Riffs, roams and raves

Editor's Note: This weekly column written by Wimberley View editor Teresa Kendrick highlights her experiences throughout the Texas Hill Country.

Riffs: Organizers of the “True South: An Antarctica Story” fundraiser last week said that at least 370 supporters turned up to rally behind the creative team of Rodney Bursiel and James D. Cooper. The venue chosen for the event, the superb Villa at the Vineyard in Driftwood, was jammed full of people, sitting, standing, Throughout the evening, the flickering images of breaching whales and colossal waves reminded us why we were there. As eight o’clock approached, people began to find their seats and waited for Billy F Cheers, whistles and applause greeted the musicians as they stepped on stage. Rodney told the audience that he and Billy were childhood friends who kept in touch throughout the years. Clad in formal black satin jackets, the band collectively cut a fine figure on stage before launching into their opening number. Lean and sporting his signature white beard and dark glasses, Gibbons appeared relaxed, sometimes smiling at the audience between vocals.

At ground zero, Mike August, host of the KWVH “Rootin’ Around Radio” program was in the front row. He wrote about his experience in an email the next day.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Texas is world famous for their hospitality, but people here are particularly big-hearted. It’s not common for people to support the arts. I feel humbled and honored,” he told me over a Topo Chico at Dos Olivos last week. That interview profiles Cooper and the True South Project in greater detail and will appear in the August 15 edition of the Wimberley View.

It is exciting to see how much the dark sky movement has grown in the state, especially in such a rapidly growing area,” said Amber Harrison, International Dark Sky Places program manager.

Shield Ranch is located on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, just 18 miles west of downtown Austin. It is a 6,400acre nationally designated