Tail Gate Cuisine: How Chef Rusty Hamlin from the Zac Brown Band does it.

Smack dab in the middle of the Summertime touring season and that means...TAILGATE! Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney are both out and about, playing stadiums and amphitheatres across the country through August. Plenty of time for you to get your parking lot party ready, and - in addition to the proper decorations and accoutrements (got to make sure that tiki bar feng shui is working) - that means food and drink. Sure, some Brats on the grill and a cooler full of Landsharks count as food and drink. But, if you really want to impress the temporary neighbors, you've gotta up your game. So, here are some recipes to add a little zing to your fling, some get up to your set up, some...you get the idea. The first one comes from a man that knows his way around a mobile grill, Chef Richard "Rusty" Hamlin - an old friend from my bar and restaurant days, touring chef for the Zac Brown Band, and the food wizard behind the now famous pre-show "Eat and Greets". Rusty currently lives in the Atlanta area, but his roots are in Louisiana, where he graduated from the Culinary Arts Institute of Louisiana, and got his first kitchen training on the Belle of Baton Rouge river boat casino. Mixing Cajun food with a southern flair, Rusty is known for meticulously grilled pork and beef tenderloin, slathered in Zac Brown's own sauces and rubs. Here, "Chef Rusty" offers up an easy appetizer that will definitely make the people parked on either side of you stand up and take notice...

CUCUMBER BRUCHETTA w/ Grilled Shrimp & Crab Salad (serves up to 24)

3 Seedless Cucumbers (2½ cut on a bias into ¼ inch thick rounds, ½ cucumber tiny dice)
 

½ Red Bell Pepper (tiny dice)

½ Green Bell Pepper (tiny dice)

2 Bulbs Shallots (tiny dice)

½ Head Garlic (tiny dice)

1 Lemon (juiced)

1 Lime (juiced)

1/8 cup Cilantro (minced)

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 firm Avocado (seed and skin removed, tiny dice)

1 Tsp Salt

½ Tsp Pepper

1 Tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce

½ lb Shrimp

¼ lb Lump Crab Meat (blue/local)

¼ oz chives (rough chop, for garnish)

Skewer, salt, pepper and oil shrimp. Grill over med-high heat. Remove and set aside to cool.

Sift through crab meat to find any remaining shell.

Once shrimp has cooled, cut into tiny pieces and shred crab meat.

Add shrimp, crab, and all remaining ingredients (except for the cucumber rounds and chives) in a mixing bowl and mix. Add a spoonful of mixture to each cucumber round, and garnish with the chives. Chill slightly before serving.

http://chefrusty.com/

The next two recipes come from the "Eddie Ray's and BR's Food Club" group on Facebook

Brats and Drunken Pepper Sandwich 

Servings 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 0:15
submitted by:qgriffith

1 package Bratwursts

1 whole Yellow bell pepper

1 whole Red bell pepper

1 whole Red onion

4 cloves Minced Garlic

1 package Hoogie buns

1 tablespoon Olive oil

1 teaspoon Butter
1 tablespoon Red chili flakes

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon Black pepper

1/2 cup Flavorful Beer

4 tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard

Directions
1.Slice the peppers and onions into thin strips
2.Grill the brats on the grill or a grill pan
3.While the brats are grilling, in a sauce pan add the onions, peppers olive oil, butter and garlic cook over medium low heat.
4.In about 3 minutes pour in the beer and season with the red chili flakes, kosher salt, and pepper.
5.Let the pepper mixture simmer and reduce.
6.Set the brats aside when they are finished cooking
7.Split and Toast the hoogie buns
8.Assemble the sandwich by putting the mustard on the bun, with the brat, and then add some of the peppers.

BR’s Blackberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
• 3 cups ketchup
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup water
• 1 can chipotle chilies (smoked jalapenos), chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup - yellow mustard
• 2 cups blackberries
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 cup Thick & Chunky Salsa

Puree Blackberries, onions and chipotle peppers. Add all ingredients together in a pan and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and it is ready… Great Flavor with a little kick.

Here's one for a kick yer butt boat drink, from my brother in law - Dr. Tom Bulle - an avid sailor and regular visitor to the BVI.

Rum Punch
Makes just over 5 gallons - enough for @ 50 12 oz drinks. When you want to make alot of new friends...

1 1/2 Gallons Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 Gallons Orange Juice
3/4 Gallon Sweetened Lime Juice (8 small bottles)
3/4 Gallon Dark Rum
3/4 Gallon Myers rum
1 bottle Grenadine

Here's one for a traditional New Orleans Sandwich you can make in advance - when you don't feel like grilling but still want something more than just a boring hoagie...

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Muffaletta Ingredients For Olive Salad: 1 Cup Each Pitted Green and Black Olives, Coarsely Chopped 1 Tbsp Tiny Capers 1/3 Cup Diced (1/4 inch) Roasted Bell Pepper 1/4 Cup Diced (1/4 inch) Celery, with leaves 2 Tbsp Chopped, flat-leaf Parsley 2 Teaspoon Finely Minced Garlic 2 Tbsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper To Taste For Sandwich 1 Round Peasant Bread (about 7 inches in diameter, 5 inches high) halved crosswise, insides pulled out. 4 Oz Each Thinly Sliced Genoa Salami and Mortadella      4 Oz Thinly Sliced Provolone Cheese   Prepare the Olive Salad ahead of time: Combine all the ingredients and set aside in the refrigerator for 4 hours or longer.  Assemble the sandwich: Spread half of the Olive Salad on the bottom half of the bread. Layer with salami, provolone and mortadella, then top with the remaining Olive Salad. Cover with the top of the bread, press down and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour. Unwrap, cut into 6 wedges using a serrated knife, then wrap them for the road. Be sure to hollow out the bread so the salad can fit inside. TIP: Wrap the sandwiches in wax paper and cut in half ahead of time. Wings and Burgers... Grilled Cilantro Lime Wings           3 lb chicken wings 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup ketchup tomato 2 Tbs Worcestershire 2 Tbs red wine vinegar 1 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Tabasco to taste         1 cup Greek yogurt 1 lime, juice and zest 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro 1 clove of minced garlic The night before: Combine honey, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Add wings; toss to coat well. Refrigerate over night. For Sauce Combine 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 1 lime juiced and zested, 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and 1 clove of minced garlic. Place in refrigerator. At the tailgate: Place wings on a barbecue grill; grill over medium high heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning often and basting with reserved marinade, until wings are cooked. For super saucy wings, reserve or make extra marinade....reduce on low heat on stove top and toss wings again once they are off the grill. Serve with a cilantro lime yogurt sauce. Maui Onion and Pineapple Burgers          1 lb. ground beef 3 tablespoons prepared teriyaki sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper 4 buttered, grilled onion rolls Maui Onion and Pineapple Relish 1 cup diced Maui onion (or substitute red onion) 1 cup finely chopped pineapple 1/4 Cup brown sugar 1/3 Cup white wine vinegar 1/8 Teaspoon salt Add ground beef into a bowl and mix in teriyaki sauce, salt and peppers until throughout. Form 4 patties and place in an airtight container for transport to the tailgate site. To make Maui Onion and Pineapple Relish: Add ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer into an airtight container. Grill burgers on a lightly oiled rack over medium-high heat, 5 minutes on each side for medium burgers. Top with Maui Onion and Pineapple Relish and serve on hamburger buns. Makes 4 servings

Doyle Grisham: Man of Steel

“The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses foot pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal" steel guitar. The instrument is horizontal with the strings face up, and is typically plucked with thumb pick and fingers or (two or three) finger picks. The pedal steel is one of the most recognizable and characteristic instruments of American country music.” - Wikipedia

If you’re a fan of Jimmy Buffett, chances are you know the name Doyle Grisham. The Pedal Steel player has been appearing on Jimmy’s albums for twenty years, touring with him as a member of the Coral Reefer Band for more than half that time. But Doyle’s story – and his impressive resume – goes back much further than that.

Growing up in Troy, Texas in the early 1950’s, Doyle Grisham listened to a lot of country music; Jim Reeves, George Jones, Ray Price – artists he heard on the radio, from famous places like the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. At age 9, Doyle told his parents he didn't want to just hear it - he wanted to play it, and persisted until they agreed to get him a guitar and lessons. He learned quickly, started playing at church and social events and, before long, was being asked by local bands to sit in with them. By the age of 15, Doyle was making a living playing guitar five to six nights a week in the local dance halls and beer joints frequented by soldiers from nearby Ft. Hood, while still going to school and keeping up good grades. “I had to keep up my grades or my parents wouldn't have let me play,” says Doyle, “They would have pulled me out of there quick! Plus, it wasn’t like today. Most places in that area didn’t stay open that late. I could go out and play a gig with a band and be back home around midnight.”

By the early 1960’s, Grisham was 21, living in Dallas and playing music full time, including the “Big D Jamboree”, the local version of the Opry and Louisiana Hayride, and travelling to gigs as far away as Wyoming. He says he learned about life on the road, and a lot about life. “I was the youngest guy in the band – which is funny because now, with Jimmy, I’m the oldest! The older guys in the group constantly picked on me – especially if there was a pretty girl around. We had a good time.” But, it wasn’t all fun and games. He also says life on the road could be tough. “Sometimes we would play a show, and then have to drive 400-500 miles to the next town, 5-6 guys packed into one car, pulling a trailer with our gear. You could see people would get into things like pills, just to keep you awake while you drove. Thankfully, I never fell into it, but I understood why they did it.”

Playing country music, along with Polkas and local favorites like the Mexican Hat Dance, was how he cut his teeth, but soon the bands Doyle was playing with were also getting requests for more rock and roll – Elvis and Chuck Berry. “I started seeing more and more guys playing guitar,” explains Grisham. “I was good, but I could see I was just going to be one of many if I stayed with the guitar. I had already been playing steel guitar licks on my electric, and I liked the sound. So, I went out and got myself a pedal steel, started practicing whenever I could. I decided that’s the direction I wanted to go. It was partly out of necessity – I knew I’d get more work.”

Something else was taking place in the early 60’s, the Vietnam War - and The Draft. Like most men his age, Doyle was called to serve. “I joined the Naval Reserves in 1964 and was told I’d have a year to train and drill before being sent on Active Duty. Before that happened, I was offered the chance to attend 'Code' school. I figured that would guarantee me shore duty, so I took it. I was sent out to California and they started teaching me to send and receive secret messages. Next thing I know, I’m being yanked out of the class. Turns out the Navy hadn’t completed all of my background checks and I didn’t have the proper clearance to be there! They kept me there for a couple weeks doing odd jobs then sent me back to my Reserve unit in Dallas.” 

He was home, but given that his expected assignment with the Naval Reserves was just around the corner, Doyle found that no one would hire him full time for their band. That is, until he got a call from veteran West Texas guitarist Billy Thompson, asking if he would come up to Kansas to play with their band. Doyle jumped at the chance and was glad he did. Doyle explains: “I was happy to have a gig. But, even more than just the paycheck, I got to meet Roy Drusky, who was on the same bill. Roy was a well-known Grand Ole Opry artist who had some big hits at the time and, as it turned out, his pedal steel player was quitting. He offered me the job and the next night I was in Houston playing in front of 20,000 people!” Grisham continued playing with Drusky for the next year, following him to Nashville in 1966 to play at the Grand Ole Opry. “I moved to Nashville really without asking anyone if I could. I just told the people at my Reserve Unit in Dallas to forward my paperwork and went!”  It was almost a year before that paperwork caught up with the pedal steel player in Music City. “I think I kind of got lost in the shuffle,” Grisham laughs.  He shipped out to Maine in 1967 and it was there that he first met the woman he would eventually marry, then 13 year old Debbie. “She was the niece of a friend. We used to go to their house on Saturday nights to eat dinner and play music. She was just a kid, so I didn’t pay much attention to her. It wasn’t until she came to Nashville years later to record that we got together.” (For the full story, see my interview with Deb Grisham elsewhere on Beaches, Bands & Bars).

He remained in Maine for about a year and a half, before getting an early release due to the de-escalation of the war and moving back to Nashville. Though he was pretty well known when he left for New England, Doyle found he had to re-establish himself when he got back to Music City. He joined a band - touring and doing studio work - before getting hired by Grand Ole Opry long-timers Tompall and the Glaser Brothers around 1971. One day, Grisham and the Glaser Brothers were in the studio recording a new tune, written by a young Nashville songwriter he had never heard of. “He came by the recording session and we started talking. He told me he was getting ready to sign a recording contract with ABC Dunhill Records and said he wanted me to play on his next record.” The song the Glaser Brothers recorded that day was called ‘Tin Cup Chalice’ and the young Nashville songwriter inviting Doyle to his future recording session was..... Jimmy Buffett.  A few months later, Buffett was back in the Glaser’s studio to record “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean” and Doyle - along with Fingers Taylor and Michael Utley - was there with him as part of the newly dubbed "Coral Reefer Band".


And the rest, as they say, is history?

“Yeah, I guess so! I played on that album, as well as the next ones produced by Don Gant – ‘Living and Dying in ¾ Time’, ‘A1A’, and ‘Havana Daydreaming’.  By the Margaritaville album (‘Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes’) Jimmy switched to a different producer, who brought in his own guys. After that, other than occasional parts on certain songs, I didn’t do much more recording with Jimmy until “Beach House’ in 1999. That’s when he also offered me the chance to go on tour, and I’ve been out with him ever since.”


What is a typical day on a Buffett tour?

“On show days, we have a pretty set routine. If I’m in town the night before, I like to get out and have breakfast, maybe go to a mall, see some of the town.  The band all gets back together at the hotel and we’ll leave for the venue about 2:30, get there around 3 or 3:30. We’ll have a little time in the dressing rooms, then Jimmy always likes to sound check at 4.


Do you always play the same things at sound check?

“Not always.  We usually do the opening song because it will feature everyone in the band and it gives the sound people out front a chance to set all the microphones. From there, it just depends on what Jimmy thinks we need to go over, just in case there is a particular song he wants to do that we haven't played in a while."



How long does that last?

“About an hour. Then, it’s time for our meet and greets. At around 5:00, we’ll go out to the Margaritaville ‘Shrimp Bus’ and sign autographs…We’ll do that for about a half hour, then go to wherever the local Parrot Head Club is set up and sign some more.”


The Whole Coral Reefer Band?

“Usually, it’s Nadirah, Jim and Peter (Mayer), Mike Utley and me”.


After that?

“The next couple hours we’re on our own pretty much. Usually, we go back to the dressing rooms, have some dinner, relax before the show. If we have friends in town, we’ll meet up with them.  We do the show and, when it’s over, we’ll either go back to the hotel or, sometimes, to the airport to fly out for the next date. Jimmy also likes to use a hub when we can.”


A “hub”?

“Sometimes, if we’re going to be out on tour for several weeks, we’ll get a hotel in one city in the area, like Chicago. We’ll go back to that same hotel after each show."


What is it like touring with Jimmy?

“I like everything about working with Jimmy – the music, the schedule. He is one of the most intuitive and thorough artists I’ve ever worked with. People don’t realize how much work he puts into each tour, starting with rehearsals in April.  He starts with a theme, puts together a set list with extra songs that he might want to do for certain shows. Then, as the tour goes on, he is constantly updating shows, going over set lists, taking out songs he doesn’t feel are going over well, adding things. Even on days off we’ll get set lists and emails. I have never seen anyone else like him."


In addition to Jimmy and some of the others I’ve already mentioned, you have also recorded with artists from Kenny Rogers to Dr. Hook. Who are some of your favorites?

“ I got to meet a lot of people that I idolized when we were doing the Randy Travis 'Heroes and Friends' recording sessions. Randy was doing duets with people like George Jones, Chet Atkins & Dolly Parton, Vern Gosdin, and a lot of artists that I have admired over the years.  Also, I toured off and on for over 20 years, even when I was doing studio work, with Lynn Anderson. I got to play some of the big casinos in Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe with her."



You have been in Nashville now for over 40 years. I bet you have seen a lot of changes.

“Well, the city has certainly grown – from a small little town to over a million people. And the downtown area went through a period in the 70’s where it went to heck. Then there was an urban renewal in the 80’s, cleaned up quite a bit. But, the biggest change has been musically. It went from traditional country to what you hear on the radio now.”


Do you like the music being recorded in Nashville now?

“Personally, I prefer traditional country. Like, if Debbie and I are driving somewhere, we’ll have old country in the cd player. But I also stay up on new stuff. When you’re a musician and listen to a song, you look at it from a different perspective. If you’re playing on a song, even if you don’t like it, you still mold yourself in to it. And if I’m recording someone in the studio, I would produce it the way it needs to sound NOW, not the way I would like it myself. So, whether I'm playing on or producing a song, I always try to give my best. It doesn’t matter whether I like it or not.”


Speaking of new stuff, you have to be one of the most sought after “guests” on Trop Rock records. How do you work that into your busy schedule?

“Sometimes the artist will come to Nashville, other times I will go to where ever they are recording. It depends on their budget. With technology these days, they can also send me a track. I’ll lay down my part and send it back. The only difference is that, when it’s on someone else’s bill, like they have a studio booked, I’ll work as quickly as I can. When they send me the track, I have more time to work on it, can take my time, but then they can’t ‘produce’ it. They have to trust my experience.”


How do you pick what records to play on?

I don’t turn down anything. I’m a studio musician, it’s my job. Plus, being too picky limits your creativity, I think. If people want to hire me, I’ll play on their record.”


Do you still play out in Nashville?

“I do. When I’m home, I’ll play weekend things. I don’t even care how it pays. As long as I like what I’m playing.”

Any new recordings?

"I'm working on a new cd right now. I hope to have it out in the next month or so. I keep thinking I need to add more to it, but I know I need to let it go! It will have about 12-13 songs on it, songs I like from bands like Journey, The Eagles, Beatles, Gary Puckett, Buddy Holly... It's mostly instrumental, but Debbie sings on one song.


Where do you see Jimmy – where do you see yourself – in five to ten years?

“Jimmy hasn’t given any indication of slowing down. I can see him playing another ten years – but it could only be three or four.  It’s up to him. I’m sure he’ll let us know! As for me, as long as I’m physically able, I’m healthy, I’ll be playing. And as long as Jimmy wants to go, I’ll be there.”

 http://doylegrisham.com/

Debbie Grisham: It all started with Spaghetti.

It was 1966, in the small town of Brunswick, Maine. As images of the Vietnam War flickered across the tv screen and protests raged on college campuses across the country, friends and family would gather at the Alexander home for a spaghetti dinner. But, the focal point of the evening wasn't the pasta. It was the after dinner entertainment. As soon as the dishes were cleared, any one in attendance who could play an instrument would break it out, and the rest of the guests would sing along. It happened every Saturday night and, on more than one occasion, among the musicians in attendance that year was a 21 year old pedal steel player from Nashville named Doyle Grisham, on active duty with the Navy and stationed at the nearby base. "I come from a musical family. My parents sang, I played guitar a little - and sang. We looked forward to those 'Spaghetti Feeds' in our home," says then thirteen year old Debbie. "My uncle had a band at the time and Doyle was in it, so he would come by some times and sit in. I had a big crush on him, but he barely even noticed me."

Forty plus years later, Parrot Heads will recognize Doyle Grisham as a long-time member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band... And the young teenager in puppy love with the steel playing sailor back in 1966? She is now Debbie Grisham - wife of Doyle - and head of Deb Grisham Entertainment, the Nashville based artist management and booking group that includes among their clients Nadirah Shakoor, and top trop rock artists John Frinzi and John Patti.

I'll let Debbie take it from here...

"When Doyle finished his active duty in Maine, he moved back to Nashville. In the meanwhile, I got married, kept singing and playing guitar - for fun, mostly, although, my husband at the time kept saying I should do it professionally. One day, a drummer with a local band - Ralph Lashua and the Four Coachmen - walked into the place where my husband worked and told him they were looking for a female singer. I auditioned and got the job. I wound up singing with them for the next ten years!"

 

So, how did you and Doyle reconnect?

"Around 1979, Doyle came back up to Maine, to visit my uncle. He heard me sing and, between the two of them, they convinced me I should go to Nashville to record some songs. The next year, I went down and recorded an album ("I'm My Own Woman" on Doyle's label). We finished the whole thing in two weeks, then I went back home to Maine. By 1983, I was ready for a change and moved full time to Nashville. I started working with Doyle, singing back up in the studio and doing demos for songwriters. I also recorded two more albums between 1983-1986. I had gotten divorced by then, Doyle asked me to marry him - and here we are!"    

Sounds like you had a nice singing career going. What made you get into managing bands?

"I liked singing - I still do it now, whenever the opportunity comes up. But, by around 2004 I had decided that after almost twenty years and three albums, I wasn't going to be a big star making music. I figured my best contribution would be helping others with their careers. One day, I met Kevin Max of the Christian Rock band DC Talk. I knew alot of people in Nashville by then, so started helping him get gigs. And it grew from there."

How did you start working with Nadirah?

 "I knew Nadirah, of course, through Doyle. We were down at Meeting of the Minds one year - 'Nod To The Story Teller' had just come out. I asked her, 'Who is booking you?' She said, 'nobody' and I immediately said, "I'd love to work with you!' By January of the next year, I had her first booking."

And you built your roster from there?

"Yes. It wasn't long before I had other artists come to me and ask if I could work with them, too. The funniest thing was that, after I started working with and getting gigs for people like John Patti and John Frinzi, Doyle and I were sitting together one day when suddenly he asked, 'How come you don't book me?' It hadn't dawned on me!"

So, what is a typical day for you?

"If I'm not on the road, with Doyle on a Buffett tour or with one of my artists, you will generally find me in my home office on the phone and computer. If I'm not contacting venues to try to get my artists gigs, then I'm following up on dates we have already set up - sending out contracts and riders, doing press releases, working on social media to get the word out. I spend about fifteen to eighteen hours a day doing that. I also pitch songs to record labels in Nashville"

I want to get back to that, but first - how do you find the venues for your artists to play?

"I have built up a full list of clubs over the years. Alot of it is repeat business, places we have played before. But, new places open all the time. And, often, I will have an artist tell me they have heard of a place that might be good. In those cases, I will do some research, contact whoever is in charge of booking and we go from there. Some times it's a phone call, sometimes an email. It depends on the club."

Now, tell me more about pitching songs...  

"Through connections I have made over the years, people like Jim Glaser, I have been able to get on the 'approved list' at the major labels in Nashville. That means I have permission to pitch songs to their A&R people or producers. First, I find out which artists are looking for new material - I get a thing called a 'pitch sheet' - and then take them songs from music publishing companies that hire me, as well as the artists I work with, when it fits. It used to be that you would go by and play the songs for the folks at the labels. These days, they mostly want you to drop off a cd or send the song via MP3. But, without that previous permission, I'd never get through the door." 

Let's talk about some of the artists you work with... We already talked a little about Nadirah...

"As I said, that started at Meeting of the Minds and our relationship has grown from there. I work with her solo and with her band, Outside Art. I really love her sweet spirit. She's giving, respectful, kind - very easy to work with. Just a good person. And the fact that she's one hell of a talent doesn't hurt anything!"

How about John Frinzi and John Patti?

"John Frinzi started hiring Doyle to play on his records in the early 2000's, and he also came up and recorded in our studio. So, I knew him but hadn't started working with artists then. One day, a few years later, at Meeting of the Minds we got to talking about booking him. The same thing with John Patti, it was at MOTM in 2008, he asked me if I'd be interested and I said 'yes'. Seems like alot of things happen in Key West!"

What about Jim Mayer?  

"I have been working with Jim - 'Uncle Jim' - on his kids' shows, getting out his anti-bullying message, which I think is great. I call schools all over the coungtry, talk to Principals and Superintendents. We're just getting started with that, have done maybe a dozen shows in the last six months."

And Coral Reefer Soul?

"That's also something new. Nadirah came up with the idea of doing some shows with members of the Coral Reefer Band, around Jimmy's tour dates. We did one in Las Vegas with Nadirah, Mac, Robert and Ralph. It went so well, we said, 'why don't we try to do these before EVERY show?' So, we are. The line up will depend on who is available - in Atlanta it's Nadirah, Peter and Ilo Ferreira. We have another big show booked on June 24 in Wisconsin. Doyle, Nadirah, Mike Utley - along with John Patti, and JD Spradlin from Radio Margaritaville as the host!""

I haven't forgotten about your husband, Doyle, who you also work with. But, I have a whole interview with him to post here soon, so I'll leave that for another time. How do you choose who to work with?

 "I do alot based on instinct. I have to be passionate about the artist, really believe in them."

Do you have any plans to add to your roster any time soon?

"I don't feel I could right now, no. There are a hundred very talented people out there, but I want to be able to give the people I'm working with my FULL attention. If I had too many people, I couldn't do that."

For more on Debbie and the artists she represents, check out her website at:

http://www.debgrishamentertainment.com/index.php

Brent Burns: From Ahab The Arab to Going Ugly Early.

 

"You've got to have some folks that hate your songs for them to be funny. Those are the people I'm writing about!" That's singer/songwriter Brent Burns talking about the biting humor in much of his material in general, in particular his ode to temporary transplants from up North, "If It's Snowbird Season, Why Don't We Shoot 'Em?" "I live in a town that gets a lot of Snowbirds and I love 'em. They support me, I play golf with them...But I hear all the time, 'I LOVE your stuff, but I've got a buddy...'  So, I know the song is hitting it's target!" 

Burn's traces his comedic songwriting skills back to hearing Ray Stevens' "Ahab The Arab" in the sixth grade. "It made everybody in the class laugh! I was hooked." Many years later, Stevens' influence can still be heard on much of the Trop Rocker's stuff, with titles like "Double Wide In The Sky", "Nurse Rambo", "Big Boat, Little Johnson" and "I Think I'm Going Blonde". "Ray has always been a hero of mine. I was thrilled when I got to record with him (for a track on Burns' 2008 cd, "Beach In My Backyard"). I called Brent at his home in Gulf Shores, Alabama and asked him - among many other things - about writing songs...

You're probably best known for writing some very funny songs...

"Comedy is one of my strong suits, I have embraced it. I like to make people laugh".

But, they often have a point - you have to LISTEN to the lyrics to get it. Like in "Going Ugly Early Tonight" (from the cd, 'Tropical Nuts'). The whole song is a set up for the punch line at the end. If you're not listening, you could miss the whole joke. How does that work in a bar environment, where people might not be paying as much attention?

"Yeah, bars can be tough. I'm a storyteller and, sometimes, the stories don't go over as well if people are just casually listening. With 'Going Ugly' women will shoot darts at me with their eyes during the verses. But, then, if they've been paying attention, they get a big kick out of it at the end" (If you have heard the song, you know what the twist is. If you haven't heard it yet, I won't spoil it for you - Fred). It's really about the venue. It's another reason why, like a lot of people, I'm trying to do more 'listening venues' and House Concerts. That's where I can give people the background on why I wrote something and they can actually HEAR the songs. I'll still do bars, it's just a different kind of thing."

Does the environment affect what kind of show you do?

"Not really. When I was about 16, I saw the Everly Brothers in concert. This was well after they had their big hits. But, they still put on a GREAT show. They were true entertainers. That was a big influence on me. Also, one of my philosophies is 'You make one friend at a time.' I've done great shows where there were just fifteen people. It's really about being a professional. You're being paid to do a job. I keep playing, keep telling my stories, whether I think people are paying attention or not. It's funny, sometimes I'll think people aren't listening, then they will come up after the show and buy some cds, say 'I loved your stuff! So, I always try to put on a great show no matter what."

Tell me about your songwriting process.

""I'm not a fast writer. I have to work at it. And I can't write on the road, I have to have three or four days off in a row at home. Since 2003, I have been working with Bill Whyte, a comedian, musician, and radio dj in Nashville. We'll talk on the phone and throw ideas back and forth, or he'll come down and we'll write together. I have a songwriting room here in my house, with a piano, a couple of guitars...and a tv for football season! When I'm home and working on a new project, I try to spend at least an hour and a half to two hours each day really concentrating on it. It's tough sometimes - you're sitting there staring at a piece of blank paper and nothing is coming out. Other times the ideas fly out. That's what happened with the first cd.

'Livin' The Life'?

"Yeah. I moved to Nashville and things just weren't working out - this was in the 80's. I had written a few songs, had a couple of Top 40 hits earlier. I was playing bars, doing mostly covers, hadn't written a song in a long time. I just hit a dry spell. There was a moment where I thought I was never going to write again. I decided to move back to the beach in 1991. Then, in 1998, I saw an interview with Jimmy Buffett on (the tv show) 60 Minutes. I wrote the song "Livin' The Life (Jimmy Buffett Only Wrote About)" and that was it. The flood gates opened. Before I knew it, I had a fuIl cd. I followed that with a second cd, Perpetual Vacation in 2000"

Had you met Jimmy?

"I knew his music, had some of his cds, but I wouldn't say I was a big fan. I didn't even know about the whole 'Parrot Head' thing. About the time I was releasing 'Livin' The Life', I got a call about putting my song on a copulation cd - Wow! I meant COMPILATION! Gotta be careful mixing up those two words! (laughs). The cd was called "Thongs In The Key Of Life". On it were people like John Reno, Jim Morris, "Sunny Jim" White; guys that were writing about some of the same things I was. The person who put it together, Jim Hoehn, also told me about this gathering called "Meeting Of The Minds' in Key West. I had never heard of it!"

Was it an automatic connection to the Parrot Head world?

"I was introduced to it after 'Livin' The life', but it wasn't until my third cd, 'Tropical Nuts', in 2003 that I actually went down to Meeting of the Minds. I put a copy of the cd in each goodie bag, so that helped me get alot of exposure. By 'Margarita Smile' in 2005, a lot of the Trop Rock world had discovered me and then, in 2008 I put out 'Ragtops and Flip Flops', which won Trop Rock Album of the Year."

Your 2010 CD, "Beach In My Backyard' has an interesting cover. It's a guy with a Corona, but he definitely doesn't look like he's at the beach - he's got a scarf and gloves on.

"That's my salute to the people I have met and played for in colder climates - places up North. They create their own little tropical world in their homes and backyards, even if it's just with inflatable palm trees. It's me saying 'you can have a beach anywhere, as long as you have the attitude'."

So, do YOU actually have a beach in your backyard?

"Hah! Not anymore! Hurricane Ivan tore up my beach house in 2004. I live about two or three miles from the beach now, which I kind of like. It's close enough to go down there when I have the time, but far enough away to avoid the tourist traffic."

What's a typical "day off" for you?

I don't have many of those right now! Especially in May and June... I did just take eight days off, went to the Czech Republic on vacation..."

The Czech Republic? Doesn't sound very Tropical!

laughs.."Yeah, living at the beach is great, but not necessarily where you want to spend your vacations. You kind of want a break from time to time. It's like living next to Disney World. My son married a Czech girl so we went to see her family. Had a great time, spent a couple days in a small town, a couple days in Prague. Man, they definitely know how to party there! They don't do it often, but when they do... One party we went to, they started bringing out food and booze. Then there was coffee, then another round of food and booze. It started at 1 in the afternoon and went until 2 in the morning." 

What about back in Gulf Shores, what do you do on your days off when you are home?

"I like to read, if I'm in the mood I'll write for a little while, go to the gym. Just relax and wait for Happy Hour!".

Cruise around in that pretty convertible Mustang you have, the one on the cover of 'Ragtops and Flip Flops'?

"That's back in the shop right now! It's been a three and a half year project - a long story that included it being locked in a body shop's garage when they went out of business. I could see it through the window but couldn't get to it! Finally, I found somebody who would let me get in and rescue it. Right now it's just getting some final detailing, then it should finally be done. It's a '66 that I've had for about 16 years. The original color was "Ember Glow" but I had it painted Candy Apple Red after I got into a fender bender."

You mentioned Happy Hour. Where are your favorite spots to go?

"Lulu's (owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy) is my anchor. I have been playing Monday nights there for, like, seven years. Also, Doc's Seafood. It's a locals hangout, only about ten seats at the bar. And, if we're going to be hanging out later at night, we usually end up at a place called the Cubano Cigar Bar. It's just a few minutes from our house."

Let's get back to your music. I don't want to give too much away - that's what people go to House Concerts for, to hear about the stories behind the songs...But, I did want to ask you about a few tracks. Let's start with "Cheaper Crude". That got you some interesting airplay!

"A buddy of mine sent that song in to Paul Harvey. Paul liked the song so much he played it THREE TIMES on the air. Most people remember Paul, he has passed on now but he was HUGE at the time. And he NEVER played any music. So, for him to play the song was a major indorsement. From that, we were on the Mike Douglass Show, Hee Haw, got a deal with a label in Nashville...although, the label ended up going bankrupt - with alot of my money - but that's another story..."

That sucks...

"Yeah. They sold 400,000 copies of the record and I didn't see a dime. I learned from it, though. I hang on to my material now. It's better to have some smaller success but own your own stuff than to go for the home run and, maybe, lose everything. The internet has changed things a lot, too, for independent artists. Used to be you needed a label to get your music out. People would hear you play somewhere - or hear your song on the radio - but, if the local record stores didn't carry it, they couldn't buy it. Now, they can go to Amazon, or CD baby, or my website and buy whatever they want. The internet has leveled the playing field considerably."

How about 'Hot Beer, Cold Women'?

"I was sitting around with a friend, Jim Allison - at the time we were both single - and talking about women, how you can score one day and the next it's like you have a huge wart on your forehead. As I like to say, 'sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you'. So, it came from that, a single guy's worst day..."

'Kenny Roger's Face'

I guess I saw Kenny Rogers (the singer, not the pitcher - Fred) somewhere, all the plastic surgery he had. I'll leave it at that. I started thinking about all the things that were no longer the same. I wrote that with Bill Whyte - we were laughing the whole time we were recording it."

'I Married My Stalker'

"That never actually happened to me, although I've had some near misses. I got the idea from a friend named Malcom Bond. He has a real deadpan sense of humor, always complaining about his wife. One day I said something about stalkers and he said, with a straight face, 'I married mine'. Turns out he had been in a rock and roll band, had a girl that used to follow him to shows, turn up back at his hotel room, even if he was there with another woman. I told him I was going to write a song about that and I did, gave him credit for the inspiration on the liner notes of the cd."

That's funny, You never know where inspiration is going to come from.

We have talked about the comedy aspects of your music, but you also do a lot of serious work - playing for the troops and helping charities like Habitat For Humanity...

"You have to give back. I learned that from my parents. There are a lot of people who struggle, I've been blessed. I don't want to get too philosophical, but - call it what you want - I really believe that the more you give out, the more comes back. As I like to say, 'You can't out give God."

For more on Brent, including where he will be performing next, or to order his cds, check out his website http://www.brentburns.com/

http://www.billwhytecomedy.com/index.htm

http://lulusathomeport.com/index-live.php

http://www.docsseafoodshack.com/