West Texas Heaven

"One day I was driving through the hill country to my home outside of Austin, Texas. The weather was mild and the sunset was one of those fiery ones that looks like only a deity could create it. I remembered that someone had once said that heaven was the most beautiful place you could imagine.

Having grown up in Lubbock, Texas, the thought that followed was, thank God I got out of Lubbock at some point or someday I would have found myself spending an eternity in a 'West Texas Heaven' because that is all I would have ever known.

That thinking sparked a deep mélange of poignant memories and an understanding that can only come from years of distance between yourself and the past. Hmmm, I thought, 'West Texas Heaven', that's a song!

Recently I was honored to be inducted to join fellow Lubbockites Buddy Holly and The Flatlanders on 'The West Texas Walk Of Fame'. Who could have known that would someday happen?! So, I guess I did finally return to Lubbock after all in a sense. In the song one of the lines says “all life was to me was like a truck stop where you want to stay”.

Sometimes on long drives when I'm tired and need to get out of the car and wake up I feel like a truck stop oasis along the highway can be a hard place to leave. I don’t want to get back in the car and keep going but I know I can't stay where I am. Even at a very young age that was how leaving West Texas felt to me and I’m really glad I did.

Thank heaven that now 'the most beautiful place I can imagine' looks more like somewhere along the French Riviera!"

~ Kimmie Rhodes

On March 6th, 2025, the remastered title track from Kimmie Rhodes classic album "West Texas Heaven" was released on all download and streaming sites. Remastered album with bonus tracks will be released on September 12th, 2025.