A Texas Jukebox, a Wink Westerner, and a Teenage Idol

Chair

Joe W. Specht

McMurry University (Ret.)

Presenter

Jonathon Kimbrell

Texas Jukebox Project

The Texas Jukebox Project: Saving Texas Music One Record at a Time

According to a study by the Recording Industry Association of America, roughly 14 percent of music recorded before 1965 is available commercially today. During this era, many of the records produced by independent Texas labels and artists pressed or released fewer than 1,000 copies, making these recordings rare. This study looks at several factors why these recordings are scare, why they are worthy of preservation, and how design-centric solutions will help promote these recordings to new audiences.

Presenter

David Persails

Editor and Historian

Roy Orbison: The Wink Westerner

Roy Orbison: The Wink Westerner traces his 1936 birth in Vernon, childhood guitar and radio shows, and the family's move to the oil town of Wink. The story follows the Wink Westerners through radio and TV spots, the Columbia Records rejection, and the Sun Records signing that made “Ooby Dooby” a hit — leading to worldwide stardom.

Presenter

Steve Davis

Lone Star College

Teen Idol in Texas: Ricky Nelson and Rio Bravo

At the time of his appearance in the 1959 Western, Rio Bravo, Ricky Nelson was at the height of a musical career that would earn his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This presentation will examine the teen idol’s collaboration with stars such as John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Angie Dickinson in this Howard Hawks classic, with an emphasis as well upon the movie’s soundtrack and its enduring Texas themes.