Texas Musicians Museum opens in Irving

[TexasTowelie]

Tom Kreason, the executive director and curator of the Texas Musicians Museum, was giving a walk-through preview of the museum when his cellphone rang. He picked up, telling a caller named Charles that he’d have to call back.

“That was Bob Wills’ grandson,” Kreason said. “Charles and his family and his brother have their grandfather’s fiddle from 1939, which we’ll be putting on display.”

At the time Kreason said this, it was Wednesday morning, three days before the museum’s official opening in its new location in downtown Irving. Some memorabilia was hanging or behind cases, but much of it still lay on the floor or in small piles. Gold records from numerous Texas musicians leaned against one wall; a John Denver stand-up poster was lying flat, the former Fort Worth resident’s head poking out from underneath some other artifacts; a huge Barry White jacket was still on a hanger.

But Kreason said it would all be up in time for a private party on Thursday night, and definitely in time for the museum’s opening day on Saturday. A question naturally arose: Why Irving, and not, say, Dallas or Austin? There was more than one answer, and the replies were both simple and complicated.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article28515289.html#storylink=cpy

The museum is having an opening day party of Saturday, July 25th with all day tickets priced at $45. The museum is located at 222 East Irving Boulevard. Information: www.TexasMusiciansMuseum.com. Phone: [phone]. Details of the regularly scheduled hours are at the link.

An additional article from the Dallas Observer is at http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/the-new-texas-musicians-museum-finds-home-for-rare-memorabilia-in-irving-7428447 .

[BeyondGeography]

1. T-Bone Walker

and Blind Lemon Jefferson; Texas blues have a great history...This museum is a good thing.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. Johnny Winter. nt

[BeyondGeography]

8. And Stevie Ray

[awoke_in_2003]

9. Another good one...

Though I prefer JW. I am 20 miles west of Irving. I may have to check it out.

[jschurchin]

2. Somehow they seem to have missed someone.

And IMHO the Greatest Blues guitar man ever, Dallas, Texas's own Stevie Ray Vaughn.

He wasn't even mentioned in either story, so either the he was overlooked the the writer, unfathomable, or he is not there. And if he is not there, it not a museum, it's a Joke.

[TexasProgresive]

4. I was looking for a mention of Lightening Hopkins as well.

Give 'em time. There are so many great Texas musicians that the job is enormous. I mean there's Johnny and Edgar Winters, I don't know if they were born in Texas but Guy Clark, Townes van Zandt, Don Sanders and the list goes on La de da de de, la de da de da!

[TexasProgresive]

3. This may actually get me to drive to Irving!

At least its not in Flower Mound or Lewisville.

[TexasTowelie]

5. You don't even have to go through the Mixmaster in downtown Dallas to get there.

Take I-20 to Spur 408 and Loop 12 to Irving Boulevard.

I used to live about three or four miles north of the location so I'm familiar with the area.

[TexasProgresive]

6. I know that route

I attended a lot of company schools when the training center was in Irving. One time when gasoline was short I made a mistake. It was Sunday night, dark but not stormy. I was driving a FULL sized Plymouth Fury and was low on gas. I took 12 and not Loop 12 and found myself in a deserted downtown Dallas. There was nobody because there was no gas. I was desperate-looking for a cop or anyone to point me the right way.

Then there is was, a street named Fort Worth. My hope is that it was the original route out of Dallas to Ft. Worth, and that I took it to the west. What a relief it was when I crossed the Trinity on a low bridge. I never knew existed.I could see the big bridge to my right and was able to find my motel and the training center with a few fumes to spare. Whew!