Moore, Martha Dean (McKinney)
Peacefully passed away in her home on Monday, November 9, 2009 in Sacramento, California. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Billie M. (Tiny) Moore, parents Dewey and Margaret McKinney,sister Helen V. Ridge and her loving son-in-law William (Skip) Van Vliet. She is survived by her children: daughters Debra M. Moore and Kimberly Van Vliet of Sacramento, son Richard D. Moore, wife Patti and
their sons Jarod and Danny of Auburn, California. She also leaves her sister and singing partner Evelyn and her daughter Billie (Jaki)Wills, of North Highlands, California.

Dean and her sister Evelyn were known professionally as the McKinney Sisters and began singing on radio station WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama when Dean was 14 and Evelyn was 12 years old. During their early career they were also known as “The Jim Dandy Sweethearts,” “The Song Twins,” “The Double Cola Twins” and “The Coeds.” They appeared with the Sons of the Pioneers and on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee with Eddie Arnold and Eddy Peabody, the Banjo King. After working in Chicago with the Ted Weems Orchestra they were contacted by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Their first work with Bob Wills was an ABC radio program and to participate in a musical short film for Universal Studios. A long and successful career with Bob Wills resulted in classic recordings for MGM, Columbia and The Tiffany Transcriptions. During this time Dean met her husband and musical collaborator Tiny Moore, who played the electric mandolin and fiddle as one of The Playboys. Dean and Tiny settled in Sacramento and Tiny managed the Wills Point Ballroom on Auburn Boulevard. Western Swing Music was the attraction for dances and concerts held at the Ballroom with Tiny’s band that included Evelyn’s husband, Billy Jack Wills.

Fulfilling the needs of their faith in God, Dean and Tiny were among the founding members of the First Baptist Church of Carmichael. Dean and Evelyn shared their love of faith and music by frequently ministering to the congregation with songs of praise. Two LP’s of sacred music were produced: “Softly and Tenderly” and “Heaven’s Harmony.” Dean was an unwavering presence in her children’s lives and was active in Parent Teacher Associations throughout their early school years. She enthusiastically supported every activity that interested her children. She was a wonderful cook and she and Tiny entertained often with lavish dinners for friends and family. They performed as a duo frequently joined by their daughter Kimberly and
were constantly in demand to appear at concerts and private gatherings.

After Tiny’s death in 1987 Dean became active in the Sacramento Western Swing Society, serving as their President for many years. During this time Dean traveled extensively and continued to sing with Evelyn at musical festivals across the United States to show case the unique style of music known as “Western Swing.”

Her children will remember her as an example of strength of character and wisdom, unfailing support and abiding love. She will be remembered by all for her talent, her grace, her kindness and her sweet humor. Martha Dean Moore was in all situations an impeccable lady.

Services will be held on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 2:00 pm at the East Lawn Mortuary located at 5757 Greenback Lane, Sacramento, California, 95841.Read More

Big Bill Lister in ICU

Country Music Association of Texas Hall of Famer Big Bill Lister is now situated at Life Care Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

He is still in ICU and remains hooked up to the ventilator. He is awake and responsive though several times they have had to give him some anxiety meds to help calm him down and those usually end up putting him to sleep. It is still a very long road ahead for him.

He seems to be very responsive when he is read a card or letter that someone sends to him. Although, he can not communicate, the cards and letters seem to be making a difference for him. I know that he would love to hear from you and any one else that might remember and care about him. Country Music and his friends in that industry are so very important to him.

The address is:
Big Bill Lister
Life Care Hospital of San Antonio
8902 Floyd Curl
San Antonio , Texas 78240

Please pass this along to anyone that might want to send him a note.

Big Bill started his radio career over KNEL in Brady, Texas, in 1935. He went on to the Grand Ole Opry and opened shows all over the country for Hank Williams. He was the first to record "There's A Tear In My Beer" and has been a very important part of the Texas Country Music scene for seventy years.

Johnny Bush Sings Bob Wills

Johnny Bush Sings Bob Wills is an airy, 10-song-in-26-minutes big-band salute to the King of Western Swing that was recorded at Willie Nelson's Perdenales studio in 1990 (at the precise time the IRS swooped in and padlocked the place until Nelson resolved that mess). Yet the sands of time have been kind to Sings Bob Wills. The two-trumpet, double fiddle, sax, trombone, and multi-guitar-layered attack provide the perfect panorama for for Bush's expressive singing and buoyant arrangements. Merle Haggard's "Don't Sing Me Songs About Texas" done with guest singer Hank Thompson, and the class "South of the Border" breath heartily with fiddles and horns allowing each other plenty of leeway. Willie Nelson's vocal contributions to "Time Changes Everything" offers a vibrato so similar to Bush that you wonder if they were seperated at birth. Bush even floats an entertaining instrumental rendition of "Jersey Bounce" just so he can feature his band. Now how cool is that? You can download individual tracks or the entire cd at www.buckatune.net
Track include:
And God Created Texas
Beneath A Neon Star
Bob Said It Aw and Called It Western Swing
Don't Sing Me No Songs About Texas
Jersey Bounce
New Road Under My Wheels
Raindrops Falling In A River
South Of The Border
Time Changes Everything
Warm Red Wine

Jody Nix "New Road Under My Wheels"

Jody Nix "New Road Under My Wheels" is now available at www.buckatune.net You can download individual tracks or the entire cd.

Jody Nix, a well established artist in the great State of Texas. A true Traditional Country Music and Western Swing Artist, been in the business 45 years. Has played dances and shows all over Texas and parts of the Southwest. He leads one of the finest Dance bands in Texas, they fill the floor on every song. Jody "grew up" in music, started playing drums in his Father Hoyle Nix's Band at age 8 in 1960 playing 5 nights a week all over West Texas. Jody started playing the fiddle at age 11, started singing at age 16, recorded with Bob Wills at age 21 on the 1973 "Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys For The Last Time" as a guest artist and sang 3 songs. Jody started on his own in 1985 after the death of his Father, and has since played 100-125 dates per year for almost 20 years. Jody has 8 albums to his credit, and was also a guest artist on Asleep At The Wheel's 2 Tribute Albums to Bob Wills. His Influences are Bob Wills, Hoyle Nix, Johnny Bush, Ray Price, Marty Robbins, Charlie Walker, and of course George Strait. This CD is packed with something for everybody.
Tracks include:
New Road Under My Wheels
Maiden's Prayer
Hang Your Head In Shame
She Won't Let Me Forget Her
Bottle Baby Boogie
Carrying On The Show
That's What It's Like To Be Lonesome
Fiddle Tune Medley
Your Memory's Still Living Here
Corn Flower Waltz

Billy Mata Domino Effect

Here's a cd that you will want in your collection! Billy Mata & Texas Tradition's "Domino Effect". You've heard cuts from the cd on various radio stations, including Willie's Place on Sirius XM.

This cd features some great tunes including:
Across The Alley From The Alamo
Macon Georgia Love
Roll’em Floyd
A Girl Like You
Wishful Thinking
Domino Effect
If This Was Texas
Private Party
Texas Homesick Blues
I Laugh When I Think How I Cried Over You
Cielito Lindo
Wishing Well
Gotta Keep ‘Em Movin’ Along

You can listen to clips, download individual tracks, or download the entire cd at www.buckatune.net

Jody Nix "The Fiddle Man"

Jody Nix is back with another CD of 12 cuts that display without doubt his Western Swing pedigree. Here again is another really top class production from Jody.

Besides featuring Jody on vocals, fiddle and harmony vocals the album features the great Johnny Cox playing some of the most enjoyable steel guitar licks that you can only dream about. Jake Hooker is heard on bass and Robert Weeks is also featured on fiddle. The very polished Rich O'Brien is heard on electric and acoustic guitars and Dixie Hankins rounds out the band on drums and also on harmony vocals.

The album opens with The Hal Blair/Don Robertson composed Hank Locklin early 60s pop/country crossover hit Please Help Me I'm Falling and then goes on to Bobby Goldsboro's With Pen in Hand from a few years later. Also from the country music world is a great Texas dance hall style arrangement of Bill Anderson's I've Enjoyed as Much of this as I Can Stand and from the George Jones hit parade is Leon Payne's Things Have Gone to Pieces. From the great Bob Wills is Artie Glenn's Sooner or Later and Harlan Howard's The Image of Me. Jody also borrows from Bob Wills' great vocalist, Tommy Duncan's Intro years, There's Not a Cow in Texas and from the pen and library of Red Steagall, The Fiddle Man. Also included are the late Slim Willet's Tool Pusher from Snyder and Splinter Middleton's Walking Tall. There are also two of Jody's own fine compositions, the super Texas dance hall sounding Sorry, Sad and Lonesome and a country I Entertain Myself with Memories. (reprint from http://www.swinginwest.com)

The entire cd or individual tracks can be downloaded at www.buckatune.net

Light Crust Dough Boys Cd

Light Crust Doughboys "Steel Away" cd now available at www.buckatune.net

The Light Crust Doughboys with James Blackwood and Tom Brumley (a country-gospel tribute to the steel guitar featuring Hall of Famer Tom Brumley of Rick Nelson and Buck Owens fame) James Blackwood of the world-famous Blackwood Brothers a...nd Masters V has been called by numerous publications "the gospel singer of the century"; Tom Brumley is world-famous for his innovative steel guitar work with Rick Nelson and Buck Owens and others; The brammy award winning Light Crust Doughboys are world-famous as the originators of the western swing style of music beginning in 1930.