Dig that 'Red Dirt' sound

The Joplin Globe

May 26, 2006 01:09 am

— By Wally Kennedy
Globe Staff Writer
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. - The Snorty Horse Saloon is not your father's road house.
Though you'll hear the music of Bob Wills and other country artists, that's not what this saloon is about. It's about country music with an attitude. It's about the "Red Dirt music" of Texas and Oklahoma.
"You've got to experience it to understand it," said Steve Greene, 30, a Red Dirt fanatic who opened the Snorty Horse last October with the specific purpose of expanding the northern boundary of the regional sound to Southwest Missouri.
"The music is as much a state of mind as it is a sound. It's rowdy, blue-collar rock and part country,'' he said.
Greene has been successful in his venture to bring Red Dirt music to the area. Many of his shows have sold out.
Fans are not reluctant to travel hundreds of miles to see their favorite artists, but most patrons, many of them college students, are coming from Springfield, Joplin and Northwest Arkansas to hear local acts and featured artists do high-energy shows that leave them stompin' their boots for more.
Patty Huffman, an owner of J-Town Sports Bar in Joplin, is one of those fans.
"It's the only place around that you can hear that real Red Dirt country sound," she said. "I think it's going to get very popular in Joplin."
Huffman has invited Greene to J-Town to spin a few tunes for her patrons. The response, she said, has been favorable. Greene said he has picked up some business pointers from her in the process. "Patty Huffman is a great promoter and good businesswoman," he said.
The epicenter of the Red Dirt scene is Stillwater, Okla. The artists who have entertained there, such as Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Randy Crouch, Charlie Robinson and Cross Canadian Ragweed, are appearing at the Snorty Horse and other venues in Fayetteville, Ark., and Oklahoma City, Okla.
"What's weird about the Red Dirt scene is that it is successfully closing the gap between rock and country. The artists who play here think Nashville (Tenn.) sucks. It's a beauty contest," he said. "The people who play here are not happy with Top 40 country. They don't like people telling them how to wear their hair."
After seeing a performance of Jason Boland and the Stragglers at Fayetteville and after an inspiring visit to The Wormy Dog Saloon in Oklahoma City, Greene started his search for a venue to bring the music to Southwest Missouri.
"I wanted to book Boland and the Stragglers in Springfield. That was three years ago. I started making contacts in the music industry and one thing led to another," he said.
He opened the Snorty Horse in the former Boondocks bar and restaurant along Interstate 44 on the east side of Mount Vernon. The place started as a hay barn.
"The guy who originally owned it kept adding on and on. It was place for antique auctions and then it was a pretty successful restaurant for a while," said Greene. "The Boondocks was furnished. But, when we started, nothing worked. We remodeled the stage and put together a quality sound booth because we cater to the musicians."
When the saloon opened, locals with matching cowboy shirts came to do the two-step.
"When we first opened, the local people were a bit upset. We're a live music venue not a concert hall, not a dance hall," he said.
The saloon has a big stage, two bars, pool tables and a second-story balcony that overlooks the dance floor. The security people at the Snorty Horse have kept disturbances to a minimum. Greene said the saloon is not going to have the reputation as a place for fights that the Boondocks had.
Part of Greene's success is his use of the Internet to market his shows. The Web site www.snortyhorse.com.
"Every show is a gamble. You have the hotel costs for the musicians, food, drinks and advertising. We try to offer the cheapest ticket price possible. They range from $6 to $12, depending on the act," he said.
"One of the things I have learned is that good opening acts are just as important as the big acts. Good local bands bring good local crowds."

Upcoming shows at the Snorty Horse include:
May 26: Jason Boland & the Stragglers, with the John D. Hale Band.
May 27: Plainview, with the Lucky Boys.
June 2: Corry Morrow, with Carter Falco.
June 9: Randy Rogers Band.
June 10: Mike McClue Band.
June 16: Billy Joe Shaver.
June 17: Randy Crouch & the Flying Horses.
June 23: Shooter Jennings.
June 24: John Evans Band.
The Snorty Horse opens at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Some acts appear during the week. Tickets may be purchased online at www.snortyhorse.com. The site features a map of how to get there, plus upcoming acts.

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