Flying

by B.J. Huchtemann

If you missed the Sunday night, Oct. 30, screening of Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah, you missed something extraordinary. Presented as part of Dean Dobmeier’s and Gary Grobeck’s ongoing, moveable Sunday Roadhouse concert series, this exclusive screening was at The Waiting Room. The duo has brought a number of amazing Americana artists to Omaha, including the debuts of artists like Hacienda Brothers, Jon Dee Graham and James McMurtry to name a few.

If you like Americana music you need to go to blazefoleymovie.com and read up on this documentary. You can also go to youtube and look up “If I Could Only Fly.” Foley's heart-stopping song of love and longing has been recorded by no less than Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard (as a duet) and again by Merle Haggard, who called it the best country song he’d heard in 25 years.

Why the late Blaze Foley is the best songwriter you’ve probably never heard of is the subject of Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah by Kevin Triplett. The filmmaker spent 13 years on this documentary and he was in Omaha to talk about the journey behind its creation. The film is funny, heartbreaking and told with lots of inventive techniques. The documentary can only be seen on the road in these special screenings. The tour also includes performances by Austin icon Gurf Morlix, Foley’s longtime friend. Morlix has released a CD tribute of Foley’s music named after one of the writer’s songs called Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream (Rootball Records). His in-person tales of his time with Foley and his renditions of Foley’s tunes are remarkable. Both the film and Morlix’s performance are heart-felt tributes to an amazing artist whose work has largely fallen through the cracks. See GurfMorlix.com for more on Morlix and sundayroadhouse.com for the next event in the always-rewarding Sunday Roadhouse series. 
Check the blog post from Oct. 31 for a couple of video links related to Morlix and the movie trailer.

Hot Notes
Earl & Them featuring Earl Cate and “Baby” Jason Davis plays Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Nov. 4-5. Roots-rock cult favorite Webb Wilder plays the Zoo on Sunday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m. The late show at the Zoo on Nov. 6 is a multi-artist show that includes Omaha’s Matt Cox. Acclaimed bluesman Sonny Rhodes plays the Zoo on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 6-9 p.m.
The 21st Saloon has celebrated West Coast soul-blues vocalist Terry Evans on Thursday, Nov. 3, 5:30-8:30 p.m. See terryevansmusic.com. Lil’ Slim Blues Band plays Gator O’Malley’s Nov. 3 after 9 p.m.
And on Saturday night at McKenna's, catch three of the area's best local roots-blues songwriters. Matt Cox, Sarah Benck and Josh Hoyer will be performing a songwriter's in the round show at McKenna's after 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5. Should be cool.