Q: You remember the early days of the Antone's nightclub. You probably know what the first release on the Antone's label was. What was it?

A: Well, Angela put out four different records all at the same time. One was her record. One was the Anniversary record. One was Ronnie Earle and Matt Murphy and Memphis Slim.

Q: Also, one of the early records was a record called Antone's Women. And it featured a woman from East Texas named Barbara Lynn. Tell me a little bit about her.

A: Well, of course, that's one of the people I grew up with in the Port Arthur/Beaumont area. And her and Huey P. Meaux made "If You Lose Me, You'll Lose a Good Thing" in 1963. And it was a No. 1 song in the nation. And when I opened in '75, she was one of the first acts we booked. And we've had a great relationship ever since. And she's as great a performer as there is out there. I mean, when you say the ladies, Aretha is like Michael Jordan, you don't even count her, you know. I mean, she's in her own category. But as far as the great performers in America, Irma Thomas and Barbara Lynn are two of the very greatest, along with people like Miss Lavelle and Carole Fran and so many of the other good ones. But she can also -- she writes and she plays guitar left-handed just so great. She's a great rhythm player and a lead player. Great writer and also a beautiful voice. And she's a true lady, too.

Q: The Antone's label has received a couple of Grammy nominations over the years. And one went to your friend, the late legendary Texas rocker, Doug Sahm. The two discs that Doug recorded for Antone's were pure blues. How did you get a guy who is noted for playing so many styles to focus on the blues for his Antone's releases?

A: Well, where do you start with Doug Sahm? You know, I don't think I ever met a musician so versatile. I don't believe I ever met a musician who could play so many styles of music correctly as Doug Sahm. So it was a chore. But, you know, I never met anyone that so many people around the world considered their best friend. All over the world, everyone thinks Doug's their best friend. And so did I. And we did have a very great friendship. And we loved the Louisiana swamp pop and the Guitar Slim blues. And so we had talked about it. And I told him exactly what I wanted to do. We had a show at the club when Doug was living in Canada. He -- a lot of people didn't know he even existed anymore in those years. And so we did a show with all the San Antonio guys. And Randy Garibay came. And they did that song "What's Your Name" together. And that was so powerful that I knew -- right at that song, I knew, we had to record this. So I got Doug Sahm outside on the front porch and we talked about it. And we agreed to do it and how to do it. And it wasn't going to be any, y'know, farfisas or anything. It was going to be straight ahead rhythm & blues and Louisiana swamp pop. And he stuck with it. And George Rains helped me a lot producing it. And it just was a great thing. The song we picked -- I picked for this album is "She Put the Hurt on Me." George Rains really picked that song. And he listened to it at the store. And I said, that's great. And Doug said he could do it. And we did it. Doug wasn't sure he could do it. But George and I knew he could do it.

And he -- it's such an unusual thing. I mean, most people haven't, haven't heard Otis Redding do it. But, you know, so it's an obscure cut. And he just nailed it. And it's such a dance tune and stuff, that it's a lot of joy and people enjoy it a lot. So that's the one I picked, but every song on the album is beautiful. Juke Box Music is just one of the best Texas recordings ever, I believe.

Q: Clifford, the late Doug Sahm was one of the countless musicians that played your club's Anniversary parties. These parties have become traditions. They are legendary. Come on, tell us, do you have a lot of material in the Antone's vaults that may some day be released, some by those who have left us already?

A: Oh, yeah, definitely. We have great, great recordings on Albert Collins and Luther Tucker and so many of the great people that played those clubs. And people that are still alive. I've got a live record mixed on Otis Rush that's just unbelievable. So, yeah we have a lot of stuff in the can that hasn't been released yet.

Q: The Anniversary shows, a lot of times, it would bring together players who otherwise might have never jammed. And one of the earliest releases on the Antone's label, I think you call it The Girl Group. It was a collaboration that must have taken some finesse to bring together. It was the album Dreams Come True, by Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli. And you got Dr. John to produce it. When this record came out, it was very successful. Is that when you knew the label would fly?

A: We did a show with the girls, Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli and Sarah Brown and our band. And it reminded me of the old James Brown shows. It was that good. You know, I mean, they are just tremendous together. So we wanted to record it. And, luckily, Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was willing to help us do it. And we did it. And it just turned out unbelievably well. I like that song "I Idolize You" from Ike and Tina Turner. And we got the girls to do it. And it just came out perfect. And we did it real quick and it was just done. And it was perfect, and...we're so proud of that record. I believe -- if the Girl Group and that record, like, got TV exposure and really -- I think it would sell millions because there's no one that wouldn't like that, especially the women. They would just go crazy over this. You know, it's just so good. We're so proud to present the Austin r&b/Texas singers, like Lou Ann Barton, who is so great. I mean, Marcia Ball played the piano and sang. And, of course, Angela, you know, just nailed it. Angela's been with us since the day we opened the club. She helped me open it. So, it was a great thing to have all these people together and to do this record. And I think it still holds up as one of the best recordings that we ever did. We've done some good ones.

Q: The Ball, Barton and Strehli disc Dreams Come True was produced by Dr. John. But Clifford, many of the Antone's releases were produced by a gentleman named Derek O'Brien, who's not a household name to most folks. So tell us about Derek and some of the discs that he worked on.

A: Well, one way or the other, Derek has been on almost everything we've done. Derek is just one of those unsung heroes who doesn't say much, but lets his guitar speak for him. I believe he was Albert Collins' favorite guitar player because Albert told me many times. So that's about all you need to say.

Q: There are many perceptions of Clifford Antone. Some correct, some incorrect, some of which we already talked about. One is that you are a blues purist. And I can't think of a CD you put out on your label that wasn't blues. But these days, at your nightclub, you've been featuring younger artists from Bob Schneider to Mingo Fishtrap, that really have nothing to do with the blues. Are you comfortable with that?

A: I love it. I love Bob Schneider. I love the Scabs. I love Vallejo and all these young bands. They're just like we were, except it's a different kind of music. It's their music for today. It's got to change. I'm sure the old Mississippi blues guys didn't like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters doing that electric blues, you know. So that's how it goes.

Now, if people could live forever and we could still book Elmore James and Little Walter and people like that, they'd be there. But, unfortunately, they've all died, you know. So you go with what's happening today. And I'm honored to know a guy like Bob Schneider. He's, he's, he's a phenomenon. And I'm glad that in the first years of his career like now, he's still very young, to be associated with him. He's as nice as he can be to me. And I never see anyone have their finger on the pulse of what people want like him. And I like that. That's just as genius as someone else playing guitar or something like that. And he puts on a great show. And he's a professional. And they rehearse. And he promotes. And everything I like about the music business, he does, you know. So I've got nothing but good to say. Vallejo, those young guys have just been my friends, man. And I could talk about a lot of young bands.

Q: Well, was the perception that you were a blues purist for a long time a correct one or an incorrect one?

A: My life is the blues. I am the blues. Everything I do in my spare time is reading about the history of music and learning about the history of music. But, I also enjoy today. I enjoy very much what's going on today. I can't control what the people want to hear. And who goes out? You've got to cater to who goes out, too. I have made friends with these young people. And I've learned one thing, you know. When we were coming up, people judged us by the length of our hair and stuff like that. I don't want to make the same mistakes, to judge people because they're different. I want to get to know 'em. And by getting to know them, I've met a lot of great people and nice people and fun people. George Devore, Monte Montgomery, Little Sister - Sister 7... Patrice Pike. I really like her a lot. And so many young people I've got to meet.

Q: You talk about the fact that so many of the artists that you would be booking today, if you could, are gone. There's a gentleman who's gone who I know was one of your all-time favorites, who was pure blues. And that was Eddie Taylor. Again, not a household name, unfortunately. Who was Eddie Taylor?

A: Well, Eddie Taylor was one of the most important musicians in the history of music. He was so great. He did so many things in Chicago. But the main thing was on VeeJay Records. He brought Jimmy Reed to be in his band in Chicago. And that's how Jimmy Reed got to be known at VeeJay. And then they started recording Jimmy Reed and it hit. So Eddie became in Jimmy Reed's band. You know, and that's how it worked. But he was the most loyal person I ever met. And he just loved me so much. He was the one person on earth you knew you could count on was Eddie Taylor. I think him and maybe Wayne Bennett in Bobby Bland's orchestra were the two most listened to and copied guitar players ever. Eddie Taylor on the Jimmy Reed stuff. And you know, people are thinking it was Jimmy Reed. But that was Eddie Taylor. And on John Lee Hooker's VeeJay recordings, that's Eddie Taylor. And then Wayne Bennett on the great Bobby Bland records. I think those were the -- probably the two guitar players most copied. And a lot of people didn't know who they were copying. And so his contribution was so great. But maybe in 100 years they'll recognize him.

Q: Clifford, you've always been in the newspapers in Austin over the years. But the last year or two in Austin, you've been in the newspapers a lot, except that it was because of your legal struggles. And last month, you pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. And you're going to spend the next four years in federal prison. Since you don't drink or do drugs, what was it that led you down that path?

A: Well, I don't know how to answer it. All I can say is, it's not the right thing to do. And you know, I love the music, I love the blues so much. And my friends, that are really close to me do too, that you do anything you can sometimes to make that music happen. But I don't suggest for anybody to take that road. I try and tell the young people who say "oh, I want to have a club, be like you." I say, "Go to school and do the right thing." And that's all I can say, you know. That was a long time ago, this case now. Even though I'm going -- it's almost five years ago. And on that day, I changed my life and it's been changed for over four years. And all I do is work and try to do the right thing. And I'm doing some real good community service works with a group called Youth Works down on 4th and San Jacinto. It's a school for kids that have dropped out and stuff and a lot of other community service work. And I'm just trying to do the best I can and hopefully, get to move on. I've got so many business opportunities now it's just unbelievable.

Q: Would it be fair to say that the financial difficulties of running a club and a record label led you to look for other means of financial support?

A: Well, I guess it would be, but all I can say is, it's not the right way. A short-term fix is not the right way. You need to do the right thing and look at it for the real long run. But when you're young, you don't see it. And you don't see things until you see it. And once you see it, you see it. But until then, you haven't. And that's kind of how it is with me right now. Four years ago in April, I saw it. And that's it you know. And so I've moved on. That Cliff is like a dead guy to me, you know. It's another world now. And I've moved way on past those days. But the trouble is still there.

Q: Considering the fact that you helped to launch the careers of artists like the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and in essence, you helped make Austin a tourist mecca, you greatly impacted the local economy and the quality of life, do you feel that you were penalized too harshly?

A: Well, it's just the way it's written, the penalties are too harsh. But I got a fair deal. And I thank the judge for listening to me, you know. It's just the way it's written is very harsh. I think the best thing to do is take the straight and narrow in this world and not get off that path, you know. And you know, I believe in miracles. And there's a lot of people around the world praying for me. And I think it's helped. I believe in miracles. So you never know. I'm dedicated to doing some good work. And I'm going to, as soon as I get a chance, prove that, you know. I'm going to, hopefully, make the judge and everyone else that's supported me proud. Hopefully.

Q: Will the Antone's record label and the Antone's nightclub continue the next four years without your physical presence?

A: I believe so. You can't ever say. There's things I do at the club that are very valuable. And with the record company, you know, there's certain artists that I can talk to better than anyone else can, you know. But I believe they're going to be okay. And you've got to just hope and pray, also.

Q: Clifford since I have the chance to, I'd just like to thank you for enriching my life, and literally millions of others' lives through your love of the blues. I look forward to the time when you can get back to doing what you were put on this Earth to do: to paraphrase your label's motto, "bringing us the best in blues." The song that ends Clifford's Picks is Earl King doing Guitar Slim's "Things I Used To Do". Did you purposely pick that song to end the CD with - because of the lyrics?

A: No...no, no. It's just - like I said about that club on Guadalupe that started in '82, that's one of the great people we got to meet, in those years, was Earl King, and we became very very great friends. He even dedicated a whole record to me, which was a great honor. And I love him - he's a real artist in all ways. He also worked with the great Guitar Slim...who's our hero, me and Doug and a lot of other people's hero, and even when Guitar Slim would be sick sometimes they'd send Earl King out as Guitar Slim, so this is a Guitar Slim song, "Things I Used To Do", and he has one of the most authentic sounds. It's just so great in life to get to know a person like Earl King. Like some of the other blues artists, they just make you so happy to be around them, they make everyone around them feel better. And that's Earl King.