The talented Beaumont-born singer has just released Holdin’ Our Own and Other Country Gold Duets (Stag), a joint album with Austin’s Brennen Leigh. Though it recalls a Nashville of yesteryear, it is comprised mostly new material. He also recently scored big as the creative force behind a fictional country band, Banjo and Sullivan, in Rob Zombie’s film The Devil’s Rejects.
How did the duets album come about? I met Brennen, of all places, at a music festival in France. I was backstage singing a George Jones tune, and she came in and started singing it with me. I was like, "Hey, you wanna come onstage tonight?" The song "Holdin’ Our Own" is the only one I wrote without Brennen. I had it on the burner, just thinking, "Hey, if I can find a girl who knows country music, then I can write a whole [album]." Well, we ended up writing all the songs in a week.
The album from your Banjo and Sullivan project was a bit of a windfall for you. It’s been great. It’s kept me from having to be anything that I’m not. I’m never gonna be the guy next door for the Texas frat boy music scene. I’m never gonna be the Nashville guy. So it feels good to be able to be exactly who I wanna be. (Read the full interview at www.texasmonthly.com.)