Spring Break
Carrying on
By: Stephanie Rancier
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: Features
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This time, the crowd was a mix of students from elementary to college, military personnel and young mothers. The crowd gathered inside the Texas Avenue store on Jan. 28 with eyes fixed on a stage with three empty chairs, microphones and a beer funnel.
As the object of the audience's anticipation arrived, he jumped on stage, coming face-to-face with the lime green funnel. As the cheers quieted, the laid-back Pat Green smiled and greeted his fans by nodding at the beer funnel and saying, "fitting."
Green gave a casual performance, answered questions and signed autographs to promote his latest CD "What I'm For," which released Jan. 27. Green, with a continuous smile, thanked the audience for their continual support as he has moved from Texas Country to a more Nashville Country music style since signing with BNA, a more established record label.
"They've been running me ragged to get this album out," Green said. "Thanks for skipping class."
The first song performed, "Carry On," came from a self-released 2000 album of the same name. The 1997 Texas Tech graduate explained that he continues to perform that song because it helped him gain a growing fan base, especially among Texas college students.
"I always like to play that song," Green said. "That song made us happen. We wouldn't have gotten
anywhere without it, and I think the people who just got into our music need to hear it."
Class of 2008 agriculture economics major Jake Fields said "Carry On" is his favorite Green song.
"That's the greatest song in Texas Country music; back before he was in Nashville," he said. "He sounds just as good live as he does on his CDs."
A young couple near the stage swayed, mouthing the words along with Green. Another woman kneeled with her young son and helped him dance along.
"It [the performance] was really personal," said sophomore special education major Jana Gleaves who went to her first Green concert as an eighth grader. "I've loved his music ever since. This performance was just like talking with friends."
The second song Green and his band performed, titled "Let Me," is one of the few songs from the new album that Green said he did not write himself.
Green, who prefers to record his own music, said "Let Me" stood out as a new kind of love song because it never uses the word "love."
"I like ones that are different and out-of-the-box," said Green. "You know, instead of the usual kinds of love songs. My dad calls them, 'love, dove, glove songs.'"
Near the end of the second song, Green noticed a young boy reaching for the singer's attention hoping for an autograph. The boy's mother explained that the performance was worth skipping a little school, but a doctor appointment was unavoidable. A father of two himself, Green gladly signed the boy's CD in the middle of the show.
Green also answered a few questions from the audience. The first fan asked Green to name his favorite song from a different artist and one of his own. Green quickly deemed "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" by Willie Nelson as a favorite from another musician, but was reluctant to pick a song of his own.
"A favorite song of mine? I have no idea," Green said. "It used to be 'Wave on Wave.' It had a huge change on my life, but now, I don't know."
Green said in the beginning he performed a lot of Robert Earl Keen and Willie Nelson covers. He began his career as a Texas Country singer and produced several independent albums.
He started touring with artists he admired and developed a strong fan base in Texas. He admitted to signing with a renowned recording label to appeal to a broader audience.
By breaking into the Nashville Country style, Green has been able to gain a national following while introducing Texas Country songs to the mainstream.
Green wrapped up the show with a tribute to his Texas Country roots with the single "Wave on Wave."
"Right after this, I'm going to get me a Free Birds," Green said. "A monster."
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