A past picking session on the front porch of the Terlingua Trading Company. Photo by J. Griffis Smith
If you miss the sound of musicians picking on front porches and playing at bars and restaurants around Big Bend, tune into the 1 on 1 on 1 Livestream Music Festival this Saturday and Sunday.
The free online concert will feature more than 35 musicians from Brewster County, and others with strong connections to the area. Donations raised through the event will go to the Big Bend COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund and will benefit musicians and others who have lost work during the coronavirus pandemic.
“A big portion of these people rely on tourist traffic, and this year they lost Spring Break,” said Chris Ruggia, director of tourism for the City of Alpine, a sponsor of the event. “If you’ve ever thought about taking a trip to Big Bend, give a tiny fraction of what you would have spent to help out those workers who might have served you this year. … It’s people making music for the love of it and sharing it with their neighbors.”
A view of Alpine. Photo courtesy TxDOT.
The Big Bend COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund is a program of the nonprofit Big Bend Citizens Alliance, an umbrella organization supporting multiple community projects. In April, the alliance distributed about $24,000 so applicants could pay for rent and mortgages, medical bills, phone bills, prescriptions, groceries, vehicle expenses, and other necessities.
Even if you can’t afford to make a donation, you’re still encouraged to tune in, Ruggia said. “We’re well aware a lot of people are hurting. If you can donate, we welcome you to do so. If not that’s fine. The music is a gift,” he said.
The lineup includes Doug Strahan, Dana Falconberry, Hogan & Moss, Taylor Young, and Patrice Pike. Each musician will each play a 15-20 minute set from his or her own location.
Jeff Haislip, a regular at Terlingua fixtures including High Sierra Bar & Grill, the Starlight Theatre Restaurant, and La Kiva Restaurant and Bar, is among the performers. He and fellow musician Marc Utter started livestreaming their own concerts from a remote Big Bend location in late March.
“I was just trying to reach out because I was lonely, and I miss playing gigs,” Haislip said. “People started chiming in and saying it’s really helping them, too.”
He says the concert will unite fans of West Texas music from around the globe and help hard-working folks in need. In the meantime, he says he’s coping pretty well.
“Sometimes you don’t get beefsteak,” he said. “You’ve just got to smile and eat beans and tortillas.”
The event is scheduled for 5-11 p.m. Saturday and 4-11 p.m. Sunday.
