DAVID WINS A TEXAS MUSIC AWARD!

Photo courtesy of The Marshall News Messenger

Chatting about fly fishing in Colorado with Michael Martin Murphy would have been enough. Hearing BJ Thomas talk about my song would have been plenty. Just being there was an honor. But those thrills were only a prelude to my utter astonishment at receiving this amazing Texas Music Award, chosen by the Academy of Texas Music for only one TX artist:

The Founders Award for Artistic Excellence, recognizing last year’s release Big Top: Vol. 1 & 2.
“The founders of the Texas Music Awards bestow awards in various categories each year based on criteria outside the traditional voting process. Our deserving Academy member this year is DAVID LUTES for his amazing release, BIG TOP. Please join us in congratulating David … this is a project worthy of your attention!
- The Academy of Texas Music (Official TMA Program Notes)

Wow. I still can’t believe it. I need to talk this out. Here’s a better version of my acceptance speech…Thanks to the Academy, and thank you all for your support, encouragement, thoughts, and prayers throughout the years. You all have sustained my career and helped make this happen. AND special thanks to my friends and Big Top cohorts: co-producer, Boo Macleod; art director, Jon Patillo; percussion/drummer/mixing genius, Dony Wynn; and musicians - Tom Benton, Brady Muckleroy, Lloyd Maines, Rich Bowden, Kullen Fuchs, Manny Yanes, Whit Williams, Larry Schooler, David Breeding, and the lovely, BettySoo. This simply wouldn’t have happened without your amazing talents and contributions to the album. And, finally, to God and to my wonderfully supportive family, and, especially, my wife, Carolyn, and daughter, Ruby. - thank you! Frankly, I wouldn’t be playing music at all without your unfailing love and support. I make music because I love it and know that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. However, music’s made to be heard; so there are few things more affirming as a musician than to know that folks are listening and that your peers are saying, simply, “good job.”

I also got to perform with Jessica Shepherd - which was a blast and went off beautifully as the closer for the first half of the show. From The Marshall News Messenger: “The Texas Music Awards, Saturday at the Marshall Convention Center, brought performers, writers and radio personalities from across the state to honor each other and the creative force of genuine Texas music…Performances were phenomenal…including David Lutes with Jessica Shepherd, Michael Martin Murphy, the Shake Russell Trio and Blue Condition.”

SO, LET’S CELEBRATE WITH A SPECIAL AUSTIN SHOW!
david joins a legendary in-the-round this Wednesday
Join me this Wed. 5/19 at 8pm (7pm reception)! I have the honor of playing a unique “in-the-round” with some more TX music giants. Connie Mims (2009 TX Singer-Songwriter of the Year, Wheatfield), Dennis Welch (Austin songwriter and ASG boardmember), Lee Duffy (TX/Austin legend: Geezinslaw Brothers, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson), and I will be swapping songs and stories starting at 8pm at the Austin Songwriters Group headquarters at 3105 Manchaca Road, Austin TX 78704. Come early for a reception next door at 7pm with wine and munchies. $10 at the door for a full evening with some amazingly talented and heralded folks.

Austin Music Awards, SXSW, and More

First off, a BIG THANK YOU to the many of you who took the time to vote for my song as Texas Song of the Year. I’m honored to have your support. We’ll go to the awards ceremony in May - so stay tuned! I’m also please to announce that I was chosen alongside some terrific artists as one of the top-10 Folk Performers and Roots-Rock Performers in Austin by the upcoming Austin Music Awards - thanks again for your vote!

Also, a quick thank you to those of you who came to our recent show at The Bugle Boy. It was a memorable, intimate evening, and I was inspired by the terrific reception we received. The BB has further secured itself as my very favorite venue to play. We also got a great live recording from the night. Thanks for helping bring out the best in us.

SXSW FREE SHOWCASE

For those of you interested in enjoying SXSW but more interested in enjoying all of the FREE SXSW music that comes along with the festival, I’ve been offered a showcase spot in the Sip and Sing Acoustic Showcase at the fantastic House Wine on Josephine St just north of Barton Springs Rd this coming Saturday evening at 7pm. The weather will be great, and they’ll be hosting the showcase from the front porch of this funky, comfy house-turned-wine bar. You can enjoy the music and great wines from table seating in the front yard. Come early to secure your spot and stay for the whole evening’s lineup of acoustic artists!

HOUSTON SHOW - MAIN STREET CROSSING

this Friday evening, 8pm

“You Belong” One of the Best 5 TX Songs of ‘09!

Vote for "You Belong"

I’m thrilled to let you all know that, for the second year in a row, a song of mine has been selected as one of the best 5 Texas songs of the year. “You Belong (In Pearls Tonight)”, which was released last year on “Big Top”, is a song that I wrote with my wife and daughter in mind, and so it continues to resonate with me and my experience as a working musician, husband, and dad very deeply. I’m humbled to have been nominated, and very grateful to those of you who submitted a nomination.

Now, with a couple of minutes and a few keystrokes, you can vote for it as “Song of the Year.” Click on the link above and follow the instructions to the voting form. You can just vote in the SONG category or fill all of it out (I’d encourage you to vote for any other TX musicians that you’re familiar with). The TMA’s broke their own record this year with over 43,000 nominations submitted; so it’s a great honor to be among the few who made it to this stage. Please also send this link far and wide to anyone who may be interested in helping the cause. Thank you for your help!

Fan Appreciation Show on Wed. December, 16th @ Momo’s, 7pm!

David live @ Momo's, 2009 by Jon Patillo

Appreciating you at our last 2009 Show Tomorrow @ 7pm!
(same Big Top. half the price.)

With the release of Big Top, great tours, new friends, The Texas Music Awards, and some of our most fun and memorable shows and radio appearances, 2009 has been a year that I’ll long remember. Given that it’s not the most economically stable time to be forging a path in an already shaky music business, I’ve felt very blessed, in no small part to your support.

So, before we hibernate for the holidays, we’re going to have one last show to celebrate this past year and YOU! Tomorrow at Momo’s, for 1 evening only, I’m offering Big Top: Vol. 1 & 2, a double disc album, for half price! Only $10!

If you haven’t purchased a copy yet or are considering buying it as a gift, come join me and the band, featuring the return of Brady Muckelroy on drums, Tom Benton on upright bass, and Matthew Pipkin on mandolin, and get the best deal ever offered on Big Top!

My old friend and great songwriter, Brian Keane, is also playing tomorrow night, too. So spread the word, bring your friends, and join us for a great evening of live music at Momo’s on W. 6th St. at Rio Grande above Katz’s.

Her Majesty’s Big Top

Big Top UK Tour - 2009…More dates TBC

Oct 2 2009 8:00P
House Concert - Uckfield

Oct 3 2009 8:00P
House Concert - Portsmouth

Oct 4 2009 8:00P
The Ranelagh - Brighton

Oct 8 2009 4:00P
Radio Reverb - Brighton

Oct 9 2009 8:00P
Fishbowl Acoustic @ The Cellar - Royal Tunbridge Wells

Oct 10 2009 8:00P
Upstairs @ The Three and Ten with Peanut Albinos  -  Brighton

Oct 11 2009 8:00P
House Concert - Melton-Mowbray

Oct 16 2009 8:00P
Lewes Acoustic - Lewes

Oct 18 2009 8:00P
London, TBC - London

Oct 21 2009 8:00P
Cup of Tea Sessions with Folkwit Records @ Lee Rosy’s Tea - Nottingham

Oct 22 2009 8:00P
Globetrotters - Pontypridd, Wales

Oct 23 2009 8:00P
Jules Wine Bar - Llandrindod Wells, Wales

Oct 24 2009 8:00P

Kirby Twins Acoustic Club - Kirby Bellars, Midlands

On the Air with Bryan Beck on 107.1 KGSR

Thanks to Bryan Beck and 107.1 KGSR for having us on KGSR In The Morning! James David Smith and I had a great time talking with Bryan about the upcoming shows and Big Top and playing an acoustic duo version of “Stay Awhile.”

Live on KGSR with Bryan Beck

Live on KGSR with Bryan Beck

Big Top Texas Tour! Including Live on KGSR, The Saxon Pub, The Bugle Boy, Momo’s, & More!

Greetings, Friends! We’re back and have a great slate of shows for you, featuring the return (from the UK) of my good friend and a tremendous musician/vocalist, James David Smith, to our lineup. Also, tune into 107.1 KGSR on Monday the 27th @ 9:45am for a live duo performance and interview with Bryan Beck! Please tell your friends and family and make plans to join us - both in Austin and just down the road - for multiple shows…Each one will be different, and we’d love to see you.

Saturday, 7/25: Lorraine’s in Marble Falls, 9pm

Sunday, 7/26: The Saxon Pub, 3pm Matinee (no cover!)

Monday, 7/27: 107.1 KGSR, 9:45am with Bryan Beck on KGSR In The Morning

Thursday, 7/30: Momo’s, Acoustic string band show! 8pm

Friday, 7/31: The Bugle Boy in La Grange - 7pm door, 8pm show (this is one of the country’s premier listening rooms and a special, once-a-year, kind of show. WELL WORTH THE DRIVE!)

Friday, 8/7: The Corner Cafe in Navasota - Dinner at 6pm, Show at 7pm

Saturday, 8/8: JP Hops House in Houston - Houston CD Release Party! With Brian Kalinec

THE LATEST on BIG TOP - Now Up to #22!

Just after releasing the news that Big Top had entered the national Roots/Country Chart at #32, some superior fact-checkers (2 are lawyers, no less) notified me that Big Top had just hit #27…Well, in just another week, it’s jumped to #22! It’s definitely picking up steam; so, please keep calling your favorite americana/roots radio station (non-commercial), and request a song off of Big Top! It occurred to me that, obviously, ANYONE (not just Austinites) can call these Austin-area stations - KGSR at (512) 390-5477 and KNBT (New Braunfels) at (830) 625-7311 to make a request! Thank you!

Also, thanks to all of you for the great turnout this week at Momo’s and to Robert Rich and The Daily Texan for coming out to do a feature (Click HERE to read it!). We had about as much fun as you should legally have on a week night.

David at The Texas Music Awards and New ***** Reviews!

Well, what a weekend it was. While I didn’t take home the awards (Congrats to Wade Bowen and Tres Womack!), I had the honor of being nominated alongside some tremendous artists, musicians, and some of my TX music heroes, including the host, Michael Martin Murphy.

Being asked to perform before hundreds of TX music fans, industry folks, and music legends was a great honor, too, and a total thrill. For the performance, I was paired with the phenomenal Cornell Kinderknecht, who took some killer jazz breaks and truly elevated my nominated song, “Found You.” We had a great time, and, I think, saved our best for the ceremony. Thanks again to the Academy of Texas Music and all who were involved in hosting and producing the weekend, and to you, my fans and friends, for helping me get there.

Also, I’m really excited to share these two recent reviews. Both publications gave us their highest ratings, (5.0 and “KILLER”, respectively) and I couldn’t be happier with how they connected with Big Top…

***** AUSTIN DAZE.COM (click for the full review)
“David Lutes is a musician’s musician…Recently nominated for “Male Vocalist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” at the 2009 Texas Music Awards, Lutes is on top of his game fusing jazz, pop, rock, Americana and everything in between…”

***** AMERICANA MUSIC TIMES
“David Lutes is back - this time without the “Plumtucker” moniker - and he’s stronger than ever with Big Top. From the haunting “Lucia’s Song” through the beautiful “The Night Watchman” the listener is treated to one aural feast after another on this two-disk set. My favorite tune is “Coming Apart,” which sounds deeply personal as the artist struggles with the conflicts of life, love, and the music he lives for. The lyrics on Big Top are gorgeously poetic, the melodies are richly original, and David’s voice is, as usual, simply stunning. The production on this record is deeply layered, and if you listen closely, you will find yourself quite often wondering “how’d they make that sound?” Listen and wonder as Big Top spins you to new levels of musical pleasure.” -Steve Circeo, giving Big Top their rare “KILLER” Rating!

Big Top Reviews Coming In…

Big Top: Vol. 1 & 2 is out, and folks are taking notice! Here are some excerpts from the 2 most recent reviews. Click the reviewer’s link to read more!

“…Like the ringmaster at the circus, Lutes separates the different performances on the two-disc Big Top allowing each to take a moment in the spotlight…Moving from haunting (the opener “Lucia’s Song”) to roots rock (”Love in the Hard Times”), Lutes meticulously weaves melodies together…[while] the second volume can be equated to the lion-tamer act. It’s flashy and dangerous, with room for the occasional flare of the unexpected. Diving head-first through syncopated pop (”Ginny On Fire” and “We Love Me”) before landing into the net of “Fine Line,” Lutes’ voice is continuously smooth like an amalgamation of Lindsey Buckingham and Lyle Lovett…”

- Nichole Wagner, Austin.com

“You always hear talk of how artists are a mixture of different styles, but with Lutes, that’s actually true. The first disc features the familiar twang of Texas country, but mixes in dissonant electric guitar, traditional hymn-like vocal melodies and some powerful pop hooks. These two CDs are a perfect recipe for a lazy summer day, a lazy rainy day or pretty much any time you’ve got an hour and a half to lounge around the house and listen to some great music. These gems, the music that actually makes it worth your time to listen to all these free discs, are what keeps me going. Hopefully you’ll feel the same.”

- Robert Rich, Austin Dischord