It's All About The Music
WILD
FEATURED GROUP
3 BALLS OF FIRE
The song, “ Wildfire “ epitomizes how surf, punk and pop have melded together taking us away from the beach kids days and into the twenty-first century. It’s cool, intensely creative and is played passionately by a group of Texans known since around 1987 as “ 3 BALLS OF FIRE “, today a neo-retro trend setting musical enigma. In this ever-shrinking world of networking, I am associated with someone who was a good friend with the late legendary guitar player, Jerry Cole, who was also a partner and friend to 3 Balls of Fire guitarist “ Burnin’ Mike Vernon.
Mike and I spoke one day briefly about the loss of Jerry Cole ( one of the greatest showmen and innovators of the electric guitar ) and that’s what set me into several months of investigating the works of this amazing band from Austin . I am now a fan.
Back in the 1960’s birth was given to a new style of pop which was classified as Surf music, mostly made famous by groups like the Ventures and the Surfaris. This music became very popular among all ages because it was mainly instrumental music, no vocals. You didn’t have to think about what the writer or the singer were trying to say. You just got into the melodic groove, and it didn’t matter what country you lived in, you didn’t need an interpreter. This music found it’s way into television, radio, movies and countless commercials and thanks to unique groups such as “ 3 BALLS OF FIRE “
It is being performed and kept alive the world over.
There’s something about a twangy guitar that just gets people to pay attention to a record. The clean and sometimes rapid double-picking and high treble tone utilized by an artist of Mike Vernon’s ability would be enough to satisfy any surftone enthusiast, but then Mike throws you a curve and sends you in another colorful direction with his rhythms, textures and layers of tone. Like the jazzy, “DARK EYES” which invokes imagery of long wet streets, thirty-five cents in your pocket and your out of smokes.
Well , OK. So that’s my mind image and just one writer’s opinion but I tell you guitar fans around the world, you have got to add “ Burnin’ “ Mike Vernon and the band
“3Balls Of Fire “ to your must have list of CD’s. This band is red hot and they get the damngoodtunes.com five star thumbs up!
Check out 3 Balls Of Fire on Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/3ballsoffire
ARTICLE BY BRUCE MAIER
INTERVIEW WITH LYNDA KAY CONTINUED FROM " COUNTRY "
DGT: We saw a picture of a young girl, little Lynda Kay dressed like a real "Cowgirl". Were you really into the country western life as you appeared in that photo? Tell us about yourself back then, as it relates to the person you are today.
Lynda Kay: I was absolutely into the country western life back then...even if I was living in suburban Dallas :) I'll tell you a funny story about that picture: I was 6 years old and I wanted to wear my cowgirl clothes to school but my Mom thought it may not be appropriate school attire, so I just fixed that... I asked my teacher if we could have a Western Day! I had a very colorful upbringing filled with true Southern culture, grits, guns, and gravy.
DGT: Who were the top three people who shaped or are shaping your life, your mentors and influences?
Lynda Kay:___I gotta narrow it down to three?? Well, my Dad is the one who introduced me to music, so he'd have to be #1. Sometimes he'd play the guitar and I'd sing, and other times, he'd play albums and tell me what was good. # 2 is my Mom because she taught me all about style, personality, and poise. And # 3 is my Granny, because she taught me that being a strong woman is cool.
DGT: You play the four string, or as it has sometimes been called, the tenor guitar and you are called the " Queen of The Four String ". Why not a conventional six-string guitar?
Lynda Kay:__The first instrument I started playing was a ukulele. I loved that little thing, but it's a tough instrument to take seriously. A friend of mine had a tenor guitar and I just fell in love with its sound...and plus I thought it had nice high-overtones for my low-voice. I've been collecting and playing them ever since and I have some very rare ones. In fact, Harmony Guitars is adding a signature Lynda Kay Tenor to their line of guitars next year. We're still in the designing stages right now so that's about all I can tell you at the moment.
DGT: You utilize a bass drum pedal apparatus beating on a piece of Samsonite luggage. That is one of the most original ideas for acco! mpaniment we have ever seen! How did that revelation become part of your act?
Lynda Kay:__I've been a tap dancer since I was about 3 years old, so that's where the foot percussion started. I stopped tap dancing for years because I always had better rhythm in my left foot than my right. Life took me in different directions and at some point I had a band that had grown to 8 pieces. It was a lot of fun, but a lot work, and I just wanted to get back to my roots, so I started playing old blues and country songs down on Venice Beach. I started attracting a crowd, but I wanted to be more stompin' like John Lee Hooker, so I designed a suitcase kickdrum that I could carry everything in and busk down on the boardwalk.
DGT: Who were some of your greatest musical influences and who do you listen to today that really knocks you out?
Lynda Kay:__ I really enjoy listening to all kinds of music so I'm just gonna have to list my main musical influences: Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson, The Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, and Buddy Holly. Presently, I really dig Richard Hawley, The Head Cat, Lucinda Williams, Unknown Hinson. and The Death Riders.
DGT:What do you think about the business of music, the marketing, the packaging and manufacturing of " the star " as the world perceives him or her to be?
DGT:Tell us about your partner in LONESOME SPURS. How you met, how you merged your styles into the popular show that you have created.
Lynda Kay:___Danny B. Harvey in the second half of Lonesome Spurs and half the sound (he plays that Merle Travis style with bass lines and leads.) He and I met while he was producing Wanda Jackson's last record and he asked me to do the background vocals...so cool!! We just hit it off musically and been playing together for almost 3 years now.
What's on your musical horizon for the ! first six months of 2008?
Lynda Kay:__I'm in the studio right now recording my debut solo album. Its going to be called "Dream My Darling" and it should be finished by September 2008. Although I am really enjoying the process, I can't wait to hear it when its finished! It is very Patsy meets Roy Orbison, complete with string sections and background vocals, and some very special surprise guest appearances...more info on this later :)
What would you want to say to young people who love music and are thinking about a career in the music industry?
Lynda Kay:__I would absolutely encourage any young person who is interested in playing music to do so with all your heart. If you're gonna live the life of a musician do so for the love of it, because I can tell you from my experience that its a tough business. But, you know, I wouldn't change a thing because it makes for a very gratifying life. 11.What legacy would you like to leave behind, or how would you like best to be remembered?
Lynda Kay:____I would like to leave a legacy of music behind that people can enjoy for generations to come. And I hope I am remembered for being a nice person who wrote songs that moved people in some way.
Visit Lynda Kay at MySpace : www.myspace.com/lyndakay
Go To Her Main Website : www.lyndakay.com
FEATURED GROUP
3 BALLS OF FIRE
The song, “ Wildfire “ epitomizes how surf, punk and pop have melded together taking us away from the beach kids days and into the twenty-first century. It’s cool, intensely creative and is played passionately by a group of Texans known since around 1987 as “ 3 BALLS OF FIRE “, today a neo-retro trend setting musical enigma. In this ever-shrinking world of networking, I am associated with someone who was a good friend with the late legendary guitar player, Jerry Cole, who was also a partner and friend to 3 Balls of Fire guitarist “ Burnin’ Mike Vernon.
Mike and I spoke one day briefly about the loss of Jerry Cole ( one of the greatest showmen and innovators of the electric guitar ) and that’s what set me into several months of investigating the works of this amazing band from Austin . I am now a fan.
Back in the 1960’s birth was given to a new style of pop which was classified as Surf music, mostly made famous by groups like the Ventures and the Surfaris. This music became very popular among all ages because it was mainly instrumental music, no vocals. You didn’t have to think about what the writer or the singer were trying to say. You just got into the melodic groove, and it didn’t matter what country you lived in, you didn’t need an interpreter. This music found it’s way into television, radio, movies and countless commercials and thanks to unique groups such as “ 3 BALLS OF FIRE “
It is being performed and kept alive the world over.
There’s something about a twangy guitar that just gets people to pay attention to a record. The clean and sometimes rapid double-picking and high treble tone utilized by an artist of Mike Vernon’s ability would be enough to satisfy any surftone enthusiast, but then Mike throws you a curve and sends you in another colorful direction with his rhythms, textures and layers of tone. Like the jazzy, “DARK EYES” which invokes imagery of long wet streets, thirty-five cents in your pocket and your out of smokes.
Well , OK. So that’s my mind image and just one writer’s opinion but I tell you guitar fans around the world, you have got to add “ Burnin’ “ Mike Vernon and the band
“3Balls Of Fire “ to your must have list of CD’s. This band is red hot and they get the damngoodtunes.com five star thumbs up!
Check out 3 Balls Of Fire on Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/3ballsoffire
ARTICLE BY BRUCE MAIER
INTERVIEW WITH LYNDA KAY CONTINUED FROM " COUNTRY "
DGT: We saw a picture of a young girl, little Lynda Kay dressed like a real "Cowgirl". Were you really into the country western life as you appeared in that photo? Tell us about yourself back then, as it relates to the person you are today.
Lynda Kay: I was absolutely into the country western life back then...even if I was living in suburban Dallas :) I'll tell you a funny story about that picture: I was 6 years old and I wanted to wear my cowgirl clothes to school but my Mom thought it may not be appropriate school attire, so I just fixed that... I asked my teacher if we could have a Western Day! I had a very colorful upbringing filled with true Southern culture, grits, guns, and gravy.
DGT: Who were the top three people who shaped or are shaping your life, your mentors and influences?
Lynda Kay:___I gotta narrow it down to three?? Well, my Dad is the one who introduced me to music, so he'd have to be #1. Sometimes he'd play the guitar and I'd sing, and other times, he'd play albums and tell me what was good. # 2 is my Mom because she taught me all about style, personality, and poise. And # 3 is my Granny, because she taught me that being a strong woman is cool.
DGT: You play the four string, or as it has sometimes been called, the tenor guitar and you are called the " Queen of The Four String ". Why not a conventional six-string guitar?
Lynda Kay:__The first instrument I started playing was a ukulele. I loved that little thing, but it's a tough instrument to take seriously. A friend of mine had a tenor guitar and I just fell in love with its sound...and plus I thought it had nice high-overtones for my low-voice. I've been collecting and playing them ever since and I have some very rare ones. In fact, Harmony Guitars is adding a signature Lynda Kay Tenor to their line of guitars next year. We're still in the designing stages right now so that's about all I can tell you at the moment.
DGT: You utilize a bass drum pedal apparatus beating on a piece of Samsonite luggage. That is one of the most original ideas for acco! mpaniment we have ever seen! How did that revelation become part of your act?
Lynda Kay:__I've been a tap dancer since I was about 3 years old, so that's where the foot percussion started. I stopped tap dancing for years because I always had better rhythm in my left foot than my right. Life took me in different directions and at some point I had a band that had grown to 8 pieces. It was a lot of fun, but a lot work, and I just wanted to get back to my roots, so I started playing old blues and country songs down on Venice Beach. I started attracting a crowd, but I wanted to be more stompin' like John Lee Hooker, so I designed a suitcase kickdrum that I could carry everything in and busk down on the boardwalk.
DGT: Who were some of your greatest musical influences and who do you listen to today that really knocks you out?
Lynda Kay:__ I really enjoy listening to all kinds of music so I'm just gonna have to list my main musical influences: Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson, The Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, and Buddy Holly. Presently, I really dig Richard Hawley, The Head Cat, Lucinda Williams, Unknown Hinson. and The Death Riders.
DGT:What do you think about the business of music, the marketing, the packaging and manufacturing of " the star " as the world perceives him or her to be?
Lynda Kay:___I
think the days of packaging "the star" are over (thank the Lord!) I
love the collapse of the majors, its forcing everybody to just get back
to enjoying and creating great music for the love of it and leavin' the
spin behind. 
DGT:Tell us about your partner in LONESOME SPURS. How you met, how you merged your styles into the popular show that you have created.
Lynda Kay:___Danny B. Harvey in the second half of Lonesome Spurs and half the sound (he plays that Merle Travis style with bass lines and leads.) He and I met while he was producing Wanda Jackson's last record and he asked me to do the background vocals...so cool!! We just hit it off musically and been playing together for almost 3 years now.
What's on your musical horizon for the ! first six months of 2008?
Lynda Kay:__I'm in the studio right now recording my debut solo album. Its going to be called "Dream My Darling" and it should be finished by September 2008. Although I am really enjoying the process, I can't wait to hear it when its finished! It is very Patsy meets Roy Orbison, complete with string sections and background vocals, and some very special surprise guest appearances...more info on this later :)
What would you want to say to young people who love music and are thinking about a career in the music industry?
Lynda Kay:__I would absolutely encourage any young person who is interested in playing music to do so with all your heart. If you're gonna live the life of a musician do so for the love of it, because I can tell you from my experience that its a tough business. But, you know, I wouldn't change a thing because it makes for a very gratifying life. 11.What legacy would you like to leave behind, or how would you like best to be remembered?
Lynda Kay:____I would like to leave a legacy of music behind that people can enjoy for generations to come. And I hope I am remembered for being a nice person who wrote songs that moved people in some way.
Visit Lynda Kay at MySpace : www.myspace.com/lyndakay
Go To Her Main Website : www.lyndakay.com
