Two really good weekends in a row here in Houston. T-shirt and shorts weather during the day and the first feel of springtime coming along . . . Last Sunday evening, I had the pleasure of being a “guest of honor” at the Buffet Video release at Domy, a hip little book/art store in the Montrose, next door to Café Brasil on Westheimer. It was really something else to see myself on the Big Screen, as I went incognito in my Boot Town western hat and Navy pea coat. Just being a fly on the wall, watching all the scenesters enjoying themselves with a huge “me” in the background – it was surreal, to say the least. The video was shot last summer in the kitchen of my hundred-year-old white, wood-frame house at the edge of downtown Houston. I like the concept: It's a collection of performance art pieces, unified by the theme of “breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” The producers asked me to sing a capella while washing dishes at my kitchen sink. It comes off as a real woman living a real life, cleaning up all alone at the end of the day after everyone’s gone away. I sang “The Texas Aggies Win Again,” whose wistful strains ultimately complemented the overriding visual message of profound isolation. The video is for sale at Domy and other stores and galleries across the nation, and there's a very interesting write up at http://www.domystore.com/houston/htx_invites/buffet.html
Tomorrow night (Saturday, February 27), I’ll be taking the stage from 8:30-9 p.m. with standup bass player extraordinaire, Nick Gaitan, to celebrate Johnny Cash’s birthday at the Continental Club over on Main Street at Alabama. This event was initiated by Austin radio personality, Rowdy Tijmes, a few years ago and has gone over so well out there that he’s taking it to Dallas and Houston this year. I’ve really had a great time playing the one in Austin the last couple of years and am looking forward to being part of the first Cash Bash right here at home. There’ll be a good line up of acts from Houston, Dallas, and Austin, including the Craig Kinsey Band (of Houston’s ultra-popular Sideshow Tramps), as well as “Fluke” Holland, who was Johnny Cash’s drummer. I’ve been getting lots of hits on my Web site that are coming from the Cash Bash link, so people are taking note and a strong turnout should be expected. The doors open at 8, and I go on from 8:30-9. More information is posted at http://www.johnnycashbash.com/band-lineup
Y’all come!