Debbi Walton & Donnie Price: May 22nd, 8:00 PM Central live, on www.radiofreetexas.org
May 16th, 2012 | 
Author: Radio Free Texas Songwriter’s Showcase is proud to present Debbi Walton & Donnie Price on Tuesday May 22nd. @ 8:00 PM, Live from Billy’s Ice. Streaming Live on www.radiofreetexas.org.
About Debbi Walton:
Debbi Walton is back. With a vengeance. After a decade and a half of honing and performing her brand of bluesy soul in more clubs, festivals, dives and halls than she’d care to remember, sharing the stage with such acts as Delbert McClinton, Stephen Bruton, The Los Lonely Boys, Eric Johnson and Willie Nelson, she decided to take a hiatus to re-coup and regroup. One year led to another, and still she didn’t feel ready. But she found out that inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of places.
Like Italy.
Fabrizio Poggi, from northern Italy, is a master blues harmonica player/entertainer and producer who has recorded or performed with The Blind Boys of Alabama, Jerry Jeff Walker, Charlie Musselwhite, Augie Meyers, Steve Cropper, Flaco Jiminez, Garth Hudson, Billy Joe Shaver- the list goes on. He knew he would someday capture Debbi’s voice and the chance came when recording his critically acclaimed album ‘Sprit And Freedom’ with his band Chicken Mambo. Debbi’s performance on the cut ‘Spiritual’ led Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony from Blues Blast Magazine to say, “Hearing Debbi Walton’s voice for the first time is an Oh-My-God moment”.
Debbi’s blood started pumping again, but the deal was sealed with a three-country European tour in 2010. In 2011 she returned to Italy, this time to start working on tracks for her forthcoming album for Ultrasound Records- produced and recorded by Fabrizio Poggi and his band.
Over the next few months more tracks were recorded, including guitar tracks by long-time Muddy Waters’ guitarist Bob Mangolin in Chicago, and vocals and guitar work by the phenomenal Carolyn Wonderland back in Austin and more.
At this time the (so far) unnamed album is nearing completion, and Debbi is gearing up for a mid-summer European tour. The band is tight and grooving and Debbi has never sounded stronger.
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Jeff Whithead: May 15th, 8:00 PM Central live, on www.radiofreetexas.org
Radio Free Texas Songwriter’s Showcase is proud to present Jeff Whitehead on Tuesday May 15th. @ 8:00 PM, Live from Billy’s Ice. Streaming Live on www.radiofreetexas.org.
When you hear Jeff Whitehead, whether he is rockin’ with his band at a smoky Texas dancehall, or just pickin’ a guitar or piano at home, you’ll notice one thing: he cares a hell of a lot about the song. His 2009 debut album, “Outlaw in My Mind”, introduced Texas music fans to his honest, heartfelt brand of songwriting. On the record, Jeff teamed up with producer and Texas music chart mainstay, Granger Smith, to showcase his lyrical prowess with great country rhythms. If you want to say that “Outlaw in My Mind” got his feet wet, then his sophomore effort, “Resting Easy”, is certainly proof that he has jumped head first into the deep end. When asked about the new EP, Jeff says, “I’ve grown a lot since my first album and I’m really excited to get these new songs out there. I hope people are able to connect with something on the record.” Based on responses from recent live shows, Whitehead has hit the mark.
Growing up in College Station, he never imagined he would be making his way, traveling from town to town, playing music for a living. Though always an intense music fan, his world was consumed by numerous other activities, mainly baseball. Through his teenage years, year round baseball teams and raising and showing livestock with the FFA left him without much time for anything else. In 2004, Jeff began attending Texas A&M University. It was here that music took the place of all his previous endeavors. While supposed to be studying, Jeff instead began studying the great songwriters: Dylan, Townes, Steve Earl and the like. During his sophomore year, Jeff happened across a copy of American Songwriter Magazine and found their renowned Lyric Contest. Though he had never written a song, he figured he would take his shot at it. After writing 5 songs, he mailed in his efforts and waited. A month later, he received a call from the magazine and the voice on the other end was telling him that he had won first place the international contest for his song “Coffee and Dreams” (now featured on the album “Outlaw in My Mind”). Along with having his song published in the next issue of American Songwriter Magazine and receiving a Martin Guitar, Jeff received the most dangerous thing you can give to a songwriter: validation. With this new found energy, he focused everything on the song. It consumed every aspect of his life.
During his last two years of college, Jeff spent his time honing his songwriting skills and playing to college bars. At this point, he didn’t know much about the music business, but he knew one thing: that Austin seemed to be where everything was happening. After recording “Outlaw in My Mind”, with blind faith and ambition, Jeff graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Wildlife Biology and moved to Austin the next day.
Now, with hundreds of shows under his belt and an upcoming EP, this year is sure to be an exciting year for Jeff Whitehead and Texas music fans alike. Keep an eye out for this guy; I know he’ll be on my radar.
