Luckenbach Texas Cowboy
by Priscilla Burgers
Title
Luckenbach Texas Cowboy
Artist
Priscilla Burgers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A Texas cowboy carved out of a tree stump is one of several humorous pieces one encounters at legendary Luckenbach, Texas. Tiny Laukenbach was established as a Trading Post in 1849 and catered to pioneer farmers and Comanche Indians alike. The Post Office/ General Store/ Beer Joint, was opened in 1886 by August Engel, an itinerant preacher from Germany, whose daughter, Minna, chose the name Luckenbach in honor of her fiance, Albert Luckenbach. In 1970, Benno Engel retired as postmaster and placed an ad in the local paper: "TOWN FOR SALE - lock, stock and dancehall". Luckenbach's second life began when it was purchased by a group of characters: Hondo Crouch, Guich Koock and Kathy Morgan, who had what might be described as over-active imaginations. Hondo imagined it was an old west fairy-tale-like principality and proclaimed himself Mayor, made Marge the Sheriff and appointed ambassadors to foreign countries. The trio used the nearly-abandoned buildings for anything that smacked of mirth and diversion: "Hug-Ins", a Luckenbach World's Fair, Ladies State Chili Bust, the Mud Dauber Festival and daily sessions of song-picking, domino playing and beer drinking beneath the 500-year-old oak trees. Today, over thirty years later, these events are still celebrated and the pickers are still pickin'. Hondo became the "Clown Prince" of Luckenbach, authoring poems, philosophizing, whittling, telling stories, and singing Mexican and cowboy songs, accompanying himself on his old guitar. His magical personality attracted thousands to Luckenbach. In 1973, Texas country-rocker, Jerry Jeff Walker came to Luckenbach to record an album. The album, Viva Terlingua, went gold and made Luckenbach a destination point for everyone who heard it. It produced such Texas classics as: Gary P. Nunn's, "London Homesick Blues" (Home With The Armadillo); Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother"; Guy Clark's, "Desperadoes Waiting for A Train" and "Sangria Wine". Four years later, Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman penned an idyllic ode to the burg,"Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics)", which became a massive hit for Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson, bringing Luckenbach to its ultimate worldwide fame. Tour buses and tourists from around the world began to make Luckenbach a regular stop when visiting Fredericksburg area attractions. The legendary Dancehall still hosts monthly dances by some of the best Texas musicians, many of whom were toddlers when Viva Terlingua and "Luckenbach Texas" became hits. Many of the Luckenbach faithful celebrate the music, magic & memories of times they've spent in Luckenbach by returning for special occasions.
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Uploaded
May 19th, 2014
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Viewed 2,283 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 03/28/2024 at 1:14 AM
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