I am gonna go out on a limb here.  It's a big limb too.  

Scott Copeland is one of Fort Worth's all-time greatest songwriters.  Hell even in this powerpacked songwriter state we live in, Scott is easily in the top 10 dudes alive today, Fort Worth's weight in the Texas musical mix definitely a mega-booster, not to mention his hits for Cross Canadian Ragweed and Casey Donahew, two of the state's most successfull TX-Red Dirt acts of all time.

Bold statement but a claim I have been watching & listening to now, for over a decade, since I first saw Scott in the front room of the Wreck room in 2003.  Copeland has written some gems and has a catalog of material that cannot be touched by anyone in the state's "Texas Music / Red-Dirt" Scene and few in Americana music.

The best part is, about two years ago, Copeland finally stitched together a band that completed the perfect musical ensemble.

One of Fort Worth's tightest, most seasoned bands, the Haters, contain a convaluted-mix of Fort Worth's most interesting musicians.  817 legend Gary Grammer on Harmonica, Speedtrucker / 1100 allum Bruce Alford on drums, the well-travelled School of Rock meister, Denver Greene on Bass, my personal favorite Scott Boland on keys & guitar, and the young, 817 legend in the making, lead guitarist Ryan Tharp.

This band is TIGHT.  So TIGHT, I urge anyone on the planet to prove me otherwise. Schooled in Texas honkytonks and Rock n Roll dive bars, they are definitely 5 guys whom you don't want to mess with and I am pretty sure they got my back.  So try and prove me wrong.

But seriously, one listen to their music will immerse you in some of the best roots/rock/blues/americana/texas country/red-dirt you can find anywhere in the state.  Copeland's songs prove perfect fodder for this group of talented musicos to entrap the listener in a sonic wall of sound that lifts Copeland's words into a stratosphere all their own.  

Often times I close my eyes and imagine I am front row listening to Willie Nelson and Family during the middle of a tight jam.  The Band, Grateful Dead,  I promise you can hear it when it get's groovin' and the Haters get down & dirty.

These guys are a Jam band in every sense of the word and Fort Worth is proud to have them.  Now the Fort Worth police department, that's another story.

The Hater's first album with Scott Copeland releases Tonight at Lola's Saloon for their big CD Release Party.  Get you and your best friend a CD, this is gonna be one kick-ass album from start to finish.

The show gets started around 10pm with rising 817 funk-soul-red-dirt badass Nick Tittle & his band the Blue Tone Valleys. Get there early, buy an album or two and get a few tequilla's.  This night is gonna be one for the books, I guarantee it.

June 7, 2013
Scott Copeland & the Haters CD Release for Fort Worth Sessions
Lola's Saloon in Fort Worth
www.lolasfortworth.com
9pm - $10 ticket 

Here is my all-time favorite Scott Copeland jam, which they put on their new album! 

Ladies, do you like the kind of love song that says you are everything that your guy needs? Guys, want to find a song that will absolutely melt your lady when you play it for her? Chad Sullins & the Last Call Coalition have just released the song for you both.

Earlier this week the band launched a grass roots campaign release of their newest single "Only Girl" from their 2012 album Incommunicado. Tired of waiting for the powers behind the scene to put it into rotation the band took charge and pushed forward. With what they called "help from friends in radio and one badass friend" they are right now promoting "Only Girl" to dang near every radio station on both sides of the Red River line.

The song itself is amazing. It puts that old "you're the sun and the stars" love song stuff in terms that regular folks like you and I can actually relate to. See for yourself...

"She doesn't know what she does, when she does what she does to me..." It isn't cheesy. It isn't overly dramatic. I get that.

"I love the look in her eyes, night after night, when I walk in... And I hate to see her cry, when the fault is all mine. It's the ultimate sin..." The good and the bad. That's real. This is a love song from an everyday kinda guy to his only girl.

So start calling up your local stations and requesting "Only Girl" now. Support the music that tells your story. Support the bands that are doing it without major backing and going at it on their own. I can promise you, one listen and you will get it. You simply can't not love this song. And when you love this song, make sure you check out the band's website and Facebook for more.

For band website go here

for band facebook go here

til next time...

Brandon

brandon@txrdr.com

Twitter @just_a_blogger

    Being a writer on this scene, I am often times afforded the opportunity to do things most fans never even imagine can happen.  Be it judging battle of the bands, conducting interviews on artist's tour buses, sharing lunch with songwriters, or even being invited to the occasional private pickers circles, there's no doubt that I'm in the thick of things. I in turn, use those experiences to try and relay what I have seen, heard, and felt through written word as best I can to you guys.  It's not an easy task though, because I am not a professional by any means.  I have no degree in music theory, nor am I some expert critic.  At the end of the day, I am simply a fan, no more than you.  I still wait anxiously for new music to come out, I have giddy moments of fandom, I even make bad choices when it comes to music sometimes.  But there are other times, times when it almost seems as if the stars align just right, and yes, magic happens.  No, not some cheesy guy pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but musical magic, hearing something for the first time and falling absolutely in love with the sound.

    While I am no stranger to the name Green Light Pistol, and having seen them perform on the mainstage at this years LJT Texas Music fest, I still had yet to see them up-close and in an intimate setting.  This past Friday I did just that, and yeah, I too fully understood what all the talk was about.  They are unique, different, special, and absolutely what all of music has been needing.  They are beautifully blending together a menagerie of instrumentation and melodies and harmonies that are beyond infectious.  They have that sound of completeness, the feeling of being on the cusp of greatness.  But then again, what do I know, I am after all, just a fan.

Two for the price of one today, while supplies last.

For more on Green Light Pistol: Click Here

Adiós,

Aaron Bentley

aaronleebentley1979@yahoo.com

aaron@txrdr.com

    One of the best parts of attending the LJT Texas Music fest are the moments that happen without plan or schedule.  While everyone enjoys the main stage or acoustic stage performances, for me, it's the after hours, late-night campfire events.  At any given time after midnight, there can be around ten different campfire sets going on at once, many that go until dawn breaks.  This year I had three main ones I attended each night.  I usually had an idea of who would be where, but as with the magic of LJT, there are always surprises.  On Thursday night, while making my rounds I found my way to one of the bigger gatherings.  As I staggered up the hill, I could hear just the music playing, and a lack of crowd noise.  That was a truly welcome sign.  The good part about these impromptu performances are the responses from those listening.  They really listen, I mean they just shut up and enjoy the music.  No chatter, no rambling, real music fans, enjoying music.  This is who was playing, and yeah, he had their attention, and mine as well.  Why hadn't I heard this guy?  I guess some of the best surprises really are right in front of us all the time.  I enjoyed his soulful, melodic, purposeful sound.  He knew he had the crowd's attention, and he delivered the moment that everyone was there to experience.  I hope you too can feel that moment, and find yourself a new reason to get out there and find a new artist to see live.  I promise, this video does no justice to just how powerful his delivery and convictions truly are.

For more on Clay Shelburn: Click Here

Adiós,

Aaron Bentley

aaronleebentley1979@yahoo.com

aaron@yahoo.com

So how do you tell people how good a new William Clark Green album is when everybody in the dang world has already been talking about how good it is? If I hadn't been so busy with my day job this week I would have beaten the dozens of artists and fans who gave him the shout out, and told you all to get the album. All that is left for me to do is add my spin to it all. Here we go....

William Clark Green, Holy cow Rose Queen is amazing sir. I got it to preview a couple weeks ago and it has been in my rotation since. Sometimes on repeat, sometimes I hit replay on a song that just finished, always played loud.

The singles "It's About Time" and "She Likes the Beatles" have already made appearances on the Texas Music charts so I won't bother you with how good those tracks are. Throughout this album you can tell that WCG can almost seamlessly weave words into art.

My personal favorite is "Dead or in Jail." It is a funky track that leans a little to the darker side of subject matters with a story about substance abuse and the inevitable outcomes... dead or in jail. "What it Takes to Be Me" is a deep and introspective albeit semi self loathing confessional tune told through the eyes of a sinner.

The title track "Rose Queen" is an all too real telling of the big fish in a little town story. "Let's Go" is an snappy little love song with a Cajun twang that will force toe tapping whether you want to or not. There really is a song that almost every one of us can relate to somewhere on this album.

So, that is my small piece on Rose Queen. Will has already secured a place in my top albums of the year and will be hard to beat out. He will cement himself as a force in the Texas scene with the release of this album. So get this album. Go catch a show. And get familiar with Will, because Rose Queen will be ruling the Texas scene this summer.

For more on William Clark Green go here

til next time...

Brandon

brandon@txrdr.com

just_a_blogger on Twitter