SAN ANTONIO – Just a couple of years ago, two friends -- both San Antonio natives and music-lovers -- decided there was something missing in the Alamo City.
Michael Ann Coker and Margaret Moser had visited museums in Austin and thought, 'Why not here?'
"We're trying to develop pride in the San Antonio music history. It's so diverse! There's so many types of music here," said Coker.
From Tejano to jazz and country to rock 'n' roll, San Antonio's music scene needed to be preserved and celebrated. That's why the South Texas Pop Culture Center was born.
"It's just a wonderful multicultural melting pot here in San Antonio and we're proud of it and we want San Antonio to be proud of it," said Coker.
Tex Pop, as they like to call it, started small, but with big results. Their first exhibit was all about Texas music legend Doug Sahm, who grew up in San Antonio.
"He really represents somebody who does all the different kinds of San Antonio music," said Coker.
Other exhibits include the Teen Canteen, a teen music club in the 1960s and 1970s where almost every local band played. Music legends that played at the Teen Canteen included Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
Of all the artists featured at Tex Pop, most everyone would probably recognize the King. Elvis Presley once played at the Bexar County Colesium. Advertisements billed him as "The nation's only atomic-powered singer."
So Coker says plan a visit to Tex Pop.
"It's all about local music," she said.
Many more exhibits are planned for the future, as Tex Pop continues to grow. They are also asking anyone who may have music memorabilia or stories to tell from the San Antonio music scene to give them a call.
The center itself is open Noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, but if those times don't work, they are more than willing to work with your schedule. Just give them a call.
You can find the South Texas Pop Culture Center at 1017 E. Mulberry Street in San Antonio and you can reach them at 210-792-1312. For more about exhibits and future exhibits, search for "South Texas Popular Culture Center" on Facebook.