The Howard Payne University School of Music and Fine Arts will host a concert with Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys and the Heart of Texas All-Star Jazz Band on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in Mims Auditorium. The concert will fuse together elements of two great American traditions, country and jazz, and feature arrangements from Nashville and Hollywood.
“In the 20th century, two great traditions of distinctly American music developed,” said Stephen Goacher, professor of music at HPU. “One was from the farmlands and rural communities, and it spoke of the joy and heartbreak country life offered. The other was from the cities, and it spoke of the joy and heartbreak urban life offered. Of course, we recognize these distinctly American styles of music as country and jazz. Both country and jazz are equally sincere and both are equally persuasive. Both are part of our culture right here in Brownwood. The purpose of our concert is to show how both styles of music complement each other. We are excited to offer the great artist of country music Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys, together with the Heart of Texas All-Star Jazz Band, in a celebration of country and jazz music.”
Jody Nix has been playing and performing country and swing music for 60 years. He has released 11 albums and was a guest artist on both of Asleep At The Wheel’s albums that are tributes to Bob Wills. Regularly a featured performer at rodeos, dances and country music festivals, Nix was presented a Western Heritage Wrangler Award by Gene Autry on behalf of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City for his contributions to western music.
Among his numerous notable performances are performing for former President George H.W. Bush, representing the state of Texas at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., and performing at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
The Heart of Texas All-Star Jazz Band is comprised of musicians from Dallas, Wichita Falls, Abilene, San Angelo, Eastland and Brownwood.
All proceeds from ticket sales benefit music scholarships at HPU. Tickets may be purchased for $17.50 at www.hputx.edu/jodynix until Oct. 19.