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Here's some background on john Arthur martinez to help you get to know him:
When Texas singer/songwriter john Arthur martinez speaks of the country and small town influences in his albums, Spinning Our Wheels and On the Border, his words ring with authority. He spent his early childhood on a ranch near Round Mountain, Texas, and like an old oak, john Arthur's roots reach deep into the rocky soil of the Texas Hill Country.
This multi-talented songwriter reveals his affinity for the country life in his gripping lyrics and stunning vocal performances. He doesnt just write songs, he has lived them. "The songs come first" john Arthur says. They are driven by a desire for success, ambition, and even some failures. But, ultimately they are songs of optimism, which have impressed audiences and critics alike.
John Arthur's composition "Seguro que Hell Yes", co-written with Alex Harvey and Mike Blakley, has certainly impressed the executives at Arista. The song is the debut single for Flaco Jimenez sung by Raul Malo of the Mavericks.
John Arthur' s musical roots began with his father, a drummer who played in several bands, and his mother, who sharpened his poetic instincts. In grade school, john Arthur began writing poetry and was soon writing heartfelt songs. It was in college that john Arthur's singer/songwriter career emerged. An uncle had given him a small amount of money with some advice attached: Buy something you don't need. John Arthur spent the money on a guitar. At the time, I didnt think I needed a guitar, he recalls. Of course, now I know I couldnt live without one.
By the time john Arthur graduated from college (where he was voted most talented Hispanic) with degrees in English and Journalism, he was playing three engagements a week. This has grown to an average of five nights a week sharing the stage or opening for Diamond Rio, Reuben Ramos, The Texas Tornadoes, Robert Earl Keen, Tish Hinojosa, Emmylou Harris, Holly Dunn, John Prine, Hal Ketchum, Gary P. Nunn, T.G. Shepherd, Janie Fricke, Johnny Gimble, Alex Harvey, and Hall of Famer, Floyd Tillman. And, john Arthur has taken time from his busy schedule to assist in the direction of the Austin Songwriters Group, of which jam sits on the board of directors.
With the current release of john Arthur's recordings Spinning Our Wheels and On the Border and the upcoming release of Stand Your Ground his career stands on the launching pad, ready for ignition!
Austin, Texas hasnt been the same since Jet Set Zydeco hit the scene in the Spring of 1998. The bands unique pop-inflected zydeco has kept everyone dancing. Local nightclubs, weddings and corporate parties--Jet Set Zydeco has been eager to please these partying crowds across Austin for nearly two years. No wonder their official motto is "Music for the Sitting-Still Impaired".
Jet Set Zydeco has established itself in the Austin music scene, playing at Antones, Continental Club, Liberty Lunch, Threadgills, World Headquarters, Stubbs, Black Cat Lounge, Electric Lounge, and Central Market. One of their most memorable shows was "The Night of the Living Accordion" at Threadgills when Jet Set Zydeco shared the bill with Grammy winning accordionist Joel Guzman and Cajun music prodigy Kevin Naquin.
Jet Set Zydecos music is influenced and rooted in the great musicians from Southern Louisiana, including Boozoo Chavis, Geno Delafose, Beau Jocque, and Zydeco Force. Yet with their high energy, Zydeco based pop has a sound all its own. In Austin, they have shared the bill with Brave Combo, Gluf Coast Playboys, Los Aztex, Rosie Ledet, Bayou Beaujolais, Hot Club of Cowtown, Kevin Naquin, & the Ossun Playboys, and Chapattal.
Jet Set Zydeco plans include taking its motto and zydeco music on the road int Texas and Lousiana. You will hear more from them... and when you do, don forget to put on your dancing shoes.
John - Rickenbacker 320, Epiphone acoustic, Epiphone Casino, harmonica, vocals.
Nigel - lefty Hofner Beatle bass, lefty Rickenbacker 4001S (with psychedelic paint job), lefty vocals.
Basil - Gretsch Country Gentleman, Rickenbacker 12-string electric, Fender Stratocaster (with psychedelic paint job), Epiphone SG, vocals.
Davy - A groovy set of '65 Ludwigs, vocals.
Tommo - Psychedelic keys and vocals
Considered one of Austin’s finest dance bands. We consider them one of the best in Texas and beyond. Veterans of the Texas music scene for over eighteen years, these astounding musicians will take you on a time trip through music history with their classic country, rock, pop, oldies and current country/rock music. They bring a smile to your face and will drive you to the dance floor in droves. Don’t hesitate to call or email Cheyenne Founder, Mark Heinrich, today to reserve your date: Cheyenne is one of Austin's most popular country cover bands because they combine great musical talent with a true passion for country music to entertain crowds of all shapes and sizes! Your guests are guaranteed to have a great time!! Cheyenne's song list ranges from old country to the newest country/rock/pop hits.
Founded in the mid-90's by drummer Mark Heinrich, Cheyenne has been entertaining audiences throughout Central Texas for almost 15 years. You can find Cheyenne performing regularly at Austin's favorite Country Dance Halls like Coupland, Nightlife, and Dessau. They are also available for private parties, corporate events and weddings.
Meet the fellas...
Mark Heinrich: Drummer and Band Leader Dustin Henderson: Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar Brian Curtis: Lead Guitar and Vocals Larry Jentry: Bass Guitar Jonathan Herridge: Fiddle, Rhythm Guitar, and Vocals John Mikolasek: Piano, guitar and Vocals
Tropical Denny?s on a mission... to put a smile on the face of everyone who listens. From the salty air and the cool lake mist, great ballads, acoustic blues, a sense of humor, and a tropical ambiance are blended together. That?s the magic of Tropical Denny.
Life?s a Beach when you are Always Smilin?...!!!
Texas singer/songwriter Kim Miller used half a dozen different studios, from Nashville to Santa Fe, to record her new album, “Risk of the Roar.” But the physical space she covered to get it done was nothing compared to the space in time it took. Eleven years have flown by since Miller released her debut album, 1996’s “Child of the Big Sky.” Her explanation for the intermission is simple: “Life intervened. Sometimes we get called off one path for another. This album is the fruit of my diversions.” Of course, the events themselves were far more than “diversions.” Not long after that album’s release, she chose to put aside her budding music career (which included performing at venues from the Cactus Café in Austin Texas to the main-stage of the Kerrville Wine & Music Festival) to take on “a beautiful responsibility to somebody I loved dearly who needed me.” That was her aging grandmother, whose image as a young girl on horseback graced the cover of Miller’s first album. Then she faced her own health issue: a life-threatening illness from which she has since recovered. “It jolted me into realizing how important it was to return to my music,” Miller says of that experience. “It couldn’t be on hold any longer.” So she cashed in her retirement, rearranged her priorities and took a leap of faith. “Risk of the Roar’s” title song, and thematic center, comes from that courageous plunge. Miller says of the song, “It’s about the risk of reclaiming yourself from a cornered existence of suppressed creativity and expired love…it’s about trading safety for the opportunity of that risk.” The music Miller creates is ethereal, but not lost in the clouds. Her melodies are sensuous, playful, haunting, and laced with stirring detail like the “Last Light” interlude between Nashville player Josh Dubin’s pining pedal steel and Austin/Nashville music vet Cam King’s aching Gretsch guitar. The rich tones of each instrument and the sterling quality of Miller’s voice create lush textures on which she imprints her deeply intimate lyrics. In “I Still Believe,” she sings, “Hope dies hard for fools like me/I always pay a price/So much tragic comedy/It’s my virtue, it’s my vice./OK, I fly but I don’t run/Show me where’s the harm/If I wanna curl up like a question mark/Underneath your arm.” Immaculately co-produced by Marvin Dykhuis (Tish Hinojosa), Miller and Cam King (Roky Erickson, The Explosives), “Risk of the Roar” features a dozen of Miller’s original compositions, sung in her finely-nuanced voice and supported by a rich ensemble of Austin, Nashville and New Mexico musicians. They include Dykhuis and King, Glenn Fukunaga, Paul Pearcy, Warren Hood, Andrew Hardin, Tammy Rogers, Josh Dubin and Jeff Taylor. Miller traveled to New Mexico to record backing vocals from two of her favorite singer/songwriters: Tommy Elskes and Vince Bell. Mark Hallman mixed and mastered the album at Congress House Studios. Miller’s own musical influences range from Joni Mitchell (“if Joni had been raised in West Texas,” one critic said), the Finn Brothers, Kate Bush and Patty Larkin to Mary Hopkins and Marty Robbins; her non-musical inspirations include poet Pablo Neruda, novelist Gustave Flaubert and famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. (The Gulf Coast-born Miller, a dive master since 1980, used to escort diving tours to some of the world’s most remote and exotic destinations. She once considered a career as a SCUBA instructor before her muse won out.) “I’ve enjoyed a number of passionate pursuits in my life, but none so close to the bone as writing and performing. It’s enthralling to be back on stage,” says Miller. “When your music is as intimate and revealing as mine, the spotlight can be a risky place. But it’s a rewarding risk” Just like all the others she took to get here.