The Lost Gonzo Band: Architects of Austin's Cosmic Country Sound

Where the Gonzos came from

In the early 1970s Austin, the capital of Texas, was full of pickers who had drifted in from Lubbock, Oklahoma and the Texas Hill Country. Several of the players who would become the Gonzos had worked with Michael Martin Murphey, whose songs were helping to shape the cosmic cowboy idea.

When Jerry Jeff Walker settled in Austin he needed a band that could follow his famously unpredictable shows. A rotating group formed around him, and the 'Lost Gonzo Band' name stuck — a nod to the freewheeling, half-chaotic spirit of those nights.

The core players

Line-ups changed over the years, but the names most closely tied to the band include:

• Gary P. Nunn — keyboards, guitar, vocals and writer of 'London Homesick Blues' (profile)
• Bob Livingston — bass and vocals (profile)
• John Inmon — lead guitar
• Kelly Dunn — keyboards
• Donny Dolan — drums
• Herb Steiner — pedal steel

The Jerry Jeff Walker years

The band's reputation was built on Walker's records, above all ¡Viva Terlingua! (1973), cut live in the Luckenbach dance hall. Its loose, joyful sound became a template for the whole scene. Read the full story in our ¡Viva Terlingua! oral history and our look at Jerry Jeff Walker and the Gonzos.

Stepping out on their own

By the middle of the decade the musicians were recording under their own name. Their self-titled debut appeared on MCA in 1975, followed by Thrills, and later Signs of Life on Capitol. These albums showed off the band's songwriting depth beyond Walker's catalog. Track-by-track notes are in the discography.

Why they still matter

The Gonzos proved a backing band could have its own identity and voice. Their most famous song, London Homesick Blues, became a theme for Austin itself, and their players went on to long careers that kept the progressive country spirit alive for decades.

To place the band in its wider setting, see our guide to the 1970s Austin progressive country scene.