Emily Gimble
Emily Gimble, a piano player and singer is the Official Texas State Musician of 2020. Making a name for yourself when you're the granddaughter of a genuine Texas legend (Johnny Gimble) would be hard for anyone, but Emily Gimble has nimbly managed to stand out on her own.
Danny Levin
Danny Levin is a classically trained cellist, fiddler, jazz pianist, and producer of music in virtually any style. He invents styles. His day job for the last 22 years has been the composition and production of music for advertising. In 2014-15, he had the privilege of scoring and acting as music supervisor on the documentary Cactus Jack now airing nationally on PBS. Danny also likes to produce records, mostly with Austin artists, at a rate of 2 or 3 projects per year. His most notable producer credit is Case of the Gimbles (2003), featuring the great Texas fiddler Johnny Gimble. In his younger days, he toured and won Grammies with Asleep at the Wheel, played numerous Austin City Limits shows, and won and continues to win numerous Austin Chronicle awards.
Rick McRae
Rick McRae has traveled extensively for over three decades as a guitarist for George Strait’s “Ace in the Hole Band.” A versatile player in several styles, Rick also sings and doubles on fiddle and Mandolin. Rick was elected to the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2008 and has toured and recorded with many local and national acts including Don Walser, and Jason Roberts and Asleep At The Wheel. He can also be seen fronting his own groups around central Texas.
Mark Weatherston
Mark was raised in Pleasanton, Texas and currently lives in Charlotte, Texas. Mark started playing bass when he was 16 years old with John Donaho and the Country Showmen. Over the last 25 years Mark has played bass with Christian artists including Roy West, Jarrett Akers and the Cowboy Fellowship Band. Mark currently hosts the Sunday morning Gospel Hour on Radio Station KSAQ 102.3 out of Charlotte, Texas Sunday mornings at 9am.
Roy West
Roy grew up in Jourdanton, Texas, spent time in Austin and Pleasanton, and now resides in College Station, Texas. He began playing music when he was 12 years old. His style started out country and it is still that today. Roy writes and records his original music and has played numerous venues around South and Central Texas. He has also donated many hours of leading worship at Cowboy Churches across the state of Texas.
Ian Stewart
Ian is trained classically and now has become an amazing country and western swing artist.
Our Musicians
Get to know the people behind our ministry.
Dan Walton
Dan Walton is a jazz pianist based in Austin, TX. Originally hailing from the San Fransisco bay area, his music draws from a variety of influences--from boogie woogie, to stride, bebop, and classical music. He has also worked quite a bit in the western swing genre, and has recorded/performed with a variety of interesting people in the music industry. including (in no particular order) Dale Watson, Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill, The Time Jumpers, Robert Earl Keen, George Strait, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rhonda Vincent, Garrison Keillor, Leon Rausch, and Elvin Bishop to name a few.
Dave Sanger
David Sanger is a six-time Grammy Award winning drummer, a songwriter, engineer, producer and record mogul from Austin, Texas. Previously toured for the western swing group Asleep at the Wheel.
Joey Colarusso
Joey Colarusso got his Doctor of Musical Arts - Jazz Saxophone Performance at The University of Texas at Austin. He previously toured with Asleep At The Wheel. Joey was a Lecture of jazz saxophone at Texas State, and an Adjunct Instructor of saxophone at Emory & Henry College .
Phil Telford
Phil Telford is a multi instrumentalist and known as one of Western Swing’s finest steel players.
Ricky Boen
Ricky Boen is a National Champion and has performed with some of the greatest entertainers including the Sons of the Pioneers. He and his dad travel to rodeos around the country ministering to cowboys and cowgirls.