City vies for ‘Music Friendly’ designation

Any definition of the Wimberley Valley would have to include the term creative arts. There’s painters, photographers, sculptors, actors, you name it, and this magical valley has it. The arts are part of the culture of Wimberley. Along the way, Wimberley obtained a few designations such as the Cultural Arts District or a Dark Sky Community, and now one more artistic talent is on the way to being recognized.

Yes, the home of Sarah Jarosz, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Kevin Fowler and dozens of incredibly talented and well revered musicians hopes to receive the “Music Friendly” designation by the Texas Music Office very soon. Whenever it happens, it will be long overdue.

According to the Texas Music Office, “Participation in the Texas Music Office’s ‘Music Friendly Community’ program provides Texas communities with a network for fostering music industry development, and sends a clear message to industry professionals that certified communities are serious about attracting and developing music industry growth.”

With decades of experience ‘fostering music industry development’ of young talents like Jarosz, Kelsey Wilson as well as Grammy nominated brothers Buck and Dylan Meek, it seems like a natural fit for Wimberley.

Stepping up to the plate to obtain the designation were a few local musicians, the Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance (WVACA), and city hall.

It started with an email from Billy Crockett of Blue Rock Studios about the “Music Friendly” designation to local singer Chick Morgan, a N.Y. Cabaret veteran, who settled in Wimberley. Locally she is also a half of the duo Women with Standards with Nancy Williams.

“Attached was a newsletter from the governor’s office, and one of the articles in the newsletter was about the Texas Music Office, and that they were hosting this workshop or presentation about their music friendly designation,’ Morgan said. “I said, ‘I don’t know anything about it.’” Looking at their website, she was inter-ested.

She called the Texas Music Office, arranged a meeting with Chip Adams, Community Relations & Outreach Specialist. She also got David Taylor, board member of WVACA, with fellow board member and musician Carl Rabenalt.

Next up, a liaison with the city. A zoom call was arranged and the backing of the city was wholehearted.

“Adams from the Texas music office was on that call. And he kind of laid out the steps... We all sat down and he told us what we needed to do, and the first step was the workshop,” said City Councilmember Rebecca Minnick. That was the workshop held last week.

“The second step was to establish the city liaison. Which is Nathan Glaiser (the city’s Planning and Development Director),” she said. Partnership with community non-profits and collaboration with the community’s education are steps which makes for almost a done deal. The city has completed or is in the process of finalizing each step necessary, which includes an advisory board and a registry for musicians. They crew is now working on collaborating with music education programs locally as well as finishing up some of the documentation necessary.

Getting the designation would help all the independent singer-songwriters in the area by giving them a network statewide in which to show their songs and talent.

The designation “provides Texas communities with a network for fostering music industry development, and sends a clear message to industry professionals that certified communities are serious about attracting and developing music industry growth,” according to the TMO.

For more information on the designation see gov.texas.gov/music.