Ray Henning's HoT Music... a more mystical place may not exist for the Austin music lover. Consider this. Ray has been central to the Austin music scene since well before anyone knew there was one. I know a member of an Austin 50's doo-wop group (The Slades, compadres of Ray Campi) that remembers Ray running HoT music even back then. Ray gave the starving, strugging, Stevie Vaughn a guitar from the "used" bin that SRV went on to make his career upon. HoT music directly supports road shows and all Austin music festivals with equipment rentals, loaners, whatever. Ray help define Austin as a Guitar Town well before the the marketing guys woke up to it.

Musicians have come and gone in this town but one of the men behind the scenes, who made the music possible more than most, was always Ray Henning.

(thanks Rusty!)

Back in college, starting in 1979, I remember old Bicycle Annie. By that time, she had given up her (three wheeled) bike, and would move slowly around on crutches. She moves so slowly that, you'd see her at one end of The Drag on your way to class, and when you were returning from class, she had finally made her way about six blocks toward the other end of The Drag.

One time, I made the mistake of trying to open the door for her at the Whataburger on The Drag. She screamed at me that, in no uncertain terms, would she accept no help from anybody. I cringed and slunk away like a beat puppy.

Man, she was old. I wonder how much longer she lived or who she really was.

If you get here through a search, then you remember something listed on this page. Do us a favor and log-in and record that Austin memory!

Treaty Oak - still there in spite of the attempted VooDoo killing
North vs. South Tug of war - The North won, I believe
The Buccaneer - a seedy bar in the south
The old dinner theaters - on the edge of town... speaking of that!
The Edge of Town - a night club in a converted dinner theater
Dessau Hall - country girl, I think you're pretty
Jalapeno Charlie's - in that strange building on S. Lamar
The Hanging Tree - more S. Lamar weirdness
The Chaparral Lounge - what's this "new Chaparral" bullshit?
The Split Rail - I remember this as a biker bar
Duke's Royal Coach Inn - punk club on Congress... Joe King's homeroom
Maggie Mae's - remember when it was so narrow and one of the pioneers of 6th street?
The Salt Lick - before it was famous. The best Friday lunch was to fill a cooler and head out Camp Ben McCulloch road for the afternoon.
Holiday House - wild animals and burgers!
2J's - good burgers, loyal following
The Draught House - the one before the Draught Horse!
Lone Star Beer sign - stood above the Drag for a generation
Dry Creek Cafe - still kicking and lot's of ink spilt already... add your special experience
Scarbrough building and store - Austin elegance
The Silver Dollar - WAY before Dallas, the night club
The Raw Deal - the original... east 6th back in the day
The Poodle Dog - still there I think, as is...
The Horseshoe Lounge - got kicked out of there once
emmajoe's - small e, small place, small cover, huge talent every night
Taco Flats - I heard the Willie lived in a building behind the Flats in the early days

I still recall walking into the UGL and seeing Earl's Heisman on display in the lobby. As I understand it, it was the real deal... just like Earl.

Austin was well known for it's hippie culture. Hippies on the drag, Hippie houses, Hippie Hangouts, Hippie events (Eeyore's party is a direct descendant of hippie happenings.) What was interesting was how everyone seemed to get along. It was common to see Hippies mingling with the rest of the population and everyone getting along fine. This is another huge indicator of how modern society has lost the tolerance that once made it strong.
Update: I recently took a stroll through one of the ancient hippie neighborhoods (just west of downtown... you know where) and I was pleasantly surprised to see houses and yards that could pass for 1979 in Austin. Old school Austin bomemia has survived!