If you enjoy listening to live music in the friendly confines of Fannin County, this past weekend offered plenty of opportunities. It all began Friday night with a two-hour show by a highly regarded band, The Triptones, as the Autumn in Bonham festivities got underway.
But that was only the beginning...
A special treat awaited early arrivals at the Lake Bonham Hoe-Down Saturday night as Dale Clark sat in with The Shades of Bluegrass in the opening set.
Clark is responsible for the versatile lead work guitar work that propels the Max Stallings Band, but Saturday night Dale was trading riffs with Boyd Hudgens, the man on banjo for The Shades of Bluegrass and a gifted musician in his own right. It also gave Dale a chance to be onstage with his father, Glen Clark, the band's mandolin player.
The Shades of Bluegrass wrapped up their set with lead vocalist Joan Kelton's tribute to the sound of Bill Monroe, "Blue Moon of Kentucky."
Hudgens and his band, Bois d'Arc Bottom, will put on a free show at the pavilion in Windom beginning at 7:00 p.m. September 29.
Special guests at the Hoe-Down Saturday night were Upper Grassmen, a Sherman band that features the dobro work of Randy Keister. You can catch Upper Grassmen, along with Copper Canyon and Back Stage in Blue Ridge September 29.
The next show at the Lake Bonham Hoe-Down will be the Golden Gospel Jubilee on Friday, October 5.
Sunday was the first anniversary of the founding of Wild Horse Creek Cowboy Church and 183 attended a special service that included the ordaining of pastor John Salem.
For years Salem operated The Upper Room in Farmersville, a favorite hangout for fans of new Christian music and Sunday afternoon the moving music of Kathleen Carnali flooded Wild Horse Creek.
Carnali's powerful vocals are matched by her fluid work on the keyboards. Only in her 20's, this ambitious Christian performer already has two albums to her credit, the self-titled Kathleen Carnali and All to You, and she has toured Japan, Australia, Haiti, South Korea and Canada. Carnali is currently on a cross-county tour that features shows in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and then several performances in Colorado.
But Sunday found the singer touring northern Fannin County, with the help of Brett Carnali, her husband and soundman. It was hard to listen to the skilled keyboard work without imagining Kathleen being forced to spend countless hours practicing her young life away while, but she laughs at the thought.
"It's a gift," she says. "It is a blessing and it surprises me as much as anyone else."
To learn more, visit www.kathleencarnali.com
Wild Horse Creek Cowboy Church has another interesting musician scheduled to appear next month. Don't miss Katie Kinard on October 28.