12.31.2014 - It's a Wrap!

Hello Strangers! 

Yes, it has been entirely too long since I've posted. I apologize for the absence and will try to keep things up to date in 2015. 

The past months have been busy ones. Since my last post, Sand Dollar Rodeo have played at The Chuggin' Monk, Pickles, Shannon Brewery, did a radio show taping at the world famous Thirsty Armadillo (with Nellie Olsen from Little House on the Prairie as our host), and performed at two benefits - the first for the Lone Star Parrot Head Club's Alzheimer fundraiser, then at an adoption event for Cody's Friends Animal Rescue. 

Aside from that, I also performed solo acoustic holiday gigs in December. That was a really neat experience for me. In all my years of playing live, I don't have much experience in playing by myself that way. I've done Christmas shows in the past that used backing tracks, but never anything stripped down like this, with just me and my guitar. Different, for sure. However, I enjoyed it and plan on continuing to do it in the future. For the record, all is well in SDR land, it's just me adding a little variety to life. Seems like every time I do something that isn't an SDR project, I get an inbox full of people asking if we've broken up. No, we haven't. Now you know.

Additionally, I spent a good chunk of the last 4 months working in the studio mastering instrumental and karaoke versions of the entire Sand Dollar Rodeo catalog, cleaning up and re-issuing some of my older material, all sorts of fun stuff that has kept me glued to a computer for hours and hours and hours. If you're interested in seeing the work in progress, go check out this page at my personal website. Again, a work in progress, there will be more to come soon. But, if you're at all curious of my back catalog, it's a good start. 

So, what is in store for 2015? 

One word: Lots! 

I am planning on keeping super busy. At the moment, we (SDR) are still working on the next album. It is expected to be released before Summer. We're also busy booking gigs and rehearsing for the shows. We've got a stripped down show coming up in January at Cobra Brewing (Lewisville, TX), then we'll be back on stage regularly starting around the end of April, so keep an eye on the SDR website for dates. 

I will also be releasing more material from my back catalog as well as a few new singles over the course of the year. Just some stuff that doesn't fit the SDR sound. Again, the band hasn't broken up LOL. More detail on those releases will be available at my website later in the year. Another fun new thing I'll be doing is a podcast, tied into a series of videos on YouTube. More on YouTube in a minute... 

Looking back, 2014 brought us our share of drama, but we've managed to survive. I've had a fun ride with SDR and I am really looking forward to whatever 2015 throws our way. 

So, back to today. It's New Year's Eve or, as I like to call it, "Amateur Night." I don't go out to celebrate and don't really need an excuse to get drunk. Hell, I can do that any night. So, I stay home and avoid the drunks on the road. Ok, now how does that tie into YouTube, right? I know that's what you were thinking, surely. 

I mentioned that I had been mastering karaoke versions of our songs earlier. Well, you guessed it - I've also been editing them into karaoke videos for YouTube and tonight, we'll be launching a little karaoke party just for you! 

You can access my karaoke channel on YouTube by clicking RIGHT HERE. 

Do the smart thing. Don't drink and drive. Drink and Sing Along with SDR at home tonight! All the cool kids will be doing it. Oh, and while you're at it, post a video on Facebook for us to see you rock out to your own version of one of our songs. Hope you enjoy the videos and have lots of fun with them.

As always, I thank you guys (so much) for the continued support of my musical endeavors. It is truly appreciated and you guys are the best - I'll see ya next year! 

Stay gold,

RH

09.12.2014 - GrapeFest - Grapevine, TX

Another fun one! 

As most of you already know, I'm a bit of a fest junkie. I love them like I love fairs. I have little doubt that I'd be a carnie if I weren't a musician. Same basic life... and I love it. I mean, who doesn't enjoy starting off their mornings to the delightful aroma of corn dogs, turkey legs and cigarette smoke? 

The weather for this show was if-y. We were booked rain or shine, so all of us got there early... soaked in the fest and waited around. There was a slight rain delay, but we were able to perform and had a great time. No real rain during our set. We lucked out and the show went fine. This lineup is really starting to gel... things are about to get real good, I think.

Highlights... for me, probably Fried Okra this time. I was channeling Vestal Goodman... enough said LOL. 

Vestal's looking for a city where the okra sizzles pretty, too!

Thanks to the Andy's with Epicenter for making us sound pretty, to Bud Light for making sure there was a roof over the stage to keep our gear dry, to Jeff at Epicenter for booking us and the the City of Grapevine for having us at their party. Also, a big thanks to all you familiar faces in the crowd... Mike, Misty, Sandy, Brian, Kristi, Jeff, Jan, Vicki, Randy... thank you so much for keeping us in business. You are very much appreciated! 

Tonight, we're off to Arlington for a last minute show at the Chuggin' Monk. If you're out and about tonight, come on down... multi-band bill, we got on at 10pm and will play about an hour. I'll see you there!

Until next time... stay gold, 

RH

www.SandDollarRodeo.com

Facebook.com/SandDollarRodeo

Twitter.com/SandDollarRodeo

08.30.2014 - Hollywood & Vine - Glen Rose, TX

I swear, this CRS disease is getting bad... I could have sworn I wrote after the acoustic gig at Lake Weatherford Marina. Today, I log in and realize that I didn't do it. I am over 40. Can I start blaming my age? Ok. Thanks... the Marina show was fun. Heath and I always get goofy on those acoustic shows. As I recall, the night ended with a guy coming up and playing a Led Zeppelin song. Heath sang, I played guitar. I don't know what the song was called. I just followed those two. We also did that "Dont tell me me no lies and keep your hands to yourself" song. The title is a blank for me right now. Again, I played guitar with him, he and Heath sang. Neither of the songs were really my cup of tea, but they were easy enough to play and it was fun. I think the Marina is pretty much done with Summer 2014, so hopefully we'll be out there again next Summer. Great environment. 

Speaking of Summer 2014, last night was our last show of the Summer at Hollywood & Vine. Soon, the weather will be too unpredictable for outdoor shows there (see my old posts about being rained out at H&V), so they are going to move things inside next month until Spring. Unfortunately, we just have too much stuff to fit on the indoor stage. So, unless it's acoustic, we probably won't be back until Spring.

Last night was a hot one. I think we were all soaked well before we started playing. Heat like that tends to suck the life out of you. It resulted in a serious lack of beer consumption on our part. Just too hot and humid. Can you believe I said that? It was. I chugged PowerAde Zero and had a Spark Energy to combat it. Of all nights, the crowd was generous and bought us a few rounds of beer, wanted to buy us more, but it was just too hot. One of us, probably me, would have gotten dehydrated and hit the floor had we drank like we were offered. Thank you, though. Always nice to have a mystery beer show up on stage. Very much appreciated!

Show, itself, went fine. I remembered to power up the PA this time (don't ask). Josh and Ken are coming along well. Things are starting to gel on stage again. Good response from the crowd and Heath got his first experience of people dancing while he sang a song. Neat feeling, Heath, huh? Oh yeah... Heath is singing a new original song of ours! We've been easing in new material last couple of shows. I think we played 3 from the forthcoming album last night. It was a good night.

Next show, we're at Grapefest in Grapevine, TX. These are the kind of shows we really like doing. Not an all-nighter, just a straight on concert with pretty much all original music. I hope to see you there - it will be a good one... and we're on the Bud Light stage. Wonder if we'll get the courtesy cooler? Uh oh... Check our schedule at www.sanddollarrodeo.com for details. As I understand it, there is no admission charge at the festival before 5pm that day, so come on out and see us for free! 

Until then... Stay gold.

RFH

08.02.2014 - Railhead - Willow Park, TX

Hello Strangers,

It's 2am, I have a beer and some tasty Mexican "mush" leftover from last night. The Day Mars Invaded Earth on the DVR. I can't complain.

So, yes, I know I am overdue... past due. But, hopefully, not late enough to appear on my credit report. It hasn't been 30 days yet, has it? Regardless, I guess I should explain before I recap the show...

To be honest, I simply haven't wanted to write or talk about that show at Hollywood & Vine a while back. The night was very difficult for me. I could tell from the minute we all got together in Glen Rose that there was some tension and things didn't feel like the usual "team" kind of feeling. At times, I was flat out uncomfortable on stage because of the tension I could feel going on behind me. There's an odd thing that happens in a band. You tend to bond, like family, and you also feel dynamics, as a family does.

That night would be our last playing with Brian & Tony. Many factors involved in why it turned out that way. Very different factors. Timing was the only similarity. But, to spare you from reading a whole book tonight, it's probably best to just say that, while we love what we do, it is a business and sometimes hard decisions have to be made. Tony was a really nice guy. Brian, he and I just seemed in tune, musically, from day one. Love the guy and his playing style. I wish them nothing but the best. Shit happens. I will leave it at that. Years from now, you can buy the book for the details. We all move on.

After that, Heath and I went into panic mode. Luckily, we had a break in shows, so we had a few weeks to try to find replacements. However, after the emotional side of letting go, we just didn't want warm bodies. We wanted personalities that were right and guys who might get our long term goal (whether they knew it or not). So, we started auditioning...

In the mean time, Heath and I played an acoustic show at Cobra Brewing in Lewisville (another one where I didn't do the blog). A week, maybe a few days earlier, I can't remember, we hired Josh Drewes on bass. I want to say a day before or after, we hired Ken Woods on drums. I don't have the calendar with me right now - don't hold me to the dates, they'll be accurate when you buy the book LOL. Anyway, we were feeling much better by the time of the Cobra gig.

Cobra show... typical brewery gig. If you have never seen Heath and I at one, you should! It's a totally different vibe from our normal shows. Aside from not being full band, it's just a different state of mind for us. We play different material, don't take ourselves too seriously and just get stupid with the crowd. It was a good one... and we'll be doing it again at Cobra on December 13th, Mark your calendars!

So, after that, it was time to get our shit together with the new lineup. I can't tell you what an odd time it was for Heath, Trey and I. For one, I had been writing material for the new album and the original plan was an all new show come August. Oops... lineup change, that can't happen right now. With less than a month to put a three hour show together, we had to back up a bit. Sometimes, you just have to play Margaritaville because everyone knows how to play it! The good news, LOTS of new material coming your way this Fall. The Bad news... there really wasn't any, it worked out fine and we got in a few new ones in...

Of those, if you were there, you heard Heath's Keith Richards debut. He sang a whopping two songs tonight! Heath did a great take on Robert Earl Keen's I'm Coming Home and also sang a new original he wrote called Old Aledo. Good job, Heath (like the candy bar). Another we got in was one I wrote called Population You & Me. Oh, and to tell you how much NOT a country band we are, we did I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink by Merle Haggard for the first time ever. It was kind of fun and our piano boy wonder, Trey, knocked it out of the park on the solos!

Overall, it was a really good night. Yes, we had a few technical issues. But, considering that our rhythm section has been with us less than a month, screw it. It was just fine. The crowd seemed to have had a good time.

I have to send out some great big kudos to Ken & Josh for learning 30 songs that quick. I also need to thank Trey for being a trooper and keeping things together with them while I taunt the crowd. It only works when we're all in the same mindset and I thank all the guys for being into it tonight. It was a pleasure playing with you all. It felt good and I look forward to the next one. Things are about to get real good. I can feel it.

Oh, and thank you Dr. Phil for the glamour shots pre-show. Yeah, it was a long day... we were probably in Willow Park way before you were today...  oh look, now The Exorcist is on... or were those the proofs of me from the photo shoot?  Well, the Exorcist really in on. The other... eh...my night is complete.

Thanks for reading... stay gold,
RFH

Souvenirs from Railhead... gotta love being on the wrong side of the tracks!

06.13.2104 - Reno Red's - Roanoke, TX

Well, I am playing catch up. The past week has been crazy and busy. So, we will be quick and to the point on this one!

So, so night. Not sure what was going on around town, but every place in the downtown area was dead slow. Oh, and it was Friday the13th. Jason was nowhere to be seen.

This was another acoustic show and was the first time I've brought out my 12 string. Tried a few new things on it, some you may hear again, some you may not LOL.

All in all, pretty routine night. Not a lot to write home about on this one. As usual, great food, fun staff and Mr. Dan (the manager) is great. I hear he sings, too.... oh yeah, at the end a staff member came up and sang a few songs. I need to track down her name, she had a really nice voice!

After that, I came home, reorganized gear for full band mode and was in bed by 3 or 4 am... such is life.

I'll catch you guys up what happened the next night sometime this week!

Til then, stay gold.
RH

06.07.2014 - Railhead - Willow Park, TX

Well, despite some guy named George playing his final show to 105k of closest friends and the 40k over at the Rangers game, Sand Dollar Rodeo had a pretty good night. The outdoor area (where the bands play) was pretty full right up til last call.

Highlights of the night:

Heath's family was out to celebrate Allyson's (his wife) birthday. Always a good time when that bunch shows up. However, how did I miss out on the cake? That's the 2nd occasion in a row that I've forgotten to get a piece! I should just start bringing my own.

Next... space! Now that the weather has arrived, all of the usual side draping on the patio was gone. That allows for twice the stage area. I can't tell you how nice it was to be able to move around. Speaking of weather, thank god for the breeze. When I was driving to the show, the car said it was 98 degrees. Luckily, once the sun went down, it was much better and not really an issue, just chugged a lot of water.

Good night at the merchandise table as well. We just about sold out (like fully out of stock) the GPS CD. I think we have 3 left. Guess we need to press some more! Good problem to have.

Thanks to everyone who came out. We had a great time and appreciate you guys taking the time out to come see us play. Also, thanks to Railhead for having us back again. Always a friendly staff and we hope to be back there again this Fall.

Next week, Heath and I will be acoustic Friday night at Reno Red's in Roanoke, then full band on Saturday night at Hollywood & Vine in Glen Rose. If you're in either of those areas, we look forward to seeing you there!

Stay gold,
RH
www.SandDollarRodeo.com

PS: Thanks for the pictures, Shelly!

Some groupies that were high on birthday cake

LR: Tony, Brian & Trey

Heath, early on, fighting the heat... and enjoying the space.

06.03.2014 - 95.9 The Ranch Pickin' Party - Willow Park, TX

I am home now and watching Trevor Horn's Slaves to the Rhythm DVD from Netflix. I find myself in such a weird place. I adore technology. It's my thing. Regardless of whether you liked it or not, Trevor was responsible for for a large part of what you heard on the radio in the eighties and beyond. He was (and still is) very influential on what and how I do what I do. Good DVD.

Now, let's forget all that... we're in Texas.

What a fun, strange, trip tonight was. It's no secret, I am not a fan of acoustic shows. I take that back, I am not a fan of Sand Dollar Rodeo playing acoustic. I write our songs for full band, with sound effects and a lot of synth sounds. So, when it is stripped down, it makes me uncomfortable.

However, as time has gone by, I have learned that our Texas friends want to hear it stripped down. They want to hear the lyrics and find out who you are as a person, what the songs are actually about, that kind of stuff. So, a while back, Heath and I decided we'd give it a shot, just to see what happened. We booked a few acoustic shows.

I am glad, and confused, to find that these shows keep going well. I saw John Waters last week and had the chance to speak with him after the show. He didn't seem to get his current stand-up / non-movie success either. For some reason, some people just want to see entertainers raw and unpolished.

So, you got it tonight...Heath and I had heard about something called 95.9 The Ranch's Pickin' Party with Zane Williams & Randy Brown at the Railhead...

I didn't have anything going, Heath said, "let's do it" and we did. Just guitars and us. We played a couple songs, it went fine, we promoted Saturday's show. Good, right? No... it was REALLY good. We tapped into Texas musicians from all around the state. Made some good contacts. Who knew?

End of the night summation: This is all about networking here in Texas... and you'll probably see us at a few more of these things again this Summer :)

Saturday, we return to this same location for a full band show. It's a nice place to see a full band show in an "up close" environment. If you're out and about in the Willow Park / Aledo / Weatherford area, come by Railhead and say "hello." Railhead is located at 120 S. Ranch House Rd., Willow Park TX 76008. 

Stay gold... see you Saturday
RH
www.SandDollarRodeo.com