Texas chart-topper Bowen on stage in Linden June 21
LINDEN, Texas—Texas country and Red Dirt singer-songwriter Wade Bowen returns to the area with a Music City Texas Theater concert on Saturday, June 21.
Bowen, a Waco native who’s posted nearly a dozen No. 1 hits on the Texas Music Chart, has a current top hit out with the single “Love in the First Degree,” a cover of the Alabama classic he performs with Brandy Clark. Show time for Bowen’s concert is 8 p.m. with doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Bowen, who got his start in Lubbock, Texas, at Stubb’s Barbecue, anticipates releasing some new music in October, the first album in a couple years for someone who’s been making music for about 16 years.
Bowen is in the midst of his annual tour with Randy Rogers, with whom he is collaborating on
another album.
“It’s going to be a live acoustic album with some studio tracks as well,” he said.
On his own album, Bowen says he’s focused on how the songs will sound live.
“It’s a really raw, energized sound,” he said, different from his other records. “That’s really been the focal point on the whole record, how they’re going to translate live when we go out and play them.”
He loves playing music, racking up about 180 shows a year. Touring is something he enjoys. And he says in this business, he’s focused on the love for music, not the fame.
“I believe I play music for the right reasons,” Bowen said. He’s called hearing Robert Earl Keen’s songs a turning point in his life. His early band West 84 was essentially a Keen cover band when they began.
Bowen said the road is “a rough place and a crazy place to live” but he’s proud of what he’s doing. He admits it would be nice to back off a bit, seeing as how he’s a family man now with children.
“Obviously, it changes the way you write songs, ” he said, “changes the way you look at the world.”
After being on the road, it’s nice to return home to his wife and kids.
“I think it’s good that my kids see me chasing my dream and going after it,” he said. He hopes they do the same.
This new record will have songs about that road life. Like with all records, he didn’t plan it that way. That’s what came out with the best songs he pooled together.
“I feel like it always shows its face after you’re done,” Bowen said about recording a record.
This will be his first show at Music City Texas Theater, a venue with a reputation that precedes it.
“I’m anxious to see what it’s all about,” Bowen said.
He’ll have his band along with him for this show, but a set list won’t be determined until the day of the show, he said. Sometimes they play new material, sometimes they dig deep and find old songs.
(Tickets: $20 for reserved seating. To purchase tickets or get more information, call 903-7569934 or visit MusicCityTexas.org. You can also find MCTT at Facebook.com/musiccitytexas.)