Mo Amer on Growing Up as a Muslim Refugee in Houston
Over three decades, Mo Amer has gone from being a refugee living in Houston to a successful comedian. His first stand-up special mines his experiences for comedic gold.
Writer-at-large Andy Langer has written about music for Texas Monthly since 1997. He also hosted the magazine’s National Podcast of Texas, an interview-based podcast spotlighting Texas news-makers, entertainers, authors, legends, and rising stars, from Nolan Ryan to Brooklyn Decker, Tanya Tucker to Senator Ted Cruz, Admiral William McRaven to Dan Rather. By way of Texas Monthly’s partnership with the New York Times, Langer was the music columnist for the paper’s “Texas pages.”
Langer can be heard weekday afternoons on Austin City Limits Radio (97.1 KGSR), a station he helped transition from the legendary KGSR to its current brand-sharing agreement with the longest-running music television show in history, PBS’s Austin City Limits. From 2002 to 2016, he was a contributing editor and the music columnist at Esquire—a run that included anchoring eight special music issues, four music/fashion packages, and a rare Q&A with Apple’s Steve Jobs (later documented in Walter Isaacson’s Jobs biography). For six years, Langer also hosted the magazine’s Esquire Minute for SiriusXM. Langer’s print work has appeared in the pages of Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Bon Appétit, Southern Living, and Billboard. He also hosted the XM music variety show The Armadillo Radio Hour and served as a weekly contributor to NPR’s Bryant Park Project. In March of 2021, his interview with American icon Willie Nelson served as South by Southwest’s keynote address. He lives in Austin.
Over three decades, Mo Amer has gone from being a refugee living in Houston to a successful comedian. His first stand-up special mines his experiences for comedic gold.
By Andy Langer
As radio and television stop breaking new bands, the curator behind Austin City Limits Music Festival’s crowd-drawing lineups has become a major player in the popscape.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, we talk to the host of 'Texas Monthly' and Pineapple Street Media’s 'Underdog: Beto vs. Cruz' about the Senate race’s home stretch and what it all might mean come Wednesday morning."
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, the former mayor of San Antonio and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development talks Beto, the Texas legislature, and how he'd run a campaign against Trump in 2020.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, a conversation with the founder of Texas 2036, a non-partisan nonprofit designed to anticipate what Texas might have to do to thrive a full generation down the line.
By Andy Langer
Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher tells us what Aggies will get for their money.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, a conversation about chemistry and cancer with the UT-Austin assistant professor recently honored with a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.
By Andy Langer
Talking with the Dallas native who scored big with 1994’s “Stay (I Missed You)” and won a Grammy earlier this year for an album of children’s music.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, a timely chat about Kavanaugh, Beto, and Mueller with the creator and cohost of Showtime’s 'The Circus.'
By Andy Langer
On this week’s podcast, Andy Langer talks with the Asleep at the Wheel leader about the tricky intersection of music and politics.
By Andy Langer
Podcast: Andy Langer speaks with the Dallas reality show trailblazer about the race card, Serena Williams, and Colin Kaepernick.
By Andy Langer
Podcast: Andy Langer speaks with Texas A&M’s new head football coach about pressure, leadership, and the culture of Aggieland.
By Andy Langer
Podcast: Andy Langer speaks with the young cyclist who overcame a gnarly crash on the Tour De France’s first day. Craddock also raised nearly $300k for Harvey relief back home.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer speaks with one of our own about 'Ticker: The Quest to Create an Artificial Heart.'
By Andy Langer
The Dallas-based sportscaster sounded off on NFL protests, Trump calling LeBron dumb, and why he doesn’t ‘stay in his lane’ in this week’s National Podcast of Texas.
By Andy Langer
On a doubleheader podcast, Andy Langer speaks with a pair of guests who refuse to settle for the status quo.
By Andy Langer
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas, Andy Langer speaks with the frontwoman for Houston soul powerhouses The Suffers.
By Andy Langer
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas, Andy Langer speaks with the magician and entertainer behind Scam School and The Modern Rogue.
By Andy Langer
On this week's National Podcast of Texas, Andy Langer also speaks with singer-songwriter Radney Foster on his newly recorded “prayer for the border.”
By Andy Langer
Podcast: Andy Langer speaks with the four-star admiral and newly retired chancellor of the University of Texas system about the holiday and the state of our American ideals.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer speaks with author Bill Kilday about the evolution of mapping technology.
By Andy Langer
The Houston police chief addresses the ugly mood of America after the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School.
By Andy Langer
In our latest podcast, host Andy Langer speaks with Amer as the comedian prepares to record his first Netflix special.
By Andy Langer
Plus, host Andy Langer checks in with the Longhorns’ Omaha-bound first baseman, who made national news of his own back in April.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer speaks with newly former president of Planned Parenthood and self-avowed troublemaker Cecile Richards.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks to El Dusty, the mayor of Cumbia City. Plus, a “meat up” with our barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn.
By Andy Langer
Fifty years after it was first published, Bill C. Malone’s 'Country Music USA' remains the most comprehensive look at the genre.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks to Houston’s top cop about the gun debate and his first eighteen months on the job.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks to John Tesar, Rebecca Masson, and Rico Torres: three chefs who’ll represent their cities at next week’s Hot Luck Festival in Austin.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks problem-solving, happiness, and Texas’s unique role in the tech world with the uber-influential investor, podcaster, and motivator Tim Ferriss.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks collusion with conspiracy expert Ryan Holiday. Plus, a conversation with Alejandro Rose-Garcia on the arrival of Shakey Graves 2.0.
By Andy Langer
On our latest podcast, Andy Langer talks to musician Nina Diaz of Girl in a Coma, then celebrates the late Chuck Ramirez with documentarians Angela and Mark Walley.
By Andy Langer
The Pulitzer winner on his new book about Texas’s history, culture, and politics.
By Andy Langer
The always-controversial cyclist talks to Andy Langer about how cycling in Texas has changed, covering the Tour de France as a podcaster, and whether he has any regrets.
By Andy Langer
The author of a new biography on John and Dominique de Menil tells the story of how one of the world’s great museums wound up in Texas.
By Andy Langer
On our latest ‘National Podcast of Texas,’ the writer talks about the ‘Hap and Leonard’ series, East Texas, and his greatest fear. Plus, Jessica Dupuy on Texas wines.
By Andy Langer
The actor and director also talks casting Kris Kristofferson, the state of the movie industry, and the complexity of Southern men.
By Andy Langer
Erika Wennerstrom, the voice of Heartless Bastards, is ready for a change.
By Andy Langer
On their second album, the globally-minded Houston trio Khruangbin reveal new sounds created in a Burton barn.
By Andy Langer
A Houston metal act that was supposed to be the next Guns n’ Roses—and got squashed by Nirvana instead—is hoping that a quarter of a century later it’ll finally get its big break.
By Andy Langer
We sat down with Gary Clark Jr. and Leon Bridges, two of the state’s biggest exports, for a candid discussion on the triumphs and trials of their careers so far.
By Andy Langer
The Texas Gentlemen, a Dallas-based collective of young studio musicians and sidemen, are the best backing group you've probably never heard of.
By Andy Langer
The Eli Young Band's sixth album, 'Fingerprints,' doesn't have the radio hits, but it is consistently satisfying.
By Andy Langer
For the Houston rapper and comedian Chingo Bling, spouting rhymes and telling jokes are two ways of getting at the same truth.
By Andy Langer
Album reviews and news for March 2017.
At his peak, Emilio Navaira was known as the King of Tejano and the Garth Brooks of Texas. Now, months after his death, two of his children are following in his footsteps with a little help from Sting.
By Andy Langer
Alejandro Rose-Garcia—a.k.a. Shakey Graves—recently carved his initials into Trigger, Willie’s famous guitar, the first inscription the instrument has seen in years.
By Andy Langer
On Day Breaks, the Grammy Award–winning singer returns to her roots at the piano. Just don’t call it a back-to-basics album.
By Andy Langer
Can former frat-boy fave Jack Ingram finally find his place among the great Texas songwriters?
By Andy Langer
The recent shootings have generated a lot of talk about what’s happening on one of the nation’s most famous drinking drags.
By Andy Langer