Music
Jones: “I felt like the players in this town were as good as in any city I ever lived in.” Vishal Malhotra

Class Act: Jody Jones

His songwriters’ showcase — and career — are growing.
ANTHONY MARIANI
In a way, Fort Worth chose Jody Jones. The early-fortysomething Americana singer-songwriter was born here and spent a good chunk of his childhood here, but he and his family moved away a long time ago: He finished growing up in...


Euphio

Way to Go, Euphio

HEARSAY
An artist-run label formed to take advantage of power in numbers, Euphio Records is another little something that wouldn’t have been conceivable as few as two or three years ago. But thanks to the simplicity afforded by digit...



Banging beats and instrumental melodies complement some wicked rhymes on this new collaboration.

The Truth on Tape?

A sparkling new collaboration manifests everything right — and wrong — in hip-hop.
ANTHONY MARIANI
How refreshing it was to see Dru B Shinin’ come onto the scene a few years ago. Here was this young, hungry rapper with an interesting backstory and a TCU diploma, pumping out songs and albums seemingly nonstop and also –...


Hearsay

We Heart Sparkle Tunnel

HEARSAY
Not counting what you see at wedding receptions, perhaps the most common form of dee-jaying is the kind on display seemingly every night in swanky Dallas nightclubs, if we’re to believe our friends at the Dallas Observer, who...



What does Missing Sibling sound like? Eight out of 10 folks don’t know.

Family Friendly

Members of Fate Lions and Calhoun conspire by the fire in Missing Sibling.
ERIC GRIFFEY
On a recent Sunday night in the middle of Nowheresville, Okla., Missing Sibling experienced its first big break. It’s not what you think. A belt on singer/guitarist Drew Gabbert’s Jeep Cherokee snapped, leaving him and his ...


Once again Fort Worth booking and management agency Blackbox Presents will join Dallas' Bergen Management and put on a nonsanctioned showcase during South-by. Expect a lot of Texas bands. And another great turnout.

Austin Callin’

HEARSAY
Part of the fun of South by Southwest, the music festival and conference that takes place in Austin every year, is tucking your badge away and hitting some nonsanctioned showcases, where you can really see a regional advantage ...



Nice Major: “I’m a fan of Lady Gaga, Queen, Kanye. That’s also what I want ... everybody to see.”

Major Niceness

This Fort Worth rapper is more than rap, maybe more than the Fort.
ANTHONY MARIANI
Fort Worth isn’t short on rappers, that’s for sure. But most of them are gangsta. Their beats are simple and intentionally chintzy sounding, and the lyrics are copious and mostly about boasting, toasting, and the thug life....


SXSW

Hoogie Boogie Land, Tex.

HEARSAY
So I’m broke, and the year I elect to stay home instead of go to Austin for South by Southwest, the annual international music festival and conference (March 12-17), is shaping up to be one of the most Fort-friendly South-bys...



Scotty Boy (front) and Renizance attribute most of their success to The Hustle.

Slangin’

Immortal Soldierz built a mini-empire on gumption … and thousands of CDs.
MATTHEW MCGOWAN
The two guys in Fort Worth’s Immortal Soldierz still make their living the old-fashioned way. Rappers Salvador “Scotty Boy” Vasilio and Hector “Renizance” Falcone call their business model The Hustle: They swagger up ...


Siberian Traps keep on gigging and recording.

Not Trap’d

From Nashville to the Fort, this alt-country foursome has range.
ERIC GRIFFEY
Seth Reeves does a near-flawless impersonation of former President George W. Bush. The secret to the imitation, said the frontman to Fort Worth alt-country stylists Siberian Traps, is to state some platitude as if you’ve just...