There are certain classic country albums that have stood the test of time, remaining beloved and widely listened to by fans even 50 years after their release. These albums have become iconic, unaffected by changes in musical styles. However, there is one particular album, Jerry Jeff Walker’s Viva Terlingua, that holds a uniquely rich and deep legacy that extends across various influential lines, almost like its own institution.
Viva Terlingua had a profound impact on the country music landscape. It put the small town of Luckenbach, Texas, with its population of just 3, on the map both geographically and within the country music universe. The album also rejuvenated Jerry Jeff Walker’s career, elevating his status. Furthermore, it propelled artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard and Gary P. Nunn into the spotlight, making them household names within the country music community. Additionally, Viva Terlingua played a significant role in supporting the careers of Michael Martin Murphey and Guy Clark.
Beyond its immediate impact on the artists involved, Viva Terlingua laid the foundation for the flourishing music scene in Austin, Texas. This album unintentionally sparked the growth of music in the city. Its creation was the result of Jerry Jeff Walker’s unconventional approach to fulfilling a recording contract without exerting much effort. Surprisingly, he succeeded spectacularly.
Jerry Jeff Walker, originally from New York State, was already renowned for writing the American classic “Mr. Bojangles” before he moved to the outskirts of Austin, Texas. At the time, Austin was not particularly known as a music town, aside from the Kerrville Folk Festival and the psychedelic artist Roky Erickson. The city had yet to establish its musical identity. However, Jerry Jeff Walker played a pivotal role in shaping the country music scene in Austin. His self-titled 1972 album, recorded in Austin, featured musicians from Michael Martin Murphey’s band, who had just finished recording Murphey’s debut album, Geronimo’s Cadillac. The album showcased Walker’s rendition of Guy Clark’s “L.A. Freeway” and included talented musicians such as Gary P. Nunn, Bob Livingston, Craig Hillis, Herb Steiner, and Michael McGeary.
After completing the Jerry Jeff album, the band went on to work on Michael Martin Murphey’s second album, Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir. During a tour with Jerry Jeff Walker, Gary P. Nunn had a challenging experience in London while mixing Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir with Murphey. Upon returning to Texas, Nunn decided to enroll in Texas Tech University to pursue a career in pharmacy but never made it back to Lubbock.
It was during this time that the concept for recording an album in the Luckenbach dancehall, located in the little-known town of Luckenbach, was born. Jerry Jeff Walker, along with what would later be known as the Lost Gonzo Band, embarked on this unusual endeavor. Jerry Jeff had developed a close friendship with “Grand Imagineer” Hondo Crouch, who had purchased Luckenbach. The album’s recording in this small town became a pivotal moment.
In 1973, while under contract with MCA, Jerry Jeff Walker was required to release a new album each year. The opening song of Viva Terlingua, “Gettin’ By,” mentions the pressure to release a new album and references Jerry Jeff’s handler, Mike Maitland, who worked at MCA.
Last week I was thinking it’s record time again
And I could see Mike Maitland had been pacin’ his floor
Ah Mike, don’t you worry, something’s bound to come out
Besides, I’ve been down this road once before
The album was produced by Michael Brovsky, Jerry Jeff’s manager from New York. Recording an album remotely in 1973 was not a common practice, but Brovsky arranged for an outfit called “Dale Ashby and Father” to travel down to Texas to record the album. Arrangements were made for Dale Ashby and his father to travel to Texas and facilitate the recording process.
Despite the unconventional nature of the project, Dale Ashby and his father had state-of-the-art equipment, and the engineering quality was exceptional. However, their setup required additional power, which Hondo Crouch had to request from the county. Fortunately, the power was provided just in time for the recording sessions that commenced on August 18th, 1973.
Bass player Bob Livingston recalls:
“There were no motels or accommodations of any kind in Luckenbach, so the band checked into a cluster of rustic little cabins, tucked back a-ways from Main Street, in nearby Fredericksburg. Then we went out to inspect the scenery and set up. We set our amps on the dance floor in front of the stage, picking our spots and settling in around Jerry Jeff who was urgently trying to finish six songs at once. McGeary set his drums up on the stage behind us. We baffled everything with bales of hay and the Ashbys set up mics and booms on everything. We needed a piano, so we brought mine from Austin, a Baldwin spinet. (The leg got busted during the move and the crack is still there.)“
The first night of recording with a live audience took place on August 18th. Flyers were distributed throughout the Texas Hill Country, attracting a few hundred people to the Luckenbach Dance Hall and it all was captured live.
One of the most important tracks on the album was “Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother,” which was really just a sort of throw away song originally. In fact it was Bob Livingston who brought the song to Jerry Jeff and the band months before. Livingston had played some gigs with a Texas songwriter named Ray Hubbard and had heard “Redneck Mother.” Although Hubbard was too shy to perform it publicly, Livingston took the opportunity when Jerry Jeff Walker broke a string on stage one night and sang “Redneck Mother” to fill the time. Jerry Jeff loved it and adopted it making it part his own repertoire. When Walker introduces the song on Viva Terlingua as being from “Ray WYLIE Hubbard,” the name stuck, and “Redneck Mother” found its place in Outlaw country history.
Another notable track from Viva Terlingua is “London Homesick Blues,” which tells the mostly true story of Gary P. Nunn’s trip to London. Nunn had traveled to England with Michael Martin Murphey to mix Murphey’s Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir album. However, Nunn had a difficult time in London, feeling homesick and out of place. The song captures his longing for Texas and became a signature song for Nunn.
Other covers include a heartfelt version of Guy Clark’s “Desperados Waiting for a Train”, and the Michael Martin Murphey-penned drunkard’s lament “Backslider’s Wine.” The remaining tracks were all Walker originals, and except for “Little Bird,” which appeared on Walker’s debut album Mr. Bojangles, all make their recorded debut.
“This was the general order of things: We would wake up at the cabins late, eat breakfast in town and get out to Luckenbach around 2 p.m. every day,” says Bob Livingston. “When we pulled up, Jerry Jeff would be mixing up a batch of sangria wine in a big galvanized tub. We would hang out for a while, watch the sky and the clouds drift by, eat some lunch, drink some sangria, start to fool around with our instruments and jam, getting loose.”
Three months after recording the record, MCA released it in November of 1973 and it almost immediately made a huge impact on the world of country music and received much critical acclaim. The album captured the raw energy and spirit of the live performances in the Luckenbach Dance Hall, showcasing the camaraderie and talent of the musicians involved blending elements of country, folk, and rock music. The album’s success helped establish the Outlaw country movement and paved the way for a new wave of independent and alternative country artists.
Over the years, Viva Terlingua has become a classic and a beloved album among Outlaw country music fans. It continues to influence and inspire musicians, carrying a legacy that extends beyond its initial release. The album’s impact on the careers of Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Gary P. Nunn, and others cannot be overstated. Moreover, Viva Terlingua played a significant role in shaping the music scene in Austin, Texas, and contributed to the city’s reputation as a hub of country and Americana music.
This album continues to be celebrated and cherished today, remaining an iconic piece of musical history.
Listen to the album here: