Johnny Lee

Upcoming: Barry Manilow, Titus Andronicus, Sheryl Crow, Jonas Brothers, Mudhoney, etc.

Angry Samoans: With Swingin' Dicks, Die Rottz., Fri., April 12, 10 p.m., $12. Rudyard's, 2010 Waugh, Houston. Bang Bangz: Sat., April 13, 1 p.m., Free. Cactus Music & Video, 2110 Portsmouth St., Houston. Barry Manilow: Sun., May 19, 8 p.m., $29.99-$139.99. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lak ... More >>

Last Night: Mike Stinson at Under the Volcano

Mike Stinson Under the Volcano April 3, 2013 The motivations people have for going into music are many, and most of them are mundane. People want to be famous, see the world, or prove something to a parent or a lover, so they pick up a guitar or sit down at a piano. Going unappreciated, too often, ... More >>

Not Just Vinyl

Houston's Top 5 record stores.

The Rocks Off 100: Shellee Coley, Voice of the Northern Woods

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there, too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who: Shellee Coley is a folk artist former ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: November 12-15

DJ Sun The Flat, November 12 For two decades now, DJ Sun has been a Houston turntable institution thanks to his his wide-ranging sets, which only start with jazz, hip-hop, R&B, soul, Latin, reggae, funk and electronica. They always come twice a week, on his KPFT-FM show Soular Grooves (9 p.m. Satur ... More >>

Upcoming: Wisin Y Yandel, Rakim, Face To Face, Underoath, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Etc.

Axiom 25th Anniversary Reunion Show with Painteens, Hickoids, Poor Dumb Bastards, Toho Ehio, Bark Hard, Bliss Blood, Kruller, Insecticide, Basilisk, Bad Samaritans, Academy, Black Spunk: Fri., Nov. 23, 8 p.m., $10/$12. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Axiom 25th Anniversary Reunion Show with ... More >>

Upcoming: Cypress Hill, Merle Haggard, The Wallflowers, Roberta Flack, Etc.

The 71's, The Rocketboys: Fri., Dec. 14, 8 p.m., $10/$14. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Authority Zero: Fri., Nov. 23, 8 p.m., $12/$14. Scout Bar Clear Lake, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston. Bombay Bicyle Club, Vacationer: Thu., Oct. 11, 8 p.m., $12/$16. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houst ... More >>

RIP Gene Thomas: Swamp-Pop Singer of "Sometimes" Passes Away at 74

Gene Thomas, the Texas singer and songwriter whose 1961 swamp-pop hit "Sometimes" was recorded at Houston's Gold Star Studios (later SugarHill), and was later covered by Doug Sahm, passed away Sunday morning. Houston musician Buzzy Smith announced Thomas' death on his Facebook page. The Palestine n ... More >>

Guess the Country Star by Only His Cowboy Hat

You'll ride a black tornado cross't the western skies Rope an ole blue norther, milk it till it's dry Bull dawg the Mississippi, pin it's ears down flat Long before you take this cowboy's hat. -- Chris Ledoux, "This Cowboy's Hat" A popular saying in Texas goes that a man who talks a good game but ... More >>

Upcoming: Ben Folds Five, D'Angelo, Go-Go's, Noel Gallagher, Ryan Bingham, Etc.

Adema: Fri., Aug. 24, 8 p.m., $15/$20. The Concert Pub (North), 2470 FM 1960, Houston. Alesana: Fri., Nov. 2, 8 p.m., $18/$22. House of Blues, 1204 Caroline, Houston. Ava Luna, Wild Moccasins: Wed., Aug. 1, 8 p.m., $8/$12. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Band of Heathens: Sat., Aug. 11, 8 ... More >>

Houston Scores Big-Time In Latest Edition Of Encyclopedia Of Country Music: Part 7

Three former Houstonians who have been included in the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Country Music defy all odds. To call Rodney Crowell, Lyle Lovett, or Steve Earle a "country songwriter" or a "country singer" is the grossest simplification. All three have a huge streak of the folk traditi ... More >>

Gene Kurtz, "Treat Her Right" Co-Writer, Passes Away

Photo by Winker​Bassist Gene Kurtz, who co-wrote Roy Head's 1965 hit "Treat Her Right" and went on to play with a wide range of artists across rock, R&B, jazz and country, passed away Sunday night, according to a post on his Facebook page. Kurtz had just celebrated his 69th birthday last week. ... More >>

Top 10 Texas Movie Soundtracks

​This weekend, as the rest of the world catches Harry Potter mania for (perhaps) the final time, Houston gets a serious dose of Urban Cowboy nostalgia. Theater Under the Stars' production of the Tony-nominated 2003 musical - which The New York Times called "a conclusive demonstration that it's ... More >>

Died and Gone to Houston

City is ready for another honky-tonk close-up.

Upcoming: Night Ranger, KeSha, Soulja Boy, Stars, Etc.

​Black Queen Speaks, Dimitri's Rail: Fri., July 23. Verizon Wireless Theater. Burn The Boats, Venomous Maximus, Secret Prostitutes: Sat., July 24. Rudyard's. Forbidden, Evile, Gama Bomb, Bonded By Blood: Fri., Dec. 3. Scout Bar Clear Lake. Great White, Night Ranger: Sat., Sept. 4. Moody Ga ... More >>

Into the Jungle

The Jungle Rockers are wound too tight for Vietnam...what about Texas?

Westheimer Block Party Listology: Bright Men of Learning Remember Their Parents' Favorite Music

All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. It's not too late for your band to be up here, either; just email chris.gray@houstonpress.com by noon Thursday if ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Bobby Bare, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Mariza, Green Jelly, Randy Rogers, etc.

​Between The Buried And Me, Devin Townsend Band, Cynic, Scale The Summit: Mon., Jan. 11. Meridian. Billy Dean: Fri., April 16. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. Bobby Bare: Sat., May 22. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. "The Canvas Grand Opening" With Chase Hamblin, listenlisten, Sideshow Tramps, The Mighty Orq ... More >>

The Quotable Bono

The loquacious Irishman is pathologically incapable of keeping his opinions to himself.

Distant Early Warning: AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Insect Warfare, Jackson Browne, Puscifer, Son Volt, etc.

​12 Stones, Wake The Light, Saturate, Dine Alone: Wed., Sept. 30. Scout Bar Clear Lake. Aaron Neville Quintet's Christmas Show: Fri., Dec. 4. House of Blues. The Accused, Krum Bums, Owl Witch, H.R.A.: Sun., Oct. 11. Walter's on Washington. AC/DC: Sun., Nov. 8. Toyota Center. Baroness, Iron Age, D ... More >>

Sounds of the Universe

Synth-pop icons Depeche Mode do read their reviews.

Sherwood Cryer, Gilley's Co-Founder and Ornery Cuss, Dies at 83

Chris GraySherwood Cryer at G's Ice House, 1999​Sherwood Cryer, who co-founded legendary super-size Pasadena honky-tonk Gilley's and watched it rocket to worldwide fame in the wake of 1980's Urban Cowboy before a bitter falling out with his partner Mickey Gilley led to the club's demise, passed aw ... More >>

Sherwood Cryer, Gilley's Co-Founder and Ornery Cuss, Dies at 83

Chris GraySherwood Cryer at G's Ice House, 1999​Sherwood Cryer, who co-founded legendary super-size Pasadena honky-tonk Gilley's and watched it rocket to worldwide fame in the wake of 1980's Urban Cowboy before a bitter falling out with his partner Mickey Gilley led to the club's demise, passed aw ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas: Houston and "Brazoria"

The final installment of our Five States of Texas project brings it all back home, to the new state of Brazoria, encompassing all of Southeast Texas from the Brazos Valley to Sabine Pass. ​Patron Saint: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. A master of rock and roll, country, Cajun/Creole, blues and jazz, n ... More >>

Mo's Place Is a Persian Palace

Y'all come to this all-inclusive Katy honky-tonk

Mick Jagger meets Gilley's

Some Girls Ride Bulls

The Best Country Singer in Houston Contest

Sam Houston Race Park hosts its annual singing competition

The Houston 100: From Scarface to Robert Earl Keen

The Dirty Thirty

The worst songs of all time from Texas

Club Directory

Billy Joe's Blues

Billy Joe Shaver has known great blessings and great curses

Overblown and Underrated

So you know Houston's goats, heroes and high points? Think again.

Goth Via Space City

Let other goth acts infest other cities; Asmodeus X is perfectly happy here

Sherwood's Rules

Sherwood Cryer lost his redneck empire the same way he built it: in a tangle of lawyers, women and country music

Last of the Hard-core Troubadours