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  • John Arthur Martinez, a finalist on the first taping of the show “Nashville Star,” is a graduate of then Southwest Texas State University. During one of the club gigs Martinez played in Nashville, he was spotted by a rep from Dualtone records and he released “Lone Starry Night” in 2004.

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May 20, 2010

Local acts win big at Texas Music Awards

By Jeff Walker Features Editor

San Marcos — Big John Mills now officially owns the trifecta.

The San Marcos singer and guitarist won “Musician of the Year” for the third time at the Texas Music Awards held over the weekend in Marshall.

Mills, who previously won the award in 2006 and 2008, was one of several musicians with San Marcos connections to take home awards.

“It surprises me every time I win,” Mills said. “Texas is a big state and there’s so many great musicians out there. It’s like ‘wow.’”

MIlls fronts the country band Big John MIlls and the Texas Road Dawgs and plays regularly at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos. He also hosts a songwriters’ night every third Tuesday of the month at Billy’s Ice House in New Braunfels.

He won the award for his guitar performance on “Here for the Music” by Dewey Wayne.

Kent Finlay, who runs Cheatham Street Warehouse, said that it’s only fitting that Mills be recognized for his incredible talents.

“In a place that has been blessed to be able to host so many of the world’s greatest guitar players — Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Monte Montgomery, Redd Volkaert, Van Wilks and JImmy Vaughan, to name a few — Big John Mills stands second to none when he walks onto that stage at Cheatham Street Warehouse,” Finlay said. “It was obvious that the audience was in agreement with this selection, because most of us rose to our feet and gave Big John a rousing round of applause.”

Big John and his band will perform at Cheatham Street Warehouse on May 28, and continue to tour Texas until July, when the Road Dawgs will head to France for a month-long tour.

The group will return to the states and begin recording another project, Mills said.

John Arthur Martinez, known for his second place finish in the “Nashville Star” Tv star, won “Record of the Year” for his recording of “Utopia” off the “Purgatory Road” album. The Texas State University graduate also started his career at Cheatham Street Warehouse.

The Shake Russell Trio —with players from both Wimberley and Austin — won “Vocal Group of the Year.”

 “With so many of our songwriters, musicians and artists getting so many honors and awards in various segments of the music business, it is obvious what an important part of the city our music community has become,” Finlay said.

“And it is also obvious what an important music center San Marcos has become.”

And Finlay says that the city is lucky to have someone like Big John as part of that music center.

 

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