It’s just when I feel like writing, I just go somewhere and write. I write at night, outside the green room, on the bus. I bought a book a while back that said 90% of writers have a rigid schedule of writing. Is your songwriting process fairly organized, or does it look like a crazed conspiracy theorist with sticky notes and chicken scratch drawings all over the place? I had an old Kentucky man wave me down to tell me how great he thought the album was and he almost teared up talking about it. I am surprised that friends, family and fans have gone out of the way to tell me how great they think this album is. I worked real hard at making it sound clear and real. I knew I wasn’t considered a bluegrass singer. My biggest obstacle was to make it feel authentic. Does that surprise you at all since one of your strengths has always been your songwriting?
Your album has received some pretty great reviews and by all accounts has been well received by your fans. I had the chance to speak with him prior to Wednesday night’s show at the Music Farm – Columbia and chat about songwriting, college kids, and my mom. The songs are still sung with Keen’s familiar southern drawl, which makes each word resonate and sit heavily in the mind of the listener. It’s mostly a collection of standards played by a crazy talented group of musicians, including guest artists Lyle Lovett and Peter Rowan. His latest album Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions pays homage to his bluegrass roots. Keen’s albums contain some of the best songwriting America has to offer, and his live shows are just a damn good time. He has become the elder statesman in the genre and yet continues to push new boundaries and maintain an eclectic audience. Robert Earl Keen is closing in on three decades of touring and putting out his unique style of Texas Country Rock in the vein of Jerry Jeff Walker and Steve Earle.
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