The Texas Music Library and Research Center (TMLRC) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3), music heritage, library services organization dedicated to the research, education, preservation, and exhibition of Texas music history. TMLRC has been qualified as a State official “Texas Museum of Music History” by the Texas State Legislature, Texas Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration pursuant to SB1, Article IX, Section 14.31, 79th Legislature.* The US Senate, the Federal Highway Administration, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Historical Commission, Museum of American Music History/Texas Music Hall of FameTM, Western Heritage Historical Society, Hispanic Entertainment Archives, Texas Jazz Archives @ Houston Public Library, several distinguished universities, other regional, national and international entities have served in the development of the TMLRC program.
Texas Music Hall of Fame™
As a coalition of music families, private collectors and organizations with exquisite collections of Texas music, art, artifacts, recordings, photographs, film and music memorabilia, the museum program combines with other institutions dedicated to education and historical interpretations of Texas’ indelible cultural assets. TMLRC has developed several options to coordinate the State’s music history community into a hub-and-spoke network with a heritage tourism visitor’s center. With the international tourist destination option, the facility will offer approximately 300,000sf of educational, exhibition, performing arts, merchandising, and food and beverage space. The master plan has the scope, definition and purpose to make Texas the Southwest component of a national chain of music museum complexes. As an official “Texas Museum of Music History” program, the facility will serve as the state’s heritage trails gateway to over 20 music museums, 50 historic dance halls, over 120 music heritage historical markers and more.
Tammy Huerta Fender, daughter of Freddy Fender and Director of Artist Relations with TMLRC, is working with artists and music families to insure that their memorabilia, legacies and history remain in Texas. Contact Tammy Huerta Fender at [email protected] or [email protected] for more information about the organization.
* Governor Perry vetoed the Office of the Governor’s designation authority when SB1100 did not pass in the 2005 session. That veto relegated designation authority of the Legislature’s “Texas Museum of Music History” provision to the Texas Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration determination process. Texas Music Library and Research Center completed this extensive vetting process in March 2012 and therewith earned the official State title. Members of the US Senate also vetted the program and authorized a federal determination from the U.S. Department of Transportation on June 21, 2012.