By Mark Kneubuhl
Special to LIVE!
August 24, 2007

“Four” seems to be the magic number for country music fans in San Angelo. After three Drew Kennedy no-shows at Blaine’s Pub (10 W. Harris St., San Angelo, Texas) in as many months, the up-and-coming singer/songwriter finally got on his horse and galloped from his home in New Braunfels to San Angelo’s West Harris Street watering hole where he was met by an enthusiastic Thursday night crowd.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Kennedy told San Angelo LIVE! “That was when I changed my booking agency and there was a little confusion to say the least. But those bugs have since been worked out and I'm just glad to be back in San Angelo.”

Although the Virginia native had missed three San Angelo shows, he has still played at the pub many times in the past, before even the oldest of Blaine’s employees started working there.

“I started playing here about three years ago when Blaine himself owned the club. He was a great guy. He told me once that anyone that’s going places musically will eventually play here; either on the way up or on the way down,” Kennedy said of the former club owner.

“I have such good history here at Blaine’s that I actually dedicated my latest record to him. He was the first club owner that said to me ‘anytime you need to play, just give me a call, come on down and I’ll pay you good money.’ He’s been a fantastic friend ever since. One of the best guys I’ve ever met in my life.”

And it’s definitely “on the way up” for Drew Kennedy. His latest CD, Dollar Theater Movie, spent two weeks on the Americana Music Association Chart at number 27. During that time, Ryan Adams’ album was number 26. Two singles off the album, “Take Me Home” and “Good Things” have tag-teamed all summer on the Texas music chart, the later presently at #25, up from #30 last week.

We caught up with Drew when he was in San Angelo on August 23, 2007, between sets on Thursday night where he shared with us a few other thoughts and inside stories:

LIVE!: Everyone knows you are a Virginia native. Why the move to Texas?

Kennedy: Pretty much for the same reason a lot of musicians come to Texas. On the east coast, there are only about two or three venues in each state for my kind of music. It’s very difficult, unless you’re real big, to play all the time. Texas has such a great live music scene, you can play as many shows as you can handle. I’ve known guys like Randy Rogers for example, who is a good friend of mine, who played about 300 shows in 2005. I don’t know how he did it… but he did!

LIVE!: What about you?

Kennedy: I did about 200 shows last year but I’ll probably end up doing about 230 shows this year and I wouldn’t mind doing more… I’m the king of late-night drives.

LIVE!: Is your first album, Hillbilly Pilgrim, still in circulation?

Kennedy: I produced and sold only a thousand copies of that CD and that was it. You can now download some of the songs on iTunes, but the disk isn’t in circulation. I did that in 2003 before I moved to Texas and I think it was a good snapshot of where I was then, but I haven’t re-done any of those songs. Everything on the new album is about today. As a songwriter you’ve got to move on.

LIVE!: Speaking of songwriting, what comes first for you, the music or the lyrics?

Kennedy: Both at the same time. Once I start writing a song, I don’t stop. It usually takes me about eight hours and that’s it. I don’t re-visit it either, except for some minor polish.

LIVE!: Are you the kind of guy that’s driving down the road to the nearest Town & Country to buy a corndog or something, and suddenly a song idea hits you and you have to pull over and write it down?

Kennedy: Yes, actually! Sometimes it dangerous, driving down Interstate 35 with all those crazy truckers and I’m steering with one hand and writing with the other.

LIVE!: Where does the inspiration come from?

Kennedy: There’s a lot of material in just coming to small towns and talking to people. Some friends I have who are great song writers also have some big personal problems, like marital problems or addictions. Consequently, they have a lot of material for songs which come from their own personal experience. But for me, I get my material by talking to others. I’m glad I don’t have to have cocaine addition or something to write a great song. I kind of eavesdrop and observe other people’s drama to get my material. I find it better than rehab!

LIVE!: Do you find it difficult balancing a marriage and a road career?

Kennedy: The way I see it is that I am completely blessed to be married to a woman that allows this. My wife is a teacher and this here is my workplace… it’s a blast but she’s supportive and I just couldn’t speak more highly of my wife.

LIVE!: How do you like playing in San Angelo?

Kennedy: It’s comfortable. I can play covers here and I see people singing along… This place is just like a loud living room. I love playing here.

Drew Kennedy presently resides in New Braunfels with his wife, Holly and three dogs and tries to play golf at least twice a month with good friend Josh Grider.