By Mary Jane Farmer
Move over, Ryan Bingham, Randy Brown is the new sheriff in town.
Randy Brown, the Texas singer-songwriter who took the 2008 Academy of Texas Music Male Vocalist of the Year award, took time from his studio recording and his role in an independent movie, to hit the stages again. One warning: If you don’t like your country music delivered with personality, joy, enthusiasm, and professionalism, then maybe the Randy Brown Show isn’t for you. If going to hear Randy perform, get ready to remember just what true country music is all about
Loose Wheels Texas crowds crowded the dance floor all night Saturday, as Randy and his band took only one break in the several hours they played. Portions of that crowd drove all the way from Cowtown area for the night, and others were regulars at the down-home up-scale-but-not-too-upscale venue which combines its unique menu with unique music. Because of the summer heat, the band played inside, beneath the bigger-than-big overhead fans that kept the joint from boiling, at least temperature-wise.
There’s several aspects of any Randy Brown Show which demand to be commented on: (1) Everyone in the audience is involved, simply because of the way Randy includes them, naturally and friendly, and not because of any simulated showmanship. (2) Randy Brown and the band entertain, and they do that without uttering one single four-letter word from the stage or putting down any country-music city or artist. (3) His covers of the classics, including even Bob Wills’ greatest hits, become his own and yet, somehow, manage to tribute the original artists. I don’t know how he does that, he just does. Bob Wills would have had as much fun as everyone else did Saturday night! Are you listening, other western swing and country copy bands?
Brown, on-stage and off, surrounds himself with people who are enthusiastic and joyful and professional, and it’s hard to catch him without a smile spread across that face. Brown grew up in Cowtown and with its hard core honky-tonk, western swing dance halls and rodeos. He’s been performing for about 10 years, sticking with the roots of those younger years. He still lives in the Fort Worth area, and continually spirals his music outward to newer audiences.
The Randy Brown Show, and he prefers to call it that, he said, because every member of the band brings something special, was made up of bass and lead guitars, fiddle, plus of course one drummer. “They are all phenomenal. Every one of them have their own careers and why they take time to play with me is a mystery,” Brown said, mixing modesty with pride.
By the way, if you didn’t get enough of Reggie’s fiddle playing, he also performs — and has been for nearly 11 years — with Charlie Pride, who will be playing at WinStar soon. Watch the music calendar for that info.
The CD currently being recorded is due out, he said he hopes, just after the first of the new year. Meanwhile, Randy still has some copies of his current CD, recorded live.
“The first of the year is a good time to put out an album. We were shooting for 10 tracks and we’ve already got 15 tracks laid down.”
The songs being included are about 50 percent covers and 50 percent originals, Randy explained. “There’s a lot of obscure cover songs, ranging from one by Bruce Springsteen to one by Charlie Daniels. They are covers too cool to pass up. Then, there’s some I co-wrote with Tommy Alverson and Steve Helms and Mike Blakely and Thomas Michael Riley,” he said as he named other new-country/true-country Texas songwriters.
When covering other people’s songs, especially those with such renown as Springsteen, Brown emphasized, it’s best to do one’s “due diligence. It doesn’t cost that much, especially in lower quantities. I doubt we’ll print one million records.” He said that most of the more famous musicians are always happy with what the Randy Brown Show has done with their songs. But, “If Springsteen gets mad and sues, at least I would get to meet the man, and what better publicity could I get,” he added with that smile beaming across the telephone wires.
The movie, “Ashes,” has Brown cast as Gypsy Red Jones, a character who is, of all types, “a honky tonk singer in a bar. How hard can it be?” he said. “Ashes” is being produced by Cameron Nelson, a young independent movie maker who liked what he saw at a Randy Brown Show performance. “He said, ‘I’ve got this movie and pictured the lead singer in the movie being you.’”
Brown, Chad Rueffer, and Ron Stafford co-wrote “This Broken Heart” for “Ashes,” a song which sets into motion a series of events in this contemporary western film. It’s not a movie one will expect to see in the major theaters, but Brown said he expects it will be pitched to the independent television stations. He promised he’d keep us informed on “Ashes” progress.
Why would a country music singer become involved in something so low-budget and without a promised future? His answer was simple: “Cameron is a young man with a lot of talent and a nice person. He reminded me of me. I thought of how many great (music) legends have helped me out in my career and when I did, I thought, ‘If I can be any part of that, then I’m here to help.’”
Filming his part as Gypsy Red wasn’t any different than his other gigs, he said. “They (production crew) came in the dance hall and we played, we stopped, we played, we stopped. Guys gave me the lines, but said, ‘Just do it how you feel it.’ I turned around to the bass and drummer and said, ‘Boys watch this, it will be done on the first take.’
“Their motions were like, ‘Whatever…’ I turned around and made up something to say and it went really natural, just like talking to any crowd. And they said it was done. I turned around and said, ‘Told you,’ and they said they hate it what I’m right.” And you could again see that ubiquitous grin across the miles.
“I mean, it’s not Shakespeare, it’s a honky tonk singer in a bar.”
When Brown gets any spare time, he tries to spend it with his friends, and he loves to cook, he said. “I’m weird about cooking, I like smelling and tasting as I go along.”
That’s been a little problem with Brown’s triple schedule now — recording, filming, and live shows — and he said he’s grateful that his friends are supportive enough to come to his shows. Friends are family to him, he said.
“Robert Robinson is one of the best friends I have, and he lives a mile down the road from me,” Randy said. “Every night for the last two weeks, he’s been at my house with dinner already prepared. How cool is that?”
Watch the Music Scene calendar for future local performances.
This article modified from one printed in the Herald Democrat, 8/6/10 issue.