Musician, Western author Mike Blakely is Coffee Talks presenter Feb. 9 at Burnet library
BURNET — Singer-songwriter and Western author Mike Blakely will speak about “The Lure of the West” Feb. 9 as part of the Coffee Talks series at the Herman Brown Free Library.
The free presentation is 2 p.m. with refreshments at 1:30 p.m. at the library, 100 E. Washington.
Blakely, who lives in Burnet County and sings his TexAmericana music across the state and elsewhere, has 16 Western novels and 11 albums.
He will discuss his music, writing career and his collaboration with Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers on novels. He co-wrote his latest book, “A Tale Out of Luck,” with Nelson. He is currently writing a novel with Rogers. His novel “Summer of Pearls,” set during the Great Caddo Lake Pearl Rush of 1874, won the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Novel. His books “Comanche Dawn,” “Short Grass Song” and “Moon Medicine” all have been nominated for the award. In 2007, he also was awarded the Spur Award for Best Western Song for “The Last Wild White Buffalo.”
Blakely will perform some of his music during the Feb. 9 program. The musician regularly plays at and hosts a TexAmericana music night at the River City Grille, 700 First St. in Marble Falls.
He plays his music in as many as 150 venues a year, including the recent Homemade Serenade and Live from Luckenbach with Thomas Michael Riley. He often performs with Riley and his father, the humorist and fiddle player Doc Blakely.
Blakely’s books and CDs will be available for sale after the talk, and he will sign copies.
Coffee will be provided by Michelle Devaney of Hey Diddle Diddle Catering. Other support for the series has been provided by Canyon of the Eagles, The Verandas, The Bookshop in Marble Falls and the Friends of the Library.
Mystery writers Sheila Simonson and Ben Rehder will present Coffee Talks programs in April and May.
