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NYCS First Impression: Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen ‘HOLD MY BEER, VOL 2.’

Hold My Beer Wade Bowen Randy Rogers

Fans of Texas country megastars, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are in for a real treat this Friday morning (5/8). The twosome released their first record in five years, a fun and exciting new project that picks up where they left off. HOLD MY BEER, VOL 2. is a purposeful masterpiece that the two meticulously wrote and ultimately recorded songs from the heart.

During our Swag Spotlight with the singers, we learned that Bowen and Rogers are long-time friends for almost 20 years. That notion is clearly embodied throughout the twelve cohesive songs off the new record. Each track is laced with vocals by the duo, but even more so, the songs tell the story of their friendship, their mutual love for traditional country music, and their respect and admiration for the genre as a whole.

“AM/FM” kicks off the album with a bang. The groovy and comedic song features banjos, horns, and drums while depicting a picture-perfect country scene. “Rodeo Clown” continues that vibe, as the duo laughs about losing a woman to a “rodeo clown.” The sarcastic tune is funny, witty, and as catchy as can be.

The duo shows off their comedic side again on the track simply titled “Her.” Rogers and Bowen lean on their knack for story-telling, as they talk to a guy, who they only like because of his girl. Ultimately, the man gets too drunk and loses his girl to the charm of the other men. “The other guy” taught him a lesson in this one.

“Yeah, the moral of the story is if you take your girl somewhere to quench your thirst / Don’t drink more than the other guy, and always, always, keep your eye on her.”

Rogers and Bowen trade lyrics on “Habits,” a true duet that depicts their vices. The two consider the pros and cons of drinking and smoking, but ultimately decide, that they are having too much fun to change. Amen to that fellas!

Two of the songs off the record pay homage to the country music family “Let Merle Be Merle,” has the duo advocating for simplicity and consistency in the ever-changing world, but of course the late, great, Merle Haggard is an integral part of the song. On the other hand, “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song)” honors both Waylon Jennings and Ben Dorcy. Jennings’ unreleased vocals are sampled at the beginning of the song, and the country music great wrote the tune. Of course, the song honors Ben Dorcy, who was a longtime fixture in the country music industry for his work backstage. He is considered by many to be the ultimate ‘roadie.’

The record continues to flow with “Rhinestoned” sitting as the number 5 track. Arguably the best song off the record, the song is a love letter to country music. Written by Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, and Ashley Ray, the song reminds us all about the times country music has been there for us. This song is truly flawless lyrically, sonically, and vocally.

Another standout track is “This Ain’t My Town.” Rogers and Bowen joined forces with Jon Randall and Jim Beavers to create a song about their values and their experiences. The men sing about how cities are taking the place of rural and country landscapes. The soft acoustic guitar plays well with the venerable lyrics of the song. They firmly state “Pack my bags I ain’t lookin’ back / This ain’t my town.”

Just as it started, the records ends on a fun and exciting note with the title track, “Hold My Beer.” One of our favorites, the song is a honky-tonk good time and the perfect drinking tune. It celebrates unwavering friendship and loyalty.

Overall, Rogers and Bowen make the ultimate team. It is clear from this record that the two love working together, creating music that can only be described as fun and upbeat country music. Fans across the genre will like this one!

To keep up with Randy Rogers follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
To keep up with Wade Bowen follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

NYCS Picks:

  1. “Rhinestoned”
  2. “Hold My Beer”
  3. “Habits”
  4. “This Ain’t My Town”

HOLD MY BEER, VOL 2. Tracklist:

  1. “AM/FM”
  2. “Rodeo Clown”
  3. “Habits”
  4. “Let Merle Be Merle”
  5. “Rhinestoned”
  6. “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song)”
  7. “Mi Amigo”
  8. “This Ain’t My Town”
  9. “Warm Beer”
  10. “Speak to Me Jukebox”
  11. “Her”
  12. “Hold My Beer”

HOLD MY BEER, VOL 2. is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

 

 

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

Saturday Night Live Combs

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NYCS Swag Spotlight: Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen

Wade Bowen Randy Rogers

In the midst of all the chaos in the world, it was a pleasure to speak to our Swag Spotlight artists this week, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen. Both men have established profound careers in the Texas country scene in their own right with Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen music, but together, they are relatable, personable, and of course, make some great country music.

Rogers and Bowen both hail from Texas but grew up with a different attachment to music. For Rogers, music was always in his blood. “I grew up a son of a preacher,” he tells us, “ I was in church at a young age performing piano, guitar, and singing. […] I learned all the melodies of all those songs.” For Bowen, he showed his creative side by writing short stories and poems, calling himself “late” to music. “I didn’t really get into guitar until I was about 17,” he shared. Despite that notion, Bowen added, “I knew I wanted to play music.”

Little did either of the singers know, that they were soon to cross paths. When he was 19, Bowen started a band, playing gigs throughout college in towns like San Marcos, where Rogers went to school. After seeing Bowen gig, Rogers invited him and the band to come party with them, and the rest is history.

“I went up to them after the show and said I have a keg and they came over to my house […] and we were playing music until 5 in the morning most nights. And we started talking about stuff and playing music and stuff, and that was really it,” Rogers exclaims.

Flash forward to almost 20 years later, the two men have created some incredible traditional Texas country music together, as they promised each other years before. “We met through music,” they shared, “We’ve been friends ever since that night and made a pact that we were going to hang out and write songs and stick by each other’s side.”

Their newest record, HOLD MY BEER, VOL. 2 is slated for release this Friday. After a five year wait, fans can expect the record to be exactly what they need right now. For the men, the record and their projects together are a chance to challenge themselves through both the writing and recording processes. The newest record is all about having some fun.

“We focused on lifting people up and making people smile,” they shared, “That’s what this album’s about. Grab a beer with your friends and just listen to this record, and just have some fun.”

Despite not being able to tour just yet, the talented artists made the tough decision to keep their original album release date, and we are so glad they did. Music is something that inspires us all, and Rogers and Bowen truly embody that sentiment. “Country music is the blues,” Bowen shares, “It’s the blue-collar, the working man telling the story, it’s most times- it’s the stories of true life. People make country music a part of their lives. […] It’s crazy how songs just find their way into our lives.”

We are confident that when live music is played again and shows are scheduled, that country music fans, especially New York country music fans will come out in droves to support their favorite acts such as Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen because as Rogers says “We share the same passion for country.”

To keep up with Randy Rogers follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

To keep up with Wade Bowen follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 Check back on Friday for our full review of HOLD MY BEER, VOL 2.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on InstagramTwitter & Facebook: