James McMurtry

Veteran singer-songwriter James McMurtry started playing cover tunes at a college hangout in Tucson. It was one of the first places that gave him a regular gig in the early ‘80s. At the time, he was a student at the University of Arizona. While Tucson had a cool indie rock scene back then and featured acts such as Giant Sand/Howe Gelb and Green on Red, McMurtry embraced alt-country before it was cool to be alt-country. Produced by John Mellencamp, his 1989 debut, Too Long in the Wasteland, announced that McMurtry, the son of writer Larry McMurtry, had a good knack for words. Tonight at 7:30, he plays Music Box Supper Club.