CowboyTommyLee

I first heard and saw CowboyTommyLee at Bill’s Records and Tapes in Dallas on a Friday. I had made the trek to see one of my favorite performers, Randy Hopper. I was looking forward to the prospect of hearing someone new. I was not disappointed.

CowboyTommyLee is a very outgoing fella. He said howdy to us as soon as we came in the door. And much to my appreciation, after performing, he came back by to visit with me and with my 4 year-old son, who at this point aspires to be an OKOM artist when he grows up.

During his performance, they handed out commemorative CD’s-one of which I promptly grabbed. The band was really good at Bill’s, but sometimes the acoustics aren’t the best. I wanted to hear the CD.

Oddly, it was a couple of days later before I got the chance to really listen to the CD. Redneck mother that I am, I popped it into the CD changer while hanging out with my hubby and a couple of his buddies in a 60x40 shop as they worked on a car. Sittin’ in my dollar store white plastic chair, feet propped up on the beer cooler, Lone Star in hand, I was ready to listen.

“Heaven’s Door” begins with beautiful guitar work and a prayer. Kinda made me stop for a moment – really got my attention. As the song continued, the lyrics were beautiful and sung with emotion and heart. This was what I wanted to hear.

Something about several of the tunes on this CD make me want to start a new music category……something like “Southern Rock/Git up and Go/Dance up a Sweat Country.” It’s just something you don’t hear in mainstream music, and CowboyTommyLee does it very well.

Track four is “One Bottle of Heartache”(and a six pack of blues to go). It’s one of those ultimate Texas drinkin’ heartbreak songs. Clever, heartfelt lyrics, coupled with his good band and this man’s voice, make this a tune that should get radio airplay. I think it would appeal to both the OKOM crowd and could crossover and grab some of those Nashtrash listeners as well. I’d bet this song is a favorite amongst CowboyTommyLee’s fans.

Another song “It Coulda Been Me” actually took me back to my college days, and a romance that didn’t work out as I had hoped. Sometimes it’s not until years later you realize how much better off you are now than when you got that farewell letter years ago. I greatly appreciate this song making me remember that.

“Take Me Drunk I’m Home Again” is classic country by a modern guy. I gotta say, this tune is near and dear to anyone who’s sipped a little booze and been there. Worth checkin’ out folks! My compadres in the 60x40 building agreed, this was good music.

This 36 year old father of three from Athens Texas is a also a nice guy. His early influences of Buck Owens, Johnny Paycheck, Roy Clark are present in his music, not by copying but by developing his own originality as they did. Look for “What did I do Last Night?” by CowboyTommyLee and two more CD’s to follow shortly. You can find his CD at Bill's Records and Tapes in Dallas or logon to www.tunesmithpress.com

Part of what I like about OKOM is that it’s written by down-to-earth folks about snippets of the lives they live. CowboyTommyLee does a good variety of music- fun, serious, dance, feel good, feel bad, fast, slow, you name it. This versatile guy has the potential to be a fan favorite...with his talent, drive, persistence, and big smile, there won’t be any stoppin’ this Texas boy.

Lone Star Mama

Written by Dana Jones, January 2002

E-mail me about this review

Read Dana's bio