Margaret Moser Tribute: Rose Reyes

“She was the leadership in Austin journalism that made sure women, Latinos, blacks, and youth weren’t overlooked”


Photo by David Brendan Hall

Margaret not only championed the rock, punk, and blues scenes. She was the leadership in Austin journalism that made sure women, Latinos, blacks, and youth weren't overlooked. She truly believed we belonged and needed to be recognized for our important contributions. She put four Latinas on the cover of the Chronicle, myself included. She covered Rosie Flores, Carrie Rodriguez. Patricia Vonne, and San Antonio music clubs like Saluté and bands like Piñata Protest, who may not have been covered otherwise.

I met Margaret in 1989 in the lobby of the Hyatt days before South by Southwest. I remember thinking, "What a cool job – to be right in the middle of everything going on in Austin music and South by Southwest." I had moved to Austin in 1984. I knew who she was, but I did not expect her to know me. She came over with a sneaky smile on her face. Turns out she was excited to tell me that Tish Hinojosa, who I managed at the time with Craig Barker, had received a great number of votes that year for Austin Female Vocalist. The news was a wild surprise and Tish's very first AMA award.

Margaret's voice is one I seek for perspective, intelligence, and humor. She's a great mentor for showing how to do what you love with hard work, conciseness, love, passion, and fun. One week when I worked with her all I could think was, HOW DOES SHE DO IT?

  • Margaret Moser Tribute: Leader of the Pack

    The importance of being Margaret Moser as told by her peers, mentors & protégés
  • Susan Antone

    “If I could do in my lifetime half of what she’s done, I’d be a happy person”

    Marcia Ball

    “She’s a music writer who writes to enlighten”

    Lou Ann Barton

    The blues belter on what it's like to have your career chronicled by the best

    Ray Benson

    Soap Creek Saloon on a 10-cent tequila night

    Alice Berry

    On the Texas Blondes: “We were just cute girls who liked cute bands”

    John Cale

    Velvet Underground co-founder on first meet: “Up walks a petite blonde with all the swagger of someone 10 feet tall”

    Alvin Crow

    Summer camp with the kids

    Joe Doerr

    Pulling out a seat at Austin music’s banquet table

    Joe Ely

    “She always stirred up whatever trouble there was”

    Roky Erickson

    On Margaret’s personal and passionate way of writing about music

    Alejandro Escovedo

    “Her love for the Velvet Underground and John Cale was the same as I had”

    Rosie Flores

    “Austin wouldn’t be Austin if it wasn’t for Margaret”

    Gary Floyd

    Promoting punk, Austin, Texas-style

    Denny Freeman

    Remembering that “little blues cult”

    Chris Gates

    The power of print – and a 20-inch dildo

    Eliza Gilkyson

    The best advice she ever received? Keep your dogs clean.

    Jon Dee Graham

    A champion of Austin music – and Austin music writers

    Emily Gimble

    “She’s such a positive force in the world”

    Warren Hood

    “She’s the coolest, hippest lady”

    Tamir Kalifa

    Mother Falcon's mama bear
  • Barbara K

    The power of music for fixing things and opening hearts

    Chris Layton

    Antone’s, 1979: Hurricane Margaret blows in

    Paddy Moloney

    "You felt you were in safe hands with Margaret"

    Jason McMaster

    “She’s as metal as anyone – maybe even more”

    Augie Meyers

    “You can’t replace Margaret. There’s no more people like her.”

    Eve Monsees

    The confidence booster

    Derek O'Brien

    A great writer, and a great partier, too

    The Rolling Stones

    That Margaret Moser, she’s a rainbow

    Shawn & Shandon Sahm

    Beautiful Texas sunshine

    Larry Seaman

    “I don’t want to be greedy, but I want a little more time”

    Charlie Sexton

    The United Nations of Margaret

    Jeff Smith

    The case for San Antonio as the true heart of Texas music

    Angela Strehli

    “Margaret was always exuberant, cherubic, and mischievous simultaneously”

    Jesse Sublett

    When the Queen calls, you come

    Tiarra Girls

    “She will always be such an important part of our story”

    Kathy Valentine

    Right place, right time, right woman to share the joy with

    Jimmie Vaughan

    “Everything back then felt like us versus them – and she was one of us”

    Patricia Vonne

    Shine a light

    Monte Warden

    The career kick-starter

    Lucinda Williams

    The life of the party

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KEYWORDS FOR THIS STORY

Margaret Moser, Rose Reyes, Rosie Flores, Carrie Rodriguez, Patricia Vonne, Saluté, Piñata Protest, South by Southwest, Tish Hinojosa, Craig Barker, Belinda Acosta, Margaret Moser Tribute

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