Country music has a small but forceful tradition of artists who hail from outside of country’s usual birthplaces. Jerry Jeff Walker was from upstate New York, and Ray Benson came from Philadelphia before bringing western swing to new generations in Austin. Theo Lawrence, though, has both of them beat: he’s the only country singer I know of that’s from Paris, France.
It was Light In The Attic’s wonderful Country Funk compilations that turned Lawrence on to the wonder of country, and he quickly became a student of the genre. When I met him for his guest DJ set, I was immediately impressed with the depth and breadth of his knowledge of not just country but also of American folk forms like bluegrass and rockabilly (I had no idea that Ronnie Dawson, something of a minor Dallas rockabilly celebrity when I was growing up there, had a big following in Europe, which is how Lawrence discovered him).
Now based in Austin, Lawrence has quickly established himself in the local country scene with a handful of albums that are steeped in tradition. His latest, Pickin’ And Singin’, is just that: simple, subtle songs that tell tales, in the tradition of Willie and the late Kris Kristofferson. Lawrence has toured with fellow Austinites Melissa Carper and the Sentimental Family Band, and on October 11, he’ll debut at ACL Fest at 2 p.m. on the IHG Stage. And this week on My KUTX, he’s also debuting on American radio with his own guest DJ set, showing off his love of regional American music. Hear Theo Lawrence’s My KUTX on Saturday, October 5 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime right here.
Playlist:
[intro music: Theo Lawrence – “California Poppy”]
- Norma Tanega – “You’re Dead”
- Houston Turner – “Walk Easy”
- Jim Ford – “It’s My Life”
- Jimmy Driftwood – “What Is The Colour Of The Soul Of A Man”
- Los Panchos – “Los Dos”
- Ralph Stanley – “Sharecropper’s Son”
- Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs – “Don’t Cheat In Our Hometown”
- Dolly Parton & The Melody Singers – “The Love You Gave”
- Helen Shapiro – “You Don’t Know”
- Los Tres Caballeros – “Noche No Te Vayas”
- The Fleetwoods – “Unchained Melody”
- Bill Emerson & Cliff Waldron – “Fox On The Run”
- Ronnie Dawson – “I Make The Love”
- The Jelly Beans – “Baby Be Mine”
- Moby Grape – “8:05”
- The Country Gentlemen – “Bringing Mary Home”
- The Kinks – “Nothin’ In The World Can Stop Me Worryin’ About That Girl”
