"Anyone who has ever seen us live is going to hear the first 15 seconds of "Holler Back" and say ‘There’s The Lost Trailers. Those are the guys I saw open for Chesney or open for Sugarland’," says Stokes, tagged on the band’s website as The Writer."
Music is important and has a lasting quality," adds lead vocalist Ryder, aka The Voice. "But music should be fun too, there needs to be a balance. "Holler Back" is a fun song that captures the element of our live show which is really important to us as well.
"Ryder and Stokes both gravitated towards music in high school, where they convinced another student, drummer Jeff Potter, to join them in a band named Ryder Stokes. Soon, Stokes’ younger brother Andrew came on as their bassist, a position now held by the fifth and last member to join the band, Manny Medina (Andrew moved over to keyboards).
The new band caught a break early, as their demo found its way to Willie Nelson, who invited them to perform on his annual Fourth of July picnic. By the time they got to Austin, they had changed the band’s name, thanks to some unfortunate incidents involving successive equipment trailers. The 15,000 fans there that afternoon witnessed the debut of The Lost Trailers, and the response was so enthused that Nelson ended up inviting them to open other dates for him.
"What we learned from that experience was that putting on a great show will build a fan base," remembers Stokes. "If you do it night after night, your fan base will grow. If you earn those fans early on, they will stay fans for life. Even after all these years, Willie puts on a great show every night, and he takes care of his fans, and we strive for that sort of connection with our fans."
The Lost Trailers hit the road, first crammed into an SUV, then a van and ultimately graduating to a bonafide bus, which was the place they called home 300 days a year for five years. "For five years, we were basically living in America," says Ryder. "That experience was the basis of this record. It was being a group of guys with unique personalities who learn to live as a family, who have been there, done that, and tell that story honestly. We learned a lot about ourselves from constant touring, and we were able to define our sound before we got signed.
"The Lost Trailers came to the major label table after SONY/BMG Nashville A&R head Renee Bell introduced them to label chairman Joe Galante, who immediately signed them, seeing in The Lost Trailers that same road-tested talent and passionate drive that Alabama brought to his label 25 years before. "Alabama has always been one of our biggest role models," says Stokes. "It turned out that the first songs Ryder and I ever performed in front of an audience were Alabama songs. It was such a thrill to be on the same label where they spent their career, and signed by the guy who broke them. It just felt like it was meant to be.
"Through 2006, The Lost Trailers maintained their permanent temporary bus residence, headlining clubs like they had always done, and opening dates in massive arenas for established stars like Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley and another great teacher, Kenny Chesney.
"What we learned from Kenny was put out great songs, put out songs you believe in, and that your fans believe in," says Stokes. "Deliver to your fans. Give them what they want that’s the best of you. All the years of touring, we’ve learned what we do best. It was time to put that on a record.
"The band found the key to realizing that in producer Brett Beavers, who came into the picture with the same goal: capture the energy and excitement of The Lost Trailers’ live show and put it on a record. He produced several of the tracks, notably the album opener, "Holler Back," and the second cut, "How ‘Bout You Don’t". The wrenching ballad that does a complete emotional and musical 180 from the jacked-up title cut, and relies on Ryder’s resonate, soulful vocals to convey the desperation of a man about to lose everything, piercing the hearts of listeners who have been on either side of that door.
Ryder and Stokes not only share songwriting credits on several tunes, but also took the production reins in the studio on a couple of cuts, not unlike the way they used to do it before they were signed to a recording contract.
"We took six months off to make this record," says Ryder. "We haven’t taken that much time off the road in six years. We poured all of that energy that would have gone into performing live, and put it on this record. Everything we have done for the last seven years has led to this record."
Dixie Boy Special
The Lost Trailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She fries catfish like you never seen
Oh, She stops the clock when she walks in a room
Make you wanna run out and howl at the Moon
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heart breaker guarantee
Ooh ooh ooh
Shes a Dixie Boy Special, the original recipe
Oh, You'd never believe when shes all dressed up
How she can back up a boat in a pickup truck
She'll catch a 20 pound bass on an 8 pound line
Party 3 days straight and still look fine
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heartbreaker guarantee
Shes a Dixie Boy Special, the original recipe
In a little black dress or a cowboy hat
Oh, You're gonna wanna look but you can't touch that
Oh, She likes beer, she don't care for wine
Keep your hands to yourself, brother, she's all mine
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heartbreaker guarantee
Shes a Dixie Boy Special, the original recipe
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heartbreaker guarantee
Shes a Dixie Boy Special, the original recipe
The Lost Trailers' song Dixie Boy Special is about a woman who is the embodiment of the South, a classic Southern belle. The singer sings about how this woman, who he calls a "Dixie Boy Special," captivates everyone in the room with her charm and beauty. She has a way of making everyone stop and stare, and she knows it. The lyrics describe how she can fog up the mirrors in her IROC-Z, fry catfish like a pro, and catch a 20-pound bass on an 8-pound line. She's the real deal, and her charm and beauty are matched only by her strength and competence.
The song's chorus emphasizes the woman's allure and the singer's infatuation with her. She's a "heartbreaker guarantee," the "original recipe" Dixie Boy Special. The singer sings about how she can look stunning in a little black dress or a cowboy hat, how she likes beer instead of wine, and how she's all his. The song is a celebration of Southern culture and the kind of women who embody it. It's catchy, fun, and romantic.
Line by Line Meaning
She fogs up the mirrors in my IROC-Z
She's so hot that as soon as she gets in my IROC-Z car, she fogs up the mirrors with her beauty.
She fries catfish like you never seen
She's an excellent cook who can fry catfish so incredibly delicious that you've never tasted anything like that.
Oh, She stops the clock when she walks in a room
Her presence is so stunning that everyone in the room stops and stares when she walks in, feeling time has stopped.
Make you wanna run out and howl at the Moon
She's so attractive that you feel like shout out your excitement to the entire world, howling at the moon.
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heartbreaker guarantee
She's one-of-a-kind girl, capable of stealing any man's heart without even trying.
Ooh ooh ooh
It's an expression of admiration or excitement towards the Dixie Boy Special girl.
Oh, You'd never believe when shes all dressed up
She's so beautiful that you can hardly believe your eyes when she shows up dressed up nicely.
How she can back up a boat in a pickup truck
She's so skilled with a pickup truck that she can back up a boat without breaking a sweat.
She'll catch a 20 pound bass on an 8 pound line
Fishing is a breeze for her. She's an expert angler who can catch a large fish using much lighter gear.
Party 3 days straight and still look fine
She's the life of the party and can keep it going for three days straight and yet still looking her best.
In a little black dress or a cowboy hat
She looks good in anything she wears, from a little black dress to a cowboy hat.
Oh, You're gonna wanna look but you can't touch that
Her beauty is so captivating that you'll desire to look at her, but it's not appropriate to touch without consent.
Oh, She likes beer, she don't care for wine
She enjoys drinking beer, not wine.
Keep your hands to yourself, brother, she's all mine
She's taken, so hands off, she belongs to someone else.
She's a Dixie Boy Special, heartbreaker guarantee
She's a unique type of girl capable of breaking any man's heart without even trying.
Shes a Dixie Boy Special, the original recipe
There's no other girl like her; she's the original Dixie Boy Special.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID LEE MURPHY, JIMBEAU HENSON, STOKES NIELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind