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March was all about music for Texas Standard. We debuted our latest Texas Standard special – “Rap to the Ranch: The Ballad of Mason ‘Bric’ LaDue.” And we celebrated ten years of the show with a top 10 list of our favorite music interviews and stories from the past decade.
The first weekend in March, the music partner of our home station KUT actually let the Texas Standard team take a turn as guest DJs! Our playlist is very different from our top 10 list because these are *personal favorites in one way or another.
Please note, for podcast purposes, we couldn’t play the whole song – so you’ll just hear little teases. Here’s the playlist:
1. Asleep At The Wheel – “Bob Wills Is Still The King” (feat. Clint Black) [David Brown]
2. The Black Angels – “You On The Run” [Alexandra Hart]
3. Selena – “Tus Desprecios” [Raul Alonzo]
4. Freddy Fender – “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” [Kristen Cabrera]
5. Jess Williamson – “Chasing Spirits” [Leah Scarpelli]
6. David Halley – “Loose Diamond” [Shelly Brisbin]
7. Khruangbin – “The Infamous Bill” [Casey Cheek]
8. Scarface – “Good Girl Gone Bad” [Wells Dunbar]
9. Amanda Shires – “Mineral Wells” [Gabrielle Muñoz]
10. Margo Price – “Hands of Time” [Rhonda Fanning]
11. Black Pumas – “Colors” [Laura Rice]
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this work at supportthispodcast.org.
The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Laura Rice [00:00:00] Hello Texas Standard podcast listeners, it’s Laura Rice and it’s been just a little while since we’ve offered you a Texas Extra, extended and special content just for those of you who listen here. Often, these are longer versions of interviews that we enjoyed so much but just couldn’t fit on air, but this Texas Extra is extra special. March was all about music for Texas Standard. We debuted our latest Texas Standard special, “Rap to the Ranch, The Ballad of Mason Bric LaDue,” and we celebrated 10 years of the show with a top 10 list of our favorite music interviews and stories from the past decade. If you haven’t checked those things out, you must, but what you’re about to hear did not air on the Texas Standard at all. It actually aired on KUTX, the music partner of our home station KUT. You see, every week they give the professional DJs a break and let musicians or other interesting people take over the mic and pick music. While the first weekend in March, they actually let the Texas Standard team take a turn. You’ll hear from a bunch of my colleagues about music featured on the show from the past 10 years. It’s very different from our top 10 list because these are personal favorites in way or another. Now, please note for podcast purposes, we couldn’t play the whole song, so you’ll hear just little teases. You can find a full playlist in the show notes. Enjoy.
Unknown [00:01:38] Check one, two, three, four. My K-U-T-X.
Unkown [00:01:41] My K-U-T-X. One, two, puh-puh-pup-pah-pap, okay? K-u-T X. Ha ha ha ha!
Jack Anderson [00:01:59] You know what that music means, yes, it is Texas Standard time. I’m Jack Anderson, and this is My KUTX, the show where every week we turn the controls over to a notable music lover and have them play whatever they want. And this one’s a real special one to us, because if you didn’t know, the Texas Standard is produced in-house here at KUT and KUTx, and over the past decade, they’ve done amazing job of reporting stories from all over the Lone Star stage. They’ve got a ton of awards, they’ve done great content, and in celebrating 10 years together, you can head to texastandard.org slash birthday to find all their content related to that. And without further ado, here is the staff of the Texas Standard celebrating their 10th birthday on MyKUTX.
David Brown [00:02:49] Hey, I’m David Brown with The Texas Standard and you know, since the very beginning of The Standard, Ray Benson has been a listener and a frequent guest over the years too, which is a real treat since he’s so beloved in Texas and frankly beloved by a little old me too. As you may or may not know, I am a long time fan of Texas music. And what Ray did for Texas music is something I consider truly priceless. One of the original sounds that came out of these parts was a type of music that melded jazz with Appalachian country almost always with a danceable big band swing. It was a style that first emerged in Texas dance halls around the Great Depression and it became a huge sensation, not just in Texas, but across the U.S. There was this band leader named Bob Wills and he may not have invented this style, but he became a kind of Texas swing superstar. He was in demand on the radio and even the movies. Bob Wills’ and his Texas Playboys would be a sensation up until, well, Rock & Roll came along. many folks started to forget about him. So where’s Ray Benson in all this? Well, Ray grew up in Pennsylvania and got hooked on Texas swing listening to the radio. And in the late sixties Benson started his own Texas swing band with a rock and roll attitude called Asleep at the Wheel. And in doing that, Ray and his band almost single-handedly introduced a whole new generation of Bob Wills. Brother Ray even co-wrote a touring musical show, A Ride with Bob, that became an album winning commercial and critical success. Ray knows his Texas music history. Now my song pick comes from that album, A RIDE WITH BOB. And on the surface, listening to the lyrics, you may think this is a song about Bob Wills. But actually, this song was written by another Texan, Waylon Jennings, as a good-natured jab at his friend Willie Nelson, sort of trying to keep Willie from getting too first britches. My K-U-T-X song? Bob Wills is still the king, as performed by Ray Benson and the Sleep of the World.
Asleep at the Wheel [00:04:46] Well, the honky tonks in Texas were my natural second home where you tip your hat to the ladies and the rose of San Antonio. I grew up on music that we call western swing. And it don’t matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the king.
David Brown [00:05:09] Bob Wills is still the king by the legendary sleep at the wheel. Did you hear Clint Black’s voice in there? I’m David Brown of the Texas Standard and we are celebrating the Standard’s tenth birthday here on My KUTX.
Alexandra Hart [00:05:22] Howdy, this is Alexandra Hart, producer and host of the Texas News Roundup on the Texas Standard. This year is our 10th birthday, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look back at a decade of music on the show. There’s no shortage of music festivals in Texas, and the Standard has covered, well, a lot of them. My favorite fest happens to be Levitation, which is Austin’s celebration of psychedelia, founded in 2008 by local rockers, the Black Angels. Back in 2023, we spoke with organizer Rob Fitzpatrick about how he books Levitation’s genre-spanning lineup, which includes flavors of stoner metal, shoegaze, electronic, and obviously, psych rock. Of course, the festival and its sister event, Austin’s Psych Fest, wouldn’t be possible without founders The Black Angels. This is their song, You on the Run. I’m Alexandra Hart and you’re on Texas Standard Time on my KUTX.
Raul Alonzo [00:06:38] This is Texas Standard digital producer, Raul Alonzo. One of my favorite music segments on the show was one I co-reported with my fellow South Texan, Kristen Cabrera, remembering the great television presenter, Johnny Canales. It was fun poring over old clips from his show, which we both grew up watching, but at one point while watching a video where Canales introduced Selena in my hometown of Corpus Christi, I told Kristin, wait, I think I’m tearing up a bit watching this. Such memories, of course, evoke a lot of nostalgia for our roots. So I thought it would make sense to share one of the Queen’s songs in recognition of that. Here’s one of my favorites, Dulces Precios by Selena Quintanilla.
Selena [00:07:25] Tus desaires son como puñales que me estás clavando
Raul Alonzo [00:07:34] I’m Raul Alonzo and you’re listening to 10 Years of Music from the Texas Standard on MyKUTX.
Kristen Cabrera [00:07:43] Hi, this is Kristen Cabrera. I’m a reporter, producer, and sometimes director for the Texas Standard. In the past decade, since we’ve been on air, we’ve talked a lot about San Benito’s own Freddie Fender. Everything from his memoir to why this 70s number one hit we’re about to hear still makes us feel things. But my favorite interview was back in 2022 when musician and Tejano archivist Veronique Medrano made a case for why Freddie Fender should be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He would be their first Hispanic member, and though this hasn’t happened yet, the power of this bilingual ballad continues to speak for itself.
Freddy Fender [00:08:26] But if he ever breaks your heart If the teardrop ever starts I’ll be there before the next teardrops fall
Kristen Cabrera [00:08:47] before the next teardrop falls. I’m Kristin Cabrera and you’re listening to 10 Years of Music from the Texas Standard on MyKUTX.
Leah Scarpelli [00:08:57] Hello, I’m Leah Scarpelli, Associate Producer Director of the Texas Standard. And part of my job is actually booking and producing a lot of our music segments. And I also pick the instrumental segue music that you hear on the show. And one of my favorite music memories from the last 10 years is our interview with Jess Williamson. She’s a musician from North Texas and one of all time personal favorites. And I got to interview her for a short segment in 2020 for her album, Sorceress. And I knew when her latest record came out in 2023, we had to have her on the show for a longer interview. So from the album, Time Ain’t Accidental, I chose the song, Chasing Spirits. It is a short song, but packed with a lot of emotion and the lyrics are so expressive and visual. I love the line, I was pulling cards while you jumped the cattle guard. They say loving’s hard. So perfect.
Jess Williamson [00:10:06] Been she And I’m still chasing them like Now who is the big question?
Leah Scarpelli [00:10:30] Jess Williamson with Chasing Spirits. I’m Leah Scarpelli, associate producer director, and you’re listening to 10 Years of Music from the Texas Standard on myKUTX.
Shelly Brisbin [00:10:42] Hi, I’m Shelly Brisbin, a producer reporter at Texas Standard. When singer-songwriter and playwright Jo Carrol Pierce died in December 2022, I wanted to commemorate her work and introduce her to people who had never heard her before. And one of the ways we did that was to play a lot of music, most of which was performed by somebody other than Jo Carrol. She was definitely a performer, but she really stood out as a playwright and songwriter. One of her most frequent collaborators was David Halley, a fellow Lubbock native. who moved to Austin. They performed a lot together, including in her show, Bad Girls Upset by the Truth, and David also appeared on a tribute album called Across the Great Divide that collected Jo Carrol’s songs as performed by a lot of great Austin musicians and performers from the 1990s. David’s version of Loose Diamond from the Across the Great Divide album is proof that you don’t have to have written a song to truly make it your own. It’s a beautiful version. Here is David Halley with Jo Carrol Pierce’s Loose Diamond.
David Halley [00:11:46] Driving high on the plains one night I saw a falling star so bright It was falling so slow I just followed it home To paradise, kingdom come Deja vu I’ve been here before with you Do you remember? I do How could I forget?
Shelly Brisbin [00:12:19] David Holley performing Jo Carrol Pierce’s Loose Diamond from a tribute album to Jo Carrol released in 1992 called Across the Great Divide. Really terrific song.
Casey Cheek [00:12:31] What’s up everybody, this is Casey Cheek, I am the technical director for The Texas Standard and when we decided to do a look back of music stories that have been on The Texas Standard with KU-TX, it didn’t take me long to land on Khruangbin. . I love these guys, Houston natives. They quickly became my favorite band after hearing them. If you’ve ever seen them live, they put on an amazing show, and this is a big part of it, a fun part of the show. This is from their 2014 EP, the title track, The Infamous Bill. That was the infamous bill by Khruangbin. We spoke to them on the Texas Standard in 2021, and you can hear that interview online at texastandard.org. I’m Casey Cheek, and all this hour, the Texas standard has taken over KUTX, and we are celebrating our 10th birthday with a look back of some of our favorite music conversations.
Wells Dunbar [00:14:02] Hey, what’s up? It’s Wells Dunbar here from the Texas Standard on myKUTX, this rules. I love music. I love Texas music. I’m a Texas native. So this was really hard for me to sort of choose what I wanted to hear, you know? I produced some segments on the show looking at Texas metal, Texas underground metal, hardcore, you now, crazy rip-your-face-off music. Love that. I love Dungeon Synth, which is, you a nascent genre which is having a little moment but has really big Texas practitioners here in Austin and in Denton, spooky keyboard music, you know, just Texas has so much great music. But if I really have to focus and hone in on one Texas artist, it’s got to be Scarface from the Ghetto Boys because I just, I grew up listening to the Ghetto boys. I love the Gitto boys and Scarface for my is the best storyteller in all of hip-hop and you know he’s got an incredible discography but honestly for my money his best storytelling is on some of his earlier stuff my favorite album is mr scarface is back and it’s not just because of the album cover google it it’s sick it’s the coolest album cover you’ve ever seen but here’s one song that uh yeah the events are probably uh, not too far off from what you see there on the album cover. It’s incredible, it’s like a crime novel. It’s like an Elmore Leonard, southern gothic story come to life. It’s so incredible and so vivid. I hope you feel the same way about it. This is Scarface with Good Girl Gone Bad. Let’s get him.
Ghetto Boys [00:15:46] Mikey woke us up when he beeped us Said he found some dope, not only good, but it was cheapest Gave me the numbers, I said, yo, B My n***a Mike then found some Brooks 11-7 to keep It didn’t sound legit, but still we chanced it And if it came through, we’d hit it Ready for whatever If we went down, we went Down together
Wells Dunbar [00:16:24] Good girl, gone bad. Wells Dunbar with the Texas Standard, here on MyKUTX.
Gabrielle Munoz [00:16:31] This is Gabrielle Munoz, managing editor of the Texas Standard. I just love that we’re looking back at 10 years of music on the Standard because it gives me the chance to highlight one of my absolute favorite artists, Amanda Shires. She’s a gifted songwriter and an out of this world fiddle player. Seriously, y’all need to catch one of her live shows if you ever get the chance. Amanda joined the Standard back in 2017 to talk about her album, My Piece of Land, and how her childhood in Texas influences her music. This next song is from that album and pays tribute to having two homes in the Lone Star State, Lubbock and the song’s namesake, Mineral Wells.
Amanda Shires [00:17:06] In 81 I was just a drink On the shelf, a daiquiri Not even a thought Till sometime in July Sometime in July And something happened in eighty-four I ended up with two places to be from The only tree with leaves in a big With roots in mineral wells Night, I dream I’m in the Brazos River Pines and cypress to the west cross timbers And oh, I know
Gabrielle Munoz [00:18:05] mineral wells. I’m Gabrielle Munoz and you’re listening to 10 Years of Music from the Texas Standard on myKUTX.
Rhonda Fanning [00:18:12] Hi there, this is Rhonda Fanning, executive producer for The Texas Standard. I’m excited and feel very fortunate to be celebrating 10 years on Texas Standard Time. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. It’s also really hard to pick just one artist interview from the past decade, but the conversation we had with Margo Price certainly stands out. I first saw Margo perform at ACL Fest back in 2016, and I’ve been a fan ever since. We got the chance to speak with her on The Standard back in October of 2022 when she published her memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It. The book recounts her childhood growing up in a small Illinois town, the loss of her family’s farm, and her struggles with her rise to success. So for my KUTX, I like to play Hands of Time. It’s a song she wrote about that loss of her families’ farm, and it’s from her debut album, Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.
Margo Price [00:19:06] Cause all I wanna do is make a little cash Cause I’ve worked all the bad jobs and busted my ass I wanna buy back the farm and bring my mama home some wine And turn back the clock on the cruise
Rhonda Fanning [00:19:32] Hands of time, I’m Rhonda Fanning and you’re listening to 10 Years of Music from the Texas Standard on MyKUTX.
Laura Rice [00:19:42] This is Laura Rice, managing producer and sometimes host of the Texas Standard. For our 10th birthday, we’re looking back on our favorite music content from the show. You know how sometimes people brag that they loved a band before it got big? Well, my brag is that I got to interview Black Puma’s front man, Eric Burton, before that band blew up. Eric came into our studios here in Austin and he was so kind, truly a genuinely lovely and gifted person. I think he was wearing a necklace or something that we talked about for a while. It’s been such a joy to see the Black Pumas rise. After our conversation in 2019, they were nominated for their first of several Grammys and performed at a presidential inauguration. Here’s their platinum single, Colors. I’m Laura Rice and you’re listening to 10 years of music from the Texas Standard on myKUTN.
Black Pumas [00:20:33] I woke up to the morning sky first Baby blue, just like we’ve heard And the world could I be shaded by the trees, by a meadow of green, or by the mire. I’m headed to town, town, and town. With all my favorite colors Yes sir All my favorite color
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
