The Ash Family
Called the "First Family of Texas Hill Country Music", the Ash Family has been performing in Central Texas since the mid-seventies. The group, with brothers Tom, Jimmy, Brian and Shawn and sisters Kate Pettit and Lee Ash, plays all original music written by Tom and Jimmy, finalists in the Kerrville New Folk and the Austin Songwriters competitions. They are featured on both of the Gruene Hall Texas Summer Nights collections and were finalists in the Marlboro Country Music contest. The band was also chosen to tour Soviet Russia with Butch Hancock and others as Texas Music Ambassadors in the pre-Glasnost 80's. They have played venues across the Hill Country from 6th Street in Austin to St. Mary's Street in San Antonio in several different incarnations: the Ash Family, the Ash Brothers Band, the Big Ash Band, the Jimmy Ash Band and Free World. Their music crosses the genres, from folk to country, rock to reggae, blues to jazz, wherever inspiration leads the writers.
Some Past Venues:
San Antonio- Rick's, Sonova Beach, Joey's, Wiley's, Monterey Jack's,
Cibolo Creek Country Club, Panama Red's.
Austin- Chicago House, Saxon Pub, Steamboat, Liberty Lunch, Brazil, the Filling Station, Headliners East, the Continental Club, the Dam Café, the Pecan Street Festival, the Armadillo Festival, the Texas State Capitol south steps.
San Marcos- Cheatham Street Warehouse, Tommy's Blue Angel, Katy Station, the Show Down, Devereaux's, Grins, Palmers, Southwest Texas University Student Center, the San Marcos Public Library, the Concert in the Park summer concert series, Sights and Sounds of Christmas.
New Braunfels- Gruene Hall, the Oasis, New Braunfels Concert in the Park, the Gruene Music Festival.
Kerrville- The Kerrville Folk Festival (main stage), Kerrville New Folk competition (finalists).
Radio and Television: Humble Time (syndicated), New Canaan Farms Radio Hour (KFAN), KUT Live Set, KUT Folkways, Pacifica Radio (Houston), KCTI Gonzales, Austin Community Access Cable TV Music.
CD's and Albums: Heart of Texas (2001), The Ash Brothers Band: Live at the Sonic Deli (1999), Split Personalities (1993), Texas Summer Nights I (1981) and II (1983).
Current Appearances: The busy schedules of the siblings have forced them to limit their playing in recent years but they maintain a regular appearance at the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos on the second Sunday of each month.
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