LISTENING IN: The glory of Gary Clark, Jr.

A little Chuck Berry, a touch of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and guitar case full of blues, Gary Clark, Jr., is a shining light of the blues-rock world, having already scored four Grammys (and six nominations) in his just over 10 years on the scene.

During that time, he has shared the stage with the likes of Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and B.B. King, as well as Stevie Ray’s brother Jimmie Lee in the pair’s mutual hometown of Austin, Texas.

Clark has appeared multiple times on the iconic TV show Austin City Limits, from which we extract this sizzling performance of “Travis County.”

Lyrics

Travis County took my picture
But no, I didn’t smile
They told me I was gonna be here
For a pretty long while

One day I was walking down the street when
I should’ve been walking down the hall
Heard a voice calling out, saying
“Ooh, where you going, y’all?”

Now before I could’ve gathered my thoughts
I turned around and I saw the cops
I pointed arms up right when
He told me I better stop

Oooh, oooh

They put my hands in cuffs
Oh boy, they even locked me up
When I thought that it was all a bluff
Till they started taking my stuff

Now I’m sittin’ ’round in my cell
Just a looking at the wall
I didn’t even get to make
My one phone call

After I was just sittin’ ’round
You know I started getting down
When they let me out
All I could do is scream and shout