Sonny Collie 

The A Band of Brothers family is deeply saddened by the loss of Sonny Collie, longtime bassist for A Band of Brothers until his health situation got to the point where he felt he wasn't playing and singing up to his own standards. Sonny passed away on Friday, November 1, 2019. He will be missed by all who knew him. 

Tolbert's Chili Parlor  

A Band Of Brothers played Tolbert's again last night and just have to say...

This is a great venue for listening to live music in DFW.  There really is no bad seat in the house.  The sound is great and of course, you can't beat Tolbert's chili and menu items. Thank you, Tolbert's for inviting us back. 

NEW SONG RELEASE! 

ABOB records the new release of Cowboys Rock! 

This is a great Dallas Cowboys fan song. Co-written by band member, Danny Cochran, the song also has a great ringtone for every true fan. You can buy the song at numerous stores like itunes and amazon.  

http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1179630938?ls=1&app=itunes 
http://amzn.to/2iNfglU

All of us appreciate your purchase and hope you enjoy the song! 
 

Rayfield Wright, BBQ and A Band of Brothers 

Big Cat Rayfield Wright Night

One of the Greatest Guys You'd Ever Meet...
by Melody Gillespie

Not just because #70 is one of the greatest NFL football players, ever; but because of the kind of person he is.  

Friday night A Band of Brothers played at one of their favorite spots: The Railhead Smokehouse in Willow Park.  Funny, it was a big football night for Aledo too, their homecoming.  The place was packed and the crowd adorned in orange and black, homecoming mums and horns, really loud horns.  The night became an even bigger football night when my Dad leaned over and pointed to a big guy walking in the patio area with a beautiful lady.  "Hey, that guy looks like Rayfield Wright."  "Yes, Dad.  That is Rayfield Wright." So sure I went over to his table and introduced myself for a second time.  The first time, we met on stage at Winfree Academy's graduation.  Drew Pearson was the guest speaker and Rayfield's daughter had just walked the stage as a graduate.  Rayfield smiled and welcomed my intrusion.  In fact, he didn't mind it all.  He wasn't one of those athletes that becomes too important to talk to his fans.  In fact, he is just what you would expect of a great man that has used his fame to pay it forward and help others through his foundation and by walking the talk himself.  

I got such a kick out of seeing him have a good time and enjoying A Band of Brother's music.  Now the table is turned a little bit.  For years, great fans of Big Cat, each member of the band, and me of course, are thrilled that now Rayfield is a fan of the band.  Sending him home with A Band of Brothers' CD and of course the t-shirt, we just all want to say "Thank You Rayfield" you are a true gentleman and great guy! You made it a special night for the some of the most important men in my life; My Daddy (Wayne Gillespie), Danny Cochran and the Brothers! 
 

A Band of Brothers News From Danny 

A Band of Brothers News From Danny

ABOB News from Danny

A lot of good things are going on with the Band.  A Band of Brothers has some great line-ups going into the Fall and some of us are sitting in with some other Texas musicians to bring you good Texas Music as always! 
Check out our calendar and mark some dates to come see us! All the times and locations for A Band of Brothers will stay posted on the website and our Facebook page.  ​

8/22   Sonny and Hash will be playing with Kathy Prather August 22nd at Sharky's
8/22   Danny is playing drums for the Funchess Brothers at a private event
8/28  A Band of Brothers: Come on out for a great burger on the Patio at Chubby's on Camp Bowie
8/29   A Band of Brothers is back at the Railhead in Willow Park
8/30  A Band of Brothers is proud to participate in the benefit for Bill Smith, musician and Texas music fan, at the Eagle's Nest on Eagle Mt. Lake from 12:30 pm to 1:30 am.  Lots of great music all day. ABOB goes on at 9pm.
9/4     A Band of Brothers is at Cadillac Pizza in McKinney.  This is a great venue! Music starts at 9pm.
9/5     Go here our own Brian Hash Brown Calway at the Bedford Blues Festival at 2pm.
9/11   Danny is heading out to East Texas to play with the Tejas Brothers in Ben Wheeler at Moore's Country Store!
9/19   Danny, Sonny and Joel Foy lay down some Blues on the Patio at Whole Foods from 12-4 then later that night come join Danny, Sonny and Brian play for Kathy Prather at Sharky's at 8pm.  If you haven't heard her sing you ought to!
9/25   ABOB at the Railhead in Willow Park at 7:30pm - one of our very favorite gigs! 
9/26   We are honored to play at the Grenada for our dear friend Mark Pollock.  This is a great lineup: Rick Derringer, Kim Wilson, Anson Funderburgh and many more!
 

The Fender Bass and Me by Sonny Collie 

The Fender Bass and Me
by Sonny Collie
In 1951 Leo Fender introduced the Fender electric bass upon an unsuspecting world. Solving the traditional upright bass's problems of being hard to hear over a band and difficult to transport, the Fender bass revolutionized the sound and future course of popular music as much as did the electric guitar. 

I have played the instrument since high school and have made a living with it for many years. And I share a deeper connection with it: I was born in August 1951 and the Fender bass first appeared in stores a few weeks later, in September. I grew up hearing its punchy sound, though I didn't play my first one until the late '60s, when the bassist in a band in which I played drums began making bad grades in school and was forced to quit the band. I took his place because we knew another drummer but no other bassist. (Many bass players come to the instrument this way, by accident or necessity.) Once thumping on a Fender electric bass I never looked back... I was a bass player for life.

The original 1951 Fender Precision Bass was excellent in almost every way. The Fender company modified the design of the Precision Bass in 1957 and released a deluxe two pickup Jazz Bass in 1960. All are fine instruments, but the original 1951 model does everything an electric bass needs to do. 

The original 1951s are priceless collectors' items now, essentially unaffordable by working musicians. But I play a faithful replica of the original, made in Japan by Fender. It is a fine sounding and serviceable bass, and a beautiful piece of 1950s industrial design. I play it with respect and appreciation, always remembering the great contribution Leo Fender made to popular music. It is a privilege to be a small part of the Fender bass story, and to come close to sharing my birthday with it!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Everybody in Texas Knows Sonny is one of THE Best 

Sonny Collie
Bass and Vocals for A Band Of Brothers:

 

written by: Melody C

 
Sonny Collie has played since he was a kid, starting with Robin Siler, recorded and played in Austin with Willis Alan Ramsey, B.W. Stevenson, The Explosives, Steven Fromholz and many other Austin bands & artists, as well as uncounted zillions of recording sessions. After he returned home to Dallas in the mid-80s and played and recorded with purt near everybody in the Dallas blues and R&B scene and with the corporate show band Custom Made, he met Danny Cochran doing session work at Audio Dallas. Sonny is an FAA certificated airplane pilot, lover of astronomy, physics, geology, biology and other scientific fields, love the outdoors and he is a lifetime dog person, currently with a rat terrier... never been without a little black dog.  Sonny Collie has recorded one solo album in 1998, Flames of Delight, doing everything himself: production, recording, writing playing and singing. Let's hope he may do another one!

"My love is for soul, R&B, but I have played and do play many other styles of music. I play bass, drums, guitar and sing, and I do solo acoustic guitar singer/songwriter gigs. But I am mainly known as a bass player and singer."
 

Support Live Music 

Support Live Music

Where has all the music gone? It gets harder and harder each weekend to find true Texas Live Music performed.  Some of the best musicians in our history came from right here in DFW.  Many are still around and more are on the horizon but either can't find a gig or venues just won't pay the money.  Ask your favorite spot to add live music! 

One of the Best Drummers in Texas 

Danny Cochran
Drummer, Vocalist, Song Writer

written by: Melody G


Danny says that his "mother said she caught me playing pots and pans at age 3" and that he "started playing for money at 13". Danny was bound to be a musician.  You might say it is in his DNA.  Son of one of the most well known Western Swing pioneers, Lee Cochran, Danny grew up with some of America's greatest musicians in his home. Lee Cochran played with such well known artists as The Miller Brothers, Tommy Duncan, and The Texas Playboys. 

Ask anyone who has been around the Texas music scene and they will tell you that Danny Cochran is one of the most well-known drummers in Texas and nationally recognized.  Danny Cochran's career first took off playing in the studio with Dave Mason in the late 70"s. LA called to Danny and off he went with Jerry Williams in 78, playing in clubs and studio work. But he missed that Texas sound and of course, his family. So back to Texas in 85, and since then he played with Texas' own great,Delbert McClinton in 87, and then Mason Dixon in 88. Then for the next 12 years Danny Cochran played in the best blues band in the world:Anson Funderburgh and The Rockets with Sam Myers 89-01. Danny Cochran then went on to become instrumental in creating another well known Texas band, the Tejas Brothers.  Danny and former Tejas Brothers Band member, Lex Cochran, were still searching for that perfect Texas sound and created what is now that great southern-fried band,  A Band of Brothers. Danny Cochran has recorded many albums and cds, acted in 3 movies including the iconic classic, Idiocracy, and has done voice work on the TV show; Beavis and Butthead. Danny loves his family and his little chihuahua Leelee.