AUSTIN - For the third year in a row, fans, friends and kindred musical spirits will gather in Austin to celebrate the life and music of one of Texas' most multi-talented musical sons. The third annual Doug Sahm Day will feature Little Joe y La Familia, Augie Meyers, Doug's son Shawn Sahm, Speedy Sparks, Louis Ortega, Ernie Durawa, The Derailers, Bill Kirchen, The Texas Mavericks, Ernie Garibay & Cats Don't Sleep, The Lucky Tomblin Band, Ed Burleson, Troy Campbell, Dahebegebees, and more will take the stage at Antone's on Thursday, November 18. The occasion is an all-night, all-star tribute to the life and music of Doug Sahm and all his musical incarnations-from the Sir Douglas Quintet to the Texas Tornados-from 5:30 p.m. (music starts at 6:00) to closing time at one of Sahm's favorite venues, Antone's at 213 West Fifth St. Tickets will be on sale at the door at Antone's the night of the show; admission is $10. The event is being produced by SilverStar Entertainment, and is co-sponsored by KGSR-FM. For information on showtime and other details, please call SilverStar Entertainment at 512-615-2412.This year's Doug Sahm Day is a benefit for San Antonio's Rocky Morales, who has been saddled with severe medical problems for a long period of time.
Proceeds from the evening, including proceeds from a live auction (as well as the proceeds from the online auction of Doug's vintage 1974 Lincoln Town Car, will benefit Morales. Like Doug, Rocky Morales is a San Antonio native. As a founder of the acclaimed "West Side Horns," Morales wailing tenor saxophone became an integral part of not only Doug Sahm's many musical incarnations, but also a touchstone for many Alamo City musicians, including Randy Garibay, the Lucky 13 band and others.
He was also a lifelong friend of Sahm's. Morales began playing alto sax in junior high, but switched to tenor when he heard fellow Texas sax man Clifford Scott's groundbreaking instrumental hit, "Honky Tonk." "That was it for me," Morales said in retrospect. Rocky and Doug met in the early-60s band the Mar-Kays and founded a friendship and musical collaboration that lasted the rest of Sahm's life. The Return of Doug Saldaña (1971), Texas Tornado (1973), The West Side Sound Rolls Again (1984) and The Last Real Texas Blues Band (1994) are among the Sir Douglas Quintet, Doug Sahm and Texas Tornados albums on which Rocky appeared.
Though Rocky's health will preclude his appearance at Doug Sahm Day, his legacy with Sahm and the West Side Horns will loom large during the course of the evening. One musical highlight of the evening will find Doug's friends and bandmates, including Augie Meyers, Shawn Sahm, Speedy Sparks, Louie Ortega and Ernie Durawa performing a special tribute to the music of the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.
In addition to the musical component of the day, plans are also in the works for the Austin City Council to proclaim "Doug Sahm Day" on November 18, and for the stretch of Fifth Street in front of Antone's to be re-named "Doug Sahm Way" temporarily in his honor. There will also be a petition on hand at the event for Doug's fans to sign to begin the process of nominating Sahm for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"We wanted Doug Sahm Day to become an annual event, and a sort of a living memorial to his life and music" said show producer Lucky Tomblin, of Austin's SilverStar Entertainment company. "We anticipate that this event will become increasingly popular, not only with San Antonio and Austin citizens, but with Doug Sahm fans all over Texas and the U.S., and overseas."
Born on San Antonio's East Side in 1941, Doug spent his life celebrating all the diverse roots and branches of Texas music. "He was like a jukebox of all Texas music," said his friend, singer Angela Strehli. Primarily through two influential bands two decades apart, the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados, he helped share his musical love affair with the world. Doug passed away in Taos, NM in 1999.
