Texas Music Scene Blog

  Unless the artist in question is a total mercenary – a been-there-done-that studio pro, a reluctantly manufactured pop star, etc. – making music is a labor of love almost by definition.  Especially down in the trenches of any sort of independent music, where making a living is less than assured and selling 5000 records would be reason for celebration (as opposed to reason for a label’s boot in an artist’s ass), it’s very much

In “The Essentials” series, our official blogger, singer/songwriter/journalist Mike Ethan Messick, dives into the catalog of one of the Texas Music Scene’s brightest stars or biggest legends and comes up with a handful of essential songs to recommend. Alternately he might tackle a theme, regional scene, or subgenre and list off just enough highlights and personal favorites to fill up your next mix CD.   THE ESSENTIALS – 15 Great Cover Versions Rodney Parker &

“Under The Radar” is a regular feature on the Texas Music Scene where our official blogger, singer/songwriter/journalist Mike Ethan Messick, shines the spotlight on a deserving but lesser-known artist. Some of these subjects are just getting started and might be tomorrow’s headliner (or Texas Music Scene star); some are music veterans who’ve earned admirers around the state and around the world while taking the road less traveled. All of them well worth a look &

  Possibly the greatest voice in country music fell silent on April 26.  At the none-too-tender but still-too-soon age of 81, George Jones peacefully departed this earth, an East Texas native (born in Saratoga) having long since lived down the wild days that immeasurably informed his music, humanized him to his fans, and nearly ended his walk through this world a lot sooner. But he lived to tell it all, to paraphrase the title of his

The Texas Music Scene – both the TV show and the general concept) – is known for keeping the doors open fairly wide to our northern neighbors (aka the Oklahoma “Red Dirt” crowd), but perhaps it’d be wise to keep an ear out for artists just a little to the east of our borders, too.  Steve Judice is the sort of Louisiana man any Texan would be proud to call a neighbor, a smoky-voiced singer