Our KZSM Kissing Alley Concert series returns this Thursday, October 20, 7-9 p.m. with a celebration of San Marcos singer/songwriters. Over the years and into the present, our city has fostered an impressive range of musical creativity. On Thursday, you can enjoy songs by Dee Bartlett, Ike Eichenberg, George Ensle, Nate Guthrie, Molly Hayes, Mark Jungers, Missoula Slim, and Kathleen O’Keefe.
The inspiration for this celebration of San Marcos talent came from Tony Wilson, a veteran of the local singer-songwriter scene, a founder of KZSM, and the host of “Roots and Branches,” an eclectic music show that airs Sundays 2-4 p.m. He chose the performers and was planning the concert when he passed away September 28. Dee Bartlett and Steve Jones, hosts of “Veterans Hour,” Sundays 11 a.m. to noon, are honoring his memory by completing his project. “Tony Wilson has long celebrated and mentored local musicians, myself included, and I think this Kissing Alley will be reflective of that,” Bartlett explains.
Twilight in historic Kissing Alley, just off Hopkins opposite the Courthouse, makes a perfect setting for this blend of entertainment and memories. Deepening shadows and moonlight make the space magical. “This is the perfect time of year to do a song swap,” Jones quips. “If only they’d let us build a campfire in the alley . . .” According to Bartlett, the eight singer-songwriters performing Thursday “represent some real music history in San Marcos.”
