Terry and Jo Harvey Allen have left an indelible mark on Texas, from Terry’s visual art and Jo Harvey’s plays to both of their remarkable songwriting catalogs. Yet they would probably agree their greatest work is their family, which continues the cultural impact through sons Bukka and Bale and grandsons Calder, Sled, and Kru. Last month’s Blood Sucking Maniacs wrangles the entire Allen clan into a family circus of song, as hilarious as it is heartfelt. “This song rose through the family tree,” Allen sings to close the album, and music and art continue to flow through the Allen generations. – Doug Freeman
