Lockhart known as the official BBQ
Capital of Texas, but it's quickly
making a name for itself as a haven
for musicians who are leaving.
Austin Conner board spent the day
with some of those musicians to
learn why they're making the move.
About 40 minutes southeast of Austin.
Sits Lockhart. Where you can smell
brisket in the air on any given day.
With the smell of BBQ is also.
The sound of strumming.
Anoise becoming more common as
Austin musicians. Keep getting
drawn into this small town.
It's been a growing music scene.
Aside from that, it's just a beautiful
place just as far as the cityscape.
Time stands still a little bit.
There's a little bit of a feeling
of permanence and nostalgia there.
A feeling Lockhart musician Chaz Bassett
says reminds him of what Austin used
to be before he left four years ago.
Right through the haze.
There's more time to actually
be like we're not loading out
of this gig right away.
We can just sit here and talk and
really get to know each other.
All three of these musicians
made the move from Austin to
Lockhart for similar reasons.
The music community, relaxed
lifestyle, and one other thing.
Oh, it's money, isn't it?
I would say nearly all the musicians
that I know here left for that reason
because of affordability. Yeah,
he says. Lockhart is a play sport everyone.
Yeah, it's very eclectic. Do you
need any introduction or anything
or should I just rip into
it? There's even some comedic
musicians like Stoney Gable.
I hope the shoes you bought
online are too small.
Hope you forgot to bring
your recyclable grocery bags.
And I hope the cashier at Ross forgets
to remove your anti theft. Baggs
Stoney's been bringing laughs to Lockhart
since he moved here five years ago.
Well, I started in Liberty Hill about
20 years ago, and I worked my way
into Austin when I could afford it.
And then I moved further S when I started,
decided I needed to save more money.
But he says the Lockhart music community
brings him something money can't buy.
Your tombstone and Comic Sans
maybe when you're playing on 6th
St it's all tourists that just
kind of come and go and maybe drop
a buck or two in the tip jar.
Maybe not. There it is.
But here it's regulars,
a community. He doesn't
have a desire to leave.
Like do I want to go into Austin,
pay for gas, pay for parking,
pay, you know, high-priced dinner
before the gig and then worry
about a parking ticket or whatever.
Right. Good job, Stony.
Although some musicians like
Talia Bryce make the trip to
Austin two to three times a week.
And whoa now. So now I'm gonna
stop looking for a way out.
Pour me ohh my may heaven me by your side.
The rest of my band,
all four of them live in Austin,
so it's a little inconvenient
for them all to come down here.
It makes more sense for me to go up there.
She left Austin more than three years ago.
Pass by with my little eye
dandy lion head held high
and when she's not playing there with
her band of the Lost Pines, she's
trying to bring more music to this area.
I am executive director of
two different nonprofits,
one called Farm Grass and the other
is old Settlers Music Festival.
Both festivals take place
right outside Lockhart.
I think people are looking for it.
They like to not have to go into the
city to experience something really fun.
Hee Haw. These musicians are part
of the newest wave moving to town,
but they were not the first.
What is my title?
Yeah, no. Supreme Commander of
the Western Hemisphere. Wow.
JJ Gregor has lived in Lockhart for 47 years.
When we started having live music
here, we're breaking new ground.
He's a part of the Lockhart
Area Music Association,
which started nine years ago
to push for more live music.
He not only supports music in Lockhart,
but he also plays it
band called the Fossils.
As you might imagine.
Same five guys for 21 years.
Although JJ is still playing
with the same guys, he is a
big supporter of the new guys
with this latest generation that
came to town. Is that they kind of
took that kind of took the ball
and just started running with it.
With one of the first waves of musicians
to Lockhart supporting the newest wave,
these musicians say it's only
fair to support the next one.
Well, I can't gatekeep. I wasn't a
native, you know? I moved here too.
So if you guys up in Austin wanna
come down here and hang out with us,
come on, man. Doors open,
the door to a city where time
moves slow and moments can be
cherished just a little longer.
You know? I could stay here forever.
I hope I can. You know,
I'd rather do that now.
And if they stay long enough, they may
just see a second music capital emerge.
Reporting in Lockhart, I'm Connor bourd.
Connor, thank you.