Thursday, April 6, 2006

Hammer Down

By Blair Lovern

San Angelo, from Sonnet Records

Aaron Watson’s driving schedule this past week is, well – it’s been dang revolting.

Tonight he’s in Fort Worth. Each day before was: Snook (Snook?!?!?), Dallas, Lubbock, San Angelo, Waco and Nacogdoches. After tonight it’s on to his hometown Abilene and a few days of rest. Then he starts up again, touring in support of his new CD, San Angelo, which was released April 4.

“It’s not really my favorite time of the year, but it’s fun,” Watson said from the road. “When you’re out this much it always takes things to another level.”

They call him the Honky Tonk Kid, but now he and wife Kim have a kid of their own, Jacob Aaron Watson, who was born March 7 in Abilene. So how are things at home with the new CD and the new baby coming along about the same time?

“That’s something any dad goes though whether you work a 9 to 5 job or whatever, sometimes you’re just going to be gone from home,” Watson said. “I hate to leave. But I keep tight reigns on the schedule because I don’t want to burn us out. The stretch we’re on now is pretty busy, but it won’t be like that for long. When we go out on tour I try not to stay away from home that long. And when I am at home I really take advantage of it.

“But my wife is such an independent girl, she handles it well. Her dad was a businessman who was away from home sometimes. She can handle it. I’m the one who’s kind of a sissy about it. I don’t know, maybe she’s got it made with me being out of the house every now and then. I think she likes it.”

Watson says he’s stretched himself more musically and vocally on this new CD (his fifth), especially with the help of producer Ray Benson, of Grammy Award-winning Asleep at the Wheel.

“I have to say this is my favorite CD I’ve done,” Watson said. “This album has so many different flavors, it’s almost like watching a movie than listening to a CD. This sounds kind of corny because I don’t want to call it an adventure or something, but it’s more than just a regular CD I’ve done before. Whether we sell a million or not, I had a great time making this one. Of course, the more we sell the better, but really that’s kind of icing on the cake. The fact that Ray is proud of it makes me proud.”

In the past, Watson’s invited musicians such as Floyd Domino, Ralph Mooney, Willie Nelson, Redd Volkaert and Dale Watson to help record a CD. This time, he and his Orphans Of The Brazos band are on their own. But they tackle a few songs Watson didn’t write, which is not the norm.

“I recorded Willie Nelson’s “I’m A Memory” from the old Willie Nelson and Family album. Dad got out the old Willie records and said, ‘You ought to record this one.’ And the great thing was that Ray said he’s always wanted to cut that song someday, so we did it.”

Other covers include songs by Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Holly and Bruce Robison.

“These were songs I probably wouldn’t have written, especially the Willie song. There’s no way I would have written that in a 100 years. When I write a song, a lot of times it’s easy to not get out of your comfort zone. This time I really challenged myself with key changes and notes that I normally wouldn’t try. I also think it’s the best vocals I’ve recorded.”

Watson loves guitars, singing and writing songs. But he says he’s become more intrigued by producing albums, especially after watching Benson, who also produced Watson’s Honky Tonk Kid (2004).

“Seeing how Ray works with the musicians, how he takes control, his experience and knowledge is so incredible. He’s been doing it such a long time it’s going to take me some time to be able to get to his point. But we’ve become friends now, I’ve learned so much from him. He calls me all the time, we’ll talk about golf and stuff.

“I really like playing, but I could see me getting into producing some day. I don’t really know what the good Lord has planned. It’s one thing to get fired up about my album, and another to get fired up about someone else’s. But it could happen.”

Watson said he was fascinated by the evolution of one track, “Unbelievably Beautiful.”

“I wrote it on a Saturday night and recorded it Sunday afternoon, and to watch it go from nothing to something is really incredible. It turned out to be one of my favorite songs. You know, a songwriter can have dry spells, and you can sit there and go crazy because you haven’t written anything in a while. But then something like this happens – that’s a pretty cool experience to watch it all work out like that.”

For now, though, Watson is dead set on playing his own brand of Texas country music instead of forging the music of someone else.

“A lot of bands say they’re really all about the music, and then you see them get trashed and whatever. For me that’s disappointing. My boys take it serious. I don’t think we’ve ever had an awful show. We’ve had some average shows, but we really are about the music and that’s important to me. I kind of say we treat it like working at a bank. This isn’t a hobby it’s a job and we take pride in doing good.

“The thing I like most about playing music in Texas is that you’re in control of your own destiny. A lot of guys you hear on the (mainstream country) radio you won’t hear a year from now. The Texas music scene can be whatever you want it be if you are willing to work hard and take care of fans. A lot of guys don’t necessarily have the greatest songs, but they put on a good show and take care of the fans.

“If you want to be as famous as you can, go somewhere else. But if you want to pay the bills, have fun and do it for a long time, you play music in Texas.”

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