Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air: Legends of West Texas Music "Since Lubbock is the place where the earth is in the air and the fire is in the water, it's naturally got to be the place where the music gets tied up in knots and comes out unraveled." —Jimmie Dale Gilmore
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air by Christopher Oglesby Terry Allen: Going Back to the Dirt Richard Bowden: Underground Lubbock Lloyd Maines: It's Amazing How Much Gets Done Jay Boy Adams: Chicken-Fried Memories Don Caldwell: Selling the Family Farm for a Song Bobby Keys: Like a Rolling Stone Tom X Hancock: The Supernatural Family Band Butch Hancock: The Universe in a Grain of Sand Angela Strehli: Blues in a Texas Town Jesse "Guitar" Taylor: A Bad Loud Place Ponty Bone: Illumination on the Streets of Lubbock Bruce Jaggers: The Greatest Show on Earth Joe Ely: Lord of the Highway Sharon Ely: Living on Dreams Kimmie Rhodes: West Texas Angel Jo Harvey Allen: Take Me Back to Paradox City Jo Carol Pierce: Bad Girl Upset by the Truth Guy Juke: Life Imitates Art David Halley: Hitchhiking to Nirvana Cary Swinney: Desperate Searcher Doug Smith: Music Ordained by God Downé Burns: Back to the Basics of Love Bob Livingston: Gonzo Compadre Wade Parks: Nothing Else to Do Colin Gilmore: Living in Dichotomy Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Hub City Mover Mac Davis: Happiness Is Lubbock, Texas Appendix I: Selected Discographies
Appendix II: Original Interviews
Index Cover art by Guy Juke
Texas Tech University
Lubbock,TX
Graduated: 1988
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Honors Studies/Poli-Sci
Minor: English
Clubs: Honors Council, Arts & Sciences Ambassador
1984 to 1988
Lubbock H S
Lubbock,TX
Graduated: 1984
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Clubs: soccer, Latin club, named "poster child for senioritis"
1981 to 1984
Chris Oglesby's virtualubbock is the home of the award-winning book "Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air: Legends of West Texas Music". view more
About me: "Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air - Legends of West Texas Music" by Christopher Oglesby (UT Press, 2006) * paperback,ISBN 978-0-292-71434-2; * cloth cover,ISBN 978-0-292-71419-9
To purchase the book, go to: Amazon or University of Texas Press
"As a whole, the interviews create a portrait not only of Lubbock's musicians and artists, but also of the musical community that has sustained them, including venues such as the legendary Cotton Club and the original Stubb's Barbecue. This kaleidoscopic portrait of the West Texas music scene gets to the heart of what it takes to create art in an isolated, often inhospitable environment. As Oglesby says, 'Necessity is the mother of creation. Lubbock needed beauty, poetry, humor, and it needed to get up and shake its communal ass a bit or go mad from loneliness and boredom; so Lubbock created the amazing likes of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Terry Allen, and Joe Ely.'" - University of Texas Press
"Indeed, Oglesby's introduction of more than two dozen musicians who called Lubbock home should be required reading not only for music fans, but for Lubbock residents and anyone thinking about moving here. On these pages, music becomes a part of Lubbock's living history." - William Kerns, Lubbock Avalanche Journal
While there is considerable attention to the "strangeness" of Lubbock, one of the great strengths of the book is a subtle narrative that builds to an insight voiced most clearly by Jimmie Dale Gilmore in the penultimate interview: "It seems like a disproportionate number of really creative people have come from Lubbock. Rather I should say, a large number of people have become known who came from that area. I don't think any place creates any more creative people than any other place." Oglesby has gathered a talented and diverse group here, and the result is an excellent introduction for students and others who want to know more about this place that has had such an influence on music. It is inspiring for the unanimity with which these talented folks echo Gilmore's belief that "regular, everyday people that nobody ever heard of in general are every bit as interesting and as talented as people that get all the spotlight on them" That, too, is a good reason to get it into the hands of our students.
STEVEN SCHROEDER Chicago, Illinois
Journal of the American Studies Association of Texas • Volume 38, November 2007
Who I'd like to meet: folks who love music, art, and literature from West Texas;
and anyone who thinks this looks like fun:
Chris Oglesby's virtualubbock's Friend Space (Top 40)
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Hi Ya'll, Hope your well and doing great! I ask all to please pray for Willie, & Billy She is Billy Wayne's wife who had a massive heart attack two nights ago. Billy is who is the one responsiple for me being able to be going to Nashville to do my album! All Peace & Love Lee
Ive been trying to get some freelance work together. It seems like i might be traveling around to music festivals and doing interviews and photography for the independant productions companies putting on the events this summer. Its been a sweet gig thus far... and yourself?
Headin your way on this holiday weekend for the Grand Opening Party at Buffalo Cantina Live. It is Sunday night on the lake and is gonna be a really fun time-come on down and have a beer with us!
your friends
Shurman
Hey all, For anyone[everyone?] who's 'Jones'ing for some new/different Mary Cutrufello vocals. Come by and listen to her sing on "Headed Home to Austin" now up at: www.myspace.com/veatchrock sign on as a myspace friend, if you'd like.
"As a whole, the interviews create a portrait not only of Lubbock's musicians and artists, but also of the musical community that has sustained them, including venues such as the legendary Cotton Club and the original Stubb's Barbecue. This kaleidoscopic portrait of the West Texas music scene gets to the heart of what it takes to create art in an isolated, often inhospitable environment. As Oglesby says, 'Necessity is the mother of creation. Lubbock needed beauty, poetry, humor, and it needed to get up and shake its communal ass a bit or go mad from loneliness and boredom; so Lubbock created the amazing likes of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Terry Allen, and Joe Ely.'"
Online Now!
</a&g
