Category: showcases


Doobie Jones, Dan Roark

Cameron and I arrived at Skully’s Saloon about 6:30 on Thursday June 28. It’s called a dive bar, but it’s one of the biggest dive bars I’ve seen and has a stage. But it’s between railroad tracks at a railway station, so there’s that. It’s in Old Hickory, just northeast of Nashville on the Cumberland River.

Doobie Jones and I opened the Music City’s Unsigned Best Songwriters Night hosted by Billy Lee of Truckstop Honey. Doobie is a card and writes some interesting songs. I played three songs from my new EP, Hello Out There. The crowd was very receptive.

The following is the line-up with links. It was a stellar group of songwriters, all playing their heart out. I didn’t get a chance to hear the last two sets of songwriters because we had to get back to the hotel. But I have no doubt they sang their hearts out as well.

Take the time to follow the links and listen to their music – you won’t be disappointed. Billy was a good host and he and Amanda Jo Kielpinski (Truckstop Honey) had colorful songs. Arvie and Bunny Bennett were a gracious couple and sang some really nice songs.

I felt a little out of place not being in the local group. But songwriters are a pretty accepting lot as a general rule. Arvie and Bunny made me feel like I was part of the group. Arvie apologized for not being there early enough to hear me play. They had gotten ready, got in the truck, and it wouldn’t start. I have no doubt we’ll keep in touch. Billy has invited me back so they’ll get a chance to hear me play.

Dan Roark/Doobie Jones

Luke Hatfield/Jerr Grunn,

Marc Oriet/Arvie & Bunny,

Truckstop Honey,

Jeffrey Allen/Christina Valentino,

Jeff Dezern/Eli Locke,

Andrew Ullman/Colt Stroud

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Cameron and I arrived in Nashville on Wednesday, June 27th. Thursday morning we checked in at Summer NAMM (National Association of Music Merchant) and got our badges. We went to the D’Angelico booth so I could sign up for the open mic to be held at 3 p.m. on the Reverb stage.

After cruising through all of the booths, we stopped at the Kyser booth. We also say hi to them because their down the road in Tyler.

Then to the John Pearse Strings booth. I have been using JP strings on my Alvarez for all of its 42 years. We chatted with Todd Newman and picked up a few things.

The Alvarez booth was next. We played a few of the new line of guitars and chatted with the staff. The guitars sounded really nice, with a full sound.

At 3 p.m. we were at the Reverb stage. I was concerned because a storm had just blown through, canceling the previous band’s performance. At 2:45, they were still taking the tarps off the stage. They finished in time and the D’Angelico staff situated guitars across the stage. The idea was to use one of their guitars for the one song. My name was called first, and I chose the guitar you see in the picture. I played I Got My Ass Kicked in Nashville – which incidentally is on the EP that will be released Wednesday at Malarkey’s Tavern in Dallas. I received good applause.

After watching most of the other performers, we left to go back to the hotel until time to head to Scully’s Saloon for the showcase…

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriter series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at Raphael’s Mexican Restaurant was on the patio and the weather was good, as was the music and food.

JP Campbell

JP Campbell

Don Wall

Don Wall

Dan Roark

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself – give your day a boost. Look where they’re playing and go see them in person and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriters Series show that I, Dan Roark, hosted on Sunday at Malarkey’s Tavern began to go awry on Saturday. Cyndy and I were at the EarthX event at Fair Park. On the way back to Fair Park Station I hit a slick spot on the wet walkway and went tumbling. Damn the concrete came up fast!

As if that wasn’t enough, I slid along the pavement. Not only did I fall on my knee, but the slid took skin off of two places on my right hand. It was that part of the pavement at Fair Park that looks like it has hundreds of pebbles glued to it – double-whammy.

With effort I stood up and waited for the tremendous pain

Terry Bloss

in my knee to subside enough to be able to limp. We started walking again when I realized I had sprained my left wrist. Then I saw the blood dripping from my right hand in two places. With the napkins Cyndy had I managed to get the blood to stop to a point. After washing my hand off and putting on bandaids when we arrived home, I checked to see if I could still play guitar. It hurt, but I could play with the pain.

[Due to time constraints, we move ahead in the game.]

When I woke up on Sunday, I was sore in places I had not previously known existed. A software issue meant I couldn’t stream the show live. I had planned to record it anyway, but had to adjust my method at the last minute. One of the performers had a migraine and couldn’t make it. One other person I hadn’t

John Mason

heard back from at show time. But John Mason and Terry Bloss were there at showtime. Rob Case was on the way.

I started the show a little after 2 p.m. I played for a little over half an hour when I was through playing with the pain. Terry Bloss followed me. John Mason took the stage next, and Rob Case closed out the show. All three performers went above and beyond, playing longer sets than they had planned – covering the missing performers and my inability to play again due to soreness and pain.

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself. It will be time well spent. Also see where they are playing live so you can go see them play and support live music. Contact me if you

Rob Casef

would like to play on future TexasSelectRadio.com live radio shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

 

 

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Texas Songwriter Series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at the Wyndham Garden Dallas North hotel in the lobby bar was an interesting evening in a unique venue with some good music. Shaun opened the show.

Shaun Outen

Rae Marks

Rae Marks

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Jeff Stachowski

Jeff Stachowski

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

It was a great show. Follow the links and listen to their music for yourself – you will not regret it. Make a note of when they play, go hear them, and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

 

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan show at Canucks in Lewisville on March 22nd was the last show due to owner cancellation. The performers on the show were:

Robbie Cleigh Marks

Robbie Cleigh Marks

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

Taylor Chicks (I was running sound and didn’t get a picture. Here they are at Stan’s Main Street in Frisco.)

Taylor Chicks

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Brett Cox

Brett Cox

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself. Notice when they are playing and go see them live to support live music. Keep an eye out for possible future Shaun and Dan shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

 

While it was the final TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan show, the radio show will continue to be hosted by Shaun at Stan’s Main Street. I will be playing at Malarkey’s Tavern on Wednesdays. Here were the performers for the show:

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen and Scott

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Michael Franceus

Michael Franceus

Baylis Laramore

Baylis Laramore

Harold King

Harold King

Taylor Chicks

Taylor Chicks

Brett Cox

Brett Cox

Follow the links to hear their music for yourself. Make a note of when they’re playing so you can see them play live. Keep an eye out for possible future Shaun and Dan shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan Show at Canuck’s in Lewisville on Thursday, March 15.

Layne Elizabeth

Layne Elizabeth

Cat McGee

Cat McGee

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Click on the links and hear their music for yourself. Notice when they are playing, go see them play, and support live music. If you are a songwriter and would like to be on the show, message Dan to be scheduled for a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan Show at Stan’s Main Street in Frisco on Wednesday, March 14.

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

John Mason

John Mason

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Jeff Stachowski

Jeff Stachowski

Red Neighbors

Red Neighbors

Follow the links so you can hear their music for yourself. Make a note of when they are playing, go see them play, and support live music. If you are a songwriter and would like to be on the show, message Dan to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

 

TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan show at Stan’s Main Street in Frisco on Wednesday, March 7:

 

 

 

Mark Burnaugh and Jason Gibson

 

Check out the links and listen to their music for yourself. Make a note of when they are playing next, go see them play, and support live music. Songwriters who would like to be on the show, send Dan a message.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.