Three Twenties and a Ten

How I Came to the music of Robert Earl Keen

From May of 2000 to May of 2005, I worked at Video Connection in Galax Va. Nearly every Wednesday morning for those five years, I came in at 9:30 in the morning to open up the store. In those days, I considered getting up at 8:30 am super early and would drag myself into work like I had gotten up at 4. To keep myself awake in those mornings, I would listen to Bob & Tom on 106.5 the End out of Charlotte. Bob & Tom is your typical kind of morning zoo show, maybe skewing to a little bit of an older crowd. I would get about 20 minutes each week of their bits and special guests. One week they had a special guest in Todd Snider. At the time, I didn't know Todd Snider. I was busy listening to Rob Zombie and Staind. But when I first heard Beer Run, something about it, made me pay attention. I felt like I already knew the song somehow. I would hear it another couple of times in the following weeks and soon, I would know the song pretty much by heart. I did have a few questions though. 

Who was Sleepy John?

What was that reference at the end, "the Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends?"

And who is Robert Earl Keen?

It wasn't long after that, that I began buying random things on eBay. Fun fact; the first thing I bought on eBay was Todd Browning's Freaks on DVD. The main thing that I've always bought however, has been CDs. I'm still a sucker for ph

ysical media. I like having that case and the art in my hands to examine as I listen to the disc.

As I found myself humming along from time to time to Beer Run, my curiosity grew about Robert Earl Keen. This was probably around 2004, just before YouTube, so it wasn't as easy to check out someone's music. So with this interest growing, I made a purchase that kind of changed my whole musical taste. 

I bought Robert Earl Keen's Best.

And it didn't click with me.

It was fine. I liked it well enough. I listened to it once or twice and put it on the shelf. I moved along and went back to my Cold and Stabbing Westward. It would be probably another year or so before I picked the disc back up. I'm not sure why I did, or when I did. But the second time I really gave it a shot, it all made sense.

I understood the taught little bald man in No Kinda Dancer. I could see Willie headed away from the thunderhead. I felt good again. I stood along that seawall. I was coming home. I must have listened to that CD front the back a dozen times before I popped it out of car. I listened until I knew every word. For whatever reason, these songs about love, parties, outlaws and Texas were now my favorites. And they still are.

It wouldn't be long before I bought all his albums. In 2017, I got to check off a bucket list item and got to Mr. Keen at his annual Christmas Show. It was a magical event, and there were times that I just closed my eyes and made myself take a mental note to remember the moment. We would see him again at Merlefest the following spring. A festival means a shorter set, but it was nonetheless as great as the last time. The following October, we saw Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett at the Paramount Theater in Bristol Tn and that show was probably in my all time top 5 concerts I've ever seen. I could drone on about how wonderful it was and never do it justice. Finally we were lucky enough to catch the Christmas show last December at the Paramount as Shinyribs opened and wowed us with their wonderfully insane stage show. I was somehow lucky and got front row tickets, so when the main event came on, I was maybe 6 feet from Robert Earl Keen himself. 

I think I may have closed my eyes the entire time he played Feelin' Good Again. Maybe because it's my favorite song. Maybe because I was feet away from the man who wrote it. Maybe I kept them closed to keep from crying. But sang along with every word and I saved that moment in my head and I'll never let it go. 

Robert Earl Keen has become my favorite. Not just my favorite singer. Not just my favorite songwriter. Just my favorite. I've never had the pleasure of meeting the man, but he comes across as a down to earth humanitarian, involved with several charities and give back to the music community. His writing can be introspective and deep and at the same time, humorous and self deprecating. His songs range in subject matter from a wild redneck Texan Christmas to the complexities of immigration. He sings of outlaws in the old west, and Sears employees who want to disappear.  He's sang tributes to Bill Monroe and Levon Helm, and has posed the question, "Is there wireless in Heaven?" 

In 2009, Musicfest arranged a tribute to Mr. Keen that featured some heavy hitters of Red Dirt and Texas country paying tribute by covering some of his greatest songs. Artists like Wade Bowen, Chris Knight, The Brauns Jason Boland, Cody Canada and Bonnie Bishop all contributed. It's definitely worth tracking down if you can find it.

Currently Robert Earl Keen is the host of Americana the 51st Podcast. On this show, Keen interviews some of the biggest names in Americana music. Some of the past guests have included Bj Barham of American Aquarium, Kevin Russell of Shinyribs, Lucero, and I'm With Her. 

10-20-2020 was officially named Three Twenties and a Ten Day by Governor Greg Abbott in the state of Texas. Keen is recognized by the state for his contribution to Texas culture and his work with state charities. A limited edition shirt is available for a short time on his website shop.

I'm not sure why an I.T. guy from southwest Virginia identifies so much with these Texas country songs. But after discovering Robert Earl Keen, I found my way to other wonderful artists like Charlie Robison, Bruce Robison, Cody Canada, Reckless Kelly, Micky & The Motorcars, Turnpike Troubadours and so many more. I'm so glad I found Texas Country and Red Dirt music. 

I plan on seeing Texas someday. Maybe I can see Billy Bobs. Or John T Floore's Country Store. In the meantime, I'll listen to my Robert Earl Keen CDs, or my endless playlists I've made. Or I'll keep writing about it and the odd connection I feel to Texas and its music. 

I'll leave ya'll with this piece of song I've been writing that I plan on finishing someday:

I ain't Texan
But I can dream
I close my eyes and I'm on stage
With Robert Earl Keen

I ain't Texan
Wish as I might
But I float that Brazos river
in my mind every night

Feelin Good Again - Robert Earl Keen