Real Housewives Get Real

5 things you never would have guessed about the Real Housewives of Dallas

In advance of their April 11 premiere on Bravo, the Real Housewives of Dallas stopped by the CultureMap offices to sip pink champagne, show off their style, and dish about life in front of the cameras.

LeeAnne Locken, Tiffany Hendra, Brandi Redmond, Cary Deuber, and Stephanie Hollman are representing Big D on the cable franchise, and we got to know the ladies a bit better before the rest of TV land does. They arrived straight from a promotional event at Mi Cocina (too early for Mambo Taxis, they lamented), and immediately started taking selfies and chatting with the video crew (so you know there's more to see).

Here are five things we learned about Dallas' newest — and hottest — reality TV stars:

1. Some of them were friends before filming. Brandi and Stephanie have been close friends for years, and LeeAnne and Tiffany were both fixtures on the Dallas social scene long before the cameras started rolling.

Does that make Cary feel like the odd woman out? Not at all. She's gotten close to the other four during the last year of filming and now counts them among her closest friends.

2. Don't judge a book by its cover. Host Dawn Neufeld remarked on Brandi's quiet demeanor and questioned how the soft-spoken redhead handled the often loud and boisterous world of the Real Housewives. Everyone quickly jumped in to testify to Brandi's wild and crazy side — she was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, after all — even hinting that we'll see her "flipping on tables" during one episode.

"She has lady balls the size of Texas," Tiffany added.

3. LeeAnne Locken, however, is well aware of her outgoing personality. "I'm like an onion," she mused. "The first layer will make you cry, the second a little less so, and as you go deeper, you'll find I'm sweeter than you would expect."

4. Cary Deuber doesn't normally wear makeup. The nurse works side-by-side with her plastic surgeon husband, and therefore spends a lot of her time in the operating room. Getting so dolled up on a regular basis took a little getting used to, but she was already familiar with one beauty ritual: "I do my own Botox!" she said.

5. Most of the 'wives have kids, and we can expect to see a fair amount of family time in addition to galas and cocktail parties. Dallas might also be a little more low-key than, say, Beverly Hills or New York City, but there will still be plenty of drama. "People will watch us, or they will hate-watch us, but they will watch us," Cary said.

Dawn Neufeld with the Real Housewives of Dallas.

Photo by Hoyoung Lee

Dawn Neufeld with the Real Housewives of Dallas.

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RIP Joe

Texas country music singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer, and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

According to a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife Sharon, and daughter Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings."

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

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