Tommy Alverson
Encyclopedia
Tommy Alverson is a Texas Country
musician from Fort Worth, Texas
. He attended and played varsity football at Itasca High School with Austin’s Sam Baker (then known as Dick Baker). During junior college, he played guitar with James Hand, and later produced Hand’s first album.
Alverson has shared the stage with Texas musicians Willie Nelson
, Johnny Bush
, Johnny Gimble
, Jerry Jeff Walker
, Clay Blaker, Gary P. Nunn
, Ray Wylie Hubbard
, Radney Foster
, and Steven Fromholz
, as well as Robert Earl Keen
, Pat Green
, Charlie Robison
, Dale Watson
, and singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale
.
Alverson’s regular bandmates are son Justin on lead guitar, Ray Austin on steel and Dobro, Ron Thompson on drums, Jerry Abrams on bass, and Thurston Selby and Heather Woodruff on fiddle. His new band consists of Ray Austin, Joe Ammons on drums, Jerry Abrams on bass, Thurston Selby on fiddle and vocals, and "Dirt" Stinnett on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and vocals. Alverson and the band were picked along with 19 other acts, for the Miller Lite True to Texas campaign in 2000. Alverson has been featured in radio and TV commercials for Dairy Queen
, Miller Lite
, and Texana Grill. Alverson was also voted The Terry Award's Entertainer Of The Year in 2000.
His discography includes Texasongs, a compilation of his first two cassette releases,
"From The Heart Of Hill County" and "Always In My Heart", Live at Ozona, produced by legendary producer Phil York, Me On The Jukebox, co-produced by Alverson and Lloyd Maines
(which contains the hit "Una Mas Cerveza"), and Alive And Pickin, which was recorded live at the historic Chatauqua Auditorium in Waxahachie, Texas
. Also, Alverson's "Hill Country Here I Come" is featured on the 2001 release Texas Road Trip compilation by Compadre Records
. Smith Music Group, who distributes CDs by Cooder Graw
, Jason Boland, Cory Morrow
and many others, has acquired the distribution rights to all Alverson’s CDs.
Alverson released Heroes and Friends in June 2004. Several guest artists included on the CD, were Gary P. Nunn, Rusty Wier
, Mike Graham, Davin James and Heather Morgan. Alverson’s fifth studio release, titled Country to the Bone, was his debut on Palo Duro Records
. The album won the 2007 Best Country and Western Music Award from Fort Worth Weekly
, and was released at Alverson’s 10th annual Texas Music Family Gathering.
to Mickey Newbury
, Clay Blaker and the team of Roy Robinson (aka Amos Staggs) and Jerri Lynn Robinson. One special guest was Pauline Reese, who sang with Alverson on "Tequila Rose", a Robinson/Robinson composition that Alverson turned into a duet. In the July 2007 Cowboys & Indians magazine, Palo Duro label founder Chris Thomas listed "Texas Woman" as one of his favorite tracks, calling it, "one of the finest love songs ever written." It also includes "Got Here as Fast as I Could," a song that might serve as the answer to Lyle Lovett’s "That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)." He offers props to another hero in "Just Like Hank," a song borrowed from pal Walt Wilkins and co-writer Davis Raines. Alverson and Wilkins co-produced the 2006 Palo Duro release, Luckenbach! Compadres! (The Songs of Luckenbach, Texas), a multi-artist celebration recorded live at Luckenbach, Texas
.
, where it was voted Best Outdoor Event for 1999 by the Met magazine in Dallas. It was moved from Stephenville to Smooth Water Ranch in Hico, Texas
in 2000. In 2002, the festival was moved to Glen Rose
at the Tres Rios River Ranch, where the numbers of fans and friends reached approximately 2,500. In 2003, the numbers rose to 4,000. Radney Foster, Johnny Bush, Rusty Wier, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Steven Fromholz, Cooder Graw, and Deryl Dodd
are some of the names to have graced the stage. Alverson has also gone to France, to perform at Country Rendez-Vous, one of Europe’s biggest country music festivals.
Texas Country
Texas country music is a rapidly growing sub-genre of American country music. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country...
musician from Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. He attended and played varsity football at Itasca High School with Austin’s Sam Baker (then known as Dick Baker). During junior college, he played guitar with James Hand, and later produced Hand’s first album.
Alverson has shared the stage with Texas musicians Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Johnny Bush
Johnny Bush
Johnny Bush, born February 17, 1935 as John Bush Shinn III in Houston, Texas, is a country music singer, songwriter, and drummer. Bush, nicknamed the "Country Caruso," is best-known for his distinctive voice and as the writer of "Whiskey River," a top-ten hit for himself and Willie Nelson's...
, Johnny Gimble
Johnny Gimble
John Paul Gimble , better known as Johnny Gimble, is an American country musician associated with Western swing. He is an award-winning fiddle player and considered one of the most impressive fiddlers in the genre's history....
, Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
, Clay Blaker, Gary P. Nunn
Gary P. Nunn
Gary P. Nunn is a Texas Country singer/songwriter. Nunn was born in Oklahoma and moved to Brownfield, Texas as a sixth grader. He was a member of Lubbock, Texas rock band The Sparkles during the 1960s. In 1995, Nunn was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame, and in 2004, into the Texas Hall of...
, Ray Wylie Hubbard
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Ray Wylie Hubbard is an American Texas Country singer and songwriter.-Early life:Hubbard grew up in southeastern town of Hugo, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in south Dallas, Texas in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School with Michael Martin Murphey, who had his own band at the time...
, Radney Foster
Radney Foster
Radney Foster is an American Texas Country artist. Initially a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, Foster made his debut in 1986 alongside Bill Lloyd in the duo Foster & Lloyd...
, and Steven Fromholz
Steven Fromholz
Steven Fromholz is an entertainer, a singer and songwriter who was Poet Laureate of Texas in 2007.-Biography:Born in Temple, Texas, Fromholz began performing while he was serving in the United States Navy during the 1960s. After leaving the Navy, he teamed with Dan McCrimmon to create the group...
, as well as Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
, Pat Green
Pat Green
Patrick Craven "Pat" Green is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA...
, Charlie Robison
Charlie Robison
Charles Fitzgerald "Charlie" Robison is an Texas Country singer/songwriter, who was raised in Bandera, Texas. His brother is singer/songwriter Bruce Robison...
, Dale Watson
Dale Watson (singer)
Dale Watson is an American alternative country/Texas Country singer, guitarist and songwriter based in Austin, Texas. He's positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music...
, and singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale is a musician & singer-songwriter who performs bluegrass and country music. He has recorded since 1986 and has released nineteen studio albums. Artists who have recorded his material include George Strait and Patty Loveless.-Biography:...
.
History
Known as the "Godfather of Metroplex Honky- Tonks," Alverson has long been a dynamic fixture on the Texas music scene and has recently been receiving radio airplay with his hit single "Una Mas Cervesa". Alverson continues to expand his loyal fan base throughout Texas, as well as overseas with his songwriting and performances.Alverson’s regular bandmates are son Justin on lead guitar, Ray Austin on steel and Dobro, Ron Thompson on drums, Jerry Abrams on bass, and Thurston Selby and Heather Woodruff on fiddle. His new band consists of Ray Austin, Joe Ammons on drums, Jerry Abrams on bass, Thurston Selby on fiddle and vocals, and "Dirt" Stinnett on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and vocals. Alverson and the band were picked along with 19 other acts, for the Miller Lite True to Texas campaign in 2000. Alverson has been featured in radio and TV commercials for Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen, often abbreviated DQ, is a chain of soft serve and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc, who also owns Orange Julius and Karmelkorn. The name "Dairy Queen" is taken from the name of their soft serve product, which the company refers to as "Dairy Queen" or...
, Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
, and Texana Grill. Alverson was also voted The Terry Award's Entertainer Of The Year in 2000.
His discography includes Texasongs, a compilation of his first two cassette releases,
"From The Heart Of Hill County" and "Always In My Heart", Live at Ozona, produced by legendary producer Phil York, Me On The Jukebox, co-produced by Alverson and Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
(which contains the hit "Una Mas Cerveza"), and Alive And Pickin, which was recorded live at the historic Chatauqua Auditorium in Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
. Also, Alverson's "Hill Country Here I Come" is featured on the 2001 release Texas Road Trip compilation by Compadre Records
Compadre Records
Compadre Records is a Houston-based independent record label that specializes in roots music. Compadre’s artists include Billy Joe Shaver, Honeybrowne, Suzy Bogguss, Flaco Jimenez, James McMurtry, Trent Willmon, Hayes Carll, among others...
. Smith Music Group, who distributes CDs by Cooder Graw
Cooder Graw
Cooder Graw was a self-described "loud country" band from Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas. It is also the title of their second album.The group formed in 1998...
, Jason Boland, Cory Morrow
Cory Morrow
Cory Morrow is a Texas Country singer/songwriter who has gained popularity throughout the Southwest. Morrow started playing guitar at Memorial High School in Houston. He continued to develop as a musician while attending Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity...
and many others, has acquired the distribution rights to all Alverson’s CDs.
Alverson released Heroes and Friends in June 2004. Several guest artists included on the CD, were Gary P. Nunn, Rusty Wier
Rusty Wier
Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier was an American singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas.Wier's career dates back to the 1970s and covers multiple music genres...
, Mike Graham, Davin James and Heather Morgan. Alverson’s fifth studio release, titled Country to the Bone, was his debut on Palo Duro Records
Palo Duro Records
Palo Duro Records is an independent record label established in 2001 to focus primarily on Texas-based singer/songwriters and bands. The label specializes in musical styles from the Americana, country music, alternative country and Texas music genres....
. The album won the 2007 Best Country and Western Music Award from Fort Worth Weekly
Fort Worth Weekly
Fort Worth Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper that serves the Greater Fort Worth area . The newspaper has an approximate circulation of 75,000. The Fort Worth Weekly is published every Wednesday and features news, editorials, profiles, and reviews of art, books, theatrical productions, food,...
, and was released at Alverson’s 10th annual Texas Music Family Gathering.
Country to the Bone
Country to the Bone started out as a redo of some older Alverson compositions, before it morphed into more of an homage to some of his favorite songwriters, from Jim Lauderdale and Doug SahmDoug Sahm
Douglas Wayne Sahm , was an American musician from Texas. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was a child prodigy in country music, but became a significant figure in blues rock and other genres. Today Sahm is considered one of the most important figures in what is identified as Tejano music...
to Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury
Mickey Newbury was an American songwriter, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, Clay Blaker and the team of Roy Robinson (aka Amos Staggs) and Jerri Lynn Robinson. One special guest was Pauline Reese, who sang with Alverson on "Tequila Rose", a Robinson/Robinson composition that Alverson turned into a duet. In the July 2007 Cowboys & Indians magazine, Palo Duro label founder Chris Thomas listed "Texas Woman" as one of his favorite tracks, calling it, "one of the finest love songs ever written." It also includes "Got Here as Fast as I Could," a song that might serve as the answer to Lyle Lovett’s "That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)." He offers props to another hero in "Just Like Hank," a song borrowed from pal Walt Wilkins and co-writer Davis Raines. Alverson and Wilkins co-produced the 2006 Palo Duro release, Luckenbach! Compadres! (The Songs of Luckenbach, Texas), a multi-artist celebration recorded live at Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
.
Other appearances
Alverson's Texas Music Family Gathering is a steadily growing three-day festival. It began as a very small get-together in 1998 at Melody Mountain Ranch in Stephenville, TexasStephenville, Texas
Stephenville is a city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the...
, where it was voted Best Outdoor Event for 1999 by the Met magazine in Dallas. It was moved from Stephenville to Smooth Water Ranch in Hico, Texas
Hico, Texas
Hico is a small city located in Hamilton County in Central Texas. The population was 1,341 at the 2000 census. The town motto is "Where Everybody Is Somebody!" The county seat is Hamilton some twenty miles to the south on United States Highway 281....
in 2000. In 2002, the festival was moved to Glen Rose
Glen Rose, Texas
Glen Rose is a city in Somervell County, Texas, United States. It is the county seat of Somervell County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,444. Glen Rose is part of the Granbury micropolitan area.-19th century:...
at the Tres Rios River Ranch, where the numbers of fans and friends reached approximately 2,500. In 2003, the numbers rose to 4,000. Radney Foster, Johnny Bush, Rusty Wier, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Steven Fromholz, Cooder Graw, and Deryl Dodd
Deryl Dodd
Deryl Dwaine Dodd is an American Texas Country artist. Originally a regular on the Texas club circuit, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, soon finding work as a background vocalist and songwriter...
are some of the names to have graced the stage. Alverson has also gone to France, to perform at Country Rendez-Vous, one of Europe’s biggest country music festivals.
Discography
- Texasongs (1995)
- Me on the Jukebox (1999)
- Alive and Pickin (2001)
- Live at Ozona Revisited (2003)
- Heroes and Friends (2004)
- Country to the Bone (2007)