Bushwick Bill of the Geto Boys has been sitting in with various acts at the Continental Club Gallery the past two weeks and has been so inspired by the interplay with live musicians that the rapper has moved the jam to Arlyn Studios at 6 a.m. on a couple of occasions. With Gordy Johnson of […]
Who’s the greatest Texas football player of Middle Eastern descent? According to the reference book “Syrian and Lebanese Texans,” which I read today at the Austin History Center, that distinction goes to former Texas Longhorn running back Chris Gilbert (’66-’68), whose mother was Lebanese. But since that book was published in 1974, it’s not exactly […]
It was the second or third year that Lance won the Tour de France. I’d only watched a few minutes here and there, because cycling is boring, right? But one night, I was up with my son, who was maybe 8 years old, and he’d been watching all those crappy Drake & Hillary shows on […]
Originally published in 2006 The woefully underrated Ray Price, who revived country music not once but twice, has every right to be bitter. He’s rarely lumped in with the titans of twang who have more colorful, mythical names such as Lefty, Buck and Merle, and yet Price is perhaps more influential than anyone in the […]
1 crowstuffing of your choicesalt and peppershorteningflour2 Pie crust mixes2-3 hard-boiled eggsStuff the crow. Loosen joints with a knife but do not cut through.Simmer the crow in a stew-pan, with enough water to cover, until nearly tender, then season with salt and pepper. Remove meat from bones and set aside.Prepare pie crusts as directed. (Do […]
Arizona Dranes “He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes” (Tompkins Square) Three stars Dranes was a blind gospel singer and pianist from Texas whose recordings surveyed here from the 1920s and ’30s remained little known before this release, even among gospel enthusiasts. “Perhaps that’s because she always listed her occupation as missionary […]
After they were taken to town by Georgetown at the Jimmy V Classic and swapped spit with a slutty UCLA team that won the game no one shoulda, a 5-4 Texas Longhorns basketball team looked like it might end Rick Barnes’ streak of 14 seasons of coaching 20-win teams. Even after they upset North Carolina […]
Reissue of the Year: He is My Story: The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes. Rarely do reissues come with an album booklet as compelling as the music, but that’s what this classy set accomplishes. Writer Michael Corcoran tells the fascinating story of blind spiritual singer Arizona Dranes, and her mysterious life of singing for the […]
Yesterday was one of the best days of my life and it started with a Lebanese up my ass. Let me explain. (Oh, please do.) My true friend Suzee Brooks came by at 5:30 a.m. to take me to my colonoscopy/ endoscopy with Dr. Rashad Debaghi, whose probably my favorite doctor ever, having probably saved […]
Originally published June 2011. Darrell Royal passed away today at age 88. by Michael Corcoran The party was far from over in a room across the courtyard of the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in March, but the namesake of this Darrell K Royal Songwriters Homecoming sat in an otherwise empty amphitheater with his […]