Unveiled on Nov. 21, 1993, this statue honoring blues icon Stevie Ray Vaughan has become an iconic symbol of Austin's music scene. It has also become a must-see for visiting musicians and guests to the city during the South by Southwest Festival. It is situated on a hiking and biking trail in Lake Metropolitan Park, in an area called Auditorium Shores where Vaughan performed on a number of occasions.
Dedicated on April 20, 2012, this eight-foot bronze statue honors the career of Austin native Willie Nelson. Artist Clete Shields depicted the musician with his famous guitar "Trigger" resting on his knee to convey the country artist's style and personality, while the choice of dedication date offers a tribute to one of Nelson's favorite pastimes and causes. The statue was commissioned by Austin’s Capital Area Statues.
Since its completion in 2011, ACL Live at the Moody Theater has been the home of Austin City Limits. The famous PBS show was originally taped a few miles north, in Studio 6A on the University of Texas Austin campus, from its inception in 1974 through 2010. Having outgrown the old space, the show’s producers became involved with the construction of a new, state-of-the-art theater that would be tailor-made to serve the program's needs. The venue is a part of Block 21, a $300 million real estate development project that helped transform downtown Austin’s 2nd Street District. ACL Live at the Moody Theater officially opened in February of 2011, in time for ACL's 38th season. Though Austin City Limits caps audience attendance at 800 for its 45 annual tapings, the venue utilizes its full 2,750 person capacity for 100 other concerts and performances throughout the year.
Established in 1871, the Historic Scoot Inn is believed to be the oldest continuously-operating watering hole in Central Texas. The bar holds Austin's fourth-oldest liquor license, and its current facade dates back to 1889. It was originally opened as a grocery store to serve travelers arriving on the newly built railroad. Although it gained a reputation for bootlegging, it did not officially become a saloon until 1940. The Inn began booking bands in 2006, and in recent years it has become one of Austin’s premier live music venues. In 2016, the Historic Scoot Inn underwent a major renovation while maintaining its historic character.
Opened in 1945 by Johnny Holmes, Victory Grill was once the center of the blues and R&B scene in Austin. The grill was named after V-J (Victory over Japan) Day to celebrate the war that ended World War II. Two years after purchasing a little ice house, Holmes opened a stage behind his restaurant and established a family-friendly music venue for the community of East Austin. Here, legendary bluesmen such as B.B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Gatemouth Brown, and T-Bone Walker played their first sets, and nationally renowned performers like James Brown, Chuck Berry, and Janis Joplin graced the stage.[1] After a fire closed down the establishment in 1988, community efforts led to its reopening in 1996. In 2019, it became the home of The Rolling Rooster, a soul food franchise that plans to continue the Victory Grill’s tradition of hosting live blues and R&B music. Today the restaurant offers classic Southern comfort food, including fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens. You can still hear the music from the former Victory Grill, which continues to host live performances showcasing the best of Austin's vibrant music scene.[2]
Founded in 1984, the Texas Music Museum celebrates the state's rich musical heritage. Its collection is comprised of artifacts, photographs, documents, reference materials, and oral histories. Genres covered are: Texas Historic and Patriotic, Country, Gospel, Classical, Cowboy, Big Band, Western Swing, Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Jazz, Ragtime and Barrelhouse, Soul, and Popular, as well as Texas ethnic music, including Tejano, Czech, African American, German, and Native American. The museum is housed in the Marvin C. Griffin Building.
The Scholz Beer Garten is one of Austin's most popular and best known cultural institutions. Established in 1866 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Scholz Beer Garten is the oldest continuously operating business in Texas and oldest operating beer garden in the country. German immigrant and Confederate Civil War veteran August Scholz founded it after the war to have a place for fellow Germans to socialize and entertain themselves with music, especially singing. Today, Scholz continues to be a popular place for people of all walks of life, especially University of Austin students, to socialize and watch sports games.
Opened in 1979, the Cactus Cafe is one of Austin’s most revered live music venues. The Cactus is located in a corner of the Union Building, which was built during the Great Depression. For over forty years, the intimate 150-seat room has hosted many musical luminaries, particularly in the folk, country, and Americana genres. The Cactus was almost closed in 2010, but opposition from the community and around the globe was strong enough to reverse the decision. The beloved listening room is now operated by the University’s radio station KUTX, and continues to host concerts and events throughout the year.
Studio 6A was the original home of the Austin City Limits television show, from its inception in 1974 until its relocation in 2010. Studio 6A was one of two studios used by the PBS affiliate KLRN, which became KLRU in 1987. KLRN programming director Bill Arhos conceived the show along with producer Paul Bosner and director Bruce Scafe, believing that Austin’s thriving musical scene would appeal to a national audience. The pilot episode, featuring Willie Nelson, was taped on October 17, 1974, and hundreds of legendary performers graced the stage in the subsequent 36 years. Though not built for live music, Studio 6A proved to be an ideal setting for capturing an intimate performance. After outgrowing Studio 6A, ACL moved into the brand-new Moody Theater in downtown Austin in 2011. Studio 6A has continued to be used by KLRU for other shows, though the station plans to move its headquarters to the Austin Community College Highland Campus in the fall of 2020.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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Starting in Central Austin with the original home of Austin City Limits, this tour works its way south with stops at some of the city's most famous live music venues, the Texas Music Museum, and statues of Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
