El Paso Times – 09/30/2008

El Paso Times Staff
Article Launched: 09/30/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

Charming Snakehandlers: The first time I heard “Miles from Home,” the new disc from Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers, I just assumed they were another in a long line of rootsy honky tonk bands from Austin. Not even close.

The group, which plays at 9 tonight at Take II, 6135 N. Mesa, is from Seattle, though singer Ruby Dee says a move to Texas’ Live Music Capital of the World is in the offing later this year.

“In Seattle, there’s a lot of people that don’t understand this music, musicians that is. They don’t get the beat or they can’t (commit) to it,” she said by phone from the road. “In Austin, they have a much deeper bench to pull from.”

Plus, she added, the support for live music in Texas is unparalleled in other parts of the country. Even in El Paso, which often suffers from geographic and cultural isolation, the honky tonk revivalists made enough of an impression at last year’s Ardovino’s Desert Crossing gig that they compelled the group to put the Sun City on the itinerary this year.

“We told all our friends in El Paso that, sorry, we cannot do a show this time and a group of them got together and said, ‘No, no, no, you have to play. Please come and play,” she said.

Guitarist Jorge Harada believes audiences like that are charmed by the honesty of the Snakehandlers’ music, which combines rockabilly, honky tonk, vintage rock ‘n’ roll and Western swing in a way that’s both retro and contemporary.

“We just really try to do it as sincere and honest as we possibly can play our music,” the Mexican native said.

Both the new album and debut “North of Bakersfield” explore the intersection where country and rock first met, but the duo’s not interested in dusting off old museum pieces.

“We’re definitely paying homage to who went before us, the old honky tonk players … we nod our heads to them,” Ruby Dee said. “But everything we do is contemporary and related to the here and now. It’s all original music.”

Doug Pullen may be reached at dpullen@elpasotimes.com; 546-6397.

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