Jimmy LaFave has been a “perennial presence” in the Austin music scene since he first landed here from Oklahoma in the late 1980s. Although he has lived in Austin for nearly 20 years, many people still think of him as being from Oklahoma, because of his strong musical ties to the state and what he often refers to as its “red dirt music.” Shortly after his arrival in Austin his career began to take flight when he was asked to help get a songwriter scene going at the now legendary Chicago House, which led to his first self-produced recording, Highway Angels…Full Moon Rain, which went on to his first Austin Chronicle Music Award. In 1992, Jimmy released a self–produced record, Austin Skyline, which drew international attention to his songwriting and vocal talents, and led to a publishing agreement with Polygram Music. Before long, Jimmy was touring the U.S. and Europe to widespread critical acclaim and landed a slot on Austin City Limits in 1996. Jimmy has built his reputation as not only a solid songwriter, but as an outstanding interpreter of songs by others, most notably Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, both of who are huge influences on his music. In the liner notes for his 1999 record, Trail, music journalist Dave Marsh noted: “Jimmy LaFave has one of America’s greatest voices, and this album is the story of what he has learned to do with it. It’s a unique instrument, with startling range and its own peculiar sense of gravity, liable to swoop in and wreck your expectations at any instant.” He continues to record and tour consistently, meeting critical acclaim and widespread audience acceptance everywhere he goes. This is his first year as an ASG Instructor and he will be leading a class in songwriting, as well as performing a concert with Gurf Morlix Saturday evening.

 

 

 

Gurf Morlix is one of the very best guitar players and producers of Americana music in the whole world, as well as an outstanding singer-songwriter. From 1998-1996, Gurf primarily performed the role of guitar player and producer for Lucinda Williams all the way through her now classic record Car Wheels On A Gravel Road. Since 1999, he has been all over the place as a musician, engineer, mixer and producer out of his Rootball studio in Austin where he has produced a growing number of excellent records, including Slaid Cleaves Broke Down, Ray Wylie Hubbard Snake Farm, Mary Gauthier Mercy Now and Tom Russell Love and Fear, among many others. He is presently in the studio with Betty Soo, 2008's Kerrville Folk Festival "Best New Artist," who also happens to be an ASG Director. He has also worked with a diverse roster of artists in one role or another, including The Band of Heathens, Peter Case, Sam Baker, Jimmy LaFave, Ruthie Foster and Ian McLagan, just to mention but a few. In between all of this activity, he has produced and released a number of his own records, including Fishin’ in the Muddy and Cut ‘N’ Shoot. He is also a member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame. In his first year as an ASG faculty member, Gurf will be leading a seminar in record production on Saturday.