The beginning of the Austin music scene
An integral seed of the Austin music scene from 1967 to 1976, Sonobeat’s prodigious output introduced Johnny Winter, Eric Johnson, Rusty Wier, James Polk, and dozens of luminary Texas musicians to the world.
Stream some Austin ’60s classics
A dozen years ago, we broke open Sonobeat Records’ master tape vault to restore and remaster some of Sonobeat’s 1960s 45 RPM releases for the digital age. We started with the obvious: the stereo single that launched Sonobeat in 1967, A Picture of Me by the Sweetarts, one of Austin’s hottest club and party bands. We moved on to reissue digital editions of all three stereo singles by Lavender Hill Express from 1967 and ’68, including 50th anniversary editions of Visions and Watch Out. We remixed a 50th anniversary stereo version of Plymouth Rock’s 1969 mono single Memorandum, and capped things off with The Conqueroo’s psych classic 1 To 3. In between, we remastered and reissued digital editions of the first single and album by pop jazz group Lee Arlano Trio. And Sonobeat’s Johnny Winter album, The Progressive Blues Experiment, released worldwide by Liberty Records in 1969, got a remastered digital reissue in 2005. They’re all available on the most popular audio download and streaming sites worldwide, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, and more. Check ’em out here!
In the Spotlight
Bill Miller Group
In 1970 and ’71, Sonobeat recorded the Bill Miller Group, which later became The Daily Planet in homage to the newspaper where Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego, worked. The sessions yielded the album Cold Sun but over the following years the group morphed into Cold Sun and the album became Dark Shadows, named for the cult classic TV series. Miller, a 13th Floor Elevators acolyte, was captivated by Tommy Hall’s amplified jug. When Miller formed his first band, he chose the electric autoharp for his own unique sound.
Unidentified Artists
From 1967 to 1976, Sonobeat recorded hundreds of Austin, Central Texas, national, and international singers, songwriters, and musicians. We’ve spent years culling through the Sonobeat master tape archives, identifying most of those artists. But a few have eluded us because of unmarked or mis-marked tape boxes and missing session notes. Maybe you can help us figure out who some of these unidentified artists are that Sonobeat recorded?
Explore our history
Sonobeat Records was founded in Austin, Texas, in May 1967 and operated in Central Texas until September 1976, releasing two dozen stereo 45 RPM singles and half-a-dozen albums recorded by Austin, Central Texas, and international singers, songwriters, and musicians. Journey back in time with a scrolling list of Sonobeat’s 1960s and ’70s milestones or dive right into Sonobeat’s year-by-year story.
