For decades, James McMurtry has carved out a space where songs are more than melodies. They are gritty character studies, moral landscapes, and moments of hard-won clarity wrapped in crushing hope. McMurtry’s career is storied and steady. From the early years of his debut record Too Long in the Wasteland to the lived-in wisdom of recent albums, he’s built a catalog that feels like roads traveled and lives observed. His songs don’t just tell stories. They inhabit them. And at the heart of his wri

I’ll be solo tonight in Houston at the Mucky Duck, but BettySoo and I will be playing as a duo this Saturday at noon at the Sun Radiothon at Jackalope South Shore in Austin. Come out and see us. | James McMurtry