South Texas Living Magazine (1) Dec. 2014 | Page 9

“I remember Chase Bryant coming into Goetsch Music a couple of years
ago. I was so impressed, and thought he was so cute. He said, ‘I am going
to make it big someday.’ And sure enough, he has. We are so proud of
him, and how he is representing South Texas. He will be coming into

the store when he visits Kingsville in December. It will be great to see
him again and talk about his successes.” –Mary Goetsch, owner of
Goetsch Music and publisher of South Texas Living.

(photo credit: Glenn Sweitzer;
live photo credit: Scott Coleman)

LATEST COUNTRY SENSATION
Chase Bryant is making a name for himself
as the latest country sensation. Praised by
Rolling Stone Country and People, his hit
“Take it On Back” has broken through to the
Top 15 Country charts. Only 22, the Orange
Grove native is on the path to becoming the
next George Strait.
He granted an exclusive interview to
South Texas Living this month. With his soft
country twang and polite ways, his charm
overlays a serious intelligence and a fierce
determination.
Music has always been the center of his
life. Bryant's grandfather played piano in Roy
Orbison’s first two bands and later, for Waylon
Jennings; his uncles, co-founded the group
Ricochet, which had several hits in the 90’s.
Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Tom Petty,
Vince Gill, Bob Wills, Steve Wariner, Bryan
Adams also were early influencers. Bryant
also added, that he listens to rock and enjoys
everything from the fifties hits to the 80s
dance music.
“I have been playing guitar since I was a
year old,” he said. “I taught myself to play. I
loved Jerry Lee Lewis and Fleetwood Mac.
I was two or three years old and heard
Jerry Lee Lewis’ 'Lewis Boogie' come on my

grandfather’s record player. I remember
hearing him say, 'My name is Jerry Lee Lewis
and I’m from Louisiana' ... and I had an identity
crisis! I thought I was Jerry Lee and would
walk around saying that. In school, I was
the odd kid. There were 20 guitars in town
and I owned all of them. Yes, guitars are my
profession but they are also like children to
me. Each one is different.”
Now he owns 50 guitars. He plays lefthanded, on a guitar strung for right-handed.
He lives in Nashville, but still visits South Texas
often and will be in Kingsville in December,
where he plans to drop by Goetsch Music
store downtown to sign copies of this article.
Wherever he goes, he likes to pick up new
musical gear.
“I was in Goetsch Music a few years ago,
and was looking at buying an organ there,”
he said. “And the Goetsch’s used to tune my
grandmother’s piano at her house down on
Baffin Bay.”
Though his roots are Texas, and his stories
come from small town Texas life, he doesn’t
really see himself fitting in with the Texas
singer-songwriter crew.
“I am chasing something more mainstream,
more Nashville,” he said.

By Mary Lee Grant

He doesn’t see country music as becoming
too influenced by pop, and is proud of his
own diverse musical roots.
“Country music has evolved, he said. “
Waylon was not originally country. Neither
was George Jones. Brad Paisley, Keith Urban,
George Strait, they have all added something
different to the mix You don’t have to wear
a cowboy hat to play country music, you just
have to tell the truth.
Songwriting is an important part of his
craft, and he admires songwriters ranging
from Lyle Lovett to Lindsey Buckingham to
his favorite, Tommy Lee James.
“It may not seem like it to some people, but
I listen a lot more than I talk,” he said. “I observe
something and it inspires me to write; then, I
sit down with my guitar and