Texas blues isn’t just a genre, it’s the heartbeat of the Lone Star State. Born out of struggle and resilience, this music reflects the very soul of Texas.

At the forefront of Texas blues was Blind Lemon Jefferson, often called the “Father of Texas Blues,” whose skillful guitar playing and distinctive voice left a lasting mark on the genre. In the late 1920s, Jefferson became one of the first blues musicians to reach a wide audience through his recordings with Paramount Records. His sound formed the foundation of what we recognize today as Texas blues. Tracks like “Matchbox Blues” have stood the test of time, covered by the likes of Bob Dylan and The Beatles. Jefferson’s influence spread far and wide, shaping musicians from T-Bone Walker to Lead Belly.

Jefferson’s guitar style was unique. He hammered the strings with repetitive bass lines and a blend of open and fretted notes, using quick releases and single-string arpeggio runs. T-Bone Walker later adapted this technique to the electric guitar, mixing it with influences from jump and swing blues of regional jazz bands of the 1920s and 1930s that would go on to produce the genre’s modern sound. Blues singer Lead Belly, born near Caddo Lake on the border of northeast Texas and northwest Louisiana, moved to Dallas around 1912 and quickly joined the vibrant music scene in Deep Ellum, where he was particularly influenced by Jefferson’s fingerstyle.

Texas blues didn’t just take root in Dallas. Houston became a major player, too, thanks to Don Robey, a music entrepreneur who opened the Bronze Peacock Dinner Club in 1945. Robey booked numerous jazz bands, but it was Lightnin’ Hopkins—ranked on Rolling Stone’s 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list—who helped cement Houston’s place as a hotspot for Texas blues. In the mid-1900s, Houston’s Third and Fifth Wards were home to blues clubs like Club Matinee, Etta’s Lounge, and the Silver Slipper. Though many of these venues are now gone, spots like The Big Easy and the El Dorado Ballroom continue to carry the torch. Meanwhile, the Juneteenth Blues Festival, which began in 1976 in Houston, continues to serve as a platform for blues artists.

While Dallas and Houston built their blues scenes, Austin’s took longer to develop. Nevertheless, the city’s blues roots now run deep, thanks to artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose statue stands today at the foot of Lady Bird Lake, and W.C. Clark, often called the “Godfather of Austin Blues” for his influence on the local scene. Their success opened doors for established African-American blues artists who found new audiences at iconic venues like Antone’s, which I visited in 2021 to discuss my Save Our Stages Act, now law, to support the live music industry during the pandemic. Founded in 1975, Antone’s remains one of the most respected blues venues in the country.

The influence of Texas blues can even be felt in smaller cities like Luckenbach, a Hill Country town where country music and blues blend. Every year, the Luckenbach Blues Festival—taking place in January—brings local and regional artists to honor the genre’s legacy and offer an authentic experience that captures the raw energy and soul of Texas blues.

As the song goes, “Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas, with Waylon and Willie and the boys.” In a place where Hank Williams’ pain-filled songs meet Newbury’s train songs and “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain,” the blues is still alive and kicking. In Luckenbach—and all over the Lone Star State—the music speaks for itself. Whether on the backroads of Luckenbach or in the downtown streets of Dallas, Houston, and Austin, Texas blues continues to bridge the past and present, while introducing a new generation to its rich legacy.