The Hole Story is a new series from KUTX. Taped live on the front stage of Hole in the Wall – we’ve invited artists to not just perform, but also share the inspiration, meaning, or backstory behind each one.
Opened in 1974, Hole in the Wall is one of Austin’s most legendary dive bars. It continues to be a launchpad for generations of Texas songwriters — from Blaze Foley and Doug Sahm to Spoon, Shakey Graves, and Gary Clark Jr. It also happens to be right across the street from the KUT/X Studios.
Raised in rural East Texas, Carrie Fussell learned early that imagination could be a survival skill. For more than a decade, she applied that instinct into the Austin psychedelic folk collective Calliope Musicals.
When that chapter closed, she stepped away from performing.
Then came a midnight reset.
Invited by Jon Dee Graham to join his long-running Wednesday residency at the Continental Club, Carrie took the late-night slot and started again. In those after-hours sets, BRUCE emerged, along with the songs that would become Must Love Teeth. It’s a stretch, Carrie said, “saved her life.”
Taped at Hole in the Wall in July 2025, just one week after the album’s release, this episode features songs shaped entirely during those late nights. Between songs, Carrie reflects on the residency with unfiltered self-awareness, deeply personal stories, and humor.
Set List:
“Trash Fire Singing Child”
“Cherry”
“Angels in the Outfield”
“Perfect Stranger”
Album: Must Love Teeth (July 11, 2025 – BRUCE)
Musician: Carrie Fussell – vocals, guitar, loop pedal
Credits: Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Master: Rene Chavez; Audio Engineer: Rene Chavez; Edit: Michael Minasi; Cameras: Michael Minasi; Lorraine Willett, Leila Saidane
