During his time in New Mexico, Hubbard wrote "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother"[4] first made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker's 1973 recording, and covered by a wide variety of other artists since.[5] Bolstered by the success of the song, he was signed by Warner Bros. Records. Hubbard then assembled a band of friends and locals and, in 1976, released Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Cowboy Twinkies.[6] Unbeknownst to Hubbard, producer Michael Brovsky had decided to "Nashville-ize" the sound by adding overdub mixes and female backup singers to the recordings. The result was "a botched sound" that Hubbard disapproved of vehemently, but the album was released despite his attempts to block it.[4]
1980s
Hubbard then recorded albums for various other labels for the next decade, but struggled with the sales of his mix of country, folk and blues.[7] The last album he recorded in the 1980s was Caught in the Act (1984) on his newly formed Misery Loves Company record label.
1990s and beyond
Hubbard performing in 2009
He returned to recording in the early 1990s, and released his album Lost Train of Thought in 1992,[4] followed by Loco Gringo's Lament in 1994. Eventually a steady following began to re-discover Hubbard's music and he has been recording steadily since.
He describes his 2017 album Tell the Devil I'm Getting There as Fast as I Can as rock & roll, though his style has become associated with outlaw country.[8]
A Life... Well, Lived (biography and memoir published in 2015)[7][8][15][16]
The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard by author Brian T. Atkinson was published by Texas A&M University Press in 2019. The book includes forewords by Jerry Jeff Walker and Hayes Carll.
^Kurt Wolff, Orla Duane – Country Music: The Rough Guide 2000- Page 359 1858285348 "During the mid-'70s he and his band recorded tor Atlantic and Warner Brothers, then Hubbard cut a solo album, OFF THE WALL, for Willie Nelson's Lone Star label"
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