BY DOT FOWLER
dotaf@nctv.com
The Spicewood Arts Society has once again had a sold-out performance. Kimmie Rhodes performed to yet another packed audience, their third in as many performances.

 Fortunately, I always get a seat in front of the stage to write a review of the evening’s performance. This was the first time I had seen and heard Kimmie Rhodes in person. She’s not your typical country singer. With few exceptions, she writes (or co-writes) the songs. Her lyrics are meaningful and her voice is perfectly suited to them; clear and melodic.
She has collaborated with many stellar performers, but her Spicewood Arts Society performance included only herself, husband Joe Gracey and son, Gabriel Rhodes. Kimmie’s acoustic guitar is well-worn, but less beat-up than her friend Willie’s. And she has more years ahead of her to qualify her guitar as an icon of antiquity.
She opened the show with “Just One Love” shining for me tonight, then let the audience in on her recent trip to Europe: 21 shows in 24 days in 10 countries, with Joe and Gabe. Talent’s not enough. You gotta have stamina.
She spoke of getting up early one morning, writing a song and recording it, then taking it on tour. She calls it “This Little Jewel box Life I Lead”.
Unlike many “country singer/songwriters”, her songs are melodious and intimate. She wrote a song one day when somebody really “ticked” her off (not her exact word). She sang it in French and then in English. The song is “Wild Roses.”
Another hit, “God’s Acre”, had already been used by Longfellow and several others but she says her version is best. We believed her. Gabe joined in on the vocals on this audience favorite. His mom teased him, saying, “I was rocking before you were born, son” All three guitars, acoustics for Gabe and Kimmie, electric bass for Joe Gracey, pulled out all stops on memories of Tin Pan Alley, It’s called “Git You a Job.” Then Kimmie reminisces, saying “Just Drove By” is her best song, according to her mom.
“My car drove me down today. I just drove back to see if things had changed.”
Mid-song, Gabriel moved to the piano. After one more song, they took a breather. Coming back with “Love Me Like a Song’, then laughter when Kimmie introduced a song written by husband Joe. She recorded it with Willie Nelson, but he couldn’t wrap his tongue around the title, “Contrabandistas” and kept calling it Contraband Adidas.
The audience joined in on the “gritos,” sounding good. A high point was Gabe singing the Townes Van Zandt song (on their newest CD. “If I Needed You”). That’s the first Townes song that I ever heard on the radio, when I was new to Lake Travis. Gabe and his mom did a hilarious take-off on Waylon Jennings. “Sooooo Long”; with Gabe singing in a nasal twang “Maybe We’ll Just Disappear” from her CD “West Texas Heaven.”
Rocking the house with the foot-stomper, “White Freight Liner”, a Townes Van Zandt song, three guitars raced to the finish line, and then-One more,” Kimmie announced. The final song, a lullaby written with Emmy Lou Harris, “Love and Happiness for You” for her infant granddaughter, who was in the audience in Mama’s arms. A perfect ending to the evening.
Next up, on Saturday, Feb. 7, Beto and the Fairlanes, Robert “Beto” Skiles is the featured Artist. Beto is a Hill Country perennial of many talents, a classical composer, plays great jazz and salsa and has his own sly humor. An evening of lively fun and original music will be an event you will not want to miss.
Saturday, March 14, Michelle Schumann, Director of Austin Chamber Music and a String Quartet plays torrid, passionate music. Her “Hot Enough For Ya” program is always a sell-out.
Saturday, May 16, the “High C Diva”, Colleen Mallette, the Lemaze School of Singing presents “How to Birth a Song”. This will bring a multitude of laughs as it is a performance of musical irreverence, ala Victor Borge and Anna Russell. Then the “High C Diva” will enlighten us with songs from the American Songbook. A night filled with laughter and “I remember when…”
Come enjoy the music and ambience of a Spicewood Arts Society concert at Spicewood Vineyards. As with all the performances, check www.SpicewoodArts.org for ticket availability and details.