Lyle Lovett and his aptly named Large Band are coming to
Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts and we can’t wait. He has long been
acclaimed for his cleverly crafted lyrics, witty banter, soulful style and
ability to perform country, blues, gospel and other American grown genres with
subtle sophistication.
One of the most distinctive and original singer/songwriters
to emerge onto the 80’s music scene, his country roots didn’t quite fit his
eclectic style. Classifying the type of music Lovett plays is nearly
impossible. Though the genre is considered country, he incorporates jazz, blues
and big band sound to tell his quirky stories through his music. Sam Hurwitt of
Salon writes, “Lyle Lovett
has for the last decade had the dubious honor of being a country singer for
people who hate country music. “Well then,” it’s tempting to reply, “he can’t really be country.” Ah, but he is –not the gaudy
Nashville sort, but a simpler, down-home kind, with educated forays into jazz
and gospel and talking blues. He sings of the same heartache and simple dreams
that lie at the soul of the music, but in more reflective, eloquent terms.”
Courtesy of flickr.com |
Lyle Lovett is well-known for being one of the few artists
who creates all his own material, both melodies and lyrics. The stories he
recounts through his music has earned him a cult following along the same lines
as 70’s singers like Randy Newman and Guy Clark. Sam Hurwitt of Salon
eloquently states, “Perhaps
more than the music (but not by a lot), Lovett’s appeal lies in the poetry of
his lyrics, which are as powerful as ever. He weaves together common images and
sentiments, creating a tapestry that may be sad or funny, but always hits home,
and hits deep.” (http://www.salon.com/1996/06/24/music960624/)
In an NPR interview with Bob Edwards, Lovett
states that his inspiration for “If I had a boat” is a true story. He claims he
tried to ride a pony across a pond and wished he had a boat. The lyrics to “I
wish I had a boat” showcase Lovett’s wry and offbeat sense of humor. (http:/www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/dec/lovett/011204.lyle.lovett.html)
“If I Had A Boat”
And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I said me upon my pony on my boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I said me upon my pony on my boat
If I were Roy Rogers
I'd sure enough be single
I couldn't bring myself to marrying old Dale
It'd just be me and Trigger
We'd go ridin' through them movies
Then we'd buy a boat and on the sea we'd sail
I'd sure enough be single
I couldn't bring myself to marrying old Dale
It'd just be me and Trigger
We'd go ridin' through them movies
Then we'd buy a boat and on the sea we'd sail
And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I said me upon my pony on my boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I said me upon my pony on my boat
Now the mystery masked man
was smart
He got himself a Tonto
'Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I'm going out to sea
He got himself a Tonto
'Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I'm going out to sea
And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat
And if I were like lightning
I wouldn't need no sneakers
Well I'd come and go whenever I would please
And I'd scare 'em by the shade tree
And I'd scare 'em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea
I wouldn't need no sneakers
Well I'd come and go whenever I would please
And I'd scare 'em by the shade tree
And I'd scare 'em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea
And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
I said me upon my pony on my boat, I said me upon my pony on my boat
Lovett was an only child born
to Bill and Bernell Lovett in 1957. Raised on a horse farm in Klein, Texas, a
town named after his grandfather, he spent his time pursuing his passions; which
at the time were motorcycles and guitar. He raced competitively as a youth and shared
his passion with his father. All through high school, he worked at Cycle Shack,
a local motorcycle shop where he did everything from working the parts counter
to cleaning the bathrooms. He still races motorcycles today and recently
narrated the documentary, “Penton:
The John Penton Story.” In an interview with Cycle World Magazine, Lovett
explained how he got involved with the project. “Mark
Blackwell [AMA Hall-of-Famer and retired industry executive] asked me if I was
interested in being a part of it. I said yes immediately because I’m a fan, and
because of my whole history with the Penton motorcycle.” (http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/23/lyle-lovett-interview-about-his-participation-in-new-documentary-movie-about-john-penton-and-his-motorcycles/)
Lovett did not pursue his music career until he studied
at Texas A & M in the 70’s while he studied Journalism and German. He began
writing songs and performing covers and original music in local coffee houses
and folk festivals. Lovett continued his studies in Germany as a graduate
student and continued to write and perform his original music.
BACK IN THE STATES
Lovett didn’t actively pursue his music career until he
returned to the States in 1983. He continued to play clubs throughout Texas and
was beginning to get a following. A year later, folk and country singer, Nancy
Griffith, covered his song, “If I Were the Woman You Wanted” on her “Once in a
Very Blue Moon” album. Lovett sang on that album and that year, Guy Clark, a
country singer/songwriter, heard his demo tape and passed it along to Tony
Brown of MCA records. Lovett signed with MCA in 1986.
Lovett’s self-titled debut album, met with critical
acclaim and five of the albums songs reached the country top 40. His second
album, “Pontiac,” revealed his eclectic style and expanded his audiences to
crossover pop and rock genres. As his popularity grew with mainstream
audiences, his country following began to wane.
Lovett’s third album, “Lyle Lovett and His Large Band,”
won a Grammy Award in 1989 for best male country vocal performance. His
crossover reputation grew, but the foundation was rooted in country.
Lovett recorded a total of 14 albums, 25 singles and
won four Grammy Awards over the course of his exemplary career. He gained a
different kind of notoriety when he eloped with Julia Roberts, whom he met on
the set of the Robert Altman film, “The Player.” They divorced two years later.
Lovett continues to write music and perform worldwide.
His last studio album, “Release Me,” was released in February 2012
Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts is thrilled to
announce the arrival of Lyle Lovett and his Large Band on August 20, 2015 at
7:30 PM. It promises to be an exciting evening for fans of all ages. “Coupled
with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of
Americana, country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying
manner that breaks down barriers.” We
hope you can attend his concert. It will be a great time. Come
experience the wonderment. http:/thcenter.org/showpglovett.html
Until the next time.
This
article gives an overview of the artist Lyle Lovett and the concert he will be
performing in Northeast Florida at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts. The
Thrasher-Horne Center is bringing top notch family-friendly entertainment year
around to Northeast Florida.
I am glad to see your bringing in some really big name. Can't wait to see the crowds! :D
ReplyDeleteHe may not have pretty woman JR by his side any more, but he still puts on a pretty good show. Thrasher Horne should be a great place to live large with Lyle Lovett.
ReplyDeleteLyle Lovett is brilliant! He's so incredibly witty.... should be a great show and I will be there.
ReplyDelete