Threadgill's

“What I remember is Eddie coming by one time and asking Ann (Governor Ann Richards) and I to go with him to see this old armory he’d found. He was thinking of making it into a music venue. And we went down to this dusty old place and uh, I suppose we were encouraging.” (Dave Richards on the Armadillo World Headquarters)

Austin Roots, a podcast with Hosts, Eddie Wilson and Dr. Jason Mellard. Special Guest: Dave Richards

“Famous Texas Legislation” with Dave Richards

This episode of Austin Roots features an extensive conversation with attorney Dave Richards, a pivotal figure in Texas civil liberties, voting rights, and labor law from the 1960s through the 1990s. Richards shares stories spanning from his early labor law practice in Dallas through landmark Supreme Court cases, his involvement in Austin’s countercultural movements, and the evolution of Texas politics. The conversation covers his role in the May 1970 anti-war march, defending underground newspapers like the Rag and Dallas Notes, dismantling loyalty oaths at UT, and the groundbreaking White v. Regester case that revolutionized minority representation in Texas. Interwoven throughout are colorful anecdotes about the Armadillo World Headquarters, Scholz Garden, the Raw Deal, and legendary Austin characters including the Mad Dogs, The Flying Zs, and fellow activists who shaped the city’s progressive culture.

David Read Richards (June 10, 1933 – November 13, 2025) Episode recorded in 2021.

AUSTIN ROOTS available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio

Production Team:
Host, Eddie Wilson - Armadillo World Headquarters founder
Host, Dr. Jason Mellard - Cultural historian
Editor, Renee O’Connor
Music Mixing, Matt Carlson
Producer, Renee O’Connor
Producer, Sandra Wilson
Executive Producer, TSSI
Music by Jake Andrews Music
Production assistant, Miles Muir
Production consultant, Katey Psencik