The Gobblers Knob

He “Rambles” As Much As He Rocks!

I have mentioned in the past that while I love the artists who have helped put “Texas Music” on the map (Willie, REK, Ingram, Pat, both Robisons, etc…), I also think that it is time to get with the times and support and get behind the new crop of talent.  In fact, many of the “newer” talents are working on their second or third CD.  One of those artists is Drew Kennedy.  He writes from experience and has a distinctive twang, a welcome commodity in our ever-expanding world of pop singers or Cody Canada wannabes.  I emailed him some questions after chatting with him at a recent Bills Records in-store performance in Dallas:

Q. You have moved around a bit and have written about those moves in
your songs.  What is it about moving that inspires you to write about your
transitions?  You know, it’s funny. I was reading a book about Steve Earle a few
years ago, and in it he mentioned that he was always buying new guitars
because he felt that he would write the guitar out of songs… as if to say
that the songs were stuck in the guitar until he would get them down on
paper, but that there was only a finite number of tunes in there. That
statement was interesting to me, because I’ve always felt that way about places.
There’s something about a new place that inspires me to write at a pace
that’s about 4 or 5 times faster than I would in a familiar place…
and that lasts for a while. So, with each new move I make, my writing seems
to enjoy some sort of revival.  It’s like creativity transplant for my
brain, or something.

Q. The song “Ramblin’ Heart” paints the picture of a guy that is on
the go and needs to stay on the go.  Do you think that desire ever leaves a
person, or like John Steinbeck has written, does it stick with you through life?
Steinbeck got it right. Travelers have to travel. I’m lucky that I get
to see so many different places through the traveling that I have to do
for music. Through 27 years, it’s stuck with me. I’ll get back to you in
another 27 to see if I’m still right.

Q. You have told the story about meeting Guy Clark, a hero of yours.  How long did it take for you to sit down with him and feel comfortable without freaking out about being in his house? I never got comfortable. It was a fairly short visit, maybe 30 minutes.  It was like sitting in an exhibit at the Smithsonian, or something.  Pictures, paintings, recordings, instruments, all having to do with Guy or with friends of his that are also some of my influences… and Guy seemed like he was 8 feet tall with a voice louder that God’s over that 30 minutes.  At least that’s the way I like to remember it. That was a lucky experience.

Q.  With “Texas Music” being its own industry these days, there are many, many artists trying to make their mark, who are some up and coming artists or bands that you like that the rest of us may not be familiar with?  Peter Dawson, Josh Grider, Matt Powell, Mando Saenz, Ryan Bingham, Austin Collins, Adam Hood.

Q.  You grew up loving Bluegrass music.  Do you find yourself ever writing music that would fit in that genre, maybe even by accident?  Bluegrass, along with a heavy dose of the Beach Boys and the Beatles.  All “b’s” for some strange reason.  And yes, I think every song I write has a hint of some of those influences in them… they may not be evident to the listener, but I hear them.

Q. You tour with your friend Peter Dawson a good bit.  He has also traveled to Texas,Nashville and beyond.  Is that something you two have bonded over, outside of your music?  Definitely. Peter was the biggest factor in helping me get started in Texas, and over the course of the last couple of years, we’ve done a few tours up and down the East Coast. I’d like to think that I’ve helped him get his music out to a few more people out there, but in all honesty, it’s a small thing when compared to how much he helped me. Since his move to Nashville, I think the conversations we’ve had about trying to break into a new market have definitely gotten us back to some of the conversations we had when I first showed up in Texas.

Q. Who was it that helped you along with writing, getting gigs and cutting records when you first made it to Houston?  Well, I only stayed in Houston for a few months, and I didn’t have any help at all, save for a few directions from guys like John Evans, who
were regulars in the scene down there. Houston wasn’t for me– I always felt a little claustrophobic and a little hurried there. Things didn’t really start rolling until I moved back home, where I cut my first record on my own, called Hillbilly Pilgrim. Then afterI got back to Texas, specifically to New Braunfels, where I live now, things really started rolling.

…and roll they did.  He has a full schedule throughout the state all summer and will be playing the “Big State Festival” later this year.  Thanks for your time and thoughts, Drew.

Drew Kennedy - Livin’ or Dyin’