The year 1994 marked the debut of the Old 97’s with their album Hitchhike to Rhome. Emerging from Dallas with a combination of soft-hearted wit and unfiltered energy from lead man Rhett Miller, the Old 97’s pioneered the alt-country movement and has fueled a lot (if not all) of what we know in the genre today. The early to mid-’90s was not a prosperous time for alt-country, but the Old 97’s have built a long-lasting reputation.
Twenty-three or so years later, their latest album Graveyard Whistling is proof of how long they have lasted as an alt-country pioneer. The album was released in February 2017 with the same lineup as their first album, and the same undying sound.
They have become a long-standing testament to alt-country rock in Dallas and the country as a whole. As proof, they still tour extensively and make the local rounds too. With a lengthy list of dates, the upcoming home state highlights include:
- June 8th – Stubb’s, Austin, TX
- June 9th – House of Blues, Houston, TX
- June 10th – Sam’s Burger Joint, San Antonio, TX
- September 16th – The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX
The true highlight comes at the end of the tour, however. Other than a few fall festivals, Dallas signals the tour’s conclusion, meaning it ends, once again, where everything began. This seems to put a fitting bow on a band that refuses to change.
They’ll return home with a bunch of new songs played in the same manner; by a group that’s been together for 24 years. What started in Dallas ends in Dallas… In Dallas, it’s the same old same Old… Should I keep going? A great band once was and still is, so we should celebrate them in the city of their inception.
Go out tonight, and any night. Jukely is a concert subscription that gives members guestlist access to hundreds of music events – for one price. Whenever you want to go out, you’ll always have something to do. Learn more and sign up at jukely.com.
