AUSTIN — AUSTIN -- Singer/songwriter Sam Houston brought his blend of soul and rock and roll from the northeast to Austin with hopes of realizing his artistic dreams.
"I came from New Jersey. I came here in 2015 after my senior year in high school," said Houston.
It says a lot about your talent to have one of Austin's most well-known producers growing your career. Omar Vallejo spotted Houston playing live at The Parish on Sixth Street and now he's producing Houston’s music.
"He's an Austin legend at this point, and having someone of his status say that it's good is an amazing feeling for us," Houston said of Vallejo.
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Houston said he knew Austin was the place to jump start his career. And that was confirmed during South by Southwest in 2017 when Houston said he was introduced to a management company out of Los Angeles and signed a deal with them. But he said he’s staying in Austin.
"They probably want us to go out there to L.A., but Austin is the place for us because we can be in this studio with Omar and create what we want to create," Houston said.
Houston is one of thousands of artists with dreams of making it big in the city that calls itself “The Live Music Capitol of the World.” While many musicians say there are fewer places to play than there used to be when the city first made the proclamation in 1991, those who have been covering the Austin music scene over the years say there are plenty of gigs to go around.
"We see triple the shows now," said Raoul Hernandez, music editor at the Austin Chronicle. "Between the international bands, the little indie bands, and then the big headliners coming here, we get everybody and we get them all the time, year round.”
Finding live music in Austin, he said, is easy. But being a live musician is a whole other story.
"For a city who claims that slogan 'Live Music Capital of the World,' the city has done virtually zero to nurture the scene," said Hernandez.
Longtime Austin music producer and sound engineer Stuart Sullivan agrees and said it’s difficult for local artists to get by making $50 to $100 per band member per show … sometimes less.
“It's really hard to make a living doing that,” said Sullivan.
Now Sullivan also serves on Austin's Music Commission, a group selected by city council and tasked with finding ways the city can support live music.
"It's a very difficult nut to crack, and the city itself is not going to be able to crack it,” said Sullivan.
Non-profit groups like the Austin Music Foundation, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians and the SIMS Foundation have provided much needed help to local musicians. But what more can the city do to help Austin’s music industry?
One possible solution is the creation of a music “hub” where musicians can practice, produce, record, and play live. According to the Music Commission’s recommendation to city council, it would serve as the “epicenter of the City’s music community” and would be a “focal point showcasing Austin’s music talent, delivering professional development, inspiring Austin’s youth, and celebrating Austin’s music sector." The commission has requested $15 million be added to the upcoming November bond package.
But the proposed music hub doesn’t address what musicians get paid for playing live music. Living in Austin isn't getting cheaper and Sullivan said proposals for working wages for musicians haven't gone anywhere.
"Musicians in this town [are] having a very hard time making a living just playing music,” said Sullivan. "$100 to somebody 30 years ago was three times what it is today."
That’s why many local artists must supplement their music livelihood with full-time or part-time jobs.
"You have to work," said Houston.
Houston got help from Austin Music Foundation, which helped him find a steady job as a chef.
"They literally brought out employers to speak to groups of musicians who are looking to work but do music at the same time," he said.
He doesn't mind the long hours to be able to afford time in the studio here in “The Live Music Capital of the World.”
"I'm so glad I'm here. So glad," said Houston.
The Austin City Council is still considering that bond request for the proposed music hub.
Here is a list KVUE created based off the City of Austin's permitting list:
*** The Texas Music Office also created this tool for finding venues, musicians, and music-related businesses in Texas. ***