Out in West Texas, it’s said there’s only two things to do—play music or go crazy. Sometimes, you do both.
Built off the megastardom by the likes of Buddy Holly, Natalie Maines, Mac Davis, Waylon Jennings, & Pat Green and the rebellious iconoclast revolution ushered in by Terry Allen, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, & The Maines Brothers Band, Lubbock’s long been a storied hotbed for artistic talent and integrity. IT’s a crosswords. It draws you in with the temptations of fame & celebrity while pulling you towards a Lubbock legacy & mythos that transcends time and place.
Written over a few short years, The Lubbock Way compiles stories, thoughts, and sketches about a thriving, yet transitional era within The Hub City’s Music Scene. It proves that even in the present, country upstarts, rising songwriters, dreaming newcomers, Panhandle poets, dive bar heroes, dancehall desperados, and veteran storytellers can flourish under a South Plains sun and break on through a relentless West Texas wind.
Written by journalist Thomas D. Mooney, The Lubbock Way is a collection of his dispatches and tales about living in the 806 with The New Lubbock Sound.
What Folks Are Saying
“Thomas Mooney is a brilliant writer and his brilliance shines a light on all things Lubbock music. When I read his writing, I feel like I’m in the room, planted next to him as a fellow wallflower.”
— Cleto Cordero, songwriter
“One of our oldest friends finally has a book coming out that documents the early days of our time as bands starting in Lubbock. I’m looking forward to diving into this and reminiscing about the good days.”
— Dalton Domino, songwriter
“From his spot at The Blue Light bar, Thomas Mooney has become a fixture and a voice to a musical culture as old and new as Lubbock itself.”
— Ross Cooper, songwriter
“Ain’t no doubt there’s something special in the air down in Lubbock. It’s put out too many artists and songwriters for there not to be. I’m proud to have cut my teeth in the legendary Blue Light with so many of my friends and to have someone there like Tom to witness and capture that time frame is something that’s really rare. I’m proud to know Tom and proud to be an 806er.”
— Randall King, songwriter
The Lubbock Way: A Photo Guide
