Kara Clark Interview 2013 - Highwaywoman Radio Show

Solid interview with Kara Clark on the Highwaywoman Radio Show.


Get your copy of the album now


Brigitte London talks with Kara Clark and features cuts from her new self-titled album on her new label, Rusty Knuckles Music. You can order the album here: http://www.rustyknucklesmusic.com/pro...

The Highwaywoman Radio Show is on fb: http://www.facebook.com/highwaywomanr... and is Hosted by Texas artist Brigitte London. http://www.facebook.com/brigittelondon

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Billy Don Burns Feature Radio Interview With Highway Woman Radio

Billy Don Burns album Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer is really starting to take off and get the recognition it deserves. With orders piling up rapidly world wide and feature interviews and reviews coming in, folks are starting to realize how great of an album this is. 

Have a listen to Brigitte London and Billy Don as they talk on the album.

Get your copy today

Billy Don Burns new album - Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer

Billy Don Burns Review On Outlaw Magazine

Billy Don Burns album review on Outlaw Magazine

Link to review in Outlaw Magazine

"There are all kinds of artists, but very few true Song Warriors. What does it take to be a Song Warrior? Well, it ain’t no picnic. It’s a long, hard road. You have to give every bit of yourself to the muse, and live it and breathe it until you’ve squeezed out the last breath of inspiration and gut wrenching soul. After that, you will need to find one more thing to keep you going, one more thing to write about, one more lover to love and one more song to sing. And do it again and again. That is what resonates through Billy Don’s voice and the kind of truth that comes out in his songwriting has to be lived. And no one has lived it the way Billy Don Burns has.

He’s been doing it from the time he showed up at as a youngster in Merle Haggard’s office in Bakersfield, CA and Merle was so taken with him that he put him on television that very day, to the partnership publishing company he formed with Harlan Howard. Then, of course, there was the intense project recording Paycheck in prison, as well as hanging with Willie, Waylon and the boys and you-name-it, traveling across this country on a song and a prayer. Billy Don Burns has lived it and done it all. He’s had his songs cut by many country artists including Connie Smith and Willie Nelson. Through drugs, hardships and music business bullshit, he has not only survived, but every nuance in his voice manages to tell his tales with deep conviction and fluid emotion and his writing continues to be exceptional.  He never once compromised himself, and while no one would dare to come up against him or mess with someone he loves (or suffer the consequences), there is not a truer heart or more loyal comrade in the business. He understands all of it. He is there for the music and for the transcendence music brings.

The thing we loved most about the late, great Hank Williams (besides that voice), was the way he made you feel what he was feeling. He cut right inside of you. That’s the same ingredient that exists in every Billy Don Burns song. Where Hank wails, Billy Don laments and then perseveres.

On Billy Don’s new Rusty Knuckles Records release, Nights When I’m Sober: Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer, the realities of life are harsh but poetic, painful and yet, beautiful. The production by Aaron Rodgers is, well, perfect. Sparse and tasteful arrangements that allow the songs to breathe fully in their full expression. A lot of the lyrical content and vocal delivery in today’s country music is masked by mass instrumentation and vocal cover-ups. Not here. The songs get exactly what they deserve in order to preserve the integrity of feeling and the potency of the lyrics. From kicking it in “That’s Alright,” a honky tonk rouser that shows he keeps his humor amidst life’s troubles, to tearing the heart strings in “When Lonesome Comes Around,” each arrangement accents rather than distracts. And, by the way, “When Lonesome Comes Around” is in the league of “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”  

Yes, it is.

Each song tells a different part of Billy Don’s story. “It Would Kill Mama” was written after a friend asked Billy Don (through a bathroom door) what would his mama would think about  what he was doing in there (drugs). See, Billy Don doesn’t hide anything. Anything. He bares it all and you love him for it. He is one of the most unique and gifted artists walking this planet. I don’t give a shit who is on the charts right now, blah blah blah. If it were a balanced world, then Billy Don would be number one right now. But it is not a balanced world. And today’s music machine is one big mess. You have to take the beauty where you can get it. And beauty lies in the art. True Art is what matters. And True Art is what Billy Don gives you. Listen to “Honky Tonk Singer” and you’ll hear the lonely cry of a worn country heart.  Through this album, he’ll take you on a journey battling the road, through the drugs and the drink… and wrestling with that internal desire that needs the music, searches for truth and longs for deliverance as well as distinction from the sheep that roam this land.

Want to know the Artist’s struggle? “Is He The Writer” will give it you, no holds barred…

He’s hold up one night as usual, alone

he’d been drinkin’ and druggin’ and writing his wrongs

there’s no more to lose, nothing to fear

takes out his knife and cuts off his ear

Poets like Dylan live in his brain

is he a writer or is he insane

he dresses in black and he goes it alone

is the writer or is he a song

He’ll give you some uptempo ass-kickin’ tunes, like “Some Were Born To Ride” and spook you out along “Diablo’s Highway.”  He will start the bleeding in your heart with “Stranger” and take you down that long, lost highway where you’ll have a complete “Heart Breakdown.” Man, what a song. There’s also the fun “Aaron Rodgers and Me” that tells how the producer/musician and Billy Don got together to make this album. Love it. All the tracks are prime example of hardcore country music.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Check it out for yourself and get a copy right HERE. 

I’m honored to call Mr. Billy Don Burns my friend and I am honored to have him as a guest on my radio show. On Friday, July 20th, you can hear my interview with him on Outlaw Magazine’s Audio Special right here on Outlaw Magazine as well as on my radio show (The Highwaywoman Radio Show) all of next week."

There are all kinds of artists, but there is only one Billy Don Burns.

~ Brigitte London

***Billy Don Burns is Outlaw Magazine’s Artist of the Month. 

Brigitte London, otherwise known as The Highwaywoman, is a Singer/Songwriter out of Austin, Texas. She’s a poet, dreamer, crusader. She is also the host of internationally syndicated radio show, The Highwaywoman Radio Show). www.brigittelondon.com.

Outlaw Magazine. Country, Rock and Roll, Blues, Folk, Americana, Punk. As long as it is real, it is OUTLAW. Overproduced mediocrity need not apply.

www.outlawmagazine.com

Billy Don Burns Interview With Outlaw Magazine

Billy Don Burns is a league all his own within country music. His songwriting talent is beyond measure and his new album is about to be unleashed upon the world. Many will come to realize far and wide, his sphere of influence after July 10, 2012. 

Billy Don's songs are epic short stories and take the listener on a journey through a world which is lived by the seat of your pants, focusing on the here and now. You can be rest assured this will be an album to be played for a long time to come. Nashville's manufactured outlaws should be shaking in their brand new and unbroken in boots, Billy Don Burns has crafted an album of Real Country Music.

Buy Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer

Billy Don Burns new album, Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer available now

Link to original post over at Outlaw Magazine

"Billy Don Burns is a true Country Music Warrior. He wears his battle scars with honor, depicting the stories of his life in his songs with brutal and beautiful honesty. He’s respected far and wide for his long career in songwriting and performing, and he’s still out there. He’s lived it and breathed it through lifetimes of country music passion and pain. Carrying the guitar like a sword on his back, he battles for the Poet. He battles for the Artist. He battles for the souls who defy modern convention. And every time he strikes a chord in some smoke-filled Honky Tonk, he wins. Billy Don Burns started out in this business working with legends, and somewhere along the way he became one himself.

Below is his interview with Andrea Fennel.

AF: It is obvious you live your music with fierce determination and passion, Billy Don. When did you first realize music was the life for you?

BDB: I entered this talent contest when I was in the Army, mostly to get out of all the hell in basic training. There were several acts and the whole post was there on the big night. Don Grady, TV star of My Three Sons, presented the winner with a big trophy. When I won that, I thought maybe I do have something going on for me. It was a pretty big deal. When I got out of the Army, I knew for sure this is what I was going to do.

AF: Who were your influences growing up?

BDB: I grew up in Stone County Arkansas, in Mountain View. I was into Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Jimmy Driftwood, who won a Grammy and wrote some great songs, was my mother’s school teacher. Jimmy always encouraged me. Those guys would be my first influences. There were many more before I figured out who I was.

AF:  Tell me about when you received your first Publishing deals…

BDB:  When I got out of the Army, Merle Haggard was becoming the hottest country act on the planet. It was 1971 and I had a band living in the Palm Springs area of California. I told the guys that I was going to go to Bakersfield and meet Merle. They said “you ain’t gonna meet him.” I had read that Merle had a Publishing company called Shade Tree. He couldn’t write for it at the time because he was under contract to write for Buck Owens. So, I go to Bakersfield and look in the phone book and there was Shade Tree listed on Niles Avenue. I went there and said I was a songwriter and would like to play them some songs. The lady running the office said I needed to see Roy Nichols as he was in charge of that. Roy was a star to me. He was a big part of Merle’s sound, playing lead guitar in his band. I met Roy and played him a couple of songs. He said “yeah, man, we will publish those.”  Then he asked me if I wanted to meet Merle who was in an office with Bill Woods. I said Yes. He called Merle and and we went in his office. Roy introduced me to Merle. It was so great. He autographed two of his albums for me. Then, he said to Bill Woods “why don’t you get him on Jimmy’s TV show this afternoon, Bill?” Bill Woods was a piano player on the show that was on Channel 32 there in Bakersfield. That was my first time to do a TV show. It was all so great. Then some 18 years later, I got to produce Merle on one of the Johnny Paycheck albums.  The great Harlan Howard signed me first as a staff writer in 1972 in Nashville.

AF: Who was the first artist besides yourself that cut one of your songs?

BDB: Connie Smith was on Columbia Records and she recorded my first song the year 1973. Of course, she is now Mrs. Marty Stewart.

AF: What was it like working with Johnny Paycheck and tell me how all of that came about…

BDB: I liked Johnny Paycheck. He was not easy to work with in 1988 – the cocaine and the booze pretty much had him a lot then. However, I am not saying anything bad about Johnny. Hell, it has whooped the hell out of my ass a bunch of times, too. When it was good- it was good. But, it was not an easy gig. When Johnny’s manager went to federal prison in 1988, I became his producer and manager and, hell yeah, it was a pretty rough ride, but I loved him.

AF:  Any good road stories you want to share?

BDB: I think I will pass on the road stories. Most of mine are either X-rated or incriminating, so I better pass on that for now.

AF: What has been one of your favorite moments in your career?

BDB: My biggest moment in the business would be when Johnny Cash sent me a one page letter. That was the biggest thing that has ever happened to me. I gave it to the Stone County Museum in Mountain View, my hometown in Arkansas.

AF: On your CD Heroes, Friends and Other Troubled Souls, you have several guest stars. Who would be your dream person to cover one of your songs?

BDB: I guess I wanted a Willie Nelson record more than anyone else. He has always been such a great writer. So when that happened, it was so good. My first one he did was on his Sony Records Born for Trouble CD. My song was “I Don’t Have A Reason To Go To California Anymore.”  I would have loved to have had a Johnny Cash cut and I think if he would have lived longer that may have happened. He had just found out who I was not too long before he died.

AF: What has been happening with you lately?

BDB: This kid from South Carolina, Aaron Rodgers, ran me down and told me he was a big fan and wanted to produce a new CD on me. We did that and I am proud of it and I think it is one of my best ones. The CD is called (Nights When I’m Sober) Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer and will be out soon.

AF: What about Music means the most to you?

BDB: What I love about this business the most is expressing myself and then have people write all these great things about what my songs mean to them. That makes me feel like a success. That is the best and it humbles me when I hear the nice things that people say about my music.

It is not easy being Billy Don Burns, but that is who I am and the only part that I know how to play.

Billy Don Burns, album cover photo shoot by Lance Dawes © 2012

Billy Don Burns Inteview With Outlaw Magazine

Billy Don Burns is a true Country Music Warrior. He wears his battle scars with honor, depicting the stories of his life in his songs with brutal and beautiful honesty. He’s respected far and wide for his long career in songwriting and performing, and he’s still out there. He’s lived it and breathed it through lifetimes of country music passion and pain. Carrying the guitar like a sword on his back, he battles for the Poet. He battles for the Artist. He battles for the souls who defy modern convention. And every time he strikes a chord in some smoke-filled Honky Tonk, he wins. Billy Don Burns started out in this business working with legends, and somewhere along the way he became one himself.

Below is his interview with Andrea Fennel.

AF: It is obvious you live your music with fierce determination and passion, Billy Don. When did you first realize music was the life for you?

BDB: I entered this talent contest when I was in the Army, mostly to get out of all the hell in basic training. There were several acts and the whole post was there on the big night. Don Grady, TV star of My Three Sons, presented the winner with a big trophy. When I won that, I thought maybe I do have something going on for me. It was a pretty big deal. When I got out of the Army, I knew for sure this is what I was going to do.

AF: Who were your influences growing up?

BDB: I grew up in Stone County Arkansas, in Mountain View. I was into Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Jimmy Driftwood, who won a Grammy and wrote some great songs, was my mother’s school teacher. Jimmy always encouraged me. Those guys would be my first influences. There were many more before I figured out who I was.

AF:  Tell me about when you received your first Publishing deals…

BDB:  When I got out of the Army, Merle Haggard was becoming the hottest country act on the planet. It was 1971 and I had a band living in the Palm Springs area of California. I told the guys that I was going to go to Bakersfield and meet Merle. They said “you ain’t gonna meet him.” I had read that Merle had a Publishing company called Shade Tree. He couldn’t write for it at the time because he was under contract to write for Buck Owens. So, I go to Bakersfield and look in the phone book and there was Shade Tree listed on Niles Avenue. I went there and said I was a songwriter and would like to play them some songs. The lady running the office said I needed to see Roy Nichols as he was in charge of that. Roy was a star to me. He was a big part of Merle’s sound, playing lead guitar in his band. I met Roy and played him a couple of songs. He said “yeah, man, we will publish those.”  Then he asked me if I wanted to meet Merle who was in an office with Bill Woods. I said Yes. He called Merle and and we went in his office. Roy introduced me to Merle. It was so great. He autographed two of his albums for me. Then, he said to Bill Woods “why don’t you get him on Jimmy’s TV show this afternoon, Bill?” Bill Woods was a piano player on the show that was on Channel 32 there in Bakersfield. That was my first time to do a TV show. It was all so great. Then some 18 years later, I got to produce Merle on one of the Johnny Paycheck albums.  The great Harlan Howard signed me first as a staff writer in 1972 in Nashville.

Billy Don Burns with Frank Ehlinger and Ronnie Hymes © Rusty Knuckles Music 2012

AF: Who was the first artist besides yourself that cut one of your songs?

BDB: Connie Smith was on Columbia Records and she recorded my first song the year 1973. Of course, she is now Mrs. Marty Stewart.

AF: What was it like working with Johnny Paycheck and tell me how all of that came about…

BDB: I liked Johnny Paycheck. He was not easy to work with in 1988 – the cocaine and the booze pretty much had him a lot then. However, I am not saying anything bad about Johnny. Hell, it has whooped the hell out of my ass a bunch of times, too. When it was good- it was good. But, it was not an easy gig. When Johnny’s manager went to federal prison in 1988, I became his producer and manager and, hell yeah, it was a pretty rough ride, but I loved him.

AF:  Any good road stories you want to share?

BDB: I think I will pass on the road stories. Most of mine are either X-rated or incriminating, so I better pass on that for now.

AF: What has been one of your favorite moments in your career?

BDB: My biggest moment in the business would be when Johnny Cash sent me a one page letter. That was the biggest thing that has ever happened to me. I gave it to the Stone County Museum in Mountain View, my hometown in Arkansas.

AF: On your CD Heroes, Friends and Other Troubled Souls, you have several guest stars. Who would be your dream person to cover one of your songs?

BDB: I guess I wanted a Willie Nelson record more than anyone else. He has always been such a great writer. So when that happened, it was so good. My first one he did was on his Sony Records Born for Trouble CD. My song was “I Don’t Have A Reason To Go To California Anymore.”  I would have loved to have had a Johnny Cash cut and I think if he would have lived longer that may have happened. He had just found out who I was not too long before he died.

AF: What has been happening with you lately?

BDB: This kid from South Carolina, Aaron Rodgers, ran me down and told me he was a big fan and wanted to produce a new CD on me. We did that and I am proud of it and I think it is one of my best ones. The CD is called (Nights When I’m Sober) Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer and will be out soon.

AF: What about Music means the most to you?

BDB: What I love about this business the most is expressing myself and then have people write all these great things about what my songs mean to them. That makes me feel like a success. That is the best and it humbles me when I hear the nice things that people say about my music.

It is not easy being Billy Don Burns, but that is who I am and the only part that I know how to play.

Hit up Billy Don Burns on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/BillyDonBurns

Note: Billy Don Burns has just signed with a new label, Rusty Knuckes Records.   

~ Andrea Fennel  

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http://www.outlawmagazine.tv/content/billy-don-burns-interview

Andrea Fennel is native Texan who was raised outside of San Antone, and now resides in the outskirts of  Phoenix. She’s a freelance writer for several music publications. She plays the piano, saxophone, guitar and cello and enjoys hiking, hang gliding, and certain hippie activities.

Outlaw Magazine. Country, Rock and Roll, Blues, Folk, Americana, Punk. As long as it is real, it is OUTLAW. Overproduced mediocrity need not apply.

www.outlawmagazine.com

Outlaw Magazine featuring an interview with Billy Don Burns