Randy Houser Interview
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re bound and determined for you guys to jump on the Randy Houser bandwagon! His new album (released today!!) is wonderful – we really think you’ll love his music! In addition to the music, we wanted you guys to get to know Randy a little bit better, so we took the opportunity to ask him some questions…
CMIL: How does it feel now to be recording your own songs rather than writing for other artists?
RH: Well, it’s awesome. For the most part, I always wrote them for myself unless I wrote them directly for another artist. It’s a cool thing to get to sing my own songs. I get to write for myself now, from this point forward I get to hone in on what I have to say. That’s the coolest thing.
CMIL: What is your top focus – songwriting or performing?
RH: It’s 50/50. I write the songs so I can perform them. To have something to perform I have to write them, something I can be true to. I think they are equally important.
CMIL: Who do you consider to be some of your musical influences and heroes?
RH: Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Randy Travis, Hank Jr., BB King, Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rogers, Delbert McClinton, Bonnie Raitt, I could go on and on.
CMIL: We know that “I’ll Sleep” is a very personal song for you – is it your favorite song on the album? If not, which song is your favorite and why?
RH: Yes, it is my favorite because it is so personal. It’s not my favorite to listen to because it is so hard listen to sometimes, being it is that personal, but it is my favorite on the album.
CMIL: We saw you on the red carpet at the CMA’s – what was it like attending the CMA Awards? What were some of your favorite moments of the evening?
RH: It was overwhelming. It was fun and exciting and just really cool to be a part of. My favorite musical performance, I go with things that are more personal to me. The opening of the show, was my buddy Dallas Davidson’s song, “Start A Band”. To see Brad Paisley and Keith Urban doing that song and look up in the stands to the right and see Dallas standing up with his hands in the air. Anytime one of our buddies has a song on the CMA’s, ACMS, we all celebrate it while it’s going one. We all find each other and have our own little celebration. We just look at each other and give a big thumbs up. That was one, and also getting to see my buddy James Otto perform on his first CMA.
CMIL: We recently wrote about you on our website, and this was a fans reaction who had never heard your music before…
I just wanted you girls to know that I had never heard of Randy Houser – or his music. But I clicked your link, went to his page, read his bio, and was checking out his tunes as I was reading it. I have been praying for some answers to some personal things going on in my life. Well, thanks to God, you girls, and Randy I have now received them! THANK YOU girls, for doing what you do!! I now not only have another favorite artist thanks to you, but I have “peace within”. God Bless, you girls!!
CMIL: As a songwriter and an artist, how do those messages affect you?
RH: It’s the ultimate compliment, the ultimate is to see a reaction. As a songwriter, that’s why we write things, to say things we can’t speak. To have somebody go through something you’ve been through and you get to share it, it’s almost like having a conversation with somebody whose been there. In a way you get to help them go through it and they help you go through it. When you get letters like that, you know that you’re not alone. When they hear it, they feel you’ve gone through it and when they tell me about it, I feel I’ve got a friend in it too.
CMIL: What’s up next for you – what can we expect from Randy Houser? What are your short-term and long-term goals for your career?
RH: Short term, I hope we can get a big ole #1 off this single. Maybe start my first tour. We’ve been on radio tour visiting radio stations for a long time and I look forward to being able to take band out. To play music, which is my first love. Long term, just to be able to play music for a living and do what I love. That’s all that really matters to me, it’s all that ever really has. If there’s other stuff that comes with it, fine, but I just want to be able to pay my bills and do what I love to do. So far I’m lucky enough to do that. If that continues, I’m a happy man
