A real Austin establishment, bassist Miller “Speedy” Sparks, died October 7 from lymphoma. He was 79.

Shifting from Houston to Austin in ’72, he famously performed in dozens of roots-oriented bands. Along with the super-group Texas Tornados, shaped in ’89 with Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiménez, Augie Meyers, and Freddy Fender, he served time with the LeRoi Brothers, Joe “King” Carrasco, Teddy & the Tall Tops, Texas Mavericks, Sir Douglas Quintet, Roky Erickson, Junior Brown, James Hand, and the Bizarros.

In a 2023 video interview for Austin Music Historical past, he defined, “I observed music was altering, getting splintered, however I simply needed to remain proper the place I began after I was about 10. I observed lots of people doing it, lots of people nonetheless favored it. We had been all disciples of Elvis and Buddy Holly and Little Richard and all that. To this very day, I haven’t veered very far off from that.”

“We performed within the Koolerators – particularly shaped so Speedy may play guitar – and the Gulf Coast Playboys, the Nortons, Lazy Lester, Eve and the Exiles, and plenty of extra,” recounts “Guitar Grady” Pinkerton. “I actually liked his skill to seek out the groove, in any fashion, and in life itself. He was all the time constructive and within the second. And he all the time knew the place to eat!” – Dan Forte

This text initially appeared in VG’s January 2026 subject. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.