LUCKENBACH & TURKEY

There are a few things that are on bucket lists for most country music fans. The Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry is probably the most often listed place. After all it is called “The Mother Church of Country Music.”

However, in 2018 when I was on my month-long Texas Adventure, I made a point to visit two sites that were on my Country Music Bucket List. Midway through my Texas Adventure, I found myself in the Texas Hill Country where I spent a few days visiting Fredericksburg, and Johnson City, including the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic and the Texas White House.

One afternoon after finishing my Visit to the LBJ Ranch, I decided to go looking for Waylon, Willie, and the Boys. Yep I made my way down to Luckenbach, Texas. When not hosting music performances, Luckenbach resembles a ghost town, with only a Post Office/General Store, Saloon, and a few small refreshments stands that open during performances. But in it hay day, thousands of country music fans would flock here to see local and national stars. In fact, Luckenback was the home of the Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic for several years. Just like the Eagles song, “Taking it Easy” made “Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona” a popular thing to do, (yes I have stood on the corner, but that’s a story for another time), Luckenback, became a go to place for country music fans because of the Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson song, “Back to the Basics of Love.” The rest as they say is history. 

On the day of my visit there were a few other tourists searching for the Boys, but we didn’t find them, so we decided to forgo our search and enjoy some BBQ and a Lone Star Beer. After a visit to the Gift Shop/Post Office/Store, it was time to move on down the road and continue my Texas Adventure.

Later, as my adventure was winding down, I was able to scratch another place off my country music bucket list. One thing that I found out while visiting Texas is “It don’t matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the King.” So, I decided to make the 100-mile trip from Amarillo down to the small (and I mean really small) town of Turkey, Texas, which proudly claims the King of Western Swing as their own.

Bob Wills lived here as a boy and young man. He even worked as a barber here before heading off on a path that would take him all the way to the Country Music Hall of Fame. As I walked around this small town, I must say that I was impressed with the people who are bound and determined to keep the memory of Bob and his Texas Playboys alive. Even though Bob died in 1975, his music and his memory is still very much alive here in Turkey.

Each year in April the entire town hosts the Annual Bob Wills Festival. I must say the highlight of my visit was realizing that the young people of Turkey not only know who Bob Wills is but also embrace his music. No Rap or Hip Hop here.

This was never more evident than when I was walking around town and heard the unmistakable sound of those twin fiddles. I first thought it had to be coming from a radio, but I rounded the corner and found three young people sitting in a front yard playing “Faded Love”. Come to find out they were practicing for the Upcoming Bob Wills Festival.

Two Girls, ages 7 and 14 and a 10-year-old boy were alone practicing in their front yard. I stood and listened to the unmistakable sound that was Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Before moving on, I told them that since I won’t be here for the festival would they take a request. The 10-year old very confidently told me, “If it’s Bob Wills, we can play it.” 

So, they finished up with my favorite Bob Wills song, “San Antonio Rose.” WOW! Is all I can say. What a way to end my visit to the small town Turkey, Texas, and to say that those three young people were amazing would be an understatement. And to say that I enjoyed my visit to Luckenbach and Turkey would also be an amazing understatement.