Broken Spoke CD Release Party!

The album, Amanda Cevallos LIVE featuring Neil Flanz, is finally being “officially” released this Tuesday night at The Broken Spoke. Not only does this date mark the official release of an album I recorded with my partner in musical crime, legendary pedal steel guitar player, Neil Flanz, but it’s also a celebration of one solid year playing at The “honkytonkiest” honky tonk is Texas, The Broken Spoke.

I started my country band in September of 2010. The first member was , Neil Flanz. I did not know what I was doing, but I knew to do what I thought I was doing, I would need a pedal steel guitar player. I happened to stumble upon an old add Neil placed on Craigslist, and that’s where it all began. We’ve been a duo ever since. He’s the only original band member left. Along the way we’ve picked up a few real good players…lost a few, and gained some more. But Neil and I are still in this together and going strong. I’m honored every day of my life to get on the stage with him… and not just any stage! The Broken Spoke is an honorable place to play, and I am truly grateful for my blessings.

In the process of making a band “sound cool”, I found out what it’s really like to be a musician in Austin, TX. It’s very different from other places. And trust me, I know. I’ve had bands in other cities as well as other states. Austin is full of world-class players, worth WAY more than what they make sometimes… And to keep a good guy in your band takes a lot of patience and preparation. I pride my self in being a great band leader. The guys I have today, make that an easy job,  because they sound great already! Here’s the lineup of my band for Tuesdays: Eric Hisaw on lead telecaster guitar, Vinnie Ambrisone on drums, Ben Eisenberg on upright bass, Bryan Paugh on fiddle, and always to my right and always by my side, the legendary Neil Flanz on a Buddy Emmons pedal steel guitar.

I invite you to come out and dance. Celebrate a female artist performing on a stage mostly graced by male musicians. (I can’t help but point out the obvious). I’ve invited some of my favorite singers to come up and sing their hearts out for you all. Mike Harmeier, from the awesome band, Mike in the Moonpies, has been doing this deal for a long time. It’s his first time to grace The Spoke stage with his presence, and he has two great tunes to belt for ya! My mentor, guitar teacher and great friend, Steve Carter, will be singing duets with me, and a waltz. (one of his favorites!) And finally my friend, Jimmy Deveney, from the band Horse Opera, will be bringing you another waltz and one of country music’s all time favorite Ray Price tunes!  It’s gonna be well worth the $5 cover charge.

Be sure to stop by the merch table and sign up for the emailing list. If you sign up, we’ll put your name in a raffle, and I’ll draw during the break and give away free Cds. And in case you cant wait for the raffle, or you came to the CD release JUST TO GET THE CD (what a concept)… you can buy the new LIVE album for only $15.00 at the merch table.  …and, If you cant even wait until Tuesday and you need the music now, go to CD baby. You can get the digital copy now!

See you at The Broken Spoke this Tuesday, February 28th from 8pm-11pm.

Click on the FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE and let us know you’ll be there!

Love,
Amanda Jo

Hello,

My name is Amanda Cevallos. I’m a female Texas county singer. I’m recording my 1st studio record at EAR Studios in Austin, Texas. I’m officially an Austin Texas female singer and songwriter, writing songs and releasing them! This exciting stuff. I created this reality. Go Texas country women singers!!

Here’s a sneak peak video into what happened in the studio yesterday.I wrote “You’re Gonna Lose Me” in 2006 after I recorded my 1st album. It was the 1st song I wrote after I released “Rainy Day”. I was a junior in college at The University of Montana. My college sweetheart moved back home to Alaska, and we tried to make it work, but long distance relationships usually fall apart, and ours did. I was sitting on the floor in my bedroom when I wrote this tune, feeling like shit for wanting to see other people. I imagined what Alaska was like. I imagined him in a cabin and I could see how far away from each other we really were. This was one of those 5 minute songs. I had the melody and that was all I needed ’cause the story was there. I’ve held on to this tune for some time now. I guess I was waiting for something. You wont believe how the stories unfolding now. Let’s just say, you never lose someone for good, even if you think you do.

I was thinking about this song all day today. I was thinking how as people, we, or I, tend to do things for the wrong reasons. I send mixed messages.. do one thing, but mean another. It’s like another song going on my album I wrote called “He Wont Stop Leaving Me Alone.” I told this person to go away, and then a week later, all I wanted was for him to come back. I didn’t really mean what I said. I guess it was a test.  I know that now. I just have to give love unconditionally and trust that what I get back, is what’s mine.

I’m learning. I learn when I write. My sister told me that I usually have a break through after I write a song. I think she’s right. Something happens to me when the song is done.  It’s as if I’ve completed a journey. A chapter in my life. I take this stuff to heart. I live in a song until it’s written. This song, “You’re Gonna’ Lose Me,” was my life when I wrote it. He was gonna lose me, and he did. I knew it, too. Thats why I had to get the tune out. The story went just like the song. He lost me.

This song was produced by, James Hyland, who also played rhythm guitar on the track. The lead guitar player is, Stephen Doster. Rob Hooper is on drums. Will Dupuy on bass. Warren Hood on fiddle. Kariem Ali took these pictures. I made the video. James Stevens from EAR in Austin TX, engineered in the studio. I am so honored to let you all hear it. This is a rough edit. Scratch vocal. Not mixed.  Enjoy. Lyrics below.

“You’re Gonna’ Lose Me” Words & Music by Amanda Cevallos

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You’re Gonna Lose Me
Words and Music by Amanda Cevallos

 V1
Rain drop roof, water in the hole
Seeps through the window, like the way you let me go
There’s too many skies, between you and I
So I’m fillin’ up my needs with a few nothings

I go out when the sun goes down
And then I sleep away our dreams, somehow
My heart aches, when it breaks
Baby save me from this place

CHORUS
You’re gonna’ lose me
If you don’t come and get me soon
I know I’ve been far away
That’s where I’m gonna’ stay
It’ll be a year this May

V2
Well we could’ve been broke, happy in a song
You on the harp, and me dancin’ on the lawn
But you’re lonely all alone, makin’ your mistakes
If it’s love you wanna’ make, it’s not too late

CHORUS
You’re gonna’ lose me
If you don’t come and get me soon
I know I’ve been far away
That’s where I’m gonna’ stay
It’ll be a year this May
(X2)

How to use Your iPhone as a Songwriting Tool

There are many ways you can write a song fast, and usually my song ideas are quick to come, and just as quick if not quicker to go… so I have  a method that helps me capture my songs in the moment of creativity.  I like to write words down on paper still, but since I can type them pretty quickly on the NOTE PAD of my iPhone, I do that as well. It just depends on where I’m at and what I’m doing.

For example, if I’m in my car, I just record the words on VOICE MEMOS or pull over and write them down (this is serious stuff people). If I’m in bed, I might write them in my  journal or type them up on my iPhone NOTE PAD. If I’m jogging (this is when I wrote “Good For Nothing But Each Other,” my phone is already on me, so naturally I open up NOTE PAD and dump the idea as fast as I can…  heavy breathing, lightning speed thumbs! If I’m on a plane, I write them down on anything. I don’t hang out in bars or at a bar on a stool anymore, so I stopped using napkins about 2 years ago. But I’ve written my share of tunes on a napkin, while playing pool, or even better, while drinking alone. (gotta’ look busy when you’re not sometimes)

But these days, this is what a song being born usually looks like for me:

1. I open up NOTE PAD on my iPhone, and start to type up the lyrics I have in mind. I save the song and give it a title so I can come back to it later.  One thing you can do if the song lyrics are close to complete is, email the NOTE to your self. I usually do that, and then save it to a word doc so I can print it. I like to have all my tools in front of me in many forms. Remember, all of this creating is for one song, so live with the idea while all this is happening. There’s lots of time here to keep adding ideas to the paper or NOTE PAD. Songs are never really done… Once I have enough lyrics to start adding music, I get out the guitar and move to the next step. If I’ve had a melody in mind for some time, then I’m usually ready to record because the melody idea helps me get the lyrics out faster. Everyone writes differently.

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2. Get your guitar, piano or track out, and get ready to start the demo. Open up VOICE MEMOS on your iPhone, and press record. Here’s something cool; Once you open up VOICE MEMOS and pressed record, you can go back to NOTE PAD and see the lyrics you just thumbed.  You’re still recording… so, you don’t have to ever print anything. The catch: make sure you don’t have a lock on your screen, or disable it. It;s easy. Go to SETTINGS and find lock settings. Turn it off. Now go back and repeat #2 up to the catch.

3. Email the tune to my self. VOICE MEMOS lets you email your self up to like 5 minutes of a recording (maybe more). So, send it on over so you can download it to your iTunes. Be sure to convert it into an MP3 before you burn it to a CD tho. I had to get some of my home-grown demos to my producer, and I forgot to do that, so he wasn’t able to listen to the songs in his car. VOICE MEMOS saves a track as an MP4. That wont work in car unless it’s coming directly from your iPhone. So convert if you need to.

4. Car Time Critiques. – Listen to the song in the car. Listen on head phones while you jog. Listen to the song as much as possible. Hear what you didn’t when you wrote it, and go back and record it again. Repeat 1-4 … kind of.

What happened to good ‘ol pen and paper and a tape recorder? I don’t know. I used to do it that way, and I don’t know what happened. For a while there I used garage band on my Mac, but even that became ancient. I think I just had my phone with me more than once, when I had an idea, and I formed a habit that way. now I just use it because it’s there, and I’m used to it. Its a relationship. One I cant stop engaging in.

I’d love to hear about your songwriting routine.
This is just one way to do it y’all.
Every way is right as long as the tune gets to the stage!

 The Chords That Got Me to Sing My Own Words.

My name is Amanda Cevallos.
I’m a singer and songwriter from Austin, Texas.

I’ve been writing songs for 15 years now, and I’m still scared as hell to sing them to you. (I think they suck sometimes.)
It turns out, they don’t, and my ego alone could keep me from ever performing a single song, if I let it! I threw away the 1st song I ever wrote. Well, actually, I stored it in the top drawer of my dresser for a few weeks, before I threw it away, and then it got tossed. Why? Because I was’t about to put my self out there like that, plus I had no idea what a melody was. I had no idea how to structure a tune out. I just knew that for once, the poem wasn’t a poem anymore. I had a song in mind. Even though I threw away my 1st song, I never forgot the lyrics, so I ended up putting that song on my 1st record. (8 years later) It was a tune I wrote about Gabe called, “How Could You Let Me Say Goodbye.” It was a country song.  I was 18. Gabe was my 1st love, and my 1st broken heart. That’s how I became a songwriter. Pain. I wrote songs when I was mad, sad or afraid. I still write songs for the same reasons sometimes, the only difference is, I don’t throw them away anymore.

I didn’t grow up playing an instrument, or learning how to sing. I had no idea I could sing until I was 16, and got my 1st car. It was an old ass hatch back CRV I bought for $1500, from our neighbor down the street. I bought the car with the insurance $ I got from a car wreck I was in with Gabe. The radio was broken, so I used to drive around with a HUGE boom box in the front seat, strapped in like a baby… blasting my favorite tape of Tejano songs!  I’m pretty sure I sang my first real note of music, in Spanish. I don’t even speak Spanish! I understand it, but mom and dad spoke Spanish to each other, and then spoke to me in English. Or if they spoke to me in Spanish, I spoke back in English. I wasn’t forced to learn the language. I wish I would have been.  I sure did like Spanish music though.  I loved Selena. But I must admit, I was probably singing a Ramon Ayala tune in the car. Or at least I know that was the tape I had.

My dad told me he used to wanna be an actor in Hollywood, when he was younger. He could have been a lot of things…. One of the 1st songs I ever wrote and recorded was a song I wrote about him on the floor of my basement apartment, in Missoula , MT. I was on probation for stealing a friend’s car in Houston that summer. The only reason I wasn’t in jail was because I was a college student, and the state of Texas agreed to let me be on probation for 2 years in Montana. For the 1st time in my adult life, I was being monitored. I’m pretty sure the night I wrote Jose Guadalupe, was the 1st night I met my Montana probation officer. He had to come see where I lived. I was stuck at home a lot, and had to occupy my time, so I started writing songs again. I was also in some pain. I’d been staring at a guitar for years. Strumming here and there. Touching the strings. Admiring the wood…  But I was finally learning a tune taught to be by my 1st guitar teacher, Richie Reinholdt, the tune was called Blue Bayou, by Roy Orbison, and I’m pretty sure that was the melody that inspired Jose Guadalupe. Or at least, the chords that got me to sing my own words.

I was sober for the 1st time that year. It was 2004/2005. I wrote a lot of songs. I recorded a lot of them too. Eleven of my originals ended up on my 1st album, Rainy Day. One of which my brother Micheal wrote from his prison cell, the title track. I sent him a letter that year, explaining to him the newly found life of sobriety. I told him to get out, get home, and get it together. I must have inspired him, because he sent me a finely crafted poem, that I couldn’t help but turn into a song. I didn’t stay sober. When I think back, I can’t believe I wrote my own record then. I had no clue what I was doing. I was playing by ear, and writing from, well…. God only knows where. I have 30 copies of my 1st album left. It’s the most embarrassing piece of art I’ve ever created. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but damn I’ve come a long way. A. LONG. WAY. I can’t even listen to it, without laughing. I really wanted to be a musician. You have to start somewhere. Im selling it at shows these days. I will not reorder it. Once the last copy is sold, that’s it….   bye bye 1st album.

The Cover of my 1st Album

Fast forward…. I stayed in Missoula for 5 more years.  Finished school. (barely) Wrote an EP is 2008, after a terrible break up, (pain) and then moved back to Texas. I was a mess in Houston growing up, so I decided Austin was a better option if I was gonna’ come back to Texas…. plus I had a couch to sleep on. Anyways, once I left my hometown of Houston, I vowed to never go back.  And I never have. Not to live. Funny thing is, when I do go back, I only go to play shows, and I usually have a great turn out. I lasted one year in Austin, before I ended up in rehab. I wanna live, so I don’t drink anymore.  Thank God for Austin Recovery. Right this second, I have 1.75 years, 20.98 months, 638 days, and 15,324 hours, sober. Wow. (I have an iPhone app that say so)

This year I celebrated my one year anniversary of having a band, a one year anniversary of keeping the same job (a 1st), and one year of having a sober life. I recorded a live album. I went on tour. I wrote my 2nd full length record. Fell in love. Moved less than 2 times. ( a miracle) Bought a new car. (new to me) But, I failed a lot too. That is what makes me a songwriter. When I’m writing a new song, I have to mess it up sometimes, change the key, find a better way to say something, find a cooler rhyme, change the title, steal a melody or just move on to another idea. I’ve had to do that with my life too. To get through the day/year/month/hour/second, sometimes I  have to be willing to change the way I think, how I see things, who I hang out with, how I talk to people, the way I treat my family, and what I think of my self, all so I can be happy. And I don’t do all those things right everyday. Just like, not every song I write is great. But I keep writing. It makes me happy.

In 2 Sundays, I go into the studio to record the songs I wrote this year. I plan to record a few I wrote in the past too. (One song from each original record) I have no idea how I will afford it all. But I never do. My friend Wolf compares songwriting to digging for gold. I’ve been diggin’ for gold for 15 years. I sure wish I had some. I could use it right about now.

I have another blog.
You can read more about my family there.
I blog about my mother and the funny things she says.
What a lady!
Read up, and get ready to laugh!
http://sprinklingwater.wordpress.com/

Well, it’s official, Im in songwriting mode! Woo hoo!  Halleluyah! This is a good time to do it too, because the house I live in is solar powered and we’re coming up on some cloudy days, which means I wont have too much electricity to use, so my lights and internet will not be available to me ….so…. I can focus on nothing…and that’s where the lyrics live. In Space. In Silence. In My heart.

I have a lot of new tunes in the making right now. I say ‘in the making’ because it takes me about 3 months to write a song. I have to live with it, re-write it, play it over and over, take it to a friend and get feedback, change it, add a $ chord and then finish the last verse! (always) I dont take it to the band until it’s close enough to the finish line to cross it. They band gets me over the line usually. That’s one of the beauties of having a band. There’s many beauties to having a band, one of which I just experienced when I produced the Loretta Lynn tribute show with them. …But once the new song gets to the guys, it comes to life. And when that happens, all the sweat, tears, heartache and bad lyrics I got rid off are all worth it! I’ve said this before many years ago, and I still feel the same way, there is nothing scarier than writing a song, other than putting it on an album for anyone to hear. Nothing.

Ok, there is one thing scarier. Dating a songwriter.

Speaking of…In May I wrote a song called “This ‘ol Bird.” It’s a tune about falling in love. It’s about that period of uncertainty. When one person wont tell the other how they feel, so nobody knows cause they’re both afraid to get hurt. I wrote this because I know someone will understand and relate! I dont want to be so serious all the time, but I do have to be honest when I write and I usually say exactly what needs to be said in a tune so I can get past whatever’s ailing me in that moment. I wrote this tune the 1st time the electricity went out in my solar powered home. This is the tune that broke the writer’s block. Fuck yah! Screw you writers block! It’s like breaking the seal after one too may beers. You just end up in the bathroom all night …every 15 minutes. That’s me and songwriting right now. I’m pissing tunes! Every 15 minutes. …ok more like every night. Which is a good streak.

This summer I wrote a song called, “I’ll Never Honkytonk You”- The story behind this tune is so much fun. When I first moved to Austin I went to a show at Antone’s and met a curly haired red head named Jonathan Terrell. He was at the bar and offered to buy me a shot (this was before I got sober). We were instant friends. He’s one of my best friends in Austin. Love the shit out this talented man. And it just so happens, he’s an amazing poet and bitchin’ songwriter and performer. A few months ago I was having a rough day and Jonathan invited me over to his job while he was valet parking (funny this guy is signed to a record deal and on tour with a song on the radio….when he’s not valet parking, he’s busy being rock star!). In the process of trying to make me feel better, he mentioned to me all the things I have to be grateful for. He said to me “You have a residency at The damn Broken Spoke!”, and I was like yah, but “YOU have a song on the RADIO!”, and he was like yah but “You play the Broken Spoke every Tuesday!   (pause) ….Why you gotta’ honky tonk me like that?!”, and then I said, ”I could NEVER honkytonk you!” and then we both said, “THAT’S A COUNTRY SONG!”.  I have no idea what that means…. but I knew there was a song in there somewhere. I left his job feeling much better. And then Jonathan went on tour. A few weeks later I get a text from Jonathan saying: “I’ll Never Honkytonk you”… WRITE IT!

I wrote it that night.

I’ll Never Honkytonk You

V1
My honky tonk heart is breakin’
Waltzin’ away my blues
I may go out dancin’ and a shakin’
But I’ll never honky tonk you

V2
When I’m dancin’ I don’t feel the achin’
Of the moments when I’m not with you
Cause oh honey pie you’re so worth the waitin’
I can’t honky tonk you

CHORUS
He’s slick like the saw dust under my boots
Carrying the weight of my lovin’ for you
I bet he wonders how I dance so good
That’s cause I’m wishin’ he was you

V3

My honky tonk heart’s been racin’
Two steppin’ feels more like a scoot
But oh my darlin’, he ain’t worth the pacin’
I can’t honky tonk you

CHORUS

(Repeat) V1

END
I may go out dancin’ and shakin’
But I’ll never honky tonk you…..

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A few weeks ago I penned a duet titled “Good For Nothing But Each Other”           
Jonathan Terrell wrote a verse while he was on tour.
We’re scheduled to go into the studio December 4th, 2011.
I should let him know that.

More on that song later.

Love,
Amanda Jo

Ah, the day has finally come…the last show of 4.  Here’s a sneak peek into the behind the scenes story of my Tribute to Loretta Lynn!

My lovely band and I started planning this idea in early August, after I got back from a tour.  Halloween is the ONLY other time of year I spend an entire week celebrating, besides my birthday. So I usually start thinking of what Im gonna’ be pretty far in advance. It usually consists of yards and yards of fabric, dye (hair and cloth), elastic, wigs, and some ample time for character development.

BUT, this time, I knew I was gonna need a TON of time because I was gonna go all out!  I actually had the idea to be a country music singer and just run around with my guitar singing, but not only would that be annoying, dangerous and make my back and shoulder hurt, but that’s what I do every day!  Well, hopefully not annoy anyone….haha….but I do sing and play and run around! A Lot!    So how could I take that idea to the extreme? Well, easy! I decided to become a singer who has lots of good songs and a damn good distinctive look. Thats’s when it hit me. I decided was gonna become Loretta Lynn, and perform as her for Halloween. And of course,  I got my band to do it with me! I’ll just say this once, and be done with it, but I have the coolest band EVER. These guys trust me to be creative and let me take chances. I am so grateful for that. It’s important to have support when your ideas are somewhat crazy sometimes.  One more thing, I realized how well Loretta’s BRAND is in this process. Her look has never really changed. It may have shifted, but it was always the same idea. Loretta was marketed as a beauty queen with an edge. That’s so honky tonk! Gosh, I’ve had so much fun creating this show, and I’ve learned a lot about this style of music I’ve devoted my life to.

Her music is no walk in the park. It’s not even a skate in the park or a jog. It’s a dog pulling you on a skateboard in the rain kind of walk! I planned this early so I could have PLENTY of time to get used her intricate tunes. Turns out, her songs are not easy to sing, and it also turns out, she’s no easy gal to perform like either.  If I wanted to do this show and idea any justice and my self a favor, which  is to have fun on stage, I knew that starting early was key.

So this journey began in early August, and The first of 4 shows debuted on Oct 29th.

Here’s what I did to get ready.

Step 1. Listen to Loretta for a week on Youtube & Spotify. All. Day. Long. I painted my bathroom to Loretta, cleaned my house to Loretta, drove aorund in my old hooptie to Loretta…the list goes on…and on… AND ON… ate my cereal to Loretta. Sewed a jacket to Loretta.
Step 2: Time to pick out the songs,   a. I already know,    b. Everyone else already knows,   and C. That rock!
Step 3. Get the tunes charted. ( Neil Flanz!) Once I picked out the songs, I sent my choices to him 3 at a time, and he sent me back the charts. (Nashvillle # charts) I made them into pretty large 8X10 charts and put them into a song book. Time to practice! But 1st, get a good pic of Loretta and print that out as the cover of the song book!
Step 4. Pratice the songs on guitar and figure out what key to sing them all in. Once I figured this out, I let the band know and decided to start playing the tunes live, as soon as possible. We just went over a new song before a gig, and played it during the set to follow. It was fine. We all knew the songs by then, it was just a matter of getting over the fear of playing live all together for the 1st time…we had what my friend Glen Collins calls, an Austin Rehearsal! Ha!…I do what I gotta’ do.
Step 5.  Give the tunes to the band. by slowly  adding them into our regular band weekly set list. This was a strategy I figured would help us all in the long run…. if we played the songs live for a few months, it was gonna sound a lot better than if we had just learned ‘em all in a few weeks. This felt like the right way to approach this.
Step 6. Rehearsals. We had a series of rehearsals, ranging from Me, Neil and Will in acoustic trio practice, to me and a bass player running the show in its order, to Will and bass player going over details, to the Full band getting together at least 3 X, to harmony practice with Bob the drummer, Will & I, right before a gig….I mean, you name it… We did it!   We practiced! …our asses off.
Step 7. Live Dress Rehearsal- I played the Poodle Dog on Sundays in October, and when it came time to debut the Loretta Show LIVE, I took it there to that amazing audience. And well, THEY LOVED IT!  We worked out the kinks. Time for costumes.
Step 8. My Dress, Hair & Make up, and the band’s baby blue shirts and slick wrangler pants! This was fun to work out. I asked that all the guys wear baby blue western pearl snaps with classy black wrangler slacks! Then, I went out and bought a long “maxi- dress”. I doubt they called it that back in the days… The dress I bought was cream colored and apparently it looked like a wedding dress. When I showed the white dress to Neil, he asked me if I was getting married. Ha!  I didn’t even think of that at all….goes to show you how far that idea is from my current reality! So thanks to Neil Flanz pointing that out, I decided to dye the cream wedding dress, baby blue. It came out lovely! One dip in hot water & blue rit dye, one soak with clean water and one overnight hang on the line to dry, and I was ready for the stage lights!

Tonight we perform on our HOME turf at The Legendary Broken Spoke in Austin ,TX. ….Film Crew, Photographer, Papparazzi, Die Hard Fans, and Great songs! Be there at 6. We play until 8.

Check our new video filmed and edited by the great, Daniel Fabelo! What an artist. We’re so glad to have him on our team.
www.Danielfabelo.com 

Loretta Lynn Tribute Show

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Today I was doing research on the female country acts here in Austin, TX…. because I am one, and I like to research the market I’m in so I can better my brand. While obsessing over the damn good female talent in this town, I stumbled upon this neat story from The Austin Chronicle in 1997…. The article’s called,  “Where Have All The Cowgirls Gone”. ( long read, but a good’n) My favorite quote from the article  is this one: “Go ahead….Check out this week’s listings — or any week’s listings. It’s hard to find a country gal’s name on any club’s weekend bill, and if she’s there, it’s just to support some young country buck. ” Gosh that is so true …still to this day. For serious, go ahead! Go get the Austin Chronicle September 2011, and take a look. I”m not complaining. Just doing research….that’s all… Why am I researching other female acts? Because this is a business. I should be knowledgeable of the field I work in…. not only of the music, the scene and the market, but also the connections….. and  on a real tip, I plan to support those ladies when I can…. you know, go to their shows and make friends!

“I love my competitors.  They force us to keep our skills sharp and our marketing sharper; they push us to grow.  Some of our closest competitors have been true friends and allies. You don’t have to be afraid of the competition.  A little market research will reassure you that you’re on track or correct your course if you’ve gone astray.”   a quote On Marketing from bookmorebrides.com

The story from 1997 mentions local singer, Kelly Willis. I found it interesting that it talks about her because,  last night at my gig  at The Broken Spoke, a guy asked me if she was still around… I knew the answer and said, “yes” because I know who her agent is and I also know of her through a mutual friend we have. Austin is small for the title it holds. Trust me. I’m facebook friends with a quite a few musicians/locals, who are quite well-known across the country (male and female)  …Back to the 1st way I heard of Kelly Wills… Her agent: Davis McLarty…. he also represents The Derailers, Dale Watson,  Amber Digby  and many more very talented Texas bands and musicians. I also knew some more detailed stuff about what she’s up to because a very close friend of mine, amazing local folk singer/songwriter, Karen Mal, used to baby sit her kids… so I knew Kelly was a mom of many… that’ll keep you busy if the gigs don’t… but I wouldn’t know shit about kids, or marriage… sure wish I did though. I saw Kelly sing live one time at a Loretta Lynn  Tribute show at The Continental. She was incredible. Subtle. Perfect pitch. The real deal. She seemed shy. I’ve never met her.

Teri Joyce hosts an annual event called the ‘Hey Loretta Pie Social and Tribute to Loretta Lynn.’ That’s where I saw Kelly live. It’s a great event to raise money for the SIMS Foundation. (like them  on fb)  Good idea! Thanks Teri!  SIMS helped me get sober….or shall I say, they helped me “stay in tune.” I owe that foundation my life. Austin Musicians are very lucky to have this type of help. The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians also appropriately known as, HAAM , is a great thing too.  I hope to sing at that Loretta show next time with all the local gals. Dangit I’d make me a pie for SIMS. My famous….(drum roll) Frito pie! That counts doesn’t it? I mean you can bake that.

Well, what I learned from my research is this: There are some dang good girl country music singers and songwriters here in Austin and all over Texas.  So don’t rule us out of the scene. We’re here and we’re not going anywhere. I hope to see more female acts makin’ names for themselves! And I hope they all succeed!

Here’s a video of Kelly Willis in 1990. So cool! I think I will learn this tune and add it to the set list….cause there’s nothin’ like 80′s country!…after all I am a die hard Forester Sisters fan, and that’s as 80s country as it gets!

Before I sign off, I want to introduce all my friends in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Houston, Dallas, The Rio Grande Valley and all over the country, to some of my girl singer friends from Texas. Check these gals out! - The Carper Family , Brennen Leigh, Teri Joyce, Ruby Dee, Christy Hays, Amber Digby, Miss Leslie and my new fav, Beth Lee.

CHECK OUT THIS OLD ARTICLE FROM 1997

I started this band of mine one year ago this month. What a journey this has been… The one constant member of my band has and always will be Mr Neil Flanz. He’s the musical director of the band. What does this mean? Well, it means he keeps us in line when it comes to the music. He keeps it country. If a guitar player doesn’t play the solo pretty enough, Neil let’s him know… haha… this ain’t rock & roll people…it’s country music…we play the melody on the solo. When I have new songs I want the band to learn, I send them to Neil and he charts them out. What does that mean? It means he makes documents of what the song looks like on paper. It’s also a structure or a map of the tune. We use a method called The Nashville # System. Neil didn’t teach me Nashville #s. My friend, and local pedal steel guitar player, Tommy Spurlock learned me that method. I say learned because he didn’t teach it to me either. He handed me a chart, sent me home to practice and I asked questions if I was confused… I love to learn that way. Just throw me to the dogs man. I aint scurd. When I started working with Neil, I knew how to read and write my own Nashville # charts.  I think he thought that was cool. Thanks Tommy!

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How I met Neil…

I stumbled upon an ad Neil had placed on Craigslist. He’s one of the last players I would find that way as Craigslist can be like  a sea of hacks… no offense to the amazing side men out there who are just trying to get work…I get it, trust me I do… It’s just better to know who you’re dealing with…so ask a friend if they know anyone who might know someone whose gramma might know someone that can play the flute…etc…If you’re just starting out, new in town or don’t know anyone to ask, then yes, Craigslist is a great way to get your band started. That is after all what I did… just sayin’…. ok, I’m done with the Craigslist side note…. When I read Neil’s Craigslist post I sent him an email and he got right back to me. Turns out Neil is VERY computer savvy for an old dude… hehe …(he knows I love him..) I asked him to play a show with me at a coffee shop…that show was later cancelled due to me runnin’ my mouth…but Neil still had my set list and knew we had other shows coming up so we were already scheduled for a rehearsal. When I went over to his apartment to practice, I was super impressed. Neil had written his own chart for every song I had on the set list, and he either knew the tune already, or had gone over it in advance. So…. the rehearsal was fun!  I had a show coming up at The Hyatt Hotel lobby on Riverside. Paying gig. That’s good for Austin….and for my first show with my new band. We all got ready for that one gig. …and that’s how the band formed.       I had a gig booked that paid $ to the players. It’s pretty simple how this stuff works.

After that one show I got all inspired and called my good friend Jonathan Terrell from the bad ass band NOT IN THE FACE. The phone call went a little something like this…”JT, hook me up, you play the hole… will you tell them to book me?” He said..”Well ofcourse mamma..lemme talk to Denis..we’ll get you in.” I was booked that day! Dammit that was a stretch. I always wanted to play there. Ask and you shall receive. Take chances. I ended up with a  3 month residency at The Hole in The Wall for happy hour on Mondays playing for tips with a full band. It was hard core. I got discouraged quick. I had a new band, no name and not the best slot…plus I worked across town and not only had to get there during early rush hour, but I had to pick up Neil as well… It just got to be too much for one  cowgirl to pull off.  It was hard to let go too. I loved that gig! Denis from The Hole in The Wall became a great friend of mine and of Neils… Like the time Neil lost his slide that Buddy Emmons gave him and Denis found it 2 weeks later! Jeez that was awesome. I don’t think any of us will ever forget that…especially Neil. Buddy Emmons is Neil’s idol,  so that slide is very important ti him. You just had to be there when He got it back….Soon after that I had to let that gig go. Neil and Denis and I were all pretty sad.   BUT another good gig fell into my lap ( well not really) … I was persistent and it paid off. Lets keep it real here people.

In February of 2011, after 3 random Friday night visits to meet James White in person, the owner of The Broken Spoke, I FINALLY got a gig there and found my Austin musical venue home.  The Phone call that booked me went a little like this: ” Hi Amanda Jo, this is James White from the Broken Spoke.  I listened to your CD and I like your songs…We’re gonna get you out here to play in the restaurant and open for Weldon Henson.. what do think about that? Can you be there this Tuesdee? (thats how he said Tuesday) … I said….(once again without even knowing if the band was avail..) ” Yes sir.”  And then he said, “Ok now… do a good job for us. Take care!”  I hung up the phone and died.  When I came back to life I did what any band leader would do. I hired the players and scheduled a rehearsal. Ha! I’ve been playing there ever since. Me and the band play at The Broken Spoke for tips. So come on out and drop a $20 in the jar would ya!

I’m glad I started this band. I’ve met so many great musicians, fans, dancers, music lovers, talent buyers, agents, bar owners, songwriters and bands…. etc…  That’s what this is really all about. Relationships….They don’t always last forever, but they are still good for what they create. A band is a group of artists coming together to make beautiful sounding sounds. I’m honored to create lovely sounds with my band mates.  I could not do this style of music without the guys I have. Happy one year to my sweet band and to my good friend and fellow musician, Neil Flanz. I’m glad we met. …mushy I know… I’m girly sometimes.. but it’s rare.

I love what I do, and I love you too.

Amanda Jo

So as you may already know, I play in the restaurant at The Broken Spoke most Tuesdays (except for the last). I started there in February and have been a regular ever since.. One night while I was finishing up my set, the lovely bartender Jesse walks past me and the band…(I’m mid song of the 2nd to last tune)… 7:50 pm …and she says “Hey Amanda, the band isn’t here yet and I don’t think they’re gonna’ show up…would you and the band be willing to play the dance hall?”  I said, (without even asking my band) “Yah , sure!” …what happened next was all a blur until now that I’m telling the story…

Imagine this: Your dream comes true.

My gig in the restaurant is from 6pm – 8pm. and As I play the last tune of my set, the band in the dance hall..which is usually my friend, Weldon Henson, is playing the 1st tune of the night in the dance hall… BUT this day was different…  Weldon was not booked that night. I wont say who it was that didn’t show up…but I will say this , I was not mad at them! The band not showing up that night was the best thing that ever happened to me…ever!

What happened next was beautiful. It was 7:55 when I finished the tune I was in the middle of singing, and I only had a few minutes to get me, the band and the sound equipment into the dance hall. So my audience did what any Texans would do…they helped me! Next thing I knew my friends, kids, the bartenders, dinner guests, grammas and grampas… even the cooks…everyone was carrying a piece of equipment. The audience turned into a crew! ….and it was a good thing they helped me because I was going on my 2nd show of the night with no break, and I had 3 more hours ahead of me….I don’t remember all of what happened from 7:50 pm -8:15, but I’ll never forget the moment I finally got to take it all in. It was the moment I realized that I was prepared for the luck that stumbled upon me. I was ready for something good to happen to me. I had the songs. I had the band and I was there when the opportunity fell in my lap. It was 8:15 when I played the 1st song I ever sang in the dance hall, “Who Will Buy The Wine” by Charlie Walker.

FIRST TIME AND IT WONT BE THE LAST

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The best part: Not only did they help me, but they paid to see me after they had already seen me for free. Ha! …they danced all night too.

It took me a long time to get my boot in the door there at The Broken Spoke, but once you do you become part of the family, and now that’s just where I hang my hat!

Ok so Lady Gaga dressed up as a man for the awards show.. It’s not even Halloween yet! …. She looked really bad…I’m sorry, but I was NOT into it… she’s hot & sexy…with a great bod… i just couldn’t seem to like the cigarette, white t-shirt and short hair…no matter how hard I tried! ….but on a lighter, way cooler note, I’m gonna’ dress up as a Loretta Lynn this year for Halloween and the band I will be out and about all over town & hopefully Texas performing 15 of her best tunes! I promise not to look like a man. Check the show schedule in October for dates! Maybe next year I’ll dress up as Willie or Porter… haha.. anyhoo, I’m still booking the dates/venues so more to come on that AWESOME HALLOWEEN TRIBUTE SHOW … I always prepare for Halloween way in advance, but I’ve never gone this far! Come two-step with me.

Oooh, so exciting!!!! I wanna congratulate my friends…Jorge Herada and Ruby Dee for their GRAMMY nomination for best Americana Album “Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers – Live in Austin Texas”! So cool! Jorge played acoustic guitar on my live CD “Country Music Turns Me On”…thats one degrees of separation between me and a Grammy nom…hehe.. but for reals… I’m so proud of them and all of us hard working Austin Texas musicians. It such a blessing to see them all succeed doing what they love. I shall tweet this soon!

Well, this is my new website. I decided to go with a blog since I have lots to say and tell about Texas Country Music, Austin Musicians, Texas female singers, the Booking Biz, and Songwriting…so visit me here for some yummy stories and the latest news on whats going on in the ATX…. and remember you can usually catch me performing at The Legendary Broken Spoke on Tuesdays from 6-8pm in the restaurant. Kids welcome!

New songs from me and the band coming soon!

“You’re Gonna’ Lose Me” and “I Could Never Honkytonk You” are done and almost ready to be on stage and the latest tune…”Good for Nothin’ But Each Other” is almost done!

I love what I do, and I love you too!

Amanda Jo

- cevallosbooking@gmail.com, (512)944-8407