This whole thing started a few years ago when Ed Burleson and James Bailey met up at a wedding and afterwards, James hired Ed to play a “gathering” that would later become known as “The Tom Bean 4th of July Party.” This event was later tagged as the “Annual Ida Road Honkytonk Fest,” and this is the 5th year that Whitewright, Texas has come alive with entertainment around this time of year.
This year is no exception, and the Whitewright Tractor Pull Arena will be the venue for a great lineup of musicians this Saturday. The gates will open at 5pm on Friday night to welcome any campers that might want to get there early to ensure a great spot. (Dry camping only, no hookups) For $10 per person, you get all the food and music you can stand!! BYOB!! Food will be served at 5pm Saturday evening, and just listen to this lineup!
GRAY$ON.....1:00pm – 1:45pm
ACEHIGH.....2:15pm – 3:00pm
They’ve been a local favorite around these parts for many years now. This versatile group is one of the most talented cover bands around this area, and they do cover it all! From traditional and Texas country to classic rock, with a little blues and Texas swing thrown in for good measure...these guys are sure to play your favorites.
PUSHROD.....3:30pm – 4:15pm
Life ain't always been easy for this North Texas countyfied group of trouble makers. This threesome has a theme of cars, cars, and cars! They sing about what they know, and they do it very well! Mike, Dan, and Jimbo have a great following and they will definitely put on a great show!
ED BURLESON.....4:45pm – 5:45pm
Burleson’s Texas bloodline goes back as far as his name: Bennett Edward Burleson IV. Born in 1969, he grew up in a music-loving family that moved frequently because of his dad’s sales career. They landed in Lewisville, where Ed joined his high school rodeo team — a choice that led directly to his music career. In college on a bronco-bucking scholarship, Burleson traded some riding tack for a guitar. He decided to leave the cowboy life to follow another kind of Texas tradition as a country singer/songwriter. Ed’s first recording was Live at Three Teardrops. His next, Comin’ Around, got him to the Broken Spoke, Austin’s real-deal dance hall. Laboring by day and playing as many nights as he could, Burleson built a strong fan base.
IDA ROAD BAND.....6:15pm – 7:15pm
If you think the Ida Road Band sounds small town, there is a reason for that. Simply put, they are. Not only do most of the members of the band live in or around the small town of Tom Bean now, it is where they grew up and where their roots are. They may be small town, but they are the ones that have built this annual event up to what it is today, and they have put together a great lineup for this year. James, Mark, Chris, and Cliff have their own sound, and it is definitely a winning combination.
JARROD BIRMINGHAM.....7:45pm – 9:15pm
Jarrod Birmingham has been compared to Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr. and producer Eric Paul described the country traditionalist as “the first real singer of the 21st century.” His 2006 CD, “No Apologies,” spawned a #1 single and earned the country music outlaw a top ten spot in the Best Of Texas Top 30 songs of the year. This South Texas native is no manufactured “hat act.”
Birmingham is a REAL cowboy. A former professional bullrider who has enough pins, plates and screws in his body to make it difficult to pass an airport scanner, Birmingham’s music is steeped in stark realism. His #1 single, “If You Don’t Like Me,” confirmed his place as an extraordinary talent on the Texas music scene and his new BMA Records release, “Like My Daddy Did,” will introduce the rest of the nation to our Texas treasure.
THE DERAILERS.....9:45pm - ???
It was their mutual love for the music of legendary country artist Buck Owens that originally brought The Derailers together back in the ’90s, and with the release of their eighth album, Under the Influence of Buck, the honky-tonkin’ boys from Austin bring their music all the way back to the source with a rollicking and heartfelt tribute to the timeless music of Buck Owens.
From the album’s opening track, “Foolin’ Around,” to “Big in Vegas,” the mournful track that closes this remarkable collection, Under the Influence of Buck is a loving look back and a natural step forward for one of the coolest bands around.
