Fathers & Sons
Saxon Pub, March 12
A lot of gray hair was in evidence at the Saxon Pub on the first night of South by Southwest showcases, but it proved a welcome, generous contrast between generations. Butch Hancock began, backed on guitar by his 15-year-old son, Rory. The guitar playing was adequate, probably due to nerves, but Butch’s songs remain outstanding. His wry wordplay stood front and center on “What a World This Mess Is In,” and greatest hit “If You Were a Bluebird” came off heart-melting. Fellow Flatlander Jimmie Dale Gilmore followed, alternating songs with his son Colin. The set demonstrated the similarities between the two, something not always obvious on album. Colin’s jangle and Jimmie’s twang felt like two sides of a coin on “The Way We Are” and “Midnight Train.” Jon Dee Graham and his 13-year-old son, William, offered the most endearing set of the night. “I’ve never done this before,” the younger Graham claimed. His songs were as simple and brash as “Rock & Roll,” while the obviously overjoyed Jon Dee broke out “Big Sweet Life.” The Welch family – Kevin, Dustin, and Savannah of the Trishas – performed a highly polished set. Dustin’s impassioned “Whiskey Priest” and Kevin’s “Too Old to Die Young,” chorused in a joint effort, lingered well after they left the stage.
This article appears in March 22 • 2013.