Win FREE TIX to See Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros @ The Linda on Sunday!

It’s a grand weekend in Nippertown for fans of great Texas music, with Alejandro Escovedo at The Egg on Friday (June 15) and Kinky Friedman at The Linda on Monday (June 18).

And in between those Lone Star concert bookends is another fine Austin-based combo playing what might be the sleeper show of the week. Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros make their Nippertown debut at The Linda in Albany at 8pm on Sunday (June 17).

Wilkins just released his new album, “Plenty,” this past Tuesday, so Sunday’s show will be something of a CD release party. And by the way, “Plenty” features a soulful selection, “Hang On to Your Soul,” which Wilkins co-wrote with former Nippertown country singer-songwriter Billy Montana.

Coincidence?

Maybe not. Seems as though Wilkins has a thing for Nippertown songwriters. He was about to include Michael Eck’s tune “Modern Boy Blues” on his 1993 debut album, “Bull Creek Souvenir,” but at the last minute, the track was dropped in favor of “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Drinkin’,” a tune penned by another former Nippertonian Ed Hamell (aka Hamell On Trial), who also plays guitar on the album. And Wilkins’ 2002 album, “Rivertown,” featured the song “Genevieve,” which Wilkins co-authored with yet another Nippertown expat Hal Ketchum.

So Sunday’s show may be Wilkins’ official Albany debut, but he’s already tuned in to the cream of the Local 518 music scene indirectly.

And bringing the evening full circle on Sunday, Michael Eck will be opening for Wilkins and his band at The Linda. “Walt was one of my best pals when I was living in Austin 20 years ago,” says Eck. “And he’s one of the kind folks who performed at the Twins Benefit when Lillie and I were pregnant with the kids. So, it seems super appropriate to playing with him on Father’s Day.”

Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros ride into The Linda in Albany on Sunday night (June 17), in support of their new album, “Plenty.” Michael Eck opens the show at 8pm. Tix are $15.

BUT WAIT… Have we got a deal for you! We’re giving away a pair of FREE TIX to the concert to a lucky Nippertown reader! To enter the contest, just post a comment below. Please leave your email address, too. We won’t publish it, but we’ll use it to contact you if you win. The winner will be selected at random and notified on Saturday. Enter today! Good luck! This contest is now closed. Congratulations to the winner, who has been notified by email.