by | March 12, 2016 · 7:00 am

Cody Johnson: Give a Cowboy a Kiss

51-atxl1“I don’t want to be labeled as ‘Texas’ or ‘Nashville.’ I am me: Texas, outlaw, cowboy, country, and a God-fearing man using the gift He gave me.” That is how Cody Johnson, better known by fans as “CoJo,” describes himself as an artist and that is exactly why I think he one of the most unique artists out there today. He is a hard-working man from east Texas that is living out his dream to be a country artist. His music is downright full of talent and so relatable that he makes you feel like you’re living out each song. I became hooked on his music when I first heard “Texas Kind of Way,” but his latest album absolutely did not disappoint and got me hooked for good.

What I think is so unique about Cody’s music is its unique mix of Country and Rock, which resembled Garth’s enthusiasm and Chris LeDoux’s style to some extent. His music is honest, heartfelt, and meaningful, and he sings about parts of his life that contribute to where he is today. Growing up in East Texas, he was a country boy that liked to hunt and fish, and family was very important to him. His “ag science” teacher is actually responsible for convincing him for form a band, and he realized he was in love with the music and everything about performing at a talent competition. He starting singing in small bars and dance-halls and began selling CD’s out of the back of his truck during three years of bull-riding. He is a true cowboy, born and raised, and his dedication to his dream makes me respect him as both an individual and an artist.

Cody is a pro at packing dance-halls to max capacity, and even better at holding smaller acoustic shows. I have seem him perform on three separate occasions, and each of those I had the absolute best time singing his songs at the top of my lungs. His music is exactly what I think of when discussing what “real” country music is. He gives each show his absolute best effort, whether it’s a crowd of thousands or a just a few. He genuinely loves the music and that is extremely evident after going to a few of his shows.

After releasing his latest album, Cowboy Like Me, Cody had me so obsessed that I marked my calendar 6 months in advance for his concert at Midnight Rodeo in Austin. Up until the day of the concert I learned every song on the album backwards and forwards, and I have listened to each song so many times its as if he should know me based on number of Spotify plays! There’s no other way to explain how big of a fan I am other than to mention that I somehow ended up with his concert setlist that was taped to the stage in front of him (of course I had it signed)!!!

FullSizeRenderHis album is jam packed with upbeat, two-stepping songs that make me come out of my seat every time. “Dance Her Home” is the first track on the album, and its about a cowgirl walking into a bar and him hoping she’ll “give him have a chance at romance” so he can dance her home. “Me and My Kind” is a catchy tune about how his ex-girl just cannot deal with cowboys like him anymore. “Baby’s Blue” is a heartfelt love song about how his baby needs him by her side when he’s at work late, but he is more than willing to walk away for her. “Cowboy Like Me” is a unique story that touches every heart, pouring out honestly about how “every time I go home, I think I’ll find her gone, but she’s still there and still wants to be, in the arms of a cowboy like me.” Finally, “Give a Cowboy a Kiss” is a song with a story line that resembles “if you give a moose a muffin,” talking about what happens after you give a cowboy a kiss. Hot dang, would I love to give that cowboy a kiss!!

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Filed under Blog Post 3

by | March 11, 2016 · 7:00 am

An Interview With Country Music’s Rookie

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetThere’s a new artist in town, and it’s my good friend Tyler Dial. His country style is fitting in well with today’s top 40 hits. He’s been at it for a while, and is only getting better. Over the summer his single “Damn Good Time” debuted on Sirius XM’s The Highway. I was lucky enough to grab a second of his time from a busy practice schedule, and sat him down for an interview. Here’s a look into the journey of a promising, hungry artist.

What started your dream to be a singer?

  • I was in middle school when I saw some older guys play “Hotel California” and I thought it was the coolest thing. I made it my goal that year to learn guitar and learn how to sing so that by the time the talent show rolled around, I’d be ready. Ever since I played “Free Fallin’” in 7th grade, I was hooked. The next year I played my first live country song, “God Love Her.”

Why country music?

  • Some of my first memories are riding in the car with my dad listening to guys like Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, James Taylor, and the Dixie Chicks. Their music was ingrained in me at an early age, and as I grew up I started to discover country music on my own through artists like Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, and Sam Hunt.

What sorts of things have stopped you?

  • I don’t think anything has really stopped me. A lot of people tell me I’m not ready yet or I’m too young but I try to tune the naysayers out. When people don’t believe in my vision, that’s okay, hopefully they’ll come around one day.

Could you tell me a little bit about how BBVA Compass noticed you, and the story with them?

  • Yeah! Our partnership with BBVA has been very mutual. They saw something in me and my music that aligned with their brand. So they stepped up and helped us take my first single, “Damn Good Time” to radio. It’s a song that matches with their #livebright brand. They have been such a blessing and an amazing partner to work with.

What does living in Austin, the music capital of the world, do for someone like you?

  • I always thought Nashville would be where I would become the best artist I could be. But it turns out that Austin is the city that is challenging me to be a better artist. When I lived in Nashville this past summer, I learned the skills of becoming a great songwriter, but here in Austin, I find the inspiration to write great music and be a better artist.

What styles did you grow up listening to? Did that affect the singer/performer you are today?

  • Like I said earlier, I got my knowledge of music from my dad. I always stayed true to the music I was introduced to as a kid. Especially when middle school came around and my friends were listening to artists like Lil Wayne and Akon. I would listen to artists like Keith Urban, The Counting Crows, and John Mayer.

What was your favorite performance you’ve ever done?

  • That’s hard because I feel like we are always raising the bar. Even this past weekend we had one of my favorite performances on 6th street. Every gig and every rehearsal we are getting better as a band. I typically view a performance as a success when I’m able to engage the crowd.

What motivates you when you write?

  • Every day life experiences honestly. I’m also motivated by what I hear on the radio and see on the Internet. When I hear artists doing unique and cool things, it motivates me to do the same. I’m also very competitive. I’m always trying to make the best music possible.

Who inspires you to keep working everyday?

  • My dad is really the one who is always challenging me to be a better artist. He knows how important it is to never be content. He’s also the one who shares my vision so when I’m not executing it, he makes sure I change things up.

What type of song are you working on next?

  • I’m working on a bunch of new material. Currently I’m trying to write songs that are timeless like the Eagles’ “Take It Easy.”

What do you like most about what you do?

  • My favorite part about being a musician is the live performances. I know it’s a little selfish to say but being on stage and being the soundtrack to someone’s Saturday night is so cool to me.

Finally…what did you learn in your semester in Rhetoric of Country Music that you remember most?

  • Rhetoric of Country Music gave me such a great knowledge of the history of country music. Being able to listen to my idols’ idols was very cool. The class made a huge impact on how I view country music and how I view myself as a country artist.

Tyler is always at work on his music. Even during class I’d peek over and see him researching ways to improve his skills. UT Student by day, artist by night. You can either catch him walking past the Tower, or find him on Spotify, Youtube, SoundCloud and even iTunes. I do see a lot of potential in him, and I encourage you to give him a listen and come to his next performance! You could very well be witnessing country’s next best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QpgsCZXom0

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Filed under Austin, Blog Post 3, Concert, Live Music

by | March 10, 2016 · 7:00 am

Town Lake Country Series

Rockin RiverCountry music has always gone hand and hand with warmer weather and water. As summer begins, country artist begin to release new albums and singles made for the season, and things that go along with it. Songs are filled with lyrics about cold beer, the scorching summer sun, bathing suits, and great times out on the water with friends. Summer country songs are usually up beat and high-spirited, and the good ones will make you want to roll the windows down as you sing along. Around this time of year all I want to do is float the river or hop on a boat at the lake with friends and listen to country music. Fortunately enough, my hometown of Fort Worth has recognized the relationship between country music and water. They have done so by bringing a concert series called “Rockin’ the River” to town.

“Rockin’ the River” is a concert series held on the Trinity River in Fort Worth every summer from June to August. Each Thursday an up and coming Texas country artist will preform at Panther Pavilion. This is an elevated stage that sits on the riverfront, and the downtown skyline serves as a backdrop for the stage. Past performers include The Damn Quails, Cody Jinks, Brandon Rhyder, and I have even witnessed a performer do a backflip off the stage into the river.

Admission to this event is free, all you have to do is rent a tube to float in the river if you don’t bring your own. Backwoods is also there so fans can rent kayaks and paddle boards to relax in as they listen to the concert. Of course there is beer and food available for purchase when you arrive. Don’t feel like getting in the water? You can grab some lawn chairs to throw out on the lawn by the water. Lastly, the night is ended with a small firework show. It makes for a great summer evening.

The reason I bring this concert series up is because I love it so much, and have enjoyed it many summers in the past. My only question is why does Austin not hold a series similar to this one? Yes, there is Blues On The Green in Zilker Park during the summer, but that’s just not the same. Austin needs to take advantage of Town Lake. I propose a developer comes into the Zilker Park/Town Lake area and build a stage that hangs over Town Lake. Then we to could float in the lake and listen to our favorite Texas country artists here in Austin. If fans did not want to get in the water, the developer could also make a lawn area near the stage so lawn chairs could be laid out. Just as Panther Pavilion has the skyline as a backdrop, the Austin stage could use the Austin skyline as a backdrop. After all, Town Lake is located in the middle of downtown Austin.

Not only would this be good for country music fans, it would be good for the city as a whole. Local businesses could sponsor the concert series, and benefit off of it. For example, Austin Kayak could be there to rent out kayaks and offer demos. A local brewery such as 512 Brewing Company could sell beer at the event. Local food trucks could find parking on the lawn to serve hungry fans. Yeti could rent out coolers and show new products. At the end of the night you have happy country fans, and local businesses that have advertised and profited off the concert. How would y’all feel about an event similar to the one I described?

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Filed under Austin, Austin Food, Blog Post 4, Concert, Live Music, Texas

by | March 9, 2016 · 7:00 am

Summer ‘06

The summer of 2006 is when I began anticipating songs that would play on country music radio stations. It was a  time in my life when no other genre of music  influenced me as much as country. I had always been so happy listening to songs in the car and singing along. However, my passion for country music grew much stronger when I discovered Country Music Television (CMT). I spent almost everyday that summer watching music videos on CMT. They had one show in particular that I loved; they would play the top videos of the year. Over the years, a few of those videos have been carved into my memory.

“Every Time I Hear Your Name” by Keith Anderson is my favorite song of that year. Keith Anderson had a few other hits in his career like “Pickin’ Wildflowers” and “I Still Miss You” but he never became well known as a country artist.  “Every Time I Hear Your Name” was the first ballad Anderson released and it reached No. 7 in the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the accompanying video was average. Regardless, I think this music video has been stuck in my mind for all of these years simply because I loved this song. Whenever they aired it on CMT I would get really excited and sing along. Now looking back as an adult, I realize there is nothing special about the video; but it will always be my theme song for the summer of 2006.

“A Little Too Late” by Toby Keith is another music video I remember from that summer. Toby Keith is an outrageous person in general, so you can imagine the type of music video he would make for a song that’s about an ex-girlfriend.  “A Little Too Late” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. I recall memorizing the entire video because of how often they would play it on CMT. The reason this video stuck out so much is because of its intensity. Toby tries to trap his ex-girlfriend in the basement and leave her there for dead. I was never actually afraid of watching it, but the video left a negative impression on me.

“Not Ready to Make Nice” by the Dixie Chicks is the last memorable music video from the summer of 2006. This song is the band’s biggest hit to date. It’s about the band’s reaction to the impending Iraq war and the controversy over a comment  by lead singer, Natalie Maines. At a concert in London, Maines stated, “…We don’t want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” This remark caused the Dixie Chick’s music to be banned from country radio and damaged their careers. Back then, I didn’t understand the controversy or what this music video is about.  However, I became  frightened when CMT would air it because of it’s dark themes. Mostly I  remember this video as the one with all of the black paint with creepy people. For an 11 year old it’s understandably an intense music video. Today the Dixie Chicks are making a comeback.  And, I can’t wait to see what they have in store!

Even though these songs seem unrelated, they have a permanent place in my memory.  It’s strange that out of all of the videos I watched, these three are the only ones that I specifically remember. I continued to watch music videos on CMT and YouTube growing up, but never as often as I did during the summer of 2006.

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Filed under Blog Post 4, Dixie Chicks, Music Videos, Toby Keith

by | March 8, 2016 · 1:00 pm

This Life They Lived: Joey and Rory Feek

If you have been watching any form of entertainment news lately, or have been scrolling through any social media platform, there is a high chance you have come across the names Joey and Rory Feek. I did many times, so I decided to do some searching and find out more about their story.

Rory Feek has been a prominent name in the country music industry since 1996. He wrote hit songs for artists such as Clay Walker, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Randy Travis, and many more! In 2002, Rory married Joey months after they met at a songwriter night in Nashville. In an interview with Country Standard Time Rory said, “We got into this relationship and got married right away. It was just one of those things where we knew that we were supposed to be together and every minute of our lives has been a blessing.” They became a duo and debuted their first album, “The Life of Song”, on July 25, 2009.

Joey and Rory Feek welcomed their first daughter, Indiana Boone, on February 17, 2014 who was born with Down Syndrome. Four months later in June 2014, Joey Feek was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The cancer returned in 2015 and had spread to her colon. The cancer became terminal in October so the couple decided to stop treatment. Joey and Rory moved in with her parents in Alexandria, Indiana and entered hospice care in November. Joey made it a goal to live to see Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day, the Grammys and her daughters second birthday.

After passing all these goals Joey took her last breath on March 4, 2016. “She is in Heaven,” her husband wrote on his blog. “The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry.” Rory has been keeping a blog of their story since the beginning of 2014. His blog is called “This Life I Live: scenes from one man’s extraordinary, ordinary life”

It was Joey who originally encouraged him to do so because he wasn’t writing songs at the time. “I don’t know why,” Rory writes, “I don’t have a plan or a purpose for this blog, other than to capture as much of these days and these moments as I can in posts, and share them with others.” If you visit the site, which I highly recommend, grab some tissues because Rory speaks from the heart and holds nothing back.

Joey Feek’s battle with cancer has caught the attention of many other people in the country industry. Dolly Parton, Joey’s biggest idol, sent a video to the Feek’s showing her support and encouragement.

https://vimeo.com/157793051

Other artists such as Eric Paslay, Charles Kelley, the Eli Young Band, and many more have shown their support through social media as well.

In a blog post on February 29, 2016 Rory wrote “That this life she’s living might impact the life of someone that she and I will never meet, and never see, at least this side of heaven.  That is a good thing.  No, that is a great thing. Thank you.”

I think it is safe to say Joey has made an impact on the country community and everyone that has gotten the chance to hear their story full of love, faith, and fight. Rest in Peace Joey Feek, country music and its fans will miss you here on Earth.

https://vimeo.com/157206539

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Classic Country, News

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