Lil' Bit and her 'honky-tonk-a-billy' bunch

If not for the tattoos, one might expect Jen "Lil' Bit" Adams to sprout angel wings and fly away to heaven at any time.

But there is more to this kid than just an angelic face. She's got a powerful set of singing pipes and a rockabilly band called The Customatics which have combined to garner some serious notice on the Texas music scene.

This is a hot new little group on the San Antonio honky-tonk circuit, and if you like a Loretta Lynn-type rockabilly sound, you are sure to dig Lil' Bit and her Customatics.

Featuring an upright slap bass, no drums and a driving acoustic sound, Lil' Bit and the Customatics have been compared with The Maddox Brothers and Rose from the 1960s and before.

Calling her music "heartbreakin honky tonk-a-billy", this little girl with the big voice has just embarked on her third west coast and northern pacific tour, the last local show being at Sam's Burger Joint.

We caught Lil' Bit and the Customatics last month at the Hangin' Tree in Bracken, one of the group's favorite local venues.

Of Hangin' Tree owner Big John Oaks, Jean Adams says, "John is wonderful and the Hangin' Tree is one of our favorite places to play. It's got that funky country atmosphere that I like."

Lil' Bit and her band have garnered critical acclaim for their debut album Short and Sweet, most recently receiving My Texas Music's 2003 album of the year nomination. Other accomplishments inlude ranking on the November 2003's FAR charts, placing fifth in Third Coast's Music Best of 2003 and receiving Rockabilly Radio's Hot Site Award.

An upcoming album titled Headin' On, will combine a love for rockabilly, country, honky tonk and roots music.........