Live from Austin, TX, part of a series of CD and DVD releases from the Austin City Limits archive, features a post-Sir Douglas Quintet and pre-Texas Tornados Doug Sahm recorded on November 14, 1975. On these 12 tracks, Sahm and his backup band, which included his faithful compadre Augie Meyers on organ, tackle fan favorites penned by Sahm from the SDQ days -- "At the Crossroads," "Nuevo Laredo," "Dynamite Woman," "Mendocino," and "She's About a Mover" -- along with a few country and blues tunes that had been in Sahm's repertoire since the late '50s. The medley of "Crazy Baby/One Night/Sometimes/Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" moves seamlessly from one song into the next, laid-back and natural, yet full of soul. Live from Austin, TX finds the San Antonio native leading the band through yet another set on his home turf, playing what would be referred to 30 years later as Americana, a genre to which Sahm both contributed and paid tribute to. As Sir Doug intoned at the beginning of "Cotton Eyed Joe" in his hippie Texas drawl, "thank you brothers and sisters, let's boogie!" which pretty much sums it up. [A DVD of the performance was also released.]
© Al Campbell /TiVo