- RECENT PRESS -
Real Life Real Music
by Kyle Hutton
The last two editions of the Real Life – Real Music songwriter series featured
artists who epitomize words like “genuine” and “authentic.” Early in May
I was joined on stage at Dosey Doe in the Woodlands by Gordy Quist. Genuine
down to his name. This was my first chance to perform with Gordy, but rumblings
from Austin and abroad preceded him. I and the audience that evening took
a drink from the fire hydrant of talent that is Gordy Quist.
Gordy, a founding member of The Band of Heathens, took the time to explain
how the band that played 60 shows in the first quarter of 2007 was formed.
There was no pretense, no manipulation, no huge business plans or discussions
– all of which are opposites of genuine – just a group of songwriters playing
a weekly gig at Momo’s in Austin. After a time, Gordy and crew decided that
it was easier, and much more fun, to stay on stage and play along with each
other than rotate solo sets. Sound too simple to be a formula for success?
They were just named New Band of the Year at the Austin Music Awards!
Quist played songs from his previous solo record Songs Play Me, from The
Band of Heathens’ Live from Momo’s and from his new solo project due out
this month. Gordy shared a song included on his new solo project written
for his wife, “Green and Blue.” He said, “I played it for her the night
I proposed.” When I asked Gordy if it worked, he said smiling, “Eventually
she got it. I don’t think she initially realized what I was doing because
as soon as I finished the song and was about to propose, she said “Sing
me another one.”
