Brandon Rhyder When Brandon Rhyder released “Conviction” two years ago, he saw the album as a make-it-or-break it proposition. Either it jump-started his music career, or he’d have to give up the dream and finally put that industrial technology degree to use. Fortunately for Rhyder, “Conviction” kept him out of a cubicle. It’s also given him the equivalent of a graduate degree in music management – with his own career as his thesis. In response to fan demand, he’s also got a new album, “Brandon Rhyder Live.” He credits both – the fans and the album – to those lessons he learned. Rhyder had released two albums before “Conviction,” neither of which fulfilled him personally or professionally. “I tried to force-feed it,” he explains. “I felt like I had to fit in a scene, like I had to fit in this box to be recognized.” But it didn’t work. It wasn’t until he dropped his band and put himself out there alone – just a man with his guitar and his songs – that he felt a connection form. His audiences grew, and so did his determination. He’s got a team in place now – a reliable support system that includes bandmates Mike Henretty on drums and percussion, Charlie Richards on guitar and lap steel, James Hertless on bass and harmonies and new member Ron D’Argenio on the Hammond B3. He’s also got the advice of good friends like Nashvillian Radney Foster, who executive-produced “Brandon Rhyder Live” and is helming Rhyder’s upcoming studio release, and Austinite Walt Wilkins, the former Nashville songwriter who co-produced “Conviction.” They proved invaluable as Rhyder entertained offers from various Nashville publishing houses before signing with the respected Harlan Howard Publishing Co., home to Mary Gauthier and Faith Hill’s new favorite, Lori McKenna. “It’s like going from the minors to the big leagues,” Rhyder says, adding quickly, “It’s great to be here in Texas. But we want to get to the next level, and that is national exposure and possibly even worldwide exposure. And if you don’t at least give that a shot, then you never know if you could have been – or would have been – something.” By now, he knows he has a shot. “Conviction” produced four singles; it could have had six, but Rhyder wanted to give fans something else to listen to. And they’ve been begging “forever” for a live disc. “Brandon Rhyder Live” was recorded in Texas over two nights, one in College Station and one in Nacogdoches. The 13-song collection contains seven new tunes, including two studio-recorded tracks, plus versions of some cuts on “Conviction” and his two earlier albums, “Because She Loves Me” and “Behind the Pine Curtain.” “I didn’t want it to feel like a live greatest-hits record, because I don’t know that I’ve had any greatest hits so far,” Rhyder says humbly. But the first single, “Home Again,” was released on MySpace in June and had 22,000 plays in three weeks. And the site only tallies full run-throughs, not quick clicks. Co-written in Nashville with fellow Texan Jon Randall, it’s about Rhyder’s experiences growing up in the small town of Carthage. But the words convey sentiments familiar to anyone who’s ever left home: Here's to old times, when this old place was ours / Back before they tore the diner down / Here's to my old friends, who didn't scatter with the wind / You haven't changed at all since way back then / And you make this old town feel like home again. Lyrics like that – plus some dynamite musical hooks – are what make Rhyder’s songs resonate with his expanding audience. The 206 gigs he played last year kept this dedicated family man away from his Austin home far more than he would like, but he’s OK with that. The steady income keeps the band’s families fed and allows him to keep his dream alive. “We can continue to grow, continue to really educate ourselves and make good decisions,” he says. Rhyder learned a lot from “Conviction,” – including the fact that achieving success takes time. Effort. Diligence. Preparation. And yes, a little bit of luck. And that’s just to get people to notice you. When it comes to making music – and making it in the music business – he still thinks of himself as a neophyte. Which means there’s room to grow, new territory to explore. Now that he’s busted out of that confining box for good, the possibilities seem endless. “Quite frankly,” says Rhyder, “music changes lives. I want to be a part of that.” Written by Lynne Margolis Wondering who all those new people playing on stage with Brandon are? Now's your chance to find out!
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