At a ceremony on March 1 at Austin's Long Center for the Performing Arts, Governor Rick Perry will present Texas Medal of Arts Awards to 12 outstanding individuals, businesses and organizations in recognition of creative excellence in the arts.
This year, Houston is represented by two recipients: The Alley Theatre and ZZ Top.
The award comes on the heels of Perry's big middlefinger to Texas artists in the form of a proposed ax job on the Texas Commission for the Arts.
60 Minutes' Scott Pelley will emcee the ceremony, in which CBS' Bob Schieffer (a 60 Minutes contributor) will also receive an award.
Call it theatre of the absurd.
The ceremony's other recipients include art educator Tom Staley, internationally acclaimed artist James Drake, Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson, Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, and actor Bill Paxton.
Previous recipients include Willie Nelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Laura W. Bush, Van Cliburn, Robert Rodriguez, Walter Cronkite, Robert Raushcenberg, Clint Black, Lyle Lovett, Austin City Limits, Neiman Marcus and Exxon Mobil.