Willie Nelson, Joe Ely, Marcia Ball, Tish Hinojosa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lyle Lovett...the list of popular songwriters from Texas just goes on and on. In this collection of thirty-four interviews with these and other songwriters, Kathleen Hudson pursues the stories behind the songs, letting the singers' own words describe where their songs come from and how the diverse, eclectic cultures, landscapes, and musical traditions of Texas inspire the creative process.

Conducted in dance halls, dressing rooms, parking lots, clubs-wherever the musicians could take time to tell their stories-the interviews are refreshingly spontaneous and vivid. Hudson draws out the songwriters on such topics as the sources of their songs, the influence of other musicians on their work, the progress of their careers, and the nature of Texas music. Many common threads emerge from these stories, while the uniqueness of each songwriter becomes equally apparent. To round out the collection, Hudson interviews Larry McMurtry and Darrell Royal for their perspectives as longtime friends and fans of Texas musicians. She also includes a brief biography and discography of each songwriter.

presents a series of interviews with 34 Texas songwriters complete with bios and discographies

About the Author

These interviews form part of a larger collection archived at the Texas Heritage Music Foundation in Kerrville, which Kathleen Hudson founded and directs. She is also a Professor of English at Schreiner University, where she writes and teaches about the creative process, mythology, rhetoric, drama, and the power of storytelling.

Reviews
"I didn't really change anything. I came back to Texas when the music scene was already going on. Everybody says I started something, but I didn't start anything so much as join an already growing movement, a legion of people who like good music, no matter what kind, who like to listen to and play whatever they want to." --Willie Nelson "Texas music is from the heart, and it's music about people. It's not necessarily music to be on the radio or music to sell records--it's music about real feelings. That's what I try to do when I write a song." --Lyle Lovett "Texans never have conformed to the norms, so to speak, and they never have toed the line. They always have been a little rebellious and a little rambunctious, and it's hard to get them all dressed up and make them sit in any one place for any length of time." --Gary P. Nunn "I love Texas music. Texas has everything, and that's my description of Texas music. It's everything I love. It has spawned everybody from Flaco Jiminez to T-Bone Walker to Janis Joplin. It runs the gamut." --Marcia Ball



Book Information
ISBN 9780292731363
Author Kathleen Hudson
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of Texas Press
Publisher University of Texas Press
Weight(grams) 454g