beer money

Description

Ask Kevin Fowler how he'd describe his own music and he doesn't think twice before responding: "It's country with a bad attitude. It's country with an edge. It's just beer-drinkin', hell-raisin', good-time music." And anyone who's ever been to a Kevin Fowler show knows he does far more than just talk the talk—the man delivers one of the most entertaining, high-energy performances you're likely to see in country or any other genre, with a hard-ticket base that rivals many gold-selling artists. A blend of in-your-face rockin' intensity, tongue-in-cheek humor and captivating country storytelling, Kevin's music has his standing-room-only audiences hanging on every word and singing right along with him. Whether it's "Beer, Bait and Ammo," "Cheaper to Keep Her," "The Best Mistake I Ever Made," "Don't Touch My Willie" or any of the other unforgettable tunes that have seen him regularly perched atop the Texas music charts, Kevin's music is the product of years spent perfecting his craft. And he's not the only beneficiary. Other artists, like Montgomery Gentry ("Long Line of Losers"), Mark Chesnutt ("The Lord Loves a Drinkin' Man") and George Jones (dueting with Kevin on "Me and the Boys"), are among those who have recorded classic versions of Fowler songs. "There was a day in life that changed me," Kevin recalls of the transformative epiphany he experienced at the Texas Jam in the Cotton Bowl back when he was about 20 years old. "I had been dabblin' in music and played everything a little, but nothing well. Aerosmith was there. White Snake. All these bands were playing at a day-long festival. They were hosing down the crowd with big fire hoses. And it was just mayhem. I had never seen 100,000 people in one place. I remember that day going, 'Well, that's what I'm supposed to be doin'.'" Kevin recalls Amarillo as a good place to grow up, but entertainment options were, let's say, limited. That meant 16-year-old Kevin and some buddies might sneak a 6-pack of beer on a Friday night, head down the road a few miles to tiny Vega—a town of under 1,000 people—find an old dirt road and "hide out." Let the good times roll! So, was there a little culture shock when Kevin moved to California a few years later? "It was like fallin' right off the turnip wagon," he laughs. "I was in shock." The move to L.A. came after Kevin, then a junior at West Texas A&M in Canyon, saw that life-changing show at the Cotton Bowl. With 100 credits toward a business degree, he quit school and went to the coast to study at the G.I.T guitar institute. While there, he learned how incredibly competitive the music world really is. So, was he intimidated? "No. It was just an eye opener. My mama always persisted in telling me, 'Whatever you're gonna do, don't be a quitter.' That's why she never would let me quit piano music. Somebody told me one time, 'You've gotta stay in the game long enough to get lucky.'" "A friend lived in Austin. I was gonna go there, then I was gonna check out Nashville and figure out where I needed to be. When I got to Austin, that 5-day visit turned into a permanent stay. Been there ever since." Not long after his move to Austin, Kevin joined a band that became Rumble Train, but soon discovered he was the only with any motivation. Then he fell in with long-haired rockers Dangerous Toys (yep, short-haired, cowboy hat-wearing Kevin was in a hard rock band—there's a rumor photos exist!). And, not surprisingly, they had a problem with Kevin's tunes. "'Man, these are redneck songs! We can't play any of these.'" So, in a move that was more necessity than intention, Kevin began singing them himself. And Kevin, the rocker who also wore out two cassettes of George Strait's Right or Wrong album, found a way to combine the best of both worlds. "I've always liked rock, for the attitude and the energy. But I've always liked the country lyric. It just tells a story. And I try to combine those elements make it rockin' and fun with a good lyric ...