Hill Country Ramblers perform at library

The Hill Country Ramblers

Hill Country Ramblers perform at library

By John Pacheco

The Hill Country Ramblers, an all acoustic band using no electricity, performed at the Dripping Springs Community Library (DSCL) on Thursday as part of the library’s ongoing music hosting program.

The Dripping Springs based band described itself as “50% musicians and 50% entertainers,” and performed “countrified” versions (in a slightly comic fashion) of popular pop songs, such as Gloria Gainer’s “I will survive,” and Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls.” 

They also performed original songs such as “One light in Dripping Springs,” calling back to the time when Dripping had only “one stop light and two corner stores,” and “South Austin Magnolia Café Blues,” which recalled the singers frustration with a two-hour wait for a table. “The waitress said she would be right back, but when I looked up, she was showing somebody her new tattoo,” Billy Garza, lead vocal, sang.

Unexpectedly the band also took a nostalgic tour of the 60’s with Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” (with Nick Dotin nailing the bass line perfectly on his upright bass), and Glenn Campbell’s “Gentle on My Mind,” with new lyrics added by Garza. “This is a song I co-wrote with John Hartford—Of course he was dead when I wrote the additional lyrics, and he has no idea I did this to his song,” Garza said. Both songs drew hearty applause.

The Hill Country Ramblers is composed of Billy Garza, guitar and lead vocals; Nick Dotin, upright bass and vocals; Todd Culbert, cajon and vocals; Jim “Doc” Hudson, mandolin, guitar and vocals; and also Betsy Dewey, fiddle and vocals (who was not present at the library performance).

The Ramblers perform regularly at the The Barbershop, and Old 300 BBQ in Blanco. For their performing schedule, and more information on the band visit: hillcountryramblers.com .