PLEASE SEE NOTICE AT BOTTOM IN RED!
"WillySteve" Hendricks 4/5/'07
was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in and around McKinney. He owned and operated an Automatic Transmission shop from 1970-2007, and say's, "That's how I supported my music career," "It was my day job!" He has always been into music, and singing since he was a small child. Music pretty much runs in his family, his Grandmother was an excellent musician, taught piano lessons & played the organ for the First Methodist Church in Farmersville, Texas for many years! WillySteve only began singing in public, and playing a guitar, in the later part of 2002, and has climbed the stairway, only using every 3rd. step! He is an excellent singer/songwriter, and a super friend to have!
WillySteve say's, "My music, is an obsession! I use my guitar, as if it were a tool, to help me through this life!" *Roger Garza - Music Scene Magazine*
I have lived in the country, around the town of McKinney, most of my life. I hunt & I fish, and for years I Drag Raced & raised APHA cuttin' horses. My horses were all from the late great Painted Lasan that stood at the RR Ranch in McKinney, Texas. Ralph & Dorthy Russell, (now both deceiced) were his owners, and also the owners of the Double R. They were long time great friends of mine. My song, "Right From Wrong" was writen about Ralph after he left us.
I spent hours of my younger years with a drag race car named "Desperado" a '70 GT500 Shelby Mustang, with a 521" Boss 429 Hemi engine. It was a 9.80-147 mph street legal bomb!
My favorite food is VENISON, and there is nothin' better than BARBECUE and a good cold BEER! Oh yeah' did I mention I like "BARBECUE?"
I started rebuilding automatic transmissions in 1970, and did so until '07! Talkin'bout a job that kept me on my toes there were somewhere around 600 different units out there, and a doctor only works on one human body, (GO FIGURE)!
I really can't understand how I came this far before I finally picked up a guitar, for I have enjoyed music my entire life. I purchased my first guitar in '02, bought a chord book, and proceeded to teach myself how to play. After just about running off all my local friends, I finally got this thing down!
Until '07, I played in public several times a week and had a four piece band called the "Burn Ban" & the guys are awesome musicians. The boys in the band were: Myself; "Wild Will" Acord on the bass from Princeton, Texas; "Mick" Carr on drums from Irving, Texas; and when we use a lead player, we chose from several guys, from Plano, Tx. all the way down to Brandon Gist from Austin, Texas!
Most of my gigs were in the North Texas/Southern Oklahoma area and down in the "Hill Country" of Texas. I would have to say, my favorite area for music, is in the "Hill Country." Actually, I guess I would have to say it's my favorite area for anything but, the Kiamichi Mountains in SE Oklahoma ain't to bad either!
Until '07 I owned a small 200 acre ranch in the Hill Country and I spend every minute I could down there. Even though it was a seven hour drive, I still booked gigs in that area whenever I could. I have writen & copyrighted quite a over 25 songs, with more on the way. I cover approximately 250 other songs. Sixty of those, are of my personal Hero, Willie Nelson!
*The new music movement here in Texas, and Southern Oklahoma is truly awesome! Some call it "TEXAS MUSIC," some call it "AMERICANA," or "RED-DIRT," but no matter what it's called, it really hits home with me and alot of other folks too! This music alot of times tells a true life story which people can identify with. Sometimes the music is similar to the old time rock & roll but with more sophisticated words than the old, way back when songs had.
There are so many really talented singer/songwriters out there now it's unbelievable! Seems everywhere I go I'm meeting someone new that's really awesome! You Guys and Gals keep up the great work and lets keep this "Red-Dirt Music" on top!
My son Zach Hendricks, has been a huge influence on my life. He is my son, my best friend, and all the above and below! Back in January of '06, Zach put himself a little band together!
They call themselves, "The Twisted Pistols" and are coming on really strong in the Texas-Ok./Red-Dirt Music scene! Zach has writen alot of songs himself and most of them are super songs. Their first CD called "Rusted Shut", was Great but their new one, "Overheated" really shows their talent! This guy can put together & compose some great music! Watch for them to perform near you. It will be worth your while to hear "Twisted Pistols"
SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!
"My Humble Cabin"
"Zach"
NOTICE: I was out of pocket for several Months in '07 because I had sold my Ranch in the Hill Country of Texas and was in the process of relocating! In doing so, I have bought some Log Cabins which I rent out, and have built a Music Gazebo, "The Sardis Lake Outback", back in the woods in the Kiamichi Mountains of S.E. Oklahoma! It's located 5 mi. North of Clayton, Ok., right next to Sardis Lake, and 2 miles from the Choctaw Indian Capital of the World, Tuskahoma. This place is amazing and has some awesome views! I now only do private parties, festivals and play music on my own stage for my tennants. I also have Music Festivals here at the "The Sardis Lake Outback" every Spring & Fall & I'll be posting the dates and musicians who will be here for each festival, so keep checkin' in!
