Needless to say, from a young age I realized the value of higher education. Disregarding this, I attended Abilene High School, played Football and Tennis, and terminated my high school career a semester early in December 1985.

I then spent time as a ditch digger, a manure hauler at a horsetrack in Wyoming, and general manual laborer until I tired of such pursuits and in the fall of 1987 enrolled at Abilene Christian as a political science major, intending to go to law school. After 2 and a half years of more liberal claptrap than anyone should ever be subjected to, I changed majors to Range Management and enrolled at Texas Tech University. This, Ladies and Gentleman, is where I began the journey. The endless quest of all musicians: Can I make enough playing to not have a job and rarely pay for any beer?

The answer thus far to the above question is: NO and YES, respectively.

I did have a development deal with a Nashville label in 1993, which fell through due to their total lack of any understanding of what a Texas singer/songwriter is supposed to do, act, look or smell like. In 1991 myself and longtime friend Keith Gattis opened up for Garth Brooks (the Anti-Hank) and Steve Wariner (check out keithgattis.com). I was married briefly while in Lubbock (1994-1996) and sold cars and played guitar.

In 1996 I moved to Lewisville, Texas. I ran an automotive shop in Garland and played on the weekends. In 1998 I Lost my job and went broke for a while....moved home to Abilene and briefly lived with Mom and Dad. Got a job at a pawn shop, got some gigs together and moved in with a girlfriend shortly thereafter. Played with some great guys in Abilene: Dave Hobbs, Duncan Isenhower (now of Podunk), Roger Rodriguez, Evan Christian and more that I just can't remember right now.

Moved back to Lewisville in March of 2000 and have been there every since. I live in a charming little house (purchased from Dave Cordell of all people) with my Beautiful Girlfriend Rhonda and my supermodel black labrador Layla. As always, I drive a 15 year old Suburban (I'm on Suburban # 7 now) wear Red Wings and absolutely refuse to spend more than $10 for a shirt or a haircut.

The Dixie Rex adventure started when Dave and Brian wandered into a bar I was hosting an acoustic jam at in 1997. I started sitting in with their band (The Sly Dogz) a little and we remained in touch while I was on sabbatical getting my proverbial crap together out in West Texas.

Upon my return in 2000 we started a jam night at Hiccup's in Lewisville. Hiccup's went belly up so we moved half a mile down 121 to Daddy Rabbit's Pub and spent 2 years there every thursday playing for beer. People started coming, and then more people, then bars started booking us, and this year we've been nominated for a "Terry Award" for Best Club Band in Fort Worth.

We have, over the last 6 years, played almost every venue I can think of in the DFW area. We play Grapevine so much now I feel like the bars there are just an extension of my living room. The people here in DFW have been great to us, and after writing this I kind of feel guilty for not having been nicer to most of you. Well I do have a good excuse: most of the time I/we were/are drunk.

So for 2007 look out. We are releasing a live album and a new line of offensive T-shirts officially licensed by me: Bart Ashby.