by Tommy Thomas
MULESKINNER — interesting name, outstanding music — two of the more obvious qualities a first-time listener may note. Stay a little longer and one may find more endearing aspects of this gifted quintet; engaging stage presence, genuine warmth, and true passion for what they do.
Hailing from Groesbeck to Fairfield, these five men, ranging in ages from mid 20s to mid 70s, share a common passion for the music of a bygone era, that of the golden age of country music, although their repertoire includes blues and rock’n’roll as recent as the 70s.
“This next song is a bit of a newer one,” says Jeff Harrison, the tall and imposing, but unassuming man of jovial demeanor, who in his denim overalls and earth toned plaid shirt seems at ease on stage as he might be in a coffee shop in the morning. Mr. Jeff riffs with the audience as he leans on his stately upright bass, the head of which is carved into a horse (or perhaps mule) head.
“The younger guys choose some songs.” The song they played was “Whiskey River” by Willie Nelson, released in 1973, a full 20 years older than the pianist Daron Stone, whose hands play deftly across the keys, “like spiders on a hotplate”, according to Jeff.
After guitarist Stephen Yates finishes an impressive rendition of “Whiskey River,” Mr. Stone shares an equally soulful vocal cover of the 1955 country hit “16 Tons”, made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Just to the right of center sits a white haired, bearded, and mustachioed gentleman with kind eyes which are set in sharp and stern features, greeting the audience from under a grey cowboy hat.
A man who “grew up so poor he couldn’t afford socks, so he did the barefoot hop,” Mr. Dan has a commanding control over the harmonica, which he plays while remaining leaned back upon a stool for the duration of the show, which contributes to the open and comfortable atmosphere the band creates.
As the band played through a couple of slow tempo songs, including Roger Miller’s 1965 hit “Engine Engine No. 9,” they soon reached a crescendo as the band mates took turns with short solos, including a captivating back and forth between Daron on the keyboard and Dan on the harmonica, ending the instrumental exhibit with a riveting effort from drummer Sam Bounds.
As rejuvenating as it is to see a live performance where the band members riff amiably with one another and the audience, it’s all the more noteworthy that what they do through their music is an act of passion and that each song, from the croonings of the earliest troubadours to the booming of classic blues and rock’n’roll, is shared with respect to the original artists and to the era they embodied — and they just call themselves a tribute band.
The history of the word “muleskinner” dates back to pre-industrial days when mules were commonly used for transporting cargo over long distances; the muleskinner was the person who “skinned,” or tricked, the mule into carrying its baggage.
An appropriately descriptive moniker, considering the precious cargo that MULESKINNER shares with everyone wherever they travel.
Watch for them to be performing next in Mexia, TX, at the end of July 2017, as they celebrate the legacy of singer-songwriter Cindy Walker.
