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.
Everything That Glitters
Stoney LaRue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guess you're still the sweetheart of the rodeo
As for me and little Casey, we still make the circuit
In a one horse trailer and a motor home
Her birthday came and never even called
I guess we never cross your mind at all
Then sometimes I think about you
The way you used to ride out
With the sunlight on your hair
Though the crowd will always love you
As for me, I've come to know
Everything that glitters is not gold
Well, Old Red, he's getting older and last Saturday he stumbled
But you know I just can't bear to let him go
Little Casey, she's still growing and she's started asking questions
But there's certain things a man just doesn't know
She still asks about you all the time
But I guess we never even cross your mind
Then sometimes I think about you
The way you used to ride out
With your rhinestones and your sequins
With the sunlight on your hair
Though the crowd will always love you
As for me, I've come to know
Everything that glitters is not gold
Everybody said you'd make it big someday
But I guess that we were only in your way
Sometimes I know you're gonna know the cost
'Cause for everything you win, there's somethin' lost
And sometimes I think about you
The way you used to ride out
With your rhinestones and your sequins
With the sunlight on your hair
And, though the crowd will always love you
As for me I've come to know
Everything that glitters is not gold
Everything that glitters is not gold
The song "Everything That Glitters" by Stoney LaRue tells the story of a man's reflection on the past relationship he had with a rodeo star who left him and their child behind to pursue fame and glory. The man reminisces about how he used to see his former partner's picture in cafes in towns across America, which leads him to think about all they've been through. He tells how they still travel around, but in much less glamourous circumstances than before. As Casey grows up, she begins to ask questions about her mother, but the man still can't answer everything she wants to know. He muses that the woman's fame has distanced her from everyday life and that perhaps he and Casey are better off without such ostentatious distractions.
The recurring phrase "everything that glitters is not gold" conveys the message that appearances can be deceiving. The man had once thought that the woman's fabulous life was everything he wanted, but he has come to understand that it's not. He acknowledges that her glittering image may always be loved by the public, but he has learned that what matters most in life is the love and care of those closest to him. The song is a poignant reflection on the choices people make and the different paths their lives can take.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw your picture on a poster in a cafe out in Phoenix
I saw a poster of you in a cafe in Phoenix.
Guess you're still the sweetheart of the rodeo
I assume you're still very popular in the rodeo scene.
As for me and little Casey, we still make the circuit
My daughter Casey and I still travel for rodeo shows.
In a one horse trailer and a motor home
We travel in a small trailer and a motor home.
Her birthday came and never even called
You didn't even call Casey on her birthday.
I guess we never cross your mind at all
It seems like we're not even on your mind.
Then sometimes I think about you
Sometimes I think about you.
The way you used to ride out
I remember how you used to ride with such flair.
With your rhinestones and your sequins
You always wore such flashy clothes.
With the sunlight on your hair
The sunlight made your hair shine.
Though the crowd will always love you
The audience will always adore you.
As for me, I've come to know
I've learned something over time.
Everything that glitters is not gold
Things that look shiny and perfect on the surface might not be so great underneath.
Well, Old Red, he's getting older and last Saturday he stumbled
My horse Old Red is getting up there in age and stumbled recently.
But you know I just can't bear to let him go
I can't bring myself to retire or sell Old Red.
Little Casey, she's still growing and she's started asking questions
Casey is getting older and starting to ask more about you.
But there's certain things a man just doesn't know
There are some things I just can't explain to Casey.
She still asks about you all the time
She asks about you constantly.
But I guess we never even cross your mind
It seems like you never even think about us anymore.
Everybody said you'd make it big someday
Everyone thought you'd become very successful someday.
But I guess that we were only in your way
I suppose we were just holding you back.
Sometimes I know you're gonna know the cost
One day you'll realize what everything has cost you.
'Cause for everything you win, there's somethin' lost
When you gain something, you also lose something else.
And though the crowd will always love you
The audience will always adore you.
As for me I've come to know
I've learned something over time.
Everything that glitters is not gold
Things that look shiny and perfect on the surface might not be so great underneath.
Everything that glitters is not gold
Things that look shiny and perfect on the surface might not be so great underneath.
Writer(s): Mc Dill Robert Lee, Seals Danny Wayland
Contributed by Alyssa S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.