Country Music fans enjoying the 35th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival

Country Music Fans from as far away as Sweden, Ireland, Scotland, Japan and Canada have started to ascend upon Brady for the 35th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival. The nine-day event produces 22 shows and dances, along with the Heart of Texas Steel Guitar Show, Darrell McCall & Friends Golf Tournament and events at the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum.

“We drove over eleven hours to get to Brady,” Gerald Heiken from just outside of Olathe, Kansas, said. “We first learned about the Heart of Texas and Brady by watching TruCountry on RFD and listening to Willie’s Roadhouse on Sirius/ XM. They kept talking about Brady, Texas, being the place that was preserving Traditional Country Music, and we had to come to the event this year and see everything for ourselves. We are just overwhelmed and have fallen in love with Central Texas and the friendly people here.”

The first weekend of shows featured a packed house with the Bellamy Brothers, Billy Mata and Texas Tradition, Mo Pitney, Darrell McCall, Tony Booth, Justin Trevino, Dottsy, Kay Adams, Kaye Tolson, Mary Lou Turner, Tommy Horton, Mona McCall, Joe Rucker, Jason James, Tommy Hooker and Jeannie C. Riley.

The Heart of Texas Steel guitar Shows will be held at the Ed Davenport Civic Center on Wednesday, March 20, starting at 2:00 p.m. followed by a dance at 7:00 p.m. with Texas Music Legend Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys will be joined by Kelly Spinks and Miles of Texas. An afternoon Happy Hour Dance with the Kenas-tons and Special Guests will start at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, followed by Jake Hooker and the Outsiders and Jeff Woolsey and the Dance Hall Kings at 7:00 p.m.

On Friday, March 22, the Darrell McCall and Friends Golf Tournament will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Brady Golf Course. Open slots are still available by calling Roger Rowinsky at (830) 570-7582. A Heart of Texas Facebook Live Show will be held at the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum at 2:00 p.m. Landon Dodd and the Dance Hall Drifters and the Rocky King Band will be performing on Friday night from 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.

The final day of the festival will be Saturday, March 23. Country Music Legend Moe Bandy and the Americana Band, Darrell McCall, Amber Digby, Tony Booth, Rance Norton, Justin Trevino, Dottsy and Mona McCall will perform for an afternoon concert at 2:00 p.m. and an evening dance at 8:00 p.m. - Midnight.

In 1975, a song written by his friend Lefty Frizzell and Whitey Shaffer gave Moe Bandy a #7 country hit. 'Bandy The Rodeo Clown' was to become not only one of his own favorites but also one of his most popular recordings. Bandy found success at Columbia Records with Paul Craft's 'Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life' and added further hits, including 'Here I Am Drunk Again.' From 1977 through 1979, Bandy was a country chart regular with singles such as 'I'm Sorry For You, My Friend,' 'Cowboys Ain't Supposed To Cry,' 'That's What Makes The Jukebox Play,' and a duet with Janie Fricke, 'It's A Cheating Situation.' In 1979, he achieved his first solo #1 with 'I Cheated Me Right Out of You.'

Tickets and further information can be found at www. heartoftexascountry.com or by calling (325) 597-1895.