This night he rolled out a FREE gig to his loyal customers and for those in attendance it was a steal of a deal. Tommy Womack made his third stop at AA and brought along a talented young lady with him in Lisa Oliver-Gray. TW was supporting his latest CD, ‘Now What, and it had some great cuts on it including “Play That Cheap Trick, Cheap Trick Play”. Being from thee era when that band was big it stuck with me and the show rolled smoothly from there.

Womack is an off-the-wall character to say the least and he had me belly laughin’ all night. His talents span multiple genres including folk, alt-country, story tellin’, and indie music. It is hard to pigeonhole this type of artist, but who cares when he hangs with the likes of Todd Snider and Will Kimbrough, who he rocks with in the side project called ‘Daddy’?

Highlights were many throughout including “It Doesn’t Have To Be That Good’, “I Love You To Pieces” (what his mama always said to him), and “Over The Hill”. Womack is a native of Sturgis, Kentucky and when he pulls out the mouth harp he makes ya feel like he’s sittin’ on the front porch back home blowin’ that sweet boogie woogie thru ya!

TW’s tunes were definitely enhanced by the presence of Lisa Oliver-Gray and he opened the floor for her to do killer cuts off her CD, ‘Dedicated to Love”, called “My Pretty Song”, “Everybody Wants to Be Loved”, and “Be Still Awhile”.

Lady has a set of pipes that filled the room most wonderfully. Womack favorites of mine were done like “Nice Day”,  side splitting “C’mon Back to Bowling Green/Fish Stick Day”, “Guilty Snake Blues” penned with Kimbrough, and killer “I’m Never Gonna Be a Rock Star”!

The good feel vibe Pipes laid out this night with his always above board potluck food layout to the easy goin’ music appreciative crowd who come to his gigs was heart warming to say the least.  Nothing could sum up the overall blue collar, let’s have fun and laugh realism in the house than Tommy’s anti-establishment anthem “Fluorescent Light Blues”!

I LONG to work somewhere where there are no fluorescent tubes for damn sure and nights like these provide an escape from corporate America bullshit that dominates the lives of too many hard working individuals in this still great country.

Hats off to YOU Kenny Pipes Junior for providing a no nonsense cubbie hole in life to hide, even if its only for a night…………Go check out Almost Austin on Facebook and keep abreast of the happenings on House Street!    Above all, GO check out and support some live music somewhere…