Dale Watson, keeper of the true country music flame, latest album Call Me Insane, was recorded in Austin with veteran producer Lloyd Maines (Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, etc.). The Austin-based honky-tonker carries on in the tradition of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson with his “Ameripolitan” brand of American roots music.

Album highlights include “Jonesin’ For Jones,” a love song to the music of the legendary George Jones, “A Day At A Time,” about “getting by by barely getting by;” “Call Me Insane,” the album’s moody title track; “Bug Ya For Love,” a fun warning to all the single ladies, and “Mamas Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies.” (Yes, it is an answer song to the Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson hit.) “Crocodile Tears” is a tear-in-your-beer country song that sounds like an instant classic and “Burden Of The Cross” reveals Watson’s serious side.

Call Me Insane was recorded in Austin by Watson and his ace touring band, “His Lone Stars”: Don Pawlak (pedal steel), Mike Bernal (drums & percussion), and Chris Crepps (upright bass & background vocals). Dale plays electric guitar throughout and Lloyd Maines added acoustic guitar. They were joined in the studio by Danny Levin on piano and the Honky Tonk Horns: Jon Blondell (trombone), Joey Colarusso (saxophone), and Ricky White (trumpet).

“Having known Lloyd over 20 years and worked with him as a musician, I knew he was a great guy and picker,” Watson says. “But having Lloyd produce your record is like letting your mom in your kitchen. You know you’re gonna like what comes out and it’s amazing how such basic ingredients can be made even better. He is an artists’ artist.

The admiration is mutual. “I’ve been a Dale Watson fan since I played steel guitar on some of his early records,” Maines says of the sessions. “My early musical influences are the same as Dale’s. We both grew up playing real country music. Dale is one of a very short list of today’s artists who still keeps it real country. I’m honored that he asked me to produce his new record. I think he knew that I would maintain the integrity of his passion for the music.”

Dubbed “the silver pompadoured, baritone beltin’, Lone Star beer drinkin’, honky-tonk hellraiser” by The Austin Chronicle, Watson sat in with Jimmy Kimmel’s house band as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) from SXSW 2015. He also emceed the first ever SXSW “Ameripolitan” showcase featuring the best of Honky-tonk, Outlaw Country, Rockabilly and Texas Swing music.

Since the release of El Rancho Azul in 2013, Watson’s profile has risen considerably via appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS), Austin City Limits and The Sun Sessions(PBS) and as a guest on NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me. A veteran touring artist and consummate entertainer, he is on the road more than 300 days a year. He also put his money where his heart is and took over ownership of two struggling Texas honky-tonks, the Little Longhorn Saloon in Austin (home of Chicken $#!+ Bingo) and The Big T Roadhouse in St. Hedwigs (outside San Antonio). If not on the road, he and His Lone Stars perform at one of them each Sunday.

Dale has flown the flag for classic honky-tonk for over two decades. He’s christened his brand of American roots “Ameripolitan” to differentiate it from current crop of Nashville-based pop country. The Alabama-born, Texas-raised Watson may be the hardest working entertainer today and is rapidly approaching legendary status. He is a country music maverick, a true outlaw who stands alongside Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and George Strait as one of the finest country singers and songwriters from the Lone Star State.

Dunedin Mardi Gras

Headlining sets from top-tier international rockabilly/roots musician plus a cavalcade of local luminaries in ad hoc one-off group paying tribute, rockabilly-style, to musical titans.

Winner of the 2020 Ameripolitan Rockabilly Male Of The Year award, the Montreal maniac known as Bloodshot Bill is “like Roy Orbison with a head injury”, or so says director John Waters. Sometimes solo, sometimes with band, he’s released a ton of music over the last 20 years. https://www.bloodshotbill.com/

Bringing his East Coast bang to the world of Rockabilly and ‘50s inspired rock ‘n’ roll, Jittery Jack has headlined Viva Las Vegas numerous times and has toured internationally headlining many festivals including UK’s the Rockabilly Rave and Australia’s Camperdown Cruise. Alongside Jack is the “Rockin’ Guitar Gal” Amy Griffin, one of the roots/Americana/rockabilly scene’s premiere guitarists. She has played stages all over the world, including The Conan O’Brien Show and HBO’s Reverb.

https://www.facebook.com/JitteryJack/

https://www.facebook.com/AmyGriffinGuitar

Deke Dickerson has devoted his long career to keeping America’s roots music alive while interjecting new creativity into genres of music that flourished in decades previous. He’s been carrying the torch since he was 13, playing in his first rockabilly band in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of 22 and proceeded to found his primary band, Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics, his newest group, Deke Dickerson and the Whippersnappers, as well as several side projects. Dickerson has provided rootsy music for a slew of television shows and movie projects, including scoring the music for a Paramount Pictures film starring Johnny Knoxville, Action Point. https://dekedickerson.com/

The tributes:

“as” Sister Rosetta Thorpe . . .

Ari Kelly & Paul Mallett (Little Sheba & The Shamans)

Michael Hoag (Cottondale Swamp/Cadillac Cowboys)

Amy Griffin (from Boston, Jittery Jack & Miss Amy)

Richy Scally (Six Volt Rodeo)

“as” Joe Clay . . .

Tim Mercury (High Fly Dreamers)

Josh Minucci (Jenu Six Trio, more)

Eddie Rion (from NY, Lara Hope & The ArkTones)

Jeremy Boniello (from NY, Lara Hope & The ArkTones)

“as” Tommy James & the Shondells . . .

Chris Pack (Twisty Chris & The Puddin’ Packs)

Robyn Alleman Pack (Holey Miss Moley)

Nick Terzuoli (Stedfast)

Paul Serna also (Twisty Chris & The Puddin’ Packs)

Charlie Vegas (Charlie Vegas Trio)

“as” Charlie Feathers . . .

Kevin Patey (AKA Jittery Jack, from Boston)

Ryan Arsenault (Six Volt Rodeo, Vodkanauts)

Casey Wisenbaker (guitar picker extraordinaire)

Mike Daley (Six Volt Rodeo, Sarge and the Aeromen)

Deke Dickerson (Deke & The EccoFonics, Deke & The Whippersnappers)

Tim Masters (tentative, Midnight Bowlers League)

“as” Prince . . .

Shirell Essix (solo artist)

Bear Cannon (Six Volt Rodeo)

David Ballarini (Hot Rod Hornets)

Elise Van Wolfe (solo artist)

Mark Hannah (Skinny McGee & His Mayhem Makers

Johnny Zoom (Johnny Zoom HiFi Show, Little Sheba & The Shamans)

“as” Benny Joy . . .

Lara Hope (from NY, Lara Hope & The ArkTones)

Matt Goldpaugh (from NY, Lara Hope & The ArkTones)

Joe Van Horn (Little Sheba & Shamans)

Bloodshot Bill (from Montreal, solo artist)

Online advance ticket sales end at midnight the night before the show. Day-of online ticket sales end at 3pm on show day. Walk-up tickets sales begin 30 minutes before doors.

If Spade Cooley were to rise from the grave and assemble a four-piece flannel-clad Western Swing band, one would imagine a sound a lot like 6 Volt Rodeo. The fellas are a dance-inducing bunch with a generous side of jazz and rockabilly on their plate, painting the towns of western Florida since 2010. From local bars and craft breweries to day-long festivals and swing dances all around West Central Florida, the music of 6 Volt Rodeo has sent hundreds of people out of their chairs and up on the dance floor with their rousing brand of Western Swing. https://www.facebook.com/6VoltRodeo/

Texas honky-tonks and Oklahoma blues bars were where Royce Reed honed his piano chops on boogie-woogie, blues shuffles, western swing, classic country, and southern rock. Starting with classical piano at the age of 5, to lessons with jazz pianist Jac Murphy as a teen, he was gigging by the tender age of 14 in Dallas blues bars and country honky-tonks. For 50 years he’s played the piano blues, country, swing, rockabilly, & soul music of the South. https://8tothebarroyce.com/

We are playing with our good friends who were kind enough to invite us on to their bill! Come out and see us!

10 Years we have been a band! Lets celebrate!

We return to Blur for more good times!

Private Event

Back at the Smokehouse!

We are back at Ellas! come join the fun!

We are making our debut at the Crooked Thumb! Come join us for some great times with Great beer!!

We return for another show at the smokehouse! Come out and have some drinks and BBQ!

We return! If you haven’t been there you need to go! $10 admission to the entire gallery

More to follow!

We make our debut at Cricketers! Come drink some pints and get some fish and chips! This will be a fun show for sure!

We return to the Smokehouse yet again! Come join us for some great food and drinks!

We will be out on the back patio performing at Blur! Come join us for some drinks!