Photo by AP Photo / Donn Jones
In this April 14, 2011 photo, musician Hayes Carll poses at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. After years of writing "degenerate love songs" and others about beer, Carll is stepping out into political discourse on his latest album, "KMAG YOYO." It's a significant step in the career of one of country music's most talented songwriters.
MANCHESTER, Tenn. - I've been to plenty of press conferences before.
Of course, as a crime reporter most of them were focused on questions like, “Have you identified a suspect yet?” or “What caliber was the murder weapon?”
The heaviest topic I heard discussed today at my first official Bonnaroo presser was how it feels to perform for a festival crowd where everyone has a Web-accessible cell phone camera.
Still, honky tonk up 'n comer Hayes Carll seemed much more animated when I saw him a few hours earlier on stage, than while he was sitting for a Q & A with half a dozen other performers this afternoon.
“Yeah, I never know what to say,” he confessed to me afterward.
And that was more or less the extent of my one-on-one rock star interview. (I never know what to ask rock stars.)
“It was nice to meet ya, Hayes,” he said, walking away. “Wow, that was weird to say.”
Speaking of, I finally stood still long enough to enjoy some music this afternoon.
First, I wandered within earshot of Graveyard, only close enough to briefly catch a guitar riff, but I think I'm already a fan.
Then I stopped in earnest and watched the second show of Carll's first appearance at Bonnaroo.
Nashville could use a little more of Hayes Carll's kinda twang these days.
He proved to be as entertaining between songs as when he was playing them, relaying his recent bust by U.S. Customs as he came back from the Canadian leg of his tour.
After the booze and drugs and country-song drama of a dozen years on the road, said the singer-songwriter, he was caught and fined for accidentally almost smuggling a forgotten orange left on his tour bus.
“Keith Richards would not be proud,” Carll quipped on stage. “I was gonna write a song about it, but nothing rhymes with 'orange.'”
He's gotta good sense of humor and an even better sound. And with a name like that, I'm sure he'll go far.
© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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