help further his songwriting career.

Hood opened with Buzzes Like Neon, and right away caught the crowd’s attention.  Later, Shelly blew people away as he wailed out the chorus.  Hood’s guitar playing is phenomenal, taking the solos in every song.  It’s a true talent to play the guitar as well as you can sing.  And his singing is ridiculous: he threw something extra into his already full-of-soul voice with nearly every line.  Hood has put together a great trio of musicians who are incredibly comfortable playing together.  They seemed to truly enjoy their time together on stage.

Adam Hood’s album, Different Groove is available on iTunes and is worth picking up.  The deluxe version includes acoustic versions of over half the songs on the album.  Now let’s hope Hood doesn’t wait another two years to grace our stage again!

Brandon Adams and the Sad Bastards are a part of the Blue Light family.  Adams said they had played other bars but the Blue Light was always better:  “They’re cool man, but we get drunk here!”  And they had a great crowd to play to on Saturday night with a fantastic set.

Adams is one of Lubbock’s finest songwriters.  His lyrics are sometimes heartbreakingly sad, but that’s just the band living up to its name.  Other times there is so much energy on stage that the guitar player thrashes around wildly as if he is too into his solos to just stand there.  It is absolutely refreshing to see a band so unconcerned with looking cool that they do it anyway.

The flat notes the band bends during Won’t Back Down are so damn interesting and out of place that they actually work.  Love’s Given Up On Me makes you a little heartsick, with its sad message of loneliness.  Adams obviously has a broad range of songwriting skills.

Be on the lookout for a CD release party happening at Blue Light in the next few months.  Adams and the Bastards are almost ready to unleash their debut album on the world, and you are going to want to be paying attention when they do.

Monday nights at the Blue Light is the perfect place to catch up-and-comers at their most raw.  It doesn’t get any more stripped down than just an acoustic guitar and a microphone.  You also get the opportunity to watch some more established artists play sans their bands.  William Clark Green and Charlie Shafter opened the show this week with a song swap, where they played some new material and some from their recent albums.  Second to the stage was Brandon Adams and Russell “Red” Shahan, the hosts of our songwriter night, who always play a fabulous set.  Why these two are not already out selling a million records I will never know, so enjoy them while you can on the small stage.

The rest of the songwriters had a little bit of everything to offer.  We saw some country, coffee shop pop, and acoustic rock among other genres represented.  There is truly something for everyone.  So bring your guitar and your listening ears to Monday nights for the best live music in town!

Parker drew quite the crowd, and with his great past performances he is a Blue Light favorite.  The energy of the show was crazy.  People were standing on chairs in the middle of the dance floor, and everyone shouted the words to every song back at the stage.  Parker performed his usual fantastic brand of country and threw in an Atlantic City cover to boot.  50 Peso Reward certainly did not do anything to disappoint.

Parker brought along opener Sean McConnell, who also blew the Blue Light faithful away.  McConnell’s unique mixture of soul, country, and pop hooks had the people twirling around the dance floor.  His music is very radio friendly and completely enjoyable.  With lyrics like, “I wouldn’t trade my troubles for any one of yours,” it makes you realize his talent runs deeper than just a pretty voice.  His ballad Reckless Love was very good and gave him the chance to show off his wide vocal range.  A great rendition of Dirty Diana didn’t hurt either.

It was a welcome end to finals and another semester.  Now, bring on the summer!

Jay Wimberley

The first of the 13 was Wimberley, a fantastic guitar player, who’s junky, soulful voice was just the thing to get us started off right.  He looked comfortable on stage, and looked as if he enjoyed every minute of his two songs.

Tyler Rogers

Rogers has a great way with words, as his lyrics clearly show.  With a second song dedicated to his mom, he caught the attention of the judges, who commented he had a very simplistic guitar style.

Justin Tuley

Tuley cited Bob Dylan as one of his major influences.  The judges compared him to Woody Guthrie and said they liked that he had a statement to make and a message to send.

Trey Berry

Obviously very at home on stage, Berry had a coffee-shop vibe to his performance, and he drew comparisons to Incubus.

Tanner Saunders

The youngest of our finalists, at only 17 Saunders worked hard to keep the crowd engaged.  His two songs received a great crowd reaction, prodding one judge to call him a true Texas troubadour.

Kenneth O’Meara

Our finale winner made quite the impression on the judges with his crazy complicated guitar picking.  His songs sound like they belong in the old west, and with true storytelling lyrics to back him up there is no doubt as to why he came out on top.

Rachel Porter

Our first lady of the finale came out with a quietly beautiful voice, full of heartbreak.  Our judges called her soothing and soulful.

Allie Brooks

Brooks had a wonderfully, confident voice, and stepped up with her best love songs for the competition.  The judges stated she had a great vocal range and all kinds of vocal control.

Zach Newberry

Newberry is obviously a very practiced musician, and he looked very calm and collected on stage.  The judges said he had a very interesting sound that was different from the rest.

Danny Cadra

Our third-place winner had the judges saying he was a very accessible artist.  He was the most country of the bunch, sticking to some down-home roots and singing two very different but interesting songs.

Stephen St. Clair

St. Clair had a very poppy, country sound; it was something you could tell was influenced by country but still got you moving.  In an effort to bring his A-game, he sang a song he had written that very day.  It was a move that took guts and a leap of faith.

Alissa Beyers

Beyers came in a close second in our contest, and with a standing ovation by most of the crowd, it’s clear to see why.  She has a mesmerizing voice, full of heartbreak and control.  The judges said her songs had a lot of structure and story within them.

Tyler Caffey

Caffey had the biggest cheering section with him; it was chock full of matching t-shirts and video cameras.  His voice was very strong and controlled, and he had two extremely powerful songs.

A very special thank you goes to all of our participants in the final.  You guys truly stepped up and brought your best work with you to the Blue Light stage!   We look forward to all the great things you will bring to the music community!

Kenneth O'Meara, winner 2010 Spring Singer-Songwriter Showdown

Monday, May 2 marks the last time you will be able to give your favorite finalist from the week an extra point going into the finale by listening to 105.3FM from 10a.m. to 2p.m.  Vote as much as you can; then join us that night for our Showdown Finale.

Finalists get ready, because it is your last chance to blow the judges away.  Our final judging panel will be chock full of special guests, so play to impress!

This week featured a mix of great musicians, most of whom were new competitors.  There was a lot of great talent making the judges decision a difficult one.  But the ladies were ready to do battle and proved themselves effortlessly.

We are so excited to be giving all of these new up-and-comers a shot at being the next big thing!  The competition is really getting fierce, and we invite you to bring something fresh and new to the table.  Be different and bold!

Nutt greeted the crowd with a feather in his cowboy hat and a smile on his face.  It is very apparent that Nutt is on stage because he truly loves what he’s doing, which is always refreshing to see.  Their sound is distinctive Texas country with an upbeat attitude that gets people’s attention.  The band worked hard to keep the crowd moving and succeeded without a doubt.  He even took an audience request and put his own spin on Wagon Wheel, which gave the crowd an excuse to sing along.

All in all, it was a great show from a group of amazing musicians, with a fabulous audience to back them up.  Be sure to find Nutt’s latest album N. Clinton Ave. available on iTunes or at www.jasonnuttband.com.

Don’t forget to listen to Neely Yates on 105.3FM from 10a.m. to 2p.m. on Monday, April 19^th to vote for your favorite finalist from this week.  It’s getting down to the best of the best; step up, songwriters and show us what you’ve got!

For a good time, call these guys.

Kent and his band have a distinct sound that is a blend of down home country and southern rock.  They play everything from upbeat boot-stompers to haunting waltzes.  Kent’s originals sound like they absolutely have a home on the radio, as he is already making waves in the country scene.  His band is a great backing choice; they complement him perfectly, and with fantastic harmonies coming from his lead guitarist, it shows Kent isn’t the only one in the band with singing chops.

Kent mixed in cover songs effortlessly and played everything from Tom Petty to Creedence Clearwater Revival.  We at the Blue Light have heard many versions of Gin and Juice, (usually a tongue-twisting version by our own Charlie Shafter) but it’s not often we hear a fiddle playing along to a countrified Snoop Dogg hit.  And just how many times do you get to hear The Black Eyed Peas thrown into the end of Mary Jane’s Last Dance?

Stopping just short of closing time, Kent kept the crowd going all night with a whirlwind of great musicianship and stage presence.  Be sure to check out his self-titled EP, available on iTunes:  Support all of your Blue Light bands!

Lubbock's Tina Turner joins Jeremy Steding & the Band Of Bastards for an evening of classic country.

Obviously heavily influenced by Cash, Steding stayed true to his strictly country roots with bouncy melodies from start to finish.  A fabulous fiddle player and backing musicians topped off the performance.  It truly doesn’t get more country than Jeremy Steding!  Check out his newest release, A Damn Good Ride, and see for yourself what this Austin boy can do!

Another great night of dancing, big crowds and live music at the Blue Light!  Be sure to catch Wes Nickson Friday, April 9th!