Thank you so much for talking with us and congratulations on your new single and for over ten years of making music!! That’s so impressive. What made you want to become a musician in the first place? Two words. Garth. Brooks. In all seriousness, I grew up in a musical family in a small town in Oklahoma, but I definitely caught the Country Music bug after seeing Garth play a show at Driller’s Stadium in Tulsa. I was a teenager and Garth was the biggest thing in country music at the time. It just resonated with me. The lyrics, the stories, the melodies, it just grabbed me at the time and it’s the same passion still driving me today. You have met and worked with a lot of other musicians during your career. Who made the biggest impact on you and why? I’ve been lucky to have had a great deal of songwriters, musicians, producers, and artists impact me during my career. It might have been just a conversation or a long term mentorship/friendship, either way the impact has been realized in my life and I appreciate all of the guidance I’ve received. I would say Nashville songwriter Tim Johnson without a doubt made the biggest impact on my life and career. He not only invested in me on a songwriting level, but he spent countless hours talking to me about the “career” aspect of being an artist and making a priority of being the best person you can be. Basically, career success isn’t everything….we have a responsibility to ourselves to be the best we can be and to be good to others along the way.
Can you tell us about the story behind "Feels Like Country Music,'" and what fans expect from it? Are you writing for the next album? "Feels Like Country Music" is my new single and the title track to a five song EP that I released last June. Produced by Dave Brainard and recorded at the Sound Emporium. It was really the first project where I was able to work with a producer. Through the process Dave and I really found a common love of traditional country music and I think what we created is something special. We’re going to keep the formula going for the next project as well. I guess you could say we’re in the song searching and writing zone now. Hoping to start recording by late summer. Is there anything left on your musical bucket list? I think there will always be musical bucket list items on my list. I would have to say that playing the Grand Ole Opry is right there at the top!
How do you stay connected with your fans?Social media of course is a big part of what we do to stay connected with folks. However, staying on the road and keeping a full tour schedule is most important to me. It’s the face to face that means the most in my opinion. There’s no substitute for the live show experience.
Texans take their food seriously, especially when it comes to chicken fried steak—the blue plate of choice—are you a fan and what’s the secret behind a great chicken fried steak? Yes of course, I’m a big chicken fried steak fan!! I think the key is in the breading. It’s gotta be just right. Not too much, not too little. Gotta have fried okra too!! You can't forget the Texas barbecue. What sets apart great barbecue from just okay barbecue? I’m a Texan, so I like my barbeque cooked over direct heat with mesquite wood. Who do you think has a better food scene, Austin or Nashville? Man, that’s a bit of a loaded question! I like the food in both cities… They each have their own style, but since I’m an Austinite I have to go with Austin on this one.
Can you tell us a little bit about your tequila, Juan Lobo? The name, Juan Lobo Tequila, was birthed over eight years ago. My south Texas fans affectionately gave me that nickname, Juan Lobo, and it kind of became a bit of its own persona. As my affinity for tequila grew over the years, I decided to launch a passion project. I began working on my own tequila brand a little over three years ago now, and it just launched last July in Texas. It’s now available across Central and South Texas, and as of last week, it’s available on a national level with our newest online retail partner, Great American Craft Spirits. It’s 100% blue agave tequila sourced from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. We have three expressions: Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo… it's delicious stuff! For more information, head to juanlobotequila.com! If you could share your tequila with one person dead or alive who would it be? Frank Sinatra. I know he was a bourbon guy, but I think I could convert him with my Anejo! It’s aged in bourbon barrels for over two years, so he wouldn’t be able to resist.
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