“Wish I was in Austin,” is the opening line from the classic Guy Clark tune “Dublin Blues.”  For those who have never visited Austin, it is a compelling and lyrical place.  Friendly, arty, a tad weird, laissez faire, interesting, urbane; unlike any other place in Texas, that’s for sure…maybe even the world.  It is the confluence of the University of Texas, government, High Tech and the arts that makes it so.  To even spend a bit of time here makes you yearn to come back. And when you live here, there is nothing like the welcoming feeling to have one’s feet back on this turf.  

“Wish I Was In Austin” is also the title of tonight's celebration of Guy Clark’s 70th birthday at The Long Center in Austin.  So many people will gather in salute, onstage and off, to mark this occasion, and to profess gratitude for the works and persona that is Guy Clark. I can hardly wait. That is not the only Guy news however, as December 6th is the release of the tribute album, This One’s For Him. Many artists who recorded tracks for the thirty song CD will debut them at the Long Center concert.  By the way, tonight’s house band includes Lloyd Maines, Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp, Jen Gunderman, Glenn Fukunaga and John Silva. Yowsa.  Can’t wait for that either.  Now to the business at hand.  Music Fog was honored to have a visit from Guy Clark, as he has released his own new CD, Songs and Stories, recorded in Nashville at The Belcourt Theater. When Guy walked into Marathon Recorders during Americana Fest 2011 last month, as you can imagine, a hush fell upon us all. Beans and Chris bathed him in blue light. He anointed us in the holy water of his craft. Here is a brand new song. “My Favorite Picture Of You.”

-- Jessie Scott