Steve Brooks
Cross two famous guys named Brooks - Garth and Mel - and you get Austin folksinger Steve Brooks. He's got a song for every occasion, from the sublime to the ridiculous and back. His tunes range from comic commentary and crackerbarrel philosophy to lyrical love ballads and sharp-edged snapshots of Texas and the world.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Best-known for writing a song-a-week for Jim Hightower's radio show, my work has been recorded by artists like Kevin So, Emily Kaitz and Slaid Cleaves, who calls me, "A great unsung songwriter of Austin." I've had music in two films and appeared in two more, including the 2004 release "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story."
A maker of words as well as music, I was featured on TV's "I've Got a Secret" as six-time World Pun Champion. When I'm not in a coffeehouse or a beer joint, you can catch me behind a pulpit, guest-preaching on topics like songwriting and spirituality.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
I play in Austin every Friday night, the 6 to 8 Happy Hour at the Fox & Hound, 4th and Guadalupe.
Your musical influences
Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Guy Clark
What equipment do you use?
The Martin D-35 I bought when I was 17.
Anything else?
I like this quote from Songwriter's Circle magazine, covering me at the Kerrville Folk Festival: "The man is Steve Brooks and his mission most of the time: to be the poet, protester, songwriter, activist, political satirist, humorist that he is. No doubt Brooks is one of the most authentically colorful characters in the Kerrville gathering of colorful charactersHis color comes out in what he says and what he does - his talk and his walk."
