Cropped Photo from Ryan Oles, Flickr
It’s summertime in Austin which means things are heating up. Over here at KUTX, the on-air staff has curated the perfect list of our favorite local artist’s summer tracks to keep you cool until… October. Sit back, chill out, and enjoy some of our favorite summer tunes from Austin artists!
Jody Denberg, music host 5-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon-4 p.m. Friday
Amy Cook – “Summer Skin”
This Austin songwriter, on an album released in the Summer of 2012, came up with a
title track as sultry as the season
Janis Joplin or Willie Nelson – “Summertime”
Different yet wonderful approaches to the Gershwin classic by two Texas legends.
Bill Callahan – “Summer Painter”
You can almost smell the paint smolder in the heat
Jack Anderson, music host 11 p.m.- 3 a.m. Saturday
Nameless Frames – “Put It Back”
Remember the band Polaris who did all the music for Pete & Pete? This Austin band conjures up the same wistful summery feelings from all those songs like “Hey Sandy,” only with a dirtier, grainier sound. Great to listen to when jumping off the dock at Common Ford.
John Aielli, host “Eklektikos” 6 a.m.- 9 a.m. Monday-Thursday
Ed Miller – “The Devil Made Texas”
Jacquie Moody-Fuller
Spoon – “Car Radio”
For me, the hallmark of a good summer song is a sense of possibility. This terse, little rocker is packed with it. Since my twenties, it’s been part of my summer-night, going-out playlist.
Michael Crockett, host of “Horizontes” and “Global Grooves”
Los Bad Apples – “O Dia Perfeito (The Perfect Day)”
This now-defunct Austin band’s bilingual samba may not be summer song since a perfect day in Austin is probably in the spring or fall, but it puts me in a good mood whenever I hear it.
My friends and I saw these guys 5 years during ago one of the best summers of my life. None of us had ever heard of them, which is arguably the best way to be introduced to the live music experience that is SIP SIP. As the story goes, none of us even remembers who we actually went to see that night.
Shivery Shakes – “Hold On”
Local band Shivery Shakes are the epitome of summer specials. Released in 2014, it’s hard for me to pick just one summer song from their album Three Waves and a Shake so I recommend you crank the whole thing this and every summer.
Spot-on cover of the Rascals’ classic by Austin’s long-defunct but much beloved reggae warriors.
