When in Texas, It's the Bestest
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TRAVEL MATTERS TRAVEL TALK WITH TRUE TEXANS from the Dallas area—in pursuit of a blues-based power trio. ZZ Top played its first gig at the Beaumont Knights of Co- lumbus Hall on Feb. 10, 1970— and never looked back. Millions of album sales and thousands of worldwide concerts later, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fam- ers still tour Texas nearly every year. Earlier this summer, Gib- bons took time for a tour-bus email exchange en route to a concert in Amarillo. What are your family’s Q: Texas roots? Irish mom and Eng- A: lish dad engaged with the presence of mind to make Texas a deep-seated home. Q: Where do you live now? A: We are asked often and pre- fer to humorously offer our col- lective ZZ Top reply, “We reside on the tour bus—it just keeps changing towns!” Anywhere from Texas to California to Las Vegas and all-points-in-between. Q: How much of the year do you spend touring? When in Texas, it’s the Bestest A: The recent touring sea- ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons on the blues, Tex-Mex, and BBQ sons have allowed us to travel for about 300 days a year. Tex- story by Matt Joyce as appearances are always a seasonal priority. OU’D BE HARD-PRESSED TO NAME A BAND THAT DEFINES Texas rock ’n’ roll any better than ZZ Top. Over nearly 50 years, “Make no Q: How does your work break the Houston-born trio has cultivated a mythical swagger mistake, down between ZZ Top and other Y projects? marked by versatility, irreverence, and a relentless pursuit of larger- Tex-Mex than-life guitar riffs and good times. cuisine A:The interesting escapades Guitarist and singer Billy Gibbons propels the “little ol’ band from remains at outside ZZ Top have enjoyed a va- Texas” with his distinctive boogie-blues style and tone. When the the top of riety of settings. Everything from radio dial lands on a ZZ Top song, everybody knows it. The sound is our always- participating with many admired part Rio Grande mud, part prickly pear cactus. Part smoked brisket, growing fellow recording artists from part grilled jalapeños. list of Queens of the Stone Age to Willie Born and raised in a musical family in Houston, Gibbons got an fave-rave Nelson, Keith Richards, and the early introduction to rhythm and blues from a babysitter who took him destinations.” great Chris Stapleton, as well as along to clubs in the Fourth Ward. He started playing guitar at 14 and working with our exotic aggrega- cut his teeth in garage bands and the psychedelic Moving Sidewalks tion known as The Jungle Show. before recruiting drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill—both It’s a demanding > continued on page 74 80 texashighways.com Illustration by Charlie Powell TRAVEL MATTERS continued from page 80 getaway, yet it’s a constant groove. of the state rides high on our list. Big with so many players I have come to Bend is a fascinating zone that con- admire—Jimmie Vaughan, Mike Fla- Q: And you had a TV acting stint… tinually presents a changing visual nigin, Cindy Cashdollar, Van Wilks, A: Our extended stay onboard the experience each and every visit. Liz Ruby Jane, Redd Volkaert, Eric John- Fox television series Bones went from a Lambert’s El Cosmico resort in Marfa son, Sue Foley, Chris Layton, Lucinda simple one-time appearance into a 12- is another bonus. San Antonio’s Hotel Williams, honorary Texan Austin year run. Quite a hilarious bonding with Valencia at the River Walk provides Hanks, Joe Ely, Gary Clark Jr., Ray some truly fascinating characters. Quite tantalizing treats for tourists. Don’t Wylie Hubbard, Willie Nelson and the enjoyable outing to say the least. leave out the lengthy stretches of band, Billy Pittman, Fran Christina, beachfront beauty. Surf’s up! George Rains, Denny Freeman, Derek Q: Favorite Texas venues to play? O’Brien, Ray Benson, Rosie Flores, A: Wherever we may be in the Great Steve Barber, Alejandro Escovedo, ALL POINTS IN-BETWEEN State, we always say, “When in Texas, ZZ Top plays El Paso Sept. 6, Johnny Nicholas, Doyle Bramhall II, it’s the bestest!” Not to mention that San Antonio Sept. 8, and Lou Ann Barton, and Flaco Jimenez each and every stop presents the allure Sugar Land Sept. 10. Keep up with just to name a few. of Tex-Mex cuisine to enhance the Billy Gibbons and the band at Q: How do you explain ZZ Top’s sonic experience from border to border. zztop.com and billygibbons.com. Always a treat. enduring appeal? A: We always express our enjoyment Q: Favorite places to eat? Q: What makes Texas music special? of getting to do what we get to do. We A: Make no mistake, Tex-Mex cui- A: Texas music is lively and likable keep on keepin’ on… sine remains at the top of our always- with a range of sonic expressions that growing list of fave-rave destinations. know no bounds. Play them blues and Q: What’s your take on the current In Austin, for instance, there’s La play ’em L-O-U-D…! popularity of beards? Condesa Modern Mexican and a cou- A: Well, it’s one of those unexpected ple of other favorites, Matt’s El Rancho, Q: Important musical influences? fashion statements that comes around and you can’t beat Cisco’s for a casual A: Well, it’s more than fair to say my every now and again. Take along the Tex-Mex Sunday brunch. Let’s not for- partners Dusty Hill and Frank Beard styling gel! get San Antonio with Acenar’s south- top the list. We, as a band, seem to fall of-the-border specialties and, of course, toward delivering interpretations of Q: Biggest changes you’ve seen in for 24-hour convenience, Mi Tierra that great American art form “The Texas during your time? remains a city cornerstone. Houston Blues.” And without question, the wave A: The skylines continue to abound boasts the delights at Cyclone Anaya’s. of originators of those expressions is in ways that say bigger and better in Tila’s real Mexican dishes are splendid, many. Jimmy Reed, Howlin’ Wolf, the Lone Star State. Then again, the as are the recipes prepared at Molina’s Muddy Waters, and the endless list of sheer enormity of the boundaries de- and Armandos. The Velvet Taco in Dal- that exquisite long line of expression- fies attempts to take it all in at once. As las is a definite late-night destination. ists from the ’50s and ’60s. soon as one avenue is covered, a com- And when passing through El Paso, be We hold in high esteem another pletely different vista appears around sure to stop at the H&H Car Wash for gangly group of greats such as T-Bone the next turn. That’s BIG! a clean machine and a handful of their Walker, Roky Erickson, Albert Collins, fine handmade tacos. Cafe Central next Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, and, of Q: What projects do you have to El Paso’s famed Pioneer Plaza has course, Lightnin’ Hopkins. And that coming up? the best toreados anywhere. long list of artists appearing on the A: Another ZZ Top release is in the The Texas Barbecue Trail runs side- great recording label from Houston, works as we make way toward cel- by-side, too. Franklin’s in Austin re- Duke Records, remains a highlight of ebrating a 50-year anniversary. And quires an early-bird arrival. Black’s entertainment as well. “playin’ them blues” remains a fixture and Smitty’s in Lockhart are epic. of unchanging admiration. Rock on! From the southernmost border tip Q: Favorite Texas musicians still Texas Highways (ISSN 0040-4349) is published monthly by the of the “T” to all other locales, there’s playing? Texas Department of Transportation, 150 E. Riverside Drive, something for everyone. A: [Austin-based] Sun Radio sends Austin, Texas 78704; phone 512/486-5858, fax 512/486-5879. The official travel magazine of Texas encourages travel within the state out a barrage of great sounds spotlight- and tells the Texas story to readers around the world. Q: Favorite Texas vacation spots? ing a special preference to honor Texas Periodicals Postage paid at Austin, Texas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Highways A: The desert Southwest portion players of all sorts. I’ve remained pals Circulation, P.O. Box 8559, Big Sandy, Texas 75755-8559. 74 texashighways.com TRAVEL MATTERS TRAVEL TALK WITH TRUE TEXANS Antonio in the 1950s and ’60s. The people, places, traditions, cuisine, and language of the bar- rio permeate her stories, giving them a distinctive flavor. Tafolla has penned odes to her home- town—its missions, river, and history—as well as poems de- picting the daily lives of Mexi- can-Americans. Her nonfiction works range from such topics as the sociopolitical struggles of her ancestors to the vibrant his- tory of tamale-making parties known as tamaladas. Tafolla is recognized particu- larly for her strong female char- acters, several of whom she has portrayed as part of her travel- ing one-woman show My Heart Speaks a Different Language. With more than 20 books to her name, Tafolla is also a profes- sor of transformative children’s literature at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her sto- ries help keep the spirit and heri- tage of her ancestral city alive. Why did you start Q: writing? Lyrical Herencia I was born into a A: family that gathered The poetry of Carmen Tafolla in the backyard on Saturday nights, with tamales and Big story by Heather Brand Red, watching the fireflies and telling stories of Texas snakes EARLY EVERY YEAR SINCE 1932, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE I was born or ancestors’ struggles.