1st Annual Smithville Music Festival A Success
First Annual Smithville Music Festival featuring Jimmie Vaughan,Dale Watson, The Jones Family Singers, Hannibal Lokumbe and more November 7, 2009
WOW!!! The 1st Annual Smithville Music Festival was a great success. I would like to commend the Smithville Community for pulling together to make this Festival a huge hit. The SMF showed just how much a live music venue is needed in this area. As one of the Event Organizers, I was pretty busy, but I got to see some amazing stuff throughout the day and night. The kids faces would light up when they picked what they wanted to become at the Full Face Painting Station. The clown, Bonzo Crunch, was a huge hit with his bodacious buffoonery and balloon animals. The SHS Class Reunions were surprised when the Smithville High School Marching Band came to their area and played the school fight song. I don't believe there was anyone at the event that wasn't touched by the Fallen Comrade Ceremony. Most people have never seen this type ceremony and it was truly special. The Balloon Glow was an awesome sight, especially when the sun was setting.
Now let's talk about the MUSIC!!! The day was filled with a wide variety of music, everything from Cajun Rock, Reggae, Country, Alternative and Jazz. When the Festival Stage opened The Peterson Brothers Band just blew the crowd away with their performance. These young boys will go far in the music industry. Dale Watson had the crowd wanting to either go drive an 18-wheeler or do a bit of two-steppin' and he's a great performer. The Jones Family Singers cast a spell over the crowd and had them doing whatever the lead singer requested. When Jimmie Vaughan, 4 time Grammy Award winner, came on stage, I actually stopped in my tracks and was taken in by his music. Jimmie can play a guitar like no one else I've ever seen and he makes it look so easy. This was my first time to see Jimmie perform live and it was such a treat to see.
Hannibal Lokumbe, Jazz Trumpeteer, joined Jimmie on stage and played a rendition of When The Saints Go Marching In and this was the best version I've ever heard. I saw Hannibal perform in New Orleans, so I knew he was a great performer, but he played his heart out for his home-town crowd. Hannibal is from Smithville, so it was great to showcase one of Smithville's own. Lou Ann Barton joined Jimmie on stage and I'm here to tell ya - that woman can SING!!! Our Emcee for the night is our local Post Master. He did an excellent job and kept the crowd alive between acts. We were honored when the Office of Music came on stage to give Smithville a Proclamation for the Festival and the West End Park. Michael Corcoran wrote a great article about West End Park a couple of weeks ago, so go to his blog at Austin360 to see the history of this establishment.
First Annual Smithville Music Festival a Hit
From Michael Corcoran's Austin 360 Blog
About 1,500 folks showed up to see Jimmie Vaughan and others at Smithville’s Riverbend Park Saturday night. Organizers were praying for 1,000 after advance ticket sales were bleak. But the crowd, appreciative of the quality of music in the rural setting, kept trickling in all day.
It was a charmingly smalltown affair, with the high school marching band playing “Carry On My Wayward Son” under an incredible, three-trunked oak tree, followed by a group of soldiers paying tribute to three Smithville natives who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The main stage action kicked off with the Peterson Brothers Band, featuring 13-year old Glenn and 10-year-old Alex. Then came Dale Watson, a total pro, who dropped in references to Hwy 71, the road that leads to Smithville, in his truck-driving songs.
The sensational Jones Family Singers just tore it up for an hour that felt like 20 minutes. I’ve seen this group of gospel shouters at least a dozen times, but this was the best for two reasons. 1) The sound system was so pristine you could hear all six singers and 2) the audience basically went berserk and did everything lead singer Alexis asked them to do.
Austin audiences can get jaded because quality live music is everywhere every day. But Smithville ate up their first annual music festival like a steak dinner in a combat zone. I don’t know when’s the last time Jimmie Vaughan played to an audience that packed up front and jumped all around. Oh, wait, I do. It was last night. A highlight of his fest-closing set was when Smithville native, former Gil Evans trumpeter Hannibal Lokumbe, came up and played “When the Saints Go Marching In” with Vaughan and his Tilt-a-Whirl Band. Lokumbe had his flutter on high and, again, the crowd responded with pumping fists and cheers.
Inaugural Smithville, Texas Music Festival
Posted by Jeanne Murrin Wilkinson on No Depression
About an hour east of Austin, just past Bastrop, is the town of Smithville. Across from town is Riverbend Park, with huge oak trees, a classic Texas stage with dance floor, and the nearby Colorado River. Some of us are lucky enough to own a bit of land in the county, and we were real happy to join the long-time residents for a truly great day in the park.
Not only did we have the Jones Family Singers, and classic Texas talent with Dale Watson and Jimmie Vaughn, but the real surprises were the local musicians. Specifically, I would like to write about both the Peterson Brothers and Hannibal Lokumbe. I was not familiar with either. I will always remember both.
Glen Peterson, Junior on guitar is 13 years old. His brother Alex, on bass and violin, is 10. A couple “older” musicians helped out, Collin Guerra and Bryan Hoff, 24 and 23 respectively. I believe we will be hearing a whole lot about them in these parts. Hannibal Lockumbe is not only a famous jazz and symphony musician, but a composer, author, actor, and more. And before him I never heard anyone do what he did on the trumpet in quite that way.
Besides the music, there was much, much more to this event. The people were great. The town was totally involved. There was sadness too, as a special tribute was given to three hometown soldiers who have recently been lost. It was a first class tribute.
There was food and drink, dominoes and chili, book sales of Texas blues artists from the area, and a special letter from the Governor recognizing the musical roots of the region. And I would say this region obviously has much to offer.