The porch back home in McKinney where Rudy Littrell and Duane Brown practice reverberates in E-flat, and Harmony House reverberated with applause after Woody Guthrie classics and blues tunes written by Texas legend Lightnin' Hopkins. There was plenty of laughter at witty repartee between songs and eventually happy guests couldn't control their happy feet and dancing broke out.
Coincidentally, that is often the case when the E-Flat Porch Band is in the house. There was another coincidence of note as three people in the audience, Carol Lipsett, Faye Weddell and Elizabeth May were all celebrating birthdays and, even more of a coincidence, all three had just turned 39!
Former drummer Rudy Littrell, a recovering percussionist, primarily plays stand-up base and harmonica, although he is one of the state's premier kazoo players when push comes to shove.
The other half of this dynamic duo is gifted guitarist Duane Brown.
And these purveyors of erudite porch music are more than just a good time; E-Flat Porch Band is a window into the timeless songs of some of the best-known blues, jazz and ragtime performers.
Littrell and Brown are both outstanding songwriters in their own right, however the duo seems quite satisfied to pay homage to the litany of Texas troubadors that went before them. That formula pleases toe-tapping audiences that obviously relish listening to songs that are immediately recognizeable.
If you want to enjoy an angst-free evening of classic acoustic blues, be sure and catch E-Flat Porch Band in historic downtown McKinney's Café Malaga on the second Saturday of each month.
Fans of Harmony House Concerts will be looking forward to the next concert in the peaceful confines of Wildscape Acres, located in the rolling hills 10 miles north of Bonham. Jonathan Byrd will be performing Friday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. www.jonathanbyrd.com.
