July 13, 2020
The music of Hank, Dwight, Buck, and Loretta filled Ray Remington’s home growing up in Bakersfield, CA. Thirty years later, an authenticity and richness influenced by those icons are felt throughout emerging neo-country artists Ray Remington’s debut, Texas Rose.
With rhythms that move people to dance and melodies that can raise tears, Remington’s music is true to who he is — a songwriter and performer steeped in the artists that made the genre great.
“My music is heavily influenced by traditional Country Music — capital C, capital M,” Remington says. “It’s who I am. I have a reverence for authentic songwriting, which is lost in a sea of trite hooks and tiresome loops that passes for country music these days. My music has rhythms that makes people want to dance, and melodies that can make them cry.”
Remington enlisted some of Nashville’s most in-demand musicians to perform on Texas Rose, including Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart), Spencer Cullum (Miranda Lambert), and John McTigue (Emmylou Harris), and Jared Manzo, (Josh Turner). Greg Stewart and Ben Reno produced the five-song EP.
Remington, whose surname inspired the nickname “the Nashville Pistol,” is Native American.
He, his wife, and their two children lived on the Flathead Reservation in northern Montana before moving to Nashville.
“I also want to show the world that a Native American can do Country Music,” Remington says. “I’ve overheard folks before a show making disparaging comments about my skin color. But, when that happens, my music wins them over.”
Hearing so-called “new outlaws” such as Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, and Jason Isbell, awakened his Bakersfield roots. He sought counsel from Nashville producer Dave Cobb.
“The first time I met Dave, we were on the same flight from Los Angeles to Nashville — he was coming home from winning a Grammy for [producing] Chris Stapleton’s Traveller record, and I was on my way to record a Christian record,” Remington says. “I would later run into Dave at RCA Studios in Nashville. Dave mentioned how he is a Christian as well.
He encouraged me, though, based on everything I was telling him, that Americana Country was worth pursuing, and that I should trust the process of songwriting. He said if I could be honest with my message and love what I write, that the songs would resonate with others. That advice helped truly helped me open up my songwriting. Texas Rose reflects that.”
Nashville Entertainment Weekly recently interviewed Remington, describing him as someone “Nashville is welcoming with open arms. His take on Country Music with the influences of Bakersfield artists like Dwight Yoakam .. is refreshing to hear in a Nashville where so many attempt to simply fit a mold.”
Playlist
Artist (Song) Album
- Thelma Plum (Better In Blak) Better In Blak
- The North Sound (Shed A Little Light)
- The Jerry Cans (Echoes) Echoes
- Raye Zaragoza (Warrior – Live) Live at Rockwood Music Hall – EP
- Christa Couture (Water To Sail) Safe Harbour – EP
- Ray Remington (Texas Rose) Texas Rose – EP
- Ray Remington (No Other Love) Texas Rose – EP
- Ray Remington (Honky Tonk Blues – Come On Baby) Texas Rose – EP
- William Prince (The Spark) Reliever
- Crystal Shawanda (Church House Blues) Church House Blues
- Leonard Sumner (Chainsaw) Standing in the Light
