It’s happening! Thursday May 10: The TXMPA Black and White 2012 Denim and Diamonds All Industry PARTY. Why is this exciting? Because The Texas Motion Picture Alliance has done in a few short years something the production business in Texas has needed for a LONG time: They’ve built an enthusiasm for television and film production in the state AND a REAL voice in Austin at the state legislature. All the Party details>> READ ON>> Read more…

“I see you watching me like a hawk. I don’t mind about the things you talk. But if you touch me something’s got to give. I live the life I love and I love the life I live.” ~ Willie Dixon
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Dallas, TX (Aug. 16, 2011) A rocked up remake of Doug Sahm’s 1974 landmark track “Groover’s Paradise” has been released. The track is available at Trace Relations Band Official Site. “Groover’s Paradise” is one of four tracks released from the band in advance of their full length CD “Prosperity Street” coming in December, 2011.

The song was arranged and performed by vocalist Tracy Ready and guitarist Kevin Lewis of Trace Relations Band with Shawn Sahm of Texas Tornados, a tribute to his father, the late Texas music pioneer Doug Sahm.

GROOVER’S PARADISE

Read on for the story behind the track >>> Read more…

The great Freddie King hailed from Dallas, Texas and tore up stages all over the world with his blistering brand of electric blues before his untimely death at age 42 in 1976. His vocal and guitar prowess were without match and have now influenced a generation of players. Often imitated, never duplicated – Freddie King!
This video of “The Texas Cannonball” is Freddie at his best, live onstage in Sweden, 1973, performing “Have You Ever Loved A Woman.” This one is on my top 10 best electric blues songs ever written list, for sure. Enjoy the video…> Read more…

“The Golden Hour” is an elusive time, one of God’s miracles that happens twice a day, whether we notice or not.
Just after sunrise and just before dusk everyday the sun gets low in the sky, making the shadows long and deep, giving definition and a certain quality to the subject that has been sought out by visual artists for centuries. Prior to photography, painters would often set up their easels in these spots in the day, when the light is just right.
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South Texas Soul: The San Antonio Sound – Augie Meyers, Doug Sahm and the history and influence of South Texas on popular music of today. Documentary filmmaker Tracy Ready examines the influence of German, Polish and Irish immigrants in South Texas on popular music styles including Country, Tejano, Blues and Rock and Roll, from a unique perspective.

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Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown was born April 18, 1924 in Vinton, Louisiana and died September 10, 2005 in Orange, Texas. While known primarily as a “bluesman”, he hated such titles. He was a master musician who defied being pigeonholed in any genre. His live shows ranged the gamut of American music. Jazz, rock, blues, cajun and bluegrass came soaring out of this man, who kept grinning through it all.

“I play American and World music, Texas style.”
- Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown

>>READ ON >> Check out four videos from Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown >> Read more…

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Recently, on the spur of the moment, my wife Lauren and I decided to take a one day road trip… somewhere. We do this occasionally (I would say not often enough) for some very simple reasons:

Why the Getaway?

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The multi-talented Shawn Sahm has reformed the Tex-Mex supergroup Texas Tornados with original members Augie Meyers and Flaco Jimenez. The band is getting rave reviews for it’s recent performances at Austin’s South By Southwest music festival. A decade after the passing of his famous father, Texas music icon Doug Sahm, Shawn is forging a new path for the group, which also lost original member Freddy Fender in 2006.

Shawn, Augie and Flaco are returning to the charts with “Esta Bueno” a CD bursting with enthusiasm, capturing the best of what the Texas Tornados were in their 1990′s Grammy Award winning heyday combined with a fresh feel for the future that is winning new fans worldwide.

In 2009, I sat down for an in-depth interview with Shawn for the upcoming film: South Texas Soul: The San Antonio Sound. Here are a few excerpts with Shawn discussing his life as Doug’s son, the Augie Meyers – Doug Sahm dynamic and, of course, the music that has made it all click.

Special thanks to Cheryl and Shawn for their hospitality down in “Groover’s Paradise”, to Jason Meyers for running camera and sound during the interview and to Jeff Mack for editing this piece.

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Great Lineup for Second Texas Music Conference!

The second Texas Music Conference hosted by Dallas Public Library is this Saturday, September 11th. This is an informative series put on for free by the library and is a must for music fans, history buffs, musicians and anyone interested in the diverse musicology of Texas.

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Image Communications Expert Cathrine Hatcher discusses color and how it affects public perception in this video for TraceTV – Film – Music – Social Media.

We are all constantly communicating, both verbally, and non-verbally. Cathrine’s message here exposes how our choice of color in clothing can affect those that we meet with in our daily lives. It is interesting to note the origins of our perceptions of blue and red in particular. It also seems evident that these concepts carry over to the colors chosen for websites, advertising, television; anywhere, anytime we are communicating a message to one or more individuals. As soon as you arrive for a meeting, or as soon as a potential client is visiting your blog or website they are forming subconscious impressions of you based simply on color.

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