Margaret Moser Tribute: Susan Antone

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


Photo by David Brendan Hall

This summer marks Antone's 42nd anniversary. I met Margaret sometime that first year in 1975. I went by my brother's club one afternoon and there was Margaret, trying to set up an interview with B.B. King. I liked her so much right off, and that's lasted all these years. She does so much for other people and she just has so much soul.

Margaret championed so many people, and my brother Clifford did the same thing. She wrote a lot about the older musicians, really important artists a lot of people probably never knew about. She brought notoriety and praise to the old guys and women who had never gotten recognition. On the other side, she covered so many young artists, up-and-comers, and kids playing music.

We shared so many memorable nights: Albert Collins, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Jimmie Vaughan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Vaughan, Doug Sahm, the Cobras, Double Trouble, and on and on. And Margaret always loved Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli, and Marcia Ball. We were just so lucky to hear all that music.

A couple of years ago, I received the very first Margaret Moser Award at the Austin Music Awards. I was so surprised and so humbled by it. If I could do in my lifetime half of what she's done, I'd be a happy person.

I think there's a little magic in that Margaret Moser, whatd'ya think?

  • Margaret Moser Tribute: Leader of the Pack

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

    Rose Reyes

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

    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

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Margaret Moser
Playback: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Live reviews of Big Bill, Protextor, Black Fret Ball, and Margaret Moser’s memorial concert

Kevin Curtin, Dec. 15, 2017

Playback: Margaret Moser’s Final Act
Playback: Margaret Moser’s Final Act
Margaret Moser tribute concert, following Black Fret's money, and a last chance to nominate locals in the Austin Music Poll – this week!

Kevin Curtin, Dec. 8, 2017

More Susan Antone
Off the Record
Off the Record
Music News

Austin Powell, Aug. 20, 2010

More by Thomas Fawcett
Dispatches From a New Decade of SXSW
Dispatches From a New Decade of SXSW
Our favorite musical moments from the fest

March 25, 2022

The Best Music We Saw at SXSW on Friday
The Best Music We Saw at SXSW on Friday
Seventies funk GOATs, queer nu metal, and so much more

March 19, 2022

KEYWORDS FOR THIS STORY

Margaret Moser, Susan Antone, Antone's, Clifford Antone, Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli, Marcia Ball, Albert Collins, Albert King, Thomas Fawcett, Margaret Moser Tribute

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle