Dance Across Texas:
A Portrayal of Lank Spangler

Lubbock –  The Buddy Holly Center presents, Dance Across Texas: A Portrayal of Lank Spangler in the Texas Musicians Hall of Fame from September 1^st,  - December 31^st, 2004.   This installation and performance by Lubbock artists BC Gilbert & Andy Wilkinson, celebrates the career of Lank Spangler, West Texas musician.
     Spangler was never really a “star”, but in the 1960s gained a rabid following of fans, including a number of prominent recording artists who admired his songs and his style.  Spangler was influenced by the Honky Tonk sounds of Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell and recorded a handful of songs before his tragic death in 1968.  He wrote about the life he knew and understood, portraying the freedom of the plains, the struggle of the farmer and the joys of simple living.  After losing his older brother during the Korean War and his younger brother in Vietnam, Spangler turned to writing protests about the bloody demands of war and penned songs about the defiling of land, injustices of the law and people’s lack of compassion for the poor. 
     Spangler was killed when his car plunged into a ravine off of the Caprock near Gail, Texas.  The cause of the crash remains a mystery.  Items on display from the life and times of Spangler include the wreckage of his car, his guitar, personal accoutrements, news articles, concert posters and the few 45-rpm records he released.  In a rare live radio interview, well-known musicians reflect on their memories of Spangler and his influence on their own music through video and audio testimony.  This exhibit not only celebrates the life and times of Lank Spangler, but also a tribute to the kind of original music produced by singers and songwriters of West Texas.