By Andrew Griffin
Special to the Odessa American
WARD COUNTY When we first spoke with Caleb Young, lead singer and songwriter for the West Texas country-rock Caleb Young Band, he was driving through a remote area southwest of the Midland-Odessa area.
“Sorry, if I lose you, I’m in an area where cell reception isn’t very good,” he said, with his distinct Texas twang.
But thankfully, the call didn’t drop and Young, who works in the oilfield of the West Texas Permian Basin, had a casual and relaxed phone conversation about his life and his decision to pursue a career in that unique genre of country music called Texas Music.
Yes, the Lone Star State brand of confident, muscular and honest Americana-styled sounds that has a following even far beyond the borders of the state.
“I’ve been singing my whole life,” Young said. “Since I was a little kid, singing in church.”
But it wasn’t until Young was in his early 20s that he faced his “fears of rejection” by entering a song swap contest in Monahans, his hometown. It was a success. His musical friend, Austin Grigry, who played guitar and would become his key partner in what would become the Caleb Young Band, was the one who urged Young to go for a “Country Showdown” song contest in Big Spring, Texas.
“He told me, ‘You have to get over the fear of being in the public eye,’” Young said. “And sure enough, anytime you do something for the first time, you’re going to be nervous.”
After doing well there, Young performed on the state level at the Texas State Fair in Dallas and he won. And this was all in a short span of months in 2015 – the year his musical aspirations really solidified, with Grigry at his side.
Before long, Young was playing in Raton, New Mexico and things were taking off for him in 2016. He had his first band practice within three weeks and all was going well – to a point.
But that upward trajectory took a temporary hiatus when Young got a divorce, so between 2016 and 2018, Young put his music career on hold, even after releasing new music.
When Odessa-based Texas Country musician Chris Brazeal, of the Chris Brazeal Band, left music, some of his bandmates hooked up with Young, including bassist Will Doroteo and drummer Lilo Hernandez. Timmy Neves took up pedal steel and the Caleb Young Band was solidified after his return to music in 2018.
“Everybody (out in West Texas) knows each other. It was natural,” he said.
BURNING FLAME
The day Southwest Ledger spoke to Young, we asked if he had had any songs played on Texas Music radio stations like The Ranch, out of Fort Worth. As a matter of fact, the day before, he got a call telling him that “Last Call,” from the Down In Flames EP, was played to radio listeners to see if they liked it. Young was still awaiting a reply. He would later discover his song did not make the cut – at least this time.
“I see a time when (The Ranch) is contacting me and asking me to come and play on their station,” Young said with a dash of his characteristic confidence.
The four other songs on the five-track EP include “Sounds The Same,” “Southern Ties,” the hard-driving “Hammer Down” and the title track. Listening to each song, it was easy to hear any of them being chosen as a single.
The Down In Flames EP was cut this past year at Orb Recording Studio in Dripping Springs, near Austin. Since then, Young has been working hard balancing his work with the band and his day to day work in the Permian oil patch.
Young’s days are busy, working for an oilfield chemical company. But he is always working on new songs, balancing that with time spent with family, and spreading the word about his dynamic band.
“I believe in word of mouth advertising,” Young said of spreading the word about the Caleb Young Band. He said he is working hard to get a physical CD out and into the fans of radio deejays and potential fans. At the moment, Down In Flames is streaming on online music services.
And the CYB’s notable live shows are remembered for the high energy and rocking edge to their muscular country-rock. They have played all over the Lone Star State, from Houston, Corpus Christi and Dallas to smaller venues in Alpine, Snyder and Pecos.
Young said they are looking north of the Red River to Oklahoma, where fans of Texas Country and Red Dirt music are keen on the band’s sound. Young said his drummer, Lilo Hernandez, has been talking to folks up in Weatherford, presumably at JC Cowboys, a well-established country music venue off of Interstate 40.
Big or small, the crowds do come out for good music and a good time, and from what I hear, they love the Caleb Young Band sound and attitude.
