Musicians strike a chord with rock crusher protest song

Local musicians Jeff Haese, Randy Wright, Martin Langford, Pat Moran, and Katie Jenkins wrote the song ‘A Rock and a Hard Place’ to protest a proposed rock-crushing facility near Burnet. The song amplifies concerns about the plant’s impact on the environment. Staff photo by Elizabeth De Los Santos
When words weren’t enough, music became the voice of resistance in Burnet County. A group of local musicians came together to write a protest song, “A Rock and a Hard Place,” opposing a proposed rock-crushing facility at 3221 FM 3509, just south of the Burnet city limits.
Austin-based Asphalt Inc. has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for an air-quality permit to build the rock-crushing plant in an area that is home to Inks Lake State Park, Longhorn Cavern State Park, and the city of Burnet’s Delaware Springs Golf Course. The TCEQ is holding a public hearing on the matter at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Hill Country Fellowship, 200 Houston Clinton Drive in Burnet.
Written by Randy Wright and Martin Langford, “A Rock and a Hard Place” is a lyrical call to action that amplifies the public outcry against the proposed facility. The lyrics decry corporate greed and urge the community to protect the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country.
LISTEN TO “A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE”
“This is a song about protecting the pristine land and the way of life that drew us all here in the first place,” lead vocalist Jeff Haese told DailyTrib.com. “We can’t let it be destroyed for profit.”
Wright drew inspiration from a story he found on the Nextdoor app about the original property owner of the proposed site being misled by Asphalt Inc. into believing the land would be used for affordable housing rather than aggregate mining.
“If he had known what they were really going to do, he said he’d have never sold it,” Wright said. “That story stuck with me and shaped the message of the song.”
Wright started writing after a friend suggested he channel the community’s concerns about the rock crusher into a song.
“He gave me the title and everything,” Wright said. “A couple of days later, I wrote it. I wanted the song to reflect what’s at stake—not just the environment, but our future.”
With lyrics like, “The future of this land depends on us” and “We love the hills, the lakes, the skies, but they love their money so much more,” the song captures the community’s frustration and determination.
Langford, a Houston-based music teacher with ties to the Highland Lakes, helped refine the lyrics. He also performed the saxophone and flute parts in the recording.
“He played four different saxophones and a flute on the song,” Wright said. “He’s a very talented guy.”
Haese, who has lived in the area for 25 years, lent his voice to the project after being approached by Wright.
“He asked me to narrate and sing it,” Haese said. “I sat down with him and helped with some of the arrangement for the narration and the actual song. It resonated with me because this is about where we live and what we love.”
The song also featured drummer Pat Moran and background vocalist Katie Jenkins. It was recorded at Dup Studio in Burnet and was a collaborative and fast-paced project.
“We recorded it in about two to three hours,” Haese said.
The song’s final refrain, “What are you gonna do?” is a poignant challenge to listeners, urging them to reflect and join the protest.
“This song is about standing up for something that matters,” Haese said. “It’s our way of making sure our voices are heard.”
2 thoughts on “Musicians strike a chord with rock crusher protest song”
Comments are closed.
Anyone opposing this site should drive their vehicles in the bar ditches and build their houses on dirt floors. Bunch of NIMBYs.
I wouldn’t want it either. I guess Marble Falls supplying all the granite for the Capitol started it all over a century ago.