Johnny Falstaff

Johnny (Wolfe) Falstaff has been pounding honky-tonk hardwood floors around here so long he's on his second name. The veteran of the Sundowners, one of the first Houston bands to find the nexus where honky-tonk and rockabilly meet punk, is known for his outrageous duds, flamboyant style and bad-boy attitude. His 2008 release Honky Tonkin' Daddy was one of our favorite roots releases that year, exhibiting all of Falstaff's pluses: a great crooner's voice, solid songwriting that never strays far from roadhouse tradition, and plenty of guitar flash. Since his return from Germany, where he's found an enthusiastic audience, Falstaff has been one of the hardest-working singers around, spreading himself across all the little joints between Alvin and Tomball. His last show at Blanco's reminded us of the old days in that venerable tonk of fading glory. Catch him before he heads back to Deutschland next month for another tour.