James McMurtry

James McMurtry at Bijou Theatre - TN

Some songwriters write about people. James McMurtry writes people into being. He brings his storytelling to Bijou Theatre in Knoxville on Friday, January 29, 2027, at 8:00 PM. If his songs draw you in because of the characters—South Texas lawmen, mechanics counting pennies, troubled souls humming under their breath—here's your chance to watch him turn those details into music in front of you.

McMurtry's eleventh album, The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy, pulls inspiration from family scraps: a lost poem, a sketch, his father Larry McMurtry's hallucinations. Songs like South Texas Lawman and the rumbling title track give you vivid, strange worlds built from small observations. Young songwriters cite him as a formative influence, but his appeal to longtime listeners rests on decades of crafting funny, sad, sharp-eyed work that refuses easy category.

A Friday night at Bijou gives you a reason to invite someone who values the same kind of songwriting. A friend who introduced you to McMurtry's catalog. A partner who appreciates lyrics that reward attention. Choose the show together and you have an evening with a performer whose work you both respect.

Let your connection to the songs decide for you. Explore ticket options for James McMurtry in Knoxville and plan a night built around storytelling that matters to you.