New dates expand Raw Whisky Tour­

On Friday, April 22nd, fans of ZZ Top receive a second offering from Raw, the legendary group’s new album that is slated for release on July 22nd from Shelter Records/BMG. That track is “La Grange” and, like the other 11 selections on the album, it was recorded at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, TX in 2019.

“La Grange” is one of the hallmarks of ZZ Top’s hit-heavy catalog and was first heard in 1973 as part of their breakthrough Tres Hombres album. As a single it was the most successful release the band had experienced up to that time and would become a signature song for the group for almost five decades. The song is something of an homage to “The Chicken Ranch,” a real-life brothel that was located in the town of La Grange, just 88 miles away from New Braunfels.

“La Grange” anticipated the story, written by Larry L. King, that was the basis for the Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. The film version starred Dolly Parton as Mona Stangley, proprietor of the much-celebrated establishment.

The late Dusty Hill once recalled, “Shortly after the record was released, they shut it down, and I went around and spent a lot of my time in Texas explaining to people that we didn’t have anything to do with that.”

Billy Gibbons noted, “That place was the scene of many a ‘rite of passage,’” adding, “The closing line, ‘But I might be mistaken,’ was inspired by Buddy Holly’s ‘Peggy Sue Got Married.’” It was very much the case of one Texas music icon (ZZ Top) celebrating a forebear (Buddy Holly).

The Raw tracks, including this new version of “La Grange,” were recorded over the course of one day with an eye to keeping the whole process as simple and straightforward as possible, a nod to the band’s early days. Billy F Gibbons served as producer with engineering by Jake Mann and Gary Moon. Raw was mixed by Ryan Hewitt. It will be available on 180-gram vinyl, CD and through digital platforms and will be released “In righteous memory of Dusty Hill.”

The release of the Raw album will be supported by ZZ Top’s forthcoming Raw Whisky Tour. The tour, starting on May 27th in San Diego, CA, will see the band on stage in 100 dates across North America, with more dates added. The tour’s title is a hat tip to both the forthcoming album as well as the recent release of ZZ Top Tres Hombres whisky from Balcones Distilling of Waco, TX, a flavorful 100 proof mash bill of roasted blue corn, malted barley and rye.

ZZ Top Raw Whisky Tour 2022 Dates:

May 27 – San Diego @ Humphries Concerts by the Bay
May 28 – Pomona, CA @ LA County Fair
May 29 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
June 1 – Redding, CA @ Redding Civic Auditorium
June 2 – Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery
June 4 – Lincoln, CA @ Thunder Valley Casino Resort
June 5 – Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Pavilion
June 7 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater
June 8 – Walla Walla, WA @ Wine Country Amphitheater
June 9 – Spokane, WA @ First Interstate Center for the Arts
June 12 – Billings, MT @ MetraPark – First Interstate Arena
June 14 – Grand Junction, CO @ Las Colonias Park Amphitheater
June 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden
June 17 – Tucson, AZ @ Casino Del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater
June 18 – Taos, NM @ Kit Carson Park
June 19 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
June 21 – Loveland, CO @ Budweiser Events Center
June 22 – Grand Island, NE @ Fonner Park – Heartland Events Center
June 24 – Park City, KS @ Hartman Arena
June 25 – Oklahoma City @ Zoo Amphitheatre
June 26 – Little Rock, AR @ First Security Amphitheater
June 29 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion
July 1 – Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoo & Aquarium – Amphitheater
July 2 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
July 3 – Woodstock, IL @ McHenry County Fairgrounds
July 5 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Foellinger Theatre
July 7 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Meijer Gardens
July 8 – Traverse City, MI @ Cherry Festival
July 9 – Greenville, WI @ Greenville Lion’s Park
July 22 – Boston @ Leader Bank Pavilion
July 23 – Watertown, NY @ Watertown Fairgrounds Arena
July 24 – Grantville, PA @ Hollywood Casino
July 26 – Baltimore, MD @ MECU Pavilion
July 27 – Harrington, DE @ Delaware State Fairgrounds
July 29 – Cuyahoga, OH @ Blossom Music Center
July 30 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
July 31 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
Aug 2 – Portsmouth, VA @ Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion
Aug 3 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Aug 5 – Greensboro, NC @ White Oak Amphitheatre
Aug 6 – Atlanta @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Aug 7 – Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
Aug 10 – Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent
Aug 12 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
Aug 13 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Aug 14 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Theme Park Resort
Aug 16 – Des Moines @ Iowa State Fair
Aug 17 – Sedalia, MO @ Missouri State Fairgrounds
Aug 18 – St Louis @ Saint Louis Music Park
Aug 20 – Mystic Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino
Aug 21 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinewood Bowl Theater
Aug 23 – Dubuque, IA @ Five Flags Center
Aug 24 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
Aug 26 – Indianapolis @ TCA Amphitheater at Whiteriver State Park
Aug 27 – Beaver Dam, KY @ Beaver Dam Amphitheater
Aug 28 – Pikeville, KY @ Appalachian Center Arena