Friday, April 19, 2024
The Gatesville Country Music Hall of Fame is proud to announce that The Jacob Austin Band will be performing on the Gatesville City Auditorium stage on Friday, Feb. 17, starting at 7 p.m. Admission will be free.
Jacob Austin has been singing since age 3. He became an active member of Brazos Valley TROUPE in the Bryan-College Station area and began performing in public at the age of 10. Soon the director of TROUPE began to give him solos in various productions. As he got older, Austin began to discover that he enjoyed singing and vocalized his desire to take voice lessons.
From singing karaoke style as a member of TROUPE, Jacob branched into live musicm forming a duet with his father, David (who was in a band back in the “old” days). David plays the 12- and six-string rhythm guitars and is learning the resonator guitar. One thing led to another, and the duo began to sing at Jamborees, opry’s, churches, and jubilees around Texas. Austin began playing the mandolin, mountain dulcimer, guitar, and the harmonica (all self-taught) to add more texture to the sound. During the summer of 2006 they recruited his Mom to join them playing the autoharp, adding another dash of bluegrass flavor to the band's already unique sound.
Currently, The Jacob Austin Band continues to play all over the United States. They love to play traditional country, ballads, spiritual/traditional gospel music, oldies, and show tunes as well as some of their original material.
Jacob Austin has written several original songs and has co-written others with his father and mother on all their albums — Fresh Hay in 2008, Renewed in 2012 , Jacob Austin Band Original Selections (digital only), in 2018, and Step Inside in 2020. All are available at live performances (except for "Original Selections"). Their newest release is also available worldwide on digital media stores.
The group has performed with or alongside many well-known acts such as Jim Ed Brown, Terry Smith, The Redhead Express, Bobby Awe, Jack Langley, Michael Martin Murphy, Matt Boone, and Rayne Magill. In 2012, they were recognized for several honors. The group has been awarded Best Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year twice by the Coastal Bend Gospel Music Association, and Traditional Gospel CD of the Year by the Rural Roots Music Commission. Austin also placed first in the mandolin contest held at the Traditional Country Music Festival in LeMars, Iowa , twice.
The public is invited to come and hear The Jacob Austin Band. The Gatesville Country Music Hall of Fame seeks to provide good, wholesome music with a family-oriented flavor at their free concerts. The programs are held on the third Friday of each month.
The Gatesville City Auditorium is located at 110 n. 8th St. in Gatesville just across from the Gatesville Public Library.
