The Ultimate TEXAS Playlist

All travelers sing–the road demands it.

Driving more than 5,000 miles around Texas granted me a lot of radio time, and as I traveled across the wide open landscape of the Lone Star State, I discovered some truly brilliant melodies and lyrics. I also exceeded the daily recommended allowance for country music.

It would seem that for centuries, beautiful Texas has inspired artists and travelers alike to sing about this great place in the world. The following playlist comprises all my favorite songs about Texas, songs that mention the word “Texas”, songs about cities and towns in Texas, songs by musicians from Texas, as well as the official Texas state song. (I owe a Texas-size “Thank You” to all of you for introducing you to so many terrific Texas tunes.)

So, here it is–the ultimate TEXAS playlist:

1. Deep in the Heart of Texas/ Perry Como
2. Bluebonnets/ Cross Canadian Ragweed
3. Southland in the Springtime/ Indigo Girls
4. Cowboy Take Me Away/ Dixie Chicks
5. The Mighty Rio Grande/ This Will Destroy You
6. Too Far From Texas/ Stevie Nicks
7. Merry Go ‘Round/Kacey Musgraves
8. Gone to Texas/ Terry Allen
9. Ohio (Come Back to Texas)/Bowling for Soup
10.  Way Down Texas Way/ Asleep At The Wheel
11. We Are All Where We Belong/ Quiet Company
12. T is for Texas (Blue Yodel No. 1)/ Jimmie Rodgers
13. That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)/ Lyle Lovett
14. Texas/ Laura Belle Bundy
15. Somewhere in Texas/ Raveonettes
16. Texas Rivers Song/ Lyle Lovett
17. If You’re Gonna Play in Texas/ Alabama
18. Miles and Miles of Texas/ Asleep at the Wheel
19. What I Like About Texas/ Jerry Jeff Walker & Gary P. Nunn
20. Abilene/ George Hamilton IV
21. Houston/ R.E.M.
22. I Don’t Live In Dallas/ Jarrod Birmingham
23. Galveston/ Jimmy Webb
24. Levelland/ James McMurtry
25. San Antonio Rose/ Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
26. Amarillo by Morning/ George Strait
27. Streets of Laredo/ Johnny Cash
28. Laredo/ Band of Horses
29. Corpus Christi Bay / Robert Earl Keen
30. Travis County/ Gary Clark, Jr.
31. Luckenback, Texas/ Waylon Jennings
32. La Grange/ ZZ Top
33. Villa del Refugio/ This Will Destroy You
34. El Paso/ Marty Robbins
35. Texarkana/ R.E.M.
36. Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind?/ George Strait
37. Texas When I Die/ Tanya Tucker
38. She’s Like Texas/ Josh Abbot Band
39. Screw You, We’re from Texas/ Ray Wylie Hubbard
40. God Blessed Texas/ Little Texas
41. Texas/ Chris Rea
42. Texas On A Saturday Night/ Willie Nelson & Mel Tillis
43. Yellow Rose of Texas/ Gene Autry
44. Waltz Across Texas/ Ernest Tubb
45. Ride Ranger Ride/ Cass County Band
46. All My Ex’s Live in Texas/ George Strait
47. The Bluest Eyes in Texas/ Restless Heart
48. Texas Flood/ Stevie Ray Vaughan
49. Stars Over Texas/ Tracy Lawrence
50. Red River Valley/ Woodie Guthrie
51. I’m Bound to Follow the Longhorn Cows/ Alan Lomax
52. The Texas Song/ Sandy (from Sponge Bob Squarepants)
53. Texas, Our Texas/ Rick Pickren
54. Blame It On Texas/ Mark Chesnutt