The U.S. state of Texas has long been a center for musical innovation and is the birthplace of many notable musicians. Texans have pioneered developments in Tejano and Conjunto music, Rock 'n Roll, Western swing, jazz, punk rock, country, hip-hop, electronic music, gothic industrial music, religious music, mariachi, psychedelic rock, zydeco and the blues.
Toadies are an American rock band formed in 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas, best known for the song "Possum Kingdom". The band's classic lineup consisted of Vaden Todd Lewis, Lisa Umbarger, Darrel Herbert, and Mark Reznicek (drums). It formed in 1989 and disbanded in 2001 after Umbarger left the group. The band reformed and released the album No Deliverance in 2008. In 2010, they re-released the album Feeler with Kirtland Records. The band's most recent album, The Lower Side of Uptown, was released in September 2017.
Tripping Daisy is a neo-psychedelic pop rock band that was formed in Dallas, Texas, by lead singer/guitarist Tim DeLaughter in 1990 along with Jeff Bouck (drums), Wes Berggren (guitar) and Mark Pirro (bass).
George Douglas Gimarc is an American disc jockey, record and radio program producer and author based in Texas and is in the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. He is known for his extensive and authoritative knowledge about the classic rock radio format, recorded music in general, and specifically the era of punk rock. His broadcast programs have been heard in various formats in the U.S., Canada, Europe and New Zealand, via licensed stations and unlicensed pirate radio transmitters.
Brutal Juice is a self-proclaimed "acid punk" band from Denton, Texas. The band formed in 1990 and officially disbanded in February 1997, although they held several reunion concerts between 1999 and 2012, which usually took place at Fry Street Fair in Denton. They officially reformed in 2012 and released their latest album, titled "Welcome to the Panopticon," on October 28, 2016. Brutal Juice still performs a few times a year, typically playing shows in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, or in Austin.
Burden Brothers are a hard rock band formed in Dallas, Texas, by Toadies lead singer/songwriter Vaden Todd Lewis and Reverend Horton Heat/Izzy Stradlin drummer Taz Bentley. The band currently consists of Lewis (Vocals/Guitar), Bentley (Drums/Vocals), and Casey Hess (Guitar/Vocals). The band went on indefinite hiatus since 2006, due to the Toadies reunion and other interests, but reunited to perform at the Dia De Los Toadies music festival in September 2015.
Course of Empire was an industrial/alternative rock band based in Dallas, Texas, from 1988 to 1998. The band's final incarnation consisted of founding members vocalist Vaughn Stevenson, guitarist Mike Graff, and bassist Paul Semrad. The band also consisted of two drummers throughout their existence, with Chad Lovell and Michael Jerome as the final duo. The band released three studio albums over ten years, with one each on the labels Carpe Diem, Zoo Entertainment, and TVT Records.
Hagfish were an American rock band originated in Sherman, Texas that rose to notoriety via performances in the Deep Ellum district of Dallas, Texas, drawing influences from both punk rock and alternative rock. The lineup included lead vocalist George Stroud Reagan III, guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Doni Blair and drummer Tony Barsotti for the majority of the band's career, including nearly all of their recorded work. Formed by the Blair brothers in 1991, Hagfish emerged with contemporaries Tripping Daisy and Toadies as part of the 1990s Dallas/Fort Worth alternative rock scene and were also heavily influenced by the Descendents/All, whose members recorded and produced two of the band's studio albums. After officially disbanding in 2001, Hagfish have reunited occasionally for live performances.
Michael Ralph Scaccia was an American musician, best known as a guitarist for several heavy metal and alternative rock acts, including Rigor Mortis, Ministry and Revolting Cocks.
Fort Worth Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper that serves the Greater Fort Worth area.
Vaden Danger Todd Lewis is an American musician best known as the vocalist and guitarist for Toadies, an alternative rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. Lewis was also the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Dallas-based Burden Brothers. In July 2017, Lewis opened The Loop Artist Rehearsal Studios in Fort Worth.
John Nitzinger is an American blues rock guitarist, recording artist and songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas.
David Eugene Summers was an American rockabilly singer, songwriter and guitarist. His most famous recordings include the late 50s "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", "Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That", "Twixteen", "Alabama Shake", "Fancy Dan" and his biggest-selling single "Big Blue Diamonds". Summers was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Southern Legends Entertainment & Performing Arts Hall of Fame in 2005. He still performed worldwide and celebrated his 50th anniversary as a recording artist in 2008 with the release of Reminisce Cafe.
Jay Saunders(néJohn Henry Saunders III; born 29 June 1944 Sacramento, California) is an American trumpeter and music educator at the collegiate level. In the 1970s, Saunders was a lead trumpeter with big bands — notably the Stan Kenton Orchestra — and a session musician in the Dallas area. Saunders recently retired from the faculty at the University of North Texas College of Music where he taught jazz trumpet, jazz recordings, and directed the One O'Clock Lab Band.
Kelan Luker is a former American football player and rock musician and a current American football coach. He played at the quarterback position for Southern Methodist University and at the bass guitar position for the band Submersed.
Live at Billy Bob's Texas is a 2004 album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was recorded at Billy Bob's, a popular country music nightclub in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
The Telefones are a musical group based in Dallas, Texas. A regular act at the notable punk venue the Hot Klub in the 1980s, they are generally considered a pioneer Texas punk band, but have also been called “Dallas' first—and best—new wave band,” and yet also "[n]either punk nor new-wave." Their sound is a blend of many different styles and eras of rock and pop music.
William Arthur Smith, known as Major Bill Smith, was an American record producer, publisher, promoter, songwriter, and record label owner based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Todd Michael "Leon" Bridges is an American soul singer, songwriter, and record producer. Bridges' debut album, titled Coming Home, was released on June 23, 2015, on Columbia Records and subsequently nominated for Best R&B Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.
Novas were an American garage rock band from Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, who were active in the 1960s. Noted for their harmonies, they became one of the most popular bands in the local area and toured throughout the Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana region, enjoying a following outside of their immediate vicinity. The group released a single featuring the song "William Junior" in 1966. In the intervening years since their breakup, the Novas' music has come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts and their collected work is included on two anthologies.
