Texas music

by Rick Koster

Texas is the land of Buddy Holly and Janis Joplin, the home state of Roy Orbison and Leann Rimes, Willie Nelson's geographical sweetheart, and George Jones's original stomping grounds. Stevie Ray Vaughan began wailing his blues, and Selena lived and died there. Ornette Coleman jazzed it up, ZZ Top launched their own breed of rock within these borders, and gospel singer Kirk Franklin has praised the Lord in Texas. Texas Music is a comprehensive look at all forms of Music (country, rock, blues, jazz, Tejano, soul, funk, New Age, classical, easy listening, and opera) and the players who created it. Rick Koster has created minihistories of each genre that begin with their roots and find their way to modern day. The result is a mosaic of diverse personalities and musical sound that all add up to the common experience of Texas music.