photo credit: James Joiner
How It Started
Nearly 10 years ago, a group of friends came together with a vision for a new kind of live music experience. We wanted to honor the cross-section culture that has long motivated creative tradition; to preserve traditions in music, food, and craft; and to create a stage for modern-day outliers who are influenced by the legacies before us.
Luckily, we had the keys to Willie Nelson’s private Luck, TX property, and the singular opportunity to open its gates to people who, like us, value artistic tradition and want to do the legwork to discover talent that reflects our cultural heritage. The Luck Reunion “anti-festival” was born.
How It’s Going / What started as an annual one-day event has grown into an experience and content-driven endeavor. Luck Presents aims to connect audiences to the most kick-ass entertainment not only in-person, but also online. In 2020, Team Luck quickly pivoted into the content space, producing virtual events including our variety show, “‘Til Further Notice”; weekly series “Hello Walls” and “Prime Cuts”, and our 4/20 special, “Come And Toke It.” With the continued mission of providing a space for craftsmanship, preservation, and discovery, Luck Presents is committed to connecting art and audience both in and outside of Luck, TX.
History and Legacy of family
The Willie legacy that inspired us and the ranch legacy and our mission evolving from it.
When asked about how we curate our talent, our answer is simple: we just invite people we love. Our team are personally fans of every act, chef, and artisan we put on the stage or screen. Over the years we’ve been able to build a unique creative community through Luck, making a lot of great friends along the way. The “Luck Family” is just that...our family.
The Luck ring has become one of our favorite traditions. Made exclusively for Luck Family members by Maker & Smith, the coveted ring is our gift to the people who believe in us enough to do shit with us. Several artists have stacked up a few over the years...and there is nothing better than running into an artist with a ring in the “wild”.
Our partnership with the Southwest Artist On The Rise program has brought more artists into the family. Each year we set out to find the next best act, inviting rising musicians to participate in a fan-voted program that brings the finalists on a tour to Luck - and a coveted main stage spot at the Reunion.
Luck Embassy is our artist-facing portal that connects creatives to the resources they need the most - from travel to housing to instrument rental. Helping artists when it counts, where it counts.
Luck, Tx.
Built in 1985 as the backdrop for the film “Red Headed Stranger”, Luck, TX is an old west town located in Willie Nelson’s backyard on the outskirts of Austin. While filming the movie Nelson grew attached to the set and bought the property, preserving the original structures and building a home just up the road. Luck, TX was born.
Beyond its fading facades, Luck became the spot where Willie and his contemporaries came together to shoot the shit and inspire one another through song; a sort of scaled-down extension of anti-scene Austin landmarks like Armadillo World Headquarters and Austin Opry House.
Luck was primarily Willie’s private hang...for poker games in the “World Headquarters” and Easter Sundays in the chapel. In 2012, a group of barstool dreamers set out to revive the town’s spirit with experiences inspired by its unique history. With Nelson’s blessing, the seeds for a new iteration of the “Luck” brand were planted. Luck Presents hopes to honor the creative origins of the magical space through unique events and content.all the difference.