These guys should play more than once
a month.
It’s been a while since I’ve had such a good time sitting with a cold
beer in my hand listening to songs that many of us country folk grew up
listening to. They sure don’t write them like they used to.
If you read my column last week then you know the tunes these guys play.
This past Saturday at Nunzia’s they delighted the crowd with some old
George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Hank Thompson and Austin favorite Willie
Nelson, among many others.
SVB consists of Bill Rider, Ken Simpson, Craig Park, Gordon Fowler, Polk
Shelton and Van Mouton. Their sound took me back to my farm days, with
soulful pedal steel, woebegone lyrics and times of two-stepping on
sawdust.
What I wasn’t expecting was how personal of a show it was that they put
on. The crowd knew them all by name and they knew the crowd. Between each
song people would yell out requests or tell a joke about Cliff (I’m
picking on the guy…I’m allowed to because we made friends). Ken
Simpson, guitarist, wouldn’t let the ladies he knew leave without a
kiss. Heck, he would even stop playing to give a gal a peck on the cheek.
Friends would get up on stage and sing a couple of songs with the Boys.
Bobby Lueders of Bastrop, in his colorful Hawaiian shirt, got on stage and
sang us some Johnny Cash, paying a fine tribute to the late, great Man in
Black – and hitting every low, low warbly note perfectly. The crowd went
crazy when he sang “Folsom Prison Blues”. Crooner friend Tony Harrison
sang us some Hank Williams and got the people out of their chairs with
“Jambalaya.”
When I thanked them for the show you would have thought we knew each other
for ages. They kindly thanked me for the publicity, bought me a beer and
asked me about my life. We chatted of farms, country music, and the wild
west of Terlingua.
You need to make the time to go see these born and bred Austin musicians.
They bring a small-town quality to this big booming city and make you feel
right at home.
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Unquestionably, there are many quirks, eccentricities and idiosyncrasies
that define that old time Oak Hill state of mind.
Go to Jim’s any morning of any week and you’ll find a roundtable of
Oak Hill’s philosopher good ole’ boys holding court. Presiding over that court is most likely
to be Bill Rider.
Rider is a well-known Oak Hill artist — he has done several covers for
the Gazette’s popular Old Oak Hill issues. Many people may not know that
Rider also presides over a colorful band that plays classic country
music --- the Sunset Valley Boys.
I’m very much looking forward to seeing the SVB this Saturday at
Nunzia’s. I’ve previewed a few of their tunes on myspace and I’m set
for a relaxing evening with good ol’ classic country western.
Bill Rider, Ken Simpson and Craig Park started SVB about 10 years ago with
Gordon Fowler, Polk Shelton and Van Mouton joining about four years later.
Combined, these fellas have lived in Oak Hill and South Austin for over
200 years. Gordon, Polk and Ken were all born here. Bill’s been here 50
plus years and Van Mouton isn’t far behind. According to their website:
"Craig joined the band through a court ordered work release program.
No one knows where he is from or what he does when he is not playing pedal
steel guitar."
I called Bill recently to get an idea of exactly what kind of old country
songs they play. He left his work in the yard to find me an old set list,
and with a howling cat and a screen door slamming and papers rummaging in
the background, he said, "Well, let’s see here... I’ll get a set
list for you... I saw one of those things around here... here we go!!
And boy did he give me a list; I stopped him at number 35. These are all
classics, some I haven’t heard in years and some I’ve never heard of.
The list included: ‘Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone?’, ‘Hey Good
Lookin’, ‘Rockin’ Chair’, ‘Crazy Arms’, ‘Hello Walls’,
‘Waltz Across Texas’ and ‘Folsom Prison Blues.’
Besides their monthly gig on the first Saturday of every month at
Evangeline Café they also play for quite a few parties now and then as
well as art festivals. Bill and Gordon are both artists. Their Austin
music roots run deep too! Gordon is married to Marcia Ball (I think
I’ve heard of her) and Van Mouton is her brother.
I also asked Bill about the ‘Bill’s Front Yard’ link on the
band’s website.
He said matter-of-factly, like I should have known: "Well, it’s my
front yard. I have parties, people will get married and have their
weddings. We have a bandstand and a dance floor."
Go check out the SVB with me this Saturday at Nunzia’s at 7:30.
They’ll play until 10 p.m. If you want to book the band or book some
time in Bill’s front yard, visit the website at www.sunsetvalleyboys.com.
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Have
You Heard?
June 15 2007
Article by Mike
Jordan
Have
You Heard…
about the Sunset Valley Boys? If you haven’t heard them, then check out
the local music venues and catch them when they are playing. Recently they
played at “Nunzia’s at the Y” and they play on the first Saturday of
the month at Evangeline Cafe on Brodie.
These guys are local musicians and they play “country music like it was
intended.” Most of them live locally and are well known in the
community. The six band members might be shopping in the local supermarket
or coffee house, but once you hear them play, you’ll never forget them.
The six band members seem to know every country song ever written and a
bunch of other songs you’d never expect to hear a country band play.
Mostly though, it’s good, danceable country music.
If you’d like to contact them for your next bar-b-q or other event, call
Bill Rider at 826-4983 or email sunsetvalleyboys@austin.rr.com.
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