Urban Tulsa
Nov. 26 - Dec. 2, 1998

Tex Montana
In a world of Fionas and Jewels, it's nice to come home to true talent.

Tex Montana, full of vigor and musical credibility, plays the smart-ass, sophisticated older sister to the snotty little girls of today's modern soundtrack. It's easy to assume that the impact of real musicians like Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde is currently lost somewhere, hidden behind electronic beats and falsified swing charts, but the home-grown frenzy of
Tex Montana's Fireball 4 proves otherwise. It's a simple story of a couple of kids who rocked with passion and noise, only because they just didn't know any better.

She's been in the papers before. A sidebar here, a feature article there, maybe even a photo alongside the details. But there's reason behind the publicity, and simplicity to the reason : Tex Montana is a talented musician with a respect and understanding for the history of true rock 'n' roll.

She's paid her dues, from the miniscule beginnings of the Tulsa scene (a few bands and one night a month to play at a single club), to today's historic venues and standing gigs.

She was there in the early '80s when Tulsa was uninformed and misinterpreted, when bands like Husker Du and Black Flag came through and drew an audience simply because they were loud. "We didn't know they were or even if they had records," Tex explains. "All we knew is that we liked
them." She soon began throwing together songs of her own, echoing the sentiments of said bands, and performing at the coveted monthly gig. Tex Montana wasn't only there when live, original music started in Tulsa; she was one of the few heading up the movement, pushing open club doors and
swaggering around onstage. If you want something done right...

After a few years away from home, Tex and company crept back inside the Oklahoma borders and set up camp here once again, setting out to write amazing rootsy pop ditties, and have a damn good time doing so. During a stint in Austin, TX, Tex and the drummer/husband Billy Berkenbile realized the amazing number of reasons to head back home, and upon doing so, met up with guitarist John Powell, and bassist Dennis Dusenberg who then fit into the equation nicely.

The songs became more solid and reflected the perseverance and personality of the band. Soon, the group was playing all the right spots around town, and even had the opportunity to step up onto the Cain's stage, Tex's favorite venue thus far. For an original band, the Fireball 4 makes the rounds around town, contrary to the reputation Tulsa has for abandoning its
original talent. "Bands in this town always complain about playing covers and getting gigs. Well, you can play original music and get paid, because we do, and there are places to play, because we play them," Tex says.

What happens now is up to the industry. Either some A&R guy will swoop down and offer the mystical record deal and the Tex sound will be flung into malls and Best Buys across the nation, or the band will stay here in Tulsa, with their families and nightly performances of the music they love and understand. Either way, they're happy.