Zack Walther and the Cronkites play The Herald Tonight!

April 11, 2008
By Joe Hyde
Publisher

Del Rio has a unique opportunity to see and hear rising Texas music star Zack Walther tonight (Apr. 11) at The Herald, 321 S. Main St. starting at 10 p.m. Here is a review and interview of the breakout band's last performance in San Angelo in October 2007 written by LIVE! reporter Mark Kneubuhl. For an audio Podcast interview with Zack, please see this link.

Not long into Zack Walther’s first set, claims made in previous reviews on San Angelo LIVE! were not only substantiated but some in the audience may have considered them to be understated: The Cronkites are much more than just a support band and Zack himself really DOES have that voice that some have called ‘Texas-Springsteen.’

Zack Walther and the gang play a distinctive mélange of Americana and pop-rock that begs the listener say, “he sounds just like…,” but you stop right there because it’s hard to figure out who it is he sounds like. That good!

The songwriting is equally as provocative: Thoughtful without being corny; rhythmic and simple at the same time, yet seemingly ready to burst at the seams with underlying complexities.

Lots of bands that have great material and well-produced CDs loose a little on the road where they are away from the studio with the security of multiple takes, overdubs and some wizard-geek, UT drop-out, on the mixing board.

Zack Walther and the Cronkites could have recorded a CD from their first set, right there. In fact, their debut CD, “Live at Tavern in the Gruene” (June 2007) was recorded in their own home town bar to a record-setting live audience.

LIVE! caught up with Zack before the show and had a chance to ask him a few questions:

LIVE!: Tell us about the CD and your chosen singles.

Walther: The last couple of months we’ve traveled around promoting “Which Way to Run”. We’ve had a grueling schedule. Wednesday night I got home from Oklahoma city, played that night and now I’m here. “Get Up” seems to be another favorite. It’s actually a New Braunfels favorite and is played a lot on KEBT, an Americana station. “Our Corner” is another tune that has gained some strength… it’s another ballad, but I’d call it a power ballad.

LIVE!: Do you consider your music Americana?

Walther: I don’t really know what Americana is. We also play Texas country, alt-country… it’s whatever people can relate to. If they want to call it Texas country, we’ll call it Texas country, or whatever else people want to call it.

LIVE!: Where did the name for your band, “The Cronkites” come from?

Walther: My last name is spelled Walther, but it’s pronounced Walter, without the ‘h”. Thus Walter Cronkite, the famous news anchorman.

LIVE!: How did you meet your band?

Walther: They’re all musicians around town and actually all from New Braunfels. Our drummer, Chris Compton is the newest, but he and our bass, Mel (Nolte) are old hands and just blended right in. We’ve had lots of problems with guitar players… gone through a lot of them and then Luke (Leverett) came around and he… off-the-record, kicks-ass!

LIVE!: Where do you stand on the hotly debated issue of gun control?

Walther: (surprised) Oh, you heard the story?

LIVE!: Why don’t you tell us again.

Walther: Well, it was my great-great grandfather’s son, my great-great uncle that started Walther Handguns, which later became the famous Walther PPK, you know, the James Bond gun. Hand gun enthusiasts have no problem spelling my name.

LIVE! Were you born and bred in New Braunfels?

Walther: I was born in West Columbia, Texas, pretty close to the beach. I was kind of a surf bum growing up. I went to school at Southwest Texas, then after my last year there in 2002, I just kind of migrated over to New Braunfels.

LIVE!: Your town has a vibrant music scene. You must like it there?

Walther: It’s a place where you can almost make a living. It’s better than Austin for those playing Texas country and Americana. They’ve got Gruene Hall, Tavern in the Gruene, Singer Hall, which is now closed down, River Road Ice House and now there is this amazing place out on 306 called Whitewater Amphitheater. We were lucky enough to play with Stoney LaRue there. It’s huge… It holds like 5,000 people.

LIVE!: Was that a defining moment?

Walther: Oh yeah… Stoney is great, and playing in front of 1,500 people is really a trip. But making this record is also something that has changed us as a band and given us new direction.

…and that direction for Zack Walther and the Cronkites can only be one way… up!