Gov. Abbott Certifies Lufkin’s Music Friendly Texas Designation

This year's Texas State Forest Festival will feature more live and local music than ever before. There's a reason for that.

Several months ago, the City of Lufkin started the process of trying to be designated as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community by the Texas Music Office. This certification would provide Lufkin with a network for fostering music industry development, plus it sends a clear message to industry professionals that Lufkin is serious about attracting and developing music industry growth.

Governor Abbott Makes It Official

That designation is now official as Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently announced that the City of Lufkin, having completed the multi-step certification process, has been designated the 45th Music Friendly Texas Certified Community by the Texas Music Office (TMO). The Music Friendly Texas program, the first in the nation since introduced by TMO in 2016, seeks to foster music business-related economic development and job creation in Texas cities and communities.

“I congratulate the City of Lufkin on earning the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community designation,” said Governor Abbott. “Music is key to the Texas brand and is deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of our great state. Music Friendly Texas Communities certified by the Texas Music Office work hard to attract and develop the local music industry to boost local job creation and economic growth. In fact, with support from the Texas Music Office, the Texas music industry accounted for more than 192,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs and generated more than $26 billion in economic activity statewide last year. Together, we will continue to work alongside local leaders in Lufkin and across every region of our state to ensure our communities have the tools needed to create even greater opportunity.”

 

“The prestigious designation as a Music Friendly Texas Community serves as a testament to this city’s embrace of community and culture,” said Representative Trent Ashby. “As a proud Lufkin resident, I have no doubt that this certification will help foster future growth and opportunity to benefit the people living in Lufkin and the surrounding region.”

“Lufkin has a thriving music culture, and we hope to increase growth by now being certified as a Music Friendly Texas Community,” said Visit Lufkin Director Tara Hendrix. “Participation in the Music Friendly Texas program provides us with an invaluable network and sends a clear message to industry professionals that Lufkin is serious about attracting and developing music industry growth.”

“The Music Friendly Texas Community designation will put more of a spotlight on our thriving and growing music scene here in Lufkin,” said Lufkin Music Friendly Chair Joe Cuellar. “That includes the deep pool of talent that we have in the Lufkin area and the awesome venues that host live music in our great city of Lufkin. It also helps us network with all of the Texas Music Friendly Communities.”

The Music Friendly Texas Community Certification Ceremony will be held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., September 14, as part of the Texas State Forest Festival. TMO Community Relations & Outreach Specialist Chip Adams will present the designation. The event is free and open to the public.

Lufkin joins the following towns/cities that have received their designations

Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Denton, Lindale, Stephenville, Conroe, San Angelo, Nacogdoches, Abilene, McKinney, Waxahachie, Waco, Alpine, Bastrop, New Braunfels, Victoria, Arlington, Denison, Lubbock, Brenham, Dripping Springs, Round Rock, El Paso, Odessa, Vidor, Grand Prairie, Port Aransas, San Marcos, McAllen, Bryan, Wimberley, Salado, Harker Heights, Edinburg, Selma, Marshall, Granbury, Corsicana, Frisco, Linden and Corpus Christi.