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Cliff Antone
Cliff Antone
00:54

Cliff Antone

Antone's Records and Tapes and Antone's Record Shop

Austin, TX USA

"It was the only thing I ever could do, is hear music. I couldn't hear what was going on in school or anything 'cause I had music in my head all my life."

Career Roadmap

Cliff's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Music, and Accomplishing Goals

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Day In The Life

Owner

I started the Austin Blues Club and independent record label, which became the playground for many blues legends.

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Grew up on the Texas/Louisiana border with a diverse, Cajun background.

  • 2.

    Listened to the blues and American soul growing up; says it's all he did-listen to music.

  • 3.

    The blues were still very much an underground scene when he was growing up; wanted to "bring blues to the people."

  • 4.

    Once they got the idea to start a club, he says people started pitching in; felt like Field of Dreams: "if you build it, they will come."

  • 5.

    Started his blues club at such a young age that many of the acts and agents that came through asked him where his father was.

  • 6.

    Says if he could do it over, he would've gone to school, says he made things harder than they needed to be at times.

  • 7.

    Encourages aspiring musicians to go to school, make money first, but make sure to go for it at some point if it's a burning passion.

  • 8.

    Says he's so happy with what he's done, but he's paid a huge price-been to jail, made very little money.

Defining Moments

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger. I went to prison twice.