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Cary Banks CD release concert
October 19, 2018
with special guests
Steve “Gittar” Williams, Jerry Brownlow,
and Megan Poppe

Cary Banks and Steve “Gittar” Williams

Due to the unexpected passing of Claire’s aunt, Claire and Paul had to be out of town to attend the funeral on the date of this concert.

Through the kindness of Van and Leslie Shaw, we made arrangements to move the location to Uncle Bill’s Music Barn where our Harvest Moon concert was also held.

Legendary Maines Brothers Band member Cary Banks performed a special CD release concert on Friday October 19, 2018. This is Cary’s 4th CD as a solo artist, and he will have early release copies of this new CD, called simply “Piano”, for sale at this concert. Cary was accompanied throughout the concert by guitar virtuoso Steve “Gittar” Williams, who also performs on Cary’s new CD. Also joining them for selected songs were Maines Brothers Band member Jerry Brownlow, and violinist Megan Poppe.

Those who know Cary are aware that he is one of the most versatile musicians around, having excelling skills with multiple instruments and musical styles and genres. In addition, there is no one who has more fun performing than Cary Banks. He is a delightful entertainer, and is sure to captivate every audience.

“Piano” by Glen Garnett. This original 15″ x 15″ album cover art will be auctioned to the highest bidder at this concert.

The phenomenal cover art for Cary’s new CD is an original painting by the talented Glen Garnett, also titled “Piano”. The original piece was not only on display at this concert, it was auctioned to the highest bidder during the concert! The chance to own this original artwork is exciting to say the least! Glen has commissioned an extremely limited run of 10 high quality, signed and numbered prints (mounted on dryboard) of this piece, and these were also for sale at this concert. There will never be another print sold beyond these 10. See “Piano” and more of Glen Garnett’s work at his website: https://www.glenartstudio.com

All in all, this was an unforgettable evening!

When: Friday October 19, 2018 at Uncle Bill’s Music Barn.

See Cary’s website at http://www.carycbanks.com

Danika and The Jeb
March 31, 2018

Claire and Paul were so pleased and excited to welcome Danika and The Jeb – vocalist Danika (prounounced DuhNEEkuh) Holmes and guitarist Jeb Hart – in their first HubCityMusic.com house concert appearance on March 31, 2018.

You may have heard Danika on Sirius XM’s Coffee House station or on one of 150 radio stations around the US spinning her tunes.  Or maybe you saw her opening for acts such as Dierks Bentley and Phil Vassar.  Or in theaters, wineries, clubs and living rooms around the US, UK and Europe in one of over 400 shows since 2010 when she decided to pursue music full time.

Danika joined forces with guitarist Jeb Hart, a phenomenal player who’s not afraid of shredding on an acoustic guitar.  Who ever heard an acoustic guitar sound like a Les Paul electric?  Jeb does that, among his many guitar stylings.  Jeb’s clean and sophisticated playing, paired with Danika’s smooth and soulful vocals, has created a magical combination.

Check out this short video with a few samples of their music and accolades: https://youtu.be/QVpD6D0uA3k

With all the Sirius XM exposure, and so much radio station play, Danika and Jeb are on their way to bigger places in the music business, while sharing their talent and music in our intimate, personal venue along the way.  Don’t miss this opportunity to catch these rising stars!

Here’s a cool YouTube version of their version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps: https://youtu.be/5HUydnUB6Dk

Visit their website: www.DanikaandJeb.com

Looking forward to seeing you here!

UPDATE 

Dear friends,
Danika asked me to forward this personal message to you from her.
Thanks!
– Paul & Claire

Hello friends and patrons of HubCityMusic.com House Concerts!

Thanks for letting us take 2 minutes of your time today. If you don’t know me, I’d like to change that. I make up half of the acoustic duo that performed a concert at Paul and Claire’s home on March 31, 2018. (Danika & The Jeb).

We’ve played many concerts around the United States and Europe and this was our FIRST TIME EVER in Lubbock, TX! That’s why we wanted to reach out and introduce ourselves…

So, this is the part where we’re supposed to impress you with our accomplishments, music samples, and quotes from “important people” letting you know why you should come. But, we wanted to just send you a personal note, direct from us instead. All the “meant to impress” stuff is out there and available if that’s what you want, but what we really wanted to say is this…

We realize that TIME is your most precious resource, and it’s limited. And we want to thank you for spending your time with us.

You can always expect to leave one of our concerts feeling good. We make that our point. We keep things upbeat and uplifting, but aren’t afraid of tackling real life issues that we all deal with. You might laugh at times, and maybe even shed a tear… regardless, we hope that you’ll leave having felt something through our music that is real. A true, genuine connection… that’s what we’re hoping to achieve. After all, that’s the entire reason we’ve devoted our lives to writing, touring, and performing meaningful music. You’ll be hearing our own original music, stories, and a few carefully selected cover songs as well (from the Beatles and Stevie Wonder to name a few!) Also, you can expect some phenomenal guitar playing from Jeb. Fine, you can call me biased… but I’m willing to bet that once you see Jeb play, you’ll agree with me.

My personal email is danika@danikaholmes.com. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions, or just want to say hello and that you got this email.

If you’d like to listen to music, see photos, videos, read a bio, etc… that’s can all be found at our website here: http://www.danikaholmes.com

We really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule’s to come to the show and enjoy some music! We also really appreciate Paul and Claire with HubCityMusic.com House Concerts for inviting us for a concert and letting us reach out to you directly. We so enjoyed meeting you all!

All the best!
– Danika

Joe Jencks
January 14, 2018

Joe Jencks is an international touring musician, award-winning songwriter and celebrated vocalist, known for his performances of musical beauty, social consciousness and spiritual exploration. Having penned several #1 Folk-songs including the ever relevant Lady of The Harbor, Jencks has become a fan favorite throughout North America. Joe is the co-founder of the Folk trio Brother Sun, which has previously played to a sold-out HubCityMusic audience.

From Festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa, and Old Songs, to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Joe Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Jencks serves it all up with a rich and unique baritone voice that retains a distinctive edgy richness.  Joe’s is one of those voices that, once you’ve heard him sing, you will instantly recognize his voice anytime you hear him again.

Joe’s music is story-based Folk in the vein of artists like Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, early Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and the Kingston Trio (to name a few), although while managing to tell the story as well as any of the aforementioned, Joe’s melodies and tone are more melodic and musical than many of those. And you will definitely hear some of the Celtic influence of Joe’s Irish roots.

Joe’s newest Solo CD – Poets, Philosophers, Workers, & Wanderers – was released May 1st, 2017 to critical acclaim. The CD has spent several weeks at #1 on Sirius XM’s Americana Chart, and was also the #1 CD on the Folk DJ Chart for May, 2017 – with 4 songs in the top 10.

This was definitely a don’t-miss concert, and did not disappoint!  It was one of the few times most of us will have an opportunity to hear him live, particularly in a small-venue environment, and Joe was at the top of his game. That voice! Oh, what a voice! And his lyrics are incisive and on point. This was a wonderful evening!

 

Visit Joe Jencks’ website at www.joejencks.com

John Batdorf
with Junior Vasquez opening
March 9, 2017

Claire and I were thrilled to again be hosting our good friend and musical legend, John Batdorf on Thursday March 9, 2017.  And we were just as excited that Junior Vasquez was again opening for John, just like he did at the Lubbock Municipal Auditorium back in 1975!

We are all a “little” older now, and the music is even better than ever!  John is recording a new CD as we speak, so got to hear some of his latest, unreleased songs.

John Batdorf is an American singer-songwriter, solo artist, and one half of Las Vegas Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers, folk-rock duo Batdorf and Rodney, and folk-rock band Silver. He’s also a successful film and TV composer, session vocalist, and inspirational musician in the substance recovery community.

In 1967, as a gifted teenage singer-songwriter, John Batdorf, ventured to Los Angeles, crammed in a Lincoln Continental with six of his friends, to become immersed in the formative and iconic musical era symbolized by Laurel Canyon and names like Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, Chris Hillman, Lubbock’s own Al Perkins, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, and so many more.  These went on to form some of the most influential bands of all time, and John Batdorf was part of that transformation as a founding member of Batdorf and Rodney, followed by Silver.  If you grew up in that era, you will recognize many of their songs.

Since that time, John Batdorf has remained a prolific songwriter, and is a far more accomplished musician now than even at the height of his success in the 1970s.

Only once in the eight year history of our house concerts have we offered an opening act, and that once was when Junior Vasquez opened for John Batdorf in March 2015.  It’s taken two years to get John back, and we could not be happier that once again Junior was able to open for him, just like he did in 1975.

 

This was an amazing concert! In spite of the fact that John had missed some immediately previous engagements due to flu-like symptoms, he was able to rest and recover a few days prior to our concert, and his performance was as inspiring and musically perfect as always.  There are few musicians who play and sing with the precision that John brings to his performances.  Never a missed note.  Add to that the emotional range that he brings, and you begin to understand why John Batdorf is one of the finest musicians in the industry today.

John Batdorf
Wednesday March 4, 2015
(with Junior Vasquez opening)

P1060923-Adjusted - 300x230In 1975 John Batdorf headlined a concert as Batdorf & Rodney in the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. Opening for them that night was Junior Vasquez and Peyote. Many of you were at that concert. If you loved the Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, and America, you should know that Batdorf and Rodney were part of that whole music scene.

Now 40 years later, history has repeated itself, as John Batdorf again headlined a Lubbock concert, which again was opened by Junior Vasquez. These two great musicians have each evolved over the years, but their music remains as complimentary as ever.

This is the first HubCityMusic.com house concert to ever have an opening act.

The weather outside was frightful – snow and freezing sleet all afternoon the day of the show.  But the fans braved the weather and showed up anyway, and John and Junior provided a magical evening of music and conversation.  For Junior Vasquez, this was a rare opportunity to perform all original songs, and he showed that his songwriting ability is as polished and professional as his singing and guitar work.

And when John Batdorf took the stage he demonstrated a commitment to excellence in vocals and guitar play that is second to none.  Seriously, you won’t hear a more flawless performance than John delivered on that snowy night in the warmth of our living room.

Watch this page for videos from this concert, to be posted soon.

Wednesday March 4, 2015
at Paul Johnson’s house

Click here to see our previous post about John Batdorf.

Visit John’s website and Facebook page:
www.JohnBatdorfMusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Batdorf-Music/279578037051
https://www.facebook.com/Soundtrax2Recovery

Visit Junior’s website and Facebook page:
www.myspace.com/therealjuniorvasquez
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Junior-Vasquez/80815053180

Watch John’s newest video on YouTube:

 

John Batdorf
Wednesday October 15, 2014

John Batdorf retro - 240x306

If you loved America, Crosby Stills & Nash, Dan Fogelberg, Loggins & Messina, and the Eagles in the 1970’s, chances are you also heard a group called Batdorf and Rodney. Great songwriters, with a sound very much like the above groups, Batdorf and Rodney had two very successful albums in the 1970’s before going their separate ways.

We were blessed to have this opportunity to host a rare mid-week house concert featuring John Batdorf of Batdorf and Rodney.
John has continued to write, play, and record since those early days, and his music is better than ever.  And even if you’ve never heard of him, trust me, John is an amazing musician and songwriter.  If you missed this HubCityMusic.com house concert, you missed one of the best-ever concerts we’ve had the pleasure to host!

P1060923-Adjusted - 300x230

 

Some notable background – In 1975, John Batdorf visited Lubbock when Batdorf and Rodney played a concert at the (then) Lubbock Municipal Coliseum (now City Bank Coliseum), and shared the stage with opening act Peyote, headed by local music legend Junior Vasquez.

John & Junior - 300x225

So in a full-circle sort of coincidence, John and Junior once again shared the stage, this time to close out John’s house concert, performing an impromptu duet of “For What It’s Worth”.  What an incredible experience it was to see those two on the same stage together almost 40 years later!

Watch for a video of John Batdorf and Junior Vasquez performing “For What It’s Worth”, on this page in a week or two.

Visit John Batdorf’s website:  http://johnbatdorfmusic.com/soundtraxlyric.html
Find him on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Batdorf-Music/279578037051

Christopher Williams
April 24, 2014

Christopher WilliamsNashville singer/songwriter/recording artist Christopher Williams added a last-minute HubCityMusic.com house concert to his current tour, and an appreciative audience was treated to a host of new songs.  These newest songs are among the best CW has written, and has us waiting with great anticipation for a new CD!  Although no firm plans have been made for that new CD yet, it is surely highly anticipated.  In the meantime, we will post videos from this concert at the end of this entry.  It may take a week or two to get them produced, so check back every few days.

Christopher first performed in Lubbock more than 15 years ago, at Durham’s Coffee House, and since that time has gone on to become a prolific songwriter and performer, releasing a total of 11 CDs, to great fan and critical acclaim. An in-demand performer, Christopher has toured all over the U.S., opening for, and playing with noted performers such as Jars of Clay, Arlo Guthrie, Phil Keaggy, David Wilcox, Bebo Norman, and many other well-know performers.

It is an honor to have someone of CW’s stature perform in the warm, intimate environment of our HubCityMusic.com living room. Although he remains as down-to-earth and accessible as ever, Christopher is no stranger to celebrity and success.

Christopher earned accolades as the Southeast Regional Round winner for the 2011 Mountain Stage NewSong contest, and in 2010 his song “Anything But Fail” won the Independent Music Award for Best New Contemporary Christian Song, at the same time as his live CD “Something As Simple” was nominated for Best Live Recording in the Independent Music Awards.

But it is his direct connection with his audience that makes Christopher such a compelling performer. By the end of the evening, each person in the audience felt a personal connection to CW.

Here is the first of several videos we will post from this concert, a song he just finished (but started 15 years ago!) called “Know of Love”.  Beautiful!  (Watch full-screen in HD if possible, and be sure to turn the volume up.)

Here is the song that followed “Know of Love” in this concert, a song he wrote for his son called “Stone Water Wood Light”.  Watch full-screen in HD if possible, and be sure to turn the volume up.  Listen carefully for his quiet remarks after the applause.

This song is the most relaxing, reassuring song I can imagine.  Christopher’s newest, and for now his favorite, “Everything You Need”.  Relax and enjoy!

Here is a video of Christopher’s original “Good Thing” from a previous HubCityMusic.com house concert.

Visit Christopher’s website: www.ChristopherW.com

Karleigh Porterfield
Friday March 22, 2013

Thanks for your overwhelming response to Karleigh Porterfield’s HubCityMusic.com house concert!  We had a great audience to hear an outstanding performance by Karleigh, accompanied by fine guitarist Adam Urbanczyk, with the incomparable Cary Banks on keyboards and vocal harmonies.

KarleighPorterfield-400x236

 

Cary Banks put it best as he commented between songs that we were watching a “coming-out” of an outstanding vocal talent, and would look back on this evening some day and say “I saw her when she was just starting out.”

Karleigh Porterfield is currently attending the renowned Music Performance program at South Plains College in Levelland, the program that has been the foundation of many notable careers, including Natalie Maines.

You have probably never heard a voice like Karleigh’s in person.  Seriously unique, with a range you will not believe.  One listen to Karleigh, and you will immediately appreciate the fact that a voice like hers will not be contained, and you will see the potential for a similar music career trajectory as many other talented SPC students have attained.

We will post a video of one of her songs here within the next couple weeks, so be sure to check back and see what you missed!