(Source: The Dallas Morning News)By Mario Tarradell, The Dallas Morning News
Dec. 5--With its revved-up guitar licks and the driving propulsion of the chorus, "You Had Me at My Best," which opens Texan Wade Bowen's new CD, If We Ever Make It Home, sounds like Tom Petty circa 1979. In fact, you can hear the Petty influences on several cuts of this New Braunfels-based singer-songwriter's disc.
For that, Mr. Bowen makes no apologies.
"I actually play some Tom Petty in our shows," he says, calling from a tour stop in College Station. "I've been listening to a lot of different music over the last couple of years, and Tom Petty is one of them. In comparison to the rest of the Texas scene, I've tried very hard to be my own artist, to be different. I think it's important to be unique in some form or fashion. I think I really found myself in the last two records."
He's also referring to 2006's equally introspective Lost Hotel. That effort revealed the newfound maturity in the 31-year-old artist, due in no small part to becoming a husband and father. He and wife Shelby have been married since 2005. They have two children, 3-year-old Bruce and infant Brock, who was born in June.
"Obviously when you're in the middle of that you don't really notice it," he says. "But looking back on the last three years it was definitely a pivotal point in my career. That's what a lot of themes are in those last two records, trying to find myself, finding my family, finding my place in my career."
It's all made him extremely prolific. He spent a lot of time in Nashville co-writing with Music City tunesmiths Stephony Smith, Jedd Hughes, Jim Beavers and Radney Foster, among others. He recorded 23 songs during the Lost Hotel sessions, and 17 during the Home sessions. He boldly ventured into the heart of the mainstream country industry to create his brand of roots rocking country.
"I'm not going to turn anything down in my career, 'cause that's stupid. I was a little worried about going in there and them changing me. Yet it was kind of refreshing. I ended up signing a publishing deal with a Nashville company. There is a way to do it where you still maintain your integrity. Just don't get too caught up in the business aspect. I have learned so much just from writing out there ... how to approach a song from so many different ways."
But not to worry. This Texas boy won't ever leave his home state.
"The moment I try to get out of Texas, someone will correct me, I hope," he says. "These are my roots. I'm so proud of what I've done here through the years. But it's important to know that there are many other people out there in many other places. I play music for a living and it's great to see people get excited about my music that aren't in Texas."
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