By Mark Kneubuhl
Special to LIVE!
July 21, 2007

Kyle Park has already accomplished a lot for a young man of 22. At the tender age of 17, he participated in a walk-on performance on the top-rated Sammy and Bob radio show in Austin (KVET-FM). Since then, Kyle's songs have been in rotation on the playlist while the band is considered by many in the business as one that will go places in the competitive Texas Music scene.

The single "Somebody's Trying to Steal My Heart,” off his first CD Big Time, continues to get a large amount of airplay and has become a favorite among Texas Music fans.

Born in Austin and raised in Leander, Park now calls San Marcos his home. “I love it there…I went to school there for a couple of years, and now I have no reason to leave,” he told LIVE! at Blaine’s Pub (10 W. Harris St, San Angelo, Texas) on Friday night.

Kyle Park music is gaining momentum in the Texas music scene, so LIVE! had to find out what it was that’s makes him tick.

LIVE! You are gaining a reputation as quite a songwriter. What are some of the things that inspire you to write?

Park: I don’t think I can narrow it down to one thing or event. I don’t think the stuff I write is Merle Haggard kind of country but don’t get me wrong, I LOVE country, but when I write it’s more of a personal thing and whatever comes out, well, that’s it… that me! It’s all from the heart.

LIVE! What about the song, “Baby I’m Gone?

Park: I wrote most of that song while I was driving in a car. Songs aren’t always about a certain somebody or some thing that has happened to me, it’s more like a feeling. You know, you hear something and say to yourself, ‘I’ve done that a thousand times.’

LIVE! Tell us about your single, “Somebody’s Trying to Steal My Heart?”

Park: Well, it went to #16 or something like that on the Texas chart, but right now, for us, it’s not about the charts, I’m young, the band is young… we just want to get out there and play and get comfortable on the stage.

LIVE! Then tell us about the road?

Park: We do about 10-15 shows a month all over Texas and earlier this year we even got a chance to play at Euro Disney.

LIVE! Where’s that?

Park: In France. It was great, we had a bunch of French Cowboys come out to see us. I enjoyed it a lot. I’m not a city boy or anything but the experience was real interesting. We got to see the Eiffel Tower and all that. Didn’t have to pay either. It was real fun.

LIVE! Any defining moments?

Park: Yea, definitely there was one that is still vivid in my memory. It was about six months ago, we were playing Lubbock and I looked around… I was with a bunch of guys that I really like, we get paid to play music and it just hit me that I could be happy doing this for the rest of my life. I’d even do it if I wasn’t making any money… But don’t get me wrong, we’re not making a tremendous amount of money. I’m not basking in glory here.

LIVE! You did go to France!

Park: Well yea, you’re right. That was fun.

LIVE! Billy Joe Shaver was on your Myspace list of “Friend’s”. Comment?

Park: He probably doesn’t remember me to well, but I sure remember him. We played with him in San Antonio at Forest Country Store one time and he’s just a one-of-a-kind person. So cool, and I mean that in the best of ways. He doesn’t jerk you around…you’ll just never meet anybody like that in your whole life. He’s the man, as they say.

Then this reporter and Kyle moved over to the next table and joined the rest of the band and it was immediately apparent that they did indeed enjoy each other’s company. We asked them individually about their favorite songs and bands, a few jokes were told and so on.

Then, Drummer Will Armstrong turned toward Park and asked, “Hey Kyle, Who is your favorite member of this band?”

An uncomfortable moment of silence ensued until Park finally said, “Okay guys, it’s 10 o’clock… time to rock and roll.”