Casbeers Campfire Songwriter Showcase 12/21

Butch Morgan has the skinny on Wednesday's Campfire Songwriter Showcase with Russell Clepper and Bob Livingston:

Wednesday night at Casbeers Campfire Songwriter Showcase we will feature the great songwriting talents of Bob Livingston,Russell Clepper, and Claude"Butch"Morgan. Morgan will play host on his regular Wednesday night at Casbeers as the Happy Campers take the night off and songwriters become the focus, and the three of them song swap the night away. Up close and personal with three Texas Originals.

BOB LIVINGSTON has never been a traditional Texas country musician living the Honkytonk life, even though he has spent more than his share of time on the roadhouse circuit with some of Texas' more colorful musicians. Livingston moved to Austin in 1971 with Michael Martin Murphey after they recorded the album Geronimo's Cadillac for A&M Records.

Livingston quickly hooked up with Jerry Jeff Walker and he sang and played on some of Texas' quintessential progressive country rock albums including Jerry Jeff's 1973 classic, Viva Terlingua! Livingston, Gary Nunn and John Inmon were a gonzo trio if there ever was one founded the Lost Gonzo Band.

Livingston has been called a 'cosmic cowboy' for good reason. He has looked into the music and mysteries of other cultures and has toured India, Pakistan, Nepal, Morocco, Sri Lanka and the Middle East. He played with great local musicians and they brought together a diversity of themes and influences, mixing instrumentation and insights from both east and west. Ragabilly! Country 'n Eastern? Inspired by these experiences, Livingston and Lloyd Maines produced a CD, for Vireo Records called Mahatma Gandhi & Sitting Bull that is infused with the music and color of his experiences and travels.

Livingston is promoting his CD around the country with a series of solo shows and he still records and tours with Jerry Jeff on occasion. He's put together a group of musicians from Texas and India called Cowboys & Indians that plays country and eastern music!

Russell Clepper has garnered attention and respect in San Antonio , the Texas Hill country, and many other places across the state of Texas . Clepper is "A lyricist's lyricist." Oil fields, Texas rivers, desert landscapes, beachfront barrooms and the characters that live, lurk and love in all those places, get woven into his creations. Striking imagery, subtle symbolisms and unexpected word choices have won Russell Clepper an appreciative audience wherever he has played.

At the 2004 Kerrville Folk Festival, Tish Hinojosa swapped song's with Clepper's daughter, Emilie Clepper, and him in the campground. She asked them to perform on main stage a few days later and the three of them delivered a performance that turned out to be one of the highlights of the festival. Other highlights in Clepper's career to date include opening a house concert for Texas country-folk legend Shake Russell and sharing stages at various events with artists such as Susan Gibson and the Sisters Morales.
With three independently produced and released full length CD projects completed in the last five years, Russell Clepper has performed all around Texas , from Port Aransas to Alpine, with the San Antonio group, The Trebelmakers, and the Trans-Texas combo, Pipe Creek Rebellion.

Clepper's is also supporting his last Solo record, Son of a Farmer, released in 2000. Along with his most current project, Clepper Pair George going on the road this summer 2005. Please check http://www.clepperpairgeorge.com/ for schedule updates indeed.

Claude"Butch"Morgan has been writing songs for more years than he can count. He has recently written a hand full of new songs that he will be debuting on this evening. He was also a finalist at this years Kerrville Newfolk Songwriting Contest. This promises to be a great evening. The price, Nada. ($0)