Mark Chesnutt’s stature is easily gauged. He has 14 #1 hits, 23 Top 10 singles, four platinum albums and five gold records to his credit; he maintains a front-and-center presence with a hefty tour schedule year after year. Country music critics and fans alike need look no further when it comes to Country music basics. If you ask Chesnutt, he’ll tell you, “It’s the music and the fans that have kept me around this long.” In a creative forum that sometimes confuses style with substance, Mark Chesnutt possesses both.
Remaining true to himself as a traditional country artist, while keeping the pace with the ever-changing country recording landscape, Mark Chesnutt has a knack for picking great songs, delivering them with world-class style and a heart-felt emotion that’s lived-in. With a trademarked voice, Chesnutt has set the bar for his generation and those that follow in his footsteps shaping the music of today’s country music newcomers and the new country music format. Mark Chesnutt’s personal integrity combined with his principal to record a genuine country song has made him a fixture on radio and in honky tonks across the globe.
Chesnutt got his start in the honky-tonks of Beaumont, Texas, learning from his father, Bob Chesnutt, a singer, record collector and major fan of classic country music. Playing alongside his dad, Mark embraced his father’s influence one set at a time and to begin making a name for himself. Mark sang covers by Lefty, Merle, George and Waylon to develop his unmatched crowd-pleasing rapport and his authentic country style.
Bob Chesnutt often traveled to Nashville to record and to broaden his exposure. He began taking Mark along to record when he was just 17. After nearly a decade of recording on regional labels, word got out about this young country vocalist. Music Row executives came to hear Mark on his own Texas turf and recognized the depth of Mark Chesnutt’s raw talent.
In 1989, he was signed to MCA Nashville and his list of accolades tells the rest of his story. With the release of his first single“ Too Cold At Home,” Mark established himself as one of country’s most authentic and talented vocalists. He won the CMA Horizon Award attracting the attention of country legend [and Mark’s greatest mentor] George Jones who introduced him as “A boy from Beaumont, Texas who is the real deal.” That recognition and initial success opened the door to offer Mark his chance of a lifetime, to do what he loved most—sing country music for country fans; this time, on a national level. “The first couple years it was non-stop.” Mark says.
“I can remember one time during a tour, I didn’t step foot on the front porch for ten months, with exception of a day or a day-and-a- half, then, it was right back out again.” Mark’s dedication paid off. He developed a true blue fan base. Fans, he confides, “are the reason for my success.”
His fans helped his records to climb the charts one right after the other making him one of Billboard’s Ten Most-Played Radio Artists of the ‘90’s. Mark’s singles were some the decade’s most memorable; from the fun tempo “Bubba Shot The Jukebox” to emotional ballad “I’ll Think Of Something.” Mark is easily identified for his string of hits including “Brother Jukebox,” “Blame It On Texas,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” “Old Country,” “It Sure Is Monday,” “Almost Goodbye,” “I Just Wanted You To Know,” “Going Through The Big D,” “It’s A Little Too Late,” “Gonna Get A Life,” and one of his biggest, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing;” a song that held its position at the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks.
Of all the recorded highlights Chesnutt has enjoyed, they take a back seat to his first love; Mark Chesnutt lives to perform on stage. “I just make records because want people to come see my show,” he says with a grin. “Recording music for folks to just listen to music is great,” he says, “but I’ve got to be out there on stage making it.” Fans who have seen him perform agree. Known as one of the industry’s hardest-working concert performers, maintaining a hefty tour schedule and steady presence in front of his fans, Mark’s dedication to deliver live music is unsurpassed. Mark has been on the road since 1990. Whether you hear Mark Chesnutt with a new release on the radio, or see his face on the cover of a new CD, folks can always find Mark doing what he was born to do playing. “The clubs and honky tonks are home for me; it’s comfortable and I’m always with friends,” says Chesnutt.
Married since 1992, Mark and Tracie Chesnutt are the loving parents of three boys, Waylon, Casey & Cameron.
Beer Bait and Ammo
Mark Chesnutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was on my way
To my favorite fishin' hole.
I was think I could sure use
Another bottle of booze
And my baits a runnin a little low,
Yeah and a box of twelve gauge
Would be all the rage
Well, just up the road
There's a place called bubba's,
Man he's got the goods
And the sign says, beer bait and ammo,
Yeah they got everything in between
They got anything any old beer-drinkin,
Hell-raisin, bonified redneck needs
They got your fishin hooks,
They got your dirty books,
They got your rebel flag on the wall,
The sign says beer, bait, and ammo, yeah you ask me they've got it all.
Well when I walked in
I couldn't even begin
To describe just a what I smelled.
Lord was it the catfish bait,
Or something bubba had ate,
Or was it them pickled eggs on the shelf
With a toothless grin,
He said so step on in
And make yourself right at home
And I said no thank you man
Just a twelve pack of cans
And I'll be good to go
And the sign says, beer bait and ammo,
Yeah they got everything in between
They got anything any old beer-drinkin,
Hell-raisin, bonified redneck needs
They got your fishin hooks,
They got your dirty books,
They got your rebel flag on the wall,
The sign says beer, bait, and ammo, yeah you ask me they've got it all.
Yes they do!
And the sign says, beer bait and ammo,
Yeah they got everything in between
They got anything any old beer-drinkin,
Hell-raisin, bonified redneck needs
They got your fishin hooks,
They got your dirty books,
They got your rebel flag on the wall,
The sign says beer, bait, and ammo, yeah you ask me they've got it all.
Walk it!
"Beer Bait and Ammo" is a humorous song by Mark Chesnutt that tells the story of a man on his way to go fishing, who realizes he needs some additional supplies before he can hit his favorite fishing hole. The man finds a store called Bubba's, which is advertised as having "beer bait and ammo," and decides to stop in. The song goes on to describe the store as having everything a "beer-drinkin, hell-raisin, bonified redneck needs," including fishing hooks, dirty books, and a rebel flag on the wall. Despite being offered pickled eggs and feeling overwhelmed by the smell of catfish bait, the man leaves with a twelve pack of cans and a sense of satisfaction.
The song is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a certain type of Southern lifestyle, one in which hunting, fishing, and drinking beers are essential components. However, it also pokes fun at the stereotypical redneck persona, with its descriptions of Bubba's as a slightly seedy establishment with toothless patrons and questionable smells. Overall, the song is a lighthearted celebration of the joys of fishing and beer-drinking, and a humorous commentary on the culture that surrounds those activities.
Line by Line Meaning
Well now, early one day, I was on my way To my favorite fishin' hole.
One day at sunrise, I was heading to my go-to spot to fish.
I was thinkin' I could sure use Another bottle of booze And my baits a runnin' a little low,
I was considering getting more alcohol and my bait supply was getting scarce.
Yeah and a box of twelve gauge Would be all the rage When I'm all liquered up and I'm feelin good
And buying a box of twelve-gauge shells would be great when I'm drunk and happy.
Well just up the road There's a place called bubba's Man he's got the goods
There's a store named Bubba's close by, and it has what I need.
And the sign says, beer bait and ammo, Yeah they got everything in between They got anything any old beer-drinkin, Hell-raisin, bonified redneck needs They got your fishin hooks, They got your dirty books, They got your rebel flag on the wall, The sign says beer, bait, and ammo, yeah you ask me they've got it all.
The store provides beer, fishing supplies, and ammunition, along with other items that any redneck might want, such as fishing hooks, books, and a rebel flag.
Well when I walked in I couldn't even begin To describe just a what I smelled.
As soon as I entered the store, I was unable to identify the odor.
Lord was it the catfish bait, Or something bubba had ate, Or was it them pickled eggs on the shelf
I couldn't determine whether the smell was coming from the catfish bait, something Bubba ate, or the pickled eggs on display.
With a toothless grin, He said so step on in And make yourself right at home
Bubba greeted me with a toothless smile and urged me to feel comfortable.
And I said no thank you man Just a twelve pack of cans And I'll be good to go
I declined his invitation and requested only a 12-pack of canned beer, intending to leave afterwards.
Yes they do!
Indeed, Bubba's store has everything a redneck may need.
Contributed by Matthew I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.