History & Stories

Part Five: Homeward Bound

I woke with a beam of sunshine streaming through a hole in the tarp into my face. I blinked my eyes a few times and silently went through some multiplication tables. That success gave me confidence to face the day. It was eerily quiet as I backed out of the tent. I stood up, stretched,…
Part Four: Help Me Make it Through the Night

After a short rest and some food and beer, we began to make our way toward the stage. This proved more difficult than we imagined. The rain shower had been intense and long so that the parched ground had absorbed a good amount of moisture. With the thousands of people tromping in and out of…
When Charley the alligator patrolled his moat on Barton Springs Road

Charley’s adventures in Austin started when he was found paddling around the Littlefield Fountain one warm April morning. His presence was presumed to be a fraternity prank, but none of the Greeks came forward to claim credit. The incident left the chief of police with two problems. The first he solved by ordering the city…
What was so special about the Armadillo World Headquarters?

Anyone who has spent more than ten minutes in Austin has heard a reverent reference to the Armadillo World Headquarters. Though the club has been closed for over forty years, it maintains a mythical status as a symbol of a time when Austin was undeniably cool, and long before anyone felt the need to ask…
A mostly true narrative of the first ACL Festival (Part 1)

“That’ll be $7.67,” I said while scribbling the order with one hand and swigging some Shiner from the Solo cup I kept on a shelf under the bar with the other. I had worked the lunch rush enough times to know the price of any combo on the menu, but I punched a few keys…
The peculiar tale of Gram Parsons’ death and its infamous aftermath

Head east from L.A., and soon the sprawling metropolis is swallowed by the vast emptiness of the Mojave Desert. It’s an otherworldly terrain boasting some of the most inhospitable conditions on this planet. Rugged mountains and precariously balanced stacks of boulders are the defining characteristics of the hot, dusty expanse. The only visible signs of…
The revival of Townsend’s Treacherous Treat, Austin’s beloved cocktail of yesteryear

Townsend Miller was a unique character who was larger than life. This article is our attempt to recreate his signature drink, Townsend’s Treacherous Treat, which he carried in a flask while making the rounds of Austin’s honky-tonks in the seventies. To learn more about his extraordinary life, click here. “Townsend’s Treacherous Treat” is a legendary…
The sensational double life of Townsend Miller

Townsend Miller is a character who should not exist in the real world, but for over a decade he was one of the unique personalities comprising the outlaw country scene that permeated Austin in the seventies. He is a throwback to a time when America was great, and dinosaurs like Hunter S. Thompson roamed the…
Kacey Musgraves long history with Austin

It’s time to recruit Kacey Musgraves back to Austin. No slight to Nashville, it’s just that Kacey is a more natural fit in the capital city of her home state. She is one of us. It’s time to come home with the Armadillo and rule the city alongside Willie Nelson and Matthew McConnaughy.
Part Three: Riders On the Storm

We arranged our tarp into a small tent. With our backs against the ice chest, the tarp came over our heads and gave us coverage down to our feet. We were dry and relatively comfortable and could still see out to watch the crowd celebrating the rain and the drop in temperature. “Man, if you…
Kinky Friedman – In Memorium

Yesterday’s unfortunate news of Kinky Friedman’s passing has been difficult to grapple with. He had an oversized personality that was a constant presence in my life, and it is a sad realization that this presence is now a memory. I’m not sure what this is that I’m writing; it’s not an obituary. I guess these…
The largest heist in city history, a clash with the Crimson Tide, and flying submarines – it’s the holiday’s in Austin, 1964

All of the stories, quotes, and other anecdotes are from articles published in the Austin American Statesman between November 15, 1964 and January 2, 1965. As 1964 bowed away and 1965 danced in, a crew of yeggs pulled off the largest cash heist in Austin history. The crime was dutifully reported by the Statesman but,…
Part Two: Things Get Weird

“Who was that guy?” Mike asked. “He sounded like we should have seen him at the Prison Rodeo in Huntsville last fall. I’m exhausted just watching him and I’m definitely hotter. Hand me another beer man.” “I don’t know much about him.” I replied. “That song, You Never Even Called Me by My Name, was…
Part One: Getting There

“We’re here!” I announced as I pulled off the blacktop bringing the old Pontiac to an abrupt stop. The sudden jolt, and my exclamation, startled my passenger Mike into the beginnings of consciousness. “Where?”, Mike groggily asked. “It’s only been an hour since we left Austin, have you forgotten where we were going?” I replied.…
The history of Antone’s, Austin’s Home of the Blues

Life outside the ‘Dillo 1970’s Austin was dominated by the hippie adjacent cosmic cowboys with their long hair, cowboy boots, and distinctive country-rock fusion music. It was their fashion and attitude that defined the national perception of Austin. Still does. The center of their universe was the Armadillo World Headquarters where there were some pretty…
The long, strange trip of Asleep at the Wheel

Asleep at the Wheel is the most iconic punk band to come out of Austin. This is usually overlooked because they play Western Swing music that hasn’t been popular since the 1940’s. But punk is about attitude, and Ray Benson has the spirit of a punk. He’s the definition of DIY and has built a…
The state of the Live Music Capital of the World

It takes a lot of audacity to claim the title “Live Music Capital of the World” – and some serious chops to back that claim up. Austin has never been short on audacity, but let’s examine the chops: From a quantity standpoint, Austin is in elite territory. The downtown zip code, containing the Dirty Sixth…
Unlocking the Mystery of SXSW: Understanding Austin’s Iconic Festival

SXSW is a distinct festival with official and unofficial events intertwined. It’s a non-stop twenty-four-hour celebration that fills every corner of the city, blending festival vibes with conference networking and Spring Break vibes. This event embodies Austin, serving as both a cultural hallmark and an economic powerhouse.