TPWF
When the Texas Wild album first dropped in 2023, it sounded like nothing else: a genre-bending mixtape of Lone Star covers, stitched together by Texas artists and produced in celebration of 100 years of state parks. The result was part conservation campaign, part love letter to the state’s musical heritage — and one of the year’s most surprising albums.
Now, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is bringing it back with Texas Wild – Deluxe Edition, a re-release that expands the original project with five new tracks, limited-run collectible vinyl, and a few surprises that prove you really can make a good thing better.
The expanded album drops digitally on August 8, but fans won’t have to wait that long to get a taste. A soulful, full-throttle cover of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” featuring Grammy winner Ruthie Foster and cosmic country outfit The Texas Gentlemen, lands on streaming services Friday, August 1 — the same day that preorders open for the limited-edition pink Bio-Vinyl pressing. Only 1,500 copies of the eco-conscious LP will be available worldwide. They’re wrapped in a package as collectible as the music itself: four interchangeable covers by Austin illustrator Mishka Westell depict iconic native wildlife — the mountain lion, desert bighorn, horned lizard, and mockingbird — along with a 24-page companion booklet on the wild places that inspired it all.
“We wanted to create a living homage to Texas’ wild things, wild places, and wild traditions while introducing entirely new audiences to our lifelong mission to conserve it all,” TPWF Executive Director Anne Brown said. “Very few things can evoke the energy, inspiration, and awe we feel when we are out in the Texas wild, but music provides that perfect parallel.”
The 15-track digital version offers even more. Newcomers include Max Frost putting an indie-pop spin on Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” and Austin country-rocker Jonathan Terrell tackling George Strait’s “All My Exes Live in Texas.”
The rest of the lineup reads like a genre-hopping road trip through Texas sound: Shakey Graves and Jess Williamson channel Daniel Johnston; Fat Tony and Paul Wall ride the Tex-Mex groove of the Texas Tornados; and Ryan Bingham dusts off the Toadies' brooding “Possum Kingdom” — a bold choice he initially never imagined taking on.
“I’ve always been a big fan of the Toadies since I was in high school,” Bingham told Fort Worth Magazine. “But I never thought that I’d ever really play any of those songs or cover ‘Possum Kingdom.’ I always felt like the music was on such a level, there’s no way I could cover a song like that.”
That changed when The Texas Gentlemen laid down the instrumental and asked him to give it a shot. “They sent it over to me and they’re like, ‘Man, just take a crack at it,’” Bingham recalled. “So I just sat, and I just worked on the vocals over and over and I just did the best I could with it. It was a lot of fun getting to do that.”
The risk paid off. During the interview, Fort Worth Magazine shared with Bingham that the Toadies’ management told the publication the band loved his version — a nod of approval that seemed to catch the singer off guard.
At the helm of this ambitious remix is Austin’s own Walker Lukens, the singer-songwriter and producer who’s worked with the likes of Rayland Baxter and Shakey Graves. His vision? A playlist that feels like Texas — sprawling, strange, tender, and wild.
“What made this project so special is that we brought together legends and newcomers, all united by their love for these classic Texas songs,” said Lukens. “There’s an untamed creative spirit that you can only find in Texas music, and this album represents that.”
Zella Day brings psychedelic shimmer to The 13th Floor Elevators’ “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” while The Suffers shine soulfully on B.W. Stevenson’s “My Maria.” And for Foster, reimagining Orbison was about more than paying tribute.
“There’s something beautiful about taking a classic and making it your own while honoring what came before,” Foster said. “Supporting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation makes it even more meaningful — we’re celebrating the music and the land that inspires it.”
Preorders for the vinyl edition are now open at TexasWildAlbum.org, with in-store releases arriving August 29 at indie record shops and Texas State Park stores statewide.
Track Listing – Texas Wild: Deluxe Edition
Side A
- Fat Tony feat. Paul Wall — “(Hey Baby) Que Paso” (Texas Tornados)
- Ryan Bingham — “Possum Kingdom” (The Toadies)
- Adrian Quesada feat. Uncle Roy & Spice and The Soul Supporters — “Say My Name” (Destiny’s Child)
- Shakey Graves feat. Jess Williamson — “True Love Will Find You in the End” (Daniel Johnston)
- Sir Woman feat. Ray Wylie Hubbard — “Texas Sun” (Khruangbin & Leon Bridges)
- The Texas Gentlemen — “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)” (Lyle Lovett)
Side B
- Zella Day — “You’re Gonna Miss Me” (The 13th Floor Elevators)
- The Suffers — “My Maria” (B.W. Stevenson)
- LUNA LUNA — “Si Una Vez” (Selena)
- Toadies — “Since U Been Gone” (Kelly Clarkson)
- Sarah Jaffe — “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground” (Willie Nelson)
- The Texas Gentlemen & Ruthie Foster — “Pretty Woman” (Roy Orbison)
- Shane Smith and The Saints feat. Hayes Carll — “Pancho and Lefty” (Townes Van Zandt)
Digital Bonus Tracks
- Max Frost — “Irreplaceable” (Beyoncé)
- Jonathan Terrell — “All My Exes Live in Texas” (George Strait)
