Dear Editor,
Regarding Shakey Graves [“
Full Circle,” Music, Sept. 26]: Standing in a room filled with other people, I was present the day Alejandro Rose-Garcia was born. I videotaped this primal dark and stormy morning event on Betamax. In some ways, his beyond-talented parents and their eclectic extended family of actors, musicians, writers, dancers, filmmakers, and storytellers were a built-in audience for Ali from day one.
I remember receiving a homemade silkscreened T-shirt with a contemplative baby Ali photo on it with the words "Zippi Man – no world too small." You listen to Shakey's lyrics today and get that. He's been everywhere in his short time, yet still has infinite ground to cover.
The
Chronicle's succinct and positive exposé of Shakey Graves' performance career was refreshing in an age where Austin's homegrown talent is often neglected and/or compared to the more connected celebrities of celebrities that live here now.
Where Ali/Shakey Graves enthralls audiences next is anyone's guess (unless you see his roster of future performances). Having witnessed his coming into this world, I am thrilled this young man now has international gigs, yet still remains an appreciated and inimitable homegrown talent. He will only get better performance-wise and like everyone else, grow older and make Austin proud.
Kevin L. West