After her electric performance on Austin City Limits last fall, the Austin American-Statesman asked: “Will Jackie Venson be Austin’s next breakout music star?” All signs point to yes. Born in Austin, Venson has spent years honing her craft. A graduate of Boston’s Berklee School of Music, Venson has dropped two EPS and three albums in recent years, each more stunning and accomplished than the last. Jackie has now rightfully claimed her place as one of the nation’s brightest rising blues stars, leading Austin 360 to name her “Artist of the Year” in 2018….

A native of Lubbock, Colin Gilmore grew up hanging around the original Stubb’s BBQ, soaking in the music of Texas luminaries like Joe Ely, Terry Allen, and Lloyd Maines—not to mention his father, Jimmy Dale Gilmore. These days, Gilmore has made his name for himself by blending a Buddy Holly-infused West Texas sensibility with the simmering rebelliousness of Brit bands like the Clash and the Pogues. He talked with us from his South Austin home, where he extolled the virtues of frequent travel and bourbon on ice….

A proud Texan, renowned artist Marc Burckhardt splits his time between Austin and Germany. Aside from perhaps his most important accomplishment—painting the images on Still Austin’s Straight Bourbon and Gin labels—Marc’s work has won many awards, including Gold & Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators and Cannes Lion, as well as a Grammy for Best Limited-Edition Box Set Packaging (for “The Legend: Johnny Cash”). He has been named Texas State Artist by the Texas Legislature and the Commission on the Arts, and he’s a recipient of the prestigious Hamilton King Award….