Mary Steenburgen, Matthew McConaughey, Ray Wylie Hubbard team up for Oxford American Texas music issue Kickstarter launch

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York Times has hailed the Oxford American music issues as "the greatest non-rap mixtapes of our era," and now the celebrated series is bringing together a host of musicians, writers, historians, celebrities, and fans to celebrate the music of Texas. The OA's Texas music issue and CD compilation will be on sale nationwide on December 1, 2014.

OA editor Roger D. Hodge is a native of Del Rio, Texas, and this project has been years in the making. "The first time Roger and I met, we started discussing our future collaborations on the legendary Southern Music CDs, and we agreed we had to do a Texas music issue," said OA music editor Rick Clark. "It's a super challenge. We've got our work cut out. The eyes of Texas are really upon us!"

Since 2004, the Oxford American has operated as a nonprofit. To generate underwriting for the Texas music issue, the magazine is launching a Kickstarter campaign on September 2, 2014. The goal is to raise $25,000, and the campaign video includes cameos by Academy Award-winners Mary Steenburgen and Matthew McConaughey and iconic Texas musician Ray Wylie Hubbard.

"We started this adventure at Austin's legendary Continental Club when we announced that Texas would be the focus of our next music issue," said OA publisher Ray Wittenberg. "McConaughey was good enough to drop in and wish us well along with representatives from the Texas Music Office, which has been very supportive of the project. In the past, the OA has relied on major sponsors to help cover the expenses of creating the music issues and CDs. This year, we're asking our readers and listeners to take ownership of this project by contributing to our Kickstarter campaign. Donors will be recognized in the pages of the magazine."

Visit OxfordAmerican.org/pages/Texas for more information and updates on the Texas music issue.

ABOUT THE OXFORD AMERICAN

The Oxford American is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization and national magazine dedicated to featuring the very best in Southern writing, while documenting the complexity and vitality of the American South. Billed as "The Southern Magazine of Good Writing," it has won three National Magazine Awards and other high honors since it began publication in 1992.

Contact: Ray Wittenberg
501-733-4164 | [email protected]

SOURCE The Oxford American