Hello friends, fans and groupies of the Dave & Peggy Traveling Good Time Show. For the first time since Peggy got out of the hospital in 2009, we were unable to see any bands this month. I had a severe case of gout for a week, then had a serious back pain problem for two weeks after that. It’s probably an old “war wound” from a fall down a ladder at a church fire in Baytown in 1977 that left me in traction for six weeks, in therapy for six months and on light duty for almost a year. I’m seeing a chiropractor now and the treatments are really helping. Hopefully, I’ll be back in action soon.

     Since we didn’t get out at all, I’ll spend some time telling about new events and upcoming events. Larry Gamez called to tell me about a new Blues Jam every Sunday at The Runway Bar & Grill at 6303 FM 1960 West in Humble. Larry timed it so players who were leaving The Jailhouse jam could stop by on their way home to hear and play some more music.

     Also. a new bar in Willis, Crossroads Tavern at 301 E. Powell, is having live music every Saturday night and so far has had the Charlie Parker Band and Don Martinez. Check them out and their ad is in the paper. Westfield by-the-Railroad on West Hardy just south of FM 1960 is again having live music so check their ad as well.

     Big music events this month center around the two day Texas Independence Day Music Fest & Chili Cook-Off on Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6. Featuring chili cook-offs on both days, the music lineup is outstanding. Starting Saturday at 12:30 p.m. is Double R Nothin’, than at 2:30 p.m. is Shellee Coley, then Jubal Lee Young at 4:00 p.m., Scooter Brown at 6:00 p.m., Jessie Dayton at 8:00 p.m. and headliner Charlie Robison at 10:00 p.m. Sunday’s music starts at 12:30 p.m. with Mason Lankford & the Folk Family Revival, then the Dustin Welch band at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday’s headliners Cody Canada & the Departed at 5 p.m.. With a lineup like this, there should be a good crowd to enjoy all of this music. I have heard from friends all over Texas that are planning on coming for both days. Admission includes all-you-can-taste chili, beans and salsa, and I promise that you won’t be disappointed. I ate close to my weight in chili last year, and most of it was amazing.

     On March 20, The Texas Bluesfest Music Series will take place Spring Break Weekend at the Outdoor Music Grounds @ The Mansions Royal located at 8011 South Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi. This FREE Concert will take place from 12 p.m. ‘til 8 p.m., with performances by Andy McIntyre and Primal Groove (Austin), Tubie & The Touchtones (Houston), Smokin’ Waters (Houston), and Corpus Christi’s own The DeadBeats, and special guests. This event benefits the William “Junior” Roland Foundation for Cancer, and is the 2nd annual concert to be held in Corpus Christi, with last year’s event featured on KIII’s 10:00 news that evening. Last year’s event was featured in the C.C. Mag, The Vent, The Foghorn (Del Mar), along with numerous radio interviews. There will be food and drinks available, along with merchandise vendors. With the event en route towards Padre Island, they anticipate many to turn out before and after visiting the beach. 

     Steve Thompson reported on last month’s Monthly Pro Jam at Texas Thunder Ice House at 29460 FM 1488 in Waller. We were unable to attend due to my back problem. Steve writes, “We had a great time!  Hugh Meyer canceled, so we just did what we always have done . . . we jammed. Heated Frenzy played an opening set which included some of our favorites and a song we have never played before, “Willie the Wimp”. As more people came in, Jimmy Wilcox got up and played bass with Mark and sang some old country, which was well received by the small but enthusiastic crowd. Then Don Leatherwood, of the Texas Road Cats, got up with Jimmy and Don’s drummer and jammed to some more real tasty originals and oldies by Don. Then Jimmy sang another one with Don and Gary. Then John Quezada got up on bass with Mark and Gary and played a smokin’ improv bass version of “Feelin Alright”. Heated Frenzy closed it out with another four songs that ran us over to 6:30 p.m.  By then we had only one empty table in the place and the bar stools were taken. We always have fun when we jam, and this was no exception. The Roadcats were, until this week, hosting the Sunday jam at Nice Place until it was canceled, so they came down to see what we were up to. Watching some seasoned pros like them and Jimmy Wilcox is always fun, and they always pull out some surprise originals and obscure good material. Jimmy did one of his originals that is a little on the nasty side, but humorous nonetheless.”

     Two events honoring our lost musician friends will be held in March. On March 12, a benefit for “Mean” Gene Kelton will be held at Ron’s Relay & Retreat, 36009 Howell Rd in Waller, Texas that will feature music by the Charlie Parker Band, Ezra Charles Band, the JB Bullion Band, Outlaw Lynn & Who’s Drivin?, Heated Frenzy, Black Jack Davey and The Die Hards with special guests. There will be a fun run, bar-b-q plates, vendors, bikini bike wash, 50/50 drawings, and live and silent auctions. Joni Kelton will be there selling memorial patches, t-shirts. CD’s and copies of Gene’s book, “Gigs From Hell”. We hope to see a lot of you out there that day.

     On March 26, there will be a benefit for Mike “Lowboy” Leubner at Fetzer’s (old Ray’s on FM 1774) with Brother to Brother w/Mike Vohsen, the Edison Freeman Project, the JB Bullion Band and the Charlie Parker Band. You can start making plans to attend both of these now.

     For those of you who follow Marcy Rae (AKA Sweet Mama Cotton), she was involved in a car accident on January 21, while driving a new, three-day old car on the way to a gig. The car was totaled and Marcy was checked out at the hospital, where they told her she just had sprains and bruises. But when her foot kept hurting, she went to a doctor who told her that her heel was broken. Last week she went in for surgery and latest report is she is doing better, recuperating at home and will be out of action for a while. Our prayers and thoughts are with her and we wish her a speedy recovery.

     Stay safe and keep listening!

BLAST FROM THE PAST: I’m dedicating some space in each issue to a trip back in time and am talking about some of the great music we’ve seen since we started writing for NOB. 

     When I started writing in the March issue of 1992, fourteen years ago, there were a lot more clubs offering live music. Some listed in that issue were Tippy’s in Humble (they had Jimmy Joe Long, now a Conroe resident, and Ezra Charles & the Works), Riley’s Pub in Spring (they had The Fab 5), Salty’s on Airport Road (still there, but no live music), T’s on Needham Road (242 now and some live music), Fort Worth City Limits on Kuykendahl and Hubba Dub’s on Airport Road (been many different names since then) and Dickens Inn in Humble. Of special note, Del Lago had David Clayton-Thomas and Blood, Sweat & Tears for Memorial Day! Some that are still offering live music are Tut’s (they had Miss Molly & The Whips), and Henry’s Hideout in Magnolia had Dale Nowak & Bustin’ Loose. Our first column was about our trip to Memphis for the Memphis Blues Festival with Bobby “Blue” Bland, R.L. Burnside, Rufus Thomas, Charlie Musselwhite, Doctor John, and Albert Collins & The Icebreakers.  

     One of the highlights of that weekend was sitting with Rufus Thomas (“Walkin’ The Dog” and “Funky Chicken”) and him telling us stories of the years of touring and all the adventures he had. I only wish I had recorded those stories. He sat with us for over an hour and we had a great visit. Bobby Bland was a treat, as usual, and I related in the column about seeing him many times in Houston in the 1960’s, playing at places like the El Dorado Ballroom on Dowling, Continental Club on Scott St., Jimmy Menutis Club on Telephone, at the Duke/Peacock studio on Erastus, and actually getting to go to a party at a house he was renting on North MacGregor Drive, where he and a host of other artists performed. I was still a teenager and really didn’t appreciate what was happening at the time. What would I give for a photo, autograph or poster from these shows or parties. Playing in a band at the time, we often ended up at clubs in the Third and Fifth Wards, where we were welcome to listen and sometimes, even play. Too bad I didn’t have a video camera then. Some of these after hour jams went on for hours, and musicians would drop in from other clubs and play for a while and then leave, and more would join in. More about playing in bands in Houston in future issues. Albert Collins’ set was the best and loudest of the evening, closing a perfect day of more than 12 hours of music. Luckily, we were staying at a hotel only two blocks from the festival.

     Well, folks, that’s about it for this month. If any of you need to get in touch with me, you can call me at 936-756-9699 or e-mail me at my email address of miller22@consolidated.net or mail me CD’s to review at P.O. Box 2393, Conroe, TX 77305. See you next month!