by Jenna Colley

Music has long been the escape and solace of the working man. Grown out of the need for entertainment and a deep root in religion, country music, like so many others, began after a long hard day on the porches and in the homes of the rural south. Over the past century, America has seen the evolution of country music from a pastime into a multi-million dollar industry giving birth to stars and sensationalism. Texas musicians have been crucial in this evolution, Austin in particular playing a large role in the nurturing of this tradition. The "Austin Music Scene" has not always been riddled with wannabe punk bands and trendy lounge acts. At several points in history the city has been an open range fenced in by its geographical isolation, but free in spirit.

When you mention "Texas Country," people automatically think of Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Clint Black and George Strait, to name a popular few. While these artists have undoubtedly left their mark on Texas Country music, its beginnings are found long before that. Eck Robertson, an Amarillo native, was the first recorded country musician. Famed for his fiddling, Robertson proved in 1922 that country music could be a viable market. Several years later in 1924, Vernon Dalhart of Jefferson, Texas shocked the music industry when his recording of "The Prisoner's Song/The Wreck of the Old 97" was the first million-selling crossover hit. These hits paved the way for the more cliche cowboy music which would gain popularity throughout the late '20s and early '30s through the amazingly popular films of Gene Autry, Red Ritter, and Red River Dave McEnery, all western balladeers.

Arguably, the first of Texas' few influential periods in country music followed the depression with the birth of western swing. The infamous Bob Wills and Milton Brown reached innovative heights by combining jazz, blues, and pop songs to a Dixieland beat while playing with the Light Crust Doughboys in Fort Worth. Wills would go on to become a Texas legend with his band Wills' Texas Playboys.

The '30s also saw a greater emphasis on songwriting, Texans Floyd Tillman, Dale Evans, Cindy Walker, and Stuart Hamblin being the most influential of the time.

World War II brought America into a state of bustling optimism. While people around the country were rejoicing in this new era, country music continued to become more and more popular. In keeping with times, the fast-paced rhythms of honky-tonk music began to emerge on the scene. It would go on to reach its peak in the early '50s with Texas honky-tonk singers Lefty Frizzell and Hank Thompson.

The introduction of rock and roll in the '50s brought an unexpected decline in the popularity of country music. The younger audience no longer reveled in the sound of honky-tonk. They wanted the faster, more European sounds of rock. This desire put an enormous strain on the country music industry, forcing musicians to either "popify" their material or regress back to the harder country music of the late '30s in the hopes of keeping the more dedicated county fans the more dedicated county fans, thus facilitating the birth of today's thriving country music industry.

As rock and roll assumed mainstream status, many returned to their country roots. In 1959, Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans" hit number one on both the country and pop charts selling over a million records. His success instilled much needed confidence in county musicians. In 1963, Buck Owens emerged on the scene with his first number one country hit, "Act Naturally." The '60s also saw the emergence of Texas greats Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, and Willie Nelson.

The music that came out of the '70s would transcend all that came before it. Texas musicians exploded onto the scene with hits like "For the Good Times" (1970) by Ray Price (written by Kris Kristofferson), "Delta Dawn" (1972) by Tanya Tucker, "Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico" (1973) by Johnny Rodriquez, and "The Grand Tour" (1975) by George Jones.

In 1975 alone, fifteen records reached to the top of Billboard's country charts. Along with amazing performs like Freddy Fender, Billi Jo Spears, B.J. Thomas, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings, came the emergence of such amazing songwriters as the late Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Michael Murphy, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Honky-tonk also saw a resurgence with Red Steagall, Asleep at the Wheel and Gene Watson.

Austin in particular served as the major playground for a completely new sound. May country musicians, disillusioned with the stagnant sound and commercialism of Nashville began to return home to Austin, the most popular being Willie Nelson. Along with his fellow musicians, he created would be coined by journalists as "Progressive Country" or "Red-neck Rock." This music managed to do something that none of its predecessors had dared: combine country and western music with rock and blues. The effects were incredible.

Nelson's performance in 1972 at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin would solidify the popularity of this music. His performances were rumored to bring in rednecks and hippies alike, something that had rarely, if ever, been done in Austin venue. That same year Nelson held the First Annual Dripping Springs Reunion of 1972 which would eventually become the Willie Nelson Fourth of July Picnic. Musicians began to flock to what Time magazine had called "the fastest-growing country music center in the US."

In the Spring of 1976, Austin City Limits began its first season. Designed as a showcase for progressive country, in its first season the television program boasted such acts as Asleep at the Wheel, The Texas Playboys, Rusty Wier, Clifton Chenier, Townes Van Zandt, Augie Meyers, Flaco Jimenez, Doug Sahm, Alvin Crow, Steve Fromholz, B.W. Stevenson, Bobby Bridger, Greezy Wheels, Wheatfield, Balcones Fault, Marcia Ball, The Charlie Daniels Band, and Jerry Jeff Walker.

It was and still is obvious that this program would play a major role in not only the Austin country music scene, but the music scene in general. Austin City Limits has showcased everyone from Ray Charles and B.B. King to Ernest Tubb and Mel Tillis. It has played an integral part in supporting Austin musicians, and continues to do so. This February it will air a new episode "Best of Austin Country," featuring such popular acts as The Derailers and Dale Watson, as well as hosting Texan Lyle Lovett later in the season.

Country music gained even greater popularity in the eighties. George Jones managed to comeback with "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Films like Urban Cowboy added to the mystique of the cowboy image, while Honeysuckle Rose proved an outlet for Willie Nelson to add to his extensive collection with two more hits. Newcomer George Strait also exploded on the scene where he has managed to become on of the most popular country musician of all time. Clint Black, also a native Texans, followed right behind him.

The details of the history of country music in Texas are far to many to be explored her, but it is certain that Texas musicians played a very vital role in the molding an reshaping of country music today. One only needs to take a trip to the Broken Spoke on South Lamar, The Continental Club on Congress, or to Gruene Hall in New Braunfels to experience it first hands. There are few things greater than sipping a cold beer on a warm Texas night and listen to the music of the people that know what really county music is all about, and there isn't anywhere in the world better than Austin to hear it first hand.