James McMurtry

"THE WANDERING BOY NEVER FLINCHES - James McMurtry's 11th LP is a solid smorgasbord of aging, Americana, and arrested development" "Local critic asks another: 'How's the McMurtry?' Answer: cut-above songs and then the clutch killers." ...The Austin Chronicle/Raoul Hernandez • October 31st, 2025 https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/record-reviews/the-wandering-boy-never-flinches/ James McMurtry released The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy on June 20th via New West Records. The 10-song collection was co-produced by McMurtry & Don Dixon (R.E.M., The Smithereens) and is his first album in four years. It follows his 2021 acclaimed new West debut, The Horses and the Hounds, which UnCut Magazine said , "rdquo" -> lifts storytelling-in-song to meticulous new levels" and Pitchfork awarded an 8.0, saying , "rdquo" -> James McMurtry stands out even among the Lone Star State's finest songwriters..." The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy features appearances by Sarah Jarosz, Charlie Sexton, Bonnie Whitmore, Bukka Allen and more, alongside his trusted backing band, THE MARTIAL LAW REVIEW, Tim Holt on guitar and accordion, Cornbread on bass and Daren Hess on drums. As varied as they are, McMurtry's new story-songs find inspiration in scraps from his family's past: a rough pencil sketch by Ken Kesey that serves as the album cover, the hallucinations experienced by his father, the legendary writer Larry McMurtry, an old poem by a family friend. A supremely insightful and inventive storyteller, McMurtry teases vivid worlds out of small details, setting them to arrangements that have elements of Americana but sound too sly and smart for such a general category. Funny and sad often in the same breath, The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy adds a new chapter to a long career that has young songwriters like Sarah Jarosz and Jason Isbell cite him as a formative influence.

- Main Box Office: (847) 492-8862
- Administrative Office: (847) 492-8061

- Located at main box office entrance
- Valid photo ID required for pickup
- Available 1 hour before performance start time
- Tickets can be held up to 30 minutes before show time

- Street parking available on Chicago Avenue
- Nearby public parking lots within 2 blocks
- Limited on-site parking
- Metered street parking zones

- Wheelchair accessible spaces
- Companion seating available
- Accessible restrooms
- Front row accommodations
- Elevator access to all levels

- No outside food or drinks
- No smoking inside venue
- Valid ticket required for entry
- Late seating during performance intervals
- Professional photography/recording prohibited

- Ages 12 and above generally permitted
- Children under 12 require adult supervision
- Some performances may have specific age restrictions
- Infant/lap policies vary by event type