My Heart Has Found Its (Musical) Home

Well, I am completely convinced now. I've been listening to songs they have been playing on Facebook, and as we speak, I am listening to a full concert (Live from Red Rocks) while I write this. What kind of music is it? Southern rock, blues, country, gospel, not sure how to label it, but it sure is fine. I hope they come here to play. I will go if they do. I don't go to concerts, you see, but I will go hear these guys. Plainly stated, I have not loved a sound so much since Elvis and the Beatles and I am not exaggerating one bit. And I'm old. Poco and Pure Prairie League were my favorite "country rock" bands since forever, and "Selah" has been my favorite "Christian Contemporary (CCM)" (loosely defined) group for a long time. My favorite country artists are Dwight Yoakam and Vince Gill, so now you know what I like, but I wouldn't try to compare anyone with Red Clay Strays. I know that's what everybody likes to do, but I don't. And I won't. I am not going to try to describe their music in a wordy treatise like you've probably sat through before, I mean I would like to try, but honestly, I don't know if I can. I won't even try. But this band is not boring, and I can't imagine skipping any of their songs, I mean like there are no duds, no B-sides. They're all A-sides, in my humble opinion. The songwriting is so excellent, makes me want to get the notebooks out and get back to work writing songs again. Not like I think I could compete with them, nor would I want to, they are just the kind of songs I want to write because they are real. I am so tired of superficial, poppy and contrived songs of every genre. One thing I noticed right away, besides the great playing and the great singing, were the great lyrics, which I just learned were partially, at least, written by the lead singer's brother or brothers who is not or are not in the band. (I’m not sure; I’m still learning). The name of the band is Red Clay Strays. I just learned the name derives from where the members come from: Mobile, Alabama. Something about the red clay dirt the area is known for. I never knew that, but it makes perfect sense. The "strays" part refers to the fact that they are not easy to label, describe or categorize. Their sound is so unified, it's not like they are just backing up their lead singer. They work together to create a sound you might just love to listen to as much as I do. They have everything I love to hear, musically: piano, organ, bottleneck slide guitar, great vocals and of course the drums and bass are perfect. Here are their names: Brandon Coleman on lead vocals and guitar; Drew Nix: guitar, vocals, harmonica, and Brandon says Drew also helps write with Brandon's brothers; Zach Rishel on electric guitar; Andy Bishop on bass, John Hall on drums and Sevens Henderson on keys and organ. Drew's wife is singer-songwriter Laurie Ann Armour, and she sings with him at the Red Rocks event. You can look the band up and find out the names of the songs they have out there. My favorites are "Wondering Why," "Will the Lord Remember Me" and "Drowning," but, honestly, I love everything they do. They might just inspire me to write again. Songs, that is. I have been dying on the vine for a few years now with that, and I won't expound on that right now. And it doesn't matter if I do that again either to anyone reading this, especially, because what matters is what Brandon Coleman told Joe Rogan (which you can also look up online). When asked a question kind of like, "What advice would you give people?" And his answer was simple. He said, "Work hard and trust God." He said he only wanted to follow God's call on his life, and I have no doubt he has been doing that, and that this band is doing that. And they are an inspiration to me to do that. They make music about their life, Coleman says, including a song about "feeling hopeless in life and trusting Jesus anyway." That's what I want to write about, sing about, and live about. "There's no shame in being brokenhearted," says this song. They just don't even have a weak line. Highly recommended. Go hear you some Red Clay Strays if you are inclined at all. Another of my favorite songs of theirs is "On My Knees," so that's another good one. They're all good. Like I said, they have no duds. I'm a fan. My Heart has found its (musical) home, and I think I'll just let that be.