Music business conference highlights the economic power of 'music friendly communities'
On Wednesday, October 19th, the first Power On Music conference took place at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the Texas Music Office was present in full-force as a part of the office's continual community outreach and economic development efforts.
The TMO was one of several community partners and sponsors hosting the event, which was ultimately the brainchild of Texas state representative, the Honorable Todd Hunter.
TMO Director Brendon Anthony and TMO staff served as moderators and panelists throughout the day, joining members of Corpus Christi's growing music community, including House of Rock owner Casey Lain and Corpus-based DJ, El Dusty...as well as members of Austin's music community that drove down to talk about best practices within the economic development of music friendly communities.
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“We hope the model of a regional music industry conference, highlighting music friendly communities, can be duplicated around the state," Anthony said. "We'd love to see some of the various music friendly communities and cities add music offices - or music commissions - that can continue to focus on the economic development and success of businesses within those communities."
Photos by TAMUCC.Events and Angie Flores.
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 Gov. Abbott inducts Selena into TX Women's Hall of Fame
On October 21st, TMO Director Brendon Anthony joined Governor Greg Abbott and First Lady Cecelia Abbott in Denton to induct Texas music icon Selena Quintanilla into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
Our sister agency - the Governor's Commission for Women - played an instrumental part in organizing the event that brought together fans and friends of the singer from around the state to celebrate her legacy.
“So honored today to induct Selena into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame,” Gov. Abbott said during the induction ceremony. “Very well deserved for the way she transformed music in the state of Texas and across the world. She is an icon in Texas music...Selena shattered stereotypes and expectations, proving the impossible is always possible."
Selena’s sister Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga accepted the honor on Selena's behalf.
“I feel very proud in knowing there’s a new generation who has embraced and looked up to her as a role model,” Quintanilla-Arriaga said. “I know my sister would be ecstatic to be accepting this gracious award that’s so empowering for women. Thank you so much, in honor of the Queen of Cumbia, Selena.”
 Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, in 1971. Her family struggled financially as the recession hit her father’s restaurant. Turning to music, his first love, her father started a family band — Selena y Los Dinos — featuring son, A.B., on bass, and daughters Suzette, on drums, and Selena, age 9, as the lead vocalist. They performed at fairs, weddings and quinceaneras — anywhere they could earn money for the family. Though her voice was already bigger than her small size, dance hall promoters doubted she could perform as a headliner in the then male-dominated Tejano music genre.
Selena would prove them wrong, later filling the Houston Astrodome with 66,994 adoring fans in 1993, with 66,842 in 1994 and with 64,831 in 1995.
Selena won "Best Female Vocalist of the Year" and "Performer of the Year" at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards and continued to win both awards every year. In 1989, she signed with Capitol Latin EMI and gained international fame. In 1993, "Selena Live!" won the Grammy for best Mexican-American album. In 1994, she released her double-platinum album "Amor Prohibido" and opened her boutique clothing store and salon, Selena Etc.
Selena was at the highest point in her career, but she was still striving for more. She enrolled in college to study business and was active in urging kids to better themselves by staying in school, abstaining from drugs and working hard to attain their goals. Her message was simple: Follow your dreams and work hard.
With her darker skin, dark hair and a body type different than other celebrated stars of the day, young Latinas not only saw themselves in Selena, they saw that beauty begins within.
Before her untimely death in 1995, she started work on an English-language crossover album. "Dreaming of You" was released posthumously and became the best-selling Latin album of all time, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling 175,000 copies on its very first day of release.
Selena's story continues to inspire people around the world. She is remembered as an icon for her musical accomplishments as well as for the joy that the memory of her charismatic personality continues to bring to her fans.
The Governor's Commission for Women contributed to this text via their bio for Selena's induction.
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TEXAS MUSIC License Plates Promotion Retains Artists Star Power
With the help of many different Texas artists, celebrities, music businesses, and TMO friends and community partners like yourself, sales for the revamped specialty license plate program - benefiting grants for Texas school children and community music programs - continue to grow since the new plate's release.
$22 out of the $30 fee goes directly toward grants for traditionally underserved Texas school children to receive music lessons, music instruments, and toward community music programs sponsored by 501(c)3 non-profit organizations.
You can purchase a license plate from the Texas DMV here: goo.gl/pLpwgV.
And nonprofit organizations may apply for a license plate grant to fund the purchase of music lessons and/or music instruments via the Office of the Governor's eGrants online application. Grant applications may only be completed online via eGrants.
Texas artists from a variety of genres continue to help us spread the word about the TEXAS MUSIC license plate grant program:
 Texas Blues music legend in the making, Gary Clark Jr. took to the roof of Antone's nightclub with a souvenir plate in tow. GCJ is one of several investors in the newest incarnation of Antone's, helping bring the club back from non-existence by finding a new downtown location for the venerable venue.
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Texas' soulful, country music singer/songwriter Bonnie Bishop also volunteered to help the Texas Music Office spread the word about its updated specialty license plate by shooting this photo and sharing it with her social media followers. |
Texas country music singer/songwriter Roger Creager took a break from angling - and a recent European tour - to help the Texas Music Office promote the re-launch of its specialty license plate by shooting a short Public Service Announcement video about the charitable program. You can view Creager's PSA video here. |
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Texas music / country music superstars the Eli Young Band took a break from their endless touring to help the TMO promote its specialty license plate. |
 Sound On Sound Fest Debuts This Weekend, November 4-6
Rising from the ashes of Fun Fun Fun Fest, Margin Walker Presents creates ambitious fest for the (renaissance) ages!
Sound On Sound Fest debuts this Friday thru Sunday in McDade, TX, about 35 miles east of Austin, with a line-up of internationally renown headliners - including Texans Explosions in the Sky - as well as more than 20 Texas acts from a variety of genres.
"We wanted to take the spirit of Fun Fun Fun Fest and reimagine it with the same kinds of bands, same fans, same concept...but we asked, 'What do we do that’s different?'" said Margin Walker Presents founder and Sound On Sound Fest promoter Graham Williams in a recent interview with Eventbrite.
A native Texan who has been booking shows since before he was old enough to enter most venues, Williams and a handful of friends that he worked closely with at Transmission Events recently exited Transmission to re-focus their concert promotion business ventures on what they know and love: creating unique events for passionate music fans of punk rock, indie rock, underground hip hop, electronic DJ music, metal, and nearly everything in between.
"Finding a great setting has always been something we’ve wanted and have been lacking. Like Hangout Fest, a festival on a beach with the ocean - that’s beautiful. Primavera Sound, which is a great festival in Spain, takes over this park on the beach that was built for the Olympics," Williams continued. "So to find a place with a castle and a jousting arena and stockades - it was just hilarious. It’s their off-season, so I just asked, 'Can we rent your ren faire and have a show here?'"
In addition to the renaissance faire meets rock 'n' roll vibe, Williams and the Margin Walker Presents crew have some familiar vibrations in store, including comedians, a kids' section, a "variety hour" show, and more.
Beginning at 4pm Tuesday, November 1, TMO newsletter subscribers have 48 hours to receive a discount on SOS Fest tickets via this link: https://soundonsoundfest.eventbrite.com?discount=SOSTMOPEEPS.
 Texas acts performing at the fest include American Sharks, Moving Panoramas, Calliope Musicals, Hardproof, Orthy, Fragile Rock, Boombaptist, Emily Wolfe, Night Drive, Magna Carda, Sailor Poon, Leopold and his Fiction, Pinata Protest, Protextor, and more...and reunion sets from the Austin-based band Recover, as well as from the central Texas-based underground noise rock pioneers, The Cherubs.
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