Dixie Trahan will be performing this Sunday, April 5 from 11:00 a.m. until noon at the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. Known for her powerful vocals, this charming Southern songstress puts on an exciting performance that you won’t want to miss! Besides material from her self-titled debut album (listen to samples here), Dixie pays tribute to some of the greatest women of country music including Patsy Cline
The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival kicks off on Saturday, April 4 with a Floating Art Parade, showcasing artwork created by local businesses and organizations. For more information, visit www.woodlandsartsfestival.com .
Dixie Trahan packs a powerful punch with her amazing voice
Need a break from your everyday routine? If you’re looking for a great atmosphere, tasty food, and a top notch singer, look no further. Dixie Trahan will be appearing at Pappasito’s Cantina at 10409 I-10 W. at Sam Houston Tollway this Thursday, March 26 from 4:30 – 7:00 P.M. Backing Dixie will be her incredible band, made up of veteran musicians including Skeeter Trahan and Robert DiBlanco.
Dixie’s set list will include such popular songs as Jolene, Atlanta, Seven Year Ache, and Bubbly, as well as selections from her self-titled debut album like I Would Have Missed You, Miss Me, and Too Far Gone.
Come on out to Pappasito’s and enjoy the show – you won’t be disappointed!
Todd Fritsch and his band Stampede playing the Hideout at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2008.
Todd has reportedly recorded 5 brand new songs with his new production team in Nashville, Tennessee and is ready to present the fresh material to his fans. “I am very excited about this next chapter in my career,” said Fritsch in a recent interview, “my new production team has introduced me to new songs and songwriters and I am very proud to be a part of this team. I can’t wait for the fans to hear the new stuff.”
Now’s your chance to hear his new stuff… bring your friends and check out Todd and his band at the Hideout after ZZ Top this Sunday, March 22. It’s a show you won’t want to miss!
Photo taken from the loft during a wedding at Ashton Gardens in Houston.
Your special day is one of the most important events of your lifetime, so finding the perfect music to suit your wedding is a top priority. Besides the dress, food, and décor, the music you and your partner choose will help to create an atmosphere that is uniquely yours. There is no better way to express how you truly feel about each other than through the musical ambience you will create for this momentous occasion.
Many couples choose a string trio or string quartet to add a sense of elegance or to make their wedding extra special with a live musical performance. Whether walking down the aisle to the traditional strains of Pachelbel’s Canon or the regal rhythm of the Bridal Chorus or more modern selections such as Can’t Help Falling in Love or God Bless the Broken Road, the warm tones of a string ensemble are timeless and always get rave reviews from brides, grooms and guests alike.
Le Jardin provides a lovely setting for an outdoor wedding.
Third Floor Strings frequently perform in Houston, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Spring, Cypress, Galveston and surrounding communities. Recent and upcoming wedding and reception sites include Ashton Gardens in Houston, San Luis Resort in Galveston, Le Jardin Events in Houston, Rockefeller Hall in Houston, Rainbow Lodge in Houston, Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Galveston, Stafford Centre in Stafford, Westlake Club in Houston, and Shoalwater Royale Lodge in Tiki Island.
For more information or to book Third Floor Strings, please contact Sweetgrass Talent. It is our extreme pleasure to recommend this excellent ensemble to entertain you and your guests as you celebrate the beginning of a lifetime of memories together.
HOUSTON (March 14, 2009) – The Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra, under the musical direction of Héctor Agüero, Jr., will be presenting a concert entitled “A Night in Vienna” on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. This concert is made possible by generous support from TIAA-CREF/Four Oaks Place.
Escape with the Orchestra as they take you on a musical journey to the beautiful city of Vienna. This program of waltzes, polkas, and Austrian songs is sure to have you feeling carefree in no time at all!
The program will include the Tritsch Tratsch Polka and The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss, Jr., and the Radetzky March by Johann Strauss, Sr. Also featured is Laura Agüero, soprano, singing selections from Des Knaben Wunderhorn and Songs to Poems by Rueckert by Gustav Mahler.
Also featured will be the winners of the Houston Music Teachers Association/Houston Young Artist Concert Concerto Competition. Jesse Lozano, Senior Division Winner, will be the soloist for the first movement of Piano Concerto in G Major by Maurice Ravel, while Winston Wu, Junior Division Winner, will be the soloist for the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The concert is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, located at the corner of FM 1092 and Lexington Boulevard in Missouri City. Ticket prices are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors/students; and children 12 and under are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.fbso.org or call (281) 276-9642.
Biographies of Soloists:
Laura Agüero is an emerging young soprano from Texas.
Laura Agüero is an emerging young soprano from Texas. She received her Master’s degree in vocal performance from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She has performed the role of Norina with the Pine Mountain Music Festival in a production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. Mrs. Agüero has also been featured as Marenka in The Bartered Bride, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, and Miss Titmouse in Too Many Sopranos. She has performed with the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre as Annina in La Traviata.
In addition to her work on the operatic stage, Mrs. Agüero is an active recitalist. She has participated in several recitals throughout the northern United States. Her other oratorio and symphonic engagements have included Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate, Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder, Bach’s St. John Passion, and as a soloist with the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale and the Woodlands Symphony Orchestra.
Young musician Jesse Lozano will take the stage with the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra later this month.
Jesse Lozano has been studying piano since 2nd grade. For eight years he studied with Sandy Toews, and for the last two years he has studied with Dr. Dariusz Pawlas in the Rice University Preparatory Program. Jesse is in the 11th grade at Cypress Springs High School. He plays trombone and is drum major, but his favorite instrument is the piano because, as Jesse says, on the piano he can play a whole symphony with his hands.
Jesse is also a composer. He composed his first piece in 5th grade, and since has won many state and national competitions for his original compositions. One of his first full-length piano pieces, “Circus Rag,” composed at the age of 12, was published when he was just 13 years old.
This past summer, Jesse was one of 10 young composers selected from over 50 countries to be admitted to Interlochen Arts Camp in northern Michigan. He recently decided to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy for his final year of high school, after which he hopes to study piano and musical composition at a music conservatory.
Winston Wu will be a featured performer with the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra later this month.
Winston Wu is a 15-year-old sophomore at Friendswood High School. He started playing piano at the age of five, and he is currently studying with Mr. William Chaisson. Winston has won numerous awards at piano competitions in the Houston area. Last year, he won in the Junior Division of the Clear Lake Symphony concerto competition and had the opportunity to perform Lizst’s Totentanz with the Clear Lake Symphony. He enjoys piano composition and teaching piano to younger children. Winston is also a percussionist in the Friendswood High School Wind Ensemble, where he plays the marimba.
In school, he likes computer science and computer applications. He has won several awards at computer competitions at the local and state level, and is a member of the school’s UIL Computer Applications team. He enjoys spelling and won the school spelling bee twice. As a member of the UIL Spelling team, he has won awards at local invitationals. He enjoys Latin, and is an active member of the Latin Club. In addition to his other achievements, Winston is a member of the National Honor Society.
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Houston's premier groove team - The White Lion Rhythm Section
The White Lion Rhythm Section is based out of Houston, Texas and has established itself as one of the premier rhythm sections for live shows and recording sessions.
Drummer Joe DeLeon and bassist Robert DiBlanco make up this “grooving” rhythm section team that looks back on numerous years of experience in the studios and stages around the world. Artists like Doug Supernaw, Todd Fritsch, Jarrod Birmingham, Clay Farmer, Zona Jones, Johnny Bush, The Tearjerkers, Dixie Trahan, Cooper Wade, Celeste Terrell, Patrick Murphy, John Slaughter, Neil Austin Imber and many more have used the services of the White Lion Rhythm Section in the past and present because of their expertise and talent.
The White Lion Rhythm Section currently works with Sweetgrass Talent artists Todd Fritsch, Dixie Trahan, the Armadillo Playboys and Celeste Terrell.
Click here to visit the White Lion Rhythm Section on MySpace!
CYPRESS, TX (March 10, 2009) -
Cypress based SWEETGRASS TALENT GROUP launched the beta version of their new website today. The official launch date for the site is set for April 1st, 2009.
With a growing talent roster and a growing clientele, Sweetgrass Talent decided to update their web presence in order to fulfill their current and future needs. The website work was accomplished with the help of Houston based companies RoBiCom and Sounds of Texas, the latter being responsible for most of the programming work and RoBiCom providing the hosting solution.
Excerpt of a Nashville Number System chart
The answer to all of these questions lies in a little-known solution called the Nashville Number System. This fairly simple system to write down music is widespread in the Country Music field (especially in the studio/session world). Its origins can be traced back to Elvis Presley’s harmony singers, in particular Neil Mathews of the Jordanaires. He devised this musical number system to be used in the recording studio. After Charlie McCoy saw this method he and countless other musicians and session leaders adapted the system to their own needs and used it on many sessions. Today it has evolved into a complete method of writing charts for sessions (sometimes it is also referred to as the “Nashville Shorthand”).
One of the main advantages of the Nashville Number System is the fact that its way of notating a song is completely key-independent. This comes in very handy in the recording studio, where a lot of times keys have to be changed on-the-fly to accommodate singers’ vocal ranges and preferences.
As there are no standards and rules for the Nashville Number System, everybody can and has made their own little set of rules – therefore you can find charts written in different ways for the same song. Once you ‘get the picture’ of how the system works, you should be able to quickly adapt to anybody’s customized style and play any song (in any key) right away.
To find more detailed information about the Nashville Number System, please visit Chas Williams’ website and order his outstanding book on this very helpful way to jot down the songs you learn/play.
Robert DiBlanco, charts@diblanco.com
April 3, 2008, 9:38AM
Dixie Trahan
In The Land of Dixie
By JOEY GUERRA, Copyright Houston Chronicle 2008
Dixie Trahan smiles when she remembers her little-girl dreams of being a grown-up star.
“I used to stand up on the side of the bathtub, in front of the mirror, with my dad’s hairbrush for a microphone and just sing for hours,” she says.
Sweet dreams that, for most kids, dissolve when reality sets in a few years later. But Trahan held onto that optimism — and channeled it into her self-titled debut disc, an alternately sweet, slick and kicky set of country tunes.
The highlight is her delicate, soulful voice, which has rightfully earned comparisons to Alison Krauss but also boasts shades of Pam Tillis.
“Country music has just always been a constant for me, whether it’s a love song or a hell-raisin’ song,” Trahan says. “It fits just about any mood. It just lets you express so much emotion.”
Trahan says her record has been a “long-time coming.” That’s an understatement, to say the (very, very) least.
Her father was a pastor and eventually took the family on the road for full-time music evangelism. That meant constant moving and, at times, mobile living between gigs. Trahan was born in Kansas, moved to Texas two weeks later and was living in Canada within a few years.
“My parents were always singing. They would sing with other couples, the old church quartets, and stuff like that,” she says.
“I grew up playing in the church while they were practicing. I remember rolling under the pews. Anything you could do to pass the time.”
A formal family band inevitably developed. They toured churches, recorded albums and spent a summer doing a show in Branson, MO.
“There was no, ’I don’t feel good today. I’m not singing.’ We did the job,” she says.
Trahan toured with her family until she was 17 years old, prime time to perhaps embark on a solo career. But, as the title to one of her songs goes, life had other plans.
She met and married her husband, Skeeter, and the pair settled in Houston and had three kids — now ages 10, 13 and 16 (and all musical).
About three years ago, Trahan decided to give music another go, on her terms. She recorded her self-titled effort in Nashville, a collection of “positive,” hopeful tunes highlighted by the autobiographical Back To Me and You, which she co-wrote with her husband.
“I realize I really am a baby duck at all this,” Trahan says. “My experience in the industry, in the Texas market — I’m just starting with all that. But I can’t imagine anything better at this point.”
She found a “kindred spirit” in Bruce Wiggins of local country act Drywater, who was looking to add a female vocalist into the mix. Trahan has been gigging with the group for about two months. Wiggins also is helping manage her career.
“It was the first time Dixie had been to a bar in her entire life,” Wiggins says of that first show.
“She came onstage for the first time with us — no rehearsal or anything — and we played two songs that just went without a hitch.”
That’s a far cry from gospel quartets and church revivals. But for Trahan, it’s all part of the same journey.
“Whether I’m playing in a bar, playing in a church or singing in the elevator on my way to the office in the morning, for me, it’s all an expression of who I am,” she says.
“The reality is that I am right where I am supposed to be.”
Todd Fritsch and his band were part of another record breaking year at the World Championship Bar-B-Que contest in February 2009. According to the official Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo website (www.hlsr.com) all three days resulted in new attendance records (THU 34,223 – FRI 76,889 – SAT 106,528 => combined attendance of 217,640).
Todd Fritsch played all three nights at the 777 cookers tent, with guest appearances at the CGG Veritas and Candlelighter’s tents. He was also a featured performer at the Garden Stage on Friday, February 27th 2009.
The Texas based performer will conclude his “Rodeo season” with a concert at the HIDEOUT after-party on the last day of this year’s Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on March 22nd 2009 – with his fellow Texans ZZ TOP being the featured Rodeo performers that same night.
All attendance figures provided by www.hlsr.com.
SADDLE UP WITH TODD
Horse lovers and fans of country music will have a chance to (virtually) saddle up with Todd Fritsch and author Lisa Wysocky to discuss their passions during the Horse Country Q & A podcast that originates from Nashville on Tuesday, February 24 from 8 – 9 p.m. CST
Horse Country: A Celebration of Country Music and the Love of Horses (Lyons Press, 2008) is a hard cover coffee table style book that invites readers into the private world these country music stars share with some of their closest friends – their beloved horses. The book features heartwarming stories and beautiful color photography of twenty-seven artists, including: Fritsch, Eddie Montgomery (Montgomery Gentry), Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Clay Walker, Hal Ketchum, and more. For more details on the podcast, go to Todds web site.
And then for all you Houston area folks, tune into Great Day Houston (KHOU-TV / CBS CH 11) on February 26 when Todd performs Texas Talkin’ live in the studio during the program’s 9 – 10 a.m. slot.
Written by Katie Key for KeyNotes, Wednesday – February 25, 2008
Todd Fritsch will be the featured guest on a podcast about country music stars and their horses on TONIGHT from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. central standard time (CST). You can listen to the podcast by following the instructions below, and you can also email a question to Lisa or Todd before or during the podcast. Instructions for that are also below.
The podcast is hosted by Lisa Wysocky, author of Horse Country: A Celebration of Country Music and the Love of Horses. The first half Lysa will be talking about Todd, his horses and horse experiences, and any new project(s) on the horizon. They also will answer as many emails from fans as possible. The second half they will discuss horse stories, horse training and general horse questions from fans. A few things to note:
Podcast call space is limited, so participants should call 218-844-8230 (followed by the access code 199874#) a few minutes before the podcast begins to register. Fans can also ask Todd questions by sending an email (either before or during the event) to lisainfo@comcast.net; in the subject line, enter “PODCAST QUESTION” and include first and last name, city and state (and country if from outside of the U.S.) in the body of the email.
Click here to listen to the recorded podcast (*.WAV format) !!!
Saddle Up With Todd Fritsch & Lisa Wysocky For
“Horse Country” Podcast Tuesday, February 24
At 8 p.m. CST
Click ‘Read More …’ to read the complete Press Release.
George Strait once sang “When you hear twin fiddles and a steel guitar, you’re listening to the sound of the American Heart” and that’s exactly what is happening when you listen to Todd Fritsch’s sophomore album “Sawdust.” Released in 2007 on Spinville Records, the album features a steady package of seventeen songs that couldn’t be considered anything but country music.
Here is the a recording of TODD FRITSCHs 9 ½ minute interview that aired
on 11 stations in the mid-West the weekend of February 13-15 2009 on YOUR COUNTRY REVIEW radio show.
Click here to listen to the interview!
Guitars, Spare Ribs & Honky Tonk Music – Todd Fritsch Performs Before, During & After This Year’s Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Click ‘Read More …’ to read the complete Press Release.
RODEO’N
RodeoHouston is coming up and our friend Todd Fritsch will be there! Todd and his band return to the Rodeo grounds for “pre-rodeo” events, including four private-party shows and a performance from the Main Stage at the legendary Rodeo Houston BBQ Cook-Off. Todd will be a celebrity judge during the Cook-Off and “wrap” the Rodeo on March 22 as the final act of this year’s Hideout.
Written by Katie Key for Key Notes, February 10th 2009, www.texasmusicchart.com/Pages/Keynote.htm
Steve Martin of Backstage Country interviews Todd Fritsch about the new single and anything new.
Click here to listen to the interview!
Click here to listen to the Jerry Mac interview with Todd Fritsch from January of 2008.
Radio Stations can download the interview right here.
Anyone can listen to the show here but only Radio/Media can download the interview.
Todd Fritsch is set to co-headline the upcoming Band For Brothers & Sisters concert on May 23rd 2009 at the Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo Grounds in Pasadena, TX. The concert will feature Randy Rogers Band,Roger Creager, Cowboy Troy, Stephen Cochran, Todd Phelps, Don Preach, JR Martinez (from “All My Children”). All funds raised will go 100% towards building new homes for severely injured service members returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Apart from the great music there will also be an area with fun activities for the kids, so come on out and enjoy the day while supporting a great cause!
Click poster for ticket information!
