Concert Preview: Robert Earl Keen

Veteran singer-songwriter and one of Houston's favorite sons, Robert Earl Keen stands tall among such other Texas artists as Jerry Jeff Walker, Rodney Crowell, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Joe Ely as an example of how to achieve longevity in the country music business without ever having a Nashville hit. Keen is a down-to-earth, engaging and distinctive songwriter with a huge fan base that follows him from honky tonks to stadiums and joyously sings the lyrics along with him throughout his concerts.

Keen's diverse repertoire includes such cult classics as "Merry Christmas From The Family," the inappropriate and hilarious lyrics to which spawned a book by the same name; "Five Pound Bass," the raucous, winking story of a perfect fishing trip (which Keen has admitted that he hates playing in concert, yet does it to please his fans); and the iconic "The Road Goes On Forever (And The Party Never Ends)," the frenetic tale of two lovers on the run and class song for at least a thousand Texas graduating high school classes for at least the past fifteen years. Keen also showcases his more sensitive side in the plaintive "I'm Coming Home" and the sweetly simple "Gringo Honeymoon."

With fifteen albums under his belt, including the classic West Textures and the ultimate No. 2 Live Dinner, Keen has a rich tapestry of songs in his repertoire for concerts. His life reads like a novel populated with famous characters from the Texas music landscape, from his early days at Texas A&M with college neighbor and friend Lyle Lovett to run-ins and collaborations with Steve Earle, Ray Price, Willie Nelson and just about any other famous Texas musician you could name. Stories of these friendships sometimes get told at his concerts; sometimes not, and you can instead just take in the pure joy emanating from the audience and the stage as Keen plays his catalog of hits.

Robert Earl Keen will be taking the stage at The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park on June 27th at 10:15 p.m., as part of the 2008 Concert Series that runs there throughout the summer. Tickets start at $20 for reserved seats (up close to the stage) and $15 for lawn seats. You can also purchase a Lawn Four-Pack for $45 and spend that $15 you saved on a couple of beers before the concert as you watch the horses race against the setting sun. Tickets can be purchased at The Showground's website or by calling 800.211.3381 (advance ticket sales only).

---
June 27th, 10:15 p.m.
Sam Houston Race Park
7575 Sam Houston Parkway West
281.807.8760