At 79 years old, Texas outlaw singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is still the real deal

In an era of formulaic modern country music that’s arguably more pop or rock than country, we can all take some comfort in the fact that Texas singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard still abides. 

Hubbard, 79, is one of the original cosmic cowboy architects of outlaw country, and is still out here singing his drunken poet stories about life on the road, characters from his extended family, relationships with rough and rowdy women, illicit substances, mortality and, by extension, his own potential salvation or damnation.  

Since 1965, Hubbard has built a rich sonic catalogue of a life spent chronicling folks dancing on the sometimes blurry line between law-abiding and maybe not exactly law-abiding. Most of us from around here have an uncle like that. Or maybe we are that uncle to someone else. He’s got the calm demeanor of someone who has battled his own demons successfully and is content to live calmly and soberly. 

After attending his Nov. 5 appearance at the White Water Tavern, this writer is mighty pleased to report that Hubbard remains as authentic as all get-out and puts on a tremendous show — even on the cusp of his 80th birthday.  

It was one of those rare, limited-crowd, fully-seated concerts that White Water puts on for the true legends. Those shows are designed to be a little quieter and intimate for the audience than the average live music night at Little Rock’s favorite dive. But maybe nobody told that plan to Hubbard, who cranked out a fun and energetic set that hooked the audience from the first note of his song “Rabbit.” 

The stage was occupied by only two musicians, with Hubbard accompanied most excellently on guitar by his son, Lucas Hubbard. He confessed that the band was usually a three-piece, but the absent member couldn’t travel due to “some technical difficulties with an ankle monitor.” 

At one point early on, Hubbard noted that he’d never really become a famous household name during his career, saying, “I am an acquired taste. Some of y’all who’ve never seen me play before may understandably be on the fence after the first few songs. This next song should weed y’all out.”

But first-timers might’ve been in the solid minority. It was truly a room full of true fans who knew every word to every song. More than a few tunes easily morphed into full-audience sing-alongs over the course of the evening on classic tracks like “Snake Farm” and “Redneck Mother.”

Hubbard had plenty of stories about collaborating with everyone from Hayes Carll to Ringo Starr to Don Was over the years, and having his songs covered by others like Jerry Jeff Walker. In short, he’s always pleased to get a nice royalty check.

It was a night of watching a master at work, almost two hours of Hubbard spinning stories between songs about a life on the road and the relationships that have come and gone — with seemingly no artifice whatsoever. 

In an era of image-makers and consultants, it was utterly refreshing to just hang out in a barroom on a Thursday night and listen to an old hand practice his craft and hold an audience rapt. I’m already looking forward to his next visit. 

Setlist:

“Rabbit”

“Snake Farm”

“Drunken Poet’s Dream”

“Mother Blues”

“Bad Trick”

“Tell the Devil I’m Gettin’ There as Fast as I Can”

“Dust of the Chase”

“Mississippi Flush”

“Cassette Mixtape”

“Mr. Musselwhite’s Blues”

“Redneck Mother”

“Desperate Man”

“Choctaw Bingo”

“The Road Goes On Forever”