Texas Music Office

Texas Music Office
WhisperToMe · Public domain · source
Agency name	Texas Music Office
Formed	1985
Jurisdiction	State of Texas
Headquarters	Austin, Texas
Chief1 position	Director

Contents

Texas Music Office is a state-level agency based in Austin, Texas, created to promoteAustin, Texas as a global center for music industry activity and to supportTexas musicians, music businesses, and music production. It works with major festivals like South by Southwest, Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo while engaging with recording studios, touring companies, and film productions such as those associated with Richard Linklater and Robert Rodriguez. The office liaises with cultural institutions including the Texas Commission on the Arts, Smithsonian Institution, and educational entities like the University of Texas at Austin, fostering connections across performance, recording, and publishing sectors.

History

The office was established under the auspices of the Texas Economic Development Act and initiatives connected to the Texas Cultural Trust to capitalize on the rising profile of artists from Austin, Texas, Dallas, Houston, Texas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. Early activity intersected with careers of musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson, Beyoncé Knowles, Janis Joplin, George Strait, Buddy Holly, Erykah Badu, ZZ Top, Kacey Musgraves, and Kelly Clarkson. It cultivated industry relationships similar to those fostered by organizations like the Recording Industry Association of America and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Over time the office documented archival collections related to figures such as Lyle Lovett, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Miranda Lambert, Samantha Crain, Gary Clark Jr., Kris Kristofferson, and Spoon members, and supported music policy dialogues with legislators in the Texas Legislature.

The mission centers on workforce growth and cultural tourism aligned with policy frameworks from the Texas Film Commission and economic strategies that mirror programs by the National Endowment for the Arts. Ongoing programs include incentives modeled on those of the Louisiana Film Commission and outreach similar to the Country Music Association's education work. The office provides directories and data for songwriters affiliated with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), BMI, and SESAC, supports festival planning akin to New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Coachella, and offers resources for record labels such as Sub Pop, ATO Records, XL Recordings, and Merge Records that tour acts like The Black Angels, Shakey Graves, and The Chicks.

Administration is headquartered in Austin, Texas with staff collaborating with the Texas Music Hall of Fame, the Austin Music Foundation, and municipal arts offices in Houston, Texas and Dallas. Directors and advisors have come from backgrounds involving the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Live Nation Entertainment, AEG Presents, and independent producers who've worked with artists including Eddie Vedder, Pat Green, Travis Scott, and Solange Knowles. Leadership interacts with academic departments at institutions like the Berklee College of Music (through outreach), the University of Houston, Texas State University, and Southwest Texas State alumni networks.

Services include location scouting in regions from the Texas Hill Country to the Rio Grande Valley for music video shoots, tax incentive guidance comparable to the Georgia Film Office, and small business support reflecting models used by the Small Business Administration. The office influences touring logistics for promoters such as C3 Presents and SRO Management and provides credentialing and licensing information for venues similar to Mercury Lounge-style clubs and larger arenas like AT&T Stadium and NRG Stadium. It compiles data used by trade outlets including Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Variety to track activity of acts like Beyoncé, Selena (singer), The 1975, The Black Keys, and Coldplay when working in Texas. The office's research supports publishing settlements involving companies such as Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment and helps festivals secure permits from city governments in San Antonio and El Paso.

Notable initiatives have included statewide tours spotlighting artists linked to labels like RCA Records, Capitol Records, Columbia Records, and Warner Records; educational fellowships with schools such as St. Edward's University and Trinity University; and conferences that convene stakeholders from NARAS (Recording Academy) and the Music Business Association. The office has promoted special events connected to anniversaries of albums by Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, and Stevie Ray Vaughan; curated exhibits with the Texas State History Museum; and supported showcases during SXSW and ACL that featured emerging artists alongside established acts like Pat Benatar, Lucinda Williams, Erykah Badu, and Vince Bell.

Funding and partnerships come from collaborations with the Texas Commission on the Arts, municipal tourism bureaus such as Visit Austin and Houston First Corporation, private foundations including the Austin Community Foundation and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and industry partners like Ticketmaster and Bandsintown. The office has worked with federal programs including those from the National Endowment for the Humanities and with state economic development entities similar to Texas Economic Development Corporation. Strategic alliances extend to unions and guilds such as IATSE and AFM (American Federation of Musicians) to support live production and recording sessions across venues from The Continental Club to Moody Center.

Category:Music organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations based in Austin, Texas