Ray Wylie Hubbard
Encyclopedia
Ray Wylie Hubbard is an American
Texas Country
singer and songwriter
.
. His family moved to Oak Cliff
in south Dallas, Texas
in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School
with Michael Martin Murphey
, who had his own band
at the time. Hubbard graduated in 1965 and enrolled in college, at the University of North Texas, as an English major. He spent the summers in Red River, New Mexico
playing folk music.
's 1973 recording. Hubbard recorded for various labels but struggled with sales; his mix of country
, folk
and blues
elements didn’t find an audience. After leaving the scene and struggling with personal problems, he returned to recording with Lost Train of Thought in 1992 and Loco Gringo's Lament in 1994.
Today Ray Wylie Hubbard is an elder statesman of the Texas music
scene. From New Braunfels
, Texas, Hubbard hosts a Tuesday night radio show
called "Roots & Branches". This program promotes new and established Americana
artists. Like some other performers in his genre, he is perhaps as popular in Europe as in the US—Hubbard has been invited by record companies in the Netherlands
to produce album
s. His most recent recordings have been produced by Texas guitarist Gurf Morlix
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Texas Country
Texas Country
Texas country music is a rapidly growing sub-genre of American country music. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Early life
Hubbard grew up in southeastern town of Hugo, OklahomaHugo, Oklahoma
Hugo is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, bordering Texas. Hugo is the county seat for Choctaw County and has a population of 5,395 as of 2009 estimates. The city serves as winter quarters for some circus performers...
. His family moved to Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff is a community in Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town located in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1903...
in south Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High School
W. H. Adamson High School
William Hardin Adamson High School, formerly Oak Cliff High School, is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas . Adamson High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District.- History :In 1891 the newly-incorporated...
with Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, Country music, and Popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including Cowboy Songs, the first album of cowboy music to achieve gold status since Gunfighter...
, who had his own band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
at the time. Hubbard graduated in 1965 and enrolled in college, at the University of North Texas, as an English major. He spent the summers in Red River, New Mexico
Red River, New Mexico
Red River is a resort town in Taos County, New Mexico, United States located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The population was 484 at the 2000 census.-History:...
playing folk music.
Career
During his time in New Mexico, Hubbard wrote "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother", made famous by Jerry Jeff WalkerJerry 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:...
's 1973 recording. Hubbard recorded for various labels but struggled with sales; his mix of country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
elements didn’t find an audience. After leaving the scene and struggling with personal problems, he returned to recording with Lost Train of Thought in 1992 and Loco Gringo's Lament in 1994.
Today Ray Wylie Hubbard is an elder statesman of the Texas music
Texas Music
Texas Music is a quarterly entertainment magazine published in Austin, Texas. Since its launch in January 2000, Texas Music has covered hundreds of the state’s musicians and bands, regardless of the style of music, in addition to writing about the venues and events that contribute to the state’s...
scene. From New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
, Texas, Hubbard hosts a Tuesday night radio show
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....
called "Roots & Branches". This program promotes new and established Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
artists. Like some other performers in his genre, he is perhaps as popular in Europe as in the US—Hubbard has been invited by record companies in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
to produce album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. His most recent recordings have been produced by Texas guitarist Gurf Morlix
Gurf Morlix
Gurf Morlix is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and record producer residing for many years in Austin, Texas. He has worked with many of the best known performers of Americana and alternative country music. His most notable works include albums by Lucinda Williams, Robert...
.
Discography
- 1971 - Three Faces West (Outpost)
- 1975 - Ray Wylie Hubbard & The Cowboy Twinkies (Reprise)
- 1978 - Off The Wall (Lonestar)
- 1980 - Something About The Night (Renegade)
- 1984 - Caught In The Act (Misery Loves Company)
- 1992 - Lost Train Of Thought (Misery Loves Company)
- 1994 - Loco Gringo's Lament (Dejadisc)
- 1997 - Dangerous Spirits (Philo)
- 1999 - Crusades Of The Restless Knights (Philo)
- 2000 - Live At Cibolo Creek Country Club (Philo)
- 2001 - Eternal And Lowdown (Philo)
- 2003 - Growl (Philo)
- 2005 - Delirium Tremolos (Philo)
- 2006 - Snake Farm (Sustain)
- 2010 - A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is No C) (Bordello)
External links
- RayWylie.com - Official website
- Official MySpace page
- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5573820 - A Country Music Outlaw, Resurrected
- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6082018 - Hubbard's Path: 'Redneck Mother' to 'Wylie Lama'