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Country music, in various forms, rules this weekend — and then there’s ultra-current Good For Gary, too

Get a taste of wine, and also Sarah and Chaunte:
— Sarah Van Valkenburg — who is country through and through — plays the Bungalow Inn in Lakeland on the 14th of both months, both November and December for early evening shows — defined as between 5-7 p.m. — and the second time around it’s in conjunction with a wine tasting event, which is a regular feature at The Bungalow. This consists of six wines to sample, usually three reds and three whites, and a buffet of appetizers and the music, to boot, all for a real deal at $15. The wines that are selected for tasting are changed every time around, which is usually monthly, which means that even if you have partaken in this multi-flavorful offering in the past, you can still get a completely different sampling experience each time you come. Reservations are needed, so especially since this is the holiday season, get your name on the list soon.
Performing as a married couple, which includes husband Eric, the Van Valkenburgs have enjoyed success playing wine bars, pubs, restaurants, fairs and festivals around their community, which gets all the way westward into St. Paul and even includes Austin, Texas, as old (and also some new) country music is what they do, along with Americana (red dirt Texas style), light rock and original songs written by Sarah. You also might hear some Rolling Stones, Elvis or Ray Wylie Hubbard at their shows.
Her voice can only be described as exceedingly sweet, and the last time at The Bungalow — also for a solo, early evening Tuesday show — she was sporting a big brimmed hat and shawl that reminded me of the garb donned by another veritable singer, Stevie Nicks.
— In a venue HudsonWiNightlife hasn’t referenced in a while, Maverick’s Corner Saloon in River Falls will be the site of a gig by Chaunté Shayne on Friday evening, Nov. 10. It will be in their big second room, which is as roomy as the main one. RF is the country singer’s hometown.
She is in an expansion mode, and has put out a call for so many diverse musicians to join her band that they certainly have not filled all those positions yet. And with their heavy and well-traveled schedule, with 100 gigs already done in a year of performing at just age 22, playing two or three times a week and practicing just as often to get it down just right, they will need them. So check them out at the next show and introduce yourself, if you are a female back-up vocalist/pianist, keyboardist, violinist, guitarist (vocals are a plus), traveling bassist, steel guitarist, fiddle-ist and maybe even Sunday night tambourine-ist. (OK, we made up those last two terms).
In what is also rapidly becoming a part of her base, and showing her viability, she has scheduled back-to-back holiday shows, on Dec. 22 and 23, in down-home Iowa, at the American Tap in Webster City and Sneakers Eatery and Pub in Fort Dodge.
— We hadn’t realized until now that there is so much good about Good for Gary, which plays the Smilin’ Moose on Friday night. They are a cover band that now lays it out there that they specialize in current and past dance hits, but in a twist that’s different than most, focus on the newest Top 40 songs. With a seven-piece line-up, (also unusual), there’s no hip-hop, pop or dance song they can’t cover, they say, adding that you will hear some Lady Gaga, Eminem, Usher and Rihanna at every show.

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