But if you ask JB when the band really started, he’ll reflect back to a time rooted less in music and more in his unfulfilled dreams.
“My son, Parker, is the reason this band exists,” he explains. “Because when I learned I was going to be a father, I knew I wanted to be able to tell him he can be whatever he wants to be as long as he sets his mind to it and works hard. But I realized there was something I had wanted to do that I never had the guts to try—being a singer/songwriter. And I thought to myself, if I’m ever gonna tell my kid that he can be whatever he wants to be, then I’d better at least give this a shot. Thankfully, it has worked out. But, succeed or fail, you’ve gotta try.”
Since taking the plunge into the music business, JB and the guys have seen enough success for JB to realize he’s already accomplished his first set of goals. In just over three years, JB has written a couple of tunes that wound up atop the Billboard Texas music charts and he and the band have recorded and released two acclaimed albums—Ain’t Goin’ Back to Jail and the current Beer for Breakfast on the Average Joes Entertainment label. They’ve also been pounding the road playing shows all over the country.
So, what’s the secret to the band’s success thus far in its young career? JB thinks it comes down to two simple things: band chemistry and his commitment to staying true to himself as a writer and artist.
“When I was a teenager and saw Willie Nelson, I was awestruck,” he recalls. “And I especially liked how his band is basically like his family. My band and I are friends, first and foremost, and secondarily, we play music together. I’ve been very fortunate to have such a good group of guys.”
And the combination of the band’s great chemistry and JB’s excellent songwriting gives these East Texas boys instant credibility wherever they play. Whether cranking out no-holds-barred honky-tonk drinking tunes or throttling back to sing about matters of the heart, JB and the Moonshine Band tunes have the ring of truth. Need proof? Check out JB’s lyrical take on the perfect hangover cure from the title cut of Beer for Breakfast:
I’ve seen ‘em all hunched over prayin’ to that toilet seat Not knowin’ all they had to do was pop a top and drink
But on the other end of the spectrum, “The Only Drug,” also from Breakfast, has plenty of romance, with just a touch of that trademark JB grit:
If you’re thinkin’ I’m addicted, I guess it’s kinda true, but they can keep their drink, their smoke, their pills and their cocaine, too . . . ‘cause your love’s the only drug I do.
While the band has achieved great success in Texas and is beginning to see it blossom in other parts of the country, JB knows he has to be careful not to forsake what’s made them popular in their home state in order to gain fans elsewhere.
“I have the responsibility to myself and to my fans to be myself on my records. That’s first and foremost to me. And that’s what’s brought us this far. I just have to always remain true to myself.”
The good news is fans are loving the music on Beer for Breakfast and the response to the CD’s summer single “No Better Than This” has been beyond great.
“We did a show recently and a bunch of people were all up at the stage and singing our songs—even songs that have never even thought about being singles. There’s no better feeling on stage than to look out at a sea of people singing a song that you wrote. That’s just the ultimate to me. And I’m fortunate and blessed to be able to experience that."
So, what about those new goals?
“I want to write a song that goes Top 10 in the Billboard charts,” declares JB with a smile. “And if I got a No. 1, that’s it. I can retire. All my wildest dreams would have come true.”
That would be great for JB, but as far as his fans are concerned, they’d probably be happy with a long string of No. 2 hits . . . to keep him out there playing more great music for years to come.
Edge of the Road
JB and the Moonshine Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the grass meets the gravel
There's a place that I go
In between all my travels
At the edge of the road
If you find me there standing
It ain't hard to prod me along
The one place that I don't belong
At the curve in the road
All the wildflowers scatter
Yeah, they come and they go
When nothing else matters
At the edge of the road
Between out there and home
There ain't nobody singin' along
Yeah, I'm at the edge of the road
The one place that I don't belong
I trust my insights
They're usually right
But I've been just as wrong as you can
When I wind up between
Disbelieving and dreams
Then I realize right where I am
Yeah, I'm at the edge of the road
Ain't nobody cares if you're safe
Or you're sober or stoned
I'm at the edge of the road
The one place that I don't
At the edge of the road
The one place that I don't
At the edge of the road
The one place that I don't belong
At the edge of the road
, the songwriter describes a place where he often finds himself - in between his travels, where the grass meets the gravel. This place could be interpreted as a physical location, perhaps a barren and isolated place, or as a metaphor for a transitional phase in life where one feels disconnected and out of place. The curve in the road, where wildflowers scatter and come and go, is also described as a place where nothing else matters. The songwriter seems to be reflecting on the transient nature of life and the feeling of being lost or disconnected from the world around him.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm at the edge of the road, the one place that I don't belong," emphasizing the feeling of being out of place and disconnected. The songwriter acknowledges that while he trusts his insights, he has been wrong before when caught between disbelief and dreams. The edge of the road is a place where nobody cares if you're safe or sober, emphasizing the sense of isolation and detachment from society.
Overall, "Edge of the Road" is a poignant reflection on feeling disconnected and lost in the world, and the search for a sense of belonging and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
At the edge of the road
Referring to a physical place where grass and gravel meet
Where the grass meets the gravel
Describing the specific spot at the road's edge
There's a place that I go
The singer has a specific destination in mind and knows where it is located
In between all my travels
This location is somewhere the singer visits while on the move or in transition between places
At the edge of the road
Referring again to the specific physical location
If you find me there standing
Assuming someone else comes across the singer at this spot
It ain't hard to prod me along
The singer is easily convinced to continue on their journey and leave this spot
Yeah, I'm at the edge of the road
Reiterating the physical location
The one place that I don't belong
Implying that the singer feels out of place at this location, which may represent feelings of being stuck or stagnant in life
At the curve in the road
Referring to another spot on the road, where wildflowers grow but are easily scattered
All the wildflowers scatter
Describing the fragility of certain things in life, including beauty and opportunity
Yeah, they come and they go
Acknowledging the transient nature of life and the need to enjoy things while they last
When nothing else matters
Suggesting that this moment of beauty or significance is important even though it may be fleeting
At the edge of the road
Returning to the original physical location
Between out there and home
Indicating that this spot is between two other, more significant places the singer associates with his life
There ain't nobody singin' along
Revealing that the singer feels alone at this spot and that it may be a place where he is forced to confront difficult thoughts or emotions
Yeah, I'm at the edge of the road
Stressing the importance of this specific place and its impact on the singer's life
The one place that I don't belong
Repeating the idea that the singer feels out of place here
I trust my insights
Relaying the singer's tendency to rely on his own intuition and insight in decisionmaking
They're usually right
Expressing the singer's confidence in his own decisions and choices
But I've been just as wrong as you can
Acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes, even the singer, no matter how intuitive he thinks he may be
When I wind up between disbelieving and dreams
Suggesting that the singer sometimes struggles to reconcile his realistic and idealistic tendencies, which may be tied to his experiences at the edge of the road
Then I realize right where I am
Recognizing the importance of being present in the moment and understanding his own thoughts and emotions
Ain't nobody cares if you're safe
Implying that the location at the edge of the road is isolated and that no one knows or cares if the singer is safe or not
Or you're sober or stoned
Suggesting that the singer may be engaging in risky behavior or feeling vulnerable at this spot
I'm at the edge of the road
Reiterating the importance of this physical location in the singer's life
The one place that I don't
Repeating the idea that the singer feels out of place or unfulfilled at this spot
The one place that I don't belong
Emphasizing again the singer's feelings of displacement or isolation at this specific location, which may represent a larger existential struggle
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
michael duckworth
one of my favorite songs on the album
jeffery holeman
love this cd,,,just got it today on amazon,,, great job
Levman74
This is a kick-ass track
Chris C
Do one for Yes, by far my favorite on that CD. Was well worth the money I spent
MondeoFive
Alex Jones brought me here. Just bought all of your cds on iTunes just to support you & your message & ended falling in love your music. Hell of a surprise. When you coming to Michigan?
SoundOfWhiteNoise1
This song should become a hit single on the Texas Music Charts at some point.