HtownTransfer: My Texas

Shortly after moving to Texas in 2014, I discovered Josh Abbott Band. Their music is fantastic and provides listeners with the sounds of what it’s like to live in Texas, including West Texas where front man Josh Abbott is from. One of their songs is titled “My Texas” and Josh Abbott sings about characteristics and places in Texas that if you haven’t seen, then you “ain’t met my Texas yet.” For anyone visiting or moving to Texas, it might represent a bucket list of sorts to check off, especially as Texans tend to restrict their travels to within the state. At 790 miles long and 660 miles wide with beaches, deserts, near-tropical green spaces, Texas has it all. And after living in Texas for almost 3 years, I have completed a good portion of Josh Abbott’s My Texas bucket list, which I wanted to share with you below. I thought I would list each place he sings about, and provide my thoughts if I have been there, with links or pictures where appropriate:

Josh Abbott’s Texas	My thoughts
Climbed up Enchanted Rock	(never been here but I definitely want to go)
Drank a cold Shiner down in Luckenbach
Taken your baby to the River Walk	The River Walk is a must-see in Texas. Make sure you take the boat tours of the entire River Walk, then go check out the Alamo.
Floated down the ol’ Frio	I floated the Guadalupe, which is close enough!
Heard Red Dirt music on your radio	Red Dirt music is everywhere in Lubbock. I used to walk by the Red Dirt Rebel radio station everyday on my way to work at Texas Tech University
Eaten Cooper’s down in Llano
Been to the Houston Rodeo	Houston Rodeo is one of my favorite things in Texas. Especially the World Championship BBQ Cook-Off that kicks off the whole rodeo
Sang “Carry On’ at a Pat Green show	I sang Carry On with Pat Green when he opened for Josh Abbott, so I should get double points for this
Seen an Abilene sunset	Abilene sunsets are pretty nice. Feels like you can see the whole Wild West when watching the sun go down there
Caught a trout in Port A
Heard the words to Corpus Christi Bay	Corpus Christi Bay is a classic Robert Earl Keen song. Keen is from Houston
Seen fireworks on PK	(never been to Possum Kingdom, which is a state park just west of Dallas, but it looks pretty awesome)
Had a kolache when you go through West
Heard of the Larry Joe Taylor Fest	Not only have I heard of LJT music fest, but I went a few years ago. One of the craziest weekends I have ever had but the music is fantastic there
Think polished pop country sounds the best	Polished pop country is trash
Been to the Ft. Worth stock show
Sang along with Cory Morrow	Got to sing along with Cory Morrow at the Houston Rodeo this year
Seen a hill country sunset	I’ve seen a hill country sunset AND sunrise. Both are really nice
Hiked through Big Bend
Had your hair blown back by a Lubbock wind	Lubbock weather can be nuts. The night I moved to Lubbock, the wind and rain were so crazy that it was raining sideways and flooded my loft.
Been somewhere where they call you friend	They call you friend everywhere in Texas
Been to the San Antone rodeo
Sang “Everclear” at a Creager show	If you ever go to a Creager show, make sure you are prepared to get soaked with beer, because when he plays “Everclear” everyone goes nuts
Seen an El Paso sunset	El Paso sunsets are really cool, especially if you watch the sunset over the mountains that run through the middle of the city