Music Must-Have

This new book reveals the story behind 100 of Austin's best musicians

This book is a must-have for Austin music fans.

Photo courtesy of Weeva

Seduced by Sound, produced by Weeva, an Austin-based startup and crowd-sourced publisher, invites readers to take a journey into the lives of 100 Austin musicians and bands as they share, in their own words, what inspired them to play, thank their musical influences, and talk about what they have learned on their journey to the stage.

“Beyond the musicians, the book also offers an intimate insight into what it was like for them to work with some of Austin’s most famous musical legends, such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Townes Van Zandt, as well as share their memories of their favorite Austin venues,” says Weeva founder and CEO Kimberly Gorsuch. “All of the legends described in the book have shaped the Austin music scene in an important way.”

The first book of its kind, Seduced by Sound, was collectively written by the artists featured in the 312-page hardcover book, and it was curated by Carley Wolf of the Ghost Wolves, using Weeva's social collaboration publishing platform. The idea behind the project was to collect and share personal stories from a diverse set of artists and weave them together to showcase the vibrancy of the current Austin music scene.

Some of the book’s notable artists include Alejandro Escovedo, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Blue October, Dale Watson, Elijah Ford & the Bloom, Jesse Dayton, the Mastersons, Ray Benson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lincoln Durham, Sweet Spirit, and many more.

While you may run into one of the book’s contributors at the release party scheduled for Tuesday, December 6, from 6-9 pm at the ABGB, they won’t be on stage. “This is a night off for the artists to receive and enjoy the book as well as listen to their favorite vinyl,” says Wolf. “We are so grateful for all of the contributors. We want to celebrate them and the wonderful book we’ve created together. Everyone is welcome.”

Can’t make the party? Visit the Weeva bookstore to purchase your copy for $49.95. Orders placed by December 10 will be delivered in time for the holidays. A portion of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to the local nonprofit Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), which provides the Austin music community with access to affordable healthcare services.

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New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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This new book reveals the story behind 100 of Austin's best musicians

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

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