Remembering the Armadillo

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A marker commemorating the Armadillo World Headquarters, the place where many of the nation's best musicians gathered in the 1970s, was dedicated Sunday.

The waist-high plaque remembers the Armadillo as a place where "art, music and the spirit of Austin flourished." It also includes an old picture to remind everyone that today's generic office building and parking lot used to be home to one of the nation's best live music stomping grounds, the Austin American-Statesman said.

Run by a laid-back group more interested in music than money, the Armadillo's run featured an extensive array of talent that included Count Basie, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King and Steely Dan.

Closing night was Dec. 31, 1980, after a long -- and ultimately unsuccessful -- battle to stave off financial ruin.