The second installment of the songwriting showcase The Hook transpired in Austin on Sunday, May 10th at Sagebrush, and it was a doozy. The full episode can now be seen below.
Special guest performer and panelist Susan Gibson started the show off by regaling the audience and songwriters with her rendition of the award-winning song “Wide Open Spaces.” The song was made into a Double Platinum hit, and a CMA Single of the Year by the [Dixie] Chicks as part of their 1998 album of the same name.
Gibson not only performed the song, but revealed the third verse that was taken out to optimize the song for radio play, and used the song to talk to songwriters about how they already have a great song in them, and to never be so uncompromising that you allow a great song to go unheard. Gibson then stuck around for the rest of the show, giving advice to the songwriters who signed up to perform with Hook co-host Caitlin Cannon.
Local Austin songwriter Jake Busby had the unenviable task of following up Susan Gibson, but rose to the occasion with his song “Dear Tornado”—a superbly-written track about sometimes wanting to float away from reality, delivered with a some really devastating lines.
Austin-based songwriter and producer Dave Endlessly impressed with a bossa nova-styled song called “Tonight You’re Gonna Lose Her,” which is one of the songs on his new album Good Morning Aureliano released on May 1st.
Tyler Richards made his second appearance on The Hook, impressing with the soaring chorus of the song “What If I’m Wrong.” He will be releasing his Unwind EP on May 28th, and will also be playing an EP release show at The Saxon Pub on June 2nd. Richards is definitely someone who deserves more national attention. Along with his Hook performances, check out his latest single “Eight Dollar Drinks.”
Theodore The Steodore (sp?) was certainly a fun character to have on The Hook. Traveling through from the West Coast where he worked for years as a longshoreman, he entertained the audience with a grooved-up blues harmonica song.
Drew Preston underscored how it’s not just the songs and the performances that are compelling on The Hook, but the stories of the people behind them.
Drew Preston is a former Opera singer who lost his voice to Cancer. Preston then transitioned to teaching music in schools before opening up a studio in Austin to help developing talent get a leg up in the business. Unfortunately, such altruistic endeavors often are hard to sustain, and the studio had to close down. Now Preston is trying to put his own music out into the world.
Katrina Cain who won a gold patch during the first Austin show at Sagebrush on May 3rd returned to perform, and so did Jellybean Sparkles, though she requested her appearance not be included i nthe episode.
Phil Brush, also known as “Chill Phil” closed the show out with his Cash and Hag-inspired song “Wearing Black.” Along with being a solo artist with a great voice and great songs, Chill Phil plays with numerous other artists and bands throughout Austin as an important character in the Austin scene, helping to fill the shoes of the late Kinky Friedman as a “Texas Jewboy.”
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The next Hook shows are May 24th and May 31st at Sagebrush from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Songwriters who want to perform are asked to show up at 2:30.
The Hook is not just for songwriters. Fans of songwriting are also encouraged to stop by. For more information, visit savingcountrymusic.com/thehook. Please subscribe to The Hook’s YouTube Channel, and follow The Hook on Instagram and Facebook.
The Hook is sponsored by Ear Trumpet Labs, Keystone Artist Connect, The Willie Bus, Mule Kick Productions, JWA Media, and Sagebrush.
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