Ray Wylie Hubbard

Biography

Ray Wylie Hubbard, born November 13, 1946, in Soper, Oklahoma, began his musical journey in his youth. His family relocated to Dallas in 1954, where he attended W. H. Adamson High School alongside fellow musicians Michael Martin Murphey, Larry Groce, B. W. Stevenson, and Owen Temple. After graduating in 1965, he enrolled at North Texas State University as an English major, spending summers playing folk music in New Mexico with the trio Three Faces West. This period proved formative, as it was in New Mexico that he penned "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother," a song later popularized by Jerry Jeff Walker.

The success of "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother" led to a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1976. Hubbard formed a band, releasing Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Cowboy Twinkies, an album whose production he vehemently disliked due to unwanted overdubs and backing vocals added by producer Michael Brovsky. He continued recording throughout the 1980s for various labels, blending country, folk, and blues, but faced sales challenges. He founded his own label, Misery Loves Company, releasing Caught in the Act (1984). A resurgence in popularity began in the early 1990s with albums like Lost Train of Thought (1992) and Loco Gringo's Lament (1994), establishing a steady following that continues to this day.

Hubbard's musical style, while described by him as rock & roll in reference to his 2017 album Tell the Devil I'm Getting There as Fast as I Can, is often associated with outlaw country. His career demonstrates a blend of folk, country, and blues influences, shaped by his early experiences playing folk music and his later struggles with addiction and personal loss. His enduring popularity and continued recording attest to his lasting impact on the music scene. He overcame significant personal challenges, including alcoholism and cocaine addiction, finding sobriety in 1987 with the help of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Fun Facts

• Hubbard attended high school with several other notable musicians.
• His song "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother" became a hit for Jerry Jeff Walker.
• He disliked the production of his debut album Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Cowboy Twinkies.
• He credits Stevie Ray Vaughan with helping him achieve sobriety.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• No mentors or influences are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Key Collaborators

• Michael Brovsky - Producer of Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Cowboy Twinkies.
• Lucas Hubbard - Son, plays lead guitar in Hubbard's band.

Artists Influenced

• No artists influenced by Hubbard are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

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Source: Wikipedia

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Snake Farm (Snake Farm)
2. Conversation With The Devil (Crusades Of The Restless Knights)
3. Choctaw Bingo (Delirium Tremolos)
4. Drunken Poet's Dream (A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C))
5. Mother Blues (The Grifter's Hymnal)
6. Screw You, We're From Texas (Growl)
7. Redneck Mother (Live at Cibolo Creek Country Club)
8. Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' there as Fast as I Can (Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' there as Fast as I Can)
9. Bad on Fords (Ruffian's Misfortune)
10. Rabbit (Snake Farm)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia