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.
Downtown
Stoney LaRue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mommas in the kitchen
Daddys playin' bass downtown
Downtown
Dad walks in says Sherry my girl we need to talk
Remember that night with John boy
Well you know I saw it all and I was scared for the first time
Well then one thing led to another and left my mom down on the floor
Dad said once you had everything but you chose to be a whore
So we're gone, gone to the next town
Oh my friends we were gone just like that
Well it's been seventeen years since I've seen my mom
Five years for my dad and I hear he's tryin' to get a job downtown yet again
If it weren't for my grandad I wouldn't be standin here today
All the years he spent pushin me sayin boy go on and do your thing downtown
Make me proud son
Oh and here I am I'm playin downtown
Five years old with a smile on my face
Mommas in the kitchen
Daddys playin' bass downtown
The song "Downtown" by Stoney LaRue is a heartfelt reflection on a difficult childhood. The song begins with the singer reminiscing on a happy childhood memory of being five years old with a smile on his face as he watched his mother cook in the kitchen while his father played bass downtown. However, the tone soon changes as he recounts a traumatic event that occurred when he was a child. His father tells him that he witnessed his mother being unfaithful and calls her a whore, leading the family to leave town.
The song then fast-forwards to the present day, where the singer has not seen his mother in 17 years and his father is trying to find work downtown again. Despite the pain and difficulties he has faced, the singer acknowledges the role his grandad played in his life, encouraging him to pursue his dreams of playing music downtown.
Line by Line Meaning
Five years old with a smile on my face
As a child, I was carefree and happy.
Mommas in the kitchen
My mother was a homemaker who spent her time cooking and caring for the family.
Daddys playin' bass downtown
My father was a musician who played bass in the downtown area.
Downtown
The downtown area was a place of excitement and opportunity for me as a child.
Dad walks in says Sherry my girl we need to talk
My father came home one day and asked to speak with my mother.
Remember that night with John boy
My father was referring to a specific incident involving my mother and another man named John.
Well you know I saw it all and I was scared for the first time
My father had witnessed the incident and was frightened.
Well then one thing led to another and left my mom down on the floor
The incident escalated and my mother was physically harmed.
Dad said once you had everything but you chose to be a whore
My father called my mother a derogatory name and blamed her for the incident.
So we're gone, gone to the next town
My family left town after the incident.
Oh my friends we were gone just like that
The departure was sudden and unexpected for my friends and me.
Well it's been seventeen years since I've seen my mom
I have not seen my mother in 17 years.
Five years for my dad and I hear he's tryin' to get a job downtown yet again
My father has been gone for five years and is now attempting to return to the downtown area for work.
If it weren't for my grandad I wouldn't be standin here today
I credit my grandfather for helping me become who I am today.
All the years he spent pushin me sayin boy go on and do your thing downtown
My grandfather encouraged me to pursue my dreams in the downtown area.
Make me proud son
My grandfather wanted me to succeed and be proud of my accomplishments.
Oh and here I am I'm playin downtown
I have followed my dreams and now play music in the downtown area.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD MICHAEL RACHILD, CHRISTOPHER THOMAS CANO, GEORGE ASTASIO, JASON PEBWORTH, JASON ANDREW PEBWORTH, JOHN BEN T. JEN, KEVIN M. ROENTGEN
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