“Thanks for the memories. We had a good run. It ain’t over, but it ain’t this anymore, either. We’ll keep on Honky Tonkin in other ways. See ya ‘round.”

-Taylor Austin, Founder & Owner

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Honky Tonk Times is an old-school print publication founded by owner Taylor Austin in January 2021. While sitting at home during the pandemic and flipping through country music magazines from the 1950s and 1960s, he set out in search to find something that showed the current artists of today. Not finding anything that was U.S. based and thinking that was a damn shame, he set to work to fill that void. This began his journey of creating Honky Tonk Times. Our first issue went to print in March of 2021. Our last issue printed in August 2024.

We aimed to bring together the good ole Honky Tonk of days gone by and the current artists playing traditional-style country music that we all know and love. Honky Tonk Times had writers from the US, Canada, and Europe, who collectively worked and played in radio, fashion, visual art, and the country music scene. Each issue serves up interviews with classic country stars and Honky Tonk heroes of today, articles on western wear designers, illustrations, and more! Honky Tonk Times was created out of a love for the music in hopes of spreading the word that country music is still alive and well today. Taylor Austin started Honky Tonk Times because no one said he couldn't.

Meet the Founder

  • Taylor Austin

    FOUNDER, OWNER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

    Taylor Austin founded Honky Tonk Times in January 2021. It's a good cheatin', bourbon drinkin' song that keeps his Honky Tonk heart beatin’. From an early age, the love of a good country song was instilled in him by his family. Growing up as a single child, Taylor spent most of his childhood around adults and always listened to the music they did, as well as the stories they had to tell. By the fifth grade, Taylor’s mother was working in the antique business and his stepfather was digging out his old albums. It was here, at ten years old, where Taylor was bitten by the vinyl bug along with a love of things from days gone by. He could tell you all about what happened in the 50s and 60s and almost nothing about any current celebrity gossip or music of the day. Not much has changed (except the size of his record collection). Taylor still knows more today about Ray Price, Roy Drusky, and Patsy Cline than he does about any top 40 country artist of today. In 2018, Taylor fulfilled a childhood dream of being on the radio. He hosted two radio shows “We Gotcha Covered” and “Cousin Early’s Late Night Country Show For Anytime” on various local Vermont stations. Sadly, the pandemic put the radio shows on ice and Taylor founded Honky Tonk Times out of an urge to promote the music he loves. When not working his full-time job selling appliances, he dedicates his time to the magazine and the music. Taylor very much enjoys diving deep into his work for Honky Tonk Times- writing, photographing, interviewing, and meeting all the musicians he admires so much, and is always searching for the next big story and new contributors.