photo by Stephanie Rey (Michael Ramos, Michael Fracasso, Michael Ramos)
Austin songwriter Michael Fracasso made a great record with Charlie Sexton in 1999. It was shelved for 20 years – Michael took a hiatus from music and lived a quiet life as a chef. When the bass player George Reiff died in 2017, Sexton played Michael’s record at George’s memorial, and here we are.
On June 14, Michael Fracasso will release Big Top, the new-old album produced by fellow Austinite Charlie Sexton. Recorded in 1999 by Fracasso, Sexton and the late bassist George Reiff, Big Top begs the question: how could such an album be left to collect dust for all these years? Big Top was revived in 2017, when it was played at the memorial of Michael’s dear friend, George Reiff, which Sexton directed. Lucky Hound A&R rep Michael Ramos was stunned by the music.
Listen to their session from Studio 1A and get caught up with this valuable piece of Austin music history.