5. ZZ TOP
ZZ Top has been at the top of Texas rock music for so long that they must seem eternal to many people, and there's not much I can say about them that hasn't been said already. But no band will last forever, so fans of Reverend Gibbons and company should try to catch a ZZ Top concert as soon as they possibly can.


4. JANDEK
Shrouded in mystery, Jandek is described as "The musical project of Corwood Industries, a record label that operates in Houston, Texas." The amazingly prolific Jandek/Corwood Industries has released more than 80 albums and DVDs of strange rock and folk songs since the late '70s, all the while withholding much in the way of biographical material or interviews. The Jandek story — what little we know of it, it being beyond the scope of this article — is an odd one, and worth reading about. Since 2004, Jandek has given relatively frequent performances, which fans obviously should seek out. One never knows when a mysterious artist like this might abruptly stop.


3. DANIEL JOHNSTON
Daniel Johnston was born in Sacramento, California, but his family moved to Texas, where he blossomed as an outsider/indie music pioneer in the early '80s. Johnston's stripped-down, often emotional songs have revealed him to be a talented and unique musical genius. He still performs on occasion, and fans of quirky music should consider attending one of his shows to be mandatory.


2. ROKY ERICKSON
As a founding member of the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Roky helped pioneer the psychedelic music scene of the 1960s, before being sidelined for years after being sent to Rusk State Hospital. After a brilliant but short-lived re-emergence in the late '70s, when Erickson created some of the best weird and spooky rock music ever recorded, he entered a decades-long downward spiral because of his lingering mental issues. After the intervention of one of his brothers, Erickson began to improve and regained functionality, and has made a comeback against all odds. Now in his sixties, Roky regularly performs around Austin, and will be at White Oak Music Hall with the Flaming Lips on May 29.


1. WILLIE NELSON
Explaining why folks should want to see Willie Nelson perform live almost seems redundant to anyone who grew up in Texas. Anyone who cares about country music should see him perform in person at least once in his or her life, and Willie ain't getting any younger.