Rockport Tx Days Inn

Rockport Music Festival Thursday-Saturday

By: Michael Wright/Special to the Caller-Times

The heart of Texas music is coming home next weekend for the first Rockport Music Festival, three days that close with some of the most important singer-songwriters in Texas history.

The festival, which runs June 9-11 at Fulton Harbor Park, is the brainchild of Tommy Moore and Craig Griffin, who hope it’s just the first of many. As such, they are selling lifetime VIP memberships that start at $300 and include preferred seating, parking and beverage service. Moore said his motivation for starting the festival is simple.

“I just kinda wanted to get Guy Clark here for years,” he said, referring to the man who wrote “L.A. Freeway” and “Desperados Waiting for a Train” and spent part of his adolescence in Rockport. “I had a dream a while back.”

Clark plays at 7 p.m. Saturday, sandwiched between Gary P. Nunn, (author of “London Homesick Blues” better known as “Home with the Armadillo”) who plays at 5 p.m. and Jerry Jeff Walker, who plays at 9 p.m.

Moore thinks the site will be as good as the music.

“They got the grassy area right by the sea,” said Diane Probst, CEO and president of the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, which will run a drinks concession stand to benefit its building fund.

Walker caps off three days of music that starts with Delbert McClinton and Malford Milligan on Thursday for a members only concert open to those who purchase VIP tickets. Friday starts with Cory Morrow at 7 p.m. and the Casey Donahew Band at 9:30 p.m.

“I love Texas music,” Moore said. “There is nothing else. I don’t even watch television anymore.”

Griffin, who owns Charlotte Plummer’s Restaurant and the Inn at Fulton Harbor, said putting the festival together has been a learning experience.

“We’re not a volunteer organization,” he said. “It’s just Tommy and I that are the volunteer committee. It’s been a full-time job on top of the day job.”

That work could end up being a boon for Rockport’s businesses as well as it’s music lovers, said Probst.

“It impacts the community,” Probst said. “The first couple of weekends are slower for us. This is a really good way for us to draw attention to our community and promote our name and activities during a slower weekend.”

Even though music from those kind of names could stand alone, it won’t have to.

Festival grounds will be packed with food vendors as well, including barbecue from Stevie Lew’s BBQ Kitchen, seafood from Blackbeard’s, turkey legs and funnel cakes from Texas Funnel Cakes and More, as well as Philly cheesesteaks and different kinds of hot dogs and burgers from other vendors.

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