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Texas Music Nation #5, at Tres Rios River Ranch in Glen Rose, Texas, was another one for the books.  Wonderful music, good friends, and the best fun yet.  And the wonderful thing was that it was all for a great cause, the Musicians’ Emergency Relief Fund.  Things kicked off on Thursday about 5:30 PM with the grand entry parade.  Robin Crow, astride his rumbling bike, marshaled the rag-tag procession through the lanes of our adopted home for the weekend, Tres Rios River Ranch. King Grady (Wiley) reigned from his (potty) “throne” on the back of the next vehicle, along with Donna Powell in assorted finery which included 5 inch spike heeled red high-top Ked’s tennis shoes.  The rest of the paraders followed, dressed in various goofy get-ups and throwing Mardi Gras beads at the spectators.  There was even a canine participant, Roscoe Walley, complete with get-up.

By 7:00 PM, everyone was more than ready for the music to begin.  The evening feature was a songwriter’s showcase with Dan Shinedling, Rick Gerard, T-Roy Miller, Becca Dalrymple, and Tom McElvain.  Jim Bob Laird and Brett Watts were special crowd favorites, and Larry Joe Taylor brought it all to a wonderful finale.  Then on to the first round of campfires with even more good music, especially the “electric” campfire at the White Trash Rendezvous camp.

Friday’s music schedule kicked off in the early afternoon and was chocked full of great entertainment.  Rene Sims, Zen Bubba, Uncle Bill Roach Band, Alex Whitmore, Wade Hatton, Walt Wilkins, Susan Gibson, Brandon Rhyder, Don Burke, McKay Brothers, and Jon Christopher Davis.  All were great, but there were a couple of moments that bear a little more description.  Alex Whitmore was planning to do a Daddy and the Divas set with his 2 daughters, Eleanor and Bonnie.  Eleanor showed up to play fiddle, but Bodie (Powell) showed up to play bass. Bonnie….Bodie….oh well, close enough!  Wade Hatton really turned up the party beat.  Walt Wilkins, Susan Gibson, and Brandon Rhyder gave the crowd one of their incredible song swap sets.  And Jon Christopher Davis wrapped up the Friday show and got the crowd in the palm of his hand with his “Lone Star Attitude” number.

Saturday had so many diversions going on, you felt you were at the circus and trying to catch all 3 rings of entertainment simultaneously.  The air was scented with the various spices and warm comfort of homemade chili.  The CASI chili cook off event got started in the morning and awards announced in mid afternoon. T he 1st annual Rednek Olimpix, featuring horse chip flipping, watermelon seed spitting, and bicycle barrel racing was a chuckling success in the afternoon.  The annual TMN Campfire Hero award went to Guy Bagwell.  The TMN Road Kill award went to Guy Bagwell and Robin Goodman.  Chris Zeig got the plaque for Leta’s screen door.  The entire festival was dedicated to the memory of Darl Trotter and his family. His life was all about music and touched many of the TMN family’s lives.  Carroll Winnett kept plenty of “Texas Tea” flowing through the crowd.  Dee of Buster’s on the Square in Venus kept sharing his incredible stuffed jalapenos.  This was just like a big over-grown family reunion and everyone was loving it.

Saturday’s music started around noon and slowly built to a rockin’ great time.  Cody Bonham & Jerry Elmore did a song swap set.  Then came Casey Thompson, Stephani Fine, Thrift Store Cowboys (temporarily without Amanda and her fiddle…darn!).  Then the velvet smoothness of Brian Burns, the ever-entertaining Tim Shirley, and the awesome voice of Aubrey Teeter.  Jordan Mycoskie, Kurt South, Cosmic Dust Devils (rock on!), Sherwin Phillips (so smooth), the Bodie Powell “orchestra” (they have the sound, or better have, with that many great musicians!), Randy Hopper (the north Texas troubador), and Mike Mancy. Wow, what a day!

All good things come to an end (or at least a momentary pause).  TMN #6 planning is already underway, so watch for announcements at either the TMN or Bodie Powell web sites.  Upcoming TMN events to tide you over until next June include a couple of great road trips and parties: Luckenbach on Labor Day weekend with camping at the Armadillo Farm; Terlingua CASI championship chili cook off November 3-5; and TMN New Year’s Eve party back at Tres Rios meeting hall.  See ya at one of these events real soon.

Written by Cheryl Arthur, June 2005

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