think pink...

Well, I gave it my best shot but Melissa Etheridge will not be my October interview. I guess you only get one interview per celebrity in your lifetime and I already had mine with her in 1980-something when I was a budding young journalist in LA and she was an up and coming singer songwriter who had just released her first record. My thanks to her management for at least putting up with my annoying phone calls and emails. It's hard to get me to take no for an answer once I think I've got a good idea.


As we are preparing for our second annual Pink Fest! 2012 here at Cypress Creek Cafe, I still can't believe it's been almost a year since our maiden voyage. We learned a lot from that first event. We learned that you can't compete with a gun raffle, you can't charge a ticket fee and I learned personally, that I can't do an entire day in heels.

This year, we are so incredibly lucky to have the following people, places and things sponsor this event so that we are able to make it free to the public. Many, many thanks to

The Women's Center at Central Texas Medical Center (WC/CTMC) in partnership with

 Pink Heals, Community Action and 

Texas State Cancer Advocacy Movement for Colleges and Outreach (CAMCO)

Amy Allen / V Clay Salon

Carpenter Insurance

Chuy's

Gallery On The Square

Old Mill Store

State Farm / Byron Eckols

Wall Street Western

 Wells Fargo Bank of Wimberley

All of the money raised from donations and the silent auction will stay in Hays County via our sponsorship with CTMC, and will be distributed to Pink Heals and Community Action to provide breast cancer screening and treatment to women in Hay's County. This is huge for us and while we are grateful to Komen for participating in our event last year, we felt we wanted to focus on our communities, our county and our citizens. I suppose it does take a village....

Pink Fest! 

Saturday, October 6

Gates at noon; live music at 1:00

South River Trio

Karen Nash & Bob Malone

Kim Meeks & Her Bad Habits

Jennifer B & The Groove Kings

Patricia Vonne

The Whiskey Sisters

Van Wilks will close out the night in the Buzzard Bar beginning at 9:00 pm

Please come out and support this great cause, help us create awareness about the importance of yearly mammograms. Talk to some amazing women who have survived and continue to fight for a cure. Be a part of this very special day.

Thanks to EVERYONE who helps make this event happen!

Temple Ray

Cypress Creek Cafe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Anna

This is Anna Moss, the sister of our own Michelle & Aaron. Michelle and Aaron have raised her since she was an infant after the death of their mother and Michelle lovingly refers to her as “her daughter.” Anna has been sick for 16 months with chronic pain and illness that has been undiagnosed after seeing 17 different doctors. She has been unable to work or go to school and is bedridden most of her days. The next step for the family is to take her to the Austin Diagnostic Clinic for other testing. The costs so far have been devastating for Anna and her family and will continue to be until they receive a diagnosis. 

 

There will be a benefit at CCC, Sunday, October 28 featuring SUSAN GIBSON and friends and we will keep updates about this event on our facebook page. If you are unable to donate or wish to do so at a later date, please click on the PayPal link below.

Thank you & God Bless….

It's Good To Be King.....

Shelley King's decision to quit her day job in 1998 and play music full time launched  a series of events that would place her firmly in the bedrock of the Austin Music scene.  Having played in the area since 1992, King took some time off in the mid 90s to focus on writing songs and eventually record and release her first CD, Call of My Heart.  Two songs from that release, including the title track, would be covered by Toni Price on her 2001 release, Midnight Pumpkin, and “Call of My Heart,” would win Song of the Year at the 2002 Austin Music Awards. Fast forward to 2008 when King would be named Texas State Musician – the first woman to ever be able to claim the title.

“It was almost ten years to the day of me quitting my day job,” said King, when we spoke of the award.  People will sometimes say to me, “Oh, you’re so good. Why haven’t you made it?” In this kind of business, these days, every single little victory adds up. You’ve got to appreciate every single little blessing. I think it’s a blessing that I get to play music. It’s a blessing that I get to play at Cypress Creek. I think I’ve made it. I count every little blessing. Not everybody gets to be Blake Shelton, I guess, or whatever the flavor of the month is. And I don’t think we all want that. We all kind of dig our life around here.”

King tours solo, as a duo or with a full band and additionally there are other projects that also keep this power house singer songwriter up late at night, including SisDeville (with Carolyn Wonderland and Floramay Holliday) and Texas Guitar Women (which features Wonderland, Cindy Cashdollar, Sarah Brown and Lisa Pankratz). You're only as good as the company you keep, and King is definitely in fine company with these legendary women.

A new CD is scheduled to be released at the beginning of 2013. And if that's not enough to keep a gal busy, King has also managed to find some time for a serious labor of love called HOME; Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers.

In its infancy, HOME is a non-profit that was started by several Austin music industry leading ladies, (King, Susan Antone, Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland, Nancy Fly and Nancy Coplin to name a few) when one of Austin's premier blues singers recently became homeless. [I have not included the name of this artist in order to protect privacy.]

“This is to help aging Austin entertainers,” said King. “We have HAAM, [Health Alliance for Austin Musicians] and we’re keeping our musicians healthy. They’re going to live longer and they’re going to need help with housing later. This is something we need so much.  We have set up a bank account and are starting to solicit donations. We are also planning on putting out a CD to benefit HOME and hope to have it out before the holidays when everyone will be thinking about home."

[A benefit will also be scheduled at Antone’s at a later date and we will keep you posted as the information becomes available and links to pertinent pages will be added here later.]

As King continues to blaze her trail, her songs continue to inspire and uplift. Her character and her love of what she does is reflected both on stage and off and she will continue to reign supreme for a long, long time. - TR

www.shelleyking.com

Shelley King 

Saturday, August 4

The Buzzard Bar 

Cypress Creek Cafe

Wristbands, $10

A (Southern) Gentleman and a (Blues) Scholar

WC Clark is called the godfather of the Austin blues for a good reason. Blues greats from Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and countless others have all fallen under his tutelage at some point.

A multiple award winner, legendary guitarist, singer and songwriter, when I asked him about his career defining moments he said, "playing at Rockefeller Center and seeing the signs advertising some of the great blues and jazz players that had performed there...that was a big one for me." Having his crowds be a mix of young and old is also one of the things he says defines him most.

He is also defined by his southern upbringing in Austin, Texas. His stories to me included several about his grandmother, who was half Cherokee, and who taught him about love and respect. "I'd go to the store with my mother or my grandmother, and if there was someone struggling with their groceries, they'd tell me to go ask them if they needed help. I still do that now. You see somebody that needs help, that’s what you do."

Clark comes from a world that for the most part, no longer exists, but he has not forgotten it. His music harkens back to a time of gospel, family and struggles met head on with grace and kindness. "I never even went to a doctor until I was 17. My grandmother always cured us of everything. I remember her rubbing sardines on my chest to cure us of diphtheria." 

Clark's road has been one traveled once and then again, always with a story to tell. "One time, we were coming back to Austin. It's was my turn to drive so some of the guys asked if they could drink beer in the van. I told them, no!" They told me they wanted to get a hotel room so I dropped them off and that's just what they did; got them a room so they could drink beer and drove back by myself!"

"These young players coming up have to decide if they want to play for a living or if they want to do it as a hobby," he said laughing.

"My grandmother told me that 'music is love just looking for a home,' and I never forgot that." For Clark, who says he has no intention of slowing down after touring for 40 years, finds a home with his muse in the clubs, theaters and stages all over the world. "When I played in Russia, Turkey and the Canary Islands, I was representing Austin. That's a good feeling."

Since the early 80s, Clark has been bringing his blues and love to the bar at Cypress Creek Cafe and we will greet him once again with open arms, Saturday, July 14. 

Welcome, home, WC!

-Temple Ray

WC Clark website

Show starts in The Buzzard Bar at 9pm, wristbands $10.

Live music, cold beer....

With the 4th of July falling on Wednesday, we decided to get a jump on the party!  Come on down and dance, drink a nice cold beer and have yourself a good time!

Following is our music line up July 4 - 8

Wednesday, July 4
Joel Hofmann Band
Playing traditional Country and Rockabilly deep in the heart of Texas!!!

Thursday, July 5
Mark Allan Atwood & Special Guest
acoustic song swap
This enigmatic performer pulls the crowd in with some good ol' fashioned, hell-raisin attitude and then knocks 'em flat with his rough edged, passionately delivered ballads. From his arresting choice of covers to his life-stained, gut-blasting originals, he is Honkytonk at it's best. 

Friday, July 6
Alex Dormont & The Hot Texas Swing Band
Alex has been in numerous bands in Austin including Ace in the Hole with George Strait and Jimmy Day's band.  Alex's arrangements have been inspired by the Big Band music of Bob Wills, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. 

Saturday, July 7
Fat Cracker
Playing the best in classic rock dance music! Beatles, Stones and all your other favorites to make you shake, rattle & roll and dance the night away.

Sunday, July 8
Jimi Lee Band
Harmonica ace JIMI LEE is an award-winning songwriter and performer. He is referred to as “the best” at playing harmonica in the rack and guitar simultaneously. His dynamic vocals and searing harmonica solos have been turning heads for quite a while earning him great reviews and ‘pre-legendary’ status in the Austin music scene.

4th of July

One of the great things about living in Wimberley is that every now and then, it truly has a small town feel. Case in point, is the annual Wimberley 4th of July parade.  Years ago, I lived on Cypress Creek across from the square and always had the best seat in the house. 

Here's a little known fact about me: parades - especially this one - make me cry.  I'm not sure why but I always got overwhelmed with this weird, bittersweet sadness. After I moved away from the creek, I never went back to the parades.

Now that I work at CCC and the parade announcing is done from our balcony, it's sort of like being tortured.   There's just this innocence about it and it makes me feel like I missed out on something. That whole 'small town America' thing usually goes right over my head. I've been in Wimberley long enough now that I complain about the traffic and "all those people from Houston." I avoid driving into Wimberley on Market Days; I can't remember the last time I actually shopped on the square and I've worked in this vicinity on and off since 1985 when I moved here from Los Angeles.  

Wimberley has gone through a lot of changes, droughts, floods, arguments and ordinances over the years but the things that remain constant and the traditions that make this such a unique place to live are why we stay. Working at this cafe, I sometimes forget that this building is a part of the history of Wimberley and that thousands of people have shared meals and good times since 1937. 

We hope to continue the tradition for years to come and it's nice to be a part of the parade even if I can't watch it.....

tr

Happy July 4th!













This is probably the best performance ever captured of the National Anthem.  Hope you enjoy.

hot fun in the summer time...

It's supposed to be 105 degrees today here in Wimberley, Texas so I thought this would be the perfect time to start a blog. Not to complain about the heat but to stay out of it and offer you a couple of solutions to beating it.


We're getting really busy lately and our back patio has been full almost every night since school got out.  We keep the misting fans set on stun so it's always fairly pleasant, even in this oppressive heat.


If you're coming to Wimberley, no summer road trip is complete without getting your toes wet, and we recommend you check out Blue Hole.  This is one of the best swimmin' holes around and it's the cure for the summertime blues.

Blue Hole

If it's air conditioning you still seek, we've got a great summer music line up. Be sure to visit our website and follow the links to the Buzzard Bar for the summer music calendars.  The line up for this weekend is:

Friday, June 29

Spencer Thomas - Spencer has been singing the blues around Austin for a long time and has always used the cream of the crop in A List players.  Depending on who's available, you might see him with a couple of horn players or a hot shot guitarist. Regardless of the line up, the band is always good, always tight and always danceable.

Saturday, June 30

Stop The Truck - These guys play both kinds of music: country and western! (Sorry, but when you can quote a line from The Blues Brothers, you do...) They've been around awhile, too, and are a perennial CCC favorite. Top shelf players with a great set list.

As I get used to the fact that I've added a blog to my list of responsibilities, I will try to put updates as often as I can. We've got a lot of really cool things coming up during the summer months, leading up to our Pink Fest! in October. (More on this later...)

Meanwhile, if you find yourself in Wimberley during a day trip or whether you consider yourself a local, we hope you'll come down and say howdy.  Stop in for lunch or dinner or have a nice cold beverage. Inside or out, our hardworking staff is here to make you feel at home. 

Stay cool! I'm off to get an ice cream fix from The Old Mill Store!

tr