Lubbock's Soundtrack: 2025 Lubbock Music NOW Album Spotlights 19 Local Artists

The Entertainment Lubbock Committee announces the roster of tracks and artists to be featured on the 2025 Lubbock Music NOW album. This latest collection continues the tradition of highlighting the diverse array of local talent, capturing the soundtrack of the city. This upcoming release marks the ninth addition to the acclaimed series, enriching Lubbock's cultural landscape through music since its inception in 2016.

"Lubbock has a proud music heritage. I think this year's album does a wonderful job of celebrating how it continues to evolve and the diversity of talent and genres that make our music scene the envy of the region," said James Eppler, Civic Lubbock Inc. board member and chair of the Entertainment Lubbock Committee, which oversees the project.

Lubbock Music NOW 2025 ALBUM

The 2025 Lubbock Music NOW album showcases original music from local artists and songwriters within a 100-mile radius of Lubbock who have performed at least two paid gigs in the city. Songwriters can participate by collaborating with performers to record their compositions.

Submissions were received by the Entertainment Lubbock Committee, which operates under the auspices of Civic Lubbock, Inc. The album's final track list was chosen by a panel of past and present members from the Texas Branch of The Recording Academy, known as the Texas Grammy Board. To ensure a fair and unbiased review, the judges considered submissions identified solely by song numbers, with no revelation of artist names or song titles.

Nineteen songs were selected by the judges for the 2025 album. The late Don Caldwell, known as a promotor, producer/engineer and “sax-man,” was selected by the Entertainment Lubbock Committee to be the third artist honored posthumously on a Lubbock Music NOW album. Don Caldwell passed in May of 2024.

"Because 'Lubbock Music NOW' is a time capsule of local music, we had to mark the seismic event on the Lubbock music scene this year: the death of Don Caldwell,” said Eppler. “Not only is he featured on this year's album with an original composition he recorded decades ago, but several of our artists chose to dedicate their track to his memory. I think that says a lot about Don's lasting and profound influence. He was deeply involved in 'Lubbock Music NOW' since the beginning, and we think he'd be proud of this collection."

The songs selected for the 2025 Lubbock Music NOW album, listed alphabetically by song title including the performers and songwriters (in parenthesis), are:

Count Me In Yung Rep (Trevon Keate Riley)

Earth Brad Miles (Brad Miles)

Falling Cantu (Issac Cantu)

Footprints on the Stars * Russ and Linda Murphy (Russell Murphy)

Future's Song Don Caldwell (Don Caldwell) – Memorial Track

Get Up, while the gettin's good Cary C. Banks (Cary C. Banks)

Hang On To Hope Michelle Young (Michelle Young)

I Wouldn't Take Me Back Jason Nutt & Highway 70 (Jason Nutt)

In the Good Days Jonny Keys (Jonny Hughes)

I've Got the Whiskey JoJo DiSalvo (JoJo DiSalvo)

Just Move On Sam Choate (Sam Choate)

Little Black Dress Lindsey Bruner (Lindsey Bruner/Billy Dawson)

My River Amelia Presley (Amelia Presley)

Smoke We Hazin Dustin Garrett (Dustin Garrett)

Some Days are Hard Richard Bowles (Richard Bowles/Shane Bowles)

Stray Dogs * Morri Hartgraves (Morri Hargraves

The Lies of Those I Loved Morri Hartgraves Quintet (Morri Hargraves)

Triumvirate Jonny Verbeten Trio (Jonny Verbeten)

When Somebody Believes in You Hannah Jackson (Cary C. Banks/Hannah Jackson)

You're Here Now Clifton Castle (Allen B. Morgan/Clifton Castle)

*written in honor of and as a tribute to Don Caldwell

Winning entries receive a one-time cash prize of $200 and copies of the album. In addition, the artists will have the option to perform their winning song on the Lubbock Music NOW TV Show.

The cover art for the 2025 Lubbock Music NOW CD will be designed by Dirk Fowler. Fowler, an associate professor in the School of Art at Texas Tech University, was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 2023. He is a world-renowned graphic designer and his letterpress concert posters are collector’s items.

The release of the album is planned for early February 2025.

The Entertainment Lubbock Committee, in conjunction with Civic Lubbock, Inc., developed the Lubbock Music NOW project in 2016 to honor and recognize musicians and songwriters living in the area who are performing in our city and/or actively writing songs. Civic Lubbock, Inc. is a non-profit organization created in 1956 whose mission is to foster and promote educational, cultural and entertainment programs, including the visual and performing arts, for the citizens of Lubbock and the surrounding area.

CONTACT: lubbockmusicnow@civiclubbock.com