When photographer Jeff Wilson was shooting two local musicians on the famed porch of Terlingua’s Starlight Theatre, a few people happened to ride up on horseback. Singer and guitarist Ted Arbogast told Wilson, “You should photograph this guy,” and handed his guitar to one of the riders, Andy Armendariz Sr. The Burnet County-based cowboy country singer visits his second home in Terlingua every other week and likes to “pick on the porch with the locals sometimes.” While he hadn’t planned to perform that day, he quickly accepted the guitar and launched into Marty Robbins’ ballad “El Paso.” “He had a voice right out of a classic Western theme song,” Wilson recalls. “The crowd waiting for their seats all applauded when he finished.”
This serendipitous moment seemed a fitting choice for this month’s cover, encapsulating the magic that can only be experienced when seeing music live. In our cover story, we highlight 14 vaunted venues across the state—classic spots that have delivered many iconic shows over the decades. Elsewhere in The Music Issue, we introduce five emerging musicians to watch explore the music that defines each region’s signature sound, and delve into the history of the state’s recording industry.
As we were putting the finishing touches on this celebration of music and community, devastating floods hit Central Texas. At press time, three people remain missing. There are no words that suffice in the face of such an unthinkable tragedy. As a staff, our hearts are with the affected communities as they mourn and face the difficult work of rebuilding. Like they always do, Texans have already shown up for their neighbors. If you are looking for ways to help, we’ve gathered resources that can be accessed at texashighways.com/centraltexasfloods or via the QR code on the inside of our front cover.
