Ray Wylie Hubbard
When F. Scott Fitzgerald issued his classic conclusion that ‘There are no second acts in American lives,’ he failed to envision the career of legendary Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard. A willing conspirator in the late seventies Cosmic Cowboy revolt that ushered in the mythical Outlaw era, Hubbard was a catalyst in the cultural upheaval that led to the peaceful coexistence of Lone Star music enthusiasts who comprised each end of the social and political spectrum of that troubled time. In the stellar company of iconic colleagues like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm and Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard was an architect of the musical legacy that continues to inspire subsequent generations of up-and-coming Texas talent.
Yes, Hubbard is a Texas singer-songwriter, complete with the classic trifurcated handle, fundamental chapter of the canon in his song catalog (“Redneck Mother”), and enough wild hairs in his past to qualify him as a legend. But along the way, his attention began to leave matters extraneous to his art and soul by the wayside and focus on the beauty and potential to be found in the blank canvas of, in his case, the yet to be written and recorded song. The result has been one of the most satisfying musical and lyrical journeys to witness over the last two decades. In the years that followed he evolved into a writer of uncommonly honest portraits of life, alternately mixing deep personal sagas with poignant character studies of those traveling on the dark side of the road.
If one wanted to describe the sound of Ray Wylie Hubbard, one could call it American music, born from the time honored traditions of folk, country, and roots rock.
www.raywylie.com
Press Quotes for “Co-Staring Too. 3/18/22 Release Date
“…there’s not a bad song on this album. His lyrics don’t let up until they’ve got you where they want you, and the music snakes its way under your skin ’til you want to shed it as you’re dancing across the barroom.”
NO DEPRESSION
“These tunes display the journeyman’s ability to pen music bathed in working-class grit and honed by decades of experience, music that would connect just as powerfully without the stellar assistance.”
HOLLER. COUNTRY
“ the fact is, Hubbard’s long been one of the big dogs, and he’s earned that status.”
DALLAS OBSERVER
“Few other artists, regardless of genre, could claim the ability to attract such an impressive list of luminaries.”
AMERICAN SONGWRITER
“…five decades of crafting some of music’s most raw songwriting”
BILLBOARD
“Creative freedom and talent go a long way towards longevity, but to assemble the kind of all-star guest list featured on the Co-Starring projects, you need grace and generosity of spirit. Hubbard’s got both.”
THE BOOT
“…renamed the Wylie Llama from his influence and wisdom imparted to the next generation of artists, Ray Wylie Hubbard is one of the most widely-respected artist by fellow artists across the country, rock, and blues worlds.”
SAVING COUNTRY MUSIC
“He’s so universally admired and respected by his peers across generations that when he calls, almost everyone picks up the phone. […] A cast of two dozen contributors might risk too-many-cooks syndrome, but they all follow Ray Wylie’s lead, grinding out gritty blues-country-rock material stamped with Hubbard’s trademark ultra-cool wit and wisdom.”
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
“…known best for his gruff, acerbic pen on songs like Jerry Jeff Walker‘s ‘Redneck Mother,’ Hubbard became a sherpa for a whole new generation of country outsiders when he co-wrote Eric Church‘s 2018 hit, ‘Desperate Man.’” THE BOOT
“…an album this big and shiny needs to be in the headphones of every quality music lover across the globe. No exaggeration. The release deserves fireworks.”
AMERICANA HIGHWAYS
