Here's your country and your alt-country Weekend Roundup.

Checking the schedule, you’ll notice a big fat 25th anniversary galabrationfest that isn’t called that for good reason: Willie Bob’s at Billy Bob’s. What would you do if Willie Nelson frequently, secretly called himself Willie Bob? Nothin’? What would you do if he jumped out of a huge cake on Saturday night wearing nothing but a bow tie? Lots of things? Hello? Is this thing on? The great Fort Worth honky tonk turns 25 this year. The great Willie Bob turns 73 on April 30. Courtroom artist's preliminary concept Willie/Cake dramatization sketch:

Hot dang, Johnny Lang, the McKay Brothers are at Adair’s on Saturday. They’ll have a new CD out soon and Keep It Country likes to hear that kind of news. Noel McKay told me the regional release date is June 6 and the national release date is September 19. “I think this record is much more energetic and upbeat than the last one but I’ll let you decide for yourself,” he said.

Not sure about you, but Keep It Country is a big fan of decision-making and comparing and energy and June 6 and September 19 AND the McKay Brothers (in that order), so we’re looking forward to their new CD and the whole listening process involved with that sort of thing and so forth.

Other recording news: Cowboys and Indians came out with a seven song EP a few months ago, but frontman Erik Swanson told me the band wants to start working on a new full-length CD as soon as they can. They should be recording songs here and there, as time and money permit. They ain’t playin’ this weekend. But guess what, you weekend lover, you?! They’re playing next weekend! Well, sort of. It’s Thursday, which technically would be Friday in New Zealand! And get this crap! They’re (gasp) playing more weekends down the road! I am on the board of a national group called Exclamation Yes!, which lobbies Congress to introduce federal legislation to force employers to force their workers to use exclamation points at least five out of six sentences, or else face a $250,000 fine and at least two years in a federal prison of your choice.

The world-premiere of Waiting for a Train: The Life and Songs of Jimmie Rodgers is Saturday at the Undermain Theatre. Mr. Rodgers was of high Keep It Country importance.

This weekend, the King of the Texas DJs (two years in a row), Mr. Justin Frazell, welcomes Aaron Watson to the Front Porch (every Sunday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.) Meanwhile, Dallas Wayne and Jesse Dayton stop by the 95.9 Ranch Roadhouse (live from Billy Bob's Sundays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) with John Muzyka.

Says Mr. Frazell on the Porch site about the award: “Earlier this year, someone took it upon themselves to nominate me for Texas Music DJ of the Year. I don't know who you are and I have not been told yet who it was. So first, THANK YOU from the very bottom of my heart for that gesture. It means the world to me that you would think so much of the work that I put into each Front Porch Show and that you believe it is worthy of such recognition.”

I dropped a line to Jinelle Boyd, who helps run the Texas Music Awards, to ask about the nomination process. She reports via email: “When it was nomination time, the public wrote in the name of their choice for DJ of the Year. When the nomination period ended, the ballots were tallied, and the five disc jockeys with the most nominations became the five nominees in that category. A public ballot was then created with all five names, and when public voting began, the public chose one of the five nominees as their choice. When the voting period was over, the votes were tallied and Justin was out on top! Second year in a row - that really says something, doesn't it? :-)”

I’m gonna say yes it does, public. Good job. And what other media organization puts smilies in their copy? I have no idea, but we sure as hell will.

Regarding the 4th annual TMA show in general, Boyd says: “Every year we make it bigger and better, and we get closer to the ‘vision’ every year, so we're very excited. The show is a monster to put on, and took about five months to get everything in to place for one afternoon. The event is paid for 100% by sponsorship dollars, and produced, organized and run 100% by volunteers. We really took a chance in having the show in Northeast Texas this year (it's been in Houston the last two years) because we didn't know anyone up here, and were afraid that folks might not make the trip. We were happily mistaken! The Texas Music Awards are all about credibility and recognition - not a popularity contest. I think the musicians appreciate that, and that's why the support is so powerful.”

Hats off to the Academy of Texas Music. Glad they Keep It Country.