Email Author William Michael Smith

2006 Stories by William Michael Smith

• Ronny Elliott, Ramsay Midwood, Dan Colehour

  published September 14, 2006

  Despite his music's regularly being heard on Larry Winters's Spare Change show on KPFT/90.1 FM, Tampa native Ronnie Elliott's only visit... More >>

• The Edge of the Spotlight

  published August 24, 2006

  Perhaps it shows the Continental Club's sense of resignation over sparsely attended Wednesday-night shows that they've booked Chris Knudson, the... More >>

• The Terms

  published August 10, 2006

  Looking for something that rocks hard, has plenty of licks, interesting rhythms, several great voices and smarty-pants lyrics with hooks galore?... More >>

• Garrison Starr

  published July 20, 2006

  Garrison Starr's smoldering ballads and heavily textured rockers have garnered her lots of critical praise and helped build a dedicated following... More >>

• John Evans Band

  published July 20, 2006

  It was understood but unspoken. We knew from the way he played, the clothes and the attitude that John Evans was too smart and hip to be part of... More >>

• Chris Knight

  published July 13, 2006

  It would be easy to say Chris Knight seems to be standing still. From album to album, his style doesn't vary much, nor does his subject matter... More >>

• Porterdavis

  published July 13, 2006

  Over the past year, a quiet, below-the-radar folk scene has developed at Mojo Risin', a tiny Shepherd coffee shop. Owners Jack and Teresa Mullen... More >>

• Dan Crump

  published July 6, 2006

  The great country and folk songwriters who were touched by Houston or touched it -- Mickey Newbury, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Eric Taylor --... More >>

• Cam King

  published June 29, 2006

  Not many folks can claim to have played with Roky Erickson, written Christmas hits for Garth Brooks and had a song in Texas Chainsaw... More >>

• Randy Weeks

  published June 22, 2006

  One of a nexus of gifted L.A. writers and pedigreed players who populate each other's records and gig bands, Randy Weeks is a master of the dark... More >>

• The Derailers

  published June 22, 2006

  Many moons ago, my brother and I were leaving a show at Rockefeller's, and as we passed the Satellite Lounge, we heard this twanging Bakersfield... More >>

• Shandon Sahm

  published June 15, 2006

  Billed on his MySpace site as "the other white Iggy," Shandon Sahm takes his rawk seriously. He comes from the schoolyard where KISS meets... More >>

• Cracker

  published June 15, 2006

  Ah, the cracked vision of Cracker: David Lowery and Johnny Hickman are two of the cracked-est crackers to ever strap on guitars and leather... More >>

• Roots Redux

  published June 15, 2006

  Three years ago, Dan Colehour seemed set to arrive on the national music scene much like Chris Knight had. With a DreamWorks deal in hand and a... More >>

• I See Hawks in L.A.

  published June 8, 2006

  Perennial L.A. favorites I See Hawks are just beginning to penetrate Texas. Their pre-SXSW Wednesday-night gig at the Continental Club so... More >>

• Joe Ely

  published June 8, 2006

  During an interview a few years back, Terry Allen, the godfather of the Lubbock Music Mafia, was reminiscing about that wonderful moment in... More >>

• The High Score

  published June 1, 2006

  Gotta love a band with song titles like "Ringing in Our Ears" and "Roky Erickson." Knoxville's High Score recalls those innocent days when Dave... More >>

• Pinmonkey

  published May 25, 2006

  Along with Big Blue Hearts, Pinmonkey has a shot at taking something cool into the continually maligned country music mainstream. Relying on... More >>

• The Business, with Roger Miret and the Disasters

  published May 18, 2006

  It's been 25 years since the Business made worldwide headlines when riots broke out at a show at the Hamborough Tavern in Southall, London, during... More >>

• James Hand

  published May 4, 2006

  James Hand seems like a character in Red Foley's classic "Tennessee Saturday Night," where "their music is a fiddle and a cracked guitar / they... More >>

• Various Artists

  published April 27, 2006

  Folksinger, Plimsoul, pop icon, California scenester and deep thinker Peter Case is one of the most prolific, restless songwriters on the American... More >>

• Various Artists

  published April 27, 2006

  For all the talk these past ten years about "Texas music," you have to wonder how many of the Ball Cap Nation children with their "Screw You,... More >>

• The Missiles

  published April 20, 2006

  They toured with the Beat Farmers. They opened for Jason and the Scorchers. Low Scale Mattress Fire was one of the great Houston album... More >>

• Texas Sapphires

  published April 13, 2006

  The Texas Sapphires are a wonderful illustration of the differences between Nashville and Austin. Youngsters following their muses and dreams... More >>

• Radney Foster

  published April 13, 2006

  For a summary of the life of a singer-songwriter, Radney Foster nails it on his latest album, This World We Live In: "I belong in a... More >>