Source: American Rock musician Billy Gibbons, of the group ZZ Top, performs onstage at the Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, September 9, 1983. (Paul Natkin/Getty Images) / Getty
7 Texas-Born Rock Legends Who Helped Shape Classic Rock
Texas has produced blues players, country storytellers and rock stars with sounds large enough to fill stadiums.
From the birth of rock and roll to the arena era and the blues revival of the 1980s, musicians born in the Lone Star State have repeatedly helped move rock music forward.
Buddy Holly — Lubbock
Born in Lubbock in 1936, Buddy Holly was one of rock’s early pioneers. His career lasted only a few years, but his distinctive voice, guitar playing and combination of country, rhythm and blues and rockabilly became part of rock’s foundation.
Roy Orbison — Vernon
Roy Orbison was born in Vernon and grew up in Wink, where he formed the group that eventually became the Teen Kings.
His soaring voice and dramatic recordings made songs such as “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Crying” and “Only the Lonely” unmistakable.
Janis Joplin — Port Arthur
Born in Port Arthur in 1943, Janis Joplin developed into one of rock’s most powerful and recognizable singers.
Her performances with Big Brother and the Holding Company and as a solo artist brought the emotional force of the blues to a massive rock audience.
Don Henley — Gilmer
Henley was born in Gilmer and raised in Linden before heading west and helping form the Eagles.
As the group’s drummer, vocalist and one of its principal songwriters, he played a central role in songs that became staples of classic rock radio.
Meat Loaf — Dallas
Born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas, Meat Loaf brought theatrical scale to rock music.
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His 1977 album, “Bat Out of Hell,” combined hard rock, elaborate production and Broadway-sized drama while launching one of rock’s most distinctive careers.
Billy Gibbons — Houston
Houston native Billy Gibbons emerged from the Moving Sidewalks before ZZ Top formed in the city in 1969.
His guitar style, gritty tone and unmistakable image helped turn the Texas trio into one of America’s most recognizable rock bands.
Stevie Ray Vaughan — Dallas
Stevie Ray Vaughan was born and raised in Dallas and began playing guitar at age 7. With Double Trouble, he bridged blues and rock and became a driving force behind the American blues revival of the 1980s.
From Holly’s early rock ’n’ roll to Vaughan’s fiery Texas blues, these seven artists left marks that extend far beyond their hometowns. Classic rock would sound very different without the musicians Texas gave the world.
