KKXT-FM (Dallas, TX)

DOMi & JD Beck Photo: Tehillah De Castro DOMi & JD Beck’s much-anticipated sophomore album unfurls like a vivid, cascading fever dream — the sort you don’t want to wake from. The nominally jazz-oriented duo — the 26-year-old Domitille Degalle, hails from Metz, France; the 23-year-old JD Beck, hails from Dallas — cartwheels across a multitude of genres on its second studio album, Who Asked?, which arrives July 31.

Hen and the Cocks heavy-hitting rhythms and cathartic vocals give the audience an electric show at Andy’s Bar in Denton. Photo: Jessica Waffles This week’s Homegrown Music Show is going to be special. Every Thursday night since August 29, 2024, I’ve been hosting the KXT Homegrown Music Show (formerly The KXT Local Show).

Chad Lovell. Photo: Courtesy of Max Slayton Funerals & Cremations Chad Lovell, a member of foundational Dallas rock band Course of Empire and a key figure in Deep Ellum’s creative life as a sound engineer at the now-defunct Curtain Club, died on July 21 in Garland. He was 59 years old. Lovell had battled the traumatic brain injuries sustained in a 2019 fall, and moved in and out of multiple nursing homes over the last seven years. No cause of death was provided.

Most rap lyrics by Yella Beezy cannot be used as evidence against him in his murder-for-hire trial, a Dallas judge ruled Monday. The use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions has become a controversial topic, as First Amendment advocates argue they aren’t meant to be taken literally and are a legitimate expression of free speech. Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Conway, is accused of paying a man to kill rapper MO3, who was gunned down on Interstate-35 in Dallas in 2020.

July 28, 2026 by The 2026 edition of The State Fair of Texas kicks off Sept. 25. Photo: Kevin Brown/State Fair of Texas As we shared with you last month, the 2026 State Fair of Texas is promising a slew of top-shelf talent on its Main Stage. Now, the Fair has unveiled the artists who will be populating the three stages across the fairgrounds during its 24-day run — including an all-new stage for 2026.

Kelly Clarkson Photo: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal Fort Worth-born pop superstar Kelly Clarkson is keeping busy. The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter has released her first new music since last year’s “Where Have You Been,” which followed on the heels of her 2023 album Chemistry. The single, “I’d Be Lyin’,” finds Clarkson back in brisk kiss-off mode, thanks to sparkling production work from her long-time musical director Jason Halbert and Jaco Caraco.

July 27, 2026 by Charley Crockett rides at Sons of Hermann Hall once again. Photo: Jessica Waffles There’s a hard-earned mysticism that comes along with Charley Crockett these days. Whether you know him, heard of him, or you’re just reading his name for the first time, one thing you ought to know is that Dallas loves Charley Crockett.

This week, we heard “Caroline” make its KXT debut, the brand new single from Fort Worth songwriter Jesse Spradlin. She’s known for her music as part of The Vintage Yell, and this solo project offering from the Virginia-born, Texas-grown Americana artist is about her late grandmother, who passed away a few years ago at the age of 96. Support the single currently only available on Bandcamp. “Labor of Love” is by Dallas-based, Fort Worth-born artist Eddie Bowers.

July 22, 2026 by Tulips was packed wall to wall, front to back for Quaker City Night Hawks in 2024. Photo: Jessica Waffles In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new week-long music fest in town called HEATSTROKE happening next month at Tulips in Fort Worth, showcasing over 15 North Texas bands August 1 thru August 8. The full lineup (listed by day below) is packed with powerhouse homegrown talent from across genres, bringing together music lovers from a spectrum of tastes.

July 20, 2026 by Hailing from Hamilton, Texas, the singer-songwriter has been making waves while touring across the country. Following her major label debut EP on Columbia Records in 2025, she’s back with Hamilton Honey, Part 1, released last week. Featuring collaborations with North Texas musicians Aden Bubeck and Milo Deering, along with singer-songwriter Madi Diaz, the EP is filled with vivid storytelling, rich Americana influences, and Haile’s warm voice.