We met some lovely musicians by accident who were playing for a food and wine event at Becker Vineyards last week. They are called ShAnnie, a multi-instrumental composer/performer duo made up of Shan Kowert and Annie Acton. We hit it off immediately and they soon invited us the next day to the famous Luckenback pickers circle jam just outside of Fredericksburg, Texas.
If you can imagine an abandoned but still functioning ghost town, run more its huge plumed wild roosters, while people from who knows where show up to drink Shiner Bock at picnic tables under live oaks and listen to music everyday, that’s Luckenbach.
Although it sounds cheesy, I think we found in Luckenback what Waylon says in his song: Luckenbach, Texas “Back to the The basics of love”….
We were intimidated at first to say the least, a couple of classical musicians playing tango and Latin american music at a pickers circle in Texas. I think our insecurities though showed our lack of understanding (and our prejudices really) for “Texans.”
We ended up having an amazing time fumbling our way though old time country songs, the blues, and many of the musician’s original tunes. All the musicians there too where amazing generous and appreciate of what we did as well. Mostly they were stunned by Andy’s fingers and they all couldn’t get over my “big flute” (the alto).
