Page 94 - ION Indie Magazine MarchApril 2018 Issue

through a really rough time personally. I think the song-writing jumped up and the songs were just real good.
That’s probably my favorite of anything I’ve done so far.

JP: Why do you think people want to get caught up in the several big commercial hits you’ve had, when you
have had really, really good music outside of those songs, songs that deserve as much -- if not more -- credit
and acclaim than the hits?

RR: More than anything, I think it’s just what radio would play back in the day. As far as “Walls Come Down,”
“Long Haired Country Boy,” and “Love Can Make You Blind” off the first record, we play that stuff every night.
The people that bought the first record still come out in droves and we love them. Those songs got us here. We
play them and try to go give them everything we got and keep them up to date. I think you get classified in this
kinda stuff and it’s just where you land, ya know?

JP: I suppose I know. Jani Lane said he wished he had never written “Cherry Pie.”

RR: Yeah. There’s a couple of songs myself that I wish I had never done. I sold my soul to the devil when Clive
Davis asked me to do a remake of “Tobacco Road” and some songs like that. I shouldn’t have done it. It was
against everything I had done. You live and learn.

JP: You’ve been doing this for quite a while, yet your voice seems as strong as ever. The band sounds as tight
as ever. How long do you want to continue making music?

RR: Man, I am writing all the time because if I don’t, I get stir crazy. I’m just gonna do it until my body says I can’t
do it anymore or people tell me to get off stage I guess (laughing).

JP: You’ve signed on with HIghVol Music for this album. What made you choose them?

RR: Bill Chavis, I’ve known him for a long time. When I first put this together, it was just a little five-song EP and
I ran into a mutual friend of mine and Bill’s in Houston. He called Bill and kind of hooked me and Bill back up
since we lost track of each other. I sent him a copy of the EP and he said, “Let’s do a full-length record.” Bill has
always been real cool to me. Out of all the music people I’ve dealt with through my career, I would have to say
he is the most honest and straight up. If it’s crap, he tells me it’s crap. If it’s good, he tells me it’s good.

JP: You have pretty big show coming up at “80’s in the Park” in Cocoa Beach, Florida in a few weeks. Outside
of that, what are your tour plans for the rest of the year?

RR: They’re throwing dates at us now. We just booked some stuff all the way out to Hollywood. There are a
couple of shows that are already confirmed in Denver and Hollywood, Salt Lake City and a couple of places like
that. It just started in signing with Buddy Lee Entertainment last week. We’re going to tour around and finally
going to get a chance to go overseas. I’m really looking forward to that. Then we’ll get out Delta Voodoo and
work on a new record.

JP: As a veteran of the industry, what bit of advice could you give to a young, talented musician that wants to
make music their life?

RR: I’m gonna tell you what my mentor told me -- go with your gut. Your gut will never lie to you. Be real and be
true to your craft. You tell what’s real and what’s not real.

JP: What about your new album “Grind?” What’s your favorite track? Do you have a favorite track?