The Center for the Study of the American West (CSAW) at West Texas A&M University presents Dr. José Limón as the next speaker in its featured series, the Garry L. Nall Lectures in Western American Studies, on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jack B Kelley, Legacy Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

The lecture will be preceded by a WT student musical performance including a student art show related to the song “Streets of Laredo” and an Author Q&A session from 3-4 p.m. in the Cornette Library, Blackburn Room. Following the evening’s lecture, there will be a book signing and dessert reception.

In his lecture, Limón will discuss the origins of the most famous cowboy song, “Streets of Laredo.” Factors such as its basis in Texas history, its recordings by various musical artists and influence on Western art, literature, film and popular culture will be considered. As fits the setting, Limón will include consideration of Larry McMurtry’s “Streets of Laredo,” one of the “Lonesome Dove” novels which includes Texas Panhandle settings.

José Limón, originally from South Texas, is recently retired after a distinguished career. He held the Boatright Professorship at the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught anthropology, folklore, American studies and literature. He then moved on to the University of Notre Dame, where he was the Samora Endowed Professor in Latino studies. He published several books and numerous articles during his career and is currently completing a book manuscript on his “Streets of Laredo” research project.

“I am thrilled to honor Dr. Nall, a WT history professor emeritus, by bringing José Limón to campus. Limón’s lecture is intellectually rich and really entertaining with all the emphasis on music, film, and pop culture,” CSAW Director Alex Hunt said.

“Streets of Laredo,” also known as “Cowboy’s Lament,” is a famous cowboy ballad that has been performed and recorded by many musicians. This cowboy ballad has its origins on the hungry streets of 19th-century Ireland, far from Texas’ cowboys and cattle. More recently, a New Zealand indie rock band called itself “Streets of Laredo,” and the song made its latest cameo appearance in the Coen brother’s 2018 film “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.”

“We hope that the lively topic and the inclusion of WT student musical performance and visual art will appeal both to WT students and the larger community,” AJ McCormick, assistant director of CSAW, said.

The event was made possible with support from the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series and the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. In addition, this program is supported in part by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information, contact csaw@wtamu.edu or 806-651-5238.

-West Texas A&M University