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Texas America250: Sounds and Scenes of Texas
The sounds and scenes created by and about Texans are how many people come to know who we are. Stories shared on the page and screens, large and small, have brought Texas into focus. Gus and Woodrow from Lonesome Dove took us all out on the cattle trail in literature and on television. James Michener used the State Archives to write his monumental novel Texas, and the State Library stacks are filled with thousands more books connected to our culture.
The blues have deep roots in the Lone Star State, along with the twang of country artists, the horns of Tejano music, and the rhythms of western swing. Every genre has a place in Texas.
Five men posed in studio with musical instruments, undated. Harry Lund photograph collection, 1964/263-132. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Edison Standard Phonograph, 1908-1910. Artifacts Collection, ATF0354.
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One of the most well-known American inventors, Thomas Edison, developed a machine to play voice recordings in New Jersey in 1877. Cylinders were used in early models like this one before round disks became more popular in the twentieth century, when most recordings were of music for entertainment. These devices offered the ability to play recorded music on-demand in the home and greatly expanded the popularity of musical acts.
Learn more about this Edison Standard Phonograph model on our Texas Digital Archive site. 
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas world premiere press release, 1982. Texas Film Commission press releases, 1972-1984, 2006/180-06.
Link to The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas world premiere press release page 1.
Link to The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas world premiere press release page 2.
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Governor Clements, Dolly Parton, and Burt Reynolds at the world premiere of film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Austin, July 11, 1982. Governor Clements at world premiere of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, 1983/011-9.
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Country music singer Dolly Parton starred with Burt Reynolds in the 1982 film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and visited Austin for the world premiere at the Paramount Theatre on July 11, 1982. The movie was filmed in and around Austin, Pflugerville, and Halletsville. Movies set in Texas have raised the profile of the state in the media landscape.
Sights and Sounds Collage: View list of captions
South by Southwest brochure, 1987. Texas Music Office records, 2015/067-2875.
Link to South by Southwest brochure, 1987 front.
Link to South by Southwest brochure, 1987 back.
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South by Southwest (SXSW) started in 1987 in Austin as the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. The event was founded by a group of local creatives aiming to establish a platform for the talented but underexposed music scene in the area. The inaugural event was a four-day gathering that showcased 177 acts on 15 stages and attracted more than 700 attendees. SXSW continues to be a premier annual event drawing national and international attendees for music, innovation, film, and television activities.
Feeling Mortal, Kris Kristofferson, promotional CD, 2012. Texas Music Office records, 2015/067-2890.
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Texans like Kris Kristofferson have helped create and shape the country music genre as both songwriters and performers. Kristofferson was part of the “outlaw country” sound with fellow Texans Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, who, along with Johnny Cash, formed the group The Highwaymen. His song, “Me and Bobby McGee” brought fame to another Texan singing in a different genre altogether: Janis Joplin belting out rock and roll.
XVI Tejano Music Awards Special Collector’s Edition VHS, 1996. Texas Music Office records, 2015/067-2888. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
The first Tejano Music Awards were held in San Antonio in 1981, and the event has grown to attract thousands each year. Selena Quintanilla, the “Queen of Tejano Music,” won numerous awards in 1996, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Female Entertainer of the Year. The Tejano music genre, with Native, European, and Mexican influences combining with American roots, is a contribution to the music scene made possible by the unique history, geography, and culture of the state.
Texas and Texans Featured in Books
Pearl: The Obsessions and Passions of Janis Joplin, by Ellis Amburn, 1992. TSLAC-MAIN Collection , 781.66 AM19P. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
To Selena, with Love, by Chris Perez, 2013. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 782.42164 P415t. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Giant, by Edna Ferber, 1952. TSLAC-Main, TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 813 F373. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Texas, by James Michener, 1986. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 813.54 M582T 1986. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Lonesome Dove: A Novel, by Larry McMurtry, 1985. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 813.54 M229L. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
O. Henry Papers: Containing Some Sketches of His Life Together with an Alphabetical Index to His Complete Works, 1973. TSLAC-MAIN Collection, 928.1 P835oh. Click or tap on image to view larger version.