For more music events, visit texashighways.com/events.


also is the longest-running music series in television history—PBS’ “Austin City Limits.” A wide range of performers have graced its stage, which now makes its home at the new Moody T eater downtown.


GREAT VENUES But you don’t have to look too hard to see


that the whole state is blessed with great music venues. Den ton has a burgeoning music scene with many solid live music venues pre-


dominantly found by the courthouse square. New Braunfels’ Gruene Hall is Texas’


oldest continually operating dance hall (since 1878) and continues to draw big crowds for big-name performers. Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar Saloon in Bandera has been a hotspot honky tonk since the 1930s. In Helotes, just outside of San Antonio, lies Floore’s Country Store, a historic dance hall. It continues to pack in the crowds, just as it did back in the day when weekly performer


Willie Nelson penned the Patsy Cline classic, “Crazy” there. Nelson also mentions the venue in his song “Shotgun Willie.” Fort Worth goes big with Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk, which features some of the most notable names in country. Other venues with deep musical roots in


Texas include Twin Sisters Hall in Blanco, Camp Street Café in Crockett, Riley’s Tavern in Hunter, Tin Hall Dancehall and Saloon in Cypress, Poor David’s Pub in Dallas, Fitzgerald’s in Houston and Wunsche Bros. Café and Saloon in Spring. Dallas’ Deep Ellum district is a venue in


itself, and it played a role in Texas’ musical his- tory. T e former freedmen’s part of town was a thriving scene for jazz and blues artists such as Blind Lemon Jeff erson, Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins and Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter through the ’40s. Progress in Dallas meant a decline for Deep Ellum, but eff orts to revive the historical essence of this warehouse district succeeded, and this area just east of downtown is now a thriving hotspot for music lovers, trendy clubbers and savvy shoppers. Texans appreciate classical tunes as well.


Many communities devote space to local and touring symphonies, opera, recitals and more. T e community of Round Top and its Festi- val Institute celebrates international music.


TEXAS SOUND While Texans didn’t invent the blues,


their contributions to the genre cannot be overlooked. When the Blues Founda- tion Hall of Fame in Memphis, Tenn., was founded in 1980, its inaugural inductees included Texans Blind Lemon Jeff erson, T-Bone Walker and Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins, whose names are synonymous with the blues. Electric blues musician and Texan Fred-


die King was a formidable force behind the music of Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Stevie Ray Vaughan. King’s was the fi rst ra- cially integrated blues band, and he helped bring the genre to a wider audience by tour- ing with big rock acts in the ’70s. T en came a generation of Texas blues


HAMILTON POOL


Home to spring-fed pools and lush green spaces, the Live Music Capital of the World® spectacular setting.


can provide a truly Live. Music. AustinTexas.org 26


rockers whose guitar slinging made their indelible mark—performers like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Gibbons (of ZZ Top) and Johnny Winter. T eir impact was widespread. Bessie Smith took some of her cues from Blind Lemon, and B.B. King looked to T-Bone as a mark of blues excellence, and early on, Ringo Starr wanted to be in Houston because that’s where Lightnin’ Hopkins was playing. When Czech, German and Polish


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