KUT Documents Armadillo World HQ


Warning: Use of undefined constant wpurl - assumed 'wpurl' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/y9gq09f5yym1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/add-to-facebook-plugin/addtofacebook.php on line 50

Even I have heard of the Armadillo World Headquarters, the legendary club in Austin, Texas that helped birth many bands, but is especially well-known for its role in establishing the city as a musical hotbed of its own. The Armadillo is where the Outlaw Country movement was created by a confluence of hippies and rednecks, combining to give the music exit velocity in the mid 70s. Of course, the music and the city are in higher orbit than ever!

KUT, the great public radio station based at the University of Texas, has taken on the task of documenting the history of the venue, which no longer stands. There is a lot of story to be told, not just about Willie and Waylon, but also including the top rock acts of the day. The Armadillo oral history includes amazing tales of Bruce Springsteen’s first night in Austin (introductory $1 tickets), the fans, the artwork and how it became one of the epicenters of 70s music.

Armadillo World Headquarters Oral History Project from KUT 90.5 Austin on Vimeo.

Congrats and thanks to KUT and its blog Texas Music Matters for a cool project, and well-executed. Every station should try something similar, even if it doesn’t include music. As culture curators, these stations and their blogs have a great opportunity to educate and entertain simultaneously.

“It was a group of people stepping outside the norm of society. I guarantee you no one there was normal” – Kerry Awn

Comments are closed.