Roxy Gordon, far right, on the front porch of his house at Oram and Matilda. (Photo courtesy of Memories of the DFW Music Scene Facebook page.)
Today, many front porches are merely an accessory. Perhaps it’s the lack of bones and animal hides that keeps people away. The eccentric decorations certainly helped Roxy Gordon draw a crowd.
The Native American musician, poet, writer and activist is shown in the photo posted on the Memories of the DFW Music Scene Facebook page. With Gordon at his home on Oram and Matilda streets are Jeffrey Liles, artistic director at The Kessler, and Rachel Strauss, lead singer of Pervis.
Gordon could hang with anyone. His assortment of friends included painter Frank X. Tolbert, singer Townes Van Zandt and local writer Robert Trammell. He even performed with Erykah Badu’s first art group, Soul Nation.
Gordon’s Native American culture inspired much of his work. His song, “Indians,” divided the world into two groups. On one side were the Indians with their circles, fry bread and red meat. On the other side were the “ain’t Indians” with their health-food stores, unions and Michael Jackson music.
He also wrote “Some Things I Did,” a collection of poems and short stories, and three spoken word albums, including “Smaller Circles.”
After living in Dallas, Gordon and his family moved to Talpa, Texas, and then to New Mexico.
He died in 2000 from cirrhosis of the liver.
