The Musical Tapestry of Texas: Past and Present

Send us a textIn this episode, we debut a special theme of Texas Connections, where artists from outside of Texas share a meaningful and notable connection with the Lone Star State. This time, we are looking at the life of Sterling Morrison and the seminal band, the Velvet Underground. Though three of the members were from New York and one from the UK, their unusual story involves a bizarre connection to Texas as Sterling left the band and moved to Texas to become a English professor at the University of Texas and then a Tugboat captain in the Houston Ship Channel. Follow his remarkable life and hear samples of the Velvet Underground's ground breaking music as they become one of the most influential bands of all time.

Send us a textOn this special episode I once again give my yearly analysis of the best albums that were released this year. After reviewing over 185 albums, I've selected the best of the best in a wide variety of genres. Listen to short samples of my favorites and hear some of the interesting stories involved in their production. I doubt that anyone will like all the songs from every style featured here but you'll probably hear something new that you can add to your own playlists. To hear the full versions of all the songs I've sampled as well as 170 more, click on the link below.https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5uqZdo6s0Pe0PWuEn3d0dP?si=0f1acef6adb04603With over 11 hours of new music from 2024, there should be plenty of great songs for everyone. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please email me at dennis@fatcatloungeandcafe.com   

Send us a textJoin me, as we explore the life and music of one of Texas's all but forgotten legends. Known primarily for his innovative sax solos on R & B and early rock and roll songs like "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters, he was actually a master of many styles and genres. He played Soul music with Aretha, including his solo on Respect, recorded with some of jazz music's greats, and could really let loose on some down and dirty blues. Listen to his musical journey as we sample some of his greatest moments and hear the back story to these classic soulful songs.

Send us a textListen as we explore the troubled life and eloquent music of one Texas's original singer/songwriters Townes Van Zandt. Though he came from a wealthy, prestigious family Townes lived an almost bohemian lifestyle, dedicated to his music and his decadent vices. His dark, almost brutal lyrics have been a touchstone for generations of artists and fans. Hear the backstory of this influential icon and Texas music legend.

In this episode we explore the extraordinary life and career of Roy Orbison. From his humble beginning in Wink Texas to his chart-topping hits, Roy has defied the odds and has become one of rock music's greatest legends. We all know the classic songs but now we can discover the stories behind these timeless tunes. With equal measures of tragedy and success, Roy lived a roller coaster life. His story is the story of rock and roll, from its very beginning up through the late eighties and includes almost every major artist of each era. From Elvis and the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, everyone was touched by the legend they simply called "The Voice". 

On this episode we explore the life and music of the Texas Troubadour, Ernest Tubb. From his humble beginnings in Crisp, Texas to becoming one of the elder statesmen of country music, Ernest was, and continued to be an inspiration for all those who followed. His innovative use of electric guitar in country music, his four-decade career with the Grand Ole Opry, his famous record store and it's Midnight Jamboree all pale in comparison to his heartbreaking, timeless music. Join me for a deep dive into the music of this legendary Texas icon.

In this episode we take a look at the incredible life and career of Billy Preston. He worked with everyone from Little Richard to Sam Cooke to Ray Charles and played a big role on albums with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Band, and Eric Clapton to just to name a few. Listen to this anthology of modern music told through the lens of one of its seemingly forgotten pillars, Billy Preston.

I'm going to make a change to the current podcast format and separate the historical segment on Texas Music Legends from the interviews and live performance of current artists. This will allow me to release much more content without waiting for segments that blend perfectly together.  I'm still dedicated to including both types of material but feel this will be a much more efficient solution moving forward. Please give me your thoughts on this, or on any other matters pertaining to the podcast by emailing me directly at dhuffman324@gmail.com. Please take a minute and review the show on your podcast host, so that more people can discover it as well.  I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for all your support.

On this episode I review the year in music, discussing and playing clips from my favorite albums of the year in several different genres including Blues, Rock, Country/Americana, Indie,/Alternative Music, EDM, Jazz and more  . To listen to complete versions of the songs discussed here and dozens more listen to the Spotify playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/52ZB3a6bp3MVL7WgnuCNRv?si=85b98e79ac844891

In this special episode, we look at ten more songs that were recorded in studios across Texas. From Blue October to Johnny Ace, Lydia Mendoza, Sublime, Explosions in the Sky, Willie Nelson, Kirk Franklin, Roy Head, Clifton Chenier, and more we examine some of the most interesting songs to come out of the Lone Star State. 

In this episode, I take a look at some incredible music that surprisingly was all recorded here in Texas. From Robert Johnson to Selena and Pantera, this episode delves into the back story of some of the amazing music that's been created here in the Lone Star State. We'll look at George Jones, Bobby Fuller, Harry Choates- the Godfather of Cajun Music, Lefty Frizzell, and many more. Hear samples of these classic songs and some of the interesting covers that they inspired. 

Explore the life and music of Western Swing pioneer Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. From his early days as the son of a sharecropper to the zenith of his musical career and Hollywood cowboy, Bob lived a full robust life.We also have a great interview with singer/songwriter Season Ammons who tells us about her life, career, and musical inspirations. She closes the show with an new original song called "Finally".

IN this special episode I look back at the best albums released in 2022, in a diverse array of genres. Featuring short clips from those albums, I explore some hidden gems that never got the radio airplay and broader recognition they deserved. Listen to the Spotify playlist as well that features all of the songs excerpted here plus many more that I couldn't fit into this podcast.The link is https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qsUIHK41RtmGoVjdAxNqq?si=4c6cc4e3ed7c4c4dEnjoy

In this episode, we delve into the short but meteoric life of Buddy Holly. From his early days in Lubbock to his tragic death in Iowa, we examine the man behind the hit songs. With samples of those hits and those of the artist he inspired, we show why Buddy remains one of the great pillars of rock and roll. We continue with an interview with Nik Parr of the Selfless Lovers from Austin. Niks goes back to his roots and gives us a behind the curtain look at his career so far and how he has his sights set on even bigger things. We finish with a stirring original song called Somebody Tonight. This unreleased song will be featured on their upcoming album Promise Land.

In this episode we explore the tumultuous life of Country Music star Lefty Frizzell from his genre changing unforgettable hit songs, to his scandalled filled life and untimely death.  We then interview rising Country star Briana Adams and discuss her inspirations, her career so far and what she has coming out soon. We finish with the premiere of a brand-new original song called "Dad and I".  

In this episode we examine the life of legendary jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. From his birth in Galveston to becoming one of the first pioneers of Jazz-Rock Fusion to his five decade career as one of the most talented and versatile guitarists around. We follow that with an in-depth interview with his son and fellow musician Murali Coryell. Fully out of the shadow of his father, Murali has created an entirely different niche for himself playing soulful blues, recording a ton of succesful albums and touring here in Texas, his home state of New York, and internationally. We conclude the episode with a song Murali played live at the Iridium in New York with his father.

In this episode we look back at the prolific career of Houstonian Lightnin' Hopkins and how he laid the groundwork for generations of guitarists and blues singers to follow. We then speak to Austin's own Matthew Robinson, another legendary blues musician and singer, who, in his seventies, is still performing and mesmerizing audiences throughout Texas and beyond. Matthew finishes the episode with an acoustic song performed live for this program and recorded for us at the Texas Music Museum in Austin. 

In this episode we examine the rise of Ragtime Music with Texarkana native Scott Joplin as he rose to national prominence in the early days of the 20th century. We then talk to Internationally acclaimed Jazz singer Haley Tuck and explore her life and career. We finish the episode with Haley's acoustic version of Underwear, accompanied by Colin Garrett.

The following is a short interview with Murali Coryell before he took the stage with Ernie Durawa and Chris Alcaraz at the Fat Cat Lounge. He discusses both Blues and Jazz in Texas as his father was legendary jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. A more in -depth interview with Murali and an historical exploration of Larry Coryell, who was originally from Galveston will follow in a few months.

In this Episode we look back at how Conjunto Music evolved from Mexican ranchero music and German Polka Music in Texas. We examine the Jimenez family called the First Family of the Accordion as first Patricio, then his son Santiago, then his sons Flaco Jimenez and Santiago Jimenez Jr. helped create this style of music and have kept it alive for the last hundred years. Our interview is with drummer Ernie Durawa, who played with Flaco for many years in The Texas Tornados and other projects. The final segment is a music clip of Ernie and guitarist Murali Coryell playing a live rendition of his song "Tejanos" featuring a drum solo by Ernie Durawa.Disclaimer- Please forgive my ridiculously bad Spanish pronunciation of song titles and names. No disrespect for this wonderful culture is intended.

This episode explores the life of Folk and Blues Singer Leadbelly, then continues with an interview with Guitar Icon Chris Duarte. Chris discusses his early career, struggles on the road, and his influences and inspirations. We finish the show with a live rendition of Chris's song "Make Me Feel So Right"

In this episode we highlight the life and death of Rock icon Janis Joplin, then talk to blues/rock band Blue Midnight and finish with an acoustic stripped down version of Me and Bobby Magee.

In this episode, we first examine the birth of the blues in Texas and the life of Blind Lemon Jefferson. We follow that with an interview with guitarist and singer Larry Wilson, where he discusses his career, influences, and shares stories from his life on the road. Larry finishes the show with a stripped down live rendition of his song "The Distance"