Rockzilla Americana

I received a notice from Mrs. Fat Guy, the ever effervescent Cindy Chaffin, about the Rockzillaworld Music Awards:

Sunday, February 16, 2003, 7pm
at the
Top Rail Ballroom
Dallas, Texas

The first 2 were successful beyond anything we ever expected, and we're planning on this one being even better. We know that our ballot process is a clumsy pain in the ass, and we actually did it that way for a reason. Any artist who can motivate enough folks to go through this idiotic process to win is bound to be pretty good.

Jay Johnson will reprise his role as MC, and has vowed to actually walk out of the hall under his own power this year, as opposed to being carried out after previous Awards Shows. We'll see. Lots of band action this year, too. We've got The Domino Kings and Macon Greyson booked, and will be adding several more to the bill. Also, we'll repeat the Texas Tag-Team Guitar Death Match, so rest up and get ready.

Voting starts October 1, 2002, and runs through December 31, 2002. More details about the Awards Presentations Show will be posted as we get things lined up. That's all the info we've got for now, so GO VOTE!

Sounds like a ripping good time if you're in the area; but equally important, the announcement introduced me to the Rockzilla webzine, which shines a bright Texas light on all things Americana. Recent reviews include discs by the Domino Kings, David Childers, Grey De Lisle, Keith Sykes, Jason Roberts, Smokey Wilson, Mike West, Mark Olson, Tombstone Trailerpark, and Michael Martin Murphey, among many others.

There is much to behold: I loved this little "back-in-the-day" story on Saturday nights in front of the tube in the family single-wide by "Rockzilla" himself, Michael Johnson:

I grew up in a little single wide trailer house (much too small to be a "mobile home") and our family was poor, though I didn't realize it until I was about 30. Our family was really close, and even though it was the mid-sixties and things were in turmoil all over the world, everything was calm in our world.

I always looked forward to Saturday night. We'd always have something really good for supper on Saturday. My favorite was Frito chili pie, which Mama had learned to make from watching future Congressman Dale Milford, who was then the weatherman for WFAA, Channel 8. Frito-Lay sponsored Dale's show and he would do a commercial showing how to make a big family sized Frito Chili Pie.

But, to get on with the story, by the middle of the afternoon, we'd all start making our way to the house to get settled in for the weekly country music marathon broadcast on Channel 11. I really looked forward to these shows. This was just a couple of years before I read a book by Hunter S. Thompson and discovered Bob Dylan. That was a weird deal. It was like one day I'm listening to Buck Owens, and the next day I can't stand him. I'm glad I recovered!

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Article Author: Eric Olsen

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