I do love me some James Brown! For sure, he started all of this stuff. I think everybody should own some James Brown. I'd LOVE to own that box set, but they's SO expensive! ---------- -------------------------------------- View my videos on YouTube!"
Yeah Isaac, Black Joe and the Honeybears are great! Black Joe started out as a solo act at a cramped little institution on UT's campus called the Hole in the Wall. It was just him and his guitar, singing his guts out, and he didn't have much guitar playing under his belt...
From what I understand, he almost gave up on music, but some of his friends/fans from other bands, most notably the now defunct Weary Boys, got up under him and formed the Honeybears.
They played at the Obama rally when the race was on.
You might like another Austin outfit called T-Bone and the Breaks, another soul/funk/r&b outfit, although I think Black Joe and the Honeybears shine brighter...
Another band I would recommend checking out is Grupo Fantasma. They play latin grooves, but a very hot large band with horn section and lots of percussion. Lots of material on the web...bring it all together!
Also when you have time check out kut.org, Austin's college/public radio station. They stream and have tons of podcasts of live performances by local and traveling acts you certainly won't hear on commercial radio.
Y'all definitely have to check out Austin, it truly is a treasure trove of live music any day of the week.
With all the competition here, however, it is tough to make the dough, you got to do the Central Texas "BBQ circuit" of other towns or private parties to do that, it ain't happenin' in the Austin clubs! ---------- Shane
