The Skinny
Just recently, the unthinkable happened. My thirteen year old son, who has a keen ear and great taste in music, was manning the iPod on a recent road trip and, to my surprise, a Jason Aldean song was blaring through my speakers.
I damned near swerved the minivan off the road.
Like much of what you hear on modern country radio, Aldean isn’t country; instead, he and his cronies are Lynyrd Skynyrd sound-alikes with bigger hats. I have long lamented that country music is floundering; instead of Willie and Hank we have Luke and Toby.
But, when things seem forlorn, I come across an artist like Cale Tyson. Living in Nashville now, Cale is Texas born and bred, and he does country the right way; the twang is real, the pedal steel moans, and, most importantly, I believe in what Cale is singing. It’s honest, and that is what is missing most from so much of what is passed off as country music these days.
For Fans Of
Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, J.P. Harris & The Tough Choices
Outside Looking In
“I first met Cale where I meet most musicians – in a smoky bar. Cale and I shared a bill together at The 5 Spot in East Nashville. I was hooked halfway through the first song of his set. He was leaning heavily on the material from High On Lonesome, his then unreleased EP. Two songs really stuck with me – ‘Is The Flame Burning Low’ and ‘Lonesome In Tennessee.’ Both are as honest and authentic as Cale’s native Texas sky and make for perfect nighttime driving music.”
— Caleb Caudle, Singer/Songwriter, New Orleans, LA
On Stage
Cale just returned from some time off in Mexico and the balance of August finds him away from the stage. You Nashville cats have it good when he returns, though; Cale will be at the The Basement on September 11th and The 5 Spot on September 19th.
In His Own Words
“‘Long Gone Girl’ was written about an old flame that I couldn’t quite shake. I’d get so frustrated with myself for constantly going back to something that was just going to cause me more pain. I’d get upset and drive eleven hours home to Texas every once in a while and think, ‘That’s it. I’m going to leave town and clear my head of this whole situation, just get back to Nashville and be over it.’ Then she’d call me while I was there and apologize for whatever had happened and I’d think that everything would be better when I came back to town. It never really did in the long term, and I finally realized that. Some people just aren’t meant to lie in the same bed. There are no hard feelings now though. That’s just the way life goes. At some point, we’re all reaching for something unattainable. You just have to realize that and move on. Hell, though – I think it made for a really good song.”
— Cale Tyson, on the story behind “Long Gone Girl.”
On The Web
You can find out more about Cale Tyson, his new EP, and when he might be swinging through your town at www.caletyson.net. Make sure you also take a listen to “Long Gone Girl” on this month’s Trail Mix.
Speaking of that new EP, Cale and Trail Mix would like you to have a copy. You guys know the routine. Take a shot at the trivia question down below, shoot your answer to [email protected], and a winner of a copy of High On Lonesome will be drawn from all the correct answers received by noon tomorrow (Thursday, August 22nd).
Question – In a recent chat with Trail Mix, Cale mentioned some themes that are typically found in the quintessential country song. Much to Jason Aldean’s chagrin, which one of the following did Cale NOT list?
(A) heartache
(B) lifted trucks
(C) loneliness
(D) murder
(E) cheating.
Good luck!!
