d The armadillo has been associated with the Austin music scene since the late 1960s but came to full prominence as the namesake and mascot of Armadillo World Headquarters, the iconic Austin music hall that opened in summer 1970. The distinctive illustrations of the armor-shelled mammal that adorned Armadillo World Headquarters are the creation of legendary Austin artist Jim Franklin.
The beginning of the Austin music scene
(Re)discover the roots of Austin music
Austin's music scene started here
Only in Austin do you find Austin City Limits, SXSW, and an A-to-Z musical night life... In the late '60s, Austin music is red hot with it's unique brand of Southern and psychedelic rock, cosmic cowboy, and Afro-jazz music, fueled by over 35,000 University of Texas students, a thriving garage band scene, and the epicenter of Texas government. It's a happenin' scene...
We've added a few new books to our shelf
One of our newest additions is a book we missed when first published in 2017: Never A Dull Moment by David Hepworth. Turns out, this survey of 1971 is the basis for the current Apple TV+ documentary series 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything. Wander over to Our Bookshelf for our quick reviews of this and more music-based books.
Test your Austin music history knowledge
OK, time to test your knowledge. If you grew up in Central Texas in the '60s or '70s, or if you're an Austin music history buff, we challenge you. Four sets of questions about Austin and Central Texas music spanning the period 1967 to 1976 plus three tough bonus questions, including a new question for 2021. Yep, time for a Sonobeat Pop Quiz!
