The Devil in George Jones

The survivor of a long and torturous journey, George Jones stands alone as the greatest country singer alive.

by Nick Tosches

The Big Twang

Some of the brightest country music stars—like Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Byrd—are born in the honky-tonks of Beaumont.

by Joe Nick Patoski

His Own Private Marfa

In the wide-open spaces of Marfa, late sculptor Donald Judd’s immense legacy beckons West Texas travelers.

by Robert Draper

Loved to Death

Married for 32 years, my parents both died of AIDS, and we, their children, may never know why.

by Molly Glentzer

A Piece Of the Action

If casino gambling comes to Texas, it’s a safe bet that the Pratt family of Dallas will be in on the jackpot.

by Helen Thorpe

Meanwhile, Back at the Cadillac Ranch

It’s not just another roadside attraction—here’s to a lasting monument of Texas kitsch.

by Anne Dingus

Behind the Lines

Affirmative reaction

by Gregory Curtis

Lifestyle

My Little Town

I went to Palacios to get away from city life, and I fell in love with the gracious but endangered ways of small-town living.

by Robert Draper

Books

Blood Lines

With eight books in print, David Lindsey has established his own gory niche in the world of mystery writers.

by Anne Dingus

Technology

Machine Dreams

David Greelish of El Paso is nostalgic about technology, so he collects the antiques of the future—computers.

by Michael-Jean Erard

Reporter

Starting Over

The University of Texas at Dallas gets a new president—and a healthy does of controversy.

by Evan Smith

Reporter

Hung Jurists

It’s up to the Texas Supreme Court to solve the school-finance mess. Guess what? They can’t.

by Paul Burka

Reporter

Dirty Dancing

A new musical from a group of Lubbock expatriates celebrates West Texas’ bawdy past.

by Joe Nick Patoski

Roar of the Crowd

George the Second

Recipe

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

State Fare

by Patricia Sharpe

State of the Art

Three Cab Drivers, Juarez, 1990

by

State Secrets

Home a Loan

by Patricia Kilday Hart