Texas Treasures

The 90’s weren’t just a great time for Texas country music to make a comeback of sorts. Alternative rock was blazing its own formidable trail on the heels of the Toadies. One such band that was a part of that movement was the San Marcos based Echo’s Orbit Room. At one point, the band was so popular in the 78666 zip code that I recall Blue October opening a show for them at Gordo’s. EOR is one of those great footnotes in rock history. They had it all.  They were a can’t miss band. They had a mix of edge,

It is no secret that there is a side to Texas Music that is unflinchingly rock n’ roll.  Rooted in the blues and crafted by folks who enjoy creating huge riffs as much as they do interesting lyrics, it is a part of the Texas Music canvass that is often needed to break up the monotony that can come from acoustic guitar driven folk tales from time to time.  Modern purveyors of this brand of music include Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, Whiskey Myers, The Departed and Band of Heathens among others.  Back in the early 90s, a supergroup

Slaid Cleaves is an Austin based by way of Washington DC and Maine singer/songwriter who released one of the best records of the past twenty years.  That record is Broke Down.  Released in 2000 on the heels of Cleaves’ debut No Angel Knows and at the height of the Pat and Cory phenomenon, Broke Down managed to find a large audience and great critical acclaim.  The album and Slaid were universally embraced and accepted into the Americana hierarchy and with good reason.  The collection of tunes produced by Gurf Morlix was a revelation.  The songs were full of classic romantic

The live show is the most crucial element of the Texas/Red Dirt scene.  It is a showcase for the songs that artists have created and a communal scene for fans  to get together and enjoy themselves.  In the mid to late 90’s when the Texas Music renaissance was ignited, Robert Earl Keen provided the blueprint live album (No. 2 Live Dinner) that was the perfect example of the best parts of live shows in Texas.  Stories, sing-alongs, instrumental breaks, band introductions, and shoutouts were all included. Fifteen years later, Texas bands are still following that structure for live albums.  One

Jack Ingram’s music has taken him far beyond the confines of the dingy Dallas honky-tonk Adair’s where he cut his teeth. He has become a national touring act and Adair’s is now a Dallas landmark. After making some noise with several independent releases and one studio album in the mid to late 90’s, it was with the 1999 release Hey You that Ingram made a strong statement he was an artist and songwriter of tremendous talent and depth. This professional breakthrough was released on Lucky Dog records. Ingram recorded the milestone album in Nashville with producer Rick Bennett and his