RO: You're album is on a label called Rancho Azul. What's the story with that?
KP: Luck. Right place, right time. I played a gig in San Antonio, and this guy named John Pettit saw me. Anyway, not long after that, he called and said he was interested in helping me put out a record. So we talked, and I told him I'd need about $5,000 to do a proper album. So he told me to put together two budgets, one for a no-frills album, and one he called my Rolling Stones budget. Anyway, he decided we should go with a bigger budget, so he told me to start putting my dream team together.
Rancho Azul is John's label. The Pear Ratz are also on it.
RO: The other players on the sessions I understand, but how did you get Bobby Keys into the mix?
KP: Well, my producer Pat Manske plays drums with Joe Ely in the Flatlanders. And he thought we should bring in Jimmy Pettit, who plays with Joe Ely and is John Pettit's uncle. At first I was a bit wary, like maybe there was something political with bringing Jimmy in.
But it turned out that Jimmy probably did more to make that album than any one of us. He just had all these great ideas and composed these great parts. Anyway, Jimmy approached Bobby and he agreed. I've got say, Jimmy Pettit has become one of my very favorite people.
RO: How many pieces in your road band?
KP: Counting me, there will be seven of us.
RO: The album is kind of a white boy soul thing, which is not exactly the normal template here in Texas. What's behind that?
KP: My favorite singer in the world is Van Morrison, so there's definitely some of him in my mix. Leon Russell, I think you can hear stuff that I've just absorbed that are vocal and music traits of his. I also dig Gregg Allman as a singer and a piano player.
RO: "Rambler" is a cool song and has a great feel, but obviously it's not radio friendly without some censorship. What's up with that?
KP: Like I say, I've got a penchant for dirty songs. And like I said, continually embarrassing my family.