May 6, 2022
Chris talks with local musicians Rick Ruiz and John Ray about Alpine’s small but vibrant and welcoming live music scene: the local bands, the venues, the events and festivals. We’ll even tell you where to bring your instrument whenever you are ready to jump in and join us!
← View all episodes of the Heart of the Big Bend Podcast
Transcript for “Alpine’s Music Scene”:
Intro
Welcome to the Heart of the Big Bend. It’s time to kick back, put your feet up, grab your favorite beverage or snack as we discuss declare proclaim, publicize, and articulate about the wonders, magic, beauty, music, and happenings here in the area known as the Big Bend of Texas.
Chris Ruggia
Hello, welcome, and thank you for joining us again for Heart of the Big Bend. This is a podcast and radio show coming to you every other week about visiting the beautiful Big Bend of Texas. Specifically, we’ll cover what’s happening in Alpine, an incredibly friendly small town nestled in the desert mountain Valley at the heart of the Big Bend region. With easy day trips from Alpine, you can take in everything this amazing region has to offer. I’m Chris Ruggia, director of tourism for the city of Alpine. And today we’re talking about the Alpine music scene, and I’m joined by Rick Ruiz and Dr. John Ray. Guys, thank you so much for joining me today.
Rick Ruiz
Thanks for having us, Chris.
Chris R
I consider you guys indispensable members of Alpine’s music community for sure. And so, I wanted you to join me. We can talk about what you guys are doing, and then I’ll pick your brains and mine as well about everything that’s happening in Alpine and, of course, our neighboring towns as well, because there’s so much great music, local music that happens around here. Rick, let’s start with you. Well, right now you’re playing at least every week, once a week.
Rick Ruiz
Every Thursday.
Chris R
At The Old Gringo Coffee and Cocktails. But tell us a little bit about what you do.
Rick R
Well, we’re fortunate not only in Alpine, but in the area. They have a lot of venues and people, music lovers and venues that love and thrive on music. And of course, musicians love and thrive on those places that do that for us. The old Gringo is a venue here, and as you mentioned, coffee and cocktails, and then it’s the Big Bend Biker Hotel upstairs. So, there’s a lot of different people there every week. It’s really nice to have that energy of vibrant in and out. We have to play a lot of different stuff.
Chris R
Right. And on Thursdays, you’re playing with “A Few Too Many,” is that right?
Rick R
Yes, that’s correct.
Chris R
So, that’s you, Tony Lujan on lead guitar, Donnie Bason on harmonica. And now you have Mike Carrasco on drums. Now, are you playing solo gigs anywhere around town? Because that’s something folks should know. Rick has been playing around Alpine for a long time. For your youth, it’s amazing how long.
Rick R
Yeah, I shut some places down, too. That has been really a dream come true for me. So many different places, from Guzzi Pizza to other places that have opened their doors to solo acts. And Donnie Bason, that’s where I started playing with him. Our harmonica player from North Carolina. And of course, Tony Lujan has just been in the music scene.
Chris R
The elder statesman of lead guitar in Alpine.
Rick R
He really is.
Chris R
Sorry, Tony, not that you’re old, well you’re a little bit old, but you’re great guitar player.
Rick R
Right. Now the only regular thing we have is “A Few Too Many,” which is I don’t know where the name came from, but it’s a trio or four piece now. Yeah. So every Thursday evening at seven-ish for three plus hours. We look forward to seeing everybody out there.
Chris R
Yeah. You’re playing a broad array of musical styles and stuff because I know you’re playing some Boleros, some country, some rock and roll, some pop.
Rick R
Right? Yeah. Right. Yeah. It’s just music that we all loved and grew up with in one form or another and give it our own West Texas flair.
Chris R
And yeah, I got to shout out that of what I know… All the local musicians, for the most part in town are moonlighting. Everybody’s got a day job, except Rick. You’re the one making it happen. You’re working really hard.
Rick R
I’m grateful. I’m just thrilled to do that. A couple of hats there. I guess we could talk about solo gigs. Not really gigs, but the funeral scene. Unfortunately, somebody’s got to do it.
Chris R
I personally really like playing funerals or memorials or whatever they want to be. It feels really good.
Rick R
Celebrations of life, yeah. Those take me either to Van Horn, Sanderson, Presidio a few times, and of course, Alpine and Fort Davis, Marathon, Marfa.
Chris R
So, you got the funerals, you’ve got the weddings, you’re doing a bunch of those.
Rick R
Right. Yeah. A lot of the COVID pandemic cancelations or postponements kind of started piling up since about March this year, so thankfully we have those still open.
Chris R
And then you’re picking up parties and DJ gigs and things like that, right? Yeah.
Rick R
And sometimes both. And play a few hours and then DJ the next few.
Chris R
Yeah. And now we’ll pass the baton over to Dr. John here. John, I don’t know where when you first came to Alpine, it’s been a little while. But you started up with the Doodlin’ Hogwallops pretty soon after that, it seems like.
John R
Yeah. I was out here temporarily in 2007 doing rotations while I was in medical school. And that’s where I first met Neil and Todd and Chris McWilliams and played with them for that whole month that I was in Alpine.
Chris R
And, in that case, we should let people know. The Doodlin’ Hogwallops are I call it a Honky-Tonk collective, so to speak. It’s kind of the preeminent party band, I guess we might say…
John R
We’re the band that you call when you can’t find any other band.
*laughing*
Chris R
So, you started out on banjo.
John R
I played Banjo with them for a long time until Chris moved to Bulverde. And now I’m playing lead guitar for… sort of lack of basically looking for another guitar player so I can play banjo again.
Chris R
Yeah. Well, those are some shoes to fill for Chris McWilliams
John R
Yeah, Chris McWilliams, great guitar player.
Rick R
Yeah. Great musician.
Chris R
And so, you played with the Doodlin Hogwallops for quite some time, and you still do. But then what about a year ago, a little more? You started this new project.
John R
Yeah. So about a year ago we had this idea to do a gospel brunch, and we floated out to Sam at the French Grocery in Marathon, and he thought it sounded like an awesome idea. So, we put a big bluegrass gospel band together. It’s a rotating cast, if you will.
Chris R
There’s probably 18 people on the list. Yeah.
John R
Well, I know I’ve maxed out how many people I can send a text message to. If someone new comes in, we got to kick somebody out. But usually, it’s about a dozen people that show up. And you’ve played with us before, and mostly it’s the Swifts, me and my wife Katie, and then Donnie Bason. Donnie Bason is, I think, in almost every band out here.
Rick R
He is. He does cameos with every band.
John R
So, we play in Marathon every second Sunday. We play a gospel brunch from eleven to one. Great food, beer, enchiladas and music. And sometimes special guests from out of town, too.
Chris R
And that group is called the Old Rugged Choir.
John R
The Old Rugged Choir. We don’t have a Facebook group or a Web page. But if you can find me, you can find information. And it’s basically a standing gig. Second Sunday in Marathon at French Grocer.
Chris R
And you were playing pedal steel as well as a Banjo there, but I haven’t seen that lately. Are you doing that much?
John R
Yeah, I’m still playing pedal steel a lot. It’s a lot to haul around and it’s a lot to concentrate on. So, in the gospel group, I’m kind of the front guy and it’s hard to sing and think about what’s coming up next and use both feet and both hands and both knees. But I do enjoy playing the pedal steel. And my dream would be to have a guitar player in the Hogwallops and play pedal seal full time.
Chris R
So, there’s the want ad. Come on, guys. The right person needs to step up.
So, I don’t usually talk much about myself, but we’ll talk a little bit.
John R
It is pertinent to the topic of conversation today.
Chris R
Yeah, in The Swifts I play lead guitar and sing. I’m not a lead singer, but we’re all kind of lead singers with the band called The Swifts. And so, lest anyone get the wrong idea that there’s three guys talking about music and Alpine, that it’s all guys. Well, that’s not true. The Swifts is half and half. We have two amazing female singers standing in front of me, which everyone is grateful for. Eden Hinshaw and Amelie Urbanczyk are those real amazing harmony singers and lead singers. And we have Tony Curry on the cajon doing our percussion work. And as John said, all the other Swifts but me make it to most of the gospel brunches. I had to step back a bit because my calendar got a little full. That’s the three of us.
So, then we’ll talk about Alpine in general a little bit. One thing I want to make sure everybody listening knows about is the Texas Music Friendly Community Program. That’s something that the Texas Music Office out of the governor’s office started a few years back, and Alpine became a Texas Music Friendly Community. I think it was two years ago during Viva Big Bend, we did the announcement. It was the virtual one where we couldn’t meet in person. So that would have been 2020, Viva Big Bend. It really is just a statement that music is important to Alpine. And so, we have a Music Advisory Board of venue people and musicians and event organizers that get together, it gives us a place and time for all the music interested people and music playing people can get together and share what they’re doing, and sometimes that can pass on to the City Council if there’s anything anybody needs.
So, I want to let people know that’s going on. And then I thought we’d talk about where you can hear music in Alpine, the venues. It’s a small town, right? There’s only so many. But we do pretty well for being such a little town. So, Rick, you mentioned the Old Gringo Coffee and Cocktails, which you guys play every Thursday. They’ve got music most nights of the week.
Rick R
Most nights of the week, yes. As we mentioned, Donnie and the circle of musicians that he has on Sundays and on Tuesdays.
Chris R
Yeah. Anybody could show up.
Rick R
Anybody can show up.
Chris R
But they should know, it’s not your usual open mic. It’s usually a group. It’s like it’s “like “jump in and try the water”, catch a wave and start playing along with everybody. You’ll get to pick a song and lead the group if you want. But it’s not like you’re getting up on a stool and doing your own thing, usually. So, if people think about an open mic, it’s usually not quite like that.
Rick R
Correct. Yeah.
John R
I think they call it a picker circle. A group endeavor.
Rick R
Yes.
Chris R
And then the Holland Hotel. They have the Century Bar and Grill there. And there’s both the courtyard when the weather is nice and the lobby when the weather’s not. That’s where the Swifts, my group, plays about once a month pretty regularly, but they have, I would say now two to three times a week they’ll have live music. A lot of times it’s maybe Tom Griffith on acoustic on his own, or Texas Sage. That’s Allyson Santucci on vocals and bass and Peter Westfall on guitar, the little duo there. Hall’s Last Call Band from Fort Davis. They played at the Gringo, too, but they come to the Holland pretty regularly. So that’s a place you can expect to see music. A brand-new venue is Alpine Wine that opened up on Fifth Street, and they’re really actively booking Al Haney from Fort Stockton. Have you ever met?
Rick R
I don’t know, but I saw online that he was playing there.
Chris R
He’s got chops, let me tell you. He plays flute and saxophone and he plays any style. He can do the solo thing. I know he’s played with a lot of Tejano groups that he’ll play with and just fill in on woodwinds. So that was kind of his payed gigs for a long time. But he does the solo stuff. He’ll play holiday tunes; I book him sometimes for the holidays or he’ll play smooth jazz. And if you want some wine and some smooth music, that would be great. And I know Tom Griffith again, he’s an acoustic singer songwriter. He’s been playing there and booked there. And this week, in fact, when tonight on the day that is broadcast May 6, the Swifts, my band, will be playing Alpine Wine’s grand opening. So that’s coming up this week. And then Railroad Blues, which is kind of the renowned…they were the main music venue for many years when Richard Fallon and R.C. Toler ran it. They’re under new ownership and they’re sort of in a transition. They’re starting to brew their own beer. So, there’s a lot of stuff going on. So, I hear we’re going to see more music there soon…
John R
Yeah.
Rick R
Great. That’s a great venue.
John R
And I know for Viva, they always have a good line up for Viva. Good sound system, good stage.
Chris R
That’s a thing to point out. I was going to get to events in a bit. But Viva Big Bend is end of July, we’ve had a podcast episode just about that. So, if you’re interested, look us up and find that to get all the details. But almost every stage in Alpine will have something going on for Viva Big Bend. And as you point out, John, the Railroad Blues has something every night of Viva. They were the home base when Viva Big Bend started. So, they keep that kind of role. And I know they do a karaoke every week, but less often. I should point out for all of the music events in Alpine that we can find out about, visitalpinetx.com, click on events and they’ll be on there. Let’s see. Then there’s the Crystal Bar, which I’m not positive how often, but they have had…Kevin Fowler had a big show on April 1, so they have occasional music. They’ve got a really nice stage in the back
Rick R
I think the Bucket of Bullets played there a couple of weeks ago.
Chris R
Yeah. And those guys play the Gringo a lot, right? Are they from Fort Davis?
Rick R
Balmorhea and Fort Davis, I think.
Chris R
And let’s see then, brand new, the Alpine Visitor Center at Third in Avenue E. We just did a renovation there. So there’s now 24 hour restrooms. Public restrooms, 24 hours. I know that’s like the amazing thing. We haven’t got the signs up yet, but they’re there. It’s the back of that visitor center building. But at the front of the building, we built a Pavilion where folks can use picnic tables. You can stop in the shade and eat your picnic lunch or whatever. But we can also have events there. And so, there’s a private group that for a couple, at least two years, maybe three – how long have Debo and Roland have been doing the music?
John R
At least three, four years.
Chris R
This thing started as every month a different person would host it and be at their house in the backyard. And a little private Facebook group invite the players to come and do a music circle. But they’re doing one of their first public ones at the visitor center this Saturday, May 7. And if it goes well, hopefully they’ll keep doing that every month. And so that’s something where anybody who wants to play, anybody who wants to listen is more than welcome to come and enjoy. It’s such a good vibe. You don’t have to be some amazing musician. You can come there. You can try it out. If you don’t want to play your own song, you can play along as best you can or you can dance or whatever you want. But that’s something I think that it’s not just those music circles, Alpine in general really just embraces what people bring to the table.
Rick R
The thing I love, too, Chris, is that a lot of these venues and more people like the guys from Balmorhea and Fort Davis that I never heard. Now we get an opportunity to mix with them and sometimes even play with them or sit in. So, it’s growing. It’s really exciting. It’s an exciting time for music in Alpine.
Chris R
There’s a lot of local talent. It’s often kind of modest. Everybody’s doing kind of their own things, really low key. There are traveling musicians who come through. For years that was what the Railroad Blues did. There wasn’t as much of a local scene at the time when they first started up. So, they were relying on bands traveling between El Paso and Austin. And they would make a good, sweet deal and they’d stop in between. That still happens. We’ll get the traveling shows. But I wanted to point out, John, you guys do house concerts and kind of make a welcoming space for folks as they’re traveling.
John R
Yeah. I think a lot of shifting for traveling musicians in general, especially for singer songwriters and house shows and not trying to fill up the Old Gringo with people that wouldn’t know them. And you can sort of cultivate a listening group. We probably have 30 or 40 people who are interested. They don’t all show up every time. It’s called the Javelina Listening Club, and you can find that on Facebook, Javelina Listening Club, and we send out invites. You can join the group, you can contact me. And we have pretty big-name people come through Alpine. It’s a popular stop, actually, from Austin to Albuquerque. From Austin to LA. And we have a couple of folks in Austin, one manager who manages a lot of groups, who sends people our way when they know they’re going to be making the Southwest trip they’ll hit us up. And we’ve had Adam Carroll, Jolie Holland, a lot of big name people that and it kind of flies under the radar. But I think artists can make a little more money that way than if they just were to play, like at the Holland in the courtyard. And it’s also people that are cultivated to want to buy CDs who are interested in that type of music and listen to the songs that you play.
Chris R
And it’s a great experience for both the listener and the musician, because especially if somebody is doing some kind of intimate music, it’s hard to find a room where people are actually coming to listen to music because people go out, they’re going out to have drinks to be with their friends. And that’s great. When our band plays, I think half of the audience is listening at any one time, and that’s pretty good. And the rest of them are talking to their friends, as it should be. Why should they have to? But this kind of house show deal, this is a listening space. The experience as a listener is you’re right up there in the living room with the musicians. You’re really close. You hear every note, every word. You can understand the words because it’s not that loud. And for the musicians, it’s like how precious is that? You got a room of people who are there just to listen to what you’re doing. Yeah.
John R
And Katie and I, we don’t take any of the money. It all goes to the traveling musicians and they stay in our spare bedroom. And it really works out. Worked out well for us. Yes. It’s been fun. And it’s kind of cool because it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Every person that plays there, then they refer someone else to come play there. And it’s really worked out great.
Chris R
And so there’s one coming up pretty soon this Thursday.
John R
This Thursday.
Chris R
So just before the broadcast, it will already have happened. By the time people hear it.
John R
Yeah, by the time you hear this, you already have missed the boat. But there will be more. And they’re not scheduled. They just come up as we have an artist who’s interested in playing. And like I said, we send out our email blast, and we put an event on Facebook.
Chris R
So, for local folks, look up Javelina Listening Club, send a message and ask to get on that mailing list. And if you’re visiting. Yeah, just give it a try. Maybe you’ll get lucky and there’ll be one.
So other places that music happens…well, the University is something you got to mention. They have a music program and so there’s a lot of ensembles. There’s choral and instrumental ensembles. They’ll have recitals fairly frequently. We have those on the visitalpinetx.com site as well. And they also usually administer or help lead the community band. And they recently did a concert at Kokernot Park. Speaking of Kokernot Park, I need to mention Cyndi Perdue and the Big Bend Bluegrass Association, which is brand new. And so, I met Cyndi with the Old Rugged Choir. So, she showed up playing stand-up bass. And how lucky is that that I didn’t know of anybody playing a stand-up base in Alpine. But at our first practice for the gospel group, there she is. And she had just moved from Wickett and her family started a bluegrass festival there and ran it for years. Then they moved to Alpine and she’s like, well, I think this could work. She started a nonprofit, the Big Bend Bluegrass Association. And they’re going to be doing the first Big Bend Bluegrass Festival in October. And so, I’m hoping that the Old Rugged Choir will be there. But we’ll find out. Props to Cindy for that. Also, every month at Kokernot Park, the main municipal park, they have a bluegrass jam, which once again, anybody can come, bring their acoustic instruments –there’s no electricity there – and play along, bring some songs. And the definition of bluegrass is pretty flexible. You can come and just play what you want to play and everybody is going to be happy. We love that. And then Spicewood, the restaurant, they mostly have had music for Viva Big Bend. I’m not aware that they’ve had public shows. Though, Rick, you mentioned that they do some private events, quite a few weddings.
Rick R
We played a couple of private events there. They have made a space towards the back and it’s both pleasing to the eye and the ears.
Chris R
No kidding.
Rick R
That back view is amazing for the Twin Peaks here.
Chris R
We were fortunate to play there for the last Viva Big Bend. And that was a great stage, a wonderful room to play, it really is. And then some things that are coming up that for the future listeners to the podcast, the Granada Theater, which has been closed for quite some time. Fingers crossed that the sale will close so the place can open and then actually have events because that’s really irreplaceable asset if we can get it open again.
Rick R
Another great stage.
Chris R
Yeah, I know. And then the Hotel Ritchey, which opened for a couple of years there and then shut down with COVID, and had some wonderful music experiences in their courtyard. And they’re having renovations, new ownership, and they may be able to open in the next year or so. So that’s something to keep an eye on. And then the Chisos Brewing Company has plans to build their brewery. It will have a stage on Murphy Street just a block down from the Richey. So those are things to look at in the future and then, moving on from venues, and I apologize to the listener that we’re going on for a while, but we’ll try and make the next part quick.
Events, festivals. Cinco de Mayo is coming up. It’s happening for those who are listening on the radio tonight and tomorrow. Now, Rick, you’re playing for that tonight and tomorrow. Yeah. So that’s on Murphy Street. And they’ll have folklorico dancers. They’ll have Rick’s playing. They’ll have Mariachi Santa Cruz from Presidio who are amazing with Molly Rodriguez’s incredible voice and personality and musical force to be reckoned with.
Rick R
Shout out to all the music educators. Her parents that are also bad*** musicians. I mean bad in a good way.
Chris R
Oh, yeah, that’s right. But yeah, those guys, anytime you see Mariachi Santa Cruz on a bill, don’t miss it.
Rick R
Right. Don’t miss it. Yeah.
Chris R
End of May, Spirits of the West Wine and Beef Festival. There’s going to be three days of music. The Swifts will be closing out Saturday evening’s music for that. Viva Big Bend we already mentioned and Artwalk in November also books music on at least two to three stages for a couple of nights. That’s always the weekend before Thanksgiving. And there’s a podcast episode about that as well.
And so then briefly, let’s talk a little bit about the rest of the area. So, like Doug Moreland in Fort Davis, he plays a lot with the Old Rugged Choir.
John R
Yeah. And he has a monthly barn dance. I think it was just last week.
Chris R
Yes.
John R
It’s monthly, right?
Chris R
Yeah, that’s the plan.
John R
Yeah. Crawfish Boil. And Doug’s band is awesome old country. And he plays fiddle and sings. They got a great band.
Chris R
And that’s at the Kelly Pavilion behind the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce. Then, of course, the French Company in Marathon, French Grocer.
John R
Sam has a lot of bands coming through. I think Sam and Michael have a lot of contacts in Austin and a lot of bands are playing sort of the Marathon French Grocer, Marfa Connection. So, they’re having a lot of groups in addition to the Old Rugged Choir every second Sunday.
Chris R
Yeah. And the Gage used to have public shows in the restaurant for fairly regularly. I haven’t seen them lately. But Rick, you were telling me you’re playing the Gage all the time at those weddings. So just park, get in the parking lot and you’ll hear Rick. Yeah.
Rick R
There’s that little tailgater.
Chris R
You bet. Then, of course, Terlingua has a strong music community, always has. The Starlight Theater usually at least a couple of weekend nights every weekend. And then the porch at sunset time, that’s another kind of just free for all music circle. Just bring your guitar to those benches up front. Go and be sure to buy a beer so the Trading Company’s making something out of it. But yeah, that’s a great scene. We could spend another half an hour on all the great musicians down in South County. And then obviously, Marfa, The Lost Horse, they’ve had music for a long time. New ownership after COVID. And so that’s an occasional show that you’ll see there. El Cosmico has the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music and Love.
John R
Which is a huge deal.
Chris R
Yeah, huge thing. And they have also occasional shows. So, look for their calendar. Sometimes the Capri will have a special event and the St. George, sometimes at the pool, sometimes in the Hall. And then Planet Marfa is under new ownership. They’re making plans, but we don’t know what they are yet.
Rick R
They’ve had a couple of shows.
Chris R
Okay, good to hear.
Rick R
And I think we’re going to play there in June 1, first weekend of June. That’s A Few Too Many.
Chris R
Look forward to that.
Rick R
Tickets on sale now. *laughing* No, I take that back. Most of these are free.
Chris R
Yeah, that is actually true. Yeah. Almost all of the shows that we’ve been talking about with local bands. There’s no cover. You just come in, be sure to tip the band and buy some beers and tip the bartender. And everybody’s happy.
Rick R
Right.
Chris R
Well, any final thoughts from you guys?
Rick R
Chris, you are amazing. Thank you, Chris.
Chris R
You guys are both amazing.
Rick R
Keeping the ball rolling on here. It takes a village.
John R
And I want to say, so, visitalpinetx.com has a list. There’s also a circulating list on Facebook that David Kowal is curating. That is supposedly up to date to the minute every week.
Chris R
Thank you for mentioning that. He is the music editor for the Big Bend Gazette. And so, look for that. It’s a monthly newspaper. Look for that. Pick up the paper. And it should list every show he could find out about. And he works hard to find out about it.
Rick R
Thank you, David, for doing that.
Chris R
David Kowal, K-O-W-A-L on Facebook. Yeah, he’ll post those and he just did May. I just saw it today. Thanks, John. So anyway, Alpine, we love music. We love musicians. We love people who listen to music.
Rick R
Thank you, music lovers.
Chris R
And we hope you’ll come out and partake of our little community. So, thanks, everybody for joining us. Again, sorry we got a little overexcited and went long, but you can get more information about Heart of the Big Bend at visitalpinetx.com/podcast or search for Heart of the Big Bend on Apple podcast Spotify. Most of the other podcast apps. And for folks listening to the radio, we’ll be back in two Fridays. So, thanks everybody.
Outro
You’ve been listening to the heart of the big Ben hope you liked what you heard and that you’ll find the time to experience all that Big Bend has to offer. See you soon, partner. Bye.