 Thank you, I Heart Local Music, for coming out to our first Lawrence show and sharing this review.
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I Love KC Music just published their annual People's Choice Awards and Cowtown Country Club was honored to be voted one of the top bands to see live in Kansas City!
We love doing live shows and appreciate the fans that voted for us. Make sure to check out all the great artists on this year's list. Check out the full list>>   For the second year in a row we were invited to play as part of Kansas City’s Streetcar Holiday Jam. This event, organized by the KC Streetcar Authority, places musical acts around Downtown Kansas City and right on the street car. It’s an initiative to bring people downtown and add a little bit of whimsy to the streetcar experience. Concerning the origins of the jam, KC Streetcar Authority Communications Director, Donna Mandelbaum, told us, “I was inspired by the Art in the Loop program and what they do for performance artists. I am also a huge fan of live music and wanted to give local musicians a new platform to perform, as well as make the streetcar ridership experience fun.” The Holiday Jam celebrated its third year bringing music to downtown KC. Mandelbaum continued, “Ridership also increases during the Holiday Jam performances. On Saturday, November 30, there were more than 12,000 passenger trips in that one day. We also had two music performances that day.”  Cowtown Country Club played on the “Chief's” car to crowds enjoying the unseasonably warm December day. One of the fun things about this kind of event is getting to be so close to audiences. We had conversations with parents and kids taking their first ride on the streetcar to a woman who had driven trains in her youth and had played bluegrass on Kansas City’s Brush Creek Follies in the 1940s.  The KC Streetcar opened on May 6, 2016. Since then, there have been 7 1/2 million passenger trips!!! There are some close calls when the train starts and stops to not fall over. Leah and Brian got their squat workout in on the train.  There is something magical about running into music in unexpected places. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this event and bring a little of our brand of country swing to the community in Kansas City.
Hopefully we will see you at a show soon - whether moving or not!  You may have noticed that our band is into country and western music and if you’re here you probably are too. Kansas City is an interesting music town with a thriving local scene to big touring acts playing in the Sprint Center downtown. It’s known for its history of jazz and blues and for being a cultural crossroads in the mid-twentieth century.
But what if you want to hear some swinging country tunes in Kansas City? Where should you go? We’ve made a list of some of our favorite places to listen to, and play, country and western in Kansas City. Some of the venues below specialize in roots and Americana, some are more eclectic and host a variety of styles. Either way, these venues have a solid reputation for featuring country music acts. Knuckleheads Their tagline is "where the greatest musicians play" and they are not just whistlin' dixie. This joint is literally on the other side of the tracks in Kansas City’s east bottoms. You must see a show here, fall in love, and go back every other week (or more). The acts range from local favorites to legends of American roots music. The Westport Saloon Tucked into the heart of the Westport neighborhood, The Westport Saloon consistently delivers opportunities to see country and country adjacent music all night long for a reasonable or no-cover. The Ship The Ship hosts a weekly Honky Tonk Tuesday with great music and great crowds. It’s a local favorite and the musical acts through the week, cross every genre. Stockyards Brewing Co. We had to give a shout out to Stockyards for their weekly Sunday Music Service. From 3-6 on Sunday afternoons (no cover) crowds at this west bottoms brewery can enjoy great beer and a show. While not all the acts are country, Americana fans will get their fill with a mix of western, bluegrass, folk, and yes, a little country too. Where do you go to get your country fix? We are taking a break from shows in December to cozy up by the fire and enjoy some holiday cheer – but that doesn't mean we take a break from the Cowtown Country Club way of life. Enjoy a few tips from the Club Regulars for turning your holiday party into a true CCC celebration. 1. Proper western-wearIt almost goes without saying, but if you don't have a cowboy hat, some pearl snaps, or a cactus embroidered on your clothing you may be doing something wrong.  2. Portions to feed hungry cowboys20 or so pounds of beef roast should be okay.  3. Christmas CookiesThe food, but more importantly, the song! Happy Holidays, from Cowtown Country Club!
 Crossroads Music Festival at The Brick. Photo courtesy of I Love KC Music (@IloveKCMusic) We started September with a packed house at Stockyards Brewing. If you haven’t been to Stockyards before, it’s a great backdrop for us. We blend right in with the covered wagons and cattle brand decor of this Kansas City western themed brewery.
The following weekend we were out at the Crossroads Music Festival - a one day, eight venue music festival in Kansas City's growing art district. A big part of what makes the Kansas City music scene special is that so many musicians in town have embraced a sense of openness and collaboration. Going to all of the other shows that night and spending time with musicians and fans from a cross-section of genres in the city drove this home (and was a lot of fun). On the third weekend of September, we drove down and pitched our tents in Winfield, Kansas for the Walnut Valley Festival (or Winfield, for short). During this annual event, a temporary village pops up in the campgrounds just outside of the main festival grounds. There is just as much music being played in the campgrounds as there is on the four official stages. Besides jam sessions, there are a number of campground stages, and we played at two in one night! Saturday night we traded tunes with another Kansas City-based band, Grassfed, on Stage 7, then did a quick costume change (literally) and headed to Stage 5 for a late night set. Winfield has special meaning for us. Last year, a few short weeks after playing our first public show, Cowtown Country Club played on Winfield's Stage 5. We met some of our most enthusiastic supporters and fans that weekend. We could gush about the magic of Winfield for hours...so if you want to hear more (including the late night stories), ask us in person. We capped off the month with a Saturday morning performance at the Plaza Art Fair. It was a nice showing of friends and fans for a 10 AM start, and we drew in quite a few passersby who stopped, watched, and even danced. It's always great to watch the faces of people who unexpectedly hear us for the first time. We're taking a little break from live shows for the next few months, as Brian (on bass and bass) and his wife Lindsay are expecting their first child this November. In the meantime, we'll be working on new songs and promoting the album.  After an amazing first year as Cowtown Country Club, we felt that this summer was the right time to put together a high-quality recording to share with fans and send to festivals/venues. At first, we planned to do a short EP with just a few songs but ultimately decided to go ahead and put together a full album’s worth of material.
The process of recording is both exhilarating and nerve-racking. You don’t want to make the mistake that ruins the otherwise perfect take. But we all stepped up to the challenge, pushed to keep getting better, and were so excited to hear results when things really came together. We didn’t get a lot of sleep, but we recorded 9 songs in just a single weekend. We’re proud of the album and we think it showcases our unique sound with the songs we do best (the working title of this album was “Shut up and play the hits!”). You can purchase the album (CD or digital download) on our website, or stream it on Spotify. Like the album? We hope you'll share it with a friend (get your Christmas shopping done early!).  We did a quick Q&A to get to know our band members. Keep reading to learn more about our bass playing bass singer, Brian.
Where are you from and how did you end up in Kansas City? Originally from St. Louis, I came to KC in 2009 for grad school at UMKC. When did you start playing and singing music? My first instrument was piano, taking lessons from my neighbor's great grandma at their music store on the corner. I played trumpet and french horn for a while before turning to stringed instruments (guitar, mandolin, bass). I started singing in church and in Christmas musicals at school (I've played a sheep more than once). What is your favorite thing about being in Cowtown Country Club? Getting to produce such high level music with such fabulous people. It's like singing in a top-notch choir, except that we get to drink beer. Do you have a favorite song? For a Cowtown song, I would have to say Peaches. It was always a fun song, but I think our version is just wild. In general favorite song, Jolene by Cake (not the same as Dolly Parton's song of the same name, though I do love that song too). What other kinds of music do you play? I love jam sessions, sing-alongs, and hootenannies. And I enjoy trying to play jazz piano. If you could meet one country music legend who would it be and why? I would have said Willie Nelson, but I did meet him (you'll have to ask about that one). I'd like to meet to Patsy Kline, she seemed like a total boss. What is something people are surprised to learn about you? If they don't know me through work, people are usually surprised to learn that I'm an economist, which I take as a compliment.  Today we are posting a Q & A with our rhythm guitarist and resident achy-breaky-belter, Leah. Keep reading to learn more about the only Texan in our band.
Where are you from and how did you end up in Kansas City? I’m originally from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a small town called Rockwall. My dad grew up in Brookside, though, just blocks from where we live now. I ended up here for grad school at UMKC conservatory but really fell in love the city so stayed put after I graduated. When did you start playing and singing music? I remember singing as soon as I could talk. My mom always sang songs and taught them to me. Things like “You Are My Sunshine” and other old country and movie musical songs. She put me in piano lessons when I was 6 or 7 as a trade with the community center where she taught line dancing lessons. I didn’t get my first guitar until high school. What is your favorite thing about being in Cowtown Country Club? The group singing is probably my favorite part. It’s such a special piece of what we do, and so gratifying when the 4-part harmonies ring out. Do you have a favorite song? Too many. One that has deeply influenced my writing is “The Housatonic at Stockbridge” by Charles Ives. What other kinds of music do you play? I’ve played in Classical/art music and free improv ensembles, jazz combos, and singer/songwriter/indie bands. If you could meet one country music legend who would it be and why? Dolly. The more I learn her story, listen to her music, and think about how she’s navigated not only the business side of music but also evolved creatively along side it all. Who doesn’t want to meet a person like that? What is something people are surprised to learn about you? I lived in Puerto Rico from age 1-5. When I re-learned Spanish in high school my teacher commented that I had a Puerto Rican accent. |
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January 2020
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