I don't know about you, but I'm sure not crazy about the direction country and western music has gone in the past ten years. Frankly, most of what I hear coming out these days sounds more like mainstream pop music to me than anything else. Folks, putting a steal guitar into a tune doesn't automatically make it a country song.

Thankfully, there are bands out there like St. Louis-based Trigger 5. These guys are real country music players and are really great. I first sat in with them last August at the "Race For the Rivers" benefit concert in Frontier Park, St. Charles, Missouri. I never had so much laying down some shuffles and train beats. These guys are some of the tightest musicians you'll ever hear, but you probably won't notice since the music is just so much fun to listen to.

Guitarist and lead singer, Mike Heeter, was nice enough to ask me to sub for their drummer at a gig they're playing this Sunday, July 13th at the Augusta Brewing Company in beautiful Augusta, Missouri. The band's going to be playing in the beer garden from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Here's the address and a link to a map for the gig:

Augusta Brewing Company
5521 Water Street
Augusta, MO  63332

Click here to see a map.

If you're free Sunday afternoon between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, c'mon down, have a few beers and listen to some great country music.

Now, off to learn the set list...