Hot Chili Days/Cool Mountain Nights is set for August 14-16 and honors the tremendous tradition of live musical entertainment in Red River by showcasing some of the finest songwriting and performing talent in the world. Coupled with a Chili Cookoff sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI), which sponsors over 600 cookoffs in the USA and neighboring countries, the event is a delight for the senses.
The event began thirteen years ago as a songwriters’ workshop and concert series at the fabled Motherlode Saloon, organized by owner Steve Heglund and Texas singer/songwriter Larry Joe Taylor. Six years ago it developed into a community event. Headliners have included Guy and Susan Clark, Joe Ely, Chuck Pyle, Mike Hearne, Kevin Welch and Richard Leigh.
It’s All About the Songwriters
Larry Joe Taylor was not born into a musical family in Brownwood, TX, but when he was seven years old, his ten year-old brother received a guitar as a Christmas present. “He never played it,” Larry remembers, “so I asked him if I could restring it because I’m left-handed. He said ‘no, he might want to play it sometime,’ so I wound up learning to play right-handed.”
Later on during his high school years, he had a band and “kinda got into the music.” Artists like Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson made a positive impression. “I thought ‘Man, this stuff is good, you know!’”
After living in Hutchinson, Kansas, for six years - he didn’t even own a guitar at that time - Larry returned to Texas, got a guitar and started playing around “at parties and stuff” and started dabbling in songwriting and then getting serious about it.
“We even recorded a few on reel-to-reel. I hope nobody still has them,” Larry laughs. “Things just sort of progressed.” Today, the list of those recording Larry Joe’s songs includes Jerry Jeff Walker, Gary P. Nunn, Michael Hearne & South by Southwest, and Joe Pat Hennen to name a few. Many CDs later, Larry Joe is equally well known for organizing music festivals, recently celebrating his 20th year for the Texas Music Festival & Chili Cookoff at his Melody Mountain Ranch near Stephenville, TX .
“These are songwriter shows,” Larry says, “they’re about the people responsible for the music.We started doing this one because Red River is a cool place to be. Songwriters can hang out and pick. I’d like to see it continue to grow like some of my other festivals. I’d like to see every bed in town full and everybody going to the thing, to make it work for the town and work for everybody.”
Advanced tickets for the 2008 edition of Hot Chili Days/Cool Mountain Nights can be purchased at the Red River Conference Center. You can call 877-754-1708 for more information.