Marcia Ball at Lufkin Spring Fest...

I probably first saw rock and roll/rhythm and blues/boogie woogie piano player Marcia Ball about 40 years ago. I know that dates both me and her but let me tell you nothing with her show has changed in that time. Nothing in the way I enjoyed the show has changed either except for the fact that I sat maybe just a bit further back due to the ringing in my ears (which is my own fault) than I did at those long ago festival and Texas road house shows when you could not youtube but had to be present for real fun.    

Marcia and band played Spring Fest in Lufkin Saturday. It was a show brought to town by the Angelina Arts Alliance and funded by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. It was a show free to the public. The Commission states it's mission on it's web site:

The mission of the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) is to advance our state economically and culturally by investing in a creative Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and artist sustainability initiatives.

The Commission gets it's funding from The National Endowment for the Arts, The State of Texas General Fund, State of Texas License Plate Sales, Texas Curtural Trust Council Texas Women for the Arts and private donations.   

I was a little disappointed in the turn out for this show. There were about 150 in attendance and I think the people that were there were like me. They have been listening to Marcia Ball for a long time and they came because they knew it would be good. I doubt there were many who said, "free show, let's go." Maybe since this was your government working for your benefit and for free some may have thought there was something socialist about free music in downtown Lufkin but this show is a $35 to $60 ticket depending on the venue and probably if you catch her set at the New Orleans Jazz Fest in a couple of weeks a day pass will set you back even more.   

Marcia is a Grammy nominated performer and I think every recording she ever made is still available on her website. That's pretty good, a throw back to the days of no social media where you got your name out there in person and you sold your records out of the trunk of the car. 

If you are local I suggest you support the Angelina Arts Alliance. If you never heard of the attractions they sponsor I suggest you do the research. It's real live big city stuff. I used to travel all over to see music like this and that was fun but now thanks to their work it comes here and that's good for all of us.

Opening for Marcia was local entertainer and friend Joe Cuellar and joining him for a jam was my friend who hosted a Spring Fest drum circle and is an occasional drum and tuba collaborator Casey Muze.   

There are many things to do in Lufkin. I am enjoying them.