The celebrated tunesmith James McMurtry will be making a rare New Orleans appearance when he graces the stage at Chickie Wah Wah on Friday, December 9. Modern day bluesman Alvin Youngblood Hart opens in support.
McMurtry has been touring extensively in support of his first album in six years, the universally acclaimed collection, Complicated Game. Texas Monthly praised the longtime Austin resident’s new effort, “At a stage where most veteran musicians fall into a groove or rut, McMurtry continues to surprise,” calling the new album, “…a collection of narratives as sharply observed as any from McMurtry, but with a contemplative depth that comes with maturity.”
Longtime fans know McMurtry’s vibrant vignettes have been turning ears for over 25 years. He counts fellow southern and roots music songwriters including Jason Isbell among his biggest supporters.
McMurtry’s critically praised first album, Too Long in the Wasteland, appeared in 1989 and was produced by John Mellencamp and marked the beginning of a series of well-regarded projects for Columbia and Sugar Hill Records. In 1996, McMurtry received a Grammy nomination for Long Form Music Video for “Where’d You Hide the Body.” It Had to Happen (1997) received the American Indie Award for Best Americana Album.
More recently, Just Us Kids, which appeared in 2008, earned his highest Billboard 200 chart position in nearly two decades and notched three Americana Music Award nominations including Artist of the Year. Childish Things from 2005 spent six full weeks topping the Americana Music Radio chart and won the Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year. “We Can’t Make It Here” was named Song of the Year by the AMA.
Show time is 8 PM and tickets are available at the door.
