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

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

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)

The First Family of Texas Music - The Robisons

On Saturday night, Nov 24th, Luckenbach Texas will host and be blessed with a rare performance by the entire First Family of Texas Music, The Robisons.  I have one opportunity to get this right; to shine the light properly on this Family in words and, on the night of their performance. I am extremely honored and feel privileged in many ways. These are my words, I suspect many of you reading this will agree, the talent running through the veins of  The Robison clan is hard fought, hard earned, street worthy and born from a story book life that could only be lived in Texas.  When I say "Story book life" I do not mean a sweet, cutesy life of luxury - far from it.

Charlie

The Family, which consists of Charlie Robison, Bruce Robison and Robyn Ludwick is further extended by what seems to be perfectly paired spouses.. Kelly Willis is married to Bruce. John "Lunchmeat" Ludwick is married to Robyn.  There are no other options, in the entire universe, that would round out this clan the way these two do. Kelly has an amazing solo career of her own.  Lunchmeat is a highly praised and skilled bass player.  Lunchmeat played bass for Charlie and Bruce in the late 80's and went on to tour with Kelly for a good 15 yrs or so. The Robisons have made it fairly easy to stitch this family quilt together, with the strongest of thread and the most exquisite, albeit a bit tattered, of fabrics.

Robyn 

It's not everyday that 3 out of 4 siblings get the "gifted" gene. The odds are against it really, especially when there are no apparent traces of prior musical ability in the immediate family..unless you count growing up, literally, on sawdust floors and benches in smoky Dance Halls and Honky Tonks in Bandera Texas.  You see, at a very early time in the lives of these siblings, that was their home on the weekends.  Their parents and grandparents weren't performers, they were dancers.  They were customers of these fine Texas establishments.

Bruce

It's no secret the family has been highly successful, independent of one another. The "together" part is what we normally do not see. Charlie leaped out in front playing the Texas Music scene and gaining public recognition early on. He has that incredible charisma about him.. it's infectious and it is intoxicating.  His charm oozes out..even when I have to tell him he can't smoke on the Legendary Luckenbach stage..he is charming!  I have watched him grab hold of a sleepy crowd ( anyone else would have surely lost them) and have them screaming and stomping their feet for more at nights end.  I have been through power outages and horrific thunderstorms with Charlie in my care at Luckenbach. Charlie crosses all the lines, any one you care to draw, he will cross it. Charlie makes us all feel good.  Bruce is the calm in the storm, so it seems.  He is a Robison however, the fire does burn.  Bruce has the ability to turn Luckenbach into a symphony of choreographed Rednecks! You shut up, you grab your  partner and you 2 step onto the dance floor in unison when Bruce starts to play. It is the most beautiful sight you have ever seen.  He knows how to unite the world ...  Maybe he should run for office?? Robyn, little sister, yes Robyn, you will always be the little sister and you wear it well.  Robyn is the late bloomer, the secret weapon of the family. A perfect mix of Bruce and Charlie with a very unique position..she softens the blow, just a tad bit.  Let it never be said that Robyn doesn't have the Robison fire....she packs a BIG punch and is a triple threat in songwriting, singing and instrumentally.  Her brothers will both tell you, very proudly, that she is one of the best writers of song they know. That is the highest of compliments considering Bruce has had songs covered by George Strait, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks. Charlie has had enormous national success with several of his self penned songs as well.  Robyn is contemplative.  She takes time to craft her words and paint vivid pictures. Robyn has a distinctive edge about her that will haunt you, in a good way, if you listen to the stories.  They are not for the faint of heart, she tells it straight.  Can she physically move you?  Yes, she can. None of the Robison's are negligent in that regard. It's a matter of Family Pride, I believe.

Steamboat Music Fest -  Bruce, Kelly, Charlie & Robyn

So what about the "together"?  Except for the occasional "Me and My Brother" acoustic tours that Bruce and Charlie embark on, the family remains fiercely independent of one another in regards to their public careers.  Bruce and Kelly are now touring together as 'The Bruce and Kelly Show".  Lunchmeat is always stage left of his bride of 20 yrs, keeping Robyn in perfect time and harmonizing with her. Charlie is still on tour throughout Texas letting the Good Times Roll.  The Robison Family made one appearance together, including Kelly, at Steamboat Music Fest  4 years ago.  It was well received.  It was at that moment when I decided, and pretty much the rest of the world, that this family is indeed, the First Family of Texas Music.  The songs just kept coming, the talent was snowballing from the stage... as well as the spirited "cheap shots" (yes, a Robison would call it that).  The Robisons are competitive and there is a sense of survival of the fittest that runs deep within, even with each other. It's a cold, hard world out there in the land of Honky Tonks and Dance Halls, your backside must be as tough as a Longhorn wandering through the briar patch.  The Robisons created and  earned every bit of their success. They have endured a span of over 25 years entertaining the world, independent of each other, so it seems.  The rest of the story is this... they are FAMILY.  They still get together on holidays, I've heard tales of food fights and unexpected fires.  A few good cussin's have no doubt ensued. If you look at the careers of each of the Robisons, there is always a sprinkling of  behind the scenes family collaboration either in production/studio, recording another's song, borrowing a band member or a piece of equipment.  Acknowledging each other in interviews and on their websites; the Robisons always acknowledge each other.  They support one another in spirit and a quiet understanding of "I know where you are, I know where you have been"  The First Family of Texas Music is united, after all. Hallelujah!

Luckenbach Texas PROUDLY presents The Robison Family Thanksgiving, Saturday, November 24th, 8pm.  All Dysfunctional Families welcome, including your in-laws :)

XO,
Abbey Road


Saturday, November 24th, 2012
Doors - 7pm.  Show starts at 8pm.
Tickets are available online at www.luckenbachtexas.com
Advance tickets $30. Day of show $35

"Plenty" of "Heartstrings"

Tattered and torn, worn out, hung out, and strung out..music will do that to your heartstrings, Plenty!  By the bucketfuls.  Would we have it any other way?  Nope.  It's the essence of music and song.  It's why more than anything else in the Universe, people need it and crave it and love it and stake a claim in it.  There is a song for everything; if you need a friend, someone or something to sympathize with you at any given time, you can find a song.

August 25th, 2012, we are especially privileged.  Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit along with Walt Wilkins and his Mighty Mystiqueros will grace our outdoor stage with some of the best lyrics and music you have ever known.  Both of these gentleman are road worn and time tested.  And they still live and breathe their craft.

Jason Isbell is notably one of the founding elements of the Drive By Truckers.  He struck out on his own a few years ago. 2 albums later, he is blazing a trail.  His band, 400 Unit, is by far one of the tightest machines in the business.  We had the good fortune of having Jason and the 400 unit in Luckenbach last May, on a routed run, just by the hair on our chins, we coaxed them to our town.  I don't know that I have ever been so  awe struck before, ever, by a band. The show is perfect. The arrangement, the visual aspect, the sound of Jason's voice, the level at which they play.  It is just Perfect!  Probably the one thing that makes them stand out is the "vibe" that they exude collectively.  "We are here to perform for you" just flies off the stage.  No sense of ego, no sense of entitlement. This band is working hard for themselves and for the audience.  If you watch a lot of live music, you know immediately when you experience this type of performance. It's rare.

Walt Wilkins is in a class all by himself.  He has written for and with everyone.  He has deep passion and a penetrating soul about him.  He writes songs that everyone of  us can relate to.  It is a constant spiritual quest, in layman's terms.  Walt surrounds himself with musicians he loves and is able to breathe with.  They are as passionate and soulful as he is.  It is a stirring love fest, always, without fail.  Rock n Roll??  Walt and his band of Mystiqueros can knock your socks off with groove and infectious toe tapping rythym.  They will command your attention and leave you feeling as if you have just been washed with sunlight and soft pure rain. This band is, just like Jason and his 400 Unit, capable of reaching deep inside and touching that inner most "Heart String' and pulling on it..."Plenty".

Come join us this Saturday night in Luckenbach, Aug 25th at 9pm. Tickets are $20pp and available online at Luckenbach Texas

It's Only Rock n Roll, kids :)

Abbey Road

8/20/12

Most Important things in Luckenbach..

Not exactly sure where the term BLOG came from but it sounds like something we would have in Luckenbach.  Probably find it in some nook or cranny in the floor, the wall or even the ceiling.  Whatever it is, Luckenbach is a good source for a BLOG.

The picture on the header of the Luckenbach Texas Official Blog speaks volumes; whether you have been here or not.  The photo says slow down, sit a spell, look around, just be.  That is Luckenbach.  That is what we do here.  That is all we are.  A place to come hang out awhile, sit and be still, meet some new people, catch up with some old people or some young people, buy a t-shirt and drink a COLD beer.  This photo (Robbyn Dodd) looks across the front porch of the General Store/Post Office onto the statue or "bust" of Hondo, Our Father. The 2 most important things in Luckenbach and the first things you see when you visit.

The General Store/Post Office was built in 1849.  Hondo bought it in 1971.  A lot has happened in this town before and after Hondo.  One thing about Luckenbach...spirits lurk.  Happy spirits.  It's the magic of this town.  Hondo swears it is our Full Moons. No matter who happens to be runnin' things at the time, Luckenbach will always do what Luckenbach does.  Luckenbach attracts people, holds them and wraps it's arms around them in various ways.  You will have to come visit in person to really get it.... if you ain't ScaReD  to be "Somebody".  You see,  Everybody's Somebody in this town.