Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue actually spent the majority of his adolescence north of the Red River, where he was raised in Southeastern Oklahoma . He never really pictured himself doing anything else but making good music, so LaRue eventually made his way to the state’s Red Dirt hotbed of Stillwater, where he began to develop his individualized style from a widespread range of influences.
From Willie Nelson to Ray Charles, to The Grateful Dead and Kris Kristofferson, LaRue’s emerging style impressively blends varied elements of country, blues, and soulful rock into cohesive, vocal driven performances. His abilities earned the immediate respect of then “up and coming” peers including Cody Canada, Mike McClure, Jason Boland, and other cohorts of the revitalizing Texas and Red Dirt circuits (now electrifying audiences nationwide.)
In 2002, both fans and industry took good notice of LaRue after he spearheaded The Organic Boogie Band and released ”Downtown,” which was recorded in private sessions at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa and mixed in a trailer on the side of a cliff in Bartlesville,OK. It was just the beginning, as the debut cemented LaRue’s following and inspired a move to New Braunfels, Texas, where a vibrant music community and a persistent touring schedule spawned a vast response.
Fans anxiously awaited the August 2005 release of Stoney LaRue-the Red Dirt Album, which hit the Billboard sales charts in its debut week. A far cry from the mixing trailer on the cliff, The Red Dirt Album was recorded with a tight circle of players and professionals in a studio setting. The record was a pinnacle effort for LaRue and has inarguably established his triple threat status as a truly gifted vocalist, player, and performer.
Armed with golden ear musicianship, an amusing wit, and soulful magnetism, LaRue’s shows are infused with an uplifting quality, a cathartic barroom brand of spirituality, where venues are complimented for good bar “feng shui,” and where time and dimension can be traversed via emotive lyrics and melodic riffs. A charismatic performer, LaRue’s flawless vocals can draw a crowd to a open mouth level of sonic mesmerization, and next have them singing “Forever Young” so loudly that you can’t hear anything else.
At 28 years old, Stoney LaRue now performs close to 300 dates a year at top festivals and venues across the nation and even the Caribbean, sharing bills with renowned acts like Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan,Dierks Bentley, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Radney Foster, and others. With a newly assembled band that includes Jeremy Bryant (drums), Jesse Fritz (bass), Rodney Pyeatt (guitar), and Steve Littleton (keys), Stoney LaRue is poised for his upcoming addition to the famed Live at Billy Bob’s series and even greater horizons to come.
The music is undeniably inside of Stoney LaRue, but he’s the type of artist that doesn’t HAVE to point it out to you, his belief in the music is strong enough that it just powers through transparently. Stoney LaRue is not trying to be anybody but the artist that he is, and his sincerity just seeps out, spills off the stage, and overtakes any room.
Down in Flames
Stoney LaRue Lyrics
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You don't miss the sun, till the sun goes down
To get to heaven, I'll go through hell
Yeah I've learned my lessons, and I've learned them well
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
From this moment on, aint nothin gonna be the same
One thing's for certain, everybody's gonna know my name
To climb a mountain, you've got to risk the fall
To make a difference, you've got to risk it all
Just like an eagle, spread you wings and fly
Aint afraid to loose, aint afraid to die
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
From this moment on, aint nothin gonna be the same
One thing's for certain, everybody's gonna know my name
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
If I'm going down, yeah I'm going down in flames
From this moment on, aint nothin gonna be the same
If you've got the fire, I've got the gasoline
Cause if I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
The lyrics to Stoney LaRue's song "Down in Flames" speak of risk-taking, living life to the fullest, and making your mark. The singer acknowledges that being on the run is tough, but he's learned a lot from his experiences. He compares living life to climbing a mountain - you need to be prepared to risk everything to achieve your goals. He also uses the metaphor of an eagle spreading its wings and flying without fear. The chorus repeats the idea that if he's going to go down, he'll do it in flames - implying that he's willing to take big risks, knowing that failure is a possibility.
Line by Line Meaning
Being on the run, there's one thing I've found
After a life of running from consequences, I've realized something
You don't miss the sun, till the sun goes down
I never thought about the things I had until I lost them
To get to heaven, I'll go through hell
I'm willing to endure any hardship to get to where I want to be
Yeah I've learned my lessons, and I've learned them well
I've made mistakes and paid for them, but I've grown and learned from them
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
If I'm going to fail, I'll do it in a spectacular way
From this moment on, aint nothin gonna be the same
My decisions have consequences and they'll change the course of my life
One thing's for certain, everybody's gonna know my name
I may not succeed, but I'll make sure people know who I am
To climb a mountain, you've got to risk the fall
You can't achieve great things without taking risks
To make a difference, you've got to risk it all
If you want to make a change, you have to be willing to lose everything
Just like an eagle, spread your wings and fly
You have to be brave and take flight to reach your goals
Ain't afraid to loose, ain't afraid to die
I'm not afraid of failure or death, I'll take them head on
If you've got the fire, I've got the gasoline
If you have the drive and ambition, I have the support to help you achieve it
If I'm going down, yeah I'm going down in flames
I'm not afraid to fail and I'll do it in a spectacular way
If I'm going down, I'm going down in flames
If I'm going to fail, I'll do it in a spectacular way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRANDON JENKINS, KRISTEN N. KELLY, STONEY LARUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind