Accessing Culture: The Rise of Blues
Before Austin was "The Live Music Capital of the World"
Austin has much merit to claim this aforementioned title. By 1976, 84 nightclubs existed for the city's 300,000 inhabitants. They were able to listen to the Outlaw Country of Willie Nelson, the Chicago Blues of B. B. King, and the Rock 'N Roll of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The deep legacy of these genres is integral to the city's reputation as a "holy land" for independent artists to perform at festivals such as South by Southwest (SXSW) and Austin City Limits (ACL).
The presence and evolution of Blues in Austin, Texas is of particular importance. Blues -- distinguished by its authentic and intimately personal sound -- has been a beacon of black struggle since the 1920s and reached its pinnacle of popularity at two major junctures in the history of Austin: first, during the political stuggle over the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s and during the establishment of many bars and nightclubs that defined the culture of the 1970s and 1980s.
Antone's Nightclub
Of all of Austin's nightclubs that feature live music, one has had an outsized impact on the development of nightlife culture. Founded by Port Author native Clifford Antone in 1975, Antone's Nighclub achieved legendary status the day its doors opened. Hosting Blues legends such as B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bobby Bland, and Luther Tucker, Antone's became a hub for Chicago Blues that created a dialogue between black and white musicians and enthusiants post-segregation. For example, Muddy Waters, the "Father of Chicago Blues," already had an outsized influence on Rock 'N Roll of the 1960s. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and The Altman Brothers all gave credence to Waters to their success in finding a foothold in the music scene. Antone's provided the same opportunity to artists such as Jimmie and Stevie Vaughan and The Thunderbirds to play alongside the frequent guests to the club. In the words of music historian Josep Pedro, Antone's inspired "new forms of mutual understanding and enriching intercultural dialogues between experienced black bluesmen and upcoming white musicians were established through mentoring processes and informal teachings around live music performances" (2017).
A Failure of Access: The Repurcussions of a Growing City and Austin's Former "Negro District"
The process of integration and desegregation did not come easily to Austin's black population. Despite the prevalence of Blues clubs in the city, white, affluent students from The University of Texas at Austin frequently shot off access to many black people from entering clubs that predominantly showcased Blues artists. From 1965 to 1975, the student population at UT-Austin jumped from 28,868 to 42,598 (Shank 1994). Clubs that were historically attended by black people such as Charlie's Playhouse were primarily filled with white students on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays (when touring acts came to town) or Mondays (when talent shows were held) the audiences were primarily black.
Additionally, Austin's "Negro District" -- consisting of 6 blocks on 11th Street -- remained heavily stigmatized and associated with crime, drugs and prostitution for several decades (Pedro 2017). Today, the area is associated with Austin's "hip" and "alternative" scene despite continued gentrification involving the skyrocketing population growth the city has experienced in the last two decades.