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 2005-Nominated in Five Categories by the Academy of Western Artists
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My longtime friend, Tommy Lucas has achieved absolute mastery in the country music industry. Tommy's latest album, Raisin' Texas, demonstrates his proven ability not only as an entertainer but a tremendously talented songwriter as well. Produced by the legendary Howard Higgins and West Texas Country Records, Raisin' Texas will soon be climbing the charts and is destined to be Album of the Year.
Joe Baker, MTD Radio, KNMB/KWMW, Ruidoso, New Mexico
*2004 Academy of Western Artists Disc Jockey of the Year,
*2004 Cowtown Society of Western Music Disc Jockey of the Year,
*2004 CSWM Hall of Fame Inductee
Before I had an opportunity to meet Tommy Lucas in the mid 70's when he brought his Desperado Band to Amarillo, Texas, he was already a highly respected player out in West Texas. When musicians get together and start conversation about great country singers, you will hear the name Tommy Lucas. What a singer and what a guitar player.
Not only is he great on the bandstand, but Tommy can write some of the best songs one could ever want to hear. As a matter of fact, when I recorded my last CD, I had a couple of Tommy's songs in the stack to take to the recording session. It didn't take me long to figure out that I didn't have the talent to sing the great music this man can put on paper.
Ol' Tommy has been raisin', well, we won't discuss all the Texas he has raised in his lifetime. But I can tell you, he's been there and raised it with the best of 'em, so he will know exactly what he's singing about. I have been in radio for the past 45 years and have always made it a point "not" to play some of these young squirts who come along trying to sing a hurtin' or cheatin' country song. Hell, they don't know what they're singing about. Some of these singers are thirteen, fourteen years old. The only hardship they have ever known is being grounded by their parents.
Give me somebody just like Tommy Lucas who knows what a lyric means and can put the emotion into the song. On second thought, don't give me somebody like Tommy Lucas, 'cause we got the real deal in his new CD. Tommy, let's get together again one of these days and "Raise Texas." Maybe not. Probably couldn't keep up after all these years.
Dugg Collins: AM 1070 THE RANCH; Wichita, Kansas
*Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame—Nashville
*Texas Panhandle Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame— Amarillo
*Texas Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame—Carthage
*Pioneers of Western Swing Hall of Fame—Seattle
*America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame—Avoca, Iowa
*Western Swing Music Society of Kansas—Topeka
*CMA Winner 1979
*Song of the Year Winner—Academy of Western Artists—2002
Tommy Lucas was born in Clute, Texas near Houston. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to the little town of West, Texas about 20 miles north of Waco, where he was raised. His professional music career started in the early 60’s when in his late teens he joined a 50’s type rock group called the “Kounts.” After a few years with the Kounts, he joined the Air Force and during his stint he played with several country bands and has been playing mostly country music ever since.
Following his Air Force years he played bass, keyboard, lead guitar and vocals for several years as a member of the house band at the legendary Stardust Club in Odessa, Texas with former Jim Reeves fiddle player Bill Morris and his All Stars. During these years, he had the opportunity to play battle dances and back up a host of major artists that traveled through as singles.
In 1975, Tommy formed a group called Tommy Lucas & The Desperado Band that consisted of Howard Higgins - bass, Ronnie Salmon - guitar, Lucky Halcom - drums and himself on guitar and vocals. When the progressive country movement began they were one of the first groups to style their music to the popular outlaw Texas sounds of Willie, Waylon, David Allen Coe, and other popular artists of that genre. During the 80’s and into the early 90’s the band traveled throughout Texas, New Mexico and the surrounding states playing various fair dates, rodeos and shows along with a steady billing on the night club circuit. The group disbanded in the early 90’s due to the untimely deaths of original band members Lucky Halcom and Ronnie Salmon.
Presently, Tommy and long time bass player, Howard Higgins, along with partners Sharon Jae and Butch Fellabaum, co-own and operate West Texas Country music publishing and two 16-track studios in west Texas, one located in Big Lake and the other in Ft. Davis. Currently both Tommy and Howard are concentrating on their songwriting, doing recording sessions and playing occasionally in the west Texas area.
Tommy’s latest CD, Raisin’ Texas, (a play on the phrase ‘raisin’ hell’) put together in 2004, includes different genres of country music including traditional, progressive, swing, and most of all, down to earth Texas-Red Dirt-Americana. You will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the songs, all written by Tommy and Howard (plus a guest writer now an then), and his CD will be a welcome addition to any collection.
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Big Lake, Texas Genre: Texas Honky Tonk Western Swing 
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Genre: Texas Honky Tonk Western Swing
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