Perhaps Robby Rux was never a natural fit as a landlord but, after busting his shoulder, his days of laying bricks were behind him. The outstanding drummer and his otherworldly talented wife Jen first met in high school in 1986 and have been married for 22 years. In fact, they have been performing together live and in the studio for most of that time. The six-unit red brick apartments built in 1911 may not have always been easy to keep up, but they attracted musicians with low rent, and the Ruxes were able to record in their home studio.

Thus, their label Dreamy Soundz was born and many of Fort Worth’s burgeoning music scene have passed through their modest DIY compound in Fairmount. Recording on equipment from the height of the Analog Age, a generation of artists have developed under the tutelage of the Ruxes and their vast collection of records and gear. Those bands include Fungi Girls, The Longshots, Jake Paleschic, Solo Sol, Vincent Neil Emerson, Oil Boom, the legendary trio Year of the Bear, and most recently, The Fibs, who released their sensational self-titled debut in September. Jen and Rob toured the West Coast with front man Preston Newberry at the start of October.

Jen, guided by an impeccable ear, can probably play anything you set before her, including bass and guitar, often alongside a Theremin – the electronic instrument played without physical contact often heard in science fiction films of the 50s and 60s. The peak of her powers, however, may be found behind a mixing board with amps and microphones from a certain era. For a time, she taught the basics of audio engineering to high school students not to mention enlightening the musicians she records, of whom she says, “I just can’t record music I don’t like.”

At a certain point, their little home studio had outgrown the 100-year old building as Rob elaborates, “We had amplifiers in the bathtub and it became a little much to live around.” So, five years ago, they joined their psych-rock forces with local garage rockers Lo-Life Recordings to establish DreamyLife Records, gaining a little record shop and developing the spacious Cloudland Studio alongside musician/engineer Britt Robisheaux with the assistance of like-minded financial partner, Jim Vallee, who joined the group and helped expand their resources.

Vallee was looking to invest and was immediately able to help improve the label’s business standing, “There’s no guide book for this sort of stuff. But I’ve worked with small businesses my whole life, and I know the financial considerations necessary to make it work.” With a broad experience in booking, promotions and radio in Boston and Maine before coming to Texas, Vallee is conversant in both music and money, imperative for executing the studio design, “It is a great advantage for the label to be able to record at will.”

Recently announcing a move to Main at South Side from their third location in the back of the Fairmount Community Library, The Record Store has acted as DreamyLife’s spiritual center, it is often the weekly Happy Hours that draw folks to the music. An example of that growing reach is a project that unites original Texas Psych-Rock artist John David Bartlett with Dallas neo-psychedelic troupe Acid Carousel to re-record Bartlett’s album from 40 years ago, lost when the label that owned the masters folded. Each year, they release the sensational Group Therapy compilation, exposing music fans to another great batch of local artists like Ting Tang Tina, who’s hooks the Ruxes have been raving about for months and you will be too. The three young ladies and their drummer fellow all met at School of Rock and have clearly put in the work to find their sound.

Vallee smiles describing the Ruxes, “There’s love in everything they do, which is easy to see as Robby hustles between the record store, venues, marketing, engineering and playing drums.” In recent years, the role of labels has changed, revolving more around publishing and licensing. Therefore, the focus has been on building relationships with bands, other indie labels and venues outside of Fort Worth, encouraging artists to tour and build their audiences. Andy Pickett continues to ascend with his superlative piano rock, War Party returned this year with the outstanding Pure Destroyer, and Denton’s Pearl Earl have found friendly fans across the country. This process is enlivened by rad local venues like Shipping & Receiving and Main at South Side connecting Funkytown’s scene to the state-wide or national conversation.

An Austin native, Lyle Brooks relocated to Fort Worth in order to immerse himself in the burgeoning music scene and the city’s rich cultural history, which has allowed him to cover everything from Free Jazz to folk singers. He’s collaborated as a ghostwriter on projects focusing on Health Optimization, Roman Lawyers, and an assortment of intriguing subjects requiring his research.

The post A Pair of Rock ‘n Roll Lovebirds: Jen & Rob’s Dreamy Life first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Robbie Werner is a lady who knows a thing or two about baked goods. Since 2012 she has had a presence in Fort Worth’s Southside and now with two locations (106 E. Daggett Ave./ 1251 W. Magnolia) her little idea for a bakery has blossomed into much more than just a neighborhood gem. Robbie is the hands and recipes behind Stir Crazy Baked Goods.

As much of a wiz in the kitchen as she is, Robbie hasn’t always wanted to be a baker or even an entrepreneur. Born in Niagara Falls, NY and raised in Marshall, TX she would spend hours of fun in the kitchen with her mother while growing up, happily baking together and blessing their family and friends with their creations. Upon leaving home for UTA she carried her love of creating something from nothing into Architecture and Interior Design classes before finally settling on a Major in Printmaking.

Then life and love changed the plans. In her Junior year she and her boyfriend, decided to begin their lives together, get married and move to Tennessee. Robbie began her studies again at UT Chattanooga and graduated with a Studio Art degree.

As newlyweds and new parents to Baby #1, Robbie and Adam loved their time in Tennessee. While there Adam worked for Green Life Grocery (bought out by Whole Foods) and it was during this time that Robbie began to develop many of the recipes that she is know for here in Fort Worth. When I asked Robbie how it was that she just as skillfully creates traditional as well as Vegan and Gluten free items, she told me that this was all because of Adam. Adam has at times been Gluten free, Vegan, neither or both at the same time – as she puts it “changing with the seasons”. So, with a love of baking and dietary needs not withstanding, Robbie forged ahead and found that with a bit of trial and error she could find success. While working at Green Life Grocery, Robbie sold her first ever “professional” bake. It was her Carrot Cake.

In 2003, the family of three moved back to Texas and Adam resumed his studies at UTA. Robbie went to work as a manager in the Kimbell Museum shop and Adam began his career as an Elementary School Art teacher. Their second baby arrived in 2007 and Robbie, always with her heart in the kitchen, would bake things in her spare time and share them with her lucky co-workers. In 2008 Robbie was asked by her boss to make the desserts for her wedding. It was this experience that truly grew her confidence in her own abilities. The desire to open a bakery of her own was born.

Again life happened and baby #3 came along but the hope to have her own place remained. In the Spring of 2011 the timing was finally right and things fell into place. The Daggett location was found, recipes had been perfected and she was ready to start selling her baked goods to the public. Through local markets, a booth with Cold Springs Farm CSA, a setup at Rahr & Sons and a social media campaign she announced her arrival into the growing Southside food scene. They provided baked goods to Avoca Coffee and filled orders out of the same commercial kitchen that also helped Holy Kombucha get its start. In June of 2012 the Daggett location opened and Stir Crazy has never looked back since.

In July of this year they were able to open their second location on Magnolia and her vision for Stir Crazy Bakery is now exactly what she had hoped and dreamed that it could be. The Daggett location is small and intimate, “her baby” in many ways and the Magnolia location is a place where people can meet, hang out and enjoy themselves in a great location. She loves that something she once dreamed of is now a tangible reality for her greater Fort Worth family to enjoy.

Her hopes for the future are an even greater presence in the community, that through this venture she would be able to take care of their employees, who feel so much more like family and that they could expand in such a way that would allow her family to enjoy the fruits of their success. With a dream, determination and multitasking mommy knowhow she has created something that we can all root for and even better, enjoy with a cup of coffee.

*for those of you late meal planners out there, Stir Crazy is taking Thanksgiving orders until November 19^th so head over there and get those orders in – you’ll be SO glad you did.

About the writer: Kristen McDonald is a Texas girl who earned a Communications degree from Baylor, then fell in love and married a fighter pilot. Air Force duty called and she and her new husband moved from their beloved Texas and together they saw the world. In 11 years of marriage she has moved 7 times across the U.S. and Europe, adopted a son and begun her greatest adventure – motherhood.  Kristen is thrilled to finally be back home in Texas for good. She is at her happiest in a good pair of jeans, with dinner cooking on the stove, music cranked loud and a Gin and Tonic in her hand.

The post A Killer Carrot Cake and a Dream first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.