36. LYLE LOVETT

The lanky man from Klein playfully blends the music of the Gulf and the Plains — country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, gospel and that wonderful pop-music parfait known as western swing — into one big party. Seeing him when he tours with his near-20-piece Large Band is Texas musical history come to vivid life. Underneath the good humor though is a smart songwriter and nimble musician whose work reverberates with the soul and sound of the Lone Star State. Most Texas musical moment: There isn’t a better tongue-incheek put down of the 49 states that aren’t Texas than his swingin’ “That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas).”