How things change. Last year the nice people at the Houston Press Music Awards wouldn't let our beloved Uncle Tick into the venue. This year they're asking us to open the whole event. But why wouldn't they let you in Tick? The guy at the door said, "We're only letting in the winners." That's right folks. Like some elite junior high club only winners were allowed. Forlorn, Tick bought a bottle of Mad Dog and drank the rest of the day away at the Greyhound station with some of his friends.
But that's all in the past. If we do a good job, maybe they'll let us walk through the front door instead of using the servants entrance in the back. Oh the struggle for human dignity...
Here is the Story...Best Folk/Acoustic: Medicine Show
"Show" is the operative word with this bunch of Montrose bluegrass gonzos. Like North Carolina's Avett Brothers, the Med boys like to add vigorous doses of punk attitude and swagger to their gigs, and that creates an atmosphere of excitement that may offend the average true-blue "that ain't the way Bill Monroe done it" bluegrass Nazi. The repertoire, on the other hand, with old standards like "Salty Dog," would thrill the purest bluegrass snob. The band's been known to make up songs pretty quick: We heard top-hatted singer Craig "the Reverend" Kinsey sing a line or two at the awards show about how we compared him to the preacher from Deadwood. -- W.M.S.
photo by Daniel Kramer courtesy of Houston Press