HWY 261

The Rev takes a deep dive into the early career of Texas songwriting legend Townes Van Zandt by way of the Texas Troubadour Box Set, which collects every studio and live album TVZ released on the Poppy and Tomato record labels between 1968-1978.

On today's episode The Rev welcomes Austin-based singer-songwriter Rita Bliss into the KZSM broadcast booth. She played four great songs live on the air (You Can Go; Two Dollar Bill; We Will Sing; Mountain Time). We also talked about where Rita's music is online, where fans can find her website, and where she'll be playing live in the upcoming weeks/months. The Rev also spun prerecorded tracks fro...

Dallas Burrow makes his 3rd appearance in the KZSM broadcast booth with The Rev. We talk about his career, Willis Alan Ramsey, and the time he met Bob Dylan before Dallas played his fantastic song The Very Best live in the studio Pre-recorded tracks included songs from Reckless Kelly, Dallas Burrow, Adam Carroll, Texacala Jones & Her T.J. Hookers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Texas Sapphires...

Today on HWY 261 The Rev takes a deep dive into tracks included on the Puff Bunny Records 15th Anniversary Sampler CD released in 2024. Puff Bunny Records was founded in 2007 in Fredricksburg, Texas and it's mission is to record quality folk and Americana artists in live and studio settings. Tracks included on this week's show include songs from Ruby Lovett, George Ensle, Shake Russell & Micha...

Sterling is in the hospital recovering from a rather nasty fall, so The Rev is flying solo in the booth. Today's playlist is made up of artists who are finalists for San Marcos Music Awards (SMMAs)in various categories: Missoula Slim, The Trips, HalleyAnna Finlay, Sam Downing, Tracy Weinberg, Justin James Bridges, The Rev Jason Woolery, Bartly, Loose Screws & Rusty Hearts, Amber Elison w/ Char...

The Reverend welcomes Sammy Wells back into the KZSM studio for the first broadcast of the 2026 calendar year. Sammy is part of San Marcos' hottest band, The Trips, but he's also a solo artist. On today's episode Sammy previews the title track of his forthcoming sophomore solo album, Take Two. In addition to that live performance, he played Karmalita off the forthcoming record. Prerecorded tracks...

Sterling is on a beach vacay with the fam, so The Rev has his youngest daughter, Layla, in the booth as co-host for the final HWY 261 broadcast of 2025. Tracklist for the 12-26-25 episode: The Boxer-Simon & Garfunkel Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues-Slaid Cleaves Song for Sonny Liston-Mark Knopfler Walk of Life-Shooter Jennings River-Good Medicine Band Slew Foot-James McMurtry ft. Joe Ely Love Hurts-Ro...

The Rev takes us on a trip in the Way-Back Machine to May 1977, The Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin. Doug Sahm & Augie Meyers played (and recorded) a show at the 'Dillo with members of Doug's bands Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornadoes. The Rev played most of the concert, and augmented the episode with Funny cigarette by Asylum Street Spankers, The Valley of the San Joaquin by Augie Mey...

Today The Rev is flying solo in the booth, and he's being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past...musically speaking, that is! We kicked off with Christmastime in Luckenbach by Kent Finlay followed by White Christmas by Sterling Finlay and Merry Texas Christmas Y'all by Asleep at the Wheel. Then The Rev took us on a trip in the Way-Back Machine to the era of Hastings Entertainment Superstores, wh...

Today, The Reverend kicks off with the quintessential Thanksgiving song, Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie (whose two daughters Cathy and Sarah Lee are both based out of Austin, TX), followed by a deep dive of the catalog of Stephen Stills, who was born in Dallas in 1945. Tracks played were Alice's Restaurant, Love the One You're With, Old Times Good Times, Song of Love, Soldier, Wooden Ships (Li...

The Reverend welcomes rising Texas artist Ashton Naylor, fresh off the release of his debut album Foot in the Door. Ashton and The Rev spend some time talking about the record and his upcoming shows, and geeking out on their favorite music. Then Ashton played two tracks off the album (Foot in the Door, Barkeep) live in KZSM Studio. The show was rounded out with prerecorded tracks from Bob Dylan, C...

Sterling is back in the booth with The Reverend this week as we showcase tracks from Todd Snider, specifically songs from his new album featuring Sterling on bass (High Lonesome and Then Some) + the "Purple versions" of several of Todd's earlier songs that he re-recorded in stripped-down fashion and and released a few years ago.

Dennis Jay returns to the KZSM studio ahead of his debut performance at The Redbird Listening Room tomorrow night. Dennis and The Rev talk horses, and Dennis plays a pair of great original songs from his catalog (South of Seguin and Adios Moonlight). The Rev also leans to Texas-connected prerecorded tracks that have a spooky season theme. Artists played include Sammy Wells (covering Paul McCartney...

Sterling is still on "house arrest" while his immune system works itself back up, so The Reverend is solo in the booth again today to welcome Phenomenal musician Keith Davis back into the KZSM broadcast booth. Keith has been on the show several times as both a solo artist and a sideman for other guests, and he's plugging both his newly released EP and his first full band show as a solo artist in 1...

Sterling is laying low for health reasons today, so The Reverend hosts The Trips return to the KZSM studio as a solo DJ. The band talks about their new and upcoming projects, including the music video they recently filmed for February (featuring The Rev as a zombie, no less!), their live music calendar for October, and Sammy's self-imposed TikTok challenge to learn a cover of one song each from al...

Sterling is back in the booth after a few weeks on the DL, and he and The Reverend used today's episode to pay tribute to the late Al Barlow, a clever and influential songwriter, who passed away last week at the age of 71. Sterling knew Al for decades, and The Reverend got to interact with the man a few times too, so they share stories along with a highlight list of some of Al's most memorable son...

The Reverend is flying solo today as Sterling recovers from a serious health issue. KZSM's Production Committee Chair, Chris Gardner, brought The Rev along to Austin last night for a Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co. show. The Rev figured this would be a great opportunity to feature the work of a prolific Texas-based artist in Will Johnson, and Chris graciously agreed to curate a "starter playli...

Sterling has been sidelined by a medical condition, so The Reverend is hosting solo as he welcomes Star De Azlan into the KZSM studio. Star's new single, Adios Cowboy, will be released September 26th. She plays an acoustic version of that tune live on the air, as well as a brand new song. Prerecorded tracks included songs from Nathan Hamilton, Keith Davis, Mark Allan Atwood, Tom Russell, The Rev....

Sterling is back from his touring with Todd Snider and Dallas Burrow! He and the Reverend welcome local phenoms Hank Weaver, Cameron Allbright, and Ashton Naylor who are playing together tonight at Cheatham St. Warehouse in San Marcos, TX. Prerecorded tracks centered around the Jennings family in honor of the forthcoming Waylon album "Songbird." Tracks played were all from Waylon Jennings, Jessi C...

Joey, Bramwell, bassist of Austin's 80s throwback cover band Prime Meridian, joins The Reverend in the booth and spins cover songs with Texas connections.

Sterling is still on tour with Dallas Burrow, so The Reverend is still solo in the KZSM booth as he welcomes Rob Dark Smith, Keith Davis, and Trey Martinez into the studio. This is Rob and Keith's second visit to HWY 261 in 2025; last time they were promoting the release of The Anvil, today they're plugging the show that the three of them are playing tonight at The Redbird Listening Room in New Br...

Today The Reverend welcomed a couple of members of Austin-based Americana band Briscoe, Truitt & Phil. They are about to hit the road for a middle America tour on Monday, and they played us a couple f great songs that'll be in the setlist on this tour, Roughnecks & The Well. The Rev also played the title track of their forthcoming album, Heat of July, at the end of the show. Other prerecor...

Sterling in still on the road playing bass in the current incarnation of the Todd Snider Band, so The Reverend is solo again this week, but not entirely, because today The Rev welcomed guest artist David Rosenblad into the KZSM studio. David played a couple of great unreleased tunes (Living, Loving, & Being in the Present; Rise Up) in addition to telling listeners where he'll be playing live i...

The Reverend is flying solo in the booth because Sterling in at war with his own sinuses, so the playlist for August 1st, 2025 is a mixed bag of rockin' tunes from (mostly) Texas artists. Artists played on today's episode: Texas Tornados, Reverend Horton Heat, Deep Blue Something, Toadies, Tripping Daisy, The Mars Volta, Blue Healer, Micky & the Motorcars, Reckless Kelly, Spoon, Old 97s, and D...

Sterling is returning from a recording session in Nashville Friday, so The Rev is broadcasting solo in the booth again this week. Today's episode focuses on the Cheatham Street Warehouse "Class of '87" group of singer-songwriters, that is, half a dozen young artists who frequented Kent Finlay's Songwriters Circle at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, TX in 1987 and went on to make names for...