Holland K Smith & Mike Morgan

HOLLAND K SMITH

Is best known for his penning of a song recorded by rock allstar, George Thorogood. Smith's original song, Rock Party was first recorded for the album The Hard Stuff in 2006, and is used as the opening theme song for Thorogood's performances.

Like many young men in Texas, Smith spent much of his youth between the city and the country. At 10 years old, he convinced his mother he was dedicated enough to get his own guitar and let the rental go back to the music store. He studied classical, pop and country music.

It wasn't until ten years later did Smith form his first band. He recorded over the years with a versatile array of projects. A few years later, he would release his second album for the label entitled Walkin' Heart Attack. Both projects were produced by Dallas blues guitar legend, Anson Funderburgh. Smith self released a third CD, Enough Is Enough and toured the EU behind it like his first two albums. He slowly began building a following in both EU and in Brazil as well, where Topcat Records had opened a South American branch of the label.

MIKE MORGAN

Morgan was born in Dallas, but grew up in Hillsboro, Texas. He received his first guitar at an early age, and initially concentrated on playing rock music. In 1985 he converted to blues and blues-rock, before relocating back to Dallas in 1986. There he met Darrell Nulisch, who both were founding members of The Crawl. The group was named for a Lonnie Brooks song.

Mike Morgan and the Crawl earned a reputation playing around Dallas and the Fort Worth area, before Nulisch left them in 1989, to be replaced by the singer and harmonica player, Lee McBee. Following a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, their debut 1990 album, Raw & Ready, saw them undertake national and international tours. Further albums including Full Moon Over Dallas, and Ain't Worried No More ensued, before Morgan recorded without his backing group on Let The Dogs Run (1994) with Jim Suhler.

In 1994 Mike Morgan and the Crawl appeared on the bill at the Notodden Blues Festival. Later group releases included their Black Top swansong, I Like the Way You Work It, but at the end of the 1990s McBee left the band. Buoyed by the experience of playing behind Nulisch, Keith Dunn, and Chris Whynaught, 2000's Texas Man saw Morgan's vocalist debut. Live in Dallas (2004) followed before Morgan's latest effort, Stronger Every Day, released in March 2008, included further accompaniment from McBee and Randy McAllister.