New Day Job, A New Guitar Player, and The Jam To Help Haiti

It was a busy holiday season and an even busier new years for me, and it looks as if after all the fretting we've found a new lead guitar player. His name is Cole he's in his early twenties and has been playing lead for roughly ten years. His sound is a great deal different than that of our old lead guitarist. It has begun to transform much of our songs that had a strong rock sub-theme into americana and bluegrass. It's exciting to see music you've played countless times morph and change into something fresh and new. Also, our search for the bass player perhaps has ended as well. We have a promising audition driving in to jam with us next week. Keep you fingers crossed!

Well, I just wanted to check in and make sure everyone knew I hadn't closed up shop in the blog world. I have just been extremely busy and none of it as of late had anything to do with music. We should be picking back up on our gigs in February so expect the posts to start picking up as well.

Also, our lead singer Cody Davidson is offering his time to do an acoustic show in San Angelo for a large concert benefiting The Haiti Relief Fund at Graham's Central Station on January 31'st. If you're in the area I suggest you get your tickets now. They have almost completely sold out and it's going to be a great great great line up.

Ho Hum and Boo Hiss

It has been an exceptionally busy holiday season and I apologize for getting lazy with the blog during this last month. The new year has come and wow what a wheelbarrow of changes it has brought. First, in the beginning of December our lead guitarist Chad let us know that he would no longer be able to play with us. He is leaving the band on good terms and is leaving because of familial issues that he has to put first in his life. No troubles, we will persevere and along the way change our sound, bring a new creative drive to the music, and rekindle a fire under the collective asses of the band. Then our bass player Ronnie has thrown in the towel. He has been complaining of back pain and recently found out that he has a cracked vertebrae and has been advised by his doctor to not even lift a bass. Shoot.

Still, I can still see some silver lining in these thunderheads. Both Chad and Ronnie were a bit older than the the rest of the band. They had been musicians in this niche of music for a long time and had played with a ton of great names. One thing I had always made note of was their slight lack of enthusiasm when it came to some of our more notable shows with larger names or on cool stages. I think they had already seen it all.

We will weather this storm. We will find a new guitarist and bass player. Along the way we will learn a great deal about our talents and flexibility and maybe have a new product once we get to the other side.

Finally, I will only spend a few sentences pouting about this one. Every year up in Steamboat, Colorado there is this amazing thing called the Musicfest. Everyone you could ever want to see on a stage in the world of Texas Country is up there having a grand time skiing, drinking, and playing amazing sold out shows at tiny ski town bars. I'm not there. Yuck.

But if you do want to follow all the fun in Steamboat some jerk named Jeff is up there taking stunning pictures and blogging 'til his fingers bleed.
http://americanmusicphotography.blogspot.com

Texas Renegade loses their harp player

Kasey Klepfer the harmonica player for Texas Renegade recently sent out this statement. It will not be the same to hear Texas Renegade without Klepfer's harp wails, but best of luck to him in his new ventures. Apparently he is leaving the band in good graces. The band is taking this opportunity to seek out a new band member, harp player, or other. I look forward to see what they come up with.


After Six years and over 800 shows, I am leaving Texas Renegade. I love this band and our music, but it is time to move on to the new things in my life. I will be going to graduate school, traveling, and trying new music projects. The last six years have been so amazing. To record three albums and spend so much time with Eli, Tyson, Andy and Luke has been one of the greatest times of my life. I love them and our fans with all my heart. I will be playing until the end of December, and my last show will be at Cheatham Street Warehouse on Jan 2nd. It is only fitting that it ends where it all began. Thanks for a great six years!! "
- Kasey Klepfer - Harmonica – TXR

Our Show Last Saturday in Apline, Texas

We went down to Alpine, Texas to play a show at the Granada Theater for the Sul Ross State University Alumni Christmas Ball this last Saturday. I had never been to Alpine before but had always heard good things about the small town. Alpine, Texas is nestled in the mountains leading to Big Bend National Park. The scenery was spectacular and the town's rustic feel was a refreshing downtown to take in. Unlike many other tourist laden town traps, Alpine's buildings were a mix between the old and new blending together seamlessly to give the place an overall authentic air. There wasn't a heavily zoned downtown frozen in the "frontier" days but instead you could pick up the sense that Alpine hasn't yet totally caught up with the present.

We played in the Granada theater which has been newly renovated. The Doodlin HogWallops opened up for us. They are a local three to six piece band that played strong traditional country tunes which were refreshing, well written, and well performed. Having been newly renovated, the Granada's stage had an amazing set up. The acoustics coupled with the brand new sound system was phenomenal. If you ever happen to make your way up into the mountains make sure to catch a show there. The crowd was good and danced to just about every song we played. I truly enjoyed the visit and being there to play live music to a new enthusiastic crowd was the icing on the cake.

Also, we found our future tour bus while checking out the Transpecos Guitar store downtown.