SAN ANTONIO, TX. (Brandon Jenkins Official Website) -
Brandon Jenkins has always been a man who wasn't afraid to march to the beat of his own drum. With his sixth CD release, Down In Flames, Jenkins does just that. Jenkins will proudly tell you the difference between this album and his five previous releases exclaiming loudly, 'I did it my way!' On previous albums, Jenkins was always tied down to others people's money and other people's ideas, but now on his own label, Western Soul Records, Jenkins is finally able to create music that is reflective of who he is.
The album's title track and first single, 'Down In Flames,' couldn't be more appropriate. 'Now for the first time I've been able to stay true to my vision, but I've also gambled my whole livelihood in the process, thus the title "Down In Flames".
The song came out of a conversation Jenkins had one night after a show he performed with fellow Red-Dirt singer/songwriter Stoney LaRue. Jenkins told Stoney about the sacrifice he had made to put the new album out. Stoney, in his true songwriter fashion said, 'Brandon, that's a song!' Throwing a little whiskey on the flames of the campfire in front of them, the feature track was born.
The album reads like a story, with each song fitting together like chapters of a novel. One of those stories is 'Red Dirt Town.' Written with friends John Cooper and Brad Piccolo from the Red Dirt Rangers, the piece draws on his experiences of leaving home and proclaims his red dirt roots. 'Finger on the Trigger,' is a tale of being on the edge and the feeling of desperation, something that Jenkins knows all too well. While some chapters of his album are dark, they speak to the harsh realties of life and the demons that some people face.
For the first time, Jenkins recorded with his own band. Made up of long time friends, David Teegarden Jr., drums; Soupbone, lead guitar; and Joey Trevino, bass, the band's cohesiveness can be felt throughout the album. 'These guys are out there in the trenches with me night after night and they understand the songs and what needs to be done on them, I'm really glad they're on the record.'
The video for 'Down In Flames,' was shot last week outside of Austin using pyrotechnics and starring Brandon, his band, and guest starring Stoney LaRue. The video will debut September 1, 2004 on the Austin Music Network.
