The Pioneer Museum's Roots Music Concert Series continues in Fredericksburg. I spoke to one of the musicians, Bobby Mack.
Mack is playing his brand of music, or as he puts it, “Texas blues guitar.”
Mack is a native Texan, raised in Fort Worth, but he got to Austin right about the time of the early 70s music explosion.
“I guess you could say my musical college was a Wednesday night gig at Antone's, a famous blues place in Austin," he said. "I played every Wednesday there for three years or so. And when all the blues greats would come through town I’d either open the show for them with my band, or if they didn’t have a band I’d get to be their band. It was a great honor for me to play with Albert King, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy.”
I asked if that wasn’t that a little like inviting Picasso over to take a look at your latest painting, and he laughed.
“Yeah, it certainly is," he said. "Looking back on it, it was just a great honor to be there and be a part of that Antone's family.”
I asked him to tell us about his Fredericksburg gig on Saturday.
“I am coming to Fredericksburg. They’ve got a roots series there at the old Pioneer Museum," said Mack. "And they’ve invited me to come out there. I’ll be sandwiched in between a couple of other good bands: the Peterson Brothers out of Austin, Texas, and a longtime fried of mine and former band mate Chris Duarte."
He’s bringing a three piece band with him, which includes, "Kim Session on bass guitar, she’s a great player, Kevin Hall will be on drums. It’s going to be a good, tight little combo."
As to why he's so focused on the blues, Mack said he likes the emotional spectrum there.
“The blues and stuff that’s blues oriented can go from the highest highs of happiness to the lowest lows of despair, and everything in between, and even in the same song,” he said.
- Learn more about the Roots Music Concert Series at: pioneermuseum.net
- For more on Bobby Mack visit: www.bobbymack.com
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