BAND DETAIL: Bob Livingston
Bob Livingston has never been a traditional Texas country musician living the
honky-tonk life even though he has spent more than his share of time on the
roadhouse circuit with the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard,
Michael Martin Murphey and the Lost Gonzo Band. He's a "cosmic cowboy" and tours
countries like India, Pakistan, Africa and the Middle East. Livingston has a new
compilation CD out called "Original Spirit" which includes songs from his 2004
release, "Mahatma Gandhi & Sitting Bull" and several songs from the Lost Gonzo
Band. Livingston has also put together an eclectic group called, Cowboys &
Indians, made up of musicians from Austin and India.
You may think you know what veteran Texas musician Bob Livingston is up to, but
COWBOYS & INDIANS defies expectations at every turn. Unlike the children's game,
these cowboys and Indians are allies, not enemies, and the Indians come from
India, not the Wild West. Livingston got the idea for the group while he was in
India for a U.S. State Department cultural exchange tour. The shows were wild
affairs with local musicians using their indigenous instruments sitting in
almost every night. They mixed themes, influences, rhythms, instrumentation, and
insights from both East and West. They played songs & yodels from Texas and
ragas & chants from India. A newspaper in New Delhi called it "country 'n
eastern music" and "the Wild East!"
Inspired by these experiences, Livingston wanted to reproduce the sounds and
charm of the Indian shows back in Texas. He got together with an old songwriting
friend, Bobby Bridger and they wrote new songs and tossed around ideas for a
show in Texas schools and theaters. The concept for COWBOYS & INDIANS began to
take shape and some great musicians, drawn from the vibrant Austin international
musical community, joined up.
The COWBOYS & INDIANS play in theaters, clubs, schools and other venues
throughout Texas. Over 35,000 students in Texas have seen the show. Livingston
is working with two community theaters, Zach Scott in Austin and Stages in
Houston. They are turning the show into a full fledged musical play with the
first run set for next May at Stages followed by runs at Zach Scott and other
community theaters in Dallas and Ft. Worth. This unique combination of eastern &
western music and lore is a cultural sharing experience: guitars and sitars,
incense and cactus, boots & bare feet, Mahatma Gandhi & Sitting Bull meet Buddy
Holly & Ravi Shankar!
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