There was some guy on stage in a beat up straw hat and the crowd was going crazy. I was at a Jerry Jeff Walker show in Luckenbach, so beat up hats weren't that strange. What got my attention was how this guy had the crowd going berserk at such an early hour in the day. It was barely past noon and they were on their feet, clapping and yelling like Jerry Jeff, Willie & Waylon  were already on stage. I asked a nearby fan who this guy was and he looked at me like I was from Mars. "Dude! That's Pat Green," he answered. "You've never heard his music before?" Realizing I probably wouldn't survive this rowdy crowd with a negative answer, I just said "Yes, I just couldn't remember his name." Once I reached safe ground, I made a promise to find out more about Pat Green and his music. It didn't take long.  Within a few days, I was sitting in my living room, listening to his first two CD's. His first, "Dancehall Dreamer" was released in 1995 after years spent honing his craft around Lubbock while attending Texas Tech.  Before arriving in Lubbock, Pat had never played a guitar or sang in public.  Born in San Antonio and grew up in Waco, Pat knew that someday he would get into the music business.  His high school girlfriend turned him on to Robert Earl Keen in 1989 and his path became clear. He took early influences and developed his own unique style.

Soon he had the opportunity to open for such performers as Willie Nelson, Chris Wall, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jack Ingram and Robert Earl Keen. This made his desire to headline his own shows that much stronger. By the time he released his second album, "George's Bar," Pat was headlining shows all around Texas. In late 1998, he released his third album, a live collection called "Here We Go." His live shows have become legendary. High energy celebrations that last several hours and leave the crowds screaming for more. Usually opening with a Joe Ely classic like "Me And Billy The Kid," Pat takes you on a musical journey from "Southbound I-35" to "George's Bar." He's likely to throw in a couple of inspired cover tunes like "Theme From The Dukes Of Haggard" to Stevie Ray Vaughans' "Pride And Joy." It's a party on the patio, a blast from the past and a homecoming reunion all rolled into one.

I spent some time with Pat recently before one of his sold-out shows at Gruene Hall. We were searching for a quiet spot to talk and finally ended up next door at the Gristmill Restaurant. The place was packed and there was a one hour wait. But, Pat has connections and within a few minutes we sitting at a table, discussing his career.  We talked about the new CD, a live album recorded at the cavernous Billy Bob's Texas, the world's largest honky tonk. Pat agreed that releasing two live albums back to back can be risky but we both understood the reason. Last year he released the stunning "Here We Go," which featured live versions of many of his most popular songs. It was recorded at various Texas dancehalls like Gruene and Shadow Canyon. The idea for that album was to capture his band and their fans on tape. To preserve a moment in time that was special. "Live At Billy Bob's" is a different kind of live album. It was taped at a huge venue with thousands of rowdy fans in the audience. "Here We Go" was taped in a small dancehall with just a few hundred fans. So releasing two live albums makes perfect sense. You get the best of both worlds.

Pat also mentioned his upcoming plans.  A new studio album is in the works for a fall release date. It will be a continuation of the style fans loved so much on his first two albums. The new songs are being written as time permits. Several songs are complete and Pat throws them into his live set to test them on his fans. One new song, "Take Me Out To The Dancehall," was released on the "Live At Billy Bob's" CD. The other new songs include "You Gotta Know" and "Crazy." They will most likely make it on the new CD as will studio versions of "#2" and "Nightmare," both previously released on his live CD's.

Like many new Texas artists, Pat releases his albums on his own with no help from major record labels. He likes the freedom it gives him when choosing which songs to include on each album. He's branching out to other states and a new tour bus has been a welcome addition for these road trips. A recent tour of New Zealand proved that his style of music has a growing worldwide appeal. His shows in Texas sell out in record time and fans follow him from city to city because they know that Pat is the real deal. His music is something they can relate to because it deals with subject matter that's usually close to home. Texas music has been called the train that's taking country music to the Promised Land. If that's true, then Pat Green gets my vote to drive. For more info on Pat Green, check out his website at www.patgreen.com.