Table of Contents

Austin music history book coming in 2024

AUSTIN MUSIC IS A SCENE NOT A SOUND (TCU Press)

by Michael Corcoran

The First 100 Years: 1880s through 1980s  

I. Preface- Welcome to Clubland Paradise

II. Kenneth Threadgill – Father of the Austin Music Scene

a. Janis, Chuck and Julie

b. Bill Neely’s country blues

b. Split Rail Inn

III. Dripping with Significance

a.   “The Country Woodstock” 1972

b.   Willie’s “Picnic”

c.   Woodshock 1985

IV.  The Singin’ and Swingin’ Germans: 1880’s to the Jazz Age

    a.   Turner Hall

    b.   Carl William Besserer

    c.   Edmund Ludwig

    d.   When UT dances were called “the Germans”

V.  Sixth and Red River

      Eleven blocks that make up the Devil’s Dogleg

   a.   Street of Dreams

   b.  Waterloo Becomes Austin

   c.  Valmon Records

d.  Clubland Paradise: Antone’s, Black Cat, Steamboat

e.  Red River: Street on the Edge

f.   From El Charro to Mohawk

VI. The Thirties and Forties

       Satchmo’s Inspiring Set, and Austin rocks on the G.I. Bill

a.   Louis Armstrong at the Driskill

b.   Most significant Austin recording- Soul Stirrers 1936

c.   Leadbelly and the Lomaxes

d.   Clubland Paradise: Skyline Club 1946-1989

e.    Dolores and the Bluebonnet Boys

f.     KVET

g.    Clubland Paradise: Victory Grill 1945- present

VII. The Fifties

       “Now Dig This”

a.   Ray Campi

b.   Manuel “Cowboy” Donley and Ruben Ramos

c.    Domino Records

d.   Geezinslaw Brothers

e.    Jesse James and All the Boys

f.     The Slades

VIII: Clubland Paradise: Charlie’s Playhouse

IX. East Side Stories

a.   Tony Von Was Black Radio

b.   Pianomen Durst and Shaw

c.    Smokey Rhodes: ‘Like Playin’ Piano with Your Feet’

X. The Sixties

a.   Bob Dylan and The Band’s First Waltz

b.   Clubland Paradise: 11^th Door 1965-1968

c.    Elevation on San Jacinto

d.   Lavender Hill Express

e.    Clubland Paradise: Vulcan Gas Company 1967-1970

f.     Vaunted Vulcan Night: When Muddy Met Johnny

g.    The Other Two: Conqueroo/Shiva’s

h.   James Brown at Municipal Auditorium 8/1/66

XI.  Field General Rod Kennedy: From KHFI to Kerrville

a.   Carolyn Hester

b.   Longhorn Jazz Fest

c.   Clubland Paradise: Chequered Flag

d.   Kerrville Folk Festival

 XII. The Seventies

“Goodnight Austin, Texas, wherever you are”

Armadillo World Headquarters in Four Shows

a.    Willie Nelson 8/12/72

b.   Thanksgiving Jam 11/23/72

c.    Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart 5/20&21/75

d.   The Clash and Joe Ely 10/4/1979

e.    Posterfarians

f.     Tragedy in Eden: The Murder of Ken Featherston

XIII. Progressive Country: Scene that defined Austin and defied Nashville 

a.   Murph, Jacky Jack and the road to Terlingua

b.   Before and after Bojangles

c.   Greezy Wheels Keep On Rollin’

d.   Outlaw Country’s Walter Winchell

e.    Joe Gracey, KOKE-FM and the Willie Effect

XIV. Clubland Paradise: Seven Great ’70s Clubs That Weren’t the Dillo

a.    One Knite 1968-1976

b.   Saxon Pub 1971-1974

c.   Castle Creek 1972-1976

d.   Soap Creek 1973-1985

e.   Rome Inn 1975- 1980

f.   Austin Opera House 1977-1988

g.   Spellman’s 1974-1981

XV. Townes Time In Uncle Seymour’s Clarksville

XVI. Austin City Limits

XVII. That’s Right, You’re Not from Austin- Uncle Walt’s Band

XVIII. Let’s Take It Outside

A Bash, a Barndance, and 2 Breaks

a.   Willie and the Elevators at Hill On the Moon 3/17/73

b.   ZZ Top’s Barndance 9/1/74

c.    Sunday Break Concerts 1976

XIX. SRV finds management at Deadhead Downs

XX. The Record Stores

a.   Inner Sanctum

b.   Waterloo Records

XXI. Franklin: First Family of Gospel

a.   Bill “the Mailman” Martin

b.   Paramount Singers

c.   Chariettes

XXII. Austin Rocks (in a Hard Place)

     a.   Krackerjack

     b.   Too Smooth    

     c.   Clubland Paradise: Hard Rock Havens

     d.   Mother Earth 1972-1981

     d.   The Back Room 1973-2006

XXIII. Austin Jazz

a.   Kenny Dorham and Gene Ramey

b.   James Polk: Passenger’s driver

c.   Eric Johnson and the Boys from Abilene

XXIV. Punk/ New Wave Clubs

a.    Raul’s

b.   Hun’s bust

     c. Club Foot

     d. Cave Club

XXV. Liberty Lunch was the Armadillo in the Trousers of ‘80s Austin

a.   Gloriathon

b.   Historic Night: Run-DMC ushers in the rap age on Juneteenth

XXVI. True Believers in the Zeitgeist of ’85

a.   Beach Cabaret

b.   Zeitgeist/Reivers

c.   True Believers

d.   Clubland Paradise: The two Continentals

e.   Beach Cabaret 1984-1986

f.    Continental Club 1955- present

g.   Buck Owens in the House!

XXVII. Folk Survives, Thrives in the ’80s

  a.   Cactus Café 1977- present

  b.   Remember the Alamo Lounge and emmajoe’s

  c.    Split Rail 16

  d.   Chicago House 1987-1995

XXVIII. Clubland Paradise: Guadalupe Street

a.    Antone’s #3 1982-1997

b.   Hole in the Wall 1974-present

c.    Austin Outhouse 1981- 1995

XXIX. Great Party, Who Lives Here?

XXX. “Why Don’t You Run It By Tim?”

   a. O’Connor made the music scene put on its big boy pants 

   b.   Clubland Paradise: La Zona Rosa 1989-present

XXXI. Clubland Paradise: Country Nightclubs

     a.   Broken Spoke 1964- present

     b.   Henry’s 1981- 1992

XXXII. Virtue of Blindness

a.   Jay Clark

b.   Clubland Paradise: Carousel Lounge 1963-present

XXXIII. SXSW: Birth of the Mid-March Monster

a.   Aqua Fest

b.   Overheard at SXSW 1989