Interview with Kevin Fowler
TMM: “Senorita Mas Fina,” off of your new CD High on the Hog is #6 on the Texas Music Charts.
That’s gotta be a great feeling moving up the charts so quickly?
We did some open mic shows and played our songs or covers acoustically produced with some of the best sound card in 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjBt59brocg
KF: Yeah, I wish we could take it a little higher, we’ve got Cross Canadian (Ragweed) in front of us and there ain’t no way we’re getting the Dixie Chicks out of the way and Radney Foster’s “Everyday Angel” will be hard to pass.
TMM: “Senorita Mas Fina,” off of your new CD High on the Hog is #6 on the Texas Music Charts.
That’s gotta be a great feeling moving up the charts so quickly?
KF: Yeah, I wish we could take it a little higher, we’ve got Cross Canadian (Ragweed) in front of us and there ain’t no way we’re getting the Dixie Chicks out of the way and Radney Foster’s “Everyday Angel” will be hard to pass.
I think that it’s cool that we are the only one in the top ten that is still an independent artist; everyone else is with a major label.
That says a lot!
We’ve really been working our ass off on this album.
TMM: How do you feel about being on your own label?
KF: It’s cool now but I think we’re ready to move on.
We think that being on our label is really cool but they’re killing us, I’m ready to go on.
There are a lot of stations that won’t play you unless you’re on a major label.
No matter how much they love you, it doesn’t matter.
That’s how the game works.
TMM: How do you feel about the radio support that you are getting with the single?
KF: We are very appreciative of anything we can get.
We are very lucky here in Texas that you can get radio play period!
With independent artists outside of the state, it’s unheard of.
If you’re an independent artist from anywhere else in the country, you just don’t expect to get major radio play like you do here with the Wolf or KSCS.
That only happens here. Any artist in this scene that doesn’t realize this is a dumbass!
Try and go to Nashville and get radio play.
The stations really support us all that they can; a lot of times they can’t.
The Wolf is a big supporter of our music.
The Wolf has been good to Cross Canadian Ragweed; the Wolf was the one that gave Pat (Green) his big break!
They also play Charlie Robison too!
TMM: You had quite a bit of success with your second CD, Beer, Bait and Ammo.
Didn’t Sammy Kershaw record that?
KF: He recorded it and supposedly he’s going to release it.
I’m just waiting to see if it happens.
I check my mailbox everyday looking for a check (laughs).
He’s already put it on a record but they don’t tell the songwriters anything.
They don’t even have to ask you permission to record it.
They can just record it.
Once the song is originally commercially released, then you don’t have to ask permission of the song writer, you just have to pay them royalties.
That’s the way it works.
What’s weird about songwriting is, if you paint a picture, you own the rights to who can print, copy or distribute that picture.
If you write a song, you only have control of your original, commercial release.TMM: Doesn’t Mark Chestnutt also perform that song live at some of his shows?
KF: Yeah, he does. He may put on his next record too, actually we are thinking of doing some co-writing together.
TMM: I noticed that you had a bumper sticker stating that you are the “Grand Champion Redneck.”
How does one earn such a prestigious title?
KF: (laughs) Drinking’ a lot. It’s been hard ass work!
You have to work really hard to be the Grand Champion Redneck.
Actually (Jay Lamb, Kevin’s manager) had a belt buckle that said that, it kind of started with that.