Get to Know Me and My Music World

 

BACKGROUND: 

I am a singer-songwriter/guitarist born in a little ole town called Paris, Texas. You might have heard of a movie named after that town. Really didn't have much to do with the town, but it put it on the map. At the age of two we moved to Denison, then to Irving, then to Dallas where I was raised from the age of 6. I now reside in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. I have been writing songs and performing at venues and festivals for over 20 years. My writing is simple, catchy, diverse and multi-genre crossing over into Country, Blues, Folk Rock, and Americana. When I was a kid I performed in talent shows and always had the dream of performing on stage but it took many years for it to come to fruition and to master my craft. Well its not totally mastered but I try.

I formed a few bands over time to include Lisa Byrn & The Embers, Twist of Fate, Litt Carr & Byrn. I am currently working with three lovely, talented singer-songwriters Loretta Callens, Tami Hix and Dena Means. Our shows are called Gowns & Guitars. A must see! In the past I have mainly done solo gigs or shared the stage in song swaps at coffee shops, wine bars, night clubs and restaurants. Some of the festivals I've played are Texas Independent Music Festival and SonsStock at Sons of Hermann, Deep Ellum Arts Festival, Edom Arts Festival, Wildflower Festival, Pickin' in the Pines, Rancho Frijole Gatherings, Red River Art Party in Austin, TX during SXSW, Ben Wheeler Arts Festival and many others. I have been fortunate to share the stage with recording artists such as Rusty Weir, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Susan Gibson and a lot of other great Texas singer/songwriters and musicians. 

ACCOLADES: 

Some accolades worth mentioning are: Received Honorable Mention for the “Top 16” Best Songwriters for my song Dancin’ On My Daddy’s Feet in the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Competition. I was a two-year semi-finalist in the Poor David’s Pub, B. W. Stevenson’s Songwriter Competition. Top 12 semi-finalist in the Texas Songwriter Serenade competition, and 2019 Josie Music Awards Nominee for Best Songwriter of The Year (for a full body of work) and Best Song of the Year for my Song “These Things”. 

CD:   

My self-produced CD titled, Shootin' Star, is a compilation of songs ranging from fully produced songs to simple, raw acoustic tunes. All songs were recorded in various studios around Dallas including McLeod Nine Studios, Arsafilia Studio, Ace’s Studio, McClain’s Studio and home studio of Kevin Sullivan. 

INFLUENCES: 

My biggest musical influence was my parents. My dad and his brothers played guitar and sang. He told me stories of when he was a young man, him and his brothers picked cotton out West and road out there in a covered wagon. After a long day of work, they would play music on the back of the wagon for anyone who would listen in hopes of making a little extra money. As a child, I remember swinging in an old tire underneath a big oak tree while I listened to my dad and his brothers jam on the front porch of my grandparent’s farmhouse. They lived in Garretts Bluff, close to the Red River and about 20 miles north of Paris. My mom was also an influence. She loved to sing and would sing along to her favorite records while cleaning house to the tunes of Al Greene, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson and all the old classic country players. The Grand Ole Opry, Hee Haw, The Johnny Cash Show, Porter Wagoner and Lawrence Welk, to name a few, were always dialed in on the TV. My writing and singing was also influenced by female recording artists such as Joni Mitchell, Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Patsy Cline, Stevie Nicks and Lucinda Williams. Of course, many of the male classic country artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, George Strait, Willie Nelson and many others were definite influences. 

MUSIC CONTRIBUTIONS: 

  • Founder, producer, director of “Singer-Songwriter Showcase” which aired live for 3 years on Dallas Community TV. 
  • Founder, co-producer with Loretta Callens of the “Texas Independent Music Expo” at Sons of Hermann Hall for 4 years. 
  • Board member of the “Dallas Songwriters Association” for 4 years. 
  • Music event producer and entertainment booking agent for 10 years.
  • Managed Sons of Hermann Hall for 3.5 years booking bands and coordinating music events.
  • Open mic host at The Balcony Club, Shiney's, Sons of Hermann, Shadyside Cafe in Dallas.