Oct 2007 – CLASSIC SONGS AND HEROES
October 4th, 2007From 
While the majority of the Austin City Limits repackaged shows on DVD feature the hour-plus full versions of their edited television concerts, sadly on BUCK OWENS – LIVE FROM AUSTIN TX (New West NW8043 via Shock in Australia), a mere 34 minutes was the full extent of the show. Sad for us, because Buck was in excellent form this night of October 23, 1988 although somewhat ironically, he appeared onstage prior to Dwight Yoakam. Buck brings Dwight into his spotlight to sing Under Your Spell Again with him and we know from Dwight’s DVD (reviewed Jan 2006), he returned the favour bringing Buck back to sing with him on Streets of Bakersfield. The rest of the show is all hits, from Act Naturally to Tiger By The Tail and Together Again.
Buck once flew to Austin on his private jet to make a surprise appearance at a club that regularly held a Buck Owens Birthday night each year. No such surprises at the annual Sydney HANK WILLIAMS BIRTHDAY BASH last month, but his ghost was in the air when more than two dozen singers and musicians convened to honour his songs and the music of his era.
Pictured above backstage at Hank’s Birthday Bash 2007 – L to R: DALE HOOPER, DWAYNE ELIX, MARY ANNE BURTON & MARY HEARD, NICKI GILLIS, SALLY BURGESS, ROSE CARLEO, MARK LUCAS, ADRIAN PAYNE, DAVE COOK (back), RAE MOODY (middle), DONNA BOYD (front), BRYEN WILLEMS (back), TRACY KILLEEN (front)
The packed house proved that Hank’s popularity has not waned. The show was co-hosted by Nicki Gillis, still elated from her Cooper’s Golden Saddle win the previous weekend at the GALSTON COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL. The Galston Festival celebrated its 11th year with a bumper line-up featuring Travis Collins (pictured right), Karen Lynne, Kirsty Lee Akers, Amber Lawrence and many more, plus a brand new website that profiled all the artists and the three-day programme. Look there for links to the latest festival photos.
The daughter of successful songwriter Terry Gilkyson (Greenfields, Marianne, The Bare Necessities), ELIZA GILKYSON sits stylistically alongside Lucinda Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter. At her web site she mentions having appeared with Bill Chambers and that she wants to come to visit Australia. Meanwhile, we can watch her 
LIVE FROM AUSTIN TX DVD (New West NW8041 via Shock in Australia), which features many songs from her album Hard Times In Babylon, released in 2000. In the set-list, Easy Rider is a song about her father (and named after his band) while the encore features the only non-original, a beautiful rendition of Bob Dylan’s Love Minus Zero/No Limit which she also recorded on the covers album, Nod to Bob. Amongst her talented and sensitive band, look for guitarist Nina Gerber who would later team up with our own Audrey Auld Mezera in 2005 for the live CD, In the House.
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Until next time, happy surfing!
Bob talked to Barbara Morison on 2SER 107.3 FM about this month’s column and more… (apologies for the static on this one…)
