Texas Tech University is bringing Lubbock‑born songwriter, musician and visual artist Terry Allen back to his hometown for a two‑night celebration of his five‑decade career. The events, part of the university’s Presidential Lecture & Performance Series, will take place on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Maedgen Theatre and Friday, Oct. 23 at the Allen Theatre.
Oct. 22 – “Truckload of Art” at Maedgen Theatre
The first evening, titled “Truckload of Art,” will combine music, spoken word and conversation rather than a traditional concert. Allen will be joined by his wife and longtime creative collaborator Jo Harvey Allen. Musicians Bukka Allen and Richard Bowden will provide accompaniment, and author Brendan Greaves will read from his biography of Terry Allen, Truckload of Art. Lubbock writer and musician Andy Wilkinson will moderate the discussion, offering insight into the artist’s connection to West Texas.
Oct. 23 – “Memwars” with the Panhandle Mystery Band at Allen Theatre
The following night, Allen will present “Memwars,” a performance that brings together his extensive catalog of songs and stories with the full Panhandle Mystery Band. The lineup includes Charlie Sexton, Richard Bowden, Bale Allen, Bukka Allen, Lloyd Maines and Davis McLarty. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the show begins at 7 p.m.
A Lifetime of West Texas Art and Music
Although born in Wichita, Kansas, Allen grew up in Lubbock and has long drawn inspiration from the West Texas landscape and its people. His 1975 album Juarez was followed in 1979 by the double‑album Lubbock (on everything), which cemented his reputation as a distinctive voice in Texas songwriting. The record featured the beloved track “Amarillo Highway,” a song many associate with Allen.
Over the past 50 years, his music has been covered by artists such as Guy Clark, Doug Sahm, Bobby Bare, Lucinda Williams and Sturgill Simpson. Beyond music, Allen is an accomplished visual artist whose work appears in major collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Texas Tech’s Role in Preserving Allen’s Legacy
Texas Tech University houses more than five decades of material from Terry and Jo Harvey Allen, including journals, correspondence, scripts, workbooks and audio‑visual recordings. The university has also created the Terry and Jo Harvey Allen Center for Creative Studies to steward this archive and support ongoing scholarship.
These two evenings offer Lubbock residents a rare opportunity to experience Allen’s art in the context of his own community, hearing the stories behind the songs and seeing how his visual work reflects the region’s character.
Tickets and Additional Information
Tickets are available through Texas Tech’s Presidential Lecture & Performance Series website. For a musician who placed “Lubbock (on everything)” on an album cover nearly half a century ago, returning home for a weekend of storytelling and music feels especially fitting.
Original reporting: News/Talk 790 KFYO (Lubbock) — read the source article.
