"Luckenbach, Texas" is a popular song sung by Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings

Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...

 released in April 1977, at the height of outlaw country

Outlaw country

Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...

 on the hit album Ol' Waylon

Ol' Waylon

Ol' Waylon is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1977. It plays to Jennings' established outlaw country image. The album features one of his signature songs, a track featuring Willie Nelson called "Luckenbach, Texas ", as well as the Neil Diamond song "Sweet Caroline", a version...

. It was written by Chips Moman

Chips Moman

Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman is an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. As a record producer, Moman is known for recording Elvis Presley, Bobby Womack, Carla Thomas, and Merrilee Rush, as well as guiding the career of the Box Tops in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s...

 and Bobby Emmons.

The song references a couple who's position in "high society" has placed strains on their marriage ("this successful live we're livin' got us feudin' like the Hatfields and McCoys") and finances ("four-car garage, and we're still buildin' on"). Jennings suggests that the couple return to "the basics of love" and relocate to the small town of Luckenbach, Texas

Luckenbach, Texas

Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...

.

References in the song include: Hatfields and McCoys, Hank Williams, Mickey Newbury

Mickey Newbury

Mickey Newbury was an American songwriter, a critically acclaimed recording artist, and a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Biography:...

, Jerry Jeff Walker

Jerry Jeff Walker

Jerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...

, and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose. Originally performed by Roy Acuff, the song was later recorded by Willie Nelson as part of his 1975 album Red Headed Stranger. Both the song and album would become iconic in country music history, and jump start Nelson's...

".

The final refrain of the song features a guest vocal by Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...

.

The song debuted on April 16, 1977 reaching #1 on the country charts on May 21, 1977 and staying there until June 25, 1977. It also reached #25 on the pop charts while causing Ol' Waylon to reach the top of the country album charts and #15 on Billboard Top LPs and Tapes chart.
It is included in "A Texas Medley", composed by Jim Clancy

Jim Clancy

Jim Clancy may refer to:* Jim Clancy , former Major League Baseball pitcher* Jim Clancy , director of the Vocal Majority* Jim Clancy , journalist for CNN...

 and sung by The Vocal Majority

Vocal Majority

The Vocal Majority is a Dallas, Texas-based men's chorus of over 150 singers, billed as "America's Premier Pops Chorus." The VM is part of the Dallas Metro chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society...

.

Chart performance

Chart (1977)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	25
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Singles	16
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1
Canadian RPM Top Singles	46
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks	40

Sources

• Ultimate Waylon Jennings CD Liner Notes, Lenny Kaye, c.2004
• Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.