The following is an original production of WTCI.

I uh, for a while.

I used to make this joke about, but my autobiography is going to be called I Can't Sing and I Can't Dance.

Why am I in show business?

Right?

And that's and really, you know, I'm kind of I came kind of out of, you know, through the back door or something.

I don't know.

So how did this Texas outlaw go from mountains of record deal, rejection letters to becoming one of the most respected songwriters of our time?

Tonight on the A-list, I'll get to know all about life on the wide open road with country legend Robert Earl Keen.

In 1993, Robert Earl Keen released his second studio album, A Bigger Piece of Sky.

On it was a song entitled Paint the Town Beige, a soft country ballad that told the story of a man who had left his wild days behind him, trading them in for a quiet life in a small town.

I gave up the fast lane for Blacktop County Road.

When Robert wrote the song, the old Desperado he sang about was just a character he'd imagined.

After all, he was a young man at the beginning of his career, with miles and miles of road still ahead and untraveled.

But now, 20 years later, Keen feels he's grown into the lyrics, never quite fitting in with the glitz of the Nashville music scene.

Robert instead has built an incredible career as a true Texas icon, the old desperado carving out his own path to success.

Knocking old Desperado, who.

Paints a town beige.

He's recently released his 16th album Ready for Confetti, which by no coincidence features a stripped down version of Paint the Town Beige.

This outlaw has come full circle.

I met up with Robert at track 29 as he was preparing for one of his legendary live performances right here in Chattanooga.

Robert Earl Keen, thank you for being on the A-list.

Thank you.

I appreciate.

It.

And thank you for taking time out right before your show tonight.

We're here at track 29 and we're thrilled that we could be here.

Literally, you're going to go on stage in a couple of hours.

Are you nervous?

No, I haven't really had time to think about it.

Do you get nervous?

Occasionally.

When I play in elementary school, I get really nervous.

I don't.

Know.

Why.

Are they your toughest audience?

I think it's really a tough audience to play to kids, you know?

So I don't do it very often.

But when I do, that's the one that I get really nervous about.

Do you have any sort of routine or ritual that you do before you go on stage?

Other than drinking, Right.

I'm kidding.

The and you know, I don't I Well, okay.

Yeah, I do.

I write a different setlist every night and, you know, then I try to get as dressed up as possible.

Yeah.

So.

And then do your band do like, you know, you do a little chat or.

You know, we've never done that whole, you know, team sport thing and all that.

Everybody kind of wanders up on their own.

So your your current album, your most recent album, Ready for Confetti, Right?

Totally different.

In in Formula in the way that you came about it in the songwriting than than all the others, were you just throwing caution to the wind and said, We're going to try something new?

Well, I think in the creative process, you have to try something new all the time.

I'm sure that there are some people that are that get up and do the same thing every day.

But I always need some kind of new stimuli, I guess would be the word.

Right.

And I like to do different things.

And this one, when I came about this one, I felt like I was a little bit more pressure to get it out in a timely fashion.

And I had had this long, long standing rule of not writing songs on the road because I'd not had much luck doing it in the past.

And I decided, Well, you know what?

I can write these songs on the road.

So I wrote them in backstage areas and motel rooms and on the bus, the whole deal, you know.

And I think they I thought they came out really great.

And that the whole process of writing on the road.

Did you find it challenging?

Did you find it scary?

Did you find it distracting or once you embraced it, did you kind of think I can do this?

I absolutely know I can do it now.

And what the plus side, the real plus side was, I didn't really overthink the songs.

I'm you know, I'm like pretty specific about, you know, the waist lines and words fall together regardless or not if anybody cares or I care.

So I make these, you know, so I edit incessantly and I'm on the road.

When I was writing these songs, I'd go, Hey, this line's good enough.

Boom, let's go to the next line, you know, and move on.

And are you going to think you know, this sounds pretty good?

I'm not sure what it means, but what the hell?

You know, So.

So I went about it with that approach, a lot looser approach.

And consequently, I think in general, the records are more melodic and a little less a little less deep.

But you know, you can play it to an elementary school.

So, I mean, I keep coming back to that thing as if it really happened today that did anything to generate that.

It just kind of came out.

Just please don't turn into the Wiggles or something.

No, no, no, no.

I never have really thought about that.

I just always feel like there's a kid in every one of us.

And if you can approach that, one of the genius things about like John Prine's writing is that it really does approach.

It really does affect the kid in every and everybody.

I mean, because this thing is so kind of simple and fun, but, you know, a lot of times they're adult themes, but they have such a kind of a childlike approach.

So I think I think that when you can get a kid's attention, that you're doing something right.

And Robert's been doing things right for the past several decades.

His passion for words began when he was just a child himself.

As he started writing his first songs before he even hit elementary school.

But it wasn't until he was in college studying English at Texas A&M University that Robert took up the guitar and began to learn to weave together lyrics and melodies and working as a newspaper reporter.

Straight out of school, he devoted his nights to his music, playing clubs around Austin and building up a steady fan base.

By the time he managed to finance his first album and release it regionally.

He had all ready earned a reputation for being one of the most engaging live performers on the circuit.

Given that he had a band name.

And this still holds true today.

But he's not taking all the credit.

After all, what's a country outlaw without his band to back them up?

Like many years ago.

Now, your band, you've been together, what, 16 years.

Now?

Bill and Richard.

I have been together 18 years and the other guys have been, you know, 12 or something like that.

And is that an anomaly in this business these days or, you know, the fact that your band's had such longevity together?

I think it is.

But I've told people that and they just go, okay, cool, you know?

But it's I think it's highly unusual, especially in the world of, you know, not like they're like big touring sheds or arenas and stuff.

We're not an arena band.

You know, to be able to, you know, go from a honky tonk to a festival to a theater to an elementary school all in a matter of a week and still stay together as a band.

I think it's almost unheard of.

So how did you get together?

I started out playing as a solo act and when people started coming to my shows, I played in really small, small venues and, you know, kind of did a folk thing where, you know, I would play a song and talk for 20 minutes and play another song and talk for another 15 minutes.

And my whole setlist would like be totally like maybe seven songs, and the rest of it was me talking and, and I was pretty comfortable with that for a long time.

And then people started showing up at my shows and we oversold those places and got into bigger and bigger places and got where, you know, there was hundreds or thousands of people showing up.

So I couldn't do that by myself and I certainly couldn't do it with seven songs.

Do you think it's rare that you are a singer songwriter?

And I would even throw the songwriter before because I understand that you were writing poetry as early as five, and yet you didn't learn to play the guitar until you were 18.

Right.

So that I just think now I need.

All this information.

I do.

I do my research, but I it's, you know, it was kind of one of those things where I feel like and maybe I'm wrong, but that the popular singers nowadays are either using someone else's material, they're covering someone else's song.

They've got a songwriter on the side.

They're more about singing than about the lyrics.

And you're you're not like that.

Well, I'm not that great a singer.

So I really so I try to make it up make, make up for it for with, you know, really, you know, good songs.

And I'm not afraid of doing somebody else's songs.

I like to do the songs.

We were just in the San Francisco and played, you know, for an hour and a half and then pulled out a Grateful Dead song as some somewhat obscure one.

And it was just a blast to sing it, you know?

And it was really cool because all the we were we were definitely preaching to the choir in that situation.

You knew your audience?

Yes, we did.

So when people do your songs, you're okay with it?

Absolutely.

I love people too.

Much, like the highest form of flattery.

It's a songwriter.

It's a big one.

It is really it's a huge rush to have somebody record your song.

And I don't care who it is, it just is just cool, its cool, to hear somebody else's take on what you're doing.

Who's done the best cover of one of your songs.

Joe Ely did did The Road Goes On Forever years ago, and he also at the same time he did another song.

That's it.

And I don't even really do very much anymore.

And uh, I love the lyric on this is called Whenever Kindness Fails.

He also did that song on this particular record and that particular song.

I just thought he just killed it because it's it's a total tongue in cheek song.

And his thing was without irony whatsoever.

It was like he was really the guy, you know, it's this kind of psycho guy in the song singing the song.

I use my gun whenever kindness fails, you know, And he sings it.

He sings it totally straight.

It's so great.

I just thought, God, that works great.

Only use my gun whenever kindness fails.

Over the years, Robert songs have been recorded by some of country music's biggest stars, including Johnny Cash, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and the Dixie Chicks, just to name a few.

And it's no wonder over the past three decades, he's amassed a library of songs penned with his own unique style.

His lyrics are equal parts, insight and humor, and his melodies are likely to make even the most reluctant listener start toe tapping.

But for Robert Earl Keen, the road to finding his place in country music was full of twists and turns and not every turn worked out as planned.

Long range.

When you were breaking into the music business, what was the atmosphere like?

Well, you know, it was much different.

I've been around like 30 years, you know, And then people were, you know, kind of bounced around playing little guitars and, you know, loving, you know, Jackson Browne or Dan Fogelberg or something like that.

And country music was sort of more, you know, changjiang kind of honky tonk sound and country music, you know, And everybody would come up to you with a I got a country song for you.

And, you know, I got tears in my ears and a lot on my back and crying over you.

How do you like that?

You go, Oh, that's cool, you know.

But it was sort of indicative of what really was going on at the time.

And now it's just I don't know where they come up with some of the stuff.

It's so it seemed to be I mean, this is such fogy ism.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it seemed to be much simpler back then.

Yes, absolutely.

Is there a difference between I know you're going to ask me for this.

I'm sitting far away.

Is there a difference between Texas country and the rest of the world?

Country and total.

You know, from a total educate me standpoint.

Texas country has certainly a lot of that really, truly independent spirit as far as like the the songs and the way they perform the songs.

And and and it's a really kind of almost a working man's country.

I mean, there's so many bands in Texas these days that are truly just, you know, they're touring bands.

They don't get a lot of radio play.

They get some Texas radio play.

But and they're, you know, doing well and have a huge following and and so they're really basing it on their own, you know, moxie and their own inner energy.

And, you know, the the the country music the way it is like the established country music on country radio and stuff is is kind of a big old machine that you have to kind of work your way up through and and hope that it works for you.

And it's it's a little bit more bureaucratic and consequently a little bit more watered down.

And you lived in there.

I said it.

Okay, sorry.

And we have it on film.

Yeah, I know.

You lived in Nashville for a few years.

Yeah, I live for 22 months.

How was that long period of your life?

It was.

It was agonizing, to be honest.

It was really agonizing.

I, I was there in a real transitional time.

It was going from that sort of honky tonk thing to sort of more of a modern thing.

And I kind of felt like I was on the cutting edge of some modern stuff, but my stuff was actually still a little too rough for those guys.

And and they'd say, Oh, nobody would ever play this song, you know?

And I'd go, Okay, fine, you know, and here's another song.

I don't know, that's a little scary there, too, you know, because I always kind of dealt with, you know, cutting edge themes or things that weren't just the norm.

And and as far as that went, I had, you know, the classic hundreds of rejections and it was tough.

So I was really beside myself as to believing in myself and thinking that this is going to work and that I'm good.

And I had these things to say and I, you know, relevant and not getting any positive feedback.

I mean, I certainly had people that said, look, I'm going to be honest with you, you should just move back to Texas and get your job.

And I got not exactly what I wanted to hear.

Thank you very much.

And then go to the next place.

And during that time, when you're getting all this rejection, who personally was lifting you up?

Who was on your side going, you know, you can do this, we believe in you.

Well, my wife was.

Well, that's good.

Yeah, she she was there.

And but by and large, what kind of kept me afloat was when I would go back to Texas and.

And when I would when I'd be when I'd have to stand in line in Nashville to draw a number to see if I could play for free on an open mic night.

Right.

I could go back to Texas and I'd have 300 people in the Cactus Cafe at the University of Texas Cap campus, you know, come see me and pay.

Right.

So that was always, you know, shot in the arm.

That would get me to go back up there and say, I can do this for a few more weeks, you know?

And I did.

And that sense of spirit hasn't left Robert, since he may never have been a good fit for the glossy music industry in Nashville.

But throughout his journey, he's managed to stay true to himself and his music playing by his own rules.

He's cemented his role as a pillar of Texas country music, paving the way for generations of future songwriters who make their living on the road.

Thank God she is this way.

And the road truly is Robert's home.

Even now, he spends almost 200 days a year touring the country.

It's safe to say that the decade's worth of traveling has left Robert in no short supply of lyrical fodder or great story lines outside.

In one of your concerts, you actually told the story, which I hope you'll tell me about the back story behind the car that was on fire on your album Picnic, right?

Willie Nelson's the 4th of July Picnic.

It was like it was his second annual picnic.

The first one was kind of a smaller affair, and it was right outside of Austin, Texas.

And the second one was at this big race car.

It would be today, it'd be a NASCAR track, and it was a three day affair.

So this girl I knew wanted to go.

And I said, you know, yeah, sure, whatever.

I knew I didn't know about the festival, but I knew about the girl.

And so we got in my car and drove up there and got there early and parked and got all our stuff and our little little Styrofoam cooler and things and sat with a bunch of people.

And some of them were actually totally naked, you know, It's like, Wow, I am like, you know, I didn't have to go to San Francisco to have this experience.

And I'm here with these naked people and they're like, you know, we're doing the whole Willie thing, you know, And they're having tequila shots and and drinking, you know, watermelon.

You ever had it like vodka and watermelon.

It's really yeah, You fill a watermelon with vodka, right?

So we're eating this watermelon, you know, and having this whole Willie Nelson experience and there's this clouds of smoke coming over and and I finally, like, I wouldn't say it passed out.

I would say I just needed a nap.

So I took a nap in this big field and I woke up to somebody else besides music on the on the stage going.

We had a minor fire in the parking lot and people all around me were pointing this huge billowing cloud of black smoke behind the stage.

And I was going, Wow, that's weird.

And and they said, and and we have and we've had a few cars burned.

There's there's been several cars have burned up.

And we're we have some license plate numbers.

The first winner is our HP 997.

And I said, that's my car, man.

And somebody said, What?

And I said, That's my car, man.

And everybody around me, what I would, you know, And they passed me some more watermelon and I take a big chunk of watermelon and then I think, oh my God, my car burned up.

So I jump out and run through the crowd and get through the tunnel and go out in the parking lot.

And there it is.

There's my car I'm talking about Just nothing like it just all went from a car to being a stagecoach.

You know, a black stagecoach is nothing.

Just no tires, no nothing.

And really, about that time, it all sunk in.

Then I was just totally bones up, you know, I was without luck at all.

And I sat down in the burnt grass and I was kind of sitting there and I was just about to start to cry.

And the girl that I brought comes up and says, Hey, that's really cool.

And she starts laughing and I go, What are you laughing about?

And she goes, It's just funny.

I said, Well, we don't have a ride.

She goes, I have a ride.

And I'm like, Man.

And there's these two naked guys that were like, with us, you know?

And she's like, skips off, you know, like, sorry, on 30 Rock or something.

Skips off, you know, back into the festival and I lost her and I'm sitting there and I lost my car.

Lost your car, lost your baby.

Girl, everything.

And then somebody from the festival felt sorry for me and said, the least you could do is have you meet Willie.

And I said, okay, I'll meet Willie.

So they took me backstage and Willie comes out of one of those little trailers and they said, Oh, this is the young man that had his car burned up.

And they said, Oh, sorry, you know?

And I said, Yeah, because, well, I got to go jam with Leon Russell.

And I said, okay, peace, Willie, it's cool.

And I went back and I just kind of stumbled around and I had to hitchhike back home.

Jay Robert's life may have calmed down a bit since the days of attending picnics with the likes of Willie Nelson.

Now he's made his home with his family in a sleepy little town called Kerrville, Texas.

And Robert maintains that one of his greatest successes has been achieving a balance between his rigorous career and his home life.

Still, like the old outlaw in Paint, the town beige, he's unable to completely let go of those wild days past zero.

Whatever.

And the party never.

For Robert, it seems the road truly does go on forever and will always call him back home.

And as long as it does, audiences will be there to sing along.

Hang around town.

And you still play the honky tonk?

Yeah.

What do you prefer, the smaller venues or the big crowds?

You know, they have their they have they both have their really positive points.

You know, the honky tonk things.

You can kind of be loose and fun and play to the crowd, really.

But it there's a certain amount of restriction about what you can do.

And then like if you're playing to a you know, like a big festival and, you know, 10,000 people or something, man, it's just all about turning it up and putting as much effort out there as you possibly can.

And when that works, it's outstanding.

Well, if there are two things said about you that can be repeated on PBS, it is that you are a man of known for his lyrics and that you are one of the best stage performers out there.

And that's why you've done, what, six live albums?

Yes, I think so.

I mean, does that what does what's the energy that goes into doing a live album versus something in the studio.

Of pure fear?

You know, you just it just got you know, it's probably like live television or something.

It's like you got to step out here and hope that it all works and you know that there's going to be some speed bumps when you're out there doing it and can handle it.

And I don't know, I kind of get off on that.

I kind of really enjoy that that rush and that fear at the same time.

So are you working on your next album already or do you give yourself a break?

No, I'm giving myself a break.

Well, you know, while I'm talking here, I'm writing songs and stuff.

But but other than that.

I'm sure if one comes out of that one girl, I'll know it's a settlement.

Right, right, right.

Yes.

Here I am.

We could do a video at the same time.

It'd be great.

Well, we'd.

Love for you to do is almost like a music video.

Would you?

Would you?

And you know, this whole interview with maybe a song.

I mean, like, sing a song?

Yeah.

Like what song?

I Let's you without a guitar.

Yeah.

You know, like a cappella.

Like the road goes on for ever.

If you want me to do that.

Sure, sure.

It was a way to sit down with John Talent.

She had a reputation as a girl.

I've been around that I made at midnight.

Brand new bag of cigs.

The first one hanging from her lips, a beer between her legs.

She'd ride down to the river.

Meanwhile, friends, the road goes on forever and part and he never ends.

How's that?

That inspired me to get my country on.

There you go.

Fantastic.

Robert Earl Keen.

With the sexy country band.

It's been a pleasure.

Thank you.

Pleasure.

Hey, when you come back, I'll make sure that we book you at my kids elementary school.

Okay?

Yeah, that's a deal.