Woodja? Wontcha? Couldja? Canya?

This has been the hottest summer on record for Austin, TX, but finally this week Fall swept in from the North and cooled down the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World". And speaking of live music, the cooler weather has brought the bands outside to patios and open air venues throughout the city; and with the windows now open, you can hear music all around central Austin. This has always been a wonderful and enjoyable characteristic of my new Texas home.

My east Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana friends have introduced me to some great new bands, and I have become enamored with the sounds of the South: blues country, southern rock, delta blues, bluegrass, and hippie folk melodies.

The band I went to see tonight (Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band) has become one of my favorites, despite their name. They have a folky, blues rock sound with ample fingerstyle slide guitar. They are lead by Reverend Peyton on guitar and sometimes harmonica. (And tonight he busted out a homemade three string guitar contraption made from an old cigar box which sounded incredible.)

The Rev sports an epic beard which became the envy of many an Austin hippie at the show. The beard is intimidating, but its owner is a friendly and animated performer. At his side is his wife, "Washboard Breezy", who plays - you guessed it - a washboard. And although she didn't do it tonight, she is known to burn the washboard at the end of the show. The Rev's cousin in on the drums, which include an upside-down white 5-gallon bucket, of course. The three of them simply tear it up and produce a wall of sound that can really get a crowd going. It was quite the experience tonight. They were a LOAD OF FUN to watch.

Though their sound is very southern, they all hail from a different latitude: the great state of Indiana. One song of theirs I particularly enjoy is entitled "Persimmon Song" which is all about their love for and yearning to return to Indiana. Of course, with the mention of the Hoosier state, I automatically think of my brother and his family in Indianapolis (whom we lovingly refer to as the "Indy Bigs"). When I hear the Rev's music - particularly this song - and the lyrics referring to things Indiana, I can't help but think of them and wonder if they relate. And for this reason I want to share in my blog the persimmon song.

It's oftimes hard to understand the good Reverend, so I'm including the lyrics below. Singalong if you'd like.



Persimmon Song

Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana

Persimmon, Persimmon, Persimmon Pudding and Hoosier women
Persimmon, Persimmon, Persimmon Pudding and Hoosier women

Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana

Fried biscuits, fried biscuits, apple butter oh how I miss it
Fried biscuits, fried biscuits, apple butter oh how I miss it

Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana

Giant Fried, Giant Fried, Giant Fried Tenderloin
Giant Fried, Giant Fried, Giant Fried Tenderloin

Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana

Persimmon, Persimmon, Persimmon Pudding and Hoosier women
Persimmon, Persimmon, Persimmon Pudding and Hoosier women

Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana
Woodja wontcha couldja canya take me back to Indiana

====
I love songs that convey a sense of place, songs that tell a story, and... apparently songs that mention food. The Persimmon Song pulls off a hat trick in this respect.

After meeting the band afterwards, I bought a CD... which I did for a couple of reasons: 1) to support their music, and 2) to hopefully find a printed sleeve inside the CD which contains lyrics to their songs so I can figure out just what in the world they're saying in their songs, since the Rev's so hard to understand. I was happy to see that their lyrics are relatively clean, and I recall that they didn't use profanity in their live show either, which was refreshing.

One bonus feature within the CD sleeve was none other than the Peyton family recipe for Persimmon Pudding, which they say won the blue ribbon for best persimmon pudding one year at the Persimmon Festival in Lawrence County, Indiana.

***
The Peyton Family Persimmon Pudding Recipe

2 cups of Persimmon Pulp
2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
2 cups of buttermilk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 pound of butter

Mix first three ingredients together. Add salt, soda, and cinnamon to flour. Add flour and buttermilk alternately. Melt butter in pan and add to mixture. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 90 minutes. Will fall.
***

I mentioned before how there's always a song rattlin' around up in my noggin', so I'm compelled to share with you from time to time those that I enjoy. Allow me to close this post with a second helping of The Reverend Peyton. This was a fun number that got the whole crowd involved tonight. The video shows people from all walks, dancing along to a tune that really gets moving at times; and it should be mentioned that everyone in the video is from Indiana, who all pitched in to help the band make the video. I hope you enjoy too.