Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas. Austin businessman Clifford Antone already owned a legendary
blues nightclub, as well as a record store dedicated
to the blues (located across the street from each
other), when he decided to also start a record label
to capture some of the music heard in his club.
While the nightclub and label are based in Texas,
much of the music heard from both is Chicago-style
blues—Cliff Antone’s personal favorite style of music.
Chicago blues legends Jimmy Rogers, James Cotton,
Eddie Taylor, Matt ‘‘Guitar’’ Murphy, and Snooky
Pryor have all recorded albums for Antone’s. At the
same time, the label has also helped launch the careers
of Canada’s Sue Foley and San Diego’s Candye
Kane, while revitalizing the careers of Texans Angela
Strehli and Lou Ann Barton.
ANDERSON, PINKNEY ‘‘PINK’’
26The label suffered a setback in 2000, however,
when Antone went to prison on a drug conviction;
he was released in 2002. Antone’s has survived,
though, and is continuing to issue new albums in an
arrangement with the Texas Music Group.
JIM TRAGESER