Austin, Texas – November 05, 2026 -- "Austin's Music Scene: Your Guide to the City's Most Iconic Artists & Venues," a coffee table book that won three 2026 IBPA Book Awards, will be on sale at the 31st annual Texas Book Festival on Nov. 14–15, and half of its net proceeds go to the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM).
The book packs 160-plus artist profiles into one volume
Billed as the first coffee table book to celebrate the artists, venues and events shaping the city's music scene today, it includes more than 160 artist profiles, histories of iconic venues, hand-drawn maps and photography. Its awards include Best First Book (Nonfiction) and Best Gift Book. Publisher Thunderhouse Media Group designed it for longtime locals and first-time visitors alike.
Founder and editor in chief Mitch Baranowski, who fell in love with live music while studying journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, calls it a fan's-eye view of the scene. He says the book tries to dispel the myth that Austin has just one music scene.
Copies are on sale at Exhibitor Tent 6 on Congress Avenue
The tent is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Baranowski tells a true story at Saturday's Lit Crawl
On Saturday, Nov. 14, he takes part in Austin Bat Cave's Story Department, a Moth-style storytelling session within Lit Crawl Austin. It runs from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Side Bar, 602 E. Seventh St., on the theme "Do You Believe in Magic?" Lit Crawl is free and open to the public, but guests must be 21 or older.
Sunday's panel puts musicians' healthcare on the agenda
On Sunday, Nov. 15, Baranowski joins HAAM CEO Paul Scott for "Your Guide to the Austin Music Scene." The panel runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 1201 Brazos St. The two will discuss what makes Austin the "Live Music Capital of the World" and the challenges facing artists and venues today.
HAAM's mission is to provide access to healthcare for working musicians, DJs and music teachers across Central Texas. "If a musician isn't healthy, they can't play," Scott said.
After an audience Q&A, Baranowski will sign books at 12:30 p.m. at the festival's book signing tent.