Yep, we all know Stoney Larue. We’re aware he’s a magna cum laude graduate of Stillwater’s famed “Yellow House,” along with the many musical alumni of that amazing school currently driving the red dirt roadways. We’ve read that he’s an incredible vocalist blessed by the music gods with a thunderbolt for a voice that halts even his best friends in their tracks. We’ve been to his shows and seen that he’s a southern gentleman who makes the time after each show to share a smile, offer a kind word, or give his complete and undivided attention to any fan walking up to visit. Finally, we’ve listened to The Red Dirt Album, his instant classic release from 2005 that brings to life the words and music of legendary artists such as Mike McClure, Bob Childers, Bob Dylan, and Stoney himself. Sure, we’ve read his interviews. We’ve listened to his songs until the CD practically loads itself into the player. Yep, we all know Stoney Larue.

We do know him, don’t we? Well, sort of.

See, for those of us who frequent clubs, dance halls, and arenas to see our favorite artists, it’s easy to think their lives are a non-stop, 24-hoursa- day traveling circus and frat party. Sure, they’re the ringmasters of our nights out on the town when we’re drinking, dancing, singing, whooping, hollering, and just having a grand old time. But after the parking lot empties, the beer’s all gone, and the equipment truck is loaded, musicians are people, too. They’re folks just like us.

That’s the reason an interview with Stoney is so enjoyable. Simply stated, he’s a regular guy. Sure, he’s a masterful lyricist, one whose songs from The Red Dirt Album have caused us to sometimes experience “car karaoke” to a degree that the driver in the next lane thinks we’re absolutely nuts. Still, he’s one of us.

It’s no surprise that interviewing Stoney is not a job, but an incredibly entertaining, rollercoaster ride of an adventure; the type you want to experience over and over again. A great conversationalist, he’s the friend one can talk to for hours, even if he hasn’t seen him in weeks. And, he’s a guy with a wide range of interests. Sure, he lives and loves music, but there’s much more to Stoney than meets the eye.

Trust me, Texas Music Times will never be confused with a pre-teen publication such as Teen Beat or 17 Magazine. Interested in a musician’s favorite place to take a date? Please. Read somewhere else. Curious about his favorite color? Yeah, right.

But, here are the Top 10 facts one might find interesting about Stoney Larue, an all-world musician and everyday guy.

Fact #1—He’s a “half-full” thinker, and a voracious reader of Dr. Wayne Dyer, a renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. “It’s so important to be positive, especially in the music business,” he states. “Many times, folks think that this is all glam, all the time, and that the business is easy and not stressful. I spend time alone training myself to be positive, and I do it everyday.”

Fact #2—Female rejection was the source of his first-ever composition. “I sang ‘Walk Softly On This Heart Of Mine’ in a school talent show,” he recalls. “I was singing it to a girl I had a crush on named Sheila, and during the song, I looked right at her, but she was talking to a friend of hers the whole time. So after the show I wrote my first song called, ‘She Left Me Here All Alone.’ I had even won a first-place trophy at that talent show!”

Fact #3—He still experiences those moments of wide-eyed wonder while onstage. He states, “I did a 12-man jam with Lee Ann Womack. So, I’m sitting there and I look around, and there’s Cody Canada, myself, Vince Gill, and Lee Ann. I’m thinking, ‘Man, what a dream.’ Afterwards, Vince even came up and gave me a big hug. Amazing.”

Fact #4—He views the world of music from a fan’s perspective. When asked to discuss his first 2 laws if he were ever named “The President of Music,” he firmly states, “First, I’d fire all the radio heads. Next, I’d let fans decide what they want to hear.”

Fact #5—His own musical influences are sometimes surprising. “If I was told that I could only pick one album to take to a deserted island, I’d take The Grateful Dead Live In West Germany, ‘74. It’s happy. It’s also very clever, and every time I listen to it I find something new. Man, being out there all alone, I’d need something happy!”

Fact #6—He truly appreciates fans. “I was at John T. Floore’s store in Helotes,” he states, “And after the show this guy and his wife walked up and said how much they enjoyed themselves. He asked if I would give him my bandana, but I told him I’d better not, because I didn’t want anyone else to be upset if I couldn’t give them something also. Later, his wife told me that he was a cancer survivor, and that my music had really been a help to him. Well, I gave him the bandana. Signed it, too.”

Fact #7—On occasion, he meets he own musical heroes, those influences that even cause him to feel starry-eyed. “I was doing a show with Ragweed, Randy Rogers, and Rodney Crowell,” he says, “And it turns out that Hank Jr. was there. Man, I went and got him a beer. Incredible.”

Fact #8—He appreciates the efforts of those folks who are part of his own musical history. “Man, Mike McClure can stop me in my tracks. He’s the kind of writer that causes me to pull over to the side of the road just to listen. Also, I love going to see the Red Dirt Rangers. They’re a reminder of hopeful times.” And when he wants honest opinions about any newly-written material, he never strays far from his past, saying, “When I want the truth, I trust my wife, Cody, Jason Boland, and Wade Bowen.”

Fact #9—Though his musical roots run deep, his love of J.J. Cale, Leon Russell, Ray Charles, and Bob Dylan is balanced by his appreciation for sounds even his closest friends might find curious. “Lately I’ve been listening to ‘Star Turtle’ by Harry Connick, Jr.,” he grins. “It’s a story about an alien turtle that lands in New Orleans and goes clubbing with Harry.”

Fact #10—He’s always considering his own musical future. When asked what sounds he hears on his next album, he leans back, looks off in the distance, smiles, and without hesitation states, “Some cool melodies. Something groovy. Something with a good backbeat.”

Stoney Larue. He’s a gifted storyteller, a singer extraordinaire, and an entertainer who holds audiences spellbound. He’s also a nice guy, and a really down-to-earth person.

He’s one of us.

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