In my whole life, I’ve only spent about a week in Texas. Still, I’ve followed Texas Music since I was very young. There was a free-form radio station in Denver that played what Steven Fromholz once described as Country Folk Rock Gospel Gum Science Fiction Guacamole Opera Music. I heard lots of Texas artists like the aforementioned Fromholz, Willis Alan Ramsey, Michael Murphey (before he added his middle name), Kinky Friedman, Ry Cooder, Waylon and Willie, Guy Clark, and Townes Van Zandt.

The Robisons are from Bandera. That one family produced three working singer/songwriters: Bruce Robison, baby sister, Robyn Ludwick, and Charlie Robison. Charlie’s writing tends to be a bit whimsical at times, but I really enjoy his music. When you really like an artist, what do you post? Here’s two.



This is a duet with Natalie Maines. Yeah, I’m not a fan of hers either, but this is good.



BTW, speaking of Maines, Bruce Robison wrote “Travelin’ Soldier”

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TMats,

I listen to a fair amount of "Texas" or "red dirt" country. The Panhandlers, Shane Smith, Rob Baird, Jason Boland, Midland, Stoney Larue, Josh Abbott, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, and probably my favorites, Turnpike Troubadors. And one of the biggest names of that movement, Pat Green.

Troubadors are just freakin' awesome.

About 20 years ago my daughter loved The Dixie Chicks. They were playing at Charlotte so I got tickets to take her. The opening act blew me away. I’d never heard such raw songwriting and musical talent. It was Charlie Robison, and I was hooked. Been listening to him ever since, and I really miss him since he retired.

Saw Charlie many years ago in San Antonio. I forget the venue, just remember that it wasn’t Floores Country Store, maybe County Line BBQ. Either way he put ona heck of a show. One of my favorites from him.

I've really been enjoying two Texas female guitarist lately. Ally Venable and Jackie Venson.

He’s a great Texas storytelling songwriter in the vein of Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt and Jerry Jeff Walker.

quote:

Originally posted by SigM4:
Saw Charlie many years ago in San Antonio. I forget the venue, just remember that it wasn’t Floores Country Store, maybe County Line BBQ. Either way he put ona heck of a show. One of my favorites from him.

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Nnk_wu8PB4" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

That is in Helotes. I pass it when i go to the deer camp in Bandera. his brother Bruce is good as well. Wrote alot of songs for George Strait

quote:

Originally posted by Blue Dog:

quote:

Originally posted by SigM4:
Saw Charlie many years ago in San Antonio. I forget the venue, just remember that it wasn’t Floores Country Store, maybe County Line BBQ. Either way he put ona heck of a show. One of my favorites from him.

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Nnk_wu8PB4" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

That is in Helotes. I pass it when i go to the deer camp in Bandera. his brother Bruce is good as well. Wrote alot of songs for George Strait

I realize that Floores is in Helotes, been there many times. I was saying when I saw him it wasn’t there, but at one of the smaller San Antonio venues. I lived in San Antonio from 2000-2005 on the Helotes side of town. Heck we still had a Luby’s out there when I was there last.

quote:

Originally posted by SigM4:

quote:

Originally posted by Blue Dog:

quote:

Originally posted by SigM4:
Saw Charlie many years ago in San Antonio. I forget the venue, just remember that it wasn’t Floores Country Store, maybe County Line BBQ. Either way he put ona heck of a show. One of my favorites from him.

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Nnk_wu8PB4" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

That is in Helotes. I pass it when i go to the deer camp in Bandera. his brother Bruce is good as well. Wrote alot of songs for George Strait

I realize that Floores is in Helotes, been there many times. I was saying when I saw him it wasn’t there, but at one of the smaller San Antonio venues. I lived in San Antonio from 2000-2005 on the Helotes side of town. Heck we still had a Luby’s out there when I was there last.

Sorry, Should have read it closer. The Luby's is still there

quote:

originally posted by YellowJacket:
I listen to a fair amount of "Texas" or "red dirt" country.

Strictly speaking that should read “Texas” and “red dirt,” although I recognize the label is often applied to music from S of the Red River.

All those Robisons are worth listening to.

I am a big fan of a lot of Texas music or alt-county, or whatever you want to call it. My wife and I see a lot of shows in small venues in and around Houston.

Check out Sarah Jarosz. She is from Wimberly, and one of my current favorites, even though she doesn't really bill herself in the Texas music camp.

I like most of the acts Yellowjacket listed, although I am not a Pat Green fan. Green is a love it or hate it thing, but I find him to be not very original, and more like Nashville country with a Texas flavor. It is sort of frat-boy Texas music in my ears.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
All those Robisons are worth listening to.

I am a big fan of a lot of Texas music or alt-county, or whatever you want to call it. My wife and I see a lot of shows in small venues in and around Houston.

Check out Sarah Jarosz. She is from Wimberly, and one of my current favorites, even though she doesn't really bill herself in the Texas music camp.

I like most of the acts Yellowjacket listed, although I am not a Pat Green fan. Green is a love it or hate it thing, but I find him to be not very original, and more like Nashville country with a Texas flavor. It is sort of frat-boy Texas music in my ears.

I feel like when I first heard Pat he was much more "Texas." That was back around 2001 when he got a record deal and released Three Days which had a lot of his older songs on it. Then he hit the country jackpot with Wave on Wave and has been more Nashville than Texas since then.

I've got tickets to see Troubadors in Atlanta in October. Can not wait.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
All those Robisons are worth listening to.

I am a big fan of a lot of Texas music or alt-county, or whatever you want to call it. My wife and I see a lot of shows in small venues in and around Houston.

Check out Sarah Jarosz. She is from Wimberly, and one of my current favorites, even though she doesn't really bill herself in the Texas music camp.

I like most of the acts Yellowjacket listed, although I am not a Pat Green fan. Green is a love it or hate it thing, but I find him to be not very original, and more like Nashville country with a Texas flavor. It is sort of frat-boy Texas music in my ears.

I feel like when I first heard Pat he was much more "Texas." That was back around 2001 when he got a record deal and released Three Days which had a lot of his older songs on it. Then he hit the country jackpot with Wave on Wave and has been more Nashville than Texas since then.

I've got tickets to see Troubadors in Atlanta in October. Can not wait.

That is fair.

Enjoy the Texas Troubadors.

I’d love to see the Troubadours, but we do have tickets to see Whiskey Myers in August.

Charlie Robinson’s sister Robyn Ludwick bought the “historic” Devil’s Backbone Tavern Located in Fisher not far from my home in Wimberley. It was originally a stage stop and blacksmith shop between Blanco and San Marcos. It’s promoted as the oldest dive bar in Texas. It’s been gradually restored. It’s located on the rugged geological feature called The Devil’s Backbone”.

More and more music acts are appearing as the bar emerges from the Covid panic. There’s a pickers circle every Thurs night and I’ve been playing there several years. Keeps me sane in my senior years. Lotta old fart reborn musicians on Thurs night.

Wimberley and the surrounding area has a lotta musicians. I see Ray Wiley Hubbard occasionally at the local HEB grocery. Sarah Jaroz too. Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have a home in the area.

Austin has become too high priced for musicians so they are moving to various communities between Austin and San Antonio.

David Lee, a Grammy nominated songwriter, moved back to Texas from Nashville and leads a Wed night concert series for singer songwriters in Spring Branch Texas ( Shade Tree Lounge). It’s free to attend and a great place to see new talent)

The area has become a mecca for musicians and songwriters. Lotsa good acts to see and many venues all around.

Great place to be if you are a fan of Texas music as well as rock, generic country, folk, fusion and jazz.

I started listening to country and rock-n-roll music in the 50's and while I like many styles/types of music, the older country stuff is my preference.

After serving in the Marine Corps from 1968-1970 I met a woman who was a little more progressive with her musical tastes than I and she exposed me to people like Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, Gary P Nunn, Ray Wylie Hubbard and other singer/songwriters who were legends in the progressive/outlaw Texas music scene. Austin City Limits was a regular program that we watched religiously to see various performers at their craft.

So to add to the theme of this thread, here are a couple of "older" songs from musicians associated with Texas music.

Saw a video of Charlie Robison singing this past weekend, just him and a guitar on the stage. I wish he'd be able to come back out and make music again.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Huffman:
Saw a video of Charlie Robison singing this past weekend, just him and a guitar on the stage. I wish he'd be able to come back out and make music again.

I do too, Todd. He’s a very serious cattle rancher near Bandera, and I think he loves it more than music. I was sorry to read that his marriage to Emily Whatshername came apart when she got involved with another guy she was working with on a music project. She and Charlie had 3 kids together and I hope they’re doing ok. Something tells me the whole thing soured him on the music business.