I’ve got the music in me
Some people tend to think that my whole life revolves around books. In fact, I do tend to love to talk about books and authors, and films that have been made from books a lot.
Nevertheless, what most people do not know is that I do not fit into one little perfect box, I have many things I am passionate about besides books and one of those things is music.
I grew up listening to the records my parents loved, Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Mathis on our black box of a record player. My daddy recently bought my family and me a new record player so I could play and hear all those favorites again.
The sound a needle makes when it first is gently set down upon a record will take you back to my sisters and me dancing in our socks on the hard wood floor to Theresa Brewer and Johnny Rivers. We flat out loved to dance.
When I was in elementary school we moved clear across town and just two doors down lived the Cloptons. Their teenage boys had a band and they used to practice in their garage. I think they were called The Sons of Adam. I remember dancing barefoot in their yard out by the swing set those boys had long outgrown to Wooly Bully and Shes Got a Ticket to Ride as they blasted their music out of their garage.
Our parents would sit around in lawn chairs drinking beer and talking while we kids would just go berserk dancing like wild maniacs to the music. Those were fun times. So when I was asked if I would like to be a volunteer for the Texas Music Awards that was going to be right here in East Texas, my response was, Where do I sign up?
I ended up being the chair for publicity for the Texas Music Awards. What I really liked about publicizing this event was that it was so easy. Who would not want to hear some of the best musical artists in the great state of Texas?
As much as I loved promoting the event, the event itself was what was the most amazing. As the artists began to arrive in limos to walk the red carpet, I kept wondering. I am in East Texas? Jinille and Lucky Boyd had asked me to do a Pulpwood Queen and Beauty and the Book booth just outside of the venue, Music City Texas. I had the perfect vantage point for watching the day’s events unfold.
Next to me was the www.mytexasmusic.com booth which had all the artists CDs, t-shirts and other paraphernalia. As I perused the booth and program, I searched for musical artists that might intrigue my teenage girls. Two came to mind as I chatted with the women working the booth, The Committed and Highspeed Hayride.
The minute the boys in the band The Committed walked out of Music City Texas during intermission, I knew who they were as I had bought a CD and t-shirt for my daughter and studied the photos. As I approached the boys and asked, You guys are The Committed, right? They practically jumped for joy being recognized and were more than willing to sign the shirt and CD.
The manager of the Highspeed Hayride came out and as I asked him where I could get a CD and t-shirt for my other daughter, he told me they were still in their trailer. He would go get me one. He came running back and gave not only gave me a shirt for my daughter, but one for me and some really cool camouflage koozies.
In looking back on this event, I was struck by the similarities between the authors I bring in for my book club and the musical artists at this show. Here were people on the brink of greatness. They were all extremely talented, the best in their field, kind and more than willing to do what it took to get the word known on their book or their music.
Then it hit me, these were the next Harper Lees or Hank Williams for this generation. Why in the world would not everyone in the country want to meet these authors and musical artists?
The only reason I can think of is that people just do not know about the events. My mission has been reestablished. I must help these people get known and publicize these events. Everyone asks, What is in it for you?
My answer is how do you think the first person who read To Kill a Mockingbird felt when they realized they were holding an American treasure. I get great personal satisfaction in helping these authors, musical artists, and promoting their events. There is nothing more fun to me than seeing an author read to an audience and then have those attendees tell me how much they enjoyed the event.
Listening to all the folks who attended the Texas Music Awards talk about the show just made my day. It is very simple folks, just pay it forward. Do not think about what you will get in return, just do a good thing. Oh and then hug these volunteers. We all need a good hug now and then.
For more on the Texas Music Awards please go to www.mytexasmusic.com . To check out all the amazing talent that are showcased at Music City Texas, go to www.musiccitytexas.com
Tiara wearing, Book bearing, and TEXAS MUSIC AWARDS sharing, Kathy L. Patrick Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs of America and now CANADA! Beauty and the Book 210 West Austin Jefferson, Texas www.beautyandthebook.com www.pulpwoodqueens@yahoogroups.com