Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Popular Country & George Strait
Little did the San Marcos college band Ace in the Hole know that in 1981 when they hired
George Strait as lead singer they'd be launching a superstar. At the time of writing, Strait
has had 60 number one hit singles - the most of any musician, in any genre, on record. His
signature neo-traditional sound, and those starched Wrangler jeans and boots, are the reas-
on for much of his success. George Strait is a real cowboy: one with a ranch and who parti-
cipates in team-roping events. In fact, what started as a little family affair with him and his
brother Buddy catchin' calves has morphed into the George Strait Team Roping Classic
(
www.gstrc.com
) in San Antonio, during which more than 650 teams compete for $700,000
in prizes.
Not just George Strait, but numerous country artists from Texas have garnered popular,
mainstream country success from the 1980s to today. Perhaps you've heard a few of their
names: Gatlin Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire,
Brooks & Dunn (well, OK, one of them), Leanne Rimes, Dixie Chicks, Blake Shelton, Mir-
anda Lambert, Sugarland... Should we go on? Of the up-and-comers, Morgan Frazier, a
John Lennon Songwriter Contest winner, is one to watch - at 19 she's already played the
Grand Ole Opry several times.
ROCK IN TEXAS
There are those who say that Lubbock-born Buddy Holly (
Click here
) invented rock and roll. While that may be
strechin' the truth a little, it's true that Texan musicians have been at the forefront of rock since its inception.
Other notable Lone Star rockers you may have heard of include Roy Orbison, Roky Erickson of the 13th Floor
Elevators, Janis Joplin, ZZ Top, the Steve Miller Band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Butthole Surfers. Poss-
ibly the biggest name to come out of Texas lately is rock-pop diva Beyoncé, who has won an armful of Grammys
with her 3½-octave range.
Texas also has proven a hotbed for indie-rock talent, and the best place to see it - other than every night of the
week at clubs throughout Austin, Denton and Dallas - is at the SXSW and Austin City Limits festivals. Austin-
based alternative bands that have achieved some success include the Spoon and White Denim. For more on the cur-
rent scene, check out
http://austin.thedelimagazine.com
.
