Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas


Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas is an album by American country music band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. It was recorded live at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas in November 1973, and released in 1974. Unlike many live albums, it contains mostly new material and features only two previously released songs. It reached #105 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart.
The album cover art is by Jim Franklin and depicts a flood of armadillos overwhelming a concert stage. More songs recorded at the Armadillo World Headquarters during these concerts were released on later albums, such as Sleazy Roadside Stories, but Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas is considered by many fans to be the group's best album.

Critical reception

On AllMusic, Jana Pendragon said, "This is Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen at their best, live on-stage and out on the road with the New Riders of the Purple Sage. What a bill and what a grand time for a live album. This is how it really was – wild, loud, and fun. Again, they intersperse their own songs with old favorites.... Every cut is perfection, every cut is substantial."
In the Los Angeles Times, Buddy Seigal wrote, "Live, this band was definitely in its element... Bill Kirchen was one of the most underrated guitarists of the '70s, Bobby Black remains one of the top [pedal pedal steel guitar|steel guitar|steel] players in the world, and the Commander himself is no slouch on the 88s, but to dissect and analyze this music too much is to defeat its purpose. Crank this sucker up at a lagging social affair, and you’ve got instant party."
Robert Christgau said, "The rockers are hot, the slow ones are soulful, and the whole thing does justice to the endearingly sloppy shuffle of a band that refuses to be pretentious about its lack of pretensions."
When the album was released, Cash Box magazine wrote, "The irrepressible Commander is at it again,
and this LP is a stunning collection of some strong material done with the unique country style the group has become so popular with.... They have succeeded in the difficult task of capturing their essence on record in this collection and should be praised for it."

Track listing

  1. "Armadillo Stomp" – 2:00
  2. "Good Rockin' Tonight" – 2:46
  3. "I'm Coming Home" – 2:42
  4. "Seeds and Stems Again Blues" – 4:03
  5. "Sunset on the Sage" – 4:45
  6. "Little Sally Walker" – 2:26
  7. "Git It" – 2:27
  8. "Oh Mama Mama" – 4:29
  9. "Crying Time" – 3:09
  10. "Diggy Liggy Lo" – 2:28
  11. "Riot in Cell Block #9" – 3:15
  12. "Too Much Fun" – 3:26
  13. "Mean Woman Blues" – 4:37

Personnel

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Production
  • Producer: Steve Jarvis
  • Recording: Gabby Garcia, Ken Caliat, Bill Broms, Jerry Stroud
  • Studio engineers: Steve Jarvis, Steve Montoani
  • Album cover art: Jim Franklin
  • Photography: J.D. Black, Melinda Wickman, Coy Featherstone