Random question- anybody know him? Well enough that you could help arrange a quick introduction and photo op?

He's playing a show in Tennessee next month and I would love to say howdy and get a quick pic with him before or after the show.
I saw him last time he played here and I was quite possibly the only other Aggie in the house. At least, I was the only one who let out a loud Whoop! when he mentioned A&M. Everyone around me looked like I had 3 heads or was crazy.

Anyway- it may be a long shot but I thought it would be worth asking. 'Cause, TexAgs knows things and can make things happen.

Next time wear a Beto shirt and he'll probably come up to you

Or a Biden shirt

Sorry, OP, you got F16'd. Do you want to meet Lee Greenwood or Scott Baio?

My wife's grandad (Class of '44) was cousins with REK's dad.

We've been part of a couple of meet and greets over the years but nothing recently. I think the last time was when my wife and I were leaving Floore's after a show and walked over to his bus, pounded on the door and got him to come out and talk for a while. Probably 10-15 years ago.

A couple years ago I tried messaging his people (I think through FB or emailed his management company, can't recall) to try to arrange a pre- or post-show hello at one of his shows in the area. Got a response, was told no dice.

That all being said, good luck. With the COVID, most artists probably aren't interacting too closely with fans these days.

I waited out by his bus many years ago after a show in Kansas and got him to sign my Texas Monthly with him & LL on the cover. He was rather grumpy but did it anyway.

I did the same to LL and he was much friendlier.

I wouldn't expect to get close these days...

just hang out beside his bus with a bag of weed after the show. I'm sure he'll say hello.

Tough crowd. Have fun at the REK show.

FIDO*98* said:

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Next time wear a Beto shirt and he'll probably come up to you

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ooof


We saw him a few weeks back in MT. Looked and sounded like he would have rather been anywhere else than where he was.

Good music

Terrible politics

FIDO*98* said:

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Next time wear a Beto shirt and he'll probably come up to you

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or a Che' Grevera tee shirt.

Keen loves him some leftist.

Gun control is outdoors.....

El Chupacabra said:

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FIDO*98* said:

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Next time wear a Beto shirt and he'll probably come up to you

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ooof


We saw him a few weeks back in MT. Looked and sounded like he would have rather been anywhere else than where he was.

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Same. Saw him a Bass Hall in FW a few years ago. He had to stop and think where he was at when he started his show.

OP,
I know you mean well, but at the rate we're losing legends/good musicians, can we start a new rule on not posting names in the title for a while? I thought we'd lost him when I saw the title.

Also, shame to hear about his politics. Steve Earle is worse. I saw him recently, and it was like he hurried through Copperhead Road and Guitar Town to talk about how Unions help the coal miners in West Virginia etc. Then he went full tilt boogie on gun control with Devils Right Hand.......disappointing.

I used to see him often in the early 1990s. He was always very friendly and willing to meet with the fans after shows. Sad to hear he has gotten a little callous to that over the years, but I understand.



The guy has been doing this for 40 years. Most people I know think about retiring after that long. I would probably get tired of shaking hands with drunken frat boys and ass-kissers after that long too.

Rendered Fat said:

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Keen (or "King" if you're from the Valley) has always been a grumpy a hole. No idea what his problem is, but the only reason he has a career in music is because of his fans. Pretty crappy to turn around and treat them like dirt.

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What did he do to his fans? I haven't heard anything.

SquanchyAg said:

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just hang out beside his bus with a bag of weed after the show. I'm sure he'll say hello.

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I've seen him at dives in Crested Butte a few times. He was always more than happy to chat if someone else bought his drinks/grass.

At the 20 plus shows I've seen REK since the early 90s, I can't recall him getting into political theater onstage.

Granted, I have not been to the shows he has played for dem political candidates.

His politics are disappointing to many.

I was going to post about Nanci Griffiths passing because that is kind of a thing in OB since she is a Texas legend and her singing makes me happy. I thought better of it because I don't have the energy to hear everyone get their political complaints in.

People that put any stock into the political opinions of artists and athletes are dumber than those spouting the opinions.

Dude seems handy enough with a bow.

O.G. said:

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OP,
I know you mean well, but at the rate we're losing legends/good musicians, can we start a new rule on not posting names in the title for a while? I thought we'd lost him when I saw the title.

Also, shame to hear about his politics. Steve Earle is worse. I saw him recently, and it was like he hurried through Copperhead Road and Guitar Town to talk about how Unions help the coal miners in West Virginia etc. Then he went full tilt boogie on gun control with Devils Right Hand.......disappointing.

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No Joke on Steve Earle. Saw him a few years back and it was brutal. Even the liberals in the crowd were getting annoyed with his soap box talks. He would sing a song and then preach politics for 10 minutes before singing another and repeat the cycle.

I would have been equally annoyed had he been spouting conservative thoughts as I just really wanted to see a show.

Boodlum said:

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O.G. said:

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OP,
I know you mean well, but at the rate we're losing legends/good musicians, can we start a new rule on not posting names in the title for a while? I thought we'd lost him when I saw the title.

Also, shame to hear about his politics. Steve Earle is worse. I saw him recently, and it was like he hurried through Copperhead Road and Guitar Town to talk about how Unions help the coal miners in West Virginia etc. Then he went full tilt boogie on gun control with Devils Right Hand.......disappointing.

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No Joke on Steve Earle. Saw him a few years back and it was brutal. Even the liberals in the crowd were getting annoyed with his soap box talks. He would sing a song and then preach politics for 10 minutes before singing another and repeat the cycle.

I would have been equally annoyed had he been spouting conservative thoughts as I just really wanted to see a show.

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I follow James McMurtry on Facebook. He was always a Bush Hater, but he took it to a new level with Trump. The guy has become damn near insufferable recently with the pandemic. Yet he still loves guns.

El Chupacabra said:

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FIDO*98* said:

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Next time wear a Beto shirt and he'll probably come up to you

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ooof


We saw him a few weeks back in MT. Looked and sounded like he would have rather been anywhere else than where he was.

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I honestly don't know how many times I have seen him over the last 20-25 years. The last couple of times he was definitely "phoning it in".

I've talked with McMurtry a couple of times post-show about hunting and fishing as he has his Johnny Walker.

Great musician and songwriter. Political views are definitely an acquired taste.

As demonstrated here, he is a wonderful representation of the modern-day Aggie.

For a minute, I thought I had posted on the General Board instead of the OB. Aggies used to refrain from blatantly talking ugly about one another. And the OB didn't turn every thread into a political dump.

I don't have to agree with someone's politics to enjoy their music (or films or books or) If that were the case, I wouldn't have many choices to pick from.

At any rate, REK put on a great show in March 2019. He didn't mention politics. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. It may be totally different. But maybe it won't be.

Staff, feel free to delete this thread.

Rocky Top Aggie said:

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For a minute, I thought I had posted on the General Board instead of the OB. Aggies used to refrain from blatantly talking ugly about one another. And the OB didn't turn every thread into a political dump.

I don't have to agree with someone's politics to enjoy their music (or films or books or) If that were the case, I wouldn't have many choices to pick from.

At any rate, REK put on a great show in March 2019. He didn't mention politics. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. It may be totally different. But maybe it won't be.

Staff, feel free to delete this thread.

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People on this board can be as insufferable as Politics. I think most are general live and let live good ol folks. Unfortunately you get the 10% outliers posting the most crap. Message boards, and social media have left behind the good days when people mostly just kept their opinions to themselves outside the ballot box.

Rocky Top Aggie said:

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For a minute, I thought I had posted on the General Board instead of the OB. Aggies used to refrain from blatantly talking ugly about one another. And the OB didn't turn every thread into a political dump.

I don't have to agree with someone's politics to enjoy their music (or films or books or) If that were the case, I wouldn't have many choices to pick from.

At any rate, REK put on a great show in March 2019. He didn't mention politics. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. It may be totally different. But maybe it won't be.

Staff, feel free to delete this thread.

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I don't have to agree with their politics either MOST artist have a left leaning bend to their world view. However, when they spend 30min of a 2 hour show talking about it, it gets. old.

Rocky Top Aggie said:

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For a minute, I thought I had posted on the General Board instead of the OB. Aggies used to refrain from blatantly talking ugly about one another. And the OB didn't turn every thread into a political dump.

I don't have to agree with someone's politics to enjoy their music (or films or books or) If that were the case, I wouldn't have many choices to pick from.

At any rate, REK put on a great show in March 2019. He didn't mention politics. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. It may be totally different. But maybe it won't be.

Staff, feel free to delete this thread.

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Amen. I'll just mark Nanci's passing by singing over the John Prine parts of "The speed of the sound of loneliness" in my truck the way god intended. Nanci and I have been killing it this week.

Burdizzo said:

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I follow James McMurtry on Facebook...he still loves guns.

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As evidenced by video. My wife (who is forced to listen to him thanks to my excellent musical tastes) can't remember his name so she just refers to him as the "the surly *******." I saw him in Austin at Waterloo Records in 2002 for a record release. After he played "Choctaw Bingo" one of the of frat guys in the crowd yelled "what's the name of that song?" He never looked up from tuning his guitar and said "It's on the record. Buy it and find out."

Have been part of a small group which dove hunted with him and then went into Hondo to eat. Although he just wanted to enjoy hunting and a meal with the group, several people recognized him and came over for autographs and pics. He was more than gracious to everybody, despite missing some hunting time and a meal.

All my interactions with him over the years (not an extraordinary number, but a few) have been very good.

And I always appreciated his and Lyle Lovett's support after Bonfire collapse.

Teasipper friend of mine in Austin used to live in the same neighborhood as James McMurtry. He encountered him in the grocery store a few times and said the grumpy persona was not an act. From what I heard Larry McMurty was very similar personality. Must be a Rolling Plains thing. Lots of folks I met around Seymour and Wichita Falls were the same way.

Rocky Top Aggie said:

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For a minute, I thought I had posted on the General Board instead of the OB. Aggies used to refrain from blatantly talking ugly about one another. And the OB didn't turn every thread into a political dump.

I don't have to agree with someone's politics to enjoy their music (or films or books or) If that were the case, I wouldn't have many choices to pick from.

At any rate, REK put on a great show in March 2019. He didn't mention politics. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. It may be totally different. But maybe it won't be.

Staff, feel free to delete this thread.

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I love REK, he is one of my favorites, but he is also kind of an A-hole. Just the way it is.

One option you could try is emailing the contact us on his website. Long story short I had a mix up on a shirt order with them. Emailed a short note about how I was at specific show and when they sent a replacement they said Robert happened to be there and read my email and signed the new shirt I ordered. Could be completely fake, but that could be a place to start.