The Derailers

I just love these guys! I raved about The Derailers last year . . . how they were the sleeper act of the 2001 cruise. This year their much anticipated sets were absolutely awesome. This band knows how to entertain and I'm hoping that really great things await them . . . they deserve to be heard! Okay, so they've become my friends too . . . and that is just a delight. Tony Villanueva, Brian Hofeldt, Mark Horn and Ed Adkins are not only talented, but know how to pick their fans :-) . . . seriously, they are just wonderful people and I feel really honored to be accepted as a friend of the band.

There's a long, boring story about my Portland connections to Brian (which we touched on in meeting on the cruise last year, but fully realized when they played in town last July) . . . but basically I independently know three different members of his family . . . weird but true (talk about six degrees of separation!). And I kept running into Tony and his wonderful wife, Dora, in the strangest places . . . it got to be a running joke with us. But I digress . . .

Their first set on Monday night following Marcia Ball had the pool deck in a frenzy . . . jumpin' and dancin' and carrying on as they tore through a high energy set of originals and some honky tonk classics. Tony's rich baritone could bring a tear to every eye on those country weepers (okay, a little exaggeration but it sounded good) . . . but I'll take the Bar Exam (and sing along too) anytime. And the great blend of his voice with Brian's creates a really rich vocal mix . . . you know you came to The Right Place. When Brian sang lead I swear we were in the Sun studios in the mid-50s . . . echos of Elvis, Carl, and Roy. And he is an amazing guitar player.

These guys always seem to be having a great time . . . they exude fun on stage and it's really contagious. From synchronized stage moves to corny jokes and exchanges (let me take a moment to introduce the band . . . Tony this is Mark, Ed this is Tony . . . groan), they keep the audience engaged and smiling.
Ton and Marcia discuss musical arrangement

Ton and Marcia discuss musical arrangement

And other musicians seemed to be thrilled to sit in with them. Whether it was Marcia Ball, or Delbert, Al Anderson, Stephen Bruton, Teresa James . . . . eveyone seemed to be having a blast being on stage with the Derailers. Brian, Theresa James, Tony

And it was great that they brought Marty Muse . . . he's been playing pedal steel with Robert Earl Keen, but got the week off to do the cruise. Thank you Robert Earl! Ed Adkins . . . the quiet Derailer :-)

There's a core group of diehard Derailers fans that came on the cruise that I need to mention . . . first and foremost, their webmaster Jack and his wife Teresa from Philadelphia, Ian, Diane, Holly, and Andellyn from Dallas, of couse my buds from Colorado - Brian and Julia . . . and I don't want to forget Brian Hofeldt's wife Tiffany who was up in front dancing with us (probably Derailers fan #1!) . . . and I should thank Bev from Eugene, who was hearing them for the first time Mark Horn

and became a dancing buddy.
We had an absolute blast in front of the stage for both of their shows . . . dancin' up a storm and singing along (though not something you really want me to do . . . good thing they were the ones with the microphones!).

So whenever you get the chance, do not miss The Derailers . . . or you will miss one of the best, most authentic, hardest working and all round fun bands to be found anywhere in the universe . . . . or at least on the honky-tonk trail somewhere between Austin and Oregon. Door-to-door honky-tonk salesmen indeed! (that's Brian's line, not mine)

And buy their CDs . . . all of them . . . but especially their new one, Here Come The Derailers !

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