The Entertainment Lubbock Committee is pleased to announce the roster of tracks and artists to be featured on the 2026 Lubbock Music NOW album. The latest collection continues the tradition of highlighting the diverse array of local talent, capturing the soundtrack of the city. This upcoming release marks the tenth edition to the acclaimed series, enriching Lubbock’s cultural landscape through music since its inception in 2016.
Lubbock Music NOW 2026 ALBUM
The 2026 Lubbock Music NOW album showcases original music from area artists and songwriters within a 100-mile radius of Lubbock who have performed at least two paid gigs in the city unless they submitted as a songwriter only.
Submissions were received by the Entertainment Lubbock Committee, which operates under the auspices of Civic Lubbock, Inc. The album’s final track list was chosen by a panel of music experts from around the country, including past and present members from the Texas Branch of The Recording Academy, known as the Texas Grammy Board. To ensure a fair and unbiased review, the judges considered submissions identified solely by song numbers with no revelation of artist names or song titles.
Twenty-one songs were selected for the 2026 album, including a memorial track featuring a song written and performed by the late Orestes “West” Garza. West Garza is the fourth artist to be honored posthumously by the Entertainment Lubbock Committee on a Lubbock Music NOW album. West Garza passed in February of 2016.
The songs selected for the 2026 Lubbock Music NOW album, listed alphabetically by song title, including the performers and songwriters (in parenthesis), are:
Don’t Say Sorry Hannah Jackson (Hannah Jackson/Grace Drake)
Fire and Gasoline Brian Findley (Brian Findley)
Galveston Bay Dayton & Good Company (Dayton Cornelius)
Gold Lightening The Barnhearts (James Clack)
Good Morning, Orion Jonny Verbeten Trio (Jonny Verbeten)
I’m Not Worthy West Garza (Orestes West Garza) – Memorial Track
Jesus is Enough Russ Murphy (Russ Murphy)
Lean On Each Other Chad Miller & The Good Fortune (Chad Miller)
Long Train a Runnin’ Thomas Craig Elliott (Thomas Craig Elliot/Susan Moore)
Lucky Alicia Morgan (Alicia Morgan)
Maybe The Kill Time Conspiracy (Alexander Sanchez)
Nicole Dustin Garrett (Dustin Garrett)
Not the Man I Used To Be Jason Nutt & Highway 70 (Jason Nutt)
Setting Sun Sam Choate (Sam Choate)
Somebody Will Sing My Song Brandon Word (Brandon Word)
Ten Again Richard Bowles (Richard Bowles)
The Season SPiVEY (Ryan Spivey)
We Were in Love Morri Hartgraves (Morri Hartgraves)
What Life’s All About Lindsey Bruner (Lindsey Bruner)
Winters Brad Miles (Brad Miles)
You and Me (Right Now) Jonny Keys (Jonny Hughes)
Winning entries receive a one-time cash prize of $200 and copies of the album. In addition, the artists will have the option to perform their winning song on the Lubbock Music NOW TV Show.
The release of the album is planned for early February 2026.
The Entertainment Lubbock Committee, in conjunction with Civic Lubbock, Inc., developed the Lubbock Music NOW project in 2016 to honor and recognize musicians and songwriters living in the area who are performing in our city and/or actively writing songs. Civic Lubbock, Inc. is a non-profit organization created in 1956 whose mission is to foster and promote educational, cultural and entertainment programs, including the visual and performing arts, for the citizens of Lubbock and the surrounding area.
