The Lost Gonzo Band
Jerry Jeff Walker and The Lost Gonzo Band: Wild Times, Luckenbach, and Groundbreaking Music
Last reviewed: October 27, 2026
From roughly 1973 to 1977, Jerry Jeff Walker and the Gonzo musicians were one of the most talked-about acts in Texas. Walker brought the songs and the stories; the band brought the musicianship that kept the shows on the rails.
A songwriter finds his band
Walker was already known for writing 'Mr. Bojangles' when he moved to Austin. His 1972 self-titled MCA album was cut with local players, and the chemistry led to a steady working band.
Luckenbach and ¡Viva Terlingua!
In 1973 Walker and the band set up in the tiny Hill Country town of Luckenbach and recorded ¡Viva Terlingua!. The album's mix of covers by Guy Clark and Ray Wylie Hubbard with Walker's own songs and Nunn's 'London Homesick Blues' made it a landmark. Read the oral history.
On the road
The band toured hard, and Walker's shows became known for their unscripted energy. Fans never knew quite what they would get — which was part of the appeal. Albums such as Walker's About Me and It's a Good Night for Singin' carried the partnership through the mid-1970s.
Going separate ways
As the Gonzos built their own recording career, the partnership loosened. The musicians and Walker stayed connected over the years, and reunions brought the old sound back to stages. The wider context is covered in our Austin progressive country scene guide and the full Lost Gonzo Band history.
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