About the Josh Abbott Band
Josh Abbott founded the band in 2006 in Lubbock, Texas. He was attending Texas Tech University, and he built the band with his grad school fraternity brothers from Phi Delta Theta.
About the Song
“My Texas” is a song that is heavily focused on bringing to light everything that the band believes to be the encapsulation of “their” Texas. Each verse of the songs ends with “Then you ain’t met My Texas yet”. There is a huge emphasis on My Texas which expresses their Texan pride. Each lyric of the song describes a particular event/action that an individual has to do to truly understand Texas. Moreover, the song invoked all the senses of the audience: sight, hear, taste, smell, and touch. The Texan-ness of the song is related to all these actions, events, and locations, as it describes all the things that Texans love and hold pride in.
Lyrics
The goal of the following section is to use images and audio to bring to life the Texas described by the Josh Abbott Band.
Verse 1
If you haven’t climbed up to Enchanted Rock,
Drank a cold Shiner down in Luckenbach,
Taken your baby to the River Walk,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Enchanted Rock: A state park famous for its pink granite dome located in Gillespie & Llano Counties
- Shiner: A beer that comes from the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas; the oldest independent brewery in the state.
- River Walk: The San Antonio Riverwalk is a public park in the city, and it is famous for its beautiful architecture. It hosts several attractions, activities, and historic sites
Verse 2
If you haven’t floated down the ‘Ol Frio,
Heard Red Dirt music on your radio,
Eaten Cooper’s down in Llano,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Ol Frio: The Frio River runs through the heart of Texas Hill Country. The word Frio is Spanish for cold which refers to the spring-fed coolness of the river. The Dry, East, and West Frio Rivers are the three main tributaries of the river.
- Cooper’s down in Llano:
Located in the Texas Hill Country, the BBQ capital of the world. Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is honored to be the best of the best in the barbecue business and home of the original World Famous “Big Chop.
The Wootan Family has provided its World Famous Pit Barbecue to hundreds of thousands of hungry diners over the years at its family-owned and operated restaurant. Now you can get a taste of Texas Hill Country BBQ that restaurant reviewers have raved about, and remember It’s All About The Meat.
Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que Menu
Verse 3
You haven’t been to the Houston rodeo,
Sang “Carry On” at a Pat Green show,
If you ain’t seen an Abilene sunset,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- “Carry On” at a Pat Green show: The song is a single by Pat Green from his album Three Days. It speaks about missing Texas and being away from home.
- Abilene Sunset
Verse 4
If you never caught a trout down in Port A,
Heard the words to Corpus Christi Bay,
Never seen fireworks on PK,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Port A (Aransas):
Known as the “Fishing Capital of Texas,” Port Aransas boasts the best in all areas of the sport. Anglers can take an offshore excursion, fish the bays and channels, and cast a line in the surf or from one of the lighted public piers. Fishing tournaments abound during the summer, with one nearly every weekend, ranging from kids to women only and billfish to redfish tournaments.
Port Aransas Official Website
- Corpus Christi Bay: One of the few natural harbors on the Texas Coast. The economic growth of the city bordering the bay was due to the port complex that was created there in 1926.
- Fireworks on PK: A fireworks display on Possum Kingdom (PK) Lake in Texas. One of the most unique displays as fireworks are shot off from both sides of Hells Gate to create a mesmerizing view above the lake.
Verse 5
Haven’t had a kolache when you go through West,
Never heard of the Larry Jo Taylor fest,
Think polished pop country crap sounds the best,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Kolache: These are sweet Czech pastries made from a ball of yeast dough filled with cheese or fruit. The kolache came to Texas when thousands of people immigrated from Czech Republic during the 1880’s and built communities there. While traditional kolaches are fruit-filled, a savory twist was incorporated by Texans. The fruit and cheese were replaced with sausage, cheese and jalapeños to create a different version of a pig in a blanket. The correct name for the savory kolache is “klobasniky” which means little sausage.
- Larry Jo Taylor fest:
LJT has not always been the large 6-day Texas music event it is today. 32 years ago, venues for singer/songwriters were almost non-existent. Larry Joe wanted a place for he and his friends to play their own music and to provide a music friendly environment where both the artists and fans felt a common ground. The first few festivals drew music fans from the 70’s “outlaw” era or avis “chili cooks” who also happened to like original music. Many years later it became known as a springboard for many talented but unknown singer/songwriters and bands as well as staging well known artists from the past and present. Today, the Taylors and their crew continue looking for new ways to improve the fan and VIP experience, enhance the traditions of camping out, picking, singing and telling stories around a campfire, and showcasing the best original music in the nation.
Larry Jo Taylor Festival Official Website
Verse 6
You haven’t been to the Ft. Worth stock show,
Sang along with Cory Morrow,
You ain’t seen a hill country sunset,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Ft. Worth Stock Show: Oldest continuously running live stock show since 1896. The show runs for 23 days and in 2022 consisted of a total 29,000 entries (animals, contestants, judging teams).
- Cory Morrow: Born in Houston, Texas on May 1st, 1971, Morrow is a legendary singer/songwriter. He has sold several albums and gained immense popularity in the Lone Star State. A few of his notable songs include “Texas Time Travelin'”, “Beat of your Heart”, and “The Highway”.
- Hill Country sunset
Verse 7
You say you haven’t hiked through Big Bend,
Had your hair blown back by a Lubbock wind,
Been somewhere where they call you “friend”,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
- Big Bend: Located in Southwest, Texas bordering Mexico. “It includes massive canyons, vast desert expanses, forested mountains, and an ever-changing river”.
Verse 8
You haven’t been to the San Antone
Rodeo, sang “Everclear” at a Creager show,
If you ain’t seen an El Paso sunset,
Then you ain’t met My Texas yet.
No, you ain’t met My Texas yet!
- “Everclear” at a Creager show: The song is about Everclear – a grain distilled spirit. In the song, Roger Creager fondly remembers different memories of him drinking Everclear and the mischiefs/illegal activities that he was involved in while intoxicated.
Tequila dries me out, and beer just makes me fat
Whiskey makes me nauseous, tell me who the hell needs that?
If you’re thinkin’ about drinkin’, then the answer’s crystal clear
Its the invisible intoxicant….its called everclear
Chorus of the song “Everclear” by Roger Creager
- El Paso sunset
Sources
“21 Amazing Things to Do at the San Antonio River Walk.” Enchanting Texas, 17 Sept. 2021, enchantingtexas.com/san-antonio-riverwalk/.
“A Guide to Visiting Enchanted Rock State Park, TX: A Magical Texas Hill Country Park.” Lost with Lydia, www.lostwithlydia.com/destinations/usa/tx/Visiting-Enchanted-Rock/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“About.” Josh Abbott Band, www.joshabbottband.com/about. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“About Texas Music Festival.” Larryjoetaylor.com, larryjoetaylor.com/texas_music_festival/about.htm. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Cooper’s BBQ: Llano, Texas | (325) 247-5713 |.” Www.coopersbbqllano.com, www.coopersbbqllano.com/index.html. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Cory Morrow Best Songs List: Top, New, & Old.” AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/cory-morrow-mn0000124825/songs. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Cory Morrow Biography, Songs, & Albums.” AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/cory-morrow-mn0000124825/biography. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
Davis, Wynne. “The Czech Pastry That Took Texas by Storm, and Keeps Gaining Strength.” NPR, 28 Nov. 2016, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/11/28/502088150/the-czech-pastry-that-took-texas-by-storm-and-keeps-gaining-strength#:~:text=It’s%20%22ko%2Dlah%2Dchee.%22.
“Explore Things to Do in Port a on Mustang Island.” Www.portaransas.org, www.portaransas.org/things-to-do/#:~:text=Known%20as%20the%20%E2%80%9CFishing%20Capital. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Frio River.” Www.visituvaldecounty.com, www.visituvaldecounty.com/p/rivers/frio-river. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
Gentry, Bryce. “Hells Gate Fireworks.” Possum Kingdom Lake Reporter, pklrtx.com/tag/hells-gate-fireworks/#:~:text=Hells%20Gate%20Firework%20Show%20%7C%20July%209th%202022&text=This%20is%20definitely%20one%20of. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Josh Abbott – My Texas (Feat. Pat Green) High Quality.” YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnAPvDXcadg. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Josh Abbott Band Biography.” Last.fm, www.last.fm/music/Josh+Abbott+Band/+wiki. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Key Statistics / Economic Impact.” Www.fwssr.com, www.fwssr.com/p/plan-a-visit/who-we-are/key-statistics–economic-impact. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
Park, Mailing Address: PO Box 129 Big Bend National, and TX 79834-0129 Phone: 432-477-2251 Contact Us. “Basic Information – Big Bend National Park (U.S. National Park Service).” Www.nps.gov, www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm.
“Pat Green – Carry On.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ak0w1dNZOE&ab_channel=ChrisMosser. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Pat Green – Carry on Lyrics.” Www.stlyrics.com, www.stlyrics.com/songs/p/patgreen2987/carryon1637031.html. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Roger Creager – the Everclear Song.” Genius.com, genius.com/Roger-creager-the-everclear-song-lyrics. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
Texas, Day Tripping’. “Frio River in the Hill Country.” Day Trippin’ Texas, 5 June 2017, daytrippintexas.com/frio-river-hill-country/.
“The Story behind Shiner Bock from Tasting Notes to a Review.” The Spruce Eats, www.thespruceeats.com/shiner-bock-review-352958.
“The Sweet History of Kolache – TexasRealFood.” Discover Real Food in Texas, discover.texasrealfood.com/truly-texan/the-sweet-history-of-kolache#:~:text=Many%20generations%20ago%2C%20in%20a. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
“Top 5 Rodeos to Experience in Texas | Travel Texas.” Www.traveltexas.com, www.traveltexas.com/things-to-do/western-experience/5-rodeos-in-texas/.
“TSHA | Corpus Christi Bay.” Www.tshaonline.org, www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/corpus-christi-bay.
