While writing the next Merit Bridges Legal Thriller, I’ve been sampling a lot of music. Book #4 isn’t hyper-focused on music like Music Notes, book #2. But, Austin is such an integral part of the series, and being “The Live Music Capital of the World”, songs and lore will always be included in the series.
I’ve been wondering, if Merit were sitting at her desk or driving her car in Austin, what music would she listen to and if she were out on the town, what live music would she want to hear?
I think she’d listen to some old-style Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Townes Van Zandt while she’s representing Liam Nolan, the singer-songwriter in Music Notes, as he’s of the world of vintage Austin music.
When she researches the current music business, especially gaming music, and what’s popular in L.A. and Japan, she might listen to News, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
Driving her car around Austin, she might tune into replays of KUT’s Twine Time or roll out a mix from her iPhone of Robert Earl Keen, Alejandro Escovedo, Lyle Lovett, Asleep At the Wheel, and Bob Schneider.
If she and Ag or one of her Boy Toys went out on the town, she would probably hit the Continental Club for Toni Price, Young Guns or The Blues Specialists. If Shinyribs were in town or Hayes Carll had a show at the Saxon Pub, she’d probably hang there.
It’s hard to know what mood Merit might be in on a given day, but since Austin is known for having a wide selection of live music on every night of the week, she could just walk around town and hear through the doors of clubs or from street musicians playing covers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Morrison, and Janis Joplin.
Regardless of what she’s listening to, you can bet she’s plotting and strategizing to solve the latest dilemma for her clients and her sidekicks.
