As a result, Corndawg readily tackles topics that warrant a chuckle, especially in songs like “Shaved Like a Razor” and “Silver Panty Liners.” Although his songs about laser hair removal and the life of a bear can be quite funny, Corndawg’s brand of country isn’t meant to be a joke. He insists he just likes to write about the mundane things he readily observes, even if they occasionally tip into the comically absurd.
“My favorite songwriters are people who have done things the way they want to, and not the way they’re supposed to,” he adds. “That’s how I think of myself. I’ve never written anything because I think it will sell. I’m really just writing the songs that I want to hear. Even though I love the country sound, I’d rather write about a kid leaving roller skates on the stairs than about some guy drinking himself to death.”
Speaking of booze, Corndawg isn’t the hard-living outlaw that you’ll find nursing a hangover in between gigs. When he’s not on stage, he’s usually making leather wallets or guitar straps in the back of his van. Corndawg started working with leather because he wanted a Telecaster guitar cover similar to the one owned by Waylon Jennings. When he realized it was too expensive, he decided to make it himself. Now Corndawg earns a modest profit selling leather goods on his website.
He’s also an avid runner. Last year he specifically trained for and completed the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California. Normally, though, he just uses running as essential stress relief from his rigorous tours. After long car rides, he often finds the nearest trail and runs as far as he can, as fast as he can.
“I get to a point where, if I don’t go on a run, I’ll start to lose my mind,” he says. “I need it to unwind and decompress. It’s like my drug.”
