St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 75

22 Call the Classified Customer Service department at (314) 621-6666. You Interested in can place an ad over the phone or get more information Asleep at the USheel remembers the Alamo, but don't go there! about Post Classifieds. Post Classifieds? ST. LOUIS P0ST-QI5PATCH SK I he fiano Bar S7) A' 1 6 Ray Benson (center) has been playing country music and Western swing since the '60s. Ray Benson, soon to be Texas' state musician, brings his Western swing band to the Sheldon and fans should bring dancing shoes.

By Daniel Durchholz Special to the Post-Dispatch Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson hasnt assumed his official duties just yet, but come next year hell be the official state musician of Texas a position akin to poet laureate. "I think it means I have to sing The Eyes of Texas' every 12 hours or something," Benson says with a laugh. He takes the honor seriously, though. Most often, it's gone to a classical musician who is also native to the state. "They told me I had two strikes against me right there," he says.

Benson is from Philadelphia but has called Texas home for nearly three decades. Still, who better to represent the music of the Lone Star State than Benson? He's a Texas-size (6 feet 7 inch) troubadour who has been playing country music, especially Western swing, since the late 1960s. And recently, he recorded an album of songs associated with one of the state's most famous symbols, the Alamo. "They did this movie thafs coming out, The with Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid, and so far as I know, they weren't doing a soundtrack album," Benson says. "So a friend of mine in LA said, 'Why dont you do one?" So we did this album, 'Asleep at the Wheel Remembers the which will be out in November.

"We did Ballad of the 'Remember the 'Across the Alley from the "New San Antonio and even a couple of fiddle tunes that were probably played at the Alamo by Davy Crockett, who was a fiddler. "The piece de resistance is a song I wrote with my drummer, Dave Sanger, about the time Ozzy iRINaERmS RESERVATIONS: Call 314-982-3232 Located 10 minutes West of Six Flags off M4, Gray Summit exit. North V4 mile to MM left v.rncn Save it. Sona Super Center I now has more treatment space i to zH laser hair removal dreams. Discover why the patented Sona Concept surpasses other hair removal systems.

Friday 6- Saturday TITILLATING MENU Restaurant 216 North Meramec Clayton, MO 314-721-0101 Purina Farms will again host 6 fun rilled evenings intended especially for children. Costumed Dogs will put on an agility demonstration. You'll meet Little Bo Peep and her sheep, friendly witches and shake hands with Checkerboard Charlie, a six foot high dog. Professional Magic Shows will be provided by The International Brotherhood of Maaicians. Visitors will enjoy storytelling and, uacior-orawn nayriaes.

OVER 100 CARVED PUMPKINS! OCTOBER 1 1 8, 1 9, 24, 25, 26, TOUR STARTING TIMES ARE 430pm to 830pm Fridays, Saturdays Sundays PARKING 55.00 per car $20.00 per bus Sponsored by Nestle' Purina I i rrn if Plane Western swing, the music the band has become most famous for. "If improvisatdonal music, thafs what keeps it fresh," he says. "Western swing has gotten popular again, but if not like bluegrass is popular. If mostly the Southwest and some of the big cities. The reason is if very difficult.

Not that bluegrass is easy, but bluegrass is not as harmonically challenging as Western swing. It's technically challenging, for sure, so don't quote me saying bluegrass is easy!" For Benson, one of Western swing's most appealing factors is that if dance music. The show they'll be playing at the Sheldon's ballroom on Friday is, in fact, set up as a dance, not a concert "We dont do enough of these (kinds of shows)," he says. "We used to play the Casa Loma Ballroom and the Khorassan Room at the Chase. Thafs the coolest way to see my band, in a ballroom.

Unfortunately, there are very few left St Louis is lucky to have a bunch of good ones. Tell the folks to bring their dancing shoes. We're gonna have a great time." Bums, Saturday Outside Metro St. Louis Hwic'l Pit Stea 175 South Main Street, St Clair (636-629-1969): Karaoke, Thursday (9 p.m.); Panic Attack with 3JC, Saturday (9 p.m.) Tony wri Hatty's km 3006 South Highway 94. Defiance (636-987-2441): Flash Kat, Saturday (6-10 p.m.) Soulard 186PS Hart SM Cafe tad Saktoa 1860 South Ninth Street (314-231-1860): Soul Reunion, Thurs- day; Steve Pecan, Frlday-Satdrdayi Jirrtmy Lee, Sunday-Monday; Marcel Strong, Asleep at the Wheel When: 8 p.m.

Friday Where: Sheldon Concert Hall, fourth-floor ballroom, 3648 Washington Boulevard How much: $35 More info: 314-534-1111 or 800-293-5949 Osbourne (relieved himself) on the Alamo. If called 'Dont Go I'm challenging Ozzy to a write your name in the sand' contest You heard it here first" Earlier this year, Benson stepped out with "Beyond Time," his debut solo album, which features a number of elegant, torchy ballads. "I needed to do it," he says. "IVe got a pretty wide palette of stuff in my brain. Asleep at the Wheel covers a bit of it, but not all of it I wanted to showcase my writing, my singing, my guitar playing and my producing, and that album gave me the chance to do it all" Of course, Asleep at the Wheel is still Benson's primary gig, and he's happy to continue promoting SasRfc mm Slay's RUrint mt4 Boa Bar 8025 Bon horn me Avenue, Clayton (314-721-3585): Maury Sings Sinatra with the Eddie Randle Trio, Saturday (8 p.m.) North Clink's Bar m4 6rW 1 1601 West Florissant Avenue, Florissant (314-837-1181): Stacey Collins Band, Sunday (5-9 p.m.) Cmt Bowl 650 North New Florissant Road, Florissant (314-837-0494): Buffalo Bob and' the Bedroom Blues Band, Saturday (9 P-m.) K.T.'t Sports Bar and Restaarant 1553 Sieira Vfeta Plaza, Spanish take i (314-741-1975): Project 3, Friday; Mary Continued from Page 20 K6-10 p.m.) 1001 McCausland Avenue (314-781-4716): Centro-matic, Sunday u't Cat Mm Park 706 De Mun Avenue, Clayton (314-725-8585): Oliver Johnson Duo, Friday (8:30 p.m.); Randy Bahr and Margaret Bianchetta, Saturday (8:30 p.m.); Jim Manley and Mark Friedricks, Sunday (11:30 a.m.

p.m.) SiMafly Birillsvwki i 7260 Southwest Avenue, Maplewobd (314-241-2337): John Higginsand Char-' lie Pfeffer, Thursday (5-9 p.m.); Lucky Dan and Naked Mike, Friday (6-10 p.m.);' Monica Casey and Sandy Wellman. Satur day (6-10 p.m.) v. voul SCAlch -ko smodtk star laser tuir removal specialists 6Ztt BxUr Road, ftst 363 Chesterfield, MO feifil? 636-7281838 www.sona-stlom.