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Blues

Music|
January 20, 2013

Birthplaces of the Blues

Want to see the Texas of Leadbelly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Mance Lipscomb, and other pioneering musicians of the twentieth century? Your trip through time begins near Washington-on-the-Brazos.

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Music|
October 31, 2011

Rocky Ascent

Dusty Hill's older brother, Rocky Hill, has been called the "best guitarist you've never heard of," but the recent release of Texas Guitar Legend aims to change that.

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Music|
December 1, 2010

The Soul of a Man

For nearly sixty years, a succession of obsessed blues and gospel fans have trekked across Texas, trying to unearth the story of one of the greatest, and most mysterious, musicians of the twentieth century. But the more they find, the less they seem to know.

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Music|
June 30, 2010

Letters in the Deep

It’s a neat trick, creating something both slavishly retro and distinctly modern. Dan Auerbach manages just that with his blues-based rock duo, the Black Keys. While he stays true to the essence of the music, he’s not hesitant to scoff at tradition. In the producer’s chair for the third album

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Music|
June 1, 2007

Let There Be Lightnin’

Twenty-five years after his death, Sam Hopkins is still one of the most influential bluesmen in history—that much we know. But we don’t know nearly enough about who he was.

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Music|
April 1, 2002

Mack McCormick Still Has the Blues

His cache of unpublished interviews and unreleased recordings is unrivaled—but both collector and collection are showing signs of age. Who will save the legacy of the man who saved Texas music?

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Music|
June 30, 1999

Blues Brothers

Long John Hunter and his guitar-slinging friends sharpened their axes in and around Port Arthur, so their recent return was truly a homecoming.

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Music|
June 30, 1999

Jake Andrews

A seven-year-old guitarist who makes his stage debut alongside blues legend Albert King is a novelty, even after he has jammed with Buddy Guy, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, and Albert Collins. But what happens when the kid grows up? He becomes a seasoned veteran—more of a contender than less experienced peers

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Music|
November 1, 1998

Folk Hero

He’s one of the most influential men in American music. So why haven’t you heard of Alan Lomax?

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Guides|
June 30, 1997

CD and Book Reviews

Hot CDsThe real pleasure in Toni Price’s Sol Power (Antone’s/Discovery/Sire) is trying to peg her as country, blues, or folk. Whether she’s singing something silly and simple, such as “Cats and Dogs,” or taking the sultry and sublime route, as when she covers Allen Toussaint’s “Funky,” the Austinite offers an

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Music|
April 1, 1997

Milligan’s Island

With his resounding voice and striking appearance, Austin’s Malford Milligan stands out in a sea of Texas soul singers.

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Guides|
February 1, 1997

CD and Book Reviews

Hot CDsMiss Lavelle White’s It Haven’t Been Easy (Antone’s/Discovery) is essentially a primer on modern blues. Houston-bred and currently Austin-based, White is equally comfortable with a soul ballad like the title song, an up-tempo scorcher like “Can’t Take It (I Don’t Give a Damn),” the self-explanatory “Wootie Boogie,” or a

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Music|
April 1, 1989

Beyond the Blues

The unlikely twosome of eccentric rocker Doug Sahm and blues champion Clifford Antone has rescued from obscurity a distinctively rhythmic, indisputably raunchy regional sound.

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Politics & Policy|
May 31, 1973

Briar Patch

THE SIN OF AUSTININ AUSTIN RECENTLY, DURING A public hearing on skinnydipping in Lake Travis, local resident Louis Steinbach testified to attentive city councilmen: “God has the power to destroy this city for its sin…and officials had better realize it.” We do not want to appear soft on sin, but

By Gregory Curtis, Wendy Meyer and Allan Turner

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