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From the germ of an idea born at a Texas music festival campfire in 1999, to the fan-based, non-profit benefit for the Musician’s Emergency Relief Fund, Texas Music Nation Celebration is the embodiment of helping hands within a big Texas music family.  Artists vie for the privilege of donating their time and talent, and dedicated Texas Music fans mark their calendars and anticipate next year’s offerings.  Texas Music Nation Celebration has made its mark and is one of the firmly established Texas Music festival events of the year.  As you go from #3 to #4, it is no longer a fluke or whim, but a bona fide tradition.  And this tradition has become the friendliest annual Texas music family reunion in the Lone Star State.  Like most families at some point, TMN has experienced tremendous growth and expansion.  Although all the TMNCs have been held in the Glen Rose area, they have claimed two different camp grounds as home.  The first three celebrations were held at Bucks on the Brazos near Glen Rose with Scott and Cindy Chaffin providing the picturesque campgrounds.  Number 4, because of the continued growth of fan and artistic participation, moved its location a couple of miles to Mitchell George’s Tres Rios River Ranch in Glen Rose.  When asked about the location change, Bodie Powell replied, “Scott and Cindy Chaffin are great supporters of Texas music and were wonderful hosts of the first three festivals at Bucks on the Brazos.  Regrettably, TMN needed more space and electric sites to accommodate our fan, artist, and CASI family.  Mitchell George likes our folks and the fact that we’re non-profit, so he graciously offered us Tres Rios.  The TMN board discussed the move and then voted unanimously to give Tres Rios a try.”  Thanks to both campground owners for their wonderful facilities and most of all, faith in the TMN organization and assistance in establishing its foundation.

There is lots of evidence of the growth of this festival from the first Texas Music Nation Celebration that was held in October, 2001.  No gate charges for TMNC #1, but donations were accepted to benefit Texas Music artists who needed a helping hand.  Probably a couple hundred people passed through the grounds that first festival weekend.  By TMN #3 in 2003, the crowd had grown to about 900. And this year, 2004, there were approximately 1500, and the momentum is still building.  Besides the faithful Texas Music fans, there were people like the folks from England, who had picked up the info from the TMN web site.  The vendors have also noticed that it’s a great place to “work” a weekend (can’t get a more congenial work environment than this festival).  Terry (Wink, the Chili King) Austin ramrods the chili cook off and spreads the word via the CASI and other chili cooking magazines and newsletters.  That paid dividends in getting some great participation from the chili cooking crowd.  Texas Music radio stations and magazines have also gotten behind the benefit and supported the event.  Mike Crow, The Ranch, KNON, KSTV, and Texas Music Magazine are a few that actively promoted the non profit show.

Let me give you tantalizing taste of what this year’s TMN Celebration was like.

For Texas Music Nation Celebration #4, festival participants started rolling in on Wednesday, 6/2/2004, and all during the next day.  All these folks were busy setting up TMN facilities, vendor booths, and individual and group campsites, despite the strong storms that rolled through during Wednesday night.  TMN #4 kicked off its three day music schedule at 7:00 PM with the Thursday Songwriter Showcase.  It was stacked with Andy Pate, Wade Hatton, Dan Shinedling, Tim Shirley, Casey Thompson, Scotty Shuffield, Jim Bob Laird, T-Roy Miller, Jon C. Davis, and Larry Joe Taylor.  There were no slackers in this line up, but Tim Shirley and Jim Bob Laird were the hands down favorite in audience approval. The evening closed with Larry Joe Taylor (with John Inmon), always a crowd pleaser.  Then it was on to the campfires.

Folks continued to arrive Friday afternoon and evening.  Friday’s events kicked off at 2:00 PM with the melodious JoAnn Guest, followed by the great tunes of Derek Smith.  Then Stephani Fine, Dan Degrado, Alex Whitmore, and Zen Bubba kept things rolling.  At 8:00 PM Jay Johnson kicked it up a notch, the Cosmic Dust Devils raised the roof, Randy Hopper rocked the joint, and Tommy Alverson managed to top them all.  There were plenty of campfires after the last Tommy tune if you still had energy to spare.

Saturday morning brought lots more chili cooking folks to the typical music mix. Advertising the CASI sanctioned cook off really paid off for additional possible Texas music converts.  The chili cook off showmanship entries grew a bit this year, too.  The music resumed at 12:00 PM with the grand, booming voice of Aubrey Teeter, followed by the earthy cowboy stylings of Brett Watts. Rick Gerard and Shake Russell kept things flowing.  Then the velvety sounds of Brian Burns soothed the soul. The Misfits rocked a while, then more cowboy and traditional country from Mike Blakely & Johnny Greenberg.  The heat began to build with Kevin Deal and Nathan Hamilton.  The festival slipped into a wonderful traditional country and unique Texas music groove with Sherwin Phillips.  No TMN event would be complete without Bodie Powell and Borderline, Terry Rasor and Over the Edge, and Johnny Mack and the Fat Boys in the Round.  They all worked with one another and wove in and out among the sets, that it began to be hard to even tell which of their sets were up.  They cast their magic spells well into the early morning hours.  I’m sure there were plenty of campfires that night, too, but I only had the energy to find my way back to the camp and crawl in for some zzzzzzs.

Sunday morning brought the traditional breaking of camp, hugs, and good byes for all our “family”.  All until the next time….Mark your calendars for the SECOND weekend of June, 2005!

 

Written by Cheryl Arthur, August 2004

 

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Editor's Note:  If you are interested in joining Texas Music Nation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for the new North Texas Musicians Emergency Fund, contact Karen Zahn.

 

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