While gathering and writing stories for the September/October 2024 County Line Magazine, I was reminded how we humans often mindlessly view others, relying on our “experience filters” in our brains to form quick opinions of who they are and where they belong. Some react in fear of our differences, while others choose to expand our perspectives and learn from each other or simply move on and live and let live.
Our history books did not depict a multiracial cowboy culture any better than they showed the important contributions of women. Some of us also missed huge portions of inspiring music and other cultural representation that were excluded from “mainstream” America.
Historians and others are better focused in recent years on sharing the undertold stories for a more accurate account of our country’s past. It is an important step in the shaping of our society as we move forward that all people can see themselves in our human history.
Dom Flemons is known as “The American Songster.” He is a descendant of East Texas musicians and makes his home in the Chicago area. His performances, workshops, and writings rooted in Old West music often see him returning to Texas where much of that music style was born. He’ll be at the annual Winnsboro Cowboy Music and Poetry Gathering at the end of September.
Flemons shares stories about the multiracial cowboy trail campfire songs that influenced country, blues, and other music genres. For a very long time, the country lane in particular was reserved for those of European descent. Today, the gates are open and performers from diverse backgrounds are claiming their spotlight on country music stages.
About the same time the cowboy trail campfire music was developing, boogie woogie music and other genres were taking shape in the piney woods and along railroad tracks in East Texas. From ragtime, jazz, and boogie woogie, came rock and roll, country, and other exceptional music from generations of musicians who helped define the cultural heritage of the area. Marshall, Texas, sits at the hub of that rich history.
Boogie Woogie Marshall music festival takes place the same weekend as Winnsboro Cowboy. A little more than an hour away from each other, music fans can easily enjoy some of both events for a fulfilling cultural weekend.
Also taking place in Marshall soon is the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards where singers from 16 different nations perform their favorite country tunes at the Municipal City Hall Performance Center. Other shows coming there include Pam Tillis, Georgette Jones, Uptown, and Deana Carter.
From country to symphonies and all styles in between, the magic of music fills the cooling air all over the region this fall.
Organizers in Greenville once again host the Bob Wills Fiddle Festival & Contest on November 1 and 2 and a full fall lineup of shows at the Greenville Municipal Auditorium and other venues.
Check out the new season lineup for Mount Vernon Music and many other performers, including Ruthie Foster, Lyle Lovett, and Neal McCoy. Visit the festivals and venues in the region for amazing local talent.
Just like we can’t put people in boxes, we can’t do that to music either. Most music doesn’t fit into just one genre. Some songs are more clearly one genre than another, but most are a blending of a variety of influences.
We don’t all dance to the same beat — artistic expression only asks that we listen for a moment. If we don’t enjoy the sounds of one “campfire,” thankfully, there are many other options and we can respectfully move to one that better resonates with our own inner vibe. More often than not, people of very diverse backgrounds find themselves enjoying the same music and differences melt away. That’s the power of a song.
Here’s hoping this autumn of 2024 in the Upper East Side of Texas is filled with the harmony we all deserve.