News
Texas Sounds & Cities Conference Returns in Virtual Format
On Monday, November 16, the Texas Music Office and Hear Fort Worth will co-host a virtual, one-day conference to bring together music friendly communities in Texas to discuss the future of the Texas music industry. The goal of the virtual conference is to create an environment for music friendly communities to collaborate and discuss recovery strategies for musicians, venues and the music industry in Texas. Speakers will include Brendon Anthony, director of the Texas Music Office; Adriana Cruz, Executive Director of the Office of the Governor's Economic Development & Tourism Division; and many more. Roundtable discussions among cities will also be part of the programming.
Victoria Becomes A Certified Music Friendly Community
Thanks to the hard work Joel Novosad, Director of the City of Victoria's Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Texas Music Office and the Texas Film Commission will certify Victoria as a Music Friendly and Film Friendly Community on Tuesday, November 17th during Victoria's upcoming City Council meeting. The event can be live-streamed in real time.
New Braunfels Certified As A Music Friendly Community
Friday morning, October 30, 2020, city and state officials, New Braunfels' Chamber of Commerce staff and board members, local media, and representatives of Gruene Historic District met for a special presentation in Gruene Hall, Texas' Oldest Dance Hall. New Braunfels, TX was officially certified as a “Music Friendly Community” in Texas by the Office of Governor Greg Abbott's Texas Music Office.
Texas Music Mixtape: Jerry Jeff Walker Tribute Show ft an Audio Collage of Interviews & Songs
On the Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Texas Music Office’s Texas Music Mixtape, we’ve sorted through hundreds of hours of Jerry Jeff Walker interview clips and live performances in order to assemble an audio collage in tribute to the legendary #TexasMusic singer/songwriter who passed this last weekend after a battle with throat cancer. LISTEN to our tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker on Wednesday, 10/28 at 2:30 pm on KOOP Radio 91.7 FM in Austin, or from anywhere in the world via TuneIn, Amazon Alexa, or on KOOP Radio’s web player.
Virtual Music Friendly Community Workshop Coming To Dripping Springs, Houston, and Arlington in October
On Wednesday, October 21, the TMO will co-host a virtual Music Friendly Community (MFC) Workshop with the City of Dripping Springs. On Monday, October 26, the TMO and the City of Houston will co-host a virtual MFC Workshop. And on Tuesday, October 27, the TMO will co-host a virtual MFC Workshop with the City of Arlington. TMO Community Relations and Outreach Specialist Chip Adams will host the workshops via livestream to represent the TMO, answer questions, and speak about how the Music Friendly Community program provides economic development opportunities for Texas communities.
Texas State Musician Nominations Due October 15
Nominations for Texas State Musician - and Poet Laureate, and Visual Artist (2D and 3D) - are open through October 15. Any Texas citizen can nominate a living Texas artist for the Texas Legislature's highest honor for artists. Artists will be selected for both 2021 and 2022, so nominate more than one artist to join folks like Willie Nelson, Ray Benson, Little Joe Hernandez, Shelley King, Emily Gimble, and more as honorees.
Texas Music Mixtape: interview with Dayglow’s Sloan Struble
This week's Texas Music Mixtape includes an interview with Sloan Struble, mastermind behind the band Dayglow. On the week's program, TMO Spring 2020 fellowship intern Evie McNeil interviews Struble about growing up & teaching himself how to play music in Aledo, TX, what it’s like balancing school & a successful music career, and we’ll learn what the LP he’s currently recording may end up sounding like. Dayglow is a Texas music success story: developing a fan base around the world via more than 200 million Spotify plays and more than 30 million YouTube views.
Governor Abbott Announces Bastrop and Lubbock Have Been Certified as Music Friendly Communities
On Wednesday, September 9, Governor Greg Abbott announced that both the city of Bastrop and the city of Lubbock, having completed the multi-step certification process, have been designated as a Music Friendly Community by the Texas Music Office (TMO). The Music Friendly Community program seeks to foster music business economic development in Texas cities and communities.