Set out August 22 via New West Records

Listen now: Kam Franklin Honors Barbara Lynn’s “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” and Doyle Bramhall II Channels Eddie Taylor on “Bad Boy” to preview ‘Antones: 50 Years of the Blues.’

Special “Antone’s 50” Austin City Limits taping to feature star-studded lineup with Kingfish, Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Charlie Sexton and more.

“Antone’s is my foundation. I wouldn’t be doing what  I’m doing if it hadn’t been for Antone’s.” 

– Gary Clark Jr.

“Long before people started to latch onto the blues, Clifford Antone supported them and promoted them. We who play the blues owe him a lot.”

?- B.B. King

AUSTIN, TX — May 8, 2025 — Antone’s, the legendary Austin venue known as the “Home of the Blues,” proudly announces Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues, a commemorative four-LP box set celebrating five decades of musical history and cultural impact. The collection will be released August 22 via New West Records. Spanning 41 tracks across three full-length albums and a bonus 45, the box set captures the spirit and evolution of Antone’s—from its early days nurturing Texas blues legends to its present-day role as a global blues beacon.

The box set also includes a newly updated hardcover edition of “Picture the Blues” by Susan Antone, featuring rare and never-before-seen photographs, along with a definitive new Antone’s history penned by acclaimed Texas music historian Joe Nick Patoski, drawing from fresh interviews.

Founded in 1975 by Clifford Antone, the club helped establish Austin as the live music capital of the world, hosting iconic performances from legends such as Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Albert Collins. Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues is a tribute to that enduring legacy.

Two advance tracks from Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues now available: preview new material from iconic and emerging artists

Kam Franklin pays tribute to Barbara Lynn, Doyle Bramhall II Honors Eddie Taylor with special tracks

Ahead of the upcoming release of Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues, two advance tracks from the album’s opening double LP, The Last Real Texas Blues Album, are now available. This 18-track collection features new material from a dynamic mix of artists who have shaped the history of Antone’s, including Jimmie Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Sexton, Ruthie Foster, Doyle Bramhall II, Bobby Rush, Derek O’Brien, C.J. Chenier, and Muddy Waters’ guitarist John Primer, as well as the next generation of blues stars such as Kam Franklin, Eve Monsees, and McKinley James.

Kam Franklin, a rising star in the Texas blues scene, honors a true trailblazer with her soulful interpretation of Barbara Lynn’s “You’ll Lose A Good Thing.” Meanwhile, Antone’s staple Doyle Bramhall II pays tribute to blues great Eddie Taylor with his rendition of “Bad Boy,” a song that recalls Taylor’s historic reunion with Jimmy Reed at Antone’s in 1976.

These two tracks offer a taste of the rich, diverse sounds featured in the upcoming album, which showcases both established blues legends and the future leaders of the genre, bridging the gap between past and present.

Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues is set for release on August 22 via New West Records. The box set will span 41 tracks across four LPs and includes rare photographs, a new history of Antone’s written by Joe Nick Patoski, and much more.

Two advance tracks from the set’s opening double LP, “The Last Real Texas Blues Album,” are out now, which include 18 songs of new material from artists integral to the history of Antone’s (Jimmie Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Sexton, Ruthie Foster, Doyle Bramhall II, Bobby Rush, Derek O’Brien, C.J. Chenier + Muddy Waters’ guitarist John Primer and son Big Bill Morganfield) as well as its next generation leaders (Kam Franklin, Eve Monsees, McKinley James and more). Kam Franklin pays homage to a true Texas trailblazer with her interpretation of Barbara Lynn’s “You’ll Lose A Good Thing,” and Doyle Bramhall II honors the great Eddie Taylor (who reunited with his musical partner Jimmy Reed for the first time in many years at Antone’s in 1976) with “Bad Boy.” 

Listen to “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” and “Bad Boy” here: http://newwst.com/goodthing 

Pre-order Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues here: http://newwst.com/antones50 

The second album, Tell Me One More Time, brings together a treasure trove of long-lost tracks from Antone’s Records, the club’s in-house label, which played a pioneering role in promoting female-fronted blues (with artists like Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli, Lavelle White, Sue Foley, and Barbara Lynn). This album also includes never-before-heard archival commentary from Clifford Antone himself, offering insights into the artists and songs featured. The third album, We Went Live In ‘75, showcases rare live recordings from the club’s storied history, featuring performances from legends like Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, along with a young, unsigned Gary Clark Jr. at just 20 years old. A special bonus 45 includes a tri-color pressing of Los Lobos covering Howlin’ Wolf, honoring Clifford’s role in rescuing the band in the mid-’80s when they were stranded in Texas, helping them make the money to fund their way back to LA with a week of support slots at the club. 

Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues is part of a major, year-long celebration marking the club’s five-decade legacy, highlighted by a special Austin City Limits taping, ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues. Taking place on April 28 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater, this highly anticipated event features an incredible lineup of blues legends and rising stars, including Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Charlie Sexton, Big Bill Morganfield, Lil’ Ed Williams, Grace Bowers, Bobby Rush, and Lurrie Bell. These blues icons will be backed by a powerhouse 14-piece house band, featuring legendary musicians like ACL Hall of Famer Chris Layton, Steve Bell, Joe Sublett, and more, all under the musical direction of Antone’s own Zach Ernst.

This unique taping moves from the intimate setting of Antone’s to the iconic skyline backdrop of ACL’s stage, showcasing an all-star lineup of blues giants and torchbearers. The episode will air this fall as part of PBS’s Austin City Limits Season 51. Fans can also catch the live taping streamed on YouTube (youtube.com/austincitylimitstv) at 8:00 PM CT, with the stream available exclusively for the live event.

The Antone’s Allstars will also be taking over New York’s Lincoln Center on June 29 for a one-of-a-kind extravaganza, centered around the rich history of Texas blues and soul – on one of the world’s most prestigious stages. Many of the performers from the ACL taping will appear at Lincoln Center (including Jimmie Vaughan, Kam Franklin, John Primer, Lurrie Bell, and Lil’ Ed Williams), but other iconic Antone’s artists like C.J. Chenier and Jivin’ Gene will join in for this special show too. Most recently, Antone’s hosted an all-day 50th anniversary celebration during SXSW, which was praised by Rolling Stone for “pointing the way towards the future of the blues.”

Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues Tracklist

The Last Real Texas Blues Album

1. Going Down – Bobby Rush & Jimmie Vaughan
2. Reconsider Baby – Benny Turner feat. Derek O’Brien
3. Flip, Flop And Fly – Jivin’ Gene feat. Charlie Sexton
4. You’ll Lose A Good Thing – Kam Franklin
5. If You Change Your Mind – Lil’ Ed Williams
6. Talkin’ ‘Bout My Friends – Kim Wilson & The Fabulous Thunderbirds
7. Those Lonely, Lonely Nights – McKinley James
8. The Sky Is Crying – Lurrie Bell feat. Joe Sublett
9. Lead Me On – Ruthie Foster
10. Bad Boy – Doyle Bramhall II
11. Just Like A Bird Without A Feather – Big Bill Morganfield
12. Honest I Do – John Primer
13. Lookin’ Good – Eve Monsees feat. Lurrie Bell & Billy Gibbons
14. The Things That I Used To Do – Lynn August feat. Marcia Ball
15. Willie The Wimp – C.J. Chenier
16. You Got Me Where You Want Me – Sue Foley
17. If (I Could Be With You) – Kam Franklin
18. Message From Miss Lavelle – Lavelle White feat. Derek O’Brien & Marcia Ball

Tell Me One More Time

1. Sugar Coated Love – Lou Ann Barton
2. I’m So Glad – Snooky Pryor
3. It Hurts Me, Too – Angela Strehli Band
4. No Special Rider – Lazy Lester
5. You’re Gonna Make Me Cry – Lavelle White
6. I Won’t Cry – Doug Sahm
7. A Fool in Love – Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli
8. Too Sorry – Doyle Bramhall
9. Gone Blind – Sue Foley
10. Hear From My Daddy – Barbara Lynn
11. Don’t Touch Me – Kim Wilson
12. Going Down Slow – Pinetop Perkins

We Went Live In ‘75

1. Chicken Shack / Sugar Bear Intro (Live) – Pinetop Perkins
2. Walking By Myself (Live) – Jimmy Rogers
3. Built Up From The Ground (Live) – Sunnyland Slim
4. Double Trouble (Live) – Otis Rush
5. Bigtown Playboy (Live) – Eddie Taylor
6. Look On Yonder’s Wall (Live) – Buddy Guy
7. What It Takes To Get A Good Woman (Live) – Angela Strehli
8. Cold Cold Feeling (Live) – Albert Collins
9. Catfish Blues (Live) – Gary Clark Jr.
10. Midnight Creeper (Live) – James Cotton

Bonus 45 

1. Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy – Los Lobos

About Antone’s:

Founded by Clifford Antone as the first live music venue on Austin’s famous Sixth Street, Antone’s quickly became a second home to a legendary roster of blues greats, including Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, and B.B. King, while also embracing a wide range of American roots music. The driving force behind it all was Clifford Antone, a native of Texas’ Gulf Coast who, during his youth, explored the juke joints of nearby Louisiana. There, he developed a deep passion for Creole music, R&B, zydeco, and, above all, the blues. Over its five-decade history, Antone’s has not only defined the present but also shaped the future of blues music, helping to launch the careers of internationally renowned artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doug Sahm, Charlie Sexton, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann Barton, and many others. Today, Antone’s remains an enduring force in the live music scene, its legacy carried forward by a new generation of trailblazers such as Gary Clark Jr., Kam Franklin, Jackie Venson, and McKinley James.