In a year that thwarted plans for veteran artists and new bands alike, Dallas’ Americana scene is as strong as ever. Here are the nominees for the 2020 Dallas Observer Music Awards’ Best Americana category. Nicholas Altobelli Perhaps one of the most prolific songwriters in Dallas, Nicholas Altobelli seems to…
You’d think that the first thing you’d get squared away before working on a David Bowie movie was, you know, his music. Apparently, that’s something that might have slipped the minds of the creative team behind Stardust. The upcoming film follows in the footsteps of successful recent musical biopics such…
TMZ and other sources confirmed that Louisiana rapper Boosie Badazz (formerly Lil Boosie) was shot in Dallas Saturday afternoon and was being treated for injuries at a nearby hospital. The injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening, and he is in stable condition. According to various accounts, Boosie was in town to pay…
Country music has had a tough year. With Lady Antebellum changing their name to Lady A, losses from COVID shutdowns, the death of country icons and backlash befalling critics of Dolly Parton for her support of the Black Lives Matter movement, 2020 naturally ended with a shit show known as the Country…
David Zoller, Dallas pianist and composer, died Monday morning at his home surrounded by family, his son Matt Zoller Seitz announced. Zoller, who was born in 1941, was revered for three generations for his jazz and piano compositions. His discography includes 3x4x, Snug Harbor and Love Song to a Genie…
Dallas rapper Melvin Noble (aka Mo3) was shot and killed Wednesday just before noon while traveling north on Interstate 35, near Clarendon Drive. Noble reportedly attempted to flee on foot as the gunman approached his vehicle. The gunman fired multiple rounds, striking Mo3 and a bystander sitting in his own…
The Dallas hip-hop community was rocked to its core Wednesday afternoon as news flooded social media that recording artist Mo3 was reportedly shot and killed. The shooting reportedly occurred near the intersection of RL Thornton Freeway (I-35) and Marsalis Avenue in Oak Cliff. According to law enforcement, the 28-year-old artist…
It’s not uncommon for great pieces of journalism to be adapted into screenplays. Movies like A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Bernie and Almost Famous take stories off newsstands and put them on the big screen. But rarely has journalism crossed over into the world of music. Contemporary chamber trio HAVEN…
One thing we can look forward to with the city reopening is getting to celebrate “Sunday Funday” once again. It’s our favorite day of the week to get up early early, put our hangovers aside and get dolled up for an afternoon of day drinking. It’s brunch, mimosas, music, mimosas…
Now that we have time to think of things other than the presidential election, let us return to what really matters: new music. North Texas artists continue smacking us with hard-slapping greatness. Here are the best new releases. “Str8 Jackin,” There are two things in this music video that you will…
Celebrities are just like us. They vote, they put on their pants one leg at a time, they pay their taxes (or at least most of them) and they have creative aspirations outside of their profession. Some were successful before they tested their fanbase’s loyalty by venturing into music, while…
Your week in music news, in case you missed it: Oak Cliff native band Luna Luna released a new music video to their new single, “Time,” their first release since their 2019 EP Carousel. The Latinx band is known for their unique blend of pop and rock with an ’80s…
The world of outlaw country endured a devastating week as two of its seminal, esoteric legends, Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver, died last Friday and Wednesday, respectively. Austin stalwart Walker is best remembered for writing the immortal hit “Mr. Bojangles,” which was covered by Sammy Davis Jr.; Bob…
Monday, Dallas Hope Charity announced the purchase of a new transitional home for local LGBTQ youth, which will be named after late Power Trip frontman Riley Gale.
Yella Beezy will be making an appearance at Friendship-West Baptist Church in southern Dallas on Election Day, in an effort to entice young voters to cast their ballots. The hip-hop artist, who has millions of streams with singles such as “Headlocc (feat. Young Thug)” and “Restroom Occupied” with Chris Brown,…
Every famous musician with a story worth telling (and even some who don’t) is bound to get the Hollywood treatment. Films based on the life of famous performers aren’t a new trend, but the past few years have seen a noticeable uptick in musician biopics, most notably Bohemian Rhapsody, which…
A common question asked of many songwriters is whether the music or the lyrics come first when crafting a tune. Typically, the artist replies with something along the lines of “Well, it just depends, really, there’s no one set way to write a song.” For Jackson Scribner, such a question…
California band Trapt, best remembered for their alt-metal hit “Headstrong” and now known as a band whose slogan is “Make America great again,” are having a MAGA meltdown on Twitter after their Dallas show was canceled. In March, the band cooked up Twitter beef with Dallas metal band Power Trip…
Artist Regina Marsha’ Gulley used to use every drug in the book. Alcohol, weed, cocaine, you name it. Gulley (who uses they/them pronouns) was an addict with no plan to stop, and no idea how to even try. Then, in the late summer of 2017, they woke up in a…
If there’s a single word that epitomizes Kaatii’s musical ethos, it’s “synergy.” The 14-year-old Dallas-based singer-songwriter (pronounced “Kahh-tee”) this week released “Afraid of the Dark,” a shockingly comfortable song about being naturally uncomfortable –– just in time for the early sunsets, mysterious creaks and chilly nights of the season of the…
A virtual Tarrant County court trial held in September went viral over the weekend and brought renewed attention to a 12-year-old Fort Worth rapper with a criminal history. The juvenile, who has gone by the stage names Lil Rodneyy, Baby Savage and 30Shotz, allegedly committed arson, shot a 1-year-old baby…
Nestled into a faded commercial strip tucked into a side street on Denton’s downtown square, Vinyl Lounge is easy to miss. The unassuming red and blue sign over the door is no indication of what patrons can expect when they step inside Denton’s newest bar, which is anything but understated…
