Luckenbach took a Magic Carpet Ride in 2013

My mind is in rewind this morning as I try to attach words to the Magic that took place in Luckenbach this year.  What a WILD ride!  More shows, more friends, more 1st timers, more old timers, more close calls, more of ALL.  God showered us w/ love, humility and blessings in 2013, over and over again.

In terms of business, someone once told me if the back end is pushing the front end, you have accomplished and will accomplish great things.  It's all in your people. In Luckenbach's case, it is ALL about our "Somebody's".  If you could have a dream team..it would be the staff of Luckenbach Texas.  WOW. just WOW. Our jokes are bad. Some days, worse than bad.  We laugh.  Sometimes we get a little edgy with each other.  We sweat together, We freeze together.  We get wet together. We HUG together. We cry together. We have sore feet together. We are "TOGETHER" .  As our leader and proud supporter, Kit Patterson says.. "Viva Luckenbach".  We make Memories, Friends and MUSIC..lots of music.

Hand in hand with our Somebody's in making Luckenbach the magical place that it is.. has to be the musicians. We are nothing without the music. You know that main artery in your body that pumps your heart full of blood so you can breathe?  That is what Musicians are to Luckenbach.  We breathe easy every day of the year.   Homegrown, well skooled in "playing by ear", the music and the choice of songs that come out of nowhere will mesmerize you.  If you think you are a walking talking encyclopedia of song, I dare you to come sit under the trees some evening in the picker circle....bring a note book!

And to our visitors/friends.  Everybody's Somebody in Luckenbach Texas!  You make us who we are and to be certain, there are no two days alike.  The fresh faces and personalities give us a new character everyday.  Let your personality SHINE under the big 'ol Luckenbach Moon. Be who you Be.  It takes all kinds of kinds.  BIG Luckenbach LOVE to everyone who has ever touched our dirt.

Legends collided in 2013 when the Mavericks came to Luckenbach!  Hairy-scary- two- cumb-cary was the mode for a month in advance.  I met Raul Maulo on Delbert's Cruise in January and we talked about Luckenbach.  He said he had to play us..I said "OK" as I was shaking in my shoes!  This had to be perfect.  Never before and never again, would such a band experience such a venue.  We pulled it off in High Hill Country fashion!  Still gives me chills.  If you were there, you know what I'm STILL feeling :)

Billy Joe Shaver has been around and he IS the Hottest Thing in Town!  Just to be sure, we added a little Hot Pepper to the scene.  2013 marked the return of a Chili Cook off event to Luckenbach. Needing to get

our fix of Billy Joe, the stars aligned and the date was set for his show on March 23.  I pondered the idea of paying tribute to this man somehow and needing to reignite a very Hondo-esque event called the Mud Dauber Fest.  Hondo loved the Mud Daubers. Snail Creek provides the best Dauber Dirt in the entire Universe. Every March, they return to stake their claim.  So we celebrate.  In 2013, we combined the events and called it the "Mud Dauber/Rockin Billy Chili Fest"   Had to cover all bases :)  Celebrating Rock-a-Billy Music, Mud Daubers, Chili, KaZoos, LoneStar Beer and Chicken Shit Bingo -  a perfect day ensued.  John Evans, Dale Watson, Chuck Mead, Jesse Dayton and Billy Joe Shaver rocked us way into the night; long after the new "Peoples Choice" chili King was crowned. (Lord have mercy, he had BEANS in his Chili!  Every Chili is some Chili in Luckenbach.  The people voted and what are we gonna do about that???)  The Rockin Billy Chili Fest will happen again in 2014.. Mark your calendar, March 22.  Billy Joe, John Evans, Dale Watson, Chuck Mead and this year.. Cody Jinks and Reckless Kelly are joining the fun.  Take your vitamins, start practicing your KaZoo ( hum, don't blow) and bring your Chili pot!

4th of July fell perfect on the calendar this year.  4 days of AWESOME!   Walt and Tina Wilkins host one of the most down home, back to the basics events of anywhere in the entire WORLD, right here in our little town.  It has grown and keeps growing.  We are bursting at the seems with love, magic and song on Independence Day.  Walt and Tina get what Luckenbach is about to the 'nth degree.  Walt had this to say OUTLOUD, to the Universe, on  Troubadour Texas TV  "Luckenbach winks at the World"  Yes, we do WW. Thank you for articulating that! July 5th brought us a 1st with Roger Creager. (You know, he is always pushing us to re-invent and get creative, he is our #1 picker after all)  RC played the outdoor stage for the first time and... he did what I personally had been hoping he would do for a long time..he sat down at the piano and played his favorite covers, RC is the ultimate entertainer. Or, maybe he just refuses to take life to seriously..Our kinda guy :)   Deryl Dodd, Cody Jinks and Nate Kipp blew through town on Saturday night  just like you would expect a Hill Country Saturday night to play out..Rock n Roll, a little buckle rubbin' and boot scootin' topped off with a COLD beer. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper DD night if he didn't hug every last person in town..and he did :)


October rolled around and found us plopped right smack dab in the middle of yet another incredible Harvest Classic Bike Rally.  We LOVE this event.  Dale Watson to the rescue with his brand of 'You will have a Good Time Or Else" show.  We had the good fortune of connecting with the Republic of Texas Bike Rally (ROT) people at this event and HOLD on to yer Helmets folks.. it's COMING full speed ahead in 2014.  Bikes, Bikes, and more Bikes!!  Harvest Classic is a family friendly fundraiser for the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.  Over the last 14 yrs of this event, Russell Duke and his band of Volunteers have raised upwards of $1,000,000.00 for this charity.  It's one of the best events of any kind in the Universe.  And we are PROUD to host it every year.

The holidays are here.  We are thankful. We are blessed. We are humbled by the magnitude of our reach and the various ways that we touch peoples lives.  Hondo bought Luckenbach so he could drink a cold beer, hang out with friends, make music and make memories.  May 2014 find you and yours getting "Back to the Basics of Love".  Be Somebody, wherever you are.  It's a State of Mind.  #Ain'tNobodyFeelin'NoPain

Merry Christmas Every Body!

Abbey Road

A story by Todd Boss about Luckenbach...he may be on to something!

It took 5 metropolitan airports to bring my mom, dad, sister and me with our kids - 3 generations - together for our first family vacation together in years.  Our ears were still ringing as we untangled the ropy wrangle of roadway out of San Antonio and into the Hill Country. where, after 3 days of seeing what the guidebook said we had to see, my sister finally persuaded us to hit the sticks off Ranch Road 1376 until our rental cars rocked to a stop in a gravel lot beside a weathered shack in a thick shade made famous in that country song called Luckenbach, Texas.

At most, a ghost of a ghost of a ghost town, a stable of well broke picnic tables,a platform stage, and a dance hall patched with tin..it wasn't much but as the road sign said it was good enough for anybody to be Somebody in.

We sat down. The kids ran around.  We found us 4 Shiner Bocks at the bar in the rear of the shack where some white-haired boys were picking the Atkins, Robbins and Ritter out of their Fenders, Gibsons and Taylors.  We could almost feel the pegs untwisting the tensions  in our shoulders.  We started dropping g's from our i-n-g's.  You are here, said our inner locators - right here.  Something earthen was in the air.  My sister pushed her sunglasses up into her hair and grinned at me like I was her brother. And Brother, I don't care how slick you are, there's a hick in you somewhere,some folkie in a  tie-dyed T. You don't belong in your dead end job any more than we belonged in that dead end town. but we pick our dead ends in the end, don't we my friend?

My mom and dad don't farm anymore; my sister manages info-tech.  As for me, I live in a city, a pitch man for the rich man, a fast -track flack.  Only recently have I begun to let my small- town farm roots show.  I've been a fool.

As our cars ticked cool under Luckenbach's moon in the crazy calm of that afternoon, the rooster's crowed, the whole hollow glowed in a sepia haze.. it seemed our ghosts, at last restored, out amongst the ghosts of that ghost town poured, and, hitching up their things, got down to the dizzying business of two- stepping up the fence-posted venue, and around and down through leaves past the washer pitching pits to the creek, cheek to cheek, to the music ghosts love most -

And now I can say it like I knew it all along; That crick in your neck is the heck you've got from being Somebody you're not.  But that's ok, 'cause as the old folks say: Somewhere they are playing your song

Legendary Picker Circle. What is it???

The Legendary Luckenbach Picker Circles are held every night, Sunday thru Thursday 5-9pm.  What is the Picker Circle??  Well..lemme see, lemme think.  People sit in chairs in the shape of a circle underneath the Luckenbach Oak Trees or in the bar if it's cold or raining. 

 These people are special..we call them "Pickers" they are musicians of all sorts, size and character.  Their instruments are varied as well as their skill level. It's kinda like a playground for musicians.  Everybody must get along.  You can play different games but you have to invite everybody, good, bad or so-so to play.  NO discrimination in the circle.  There is a "host" for every circle.  It's the hosts job to make sure everybody plays nice and to keep the circle moving.  Generally, the host is pretty good at playing along and encouraging the shy ones.  Many a player has made their first public appearance in these circles.  The unofficial circles started in the early 70's when Hondo bought Luckenbach.  There were some shady characters hangin' around back in those days.  Some guy named Jerry Jeff Walker used to sit in regularly.  He was from New York and Hondo let him play anyway.  A guy named Townes Van Zandt  had a lot to say and was good at saying it accompanied by his guitar.  A young red headed boy named Gary P Nunn had an affection for the Armadillos..he wrote a hit song about them. There was another red headed man..they called him the "stranger"...now everybody just knows him as Willie. One man was so in love with Luckenbach that he ran off and told two songwriters in Nashville about it. Thanks, Guy Clark!  After telling the story, Waylon and Willie recorded the song and now...we have LOTS of visitors every day of the week.  They come to hear the music that is made under the trees.  They come to get Back to the Basics of Love..whatever that means to them.  They come so they can Be Some Body in our town.  EveryBody's SomeBody in a  Luckenbach picker circle.  Come join us anytime, you don't need an appointment.  We will be singin' and playin' rain or shine :)

-Abbey Road

Luckenbach Sunset

 I can watch the sun going down from the patio.
It's the only time of day you can see it from here.
There's barefooted porchy folks catchin' up on their sittin'.
Too tired to rock against the grain,
So they rock with it.

I can see smoke from the little kitchen windows following the sun to the horizon

And there it is...
Just sittng,
Pooching it's cheeks out,
Holding it's breath,
Trying not to leave this pretty world I live in....

Hondo Crouch

NO Time Zone in Luckenbach

You won't find a year date on most of the event posters in the Egghouse  (Luckenbach World Headquarters).  The only way you can tell an old gig poster from a new one is because the new ones are in color and slick.  The old posters were hand drawn and black and white on what feels like construction paper.

The License Plates still look the same, there's just more of them now.  I think we have every state and a few countries too.

Visitors come from everywhere, just like they always have. Seems like Germany and Canada just keep getting closer.  On the weekends you are just as likely to find an Austinite as you are to find someone from Europe or Australia.  Even the Japanese are finding their way..yes, they always have cameras!!

Gary P Nunn still plays Luckenbach.  His posters have changed and so has he..on the outside.  On the inside, he is still the same.  We Love Gary P Nunn.

The chickens still have their feathers....

We don't know how old these chickens are.  Wonder how old the oldest Chicken in the Universe is? Chickens are chickens no matter where you are in the world.

Dollars bills haven't changed much.  They are great for making a pair a boots.

People still have fun in Luckenbach.  We still play good music, every single day.

Luckenbach knows no time zones.  Where ever you are, you can takes us with you.  We are a State of Mind.  If you decide you want to come visit in person, come on.  We are here waitin' on you!

-Abbey Road

Luckenbach has OFFICIAL Colors!

The Luckenbach Council of Irregulars met behind the store in regular sessions for the purpose of selecting the official town color(s).  A heated discussion of the possibilities took up most of the afternoon.

Long John - nominated mauve and purple

Tom Bell - recovering from several broken bones, nominated black and blue.

Al, the painter - voted for off-white

Sheriff Marge - shouted out the window that the color should be "dust" to save work.

Dylan - nominated burnt orange and maroon but withdrew his suggestion when it was pointed out that these colors sometimes clash.

Linda - voted Blonde

The Biker Caucus - voted black and chrome

It looked like there would be a tie vote between mauve and purple and black and chrome until Bad McFad saved the day with his suggestion.

By a majority vote of the Council of Irregulars, the official color of Luckenbach Texas is clear.


- Excerpt from the Luckenbach Moon. Vol 1 - # 2, March 1994

PicTuRe PerFect

Sometimes, words fail.  Sometimes, words are empty.  Sometimes you just need a great Photographer!  Luckenbach has one. 

 She came out of nowhere on a magic carpet.

 This is The Official Luckenbach Picture Taker -  Robbyn Dodd 

It's hard to explain to most folks what Luckenbach is, or isn't.  

 Sometimes there's just a few folks hangin'out

Sometimes, There's ALOT!

Most all the time, we make MUSIC

Top it off with a BIG dose of Humor....

Sprinkle in a few kids to keep us Innocent

Dress well

and you might get an idea, just a glimpse, of  what Luckenbach is

Mostly..it's a State of Mind.  Thanks to Robbyn,

 we are able to share our little town with you when you're not here.

Always Be SOMEBODY, where ever you are.

Abbey Road

Mid January Newsletter..straight from the Post Office!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Later-Than-Earlier-January-2013-Newsletter.html?soid=1101676090872&aid=q6pq3q5Qqi0

Shan Kowert Piano Sessions w/ Annie Acton @ Luckenbach Texas - January 19th 2013 8:00 pm

Shan Kowert Piano Sessions w/ Annie Acton @ Luckenbach Texas - January 19th 2013 8:00 pm: Shan Kowert (ShAnnie) brings his piano to the Luckenbach bar for a special series of Piano concerts by the wood stove. Special guest Annie Acton

January 2013 in Luckenbach

It's been a bit chilly this January in Luckenbach.  Our trusty old Wood Stove has been working over time.  We got a new top cover for it. SOMEBODY sat on it and cracked the old one!  Or, maybe it just became weak after years and years of "Hell Hath No Fury Heat" burning it up from the inside.  Even cast iron has it's limits, I suppose.

The tourists don't come out as often in January as they do the rest of the year.  It's a time to "Get Back to the Basics" of playing music in the bar, drinking COLD beer and hanging with the locals.  Locals always have good stories to tell.  These days, we mostly wonder what the new year will bring with the Wineries and the Peach Orchards.  More Wine?  Less Peaches??  We hope SOMEBODY decides to embrace our heritage, keep the Peach Orchards and grow grapes too! Huh..there's a novel idea!

We are happy to have all of our new neighbors.  They send lots of folks our way to buy T-Shirts, take pictures and ask "Is this all there is?"  The Luckenbach Somebody's never tire of the one person, every day, that stands right smack in front of the General Store and asks " Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Luckenbach?"  We always want to do what Hondo did...send them around the loop a few times til they realize where they are.  Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't.  Depends how onery we are feelin' and if the weather is nice :) ( if a person goes around more than a few times, or get's lost and never comes back, we might decide not to serve them any beer...)



Doug Moreland and his gang of misfits have been playing in the bar every Friday night from 8-11:30 or so.  It's a big time and it's free.  You can bring your dog, your cat, even your grandma if you feel like it.  Some people's grandma's drink a lot of beer!

Shan Kowert and the lovely Annie Acton have been playing the piano and singing songs on Saturday nights 8-til?  Shan and Annie, better known as "ShAnnie" are very talented folks as well as pretty to look at. They will do the Piano sessions one more Saturday, Jan 19th.  If you can make it, stop by.  It's different and fun for all in the bar.  I saw Shan at the grocery store this morning, he said they even had dancers last night!!

For the past 6 years we have made a spectacle of ourselves the last Saturday of January ( 26th) with a little Blues Festival.  Didn't know if anybody would show up the first year.  After all, who plans such a thing in the dead of winter in LUCKENBACH TEXAS??  We do!  It's become a mad success.  The newspapers call.  The reporters come out.  You would think nothing else ever happens in this town.  Well, not much else does happen in January.  Thanks to our friend Chris King ( he's a Football Coach, a Singer Songwriter and a Graphic Artist) for this years Poster.  We LOVE it!.  We might print a few to share with our friends this year.  You can get tickets for the Blues Fest and find out more info from the Luckenbach website.






Stay warm folks.  Come see us when you can.  We are open every single day at 9am.  If you wanna bring your guitar and sit in the Picker Circle, you are welcome anytime.  We have regular hosts every weekday at 1pm and then again 5-9pm  Sunday through Thursday.  Things change on the weekends..check the website to keep up with all that's happening.  We move fast as a turtle for such a slow little town.

Remember - Fight Kindness (Hondo Crouch)