After a 29 month break, Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival (LJT) is expected to make it’s return starting on Sept. 13 and lasting until Sept. 18. There are an estimated 50 people on the line up including names like Koe Wetzel, William Clark Green and Randy Rogers.
“The last year and a half has taught us we never say a definite yes or a definite no. . . as of right now, yes [the event will still go on,]” Texas musician, Larry Joe Taylor said.
In April of 2020 residents of Stephenville, Texas and beyond received news that the at the time 31 year old festival would be postponed until October 2020. Residents, fans and staff found themselves left in shock as the festival was postponed a total of 3 times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updates in regards to the Delta Variant and it’s rising cases, people were only left to wonder if the event would still go on.
“LJT brings people from across the country, I don’t think they will cancel it [with] less than a month [to go]. People just need to come out and get the experience of it, not only do you have the big stage but you have all the smaller stages,” Local musician and community member, Adriana Hernandez said. “You get to hear other artists you’ve never heard before, enjoy their music, see what they’re about and hear where they come from and how they started.”
According to Taylor, the event began 32 years ago by accident and it wasn’t until the seventh year that it was considered an annual event. When the event first began, there were maybe 100 attendees, and over the years it has skyrocketed in terms of attendance numbers.
Larry Joe Taylor’s son took over the operation aspect of the festival after having graduated from Tarleton State University with a Marketing degree. According to Taylor, the event has done a lot better since then.
According to Larry Joe Taylor, the Taylor family is true to its Stephenville roots. Starting with Larry Joe Taylor himself, who attended Tarleton back in the 70’s and shared that he is a former member of the Purple Poo. Taylor went on to explain that his wife, son, and daughter-in-law are also Tarleton alumni.
“LJT increases economic flow in the city, it brings a lot of people and traffic. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, but it brings a lot of people into Stephenville that potentially may have never had a reason to come,” Plowboy President, Koll Bickerstaff said.

Throughout the course of the pandemic break, many changes have been made to provide people with a safer environment. Larry Joe Taylor’s official social media released a statement earlier this week regarding various safety precautions, including but not limited to; more on site EMS medical staff, sanitizer stations as well as free masks, room to social distance, as well as posted precautionary warnings and instructions around the festival site.
“We have worked over those last 29 months to have more control in the stage area, [such as] having more control of what goes in and out,” Taylor stated. “Normally we have several events like Bloodymary Morning and some of the other stuff inside T-Birds, we’ve moved everything outside. Which to me is the most important thing, it’s pretty well proven that if you’re outside you’re much less likely to transmit COVID-19.”
The JTAC reached out to several LJT attendees and received tons of feedback on safety precautions that will take place to ensure a safe and fun event.
“This is my first time [attending] and I feel like LJT will go on this year. Of course I will take safety precautions, I just want to have a good time. I’m just really excited to see some of my friends on that stage,” Houston based rapper, Bo Bundy said.
Bundy will be attending LJT as a spectator but will be traveling alongside artist Koe Wetzel and other musicians.
“The number one thing that we are always concerned about is people being safe. We have people coming from all 50 states and several foreign countries, a lot of them have never even been to Texas… so we want to make sure they’re safe, have a great time, and that Texas leaves a real good taste in their mouth,” Taylor stated. “That’s the number one thing, the number two thing is we gotta have great music. I think I’ve done a good job of putting together a lineup that’s gonna do that.”