Aaron Watson (Photo credit: Joseph Llanes)
Ahead of today’s (6/21) release of his newest album, "Red Bandana," BIG LABEL’s AARON WATSON sat down with ALL ACCESS to share stories behind the songs and what fans can expect from the new project, which is now available on our Cool New Music page. The 20-track album, penned by WATSON, is believed to be the first mainstream Country album since ALAN JACKSON’s "Good Time" to be entirely written by one person. WATSON revealed that it was a conversation with his father about WILLIE NELSON last summer that inspired the album and kept him motivated through the writing process.
His father told him, "Son, it's time for you to have your ‘Red Headed Stranger’ moment. That was when WILLIE finally declared his presence in Country music and that was his time.” His father went on to say, “WILLIE was in his early 40s when he finally became ‘WILLIE.’ Here you are, you've already had three top 10 records and top 10 songs on Billboard. It's your time to make that record. You stomp your foot and you let the world know, ‘Here I am. You're going to have to deal with this. I'm an independent artist, and I belong and I've earned a seat at this table.'" While WATSON balked at being compared to the country legend, he took his father’s point to heart. “That really motivated me, having my dad give me that pep talk,” he said.
WATSON went on to share stories behind some of the key tracks on the album and the emotions that inspired them. "You can't have 20 songs of just mature intensity and drama," he explained. “Sometimes I'm in a ... frame of mind where I just need to sit down, close my eyes and be in that moment. And sometimes I'm like ‘roll the window down, out on the highway, turn up the fast-sung song.’" Buckle up and catch a peek of the journey below.
“Ghost Of Guy Clark,” “El Comienzo Del Viaje,” “Dark Horse” and “Heartstrings”
The album starts off with a song called 'The Ghost Of GUY CLARK.' GUY CLARK is my favorite songwriter. He was born and raised in TEXAS, but is just a NASHVILLE legend. There’s not a songwriter in NASHVILLE that doesn't adore, and love, and look up to GUY CLARK. "The Ghost Of GUY CLARK" is really my manifesto. It sets the tone for this record and what it’s about.
After that song ends, the first four songs are connected like something off of a BEATLES record, or something off PINK FLOYD’s “Dark Side Of The Moon.” It goes from “The Ghost Of GUY CLARK” into this minute and a half instrumental called “El Comiento del Viaje.” That means “the beginning of the ride.” That goes into this song called “Dark Horse,” [which] I wrote for my kids. It's about my career path and just basically saying, “It’s not going to be easy, but you gotta to keep after it, you gotta get out there and earn it.”
“Old Friend”
There's another song on there called “Old Friend,” [which] was inspired by the death of TOM PETTY. Everybody loves TOM PETTY. TOM died a day after the LAS VEGAS shooting [ROUTE 91 HARVEST FESTIVAL in 2017]. I remember that after the LAS VEGAS shooting they weren't even giving people time to mourn. The media turned it into this political thing, and it was just kind of sad. Everybody was fighting over gun laws ... and I was like, “Man, there are families that are grieving. Lets give these people just a little while to grieve.” It turned into this heartless, political agenda. The next day, there are two guys that I'm friends with on social media, and they were going after each other on this gun agenda. But when TOM PETTY died, they both made posts talking about how much his music meant to them. It made me go, “Wow! music is the common denominator. Music is the one thing that brings us all together.” It’s like, “Stop talking about Democrats and Republicans, let’s talk about music.” So, I wrote “Old Friend,” and it's just [about] treating every stranger you meet like an old friend.
“Kiss That Girl Goodbye”
Every song has a story, even the fun, silly ones like “Kiss That Girl Goodbye.” There was a girl in my merch line after one of my shows. She had mascara running down her face. Her jerk boyfriend broke up with her at the show, and I was like “I’m writing a song for that girl right there.” I don't know the girl ... and I don't know that I’d recognize her [again], honestly, but I did put something out about that story, and I had about two dozen girls say it was them. I'm not one to argue with any girls, so if that was you, then that was you. It’s for all those girls who have dated that jerk. It happens way too often.
“Riding With RED” and “Red Bandana”
I was actually in MONTANA riding horseback with one of my heroes, RED STEAGALL. RED is a legendary cowboy poet and Country music singer and RED's actually the one who discovered REBA [MCENTIRE]. I was on vacation with RED and REBA, and just riding horse-side next to RED. He was just sharing his heart with me and giving me all this knowledge like grandads do. I got back that night to the ranch house we were staying [at], and I started writing this song called “Riding With RED.” Then “Riding With RED” on the album transitioned into this almost, like, Country-western, movie-theme sounding type song, and that's the title track, “Red Bandana.” I don’t actually sing [in that song]. I’m actually reading a poem and it's just epic. It's like something out of a movie.
“Trying Like The Devil”
There were moments in this record where I was just, like, down in the dumps. There was a boy around where we live, he committed suicide, and his dad made a post on FACEBOOK that just really broke my heart. The boy had left a letter, and said that he just didn't feel like he was good enough, and the dad said he wished that people would be more real and more open, especially artists, and celebrities and these people that have a greater out reach on social media. [He wished] that they would just let these kids know that, “Hey, behind all these filters, I'm a real person with real problems.” I wrote this song called “Trying Like The Devil,” and it’s just about my struggles. If you read the lyrics ... you're going to know what I’m talking about, and you’re going to know what I'm struggling with. I really kind of called out my inner JOHNNY CASH with that song, and [am] just giving the fans something that’s real. I think it’s important that I’m at least honest. I just can’t portray something that I’m not. I am so flawed it’s not even funny, but I have a big heart and I love people. I get down on myself, but guess what? I get back up and I start swinging again, and I keep moving forward.
“To Be The Moon”
The album ends with two songs that are kind of stuck together. One of them is called “To Be The Moon.” At the ACM AWARDS last year, they asked me to do the red carpet thing, which is always an honor. But I was standing in line for, like, 15 minutes to get interviewed, and they let two bigger, mainstream artists cut in front of me. I don’t care, I get it. But then, when I finally got up there, the interview they gave me was … they should’ve basically just asked me what my favorite color was. They just didn’t care. That happened a couple of times in a row.
The next day, there’s this little boy I’m friends with named PEYTON, who has a severe case of spina bifida. He sent me a text message and he said, '”I saw you on TV last night. Someday I want to be a star just like you.” I texted him back and said, “I’m not a star,” and he said, “Well, if you’re not a star, what are you?” I said, “I guess I’m more like the moon.” I was just kind of joking with him, but then I just started thinking about that. I say things, and then I'll go, “Hold up, what did I say?” and I almost feel like they’re little gifts from GOD. I thought to myself, “Here you’ve got this little boy who lives his entire life in a wheelchair. He can’t eat. He has to be fed through this tube in his stomach. He has this trach in his throat to help with his breathing.” I said, “You know what? I did not fit in at that awards ceremony. I just didn’t, I’m sorry. I loved everyone there, but it’s just not exactly my cup of tea.” So I thought to myself, “I’m going to write a song for all of us who are a little different … maybe just a little more unique.” I wrote this song called “To Be The Moon.” The idea is that everybody looks up there and wants to be a star. Nobody ever says, “Someday I want to be the moon.” But if you think about the moon, it does so much more than those stars. It shines and lights up the night. It pulls the tide. It’s always there.
“58”
It’s a tribute song for all the people who lost their lives at ROUTE 91 in VEGAS, and it’s for their families. I play in VEGAS a lot. We played ROUTE 91 the year before the shooting. I play probably 10-plus nights in VEGAS per year, so over the past year I’ve had dozens of people come out to my show who were there, and I just see how they were affected, how they’re still affected. I wrote this album during that era.
For more on WATSON, read our 10 Questions interview with him here.
0 Comments