Austin: Roky Erickson’s childhood home

Roky Erickson’s childhood home is located in Barton Hills in South Austin. Erickson was born in Dallas in 1947 but his family moved to Austin when he was a child. He grew up in the city and attended school there before becoming a prominent figure in the Austin music scene in the 1960s and 1970s as the lead singer of the 13th Floor Elevators.

Roky Erickson’s childhood home is located in the city’s Barton Hills neighborhood, where he lived with his parents and siblings. The house was a modest bungalow-style home that still stands today, although it has undergone some renovations and changes over the years. Today, the house is privately owned and not open to the public, but it remains a significant landmark in the history of Austin music and Erickson’s career.

The 13th Floor Elevators was one of the first psychedelic rock bands. Formed in the mid-1960s, the band is often credited with helping to define the psychedelic sound with their innovative music and Roky Erickson’s distinctive voice and songwriting.

The 13th Floor Elevators’ debut album, “The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators” (1966), is considered a landmark in the genre. The band’s use of electric jug, feedback, and Erickson’s high-energy vocals set them apart and influenced numerous bands that followed, including Janis Joplin, who was briefly associated with the band, and later artists in the punk and alternative scenes.

Barton Hills is known for its distinctive mid-century modern homes, which were built primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these homes were designed by prominent architects of the era, such as A.D. Stenger, and feature elements like flat roofs, clean lines, and large windows that blur the line between indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Read More

• Texas Monthly: A Long, Strange Trip by Michael Hall
• Texas State Historical Association: 13th Floor Elevators by Cortnie Jones