East Austin’s Musical Prominence {Texas Music Museum}

How Austin’s Black community contributed to putting Austin on the map as the Live Music Capital of The World

Words by Sean Saldana Photo By Eric Morales

Thirty-six years ago, Dr. Clayton Shorkey and a group of fellow music lovers noticed that there were no museums dedicated to the history of Texas music. Clayton recalls thinking, “Texas has so many great musicians statewide who are nationally famous; there ought to be a museum [documenting its greatness.]”

This thought kicked off a chain of events that turned Clayton from an avid music fan and professor into President of the Board of Directors for the Texas Music Museum. It opened a year later in 1985, with the goal of “highlighting the contributions of Texas musicians to the musical heritage of the nation…” according to their site.

For the first few years, the museum was dedicated to research. The board of directors developed a research agenda that focused on more than a dozen aspects of the state’s music history that included genres like gospel, ragtime, and just about everything in between.

Volunteers and advocates traveled the state collecting information and artifacts for exhibits and building out up the museum’s collections. Within a decade, the museum cemented itself as the leading experts in Texas music history. While the museum spent a considerable amount of time collecting information from around the state, they hadn’t initially focused on Austin.
Once again, the team went to work, and in 2012, it opened The Contributions of East Austin African American Musicians to Texas Music, a permanent exhibit that highlights the impact Black musicians have had on the Austin music scene.

The exhibit includes rare photos, biographies, and memorabilia which is the culmination of thirty plus years of research and documentation. Clayton is eager to share the importance of East Austin’s role in establishing Austin’s music scene: “Almost all of the really early musicians who made Austin the Music Capital of the World were basically all from the African American community.”

East Austin was home to many of the city’s prominent music venues in the 20th century including places like The Victory Grill, Charlie’s Playhouse, Ernie’s Chicken Shack, and The Rosewood Inn.

According to Clayton, part of what made the Eastside the epicenter of Austin’s music scene was Austin’s then-segregated school system. Black schools like Kealing Junior High and Anderson High School developed reputations for their excellent teachers and music programs.

The cultural focus on music in the community is why it comes as no surprise that East Austin has produced legendary musicians like T.D. Bell, W.C. Clark, and Henry “Blues Boy” Hubbard.

With the opening of the East Austin exhibit, Clayton has seen an outpouring of support from the local community. He says people who’ve helped us document this history have become real advocates in supporting more information on the musical talent that came out of East Austin.

In its nearly four decades of operations, the museum has received endorsements and recognition from numerous organizations, media outlets, and even the Texas State Legislature, but the organization refuses to rest on its laurels. According to Clayton, they “plan to keep working, building collections, and providing as many programs” to the community as possible.

Did You Know?
Currently, the museum is closed due to the Coronavirus, but they haven’t stopped working. The organization is in the process of developing virtual exhibits. Visit their FaceBook for more details.

Contact:
(512) 472-8891
1009 E 11th St.
@texasmusicmuseum
texasmusicmuseum.org