The Editors' Favorite Stories From 2024

Fort Worth Magazine tackled some big, important stories in 2024, and our editors share which articles rose to the top.

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Brian Kendall, Executive Editor

While the exercise is slightly futile — I’m sure after we publish and share this article I’ll be reminded of a story or two that blew my mind and changed my life and immediately regret its exclusion from my below write-up — I’ll do my darndest to pick the stories that, at this moment, stood out to me in 2024.

Going in chronological order, the year kicked off with my scrambling to put together a piece on the “Californication” of Fort Worth. As taxing as that article was to write, I’d like to highlight a different, non-cover feature in that same February issue by Michael H. Price. The story, “Blowing Our Own Saxophone,” — a headline I’m still rewriting in my head — expertly crafted a narrative that has me thinking Fort Worth’s jazz scene once rivaled that of Chicago. In April, Malcolm Mayhew wrote an ironic-for-Fort-Worth feature that highlighted the recent trend of vegan restaurants in a city known for its carnivorous culinary scene. Malcolm argued the story was cover-worthy, and while I don’t disagree, I did wonder how well a vegetable-filled cover would perform with our audience. Regardless, the story proves Fort Worth’s food scene is far from a one-trick pony.

Two stand-out stories came courtesy of John Henry, our Fort Worth Inc. editor, whose April story on the Texas Rangers’ late Billy Martin nearly made this Orioles fan a Rangers fan for the hilarity of the lore alone. And what might be my absolute favorite story of the year is Henry’s stunning feature on James Phillips’ infamous “The Inheritors,” a novel that shook Fort Worth’s upper crust to its core with its brutal portrayal of their privilege and pomposity. “Phillips was way before his time,” Henry wrote. “A Fort Worth counterculture, revolutionary figure long before those were en vogue. If Marx had been as clever or witty, not to mention fun, communism would have had a better head start, albeit doomed to failure, nonetheless.” One of my favorite lines that has ever appeared in our magazine.

Freelance writer Shilo Urban also hit a couple pieces out of the park with her August cover story on Olympic decathlete Lindon Victor — who would win the bronze medal soon after the issue hit newsstands — and her September feature on Ballet Folklorica, "Dance of the People."

I also deeply enjoyed the dichotomous profiles of two country western musicians, Koe Wetzel and Cody Jinks — the former written by me and the latter written by our digital editor, Stephen Montoya. The two are outlaws in their own way: one a literal outlaw with an arrest record and nights of debauchery to boot, and the other an outlaw for shunning the brutal business of music and remaining independent — and sober, too. Reading them back-to-back will give you whiplash.

And, yeah, because I’m egomaniacal, I’ll toot my own "saxophone" with the November cover story on public transit, which might be my favorite thing I’ve ever written for the magazine.

Stephen Montoya, Digital Editor 

There’s a beautiful collision of worlds when my digital domain — think a low-key “Matrix” vibe — intersects with the analog realms of executive editor Brian Kendall and Fort Worth Inc. editor John Henry. It’s like vinyl meeting Spotify, each with its own groove. But make no mistake, my world pulses to its own beat.  Sure, some of my work finds its way into print, but mostly, I’m on the prowl for the stories that stir the pot, the ones that make Fort Worth sit up and take notice. 

And every so often, I get to slip on a different hat — the faded, glorified cap of a Rolling Stone writer from its San Francisco glory days, back when its pages crackled with the electricity of music, culture, and raw authenticity, before the publication moved to the Big Apple. 

This particular daydream turned reality when a source dropped a golden ticket in my lap: the number for Ryan Bingham’s PR team. The “Yellowstone” star and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter was heading to town for his “Great Western” show at Dickies Arena. It was a now-or-never situation. A few calls later, I found myself on the line with Bingham, diving into a conversation that spanned his Hobbs, New Mexico roots, his Fort Worth open-mic days, and the occasional doubters along the way. 

I couldn’t resist asking the “Southside of Heaven” singer: “What do you say to people who call you a poser?” His response, casual and confident, was pure gold: “Man, no one has ever said that straight to my face.” I couldn’t help but laugh. 

Though landing Bingham felt like a win, the real crown jewel of the year was Lyle Lovett. The Texas legend and his Large Band grace Fort Worth’s Bass Hall every fall, so I figured it’d be a slam dunk. It wasn’t. Emails were sent. Calls were made. And yet, nothing. Just when I was ready to throw in the towel, Lovett’s team circled back out of the blue, offering a phone interview. Not only did Lovett deliver a fantastic conversation, but he also hooked me up with concert tickets and a photo pass. The chase was exhausting, but the payoff? Completely worth it. 

October brought another unforgettable moment: a cover story on Outlaw country icon Cody Jinks. It started with a phone interview, but a daring suggestion from a photographer turned it into something bigger. We managed to secure an invite to Jinks’ ranch outside Decatur. Those two hours gave us an unfiltered glimpse into his world, resulting in one of the most intimate photo shoots of his career. To my knowledge, it’s the only one ever conducted at his sprawling property. 

Of course, my colleagues didn’t exactly sit on their hands this year. Kendall delivered a masterclass in gonzo journalism with “How to Survive a Night Out with Koe Wetzel,” an irreverent, high-octane journey into the artist’s wild world. But Kendall isn’t just a rock-and-roll storyteller — his investigative piece “Who Killed the Streetcar,” showed the other side of his craft, unraveling Fort Worth’s tangled transportation history with the precision of a detective. 

Henry, meanwhile, turned back the clock with a stunning exploration of “The Inheritors,” James Young Phillips’ searing portrayal of Fort Worth’s elite in the 1930s. Henry’s words brought those stories to life, painting a vivid portrait of Cowtown’s gilded youth. I envisioned the happenings in this book in 3D, giving me a glimpse of a Fort Worth era I’d never thought to look at. Cheers! John.  

Whether it’s wrangling interviews with music legends, chasing down tips, or diving into the rich history of our city, the stories never stop. And we're here to tell them with sharp wit and precision. 

John Henry, Fort Worth Inc. Executive Editor

One of the more difficult tasks I’m asked to do is at the end of the year.

The editor always wants me to tell you of my favorite reads in Fort Worth Magazine over the past year. In my opinion, of course. It’s perilous. We do some great stuff. I am certain to miss something.

I’ll start with Brian Kendall’s The Great Texas Roadtrip, a 3,000-mile adventure around the state. It was a labor of love — an exhausting labor of love — for the executive editor-turned Texas Country Reporter, who showed us all sorts of angles of the Lone Star State. Neither Stephen F. Austin nor Sam Houston saw as much.

Brian actually had two other stories I loved.

One was recent, an exploration of whether we can get our public transit on track. Is there any more motivation for Fort Worth than the allegation that if we don’t make the commitments necessary to make people more mobile, we’ll just be a suburb of Dallas? Ick.

Now, I’ll admit to being pop culturally challenged. Who the hell is Koe Wetzel? Well, Brian painted a picture for our cover story in June, which was depicted perfectly by photographer Crystal Wise. 

Don’t expect to be in early on a night out with him.

Then in October, Stephen Montoya presented a biography of Cody Jinks, the outlaw country hell-raiser who has ascended the charts doing it only in his devil-may-care, to-hell-with-it-all persona. Many of us were first introduced to Jinks while he was on the beer tour at the Mule Pub. Suffice it to say, he has outgrown venues like the Mule Pub.

Shilo Urban’s profile on Lindon Victor of Grenada took us to the doorstep of the Arc de Triomphe for the Paris Olympics. Victor’s journey to Olympic decathlon bronze took him to TCU where he trained in the leadup to the XXXIII Olympiad.

Malcolm Mayhew marked the 25th anniversary of the Wedgwood Baptist Church shootings with a gripping retelling of the tragedy through the eyes of survivors.

And lastly is the story of J. Frank Norfleet, capably retold by Michael H. Price. Norfleet was a rancher from the Texas Panhandle swindled in an investment scam. Through grit and moral resolve, he set out to find the culprits no matter the cost.

Sometimes, the good guys do win.