The sequel to the 1996 film Twister hit theaters last Friday and earned more than $80 million on its opening weekend. In addition to Twisters' rare ability to get people to physically head out to the theater, the movie is also set apart by its songs. It's the first blockbuster film to have a completely original country soundtrack since the 1980 flick Urban Cowboy, according to American Songwriter.
The 29-song soundtrack features the talents of many artists close to home. Fort Worth's Leon Bridges appears on the film's playlist with his latest track, "Chrome Cowgirl." Although it's been a while since the "Texas Sun" singer has released a full album, his Twister soundtrack announcement said it was "the first taste of new music" he gets to share with fans. A few days later, he posted a teaser of him singing "a love letter to Fort Worth" with the tag "#LB4."
"I can't wait to share what's coming up on LB4, got lots more in store," Bridges said on his Twisters Instagram post. "I got another surprise up my sleeve. We'll be in touch."
Dallas-raised Charley Crockett also contributed a song to the soundtrack, a cover of Johnny Cash's "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky." The song was unveiled on the official Twisters album just three days before Crockett's own sequel album, Visions of Dallas, was released. The July release has been labeled as a second chapter to Crockett's $10 Cowboy.
Twisters: The Album isn't the first time Bridges and Crockett have crossed paths. The two befriended one another after meeting at Sons of Hermann hall in 2015 around the time Crockett released his first album, A Stolen Jewel, for which Bridges sang his praises.
"I was instantly drawn in by every song on the record," Bridges told the Observer in 2015. "I love how he was able to capture a simple blues/folk sound on this record. I believe the key to a good song is phrasing, melody, lyrics and a good voice. Charley has all of that."
Fellow North Texas singer and guitarist Tanner Usrey, who grew up in Prosper, also contributed to Twisters: The Album with his original song, "Blackberry Wine." The fast-emerging red dirt singer released his latest album, Crossing Lines, last year. The 15-song release featured the single "Give It Some Time," which recently made our list of Best Texas and Red Dirt Country Songs.
Other Texas artists on the soundtrack include Lindale-raised Miranda Lambert (who collaborated with Bridges last year), Lubbock-founded band Flatland Calvary and Austinite Dylan Gossett.
In an interview with Texas Monthly, Austinite Rachel Levy, executive vice president for Universal Pictures, said Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung wanted to ensure that the film's soundtrack felt true to its Southern Great Plains setting. Since its release on July 19, Twisters: The Album has racked up more than 70 million combined streams.
"Tornado Alley and red dirt artists are where we started, but it all very quickly turned into a much broader creative conversation," Levy said to Texas Monthly. "Having a movie like this, that takes place in the South, with a director that really wanted to feature the genre, gave us an amazing opportunity to try and capture the zeitgeist."
