50 Years of Making Music

By Jim Stricklan

A narrative and photographic memoir highlighting the journey of an independent performing songwriter from the days of vinyl and intimate coffee house performance art, into the realm of compact discs, YouTube videos, and digital downloads. Stricklan takes you along on his adventures of writing hundreds of songs, recording, and performing music with a stunning array of gifted friends and colleagues. From the shores of Ambergris Cay and bayous of Louisiana, to the Texas honky tonks and legendary coffee houses nestled in the Rocky Mountains...this a true tale about 50 years of making music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543910735

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 Jim Stricklan ~ published at bookbaby.com /also available in eBook

Text © Jim Stricklan (written and edited by JS)

Photos by Leslie Stricklan, Alan McClinton, Vicki Sarbell, Gary Jeter, Rob Blanck, Phil Borgeson, Kelly Zant, George Diego, Rick Stricklan, Traci Godwin, and Matt Lankes – used by permission.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission from the publisher.

Cataloguing in publication

50 Years of Making Music

Stricklan, James

ISBN: 978-1-54391-073-5

Book cover designed by Michelle Rahbar, Mothership Arts – Austin, TX

Book content design and layout by Jim & Leslie Stricklan, and Michelle Rahbar

Banners, select poster art and CDs designed by Michelle Rahbar

SPECIAL THANKS to:

Leslie Stricklan, Michelle Rahbar, Katherine Robinson Coleman; and all contributing photographers for making this book a reality. The idea for this book came after the publication of my novel—MUSIC MOUNTAIN—in 2008. We sincerely hope you will enjoy the narrative and photos shared within.

All the amazing players (see Honor Roll of Musicians], co-producers and recording engineers who’ve worked with me over the last four decades to make my recordings sound the way they do: Bill Wade, Bobby Ginsburg, Sarah Bullington, John Macy, Ron Capone, Charles Smith, Ted Arbogast, Jim Watts, East Side Flash, Jerry Tubb, and especially, George Coyne at Parrot Tracks Studio – Manchaca, Texas.

The club and coffee house owners/managers and festival bookers who’ve been especially supportive of me and other independent artists through the years. My list includes Bill Dutton at Buckhorn Exchange (Denver), Doyle Jeter at Enoch’s Café and Red Springer of the Ark-La-Tex Roundup in (Shreveport), Kent Finlay and Olin Murrell (Austin), Art Blondin at Art’s Rib House (Austin), Butch Hause at Farm Concert (Berthoud), David Ferretta (Global Village), Marianna Machesini at Hill’s Café (Austin), Keith Simpson, Christfest Coffee House (Austin), and Chuck Morris, Ebbets Field (Denver).

Lastly, thanks to my family, friends, and fans who have faithfully and enthusiastically supported my music during these last fifty years…without you, I truly could not have carried on. Namaste!

MAKING MUSIC 02

RECORDINGS 28

PLAYERS HONOR ROLL 67

PERFORMANCES 70

POSTERS 74

SONGS 77

SONGBOOKS 80

RADIO DAYS 81

APPLAUSE 83

As a teenager, making music probably had as much to do with the rush of strumming amplified power chords and hoping to impress the girls with my candy-apple red Fender guitar, as with the music itself. I’ve always been a music freak, as my personal and professional history make abundantly clear. Thirty years of radio broadcasting merely underline that fact. The songwriting came first, compelling me to learn how to accompany myself. Where the music is concerned, that’s where my story begins.

I’ve never made music to win awards or lofty titles. However, I managed to acquire a few titles over the years: performing-songwriter, publisher, composer,