3. OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE Another legendary listening room on our list, the Old Quarter is somewhere everyone In Houston should go check out if they have not done so already. Townes Van Zandt was close friends and bandmate to owner Wrecks Bell, once recording a song inspired by Bell titled "Rex's Blues." Old Quarter declares itself the place "Where lyrics still count," and singer-songwriters who currently stop by on a regular basis include Guy Forsyth, Shake Russell and Ruthie Foster.

Old Quarter is a historical place that continues on the tradition of the original Old Quarter in Houston; located downtown at the corner of Congress and Austin, its where Van Zandt recorded one of his best albums, 1973's Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas. Bell opened the "new" Old Quarter in 1996, and it was resurrected yet again thanks to the series of fundraisers thrown by patrons and musicians after the Old Quarter was shut down for several months in 2008 following Hurricane Ike. The late Van Zandt played here twice before passing away in 1997.

413 20th St., Galveston, oldquarteracousticcafe.com

2. ANDERSON FAIR RETAIL RESTAURANT Anderson Fair has been hosting original singer-songwriters from its Montrose location on Grant Street since back in 1969, making it one of the nation's oldest music venues in continuous operation. Its small main room has been praised by many musicians throughout the years for its fantastic sound; Townes Van Zandt and Lyle Lovett are two of the most noteworthy performers to play here, among many other greats.

This should be placed on your must-visit list, but only come out if you can remain silent and turn off your cell phone during a performance; it's a listening room and not a place to chat. Anderson's volunteer staff sells a generous selection of beers and wine as well as bar food, but be sure to bring cash, and stick around after the shows to meet and greet the artists (and buy some of their CDs) if you like.

2007 Grant, andersonfair.net

1. MCGONIGEL'S MUCKY DUCK Established in 1990, McGonigel's Mucky Duck is a music venue as well as an Irish pub/restaurant; patrons who dine in receive preferred seating for live performances. Ray Wylie Hubbard, James McMurtry and Shake Russell are just some of the artists who perform at the Duck on a pretty regular basis, and the venue is unique in that musicians visiting here often play both early and late shows on the nights they perform.

Management enforces (strictly) the Duck's "Silence is Golden" rule, which requests that people who want to talk step outside to the patio so as not to distract from the performance onstage. In addition to the touring and local musicians who come through here, aspiring singer-songwriters get a chance to perform before a live audience at the Duck's weekly open-mike night.

2425 Norfolk, mcgonigels.com

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