{Bois d'Arc Bands}

TAMU-C Steel Drum Band: FRI 5-6
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Steel Drum Band, "PANIMATION", is comprised of twelve members and directed by Brian Zator.  Playing on instruments that are made out of actual steel drums, this ensemble provides energy and excitement for audiences of all ages. "PANIMATION" has performed for the Hurricane Harbor 20th Anniversary, Raytheon Air Show, numerous Bois d'Arc Bashes, University events, and countless wedding receptions and local town celebrations

HOPE CASSITY FRI. 6:30-8
Growing up in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama, Hope Alexis Cassity spent most of her childhood years singing at various fairs and festivals along the Southeast. Opening for Nashville Recording Artists such as Daron Norwood, Tanya Tucker, Charlie Daniels and Shelby Lynn, she became familiar with the stage early on. By the age of sixteen, she had formed a southern rock band and by her seventeenth birthday she was chasing her musical dream near Columbus, Ohio at a music production school.

While studying sound engineering, she spent time writing and recording with musicians from various genres including rap, r & b, hard rock, and blues. Exposure to this extra ordinary atmosphere of blending sounds led her to experiment with her own vocal and instrumental style. Such inspirations include Jewel, B.B. King, Sarah Mc, Ben Harper, Eva Cassidy, and Ani Defranco.

A self-taught guitarist, Hope embraces the art of songwriting. Listeners will hear in her powerful vocals passion and emotion that parallel the honesty she delivers with them. Lyrically, she sings about the journeys of her life as hints of her southern roots peek through her melodies. Hope Cassity's eclectic mix of country, blues, folk, and alternative rock reaches into the hearts of her audiences while her unique sound leaves listeners with something to take with them on their own personal quest. Her own quote simply sums up her musical philosophy.

Hope is an Alumnus of TAMU-C, and has played several times in and around Commerce. She will appear at this year's bash along with her full band.

THE ALL FINGERS BAND FRI 8:30-10
The All Fingers Band originated in East Texas in 1974, with members from Commerce, Greenville and Sulphur Springs. After playing local venues to polish their performances, they signed with a Dallas booking agency and began playing the club circuit in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Mixing a long list of original music with rock and roll covers, they blended blues, hard rock and southern influences to create a distinctive sound. The band went through several incarnations during the 70's and early 80's, but now they are back together and all members are from the original group. Lead singer/guitarist Mike "Cass" Castleberry writes most of the original music. James Cole lays down the bass lines that form the foundation of the band's sound, along with Thomas Chaney on drums. Larry Barney plays lead guitar and trades solos and harmony lines with Cass. Whether it's gritty blues, soulful lyrics, or just a fast boogie, The All Fingers Band has something for everyone.

TWO MILE BRIDGE FRI 10:30-11:30
Construction on TWO MILE BRIDGE began in 2003 when founder/drummer Rick "Big Rick" Perkins wanted to put together a great band. The bridge over Lake Tawakoni on Highway 276 in northeast Texas spans a great distance (two miles!), connecting one shore to the other. The band likewise plays an array of music that spans four decades and several genres of music. At its inception, TMB played mainly to audiences east of Dallas/Fort Worth, but as their popularity has grown they have ventured further west, where they now play in a number of venues throughout The State of Texas. The Dallas Observer called TMB "one of the TOP TEN cover bands in Dallas". With Big Rick keeping the beat, and a solid bottom end from Steve Combs, the sound is chest pounding. Next Randy Fingers on the keys will astonish you with his playing, and Deep Goswami on the lead guitar is awesome, probably the best TMB has ever had. Finally Scott Gaddis is the powerful voice of TMB. This guy goes from AC-DC to Rob Thomas to Rod Stewart. Believe me, there is no better. Scott is a great entertainer. Come join us. We provide a wide variety, high energy show with a great mix of classic and modern rock.

THE BLANDELLES SAT. 4-5:30
The Blandelles are a collection of professionals who have carved out a niche in the northeast Texas and southern Oklahoma area by playing "Rock and Roll the Way You Remember It" since 1985. They are regular favorites at the Bash.

The members have day jobs in teaching, the legal profession, banking and sales. Their lineup includes Gary Felmet (Hot Rod Lincoln) on vocals and guitar, Joe Weis (Joe Kool) on vocals and lead guitar, Greg Connelly (Heartbreak Jake) on drums, David Kent (Duke Flamingo) on bass and backup vocals, John Knagg (Johnny Angel) on saxophone, background vocals, and percussion, and Jim Moats (Luke Warm) on keyboards.


DUANE STAILEY, SAT. 6-7:30
Duane Stailey, a fourth generation Texan, was born near Wolfe City, TX.  His admiration for country music led Duane to begin singing and playing the guitar at the age of eight.  By the age of ten Duane, who lived so far out in the country that there were no other children to play with, began composing and singing songs to his brother's dairy heifers.  Fortunately the cows weren't the only ones who got to hear his music.  Duane also performed at local school and social functions.  
Since the beginning Duane's music has been influenced by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., David Allen Coe, and Bob Seger, as well as other country music legends.  Echoes of these talented musicians can be heard in Duane's unique lyrical and vocal style.

As an adult Duane lived, wrote, and sang in Nashville Tennessee for a time but found himself homesick for Texas and the Texas lifestyle.  So he moved back to northeast Texas and took some time off to redirect his music and his career by writing new songs and reworking others into Texas Style Music.

Duane Stailey's great voice, original lyrics, sense of humor, and fun loving personality have made him an audience favorite wherever he performs. He has appeared at Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree in Nashville Tennessee, at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville Tennessee, a five state tour (Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas) with the Hastings Book Video and Music Store chain.  Duane has shared the stage with Johnny Paycheck, David Frizzell, Mark Chesnutt, Eleven Hundred Springs, Ed Burleson, Stoney LaRue, and many others.
When asked about his music Duane says "I just want to write and sing about everyday folks living a normal life".  Duane Stailey has found his niche.  Now he is sharing his talent and delightful style with a larger audience by offering up his first CD, Two Lane Highway.  You can purchase Duane Stailey's CD by going to his Store page or at Hastings Books, Video, and Music in Greenville TX.

Mark David Manders Sat. 8:00-9:30
After some personal time with his family, a reunion with an old friend, and many long nights in the studio, Mark David Manders reemerges with Cannonball, an exuberant record that embraces the love for music that inspired his impulsive start as a Texas country singer. “I love to entertain and when it comes down to it, music, for me, is about being on stage, making the crowd scream. I live for the people singing along to my songs and making them happy. That’s what I imagined when writing Cannonball.”

It was Mark’s passion that attracted new Texas start up label Big Karma Records to sign him. “I have never seen an artist that has more widespread appeal than Mark,” says Big Karma founder, Jim Slaton. “He has that unique ability where anyone that listens to his music feels it touches them personally, and that’s a once in a lifetime quality. Combine that with the explosiveness of his live show and you have a truly amazing artist.”

Mark’s last album, Highs and Lows, marked a more introspective point in his life exposing his deeper side. However, with Cannonball, Mark journeys back to the good old days when he was lighting up Texas pubs and saloons on a nightly basis with his songs that embody the great yet simple things that life has to offer. The album has a light, feel-good sound that echoes Mark’s sentiment about “going back to the basics and making music fun and exciting again.” With his songs, you find yourself listening to a humble, close knit band in a studio that truly loves to play together for their fans and for the sake of just having a good time.

Don’t let the levity of the album fool you though. Within every song, Mark casts his lyrical spell upon every note and story he tells. The poet in Mark will live on forever and his fascination with words and meanings underlie each song. “Lyrics are still the most important part of a song,” he says. “It’s a fine line between a good feeling song and a well written song. My goal was to try to bring those two together.”
Mark reached his goal with Cannonball, where wild nights of drinking meet the hazy, slow moving mornings. “With a lot of these songs, I’m just having fun. With others, I just wanted to let stuff out.” The first single, “I’m Alright,” immediately hooks you with its flirtatious acoustic guitar accompanied by Manders’ casual voice singing “I’m Alright if you’re alright, Alright?” You can not help but reminisce about those crazy nights when you’ve just had to laugh with a friend at what you’ve gotten yourselves into. “God only knows what a trip it’s been. But tomorrow we’re gonna do it all again.”

Mark does, in fact, do it all again by bringing back his popular bar sing-a-long “Three Fingers Tequila.” An instant hit originally, the song is reincarnated with the talented genius of Ed Cherney, the Grammy-winning engineer most known for his work with the Rolling Stones. Recorded at the famous Village Recorder in Los Angeles, Mark was joined by his former fiddle player, Heather Woodruff, Bonnie Raitt’s musicians and Blondie Chaplin, a backup vocalist for the Rolling Stones. The eclectic collaboration results in a faster, wilder tribute to crazy nights had by shots of the devil’s nectar.

The title song, “Cannonball,” demonstrates Mark’s ability to tell stories in the most unexpected and often ?out ?there’ manner. Originally about a guy who is losing his mind over a girl, the song mirrors a parable complete with clever metaphors and references about how life is often times complete chaos. “I saw it all comin’ down, just like a Cannonball landin’ in a fishbowl.” Manders refers to “Cannonball” has one of his favorite songs because it encompasses the craziness and spontaneity that went into making the album. “I really like the off the wall stuff. It’s amazing when you can go as far off as you can go but still tie it all up in the end and bring it back.”
Mark’s storytelling truly reaches a new level with “My Old Friend.” The song’s relaxed, conversational tone perfectly compliments the lifelong story the song tells. The lyrics immediately capture your attention and you can’t help but lose yourself in the nostalgic tale. “And hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk together on the phone. I guess it’s come full circle in a round about kind of way. Our paths have crossed so many times they’ve finally learned to stay.”

As fascinating as his stories are, it is the live shows that keep the fire burning in Mark. He continues to tour relentlessly around Texas, while also becoming a frequent performer in Los Angeles and on the west coast. His now famous “Manders’ Tracks,” a row of empty shot glasses and beer bottles that are left on the stage after his show, are a testament to the one of a kind experience it is to watch him play.

EXIT 110 BAND SAT. 10-11:30
With talent and experience ranging from 30 years to just 2 years, this band includes 3 generations of musical talent all crashing into one band yet not one sound. With texas country, southern rock, and some slow ballads up their sleeve, this band is energetic, crowd pleasing, easy going, and sometimes comical. Focusing on their roots of Texas, Exit 110 puts every bit of honesty and creativity into the lyrical and musical aspects of their material. The group has produced one album, "60 Miles From Dallas", and is releasing their Siesta Ranch Records debut album "Drive" on June 15th, 2007. Exit 110 has shared stages with other artists such as Shane Rogers, Rex Robards, Eleven Hundred Springs, Ed Burleson, Jack Ingram, Gary P. Nunn, Max Stalling, Billy Joe Shaver and more.
MICHAEL STRICKLAND
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

DANNY REICHLE
Lead Guitar, Vocals

JEREMY NORSWORTHY
Rhythm/Lead Guitar

BRANDON BROWN
Drums