MUSIC OF A FREE TEXAS
While Hollywood thinks the world revolves around it, the people of Texas have decided to declare their musical independence from a Hollywood that is artificial and boorish. One of the stations in the vanguard of the musical independence movement is Radio Free Texas [www.radiofreetexas.org]. The Music Entertainment that offers an alternative to Hollywood is Lone Star Music [www.lonestarmusic.com]. Radio Free Texas and Lone Star Music promotes an alternative and refreshing form of entertainment and gives an opportunity for artists who would have been marginalized by mainstream artists and their media systems. There are three Texas Artists who deserve mention for their originality such as Amanda Cunningham, Adam Hood, and Asleep At The Wheel. In a future chapter, I will talk about their lives and careers and hope to interview them. In the present tense, I will talk about their music.
Amanda Cunningham released an album called Amanda Cunningham EP 05 which is like an EP but with songs that have a soul and sentiment. The songs such as “Trailer Park Girl”, “In The City”, “1000 Miles”, “When I’m Gone”, and “Bad Ass Woman” are gems in their own right. “Trailer Park Girl” deals with life on the road. “In The City” deals with a Texas Country Girl living in a city facing the inconveniences of city life including pride, prejudice, and indifference of the city “gentry“ towards the hard working people of Texas. “1000 Miles” deals with a yearning to belong especially in a society that has become a disposable society such as the one that exists in the America of today. “When I’m Gone” deals with separation of a man and a woman and how the man did not appreciate the love of his woman. “Bad Ass Woman” is a song of Women Liberation Texas Style. It is a song that would make the feminists cringe and its verses tell the world “Don’t Tread On Me”. “Bad Ass Woman” is one of the best songs recorded by Amanda Cunningham and I often wander if it is her theme song. The Album is great but “Bad Ass Woman” is like an icing on a cake. I hope one day to hear “Bad Ass Woman” in a restaurant in Key West, Florida called “Bad Ass Coffee” since both are vibrant. My rating for Amanda Cunningham and her CD “Amanda Cunningham EP 05” is a 9.5 out of 10 or 95% for originality and guts.
Adam Hood with his album “6th Street” is another album based on originality. After hearing the album especially the songs: “Tuesday Night” and “Coffee Song”, it could be said that the true and original music has not died. It is alive and kicking in places like Texas and Lone Star Music. It is music like that makes people think about the situations that lie throws at a person. It is a shame that Hollywood and the mainstream prefer prefabricated American Idols to the ones that are present in the noble state of Texas. Adam Hood and his album 6th Street deserves a 9 out of 10 or 90%.
Asleep At The Wheel is another group from Texas whose music has reverberated around the world as Texas Music. In fact, the group’s name Asleep At The Wheel is the opposite of what the vibrant Texas Music that is interpreted by them. “San Antonio Rose” as interpreted by Asleep At The Wheel left me inspired as to conclude that the wave of change is riding in the entertainment world. I also give the albums of the group Asleep At The Wheel a 9 out of 10 or 90%.
Lisa Hayes is another singer from Texas that is making waves. I have heard Lisa Hayes on Radio Free Texas. While there have been comparisons to K.D.Lang and Janis Jopilin, Lisa Hayes has shown to be a class act on her own with music that is truly Texan. From what I have heard from Lisa Hayes deserves a 9 out of 10 or 90%.
The change in the entertainment is coming from Texas. Lone Star Music and Radio Free Texas are showing themselves to be the vanguard of change. I wish Lone Star Music and Radio Free Texas the best in promoting Texas Music. As for Hollywood, move over since your prefabricated music and lifestyle cannot match the originality of Radio Free Texas and Lone Star Music.
El Noticiero de Alvarez Galloso 