COUNTRY LINE MAGAZINE - October 2007
With the tide of “Texas Music” turning, the bands and vocalists who do not carry their own tune will soon be gathering dust in a garage or bagging groceries at a shop near you soon. Harsh words, maybe. But you can only copy a mouse trap so often before the mice get the idea and quit frequenting the cheese. When I get to listen to something refreshingly new and enlightening to my senses, I smile. The Texas Sapphires are one of the best sounds cresting the music waves here in Texas and their new CD deserves your ear time.
The band’s debut album, Valley So Steep, Stag Records, pushed the band into the coveted “Best New Band” for 2007 by the Austin Chronicle spot and provided, again, confirmation of their mission and their gut feeling for who they are. Front man Billy Brent Malkus and band mate Rebecca Lucille Cannon make for the hottest duet on the scene right now, and you get plenty of them together on the new disc.
On the release of the new record, Jill McGuckin at McGuckin Entertainment breaks the news; “The Texas Sapphires, the five-piece altcountry- hillbilly-bluegrass combo, are set to release Roadhouse Gems Live @ John T. Floore Country Store in Helotes (Stag Records). They are currently touring behind the new recording and its debut, making stops from New Mexico to Wyoming, and Texas.”
The upcoming release, recorded in the famous Texas country store of John T. Floore, has been called “a breath of fresh air,” by Americana singersongwriter Jesse Dayton. He blessed The Sapphires for “bucking the trend of the ultra conservative/safe Texas Music scene.” Exactly as we said — they are not a copy band or wannabe Texas music band they are, well, the Texas Sapphires.
In addition to Malkus (guitar, Dobro and piano) and co-lead vocalist Cannon, The Texas Sapphires are Bobby Daniel on bass guitar and Bob “Slim Bawb” Pearce on banjo, mandolin, Dobro and steel guitar. Honorary Sapphires include Lloyd Maines (Dobro, pedal steel), Kim Deschamps (pedal and lap steel, Dobro, banjo), Nathan Fleming (pedal steel, Dobro), Scotty Mathews (drums) and Justin Kolb (bass). The Texas Sapphires will be performing Oct. 12 at the Continental Club in Austin with 1100 Springs. For more info on the band check out their Web site at thetexassapphires.com.
