Well, it only took me seven months - LOL! - but I finally found the pluperfect situation for one of the two twice-weekly gigs I've wanted. Starting next Tuesday the 4th of August, I'll be performing at the historic Wetmore Smokehouse and Saloon, which was The Wetmore General Store from 1891 until the sixties sometime. That's right, it's the same building that was built in 1891, and Willie Nelson used to play there when he was young, and I mean young: Before he left Texas for Nashville! There was a railroad station there in the old days - the tracks still go by there now - and so the store and cafe were a landmark rest stop and watering hole.
Wetmore was long ago swallowed up by the ever-expanding San Antonio - when we moved to SA after dad retired from the Air Force in 1972, the deed was already done - and technically my new house is in what was once Wetmore. That's right, this gig is less than two miles from my house!
Like many opportunities like this that present themselves, personal relationships and interactions had a lot to do with it. I had a deep need for a burger and fries the other night, so I stopped in to eat. The waiter, Eric, asked if I'd been there before, and I said no. Well, the bartender yelled, "Welcome!" and I told him I'd recently bought a house in the neighborhood. Turns out the bartender was actually the General Manager, Steve Girard, and not only that, but he was two years behind me at the same high school, MacArthur, that we both graduated from! Really cool deal.
So, The Wetmore has a stage and music Fridays and Saturdays, and I asked Steve if he'd ever thought of live music for the dinner crowd. Well, one thing lead to another, I dropped of a demo CD, and he called back very into the idea. So, there you have it.
Oh, their food rocks. I had the California Burger, but the real hit was the Jalapeno Corn Bread. WOW! I won't mind eating there twice a week. I Will Play for Food! LOL!
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