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MARCH "READ ALL ABOUT IT" EVENT SPECIAL BOOK REVIEW
'What is it about Lubbock [or West Texas] that breeds so many talented musicians?..." Munde and Carr use this book to provide a detailed answer to what has been a perplexing question posed by music journalists worldwide. This book has already been in print for several years now--but it is about as authoritative a source as you might find on how West Texas got its distinctive musical voice. At the surface, the physical surroundings of this region are so barren that someone once coined the term "The Great American Desert" for it. But the physical environment has given a generous amount of musical inspiration to legends ranging from Bob Wills and Buddy Holly to current names in the industry like Lee Ann Womack and Heath Wright of Ricochet. Munde and Carr give the example of a Joe Ely song that was inspired by the West Texas elements: Do you know why the trees bend at the West Texas border? Do you know why they bend, sway, and twine? The trees bend because of the wind across that lonesome border, The trees bend because of the wind, almost all the time. You would not imagine at first glance if you had the privilege of meeting the authors (as this editor has) that they could prove to be able historians and preservationists of musical events that happened years ago. Besides, the image of happy-go-lucky humorists and devil-may-care attitudes common to bluegrass musicians is very prevalent in the authors' manner and demeanor. But when looking through the pages of "From Prairie Lights...", you would be surprised to see their remarkable skill in archiving important West Texas musical landmarks. The book's almost 200 pages might not be a challenging read (note that possibly a good 25% of the book is primarily pictures)--but it does a credible job of covering over the span of ten chapters the range of West Texas muscial history starting from the beginning of permanent Anglo settlement in the 1880s to our modern-day era. The reader may also find a few anecdotes about these artists such as the original rules to an old fiddler's contest and also the very impressive reaction that West Texans gave to Elvis Presley's appearance on the musical scene. The book does what it can to expose some of the myths and the musicians for what and who they are--warts and all. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Tales from the West Texas Dust (March Event Special) in Texas Culture is owned by Coy Holley. Permission to republish Tales from the West Texas Dust (March Event Special) in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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