Texas Country Music, Dale Watson, Traditional Country Music, Texas Music, Mike Clifford, Pauline Reese, Country Rock, Texas Music

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For Immediate Release

February 1, 2007

Mike Clifford Nominated for Texas Music Awards - Record Of The Year

“It’s All Texas Music To Me” receives nomination after 15-week run on Texas Chart

Austin recording artist Mike Clifford and The Academy of Texas Music announced today that Clifford’s song “It’s All Texas Music To Me” has been nominated in the category of Record Of The Year for the 2007 Texas Music Awards. 

The song broke onto the Texas Music Chart in the summer of 2006 and remained there for nearly four months. “It’s All Texas Music To Me” celebrates the diversity of Texas music over a Waylon Jennings – style back beat and features The Mike Clifford Band, as well as Texas artist Pauline Reese on backing vocals.   Reese has garnered nominations of her own in this year's award process.  The 2007 nomination is the 2^nd for Clifford, who was also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year in 2005.  

Clifford, who not only sings the song but also provides the signature slide guitar on the track, is excited about the nomination and the recognition the song has received.  “I initially started writing the song as sort of a of a tongue-in-cheek dig at certain radio stations who refuse to play anything that doesn’t fit their narrowly-defined format.  But as the song took shape, it became more of a statement of what makes Texas music great… its incredibly broad range and diversity, just like the state of Texas itself.”  

The Texas Music Awards honor outstanding achievements by Texas artists across all genres including country, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, and other styles.   Lucky Boyd, co-founder of the Academy of Texas Music, had this to say about Clifford’s nomination:  “Amid all the masterful tracks on Mike Clifford’s current CD 'The Heartbreak Grill And Bar', there is a true diamond, 'It's All Texas Music To Me'.  It is being talked up as an unofficial anthem to Texas musicians, and we’re proud to have Mike’s song nominated in the Record Of The Year category.”  The Texas Music Awards will take place Saturday, March 24th, 2007 in Linden, Texas., where the final awards will be announced to the public. 

Mike Clifford and Pauline Reese will be performing together at a unique double show this Valentine’s day in Austin, at the Saxon Pub and The Broken Spoke.  Clifford will sit in with Reese’s band at the Saxon Pub from 6PM-8PM Wednesday February 14, then Reese will return the favor, performing with The Mike Clifford Band at The Broken Spoke later that evening.  “It’s All Texas Music To Me” will be on the set list as will their current duet single “My Heart’s Got A Mind Of It’s Own”. 

For more information about the Texas Music Awards, including information on previous nominees such as Jason Allen, John Arthur Martinez, Jarrod Birmingham, Hayes Carll, Shy Blakeman, and Wade Bowen visit www.texasmusicawards.org