west texas blues fall 2013

FEATUREBrew Yer Own10 gettin’ hoppy with it

IN EVERY ISSUELetter From the Editor04

Blues Foundation News05

Tall City Blues Fest News06

West Texas Blues Recommends09 blues 411

Miss Behavin’s Haven11 fall 2013 menu

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNSBlue Notes08 tribute to doyle bramhall

Salty Dog14 tobacco reminiscence

Good Eats16 fried catfish king in midland

Holistic Health17 finding what you need in essential oils

Art @ Work18 horror movie ministry for life

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHTCpl. Ray’s Coffee21 honoring a loved one through hot java

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTMarathon 2 Marathon22 racing like greeks in west texas

IN REVIEWJoe Satriani09

Pre-Prohibition Cocktails16

COMMUNITY SHOWCASEPursuing Pecos River Pastimes12 carlsbad, nm

COMMUNITY CALENDARArts Council Studio Tour11 midland, nov 2

ARTWALK11 alpine, nov 22-23

Chicken Farm Art Center Open House13 san angelo, nov 29-dec 1

oct 18 (odessa)

oktoberfest

• WEST TEXAS BLUES

FALL 2013

West Texas Blues strums the strings of connectedness that foster a sense of Community, Enthusiasm and a Zest for Life. This is a magazine highlighting those things that add vibrancy to our lives while keeping us

grounded in what’s real. We reach beyond music into art, leisure, nightlife, travel, entertainment, food, health, entrepreneurship, innovation and

history.

EDITORLisa J. Grissom

ART DIRECTORRonn Reeger

ASSISTANT EDITOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNERElizabeth McLellan

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSMark Pollock, Amanda Hart, Tim Kreitz,

Jon ‘Doc’ Meeks, Sam Daulong,Kathleen Odom, Wallace Craig

ADVERTISING OFFICE432-618-0705

West Texas Blues specifi cally seeks advertisers that embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and add vibrancy to their community by making

thoughtful products and services available to West Texans.

FACEBOOK/WestTexasBluesMag

TWITTER @WestTexasBlues

PUBLISHERPromising Projects

112 South Loraine, Suite 440Midland, TX 79701

[email protected]

To order a direct mail subscription of West Texas Blues, go to facebook.com/WestTexasBluesMag.

Each issue is distributed the fi rst month of each quarter and will be mailed fi rst-class in a personalized envelope to the address you provide in the

online request form. For orders of 10 or more magazines, please call our offi ce at 432-618-0705 to make bulk shipping arrangements.

Copyright 2013 by Promising Projects, Inc. and its affi liates. All content contained herein is copyrighted by its original creator and sources have been sighted where

appropriate. All rights reserved.

I’ve always had an inkling that discom-fort actually serves a purpose in our lives. For me, I interpret the absence of a slight discomfort in my life as a sign of stagnation. Starting new projects is hard. It takes effort. Even with the Universe on your side, doing something new still requires effort and action on our parts. We can choose to see the process for the truth of what it is--starting anew--and have fun with it, or we can grit our teeth and trudge through the misery until we arrive where we’re headed. Trouble is, we don’t usually ever arrive where we think we’re going. New information always re-veals itself along the way that changes and alters our path.

Such has been the case with both starting this magazine, and also starting Tall City Blues Fest. After three years of the organizing the Fest and now three issues of West Texas Blues behind us (this is the fourth) there seems to be something magical that happens after ‘the third’. Perhaps that’s where the common phrase “third time’s a charm” came. Not that there isn’t room to grow, but that after three times of completing a big project, you can’t help but learn a thing or two. It’s like being fortifi ed. By the time you’ve made it through the third round, you’ve obviously had enough resolve to survive and now it’s time to thrive.

In this fourth issue of the magazine, we’ve charged it with stories of refl ection and nostalgia while also in-novation and creativity. We’re staying plugged into the principles of tradition while also pushing the envelope of opportunity. You’ll fi nd West Texas Blues staples such as food and art, along with stories of tribute, honor, beer, tobacco, health (yes, we can fi t both in the same issue) and even horror.

WEST TEXAS BLUES • PAGE 5

Generation Blues is an initiative founded by The Blues Foundation in 2010 to afford aspiring musicians under the age of 21 to study the instrument of their choice at reputable camps, seminars and workshops. This year, the Foundation awarded almost $15,000 in scholarships to kids ranging in age from 10-

20 years old.

Tax-deductible donations to help make these scholarships possible can be made online at blues.org. 100 percent of the donations

made to Generation Blues go toward providing these scholarships, as the administrative costs are born by the Foundation’s general operating fund.

For those interested in applying for a scholarship, applications can be downloaded online and must be submitted by April 1, 2014. Additionally, youths under 21 can also take advantage of a free individual Blues Foundation membership. [SOURCE: Blues Foundation Website]

SOME OF THE PROGRAMS APPROVED FORGENERATION BLUES FUNDING INCLUDE:

ALABAMA BLUES PROJECTAUGUSTA HERITAGE CENTER’S BLUES WEEK

BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC SUMMER PROGRAMSBLUES LOVERS UNITED OF SAN DIEGO’S “BLUES MUSIC SUMMER CAMP”

FERNANDO JONES’ COLUMBIA COLLEGE BLUES CAMPGRAND RIVER BLUES CAMP

PINETOP PERKINS FOUNDATION YOUTH WORKSHOP SERIESPORT TOWNSEND ACOUSTIC BLUES FESTIVAL

SEAN CARNEY’S CAMP BLUESTHE UPTOWN MUSIC COLLECTIVE

THE WORLD’S LARGEST GATHERING THE WORLD’S LARGEST GATHERING THE WORLD’S LARGEST GATHERING OF OF OF BLUES ACTS COMPETING UPBLUES ACTS COMPETING UPBLUES ACTS COMPETING UP AND DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN

LEGENDARY BEALE STREET.LEGENDARY BEALE STREET.LEGENDARY BEALE STREET.

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JANUARY 21-25, 2014MEMPHIS, TN

the blues foundation news

BITS, as it’s called for short, is a collection of comprehensive classroom curricula that incorporates elements of math, English, social studies, music and other disciplines as they relate to the making and promoting of blues music. An activity like designing a CD package enlists the art discipline, while planning a tour itinerary utilizes geography and math skills.

Blues educators and performers can be engaged to provide school assemblies, classroom workshops or Artist in Residency programs, which can last from one week to a month. Typically, programming is funded by local blues societies, but can also be funded with local Arts Council grants, PTA monies or corporate sponsorship.

The Blues Teacher’s Guide, a series of lesson plans developed by the Experience Music Project in collaboration with The Blues Foundation is available for download at blues.org along with more information on blues educators and performers. [SOURCE: Blues Foundation Website]


tall city blues fest newsTall City Blues Fest is at the heart of the human connection. In addition to bringing award-winning performers to West Texas and creating tourism, Tall City Blues Fest offers a culturally diverse attraction in West Texas and enhances the community by making a quality family-friendly event available in the local region.

The Fest is more than just a music festival showcasing the performing arts; it also presents educational and visual arts opportunities, as well. In partnership with Midland College, educational workshops are held during the Fest and have generated more than $4,000 to help under-privilged children attend KIDS’ College.

Every year the Fest commissions an artist for $1,000 to design the commemorative poster and the cover art of the festival guide. The Fest also holds a silent art auction where participating artists receive 70 percent of the proceeds. This year’s Fest generated more than $2,800 paid directly to artists.

Just having completed its third year, the Fest has generated more than $350,000 in economic impact, according the Midland Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, and continues to grow into a significant event that West Texans look forward to annually.

2013 TCBF Headliner Zac HarmonPhoto by Joe Fulmer.

Glenn Jr. Peterson of The Peterson Brothers. Photo by Wallace Craig.

2013 TCBF Finale act JT ColdfirePhoto by AP Torre.

Tall City Blues Fest July 26-27,2013. Photo by AP Torre.


Become a Festival Founder

On the coattails of having validated both the economic and cultural impact of Tall City Blues Fest in West Texas, the Fest has launched an opportunity for West Texans to become a Festival Founder and be a grass-roots part of continuing an event that embodies the type of entrepreneurial, forward-thinkng energy that West Texas symbolizes.

Being a Festival Founder means having lifetime tickets to the Fest in exchange for a small one-time contribution. There are no annual recurring dues or fees and the opportunity is limited to 100 individuals, couples or families.

Will you be the next member of the Festival Founders Group?

For more info on becoming a Festival Founder, contact the Festival Office at 432-262-0034 or go to tallcitybluesfest.com/festivalfoundersgroup.

Tall City Blues Fest is one of two events that I make it a point to be in town for every year. I love the atmosphere and vibe of the Fest and think Midland needs more events like Tall City Blues Fest that create a lot of fun and give our community an “event lift”. -John Baber, Midland

I’m a avid blues fan. I think blues music is really important to preserve because it is the basis of so much of the music we listen to today. Being a Festival Founder gives a blues advocate like me the opportunity to see quality musicians year after year right here in my own backyard. I feel like a blues festival in particular brings people together in a good spirit, which is always beneficial for the community. -D. Craig Smith, Midland

Our area is so starved for events of the quality and caliber of Tall City Blues Fest, that a one-time contribution for me was a no-brainer. I’m just so grateful that someone is taking the initiative to build and do events like this that participating financially is the easy part; the Fest organizers are the ones doing all the work. By particpating as a Founder, we are creating seed money for the Fest to flourish and ensure that it is always well capitalized.-Tommy Churchwell, Big Spring

What I appreciate about Tall City Blues Fest is that it is such a quality event that keeps getting better and better every year. I’ve attended the Fest all three years and have watched it grow substantially in a short period of time. Being a Festival Founder gives me a sense of belonging and is a way I can be a part of the growth in our community. -Carolyn Hobby, Midland

Tall City Blues Fest is a wonderful addition to our cultural and musical landscape. Our area provides very few venues for this dynamic, vibrant, emotionally enticing type of music. The Blues Fest provides a whole weekend of great acts and fun activities. I look forward to it all year long. I’m a Founder because I want to make sure it continues year after year. -Ed Rowland, Odessa

We came to Tall City Blues Fest this year (2013) for the first time because we’d heard so much about it, we just had to go see it for ourselves. Even armed with high expectations, we were still blown away by the magnitude of this event. It is absolutely astounding that something like Tall City Blues Fest happens right here in the backyard of our West Texas community. The Fest, to us, is like an aperture of grace because it is positively affecting lives.-Bill & Susan Armstrong, San Angelo

Midland, and all of West Texas really, has an overwhelming need for more live music. I feel that live music is such an important ingredient in the overall recipe for creating a good quality of life. We have tons of people moving into our area every day for work, but it’s the vibe of the community that will make them want to stay. If we hope to grow, we need to continually be pushing for events just like Tall City Blues Fest. It is such a world-class event the likes of something you might see in a bigger city and we have it right here in our own neighborhood. It is my belief that Tall City Blues Fest is a VERY big addition to the live music scene and represents the essence of our future. -Richard Steinberg, Midland


It’s been almost two years since the death of Doyle Bramhall; I will never forget that day on November 13, 2011.

Memories of the man who was my friend return on a daily basis. His memorabilia adorns the walls of my shop, including countless posters, photos and memories from more than 40 years of knowing, loving and collaborating with him. Doyle was a Texas singer, songwriter, band leader and drummer extraordinaire who was instrumental in shaping the foundation of the Texas blues scene.

A brief listing of his life and accomplishments which spanned more than a 50-year career as a professional musician is almost impossible, but I’ll try.

Doyle and I grew up in Irving, and in 1966, he joined well-known Dallas mu-sic group, The Chessmen, as their drummer and lead vocalist shortly before Jimmie Vaughan joined the band as lead guitarist. In 1968, they opened for Jimi Hendrix and then later that year the band known as The Chessmen, with its long and complicated history of personnel changes, finally broke up for good.

Shortly thereafter, Doyle relocated to Austin and formed the blues-based group Texas Storm with Jimmie, and put Jimmie’s little brother, Stevie Ray, on bass. Later, in the 70s, he founded the Night Crawlers with Marc Benno and put Stevie Ray on lead guitar, much to the dismay of Jimmie, but forg-ing the beginning of a life-long friendship with Stevie.

Stevie used to hide in his closet sneaking around to play Jimmie’s guitars ultimately teaching himself much of what he knew. He’d have to sneak be-cause Jimmie would beat his ass every time he got caught, but once the cat was out of the bag and Doyle saw how good Stevie really was, it became a musical marriage made in heaven.

Doyle went on to co-write much of the music that Stevie made popular. He performed, sang and wrote, all the while showing the world how drums were meant to be played. Even to this day, many modern fans are still unaware of his brilliance as a drummer. Whenever I stood on stage with Doyle playing drums I realized that not only was I incredibly blessed to have such a beau-tiful soul as a band mate, but I was also backed by a rock solid driving drummer who was arguably the best vocalist anywhere!

In addition to seeding almost every great blues band in Austin during the 70s, he also worked with Mason Ruffner and Marcia Ball for more than 15 years. He went on to produce Marcia’s famous album ‘Hot Tamale Baby’, which is now considered a classic Texas rocker.

Other credits include producing Indigenous, a Native American band out of South Dakota, and his collaboration with Jennifer Warnes on her indepen-

dently released album, ‘The Well’. Known for his husky, barroom vocals and Jennifer for her bright and perfectly tuned voice, Doyle himself described their collaboration as “used 30-weight motor oil meets unfiltered lavender honey.”

Doyle was a trailblazer. He carried the flashlight that has paved the way for so many musicians, many of whom will never know him. He was a gentle, kind soul who in his later years sought to live in the presence of nature in honor of a pact he’d made with Stevie before his death.

The amazing coincidence is how we, in Doyle’s words “started all over again”. I had become tired of Dallas and decided to leave. About the same time Doyle and his wife, Barbara, left their home in Wimberley and unbe-knownst to each of us, moved to Alpine. Reconnecting with an old and dear friend just feels good and that’s how it was with Doyle. He was soon a constant visitor at my shop and we could often be found at our “usual”--La Tapitia. Soon we were playing shows in the area, including Railroad Blues, the grand opening of Marfa Public Radio, The Brewster County Sheriffs De-partment’s ‘Brown Santa’ Program, Toys for Tots and other gigs just for fun.

Doyle would return to Austin from time to time, gigging with his band that included C.C. Adcock, Nick Curran, Casper Rawls, the fabulous keyboard players Lewis Stephens and Reese Wynans and bassist Jim Millen. It was during this time period that he produced his Grammy nominated album ‘Is It News’.

Too many memories and years have come and gone, but memories of the old days remain. My favorite one in particular, was a show we were playing as the Dallas version of the Night Crawlers. Doyle had just broke his last drumstick. During the break we went outside, and I quickly climbed a tree, whipped out my ‘Boy Scout knife’ and cut two ‘drumsticks’ so we could fin-ish the gig. We both laughed about this during a radio interview, which now seems not all that long ago.

Doyle and his wife, Barbara Logan, said it best in the song they co-wrote ‘Life by the Drop’. Do you know it?

Hello there, my old friendNot so long ago it was til the end

We played outside in the pouring rainOn our way up the road we started over again

Written by Mark PollockA Tribute to Doyle Bramhallblue notes

Mark Thomas Pollock is the proprietor of Trans Pecos Guitars in Alpine and lives there with his wife Mary. Previ-ously, he owned Charley’s Guitar Shop and co-produced the Dallas Guitar Show, which he eventually sold to his partner. In the 70s, he played guitar for James Cotton and also Freddie King, while on tour with Clapton. He continues today to jam with friends like Jimmy Ray Harrell as part of the Border Blues Band.

Doyle BramhallPhoto by Alica Stevens.


west texas bluesrecommends

Blues411.com is a blog and newsletter produced by former chef, Jimi Patricola, a.k.a. Chef Jimi. A great source for discovering new blues tuneage, he serves up fresh ‘Chef Suggestions’ every Monday along with a few ‘Tasty Additions’, conducts in-depth interviews, reviews new releases and travels throughout the U.S .to blues festivals scouting for the latest and best talent “in the live”.

Jimi’s inspiration for starting Blues 411 happened like this: He was in a rental car heading to South Carolina. The car had, what was at the time, just XM Radio. He discovered B.B. King’s Bluesville. He heard about the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. He went on it. He got bit by the Blues bug. And the rest is history.

Today, he gives light and love to the blues community and is fostering the scene for the blues to not only survive, but also thrive.

As Jimi is famous for saying…”Love, Peace & Chicken Grease”.

You can connect with Jimi on his website at blues411.com, on Facebook or Twitter @blues411dotcom.

The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center in Midland, played host to the in-famous and talented guitarist Joe Satriani on Thursday, Sept. 5. The Steve Morse Band, led by the highly accomplished composer and guitarist Steve Morse, opened for Satriani. While the band was stylistically diverse, the Steve Morse Band were clearly technically trained musicians as evidenced by a

classically styled piece that brought many in the audience to their feet. With a quick transition in between acts, Joe Satriani took the stage wearing his iconic black sunglasses and t-shirt. Touring to promote his newly released album ‘Unstoppable Momentum’, Satriani was accompa-nied by Bryan Beller on bass, Mike Keneally on keyboards and guitar, and Marco Minnemann on drums. Satriani rarely spoke to the audience with his voice, but played non-stop in complex sequences well past 10 PM. His composition skills and guitar licks were out of this world, much like many of the song themes and video backdrops. While the venue was not sold out for Satriani, the fans inside the concert hall sure were sold on him.

in reviewJoe Satriani

Chef Jimi at NY State Blues Festival, photo by Leslie K. Joseph

Joe Satriani showing his skills.Photo by George Laoutaris.

Written by Amanda Hart

like those of us whose lives have been slowly con-sumed by homebrewing over many years. For your first experiences, a simple all-in-one homebrewing kit, available online from homebrew shops such as Norther Brewer and Austin Homebrew, will get you started nicely.

These kits usually run about 100 bucks, and are geared to easily utilize malt extracts, hop extracts and dry ale yeasts. These simplified ingredients by-pass the need for mashing and some of the more scientific aspects of the brewing process. Essen-tially, the kit brewing process consists of bringing several gallons of water to a boil, pouring in a few pounds of malt extract (usually a syrup or powder form of malt sugar), and tossing in a few handfuls of hops. After the boil is completed and the unfermented beer (called “wort”) is cooled, it is poured into a carboy or bucket and moved to a cool, dark place where the ale yeast is added and the beer ferments. After fermentation completes, a bit of extra sugar is added to produce CO2 and the beer is bottled for a few weeks where it carbonates. Then it’s time to enjoy your beer.

Parting Words of WisdomIn making beer, whether with a simple extract kit or in a full all-grain home brewery, cleanliness and sanitation are next to godliness. Unfermented beer contains so many sugars and natural enzymes that nasty bacteria of all kinds will -- just like brewers’ yeast -- flock to it in an attempt to use it for food. The result of an infected beer is not physically harmful to the human body. But rest assured that all your efforts will result in a concoction that tastes a lot like hobo feet if you do not practice good sanitation while brew-ing, fermenting and conditioning your beer. Food-grade sanitizers such as Iodophor and Star-San are your friends. Check to make sure they are included with your new brewing kit, and follow the sanitation instructions closely.

So there you have it; a wildly oversimplified guide to brewing your own. Make no mistake, brewing award-winning beer takes time and practice. But as your skills improve and your scientific knowledge of the brewing process increases, your beers will become amazing. I’ve listed some great online brewing resources to get you started. Enjoy your new obses-sion. Cheers!

In case you haven’t noticed, America’s craft beer craze is currently at a fever pitch. The American beer palette is growing ever more sophisti-cated as more and more people abandon traditional light lagers for more interesting fare. The market has responded in kind. Go into any major supermarket in West Texas and you’ll find wide varieties of India Pale Ale, American Pale Ale, porter, stout, fruit beer, wheat beer, etc. We have finally achieved craft beer nirvana in the U.S., and it tastes so good.

A side-effect to this new awareness has been the growth of the home beer-brewing movement in recent years. Homebrewing, legalized by President Carter in the late 1970s, has become bigger than ever as beer geeks all over the nation venture into crafting their own creations.

But how does one get into brewing beer at home? What equipment is needed? More importantly, what the heck is beer made from? Well, have no fear. The answers are here.

The Must-Haves: Malted Barley, Hops, Yeast and WaterMalted barley is a cereal grain that is germinated by soaking it in water, then halted from germinating further by drying it with hot air. Malting barley develops enzymes required to later modify the grain’s starches into sugars (through another soaking process called mashing), which are in turn metabolized by the yeast to produce alcohol and CO2 in the beer, which is called fermentation. Malted barley, or simply “malt”, also gives beer its body and sweetness. Roasting or toasting the malt also imparts darker

colors and richer flavors into the beer.

Hops are the female flowers (or cones) of the plant Humulus Lupus. Closely related to the hemp plant, hop cones are filled with similar resins that are used to impart bittering, flavor and aroma into beer. Hops are also a natural preservative and stabilizing agent. Mostly though, hops just taste good and are found in everything from Coors Light to the hoppi-est beers on the market.

Brewers’ Yeast are living eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the king-dom Fungi, and are the means by which all alcoholic beverages from beer to wine to whiskey come to be. Through a process called fermentation, the yeast eat the sugars produced in a grain mash and release alcohol and CO2 as a byproduct. The result of this process is the ancient beverage we call beer and enjoy today.

Geez, sounds complicated. Is there a way to make it easier?Yes, there is. Chances are, if you’re wanting to brew beer for the first time, you’re not going to go out and invest several thousand bucks into grain mills, mash tuns, hot liquor tanks, fermentation chambers and kegerators

PAGE 10 • WEST TEXAS BLUES

Hops are used to add bitterness and other flavor components to beer. Photo courtesy of Norther Brewer.

Tim Kreitz is a professional musician and music producer currently touring the southern U.S. with Creed Fisher and the Redneck Nation Band. An award-winning homebrewer who has been making ales and lagers since 1999, Tim brews at every opportunity for the joy of sharing great beer with friends and fellow brewers.

Red Ale photo courtesy of Norther Brewer.

Brewing Resources:Basicbrewing.com

Thebrewingnetwork.comAustinhomebrew.comNorthernbrewer.comHomebrewtalk.comBasinbrewers.org

Brew Yer Own: The Basics of Making Beer at Homefeature

Written by Tim Kreitz


Miss Behavin’s HavenFall Menu

A fun, fi ctional place, you won’t fi nd Miss Behavin’s Haven on any street corner, but you can fi nd these yummy recipes on missbehavinshaven.com.

APPETIZERSSmoked Marlin Dip

Parmesan CrispsCayman Brac Babybacks ©

Island Mop Marinade

SALADSToasted Basil Oil Crustinis

Blue Cheese Ceasar VinaigretteCitron Vinaigrette ©

Friloles Modelo Negra ©Portobello and Leek Bisque

MAIN DISHESDuck and Andouille Sauce Piquant

Carne EnsenadaPasta Creole Classic

Tchoupitoulas Shrimps wit’da Smoked Cheese Grits

DESSERTSApple Crisp

Gelato di Cioccolato del CiprianiRanger Cookies

Tortuga Rum Pinapple Praline Cake

COCKTAILSEighth Ward

Lemon Drop MartiniMurphapolatin

Sammy Limes Corto en Autob˙s

nov 2 (midland)

Hosted by the Arts Council of Midland, the fi fth annual Artist’s Stu-dio Tour will take place on Saturday, November 2. Rather than be-ing held in one location, this event is a progressive type tour, with stops at several artists’ studios throughout Midland. You can actu-ally start or fi nish at any location of your choosing, so they don’t have to be done in any certain sequence, and the tour will feature somewhere between 30-40 different artists. Stay tuned to the Arts Council of Midland website at acmidland.org for the announcement of this year’s studio locations.

arts council studio tour

nov 22-23 (alpine)

This year marks the 20th anniversary of ARTWALK, which is a fantastic weekend of festivities promoting art in more than 20 gal-leries that line the Alpine streets. Most of the action takes place on Holland Street with festival type fare and free concerts featuring Billy Joe Shaver and Ray Wylie Hubbard as headliners on Friday and Saturday nights.

Also performing as part of the free concert are Grupo de la Paz, Matt Skinner, Anthony Ray Wright, Los Pinche Gringos, Lincoln Durham and on Friday night, Rockin’ Jake, a Florida-based blues group will headline the stage at the legendary Railroad Blues.

artwalk


Located in the Chihuahuan Desert and situated along the Pecos River, Carlsbad is a small Southeastern New Mexico town worth visiting. With

all its charm, it was irresistible to showcase and certainly a place with enough fun things to do that West Texans should know about.

Entering into the time of year that brings several holidays in rapid succession, Christmas on the Pecos gives a whole new meaning to “Christmas light looking” and is definitely an attraction worth put-ting on your list this year.

Marking its 22nd year, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosts 45-minute pontoon boat rides down the Pecos River giving spectators the opportunity to gaze upon the decorated, riverfront houses. There are approximately 100 homes that participate in Christmas on the Pecos and homeowners actually plan all year long choosing color schemes and themes. The season starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs until New Year’s Eve.

Also in conjunction with Christmas on the Pecos is the Carlsbad Winter Wine Festi-val, which is a holiday wine and shopping extravaganza held at the Pecos River Village Conference Center on December 6-7.

On Friday night, VIPs will gather to wine and dine, and Saturday is open to the public 12-6 PM to enjoy holiday arts and crafts, New Mexican wine and live en-tertainment. Five of the wineries that will be showcasing at this year’s Festival are

Noisy Water, Dos Viejos, Luna Rossa, Amaro Winery, Tularosa Vineyards and the price of admission includes 10 tastings along with a souvenir glass.

“Our goal is to promote local industries,” says Helping Hands Event Planner Dawn Starostka. “Whether it be hosting only wine from New Mexican winer-ies, heavily southern but a handful from the North, or using local caterers and artisans. It has a foodie element, so we attract all kinds of people.”

Carlsbad CavernsOf course a staple of Carlsbad and for many a childhood memory, adventurers will find this excursion 20 miles southwest of the city. You can choose from six diffi-culty levels of ranger-guided routes or two self-guided routes by way of the Big Room Route or the Natural Entrance Route. There are more than 118 known caves to explore, and the Caverns are also home to thousands of bats who take flight every sunset.

YellowBrix RestaurantBuilt as a home in 1928, then restored and converted to a bistro-style restau-rant by Dan and Barbara Rempel in 2010, YellowBrix is a great choice for a special night out or a nice evening with friends on the patio.

The restaurant opened its doors May 31, 2011 and Rem-pel describes the food as continental American with a French edge. You’ll find hand-cut steaks, salmon, scallops, lobster, shrimp, stuffed chicken breast, chicken cordon bleu, a variety of pastas, soups and salads on their menu.

YellowBrix also features an ex-tensive wine and craft beer list with approximately 100 wines from which to choose and 30-40 bottled beers and ales. For those with an unquenchable sweet tooth, a “goody case” is located at the front and the first thing you notice when you walk through the door. The case holds selections of truffles, an assortment of cheesecakes and layered cakes.

Fiesta Drive-In TheatreA three-screen drive-in showing first run movies; they are pet-friendly and open Friday through Saturday.

YellowBrix restaurant dramatic archway.Photo by Dan Rempel.

Pursuing Pecos River Pastimes

Exploring the Caverns. Photo by Josh McCabe.

communityshowcase Carlsbad, New Mexico


Stock ExchangeThe Stock Exchange at Old City Hall provides both history and a quaint dining experience with a menu of specially de-signed dishes that could be categorized as ‘contemporary ranch cuisine’. After remodeling Carlsbad’s original City Hall into a fine dining establishment, owners Patty Fry and Chef Kevin Zink opened The Stock Exchange in 2009.

On Wednesday evenings, the restaurant hosts a free cooking demonstration at 5 PM and many of the dishes discussed and prepared during the course are items found on the regular menu. The best part….you can even write down the recipes to make the dishes at home! A few of the recipes recently dem-onstrated: butternut squash, spaghetti squash with white truffle oil, honey chipotle-glazed chicken, Mexican slaw with cilantro lime vinaigrette and poached eggs with strawberry coulis.

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State ParkThis native wildlife zoo and botanical garden exhibits more than 40 species of animals, as well as hundreds of plants domestic to the Chi-huahuan Desert. The park sits at an elevation of 3,200 feet atop the Ocotillo Hills overlooking the city of Carlsbad and the Pecos River giv-ing you an up-close experience of desert wild-life, including a pack of Mexican grey wolves, a black bear, bald and golden eagles, hawks, pronghorn Antelope, deer, elk, bison, bobcats, a Gila monster and 14 species of snakes. Within the park there are 1.3 miles of interpre-tive trails for hiking and learning, including ADA approved accessible trails.

Trinity HotelConstructed in 1892, this building began its life as the First National Bank. It also housed the first newspaper and later became the historic headquarters of the Carlsbad Irrigation District before three partners began renovating the building in 2007, amidst much negative sentiment. Today, the Trinity is known as one of the finest dining and hotel establishments in Carlsbad. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Espresso Coffee Bar is open all day and accessible by walk-in or drive-thru. Aside from the deli-cious food and cozy rooms, Trinity also offers a daily New Mexico Wine Tasting from 3-5 PM. They also hold a free Food and Wine Pairing event on Saturdays only from 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM.

Carlsbad CruisesCarlsbad Cruises offers paddle boats, kayaks and paddle boards for rent to cruise down the Pecos River.

Monument to the Flying Paper BoyA concrete obelisk atop a stone base with a small airplane propeller at-tached to the front, the sight pays homage to Frank A. Kindel, a pilot who would drop newspapers from his airplane to hunters in the Guadalupe Mountains. It is located north of Carlsbad inside the Lincoln National Forest on Hwy 137, just 36 miles west from Hwy 285.

And a few “Voted the Best Of’s” worth mentioning:

The Shade Treean inspirational gift shop with fun-loving, fashionistasVoted “Best Giftshop in Carlsbad” (2013)

Interior Motivesa home decor mecca Voted “Best Furniture Store in Carlsbad” (2012 & 2013)

Isn’t She Lovelyan exclusive Bare Minerals boutique with free make-oversVoted “Best Cosmetics Store in Carlsbad” (2013)

Trinity Hotel restaurant.Photo by Robin Rowell.

Pork loin dish made in free cooking class. Photo provided by Stock Exchange.

YellowBrix restaurant dramatic archway.Photo by Dan Rempel.

Cactus in succulent greenhouse. Photo by Josh McCabe.

Exploring the Caverns. Photo by Josh McCabe.

nov 29-dec 1 (san angelo)

Typically only open the first Saturday of the month, the Chicken Farm Art Center opens its doors Friday-Sunday beginning November 29 through December 1. This chicken-farm-repurposed-art-compound located north of town features a wide range of artisans including pottery, painting, sculpture, rocks, mosaics, jewelry, woodwork, hand-sewn and hand-crafted pieces. While there, you can also listen to live music, enjoy a message, play with clay, get your face painted, raku your own pot or enjoy some hot apple cider and cookies.

chicken farm art center open house


When I was a boy, all the men, the real men, smoked. One of my earliest memories was the smell of coffee perking and tobacco smoke at my mother’s table. Dad would sit at the table and drink his first cuppa joe that day and slowly draw on a Camel. I would watch him and just couldn’t wait until I was old enough to drink coffee and smoke a morning cigarette. There was something magical in my mind about the quiet of the morning before the day’s labors began and the unhurried enjoyment of coffee and a cigarette. Men smoked unfiltered cigarettes. Luckys, Camels, Pall Malls and Raleighs were found in the front shirt pocket of the working men I knew. Sometimes, one of the men would break out a pack of Picayunes, a Louisiana brand seldom seen in Texas, at least in West Texas. The older men at the stock yards, who were cowmen in their earlier days, smoked Bull Durham and I’ve seen those old waddies roll a cigarette with one hand.

They called the bought cigarettes “tailor mades”. Many is the time I would get sent over to the little mom-and-pop store near the stock yards to buy a tailor-made for one of the domino players. They cost you a penny apiece. Men thought of cigarettes like a six pack of beer. When you pulled out a pack, you would offer the men around you one. That was just good manners then to share. Name brands, I remember, cost 25 cents a pack. That don’t sound like much now, but then a man made, on a good job, 40 dollars a week. Dad told me that when he got paid, he would give Mom the household money and usually there would be enough left over for a carton of cigarettes and a 5th of whiskey.

On Saturday nights, friends would come over and play cards; they’d just set that ole fifth of ‘who hit John’ on the table along with some coke (Coca-Cola, for clarification) and yak the evening away. The kitchen would get smoky and Mom would open the kitchen door to let out some of the smoke. Nobody thought about second hand smoke back then and there wasn’t no such thing as a “Bic” lighter then neither; you used a match, which you struck with your thumbnail or on the rivets of your Levis. Or you used a Zippo.

A Zippo lighter was the apex of smoker technology. You could light it in the heaviest of wind and in West Texas that was a plus. Zippo’s had their own rituals

Tobacco ReminiscenceWritten by Jon ‘Doc’ Meeksthe salty dog

good eats


There are few things in life that can instantly illicit a memory of reliving an experience from decades ago. Having the pleasure of my two boys accompany me on this adventure did just that. Eddie’s Catfish is located in Midland south of downtown off Lamesa Road at 301 S. Lee Street. It is a no frills, no pretense, old-school catfish diner. To give you a bit of the back-story: Me and the boys, well we were all hungry and we were on a summer excur-sion (i.e. a man adventure). As I approached the counter and began to order our lunch the

sweet smile in the cashier’s eyes and the slight tilt of her head caused me to pause. It was obvious by my order that I’d never been there before. In a soft voice she said that the two piece catfish plate I’d ordered for the boys was so large that even I couldn’t eat it all! So, with her guidance, I amended our order to the single piece catfish lunch for the boys, and I added some fried shrimp to mine.

The meal came quickly in rolled paper bags with fries, hushpuppies, cole-slaw and tartar sauce. When the boys got their food their eyes lit up like a Fourth of July fireworks show. The “one-piece” was not a piece, it was an entire fillet dwarfing the basket of fries and hushpuppies beneath it. Hot

enough to snap pre-teen fingers away from it, I smiled and told them, this wasn’t just fast food; this is the real deal and to take their time in savoring it.

Their fillets were seasoned and breaded, hot and crisp, but not too thick. Each bite im-

parted the crispness of the breading, the seasoning that had obviously been mixed with some TLC and the tender sweetness of fresh quality catfish. The flavor was so good, it reminded me of days gone by as a kid on our family ranch and the flavor of fresh caught catfish properly prepared.

Written by Sam Daulong

Once a month, The Blue Door, a cocktail lounge in Midland, hosts short semi-nars for interested patrons to teach about the art of cocktail savory.

September’s course was titled Pre-Prohibition cocktails, which showcased a menu of drinks taken straight from the zeitgeist of the Prohibition era when speakeasies, flappers, bootleggers and gangsters were the norm.

Self-described cocktail “nerd” and owner of The Blue Door, Erica Reeves, was the instructor for the evening and she imparted a wealth of information with such enthusiasm that the class would have been just as fun, even if there had been no sampling of cocktails. But there was.

There are only 14 seats available for each class (so RSVP early for the next one!)

The first menu of cocktails was titled “The No-ble Experiment” and included a gin drink, the Negroni; a Manhattan, made with rye whiskey; the famous Old-Fashioned; Batch 19, a Pre-Prohibition style beer made by Coors; and two wine choices: Sister Creek Cabernet and Glo-ria Ferrer Chardonnay.

The second list titled “Cheers to Repeal!” included the official drink of New Orleans, the Sazerac; a Rob Roy, which was garnished with a delicious Ital-ian Cherry; a Blue Door favorite, The Aviation; and a Champagne Cocktail.

“Life is too short for cocktails without soul,” said Reeves. She was asked why she does these seminars, and her initial response was: “to let people know what we’re about,” and she continued, “The Blue Door was inspired by our favorite watering holes across this great state and around the globe. We have found that a drink made with precision, passion and quality spirits can turn an ordinary evening into an experience. We believe in making cocktails worth sipping and savoring.”

This was the fourth course of many to come. Previous topics were Martini 101, Chasing Earnest Hemingway and Tipsy Texans. The next course is scheduled for mid-October. To be in the know, and so you can RSVP early, connect with The Blue Door on Facebook.

Pre-Prohibition Cocktails

in review

Chase Thompson, Sam’s son, indulging in some catfish. Photo by Sam Daulong.

Eddie’s CatfishMidland, Texas

Slow & Low Rye Whiskey.Photo by Elizabeth McLellan.

Each patron is provided with:• a topic-related list of the cocktails and their ingredients,• a welcome cocktail of your choice,• a dish of snacks, • a sampling of 3-4 drinks and• a farewell cocktail.


Healing in a BottleWritten by Kathleen Odom

Several years ago, my 83-year-old father complained of excruciating pain in his knee, so some family members and I encouraged him to apply an essential oil. Well, my father would have none of that, because “if a doctor didn’t prescribe it, it won’t work!” Then the day came when Dad succumbed to his suffering and he fi nally agreed to try Wintergreen Oil. Dad was pleas-antly surprised with the results, experienced no more pain and from that day forward, continually had a bottle of Wintergreen oil on hand.

Essential oils (EO) have been around for centuries; there are more than 188 oil references in the Bible. We have come on a long journey, so what have we learned about essential oils? They are life-enhancing, organic gifts from the plant kingdom with restorative properties to the body, mind and spirit. They are called “essential” because they are necessary for the life of the plant and contain the “essence” of the plant. The oils contain super oxygenating molecules that instantly transport nutrients to the cells in the body. According to researcher, Jean Valent, M.D., an EO can pass into the bloodstream and diffuse throughout the tissues in 20 minutes or less when it is applied directly to the skin (Essential Oils Desk Reference, 4th Edition, Essential Science Publishing, pg. 353.)

The versatility of EO offers numerous health benefi ts. They are anti-bacteri-al, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-infl ammatory, antioxidant, hormone balancing and they stimulate the immune system. Common ailments for which people have sought relief are: sore muscles and joints, arthritis, colds and fl u, anxi-ety, indigestion, headaches, allergies, depression, cuts and burns, insomnia, weight loss, memory loss and the list goes on and on. The oils are safe and can even assist in healing for children. Because they are concentrated, 1-2 drops is usually all that’s required. EOs can be applied topically, inhaled, diffused, taken internally or used in baths. I’ve cooked with oregano oil in my baked spaghetti casserole and love the Thieves product line for cleaning and disinfecting.

I use oils both personally and professionally. My grandson had a terrible cough one night, and after I applied lemon oil on his throat, it stopped in-stantly. I use EO in my massage therapy practice for pain, stress relief and aromatherapy. After using lavender oil for insomnia, an 84-year-old client went from sleeping four hours a night to eight hours a night! Peppermint is one of my favorites for indigestion, headaches and nasal congestion. Also, I add one drop in a 16-ounce bottle of water for energy. According to the American Psychological Association, “more than three out of four Americans are so stressed out it is actually hurting them physically...” The oils are an excellent tool to alleviate pain. My favorite oils are Panaway, Wintergreen and the Deep Relief Roll-On, which I carry in my purse. I never leave home without it!

In 1993, Young Living Essential Oils (YLEO) was founded by Gary Young and now ships products to more than 100 countries. Young believed in the power of essential oils and was committed to create products that are 100 percent pure, of world-class quality and therapeutic-grade. Their fi ve-step

process is closely monitored from “seed to seal,” protecting nature’s living energy in every bottle.

The company is currently supported by their own Scientifi c Advisory Council of eight doctors and offers a range of foods enriched with natural, whole ingredients that are free of sugars and artifi cial sweeteners. Every morning I drink an ounce of Ningxia Red (NXR) to support my immune system and boost my energy. I seldom have colds, and if I do, the symptoms are slight.

NXR sustained me during a highly stressful period in my life when my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. This hostile intruder has affected my family more than once, and is why I am so encouraged to hear research with essential oils may be promising for specifi c types of cancer. Numerous stud-ies throughout European and American hospitals are being conducted, par-ticularly exploring the sacred frankincense oil. How exciting to think nature’s living energy could change the world! Untold possibilities exist for hope, hapiness and health, in a simple bottle.

Kathleen Odom grew up in Minnesota and has lived half her life in Midland. Kathleen has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for more than a decade and continues her practice today. She enjoys traveling, dancing, reading, Sudoku puzzles and is learning to play the piano. Faith and family are really important to Kathleen. She has been blessed with two children, a son-in-law, and two beautiful grandchildren, who are the loves of her life.

Photo courtesy of UrbaneWomenMag.

holistic health


Written by Elizabeth McLellan

Circus of the Dead, a movie created by filmmaker Billy Pon, aka Bloody Bill, is being filmed right here in West Texas…in Odessa to be more precise. Pon, who works by day writing and producing television commercials and by night as a horror movie creator, developed his fascination with horror movies from spending time with his dad watching movies they rented from “mom-and-pop VHS stores” as he calls them.

Pon explained “Most parents today try to control the media their children watch, but when I was a kid and would spend time with my dad, he would let me choose whatever I wanted because he would sit and watch the movies with me. I felt drawn to horror because I like the anticipation of the suspense. My dad always inspired and pushed the whole creativity thing with me and he said ‘If you really like this maybe some day you can go out and do it.’”

Merging his aspirations to be the best horror flick director and film producer in the world with a like-minded cast helps fill the entire project with a formida-ble passion, which is apparent while on the set. Each person involved in the project, whether they be an actor, cameraman, makeup artist, effects build-er, etc. believes wholeheartedly in this project. Pon doesn’t refer to success as making money or gaining fame. Pon is an entrepreneur with a dream to make people scream. He has a ripe passion for all things horror, which in addition to producing Circus of the Dead, he expresses through his annual haunted house attractions. [See page 19: Can you handle the terror?]

“As actors, working for a director with that passion is very reassuring,” said Parrish Randall who plays the central character Don Johnson. “I’ve been on films where you knew that the director didn’t have that kind of passion, and you do your best, but you know that what you end up with as a final product may not be all it could be.” Pon responded to Randall’s statement affirming that he too had worked with actors that didn’t share his same passion and he is thrilled to be working with the quality of talent he has on this film.

Internet Movie Database fully describes Circus of the Dead’s plot as “a man becoming entangled in a deadly morality game when the circus comes to town and a sadistic clown forces him to examine the things in life he takes for granted in the most horrific ways.” As in every movie Pon writes, he chooses

one common theme. In Doll Boy, a 30-minute short that Pon produced, the theme was not putting material possessions before people. Circus of the Dead’s underlying theme is: “Don’t take your life for granted. You think it’s bad but it can get a hell of a lot worse in a hurry.”

Parrish Randall, the lead actor, put Circus of the Dead’s script and storyline into great perspective when he said, “While it’s a horror film and offers up the violence and gore, it also taps into something very classical: the old Hitchcock films. Most were based on one common theme: take an ordinary guy and thrust him into an extraordinary situation. That’s what happens with Don, the lead character. He’s an average, ordinary guy who’s not real happy with his life for a myriad of reasons when suddenly the circus from hell rolls through his neck of the woods and he’s thrust into this extraordinary experi-ence that nobody can be prepared for. That’s very Hitchcockian and that came from the mind of Mr. Pon. I was very impressed because you don’t usually see that depth and range in many screenplays.”

Pon enjoys a challenge and explained that there aren’t many good horror movies about clowns. “They’re either cheesy or cheesy and bad,” he said. A very common phobia is a fear of clowns, or coulrophobia, so Pon gave himself the challenge to make a good, scary movie with clowns, and without the use of calliope, which is the thematic carnival sound most commonly associated with clowns.

He and fellow Circus of the Dead writer Lee Ankrum began developing mali-cious clown characters roughly based on the altar egos of their friends. For example, Noodledome’s character is played by Ryan Clapp who’s altar ego, as Pon blatantly shares, would be a retarded clown. Pon’s friend Rusty Ed-wards plays a creepy, chain-smoking clown with big puffy hair. Edwards in fact does not smoke, but Pon was inspired by Edwards’, for lack of a better word, awkward behavior around the opposite sex and envisioned him as a smoker.

Unlike the other clowns, clown posse leader Papa Corn’s character isn’t based off any of Pon’s friends’ alter egos, but he mentioned a slight resem-blance to Tiny Tim’s character Magnificent Mervo in “Blood Harvest” (1987).

“Papa Corn and Don are based on me and every man,” says Pon who is unraveling the complex dynamics of the relationship between the two main characters. “Good and evil, light and dark. Every man has bad thoughts but mostly never acts upon them. Papa Corn has no conscience. He does what he feels like and does it with absolutely no remorse.

“Don is the typical zombie. He’s lost in the world, and doesn’t actually see what’s going on around him. He has great intentions and loves his family but fails daily to remember that. His conscience kicks him in the ass and tells him he has to do a better job of providing for his family, and his guilt is heavy for the same reason. He is trying so hard to provide that he’s forgot-ten the most important part...just being there.”

art @ work Bloody Bill’s Passion: A Moving Painting

continued on page 20

Elizabeth McLellan, Assistant Editor and Graphic Designer of West Texas Blues, also serves as Exec Assistant at Promis-ing Projects, Inc. She is always looking for opportunities to learn something new. Elizabeth enjoys listening to music and traveling; wining and dining; laughing and smiling; and her motto is ‘Live. Love. Learn. And Share’.


Pon would probably spend several hours talking about his characters and the intricacies of their development, if time permitted. Him having such a great focus on the details from every angle is just another quality that marks him with true artist status.

When asked to discuss his experience in filmmaking as an art, Pon laughed and jokingly questioned, “Art? This is art? More like hell!” Chuckles were shared amid Pon and his actors who were gathered in the special effects room of the warehouse turned film studio where tables lined the walls lay-ered with prosthetic limbs, heads, hands, male genitalia and all the types of fare required to make a believable horror movie.

In a more serious tone, he finally shares that “every aspect, every second of everything that I’ll have on the screen is thought out. If I drag a scene too long it’s because it’s giving a certain feeling. Am I looking for laughter? Am I looking for fear? Am I looking for something weird? I want to have your attention almost every second. There are minutes that allow you to lose attention, and I give those to you on purpose because I’m getting ready to bring something in that you don’t know about. I learned that in doing my Haunted Houses.”

Bill Oberst, Jr., who plays the role of Papa Corn, nodded and declared that is the reason why Circus of the Dead will be a success, because “he’s ap-proaching it from emotion and feeling when it comes to structure and that’s what it’s all about.”

Structure is important on so many levels of the filmmaking process, including the technical aspect which involves knowing what equipment and production skills are required; the commerce, which is having the finances to make a movie; the creative vision, that is managing all of the details and roadblocks that crop up; and cast/crew management because we all know how actors love to play around. Fortunately, Pon is a well-known member of the Odessa community and has been able to easily access what he needs to continue working on his craft.

“There’s something about being that hometown guy,” expresses one of the actors. “People want to help you succeed.” Pon has the benefit of being able to make a phone call to use a location for a few days, or posting on social media that he needs extras for scenes.

Finally after a long discussion, he says “I guess you’re right, I am an artist” in a way that sounded as if he was having that exact realization as he was saying it. “I think of my movie like a moving painting.”

continued from page 18

Mayor of MidlandMayor of Midland

ELECT ELECT

Kathy WhiteKathy White

Susan Combs, local ranch owner and Texas Comptroller, started the Marathon2Marathon in 2003 on U.S. 90 with contestants running east from the outskirts of Alpine into Marathon. In 2011, howev-er, the course was moved to the more scenic Highway 385 course, which is a faster course with less highway traffic. M2M is a sanctioned and certified race, which makes it a Boston qualifying race.

With more than 300 participants, expectations for the 10th annual M2M are high. Even though the race is becoming increasingly popular, Marathon “still maintains its small-town, West Texas-friendly atmosphere”.

This year’s event coordinators are Marci Roberts of the French Company Grocer/Evans Gallery and Danny Self of the Marathon Motel. They have coordi-nated a street festival with music and food during the day as well as an awards ceremony and party in the evening.

DATE: Saturday, October 26, 2013 TIME: 7:30 AM

PRICES: Marathon and 1/2 Marathon $85/$65 5K and 10K $25/$35

ONLINE REGISTRATION: Active.com - Includes transportation to the start line.

*Late registration fee of $10.00 for registering after Oct 1.

ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES: Oct 21, 2013 - 11:59 PM *Late registration is available Friday afternoon at the Gage Hotel. No transpor-tation will be available for Friday registrants.

PACKET PICK UP: Friday, Oct 25, 4:00 - 8:30 PM Gage HotelPOST RACE MASSAGES available at the finish line!

POST-RACE LUNCH: NEW FOR 2013, 10:30-2:30 pm Catfish Fry Fundraiser and street dance, entertainment provided by Grupo Maracas.

AWARD CEREMONY: Saturday - Marathon Motel Courtyard, 6:00-7:00 PM POST RACE PARTY: The Marathon Motel Court Yard with live music provided by Craig Carter and the Spur of the Moment Band. Keg beer will be provided and food will be available for sale by the Marathon ISD. Music begins 7 PM until late.

west texas blues fall 2013

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