The Battalion
, 1997 Thursday * October 2, 1997
troFVom small toivn girl to superstar
East Texas native Lee Ann Womack jump starts career with debut album; set to play show with Clay Walker tonight
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By Brandi Ballard
Staff writer
ee Ann Womack, one of country music’s newest
stars, takes the stage tonight at the “Four Star
Blowout” in G. Rollie White Coliseum with Clay
felker, Kevin Sharp and Mark Wills.
Womack struggled in Nashville for 10 years before
jemade her debut with “Never Again, Again.”
"I think the reason that song broke through the
larts is because it is so country,” Womack said.
Since the release of that single, it has been non-stop
irthis East Texas native.
Born and raised in the small town of Jacksonville,
Eomack has always had dreams of making it big.
Ann Womack, Lee Ann’s mother, said Lee Ann has
een around music forever.
“She has always wanted to do what she’s doing now,”
iinWomack said.
Lee Ann’s father was a disc jockey at a local radio sta-
nand would take her to the studio and let her pick
it albums for him to play. She grew up listening to the
rand Ole Opry. She said she loved the music of Ray
lice, Tommy Duncan, Bob Wills, Tammy Wynette and
lolly Parton.
"My biggest music influence would have to be
eorge Strait,” Lee Ann Womack said. “He really ex
posed a lot of people to country music. He introduced
a whole new generation of music lovers.”
As a senior in high school, Womack skipped her se
nior trip and went by herself to Nashville to see the
country music-landmarks. During that trip, she started
planning her move to Music Row.
After graduation, she wanted to head straight to
Nashville, but her parents insisted she go to college. She
attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.
“They had a country music program there, and I
planned on getting a degree in country and bluegrass
music,” Womack said.
She only lasted a year at South Plain before she de
cided to move on. She transferred to Belmont Univer
sity as a sophomore music major. At Belmont, students
have to be a junior before they can qualify for intern
ships at record companies. When Womack saw an
opening at MCA Records, she decided she had to have
it. She told them she was a junior and she got the job.
She soon realized that interning was not the same as
actually recording for the company, so she left.
Ten years later, Womack released her self-tided de
but album which sold 9,700 copies during the first
week. Country fans enjoy it so much, even Alan Jack-
son bought 25 copies.
“I think it’s hilarious that he bought so many,” Wom
ack said. “He apparently really likes it.”
Most of her performances this fall are with Clay
Walker.
“My manager also manages Clay and George Strait,”
Womack said. “That’s part of the reason Clay and I are
touring together.”
When she is not with Walker, she is performing with
Tim McGraw, George Strait or being nominated for the
Horizon Award.
Her parents saw her perform last week at the Coun
try Music Association awards show.
“She was wonderful,” Ann Womack said. “We saw
her in concert for the first time last weekend in Hemp
stead. She did an excellent show. I’m so very proud of
her.”
The residents of Jacksonville also show their pride.
Her picture is in the windows of downtown shops, and
teachers remember her as a student singing in the high
school choir. A local restaurant even has her name on
the front of their menu, boasting that she is from Jack
sonville.
With her busy concert schedule, Womack said she
does not get home veiy much.
“I usually get a chance to go home during the sum
mer,” Womack said. “But I only have time to see my
family and my best friend. When I do run into someone
in town, they always tell me how excited they are, and
that makes me feel good.”
Lee Ann Womack
Hie Adults performs like children, brings ‘jerk rock to B-CS
By Rhonda Reinhart
Staff writer
D o not be fooled by the name. The
Adults is an alternative rock band
from Austin who loves to play — in
lore ways than one.
Lead singer Paul Ahern said the band is
[ways goofing around onstage.
We like to provide a visual aspect
hen we play live shows,” he said. “We like
idress up, but we are serious about the
lusic. It brings our live shows to another
Tel.’’
Ahern said The Adults plays some cov-
songs at their live shows, but most of
music is the band’s own material.
Luke Gosselin, bass guitarist for The
lulls, said the band members use a lot of
theatrics at their shows.
“It gives people something to look at
other than a band playing music,” he said.
Hi
“It’s not spoon-fed, it’s not subtle,
and it might not settle well. It’s
creative and energetic.”
LUKE GOSSELIN
UITARIST, THE ADULTS
“We don’t want people to be bored. It’s fun
to see a band that looks weird.”
Gosselin said The Adults’ live shows are
wild and crazy and a lot of fun for people
who are in the right frame of mind.
The Adults has been together for three
years and has made two albums. The
newest album, Soothing Songs for Baby, is
set to be released Oct. 10.
Ahern said the band is taking its music
in new directions.
“We’ve got a wide variety of different-
sounding songs on this album,” he said.
“We like to experiment, especially in the
studio.”
Ahern said the band spent six months
working on the new album.
The Adults’ music is loosely classified
as alternative rock, but Gosselin describes
the band’s sound as “jerk rock.”
“It’s quirky and off-balance,” he said.
“It’s not spoon-fed, it’s not subtle, and it
might not settle well. It’s creative and en
ergetic.”
Gosselin said the band’s new album is
totally different from its first CD.
“It’s more like the album we wanted to
make the first time,” he said. “We poured
a lot of creativity into it. It’s really in-your-
face rock ’n’ roll.”
Ahern became interested in music
when his sister convinced him to join the
school band in seventh grade.
He said he dropped out of the band af
ter he got sick of the stigma of being
called a “band nerd.” His musical goals
were not forgotten. However, he then
started playing guitar and eventually
started writing songs.
Ahern said he likes working with musi
cians and enjoys making band Web sites.
“I’m planning to make music my main
career,” he said. “We don’t want to end up
playing in Austin forever. We’ve got our
eyes on Europe.”
The Adults will be leaving on Oct. 12 for
a West Coast tour. The band has plans for
a tour of the southeast after that.
The band is also no stranger to Bryan-
College Station. The Adults have played at
the former Stafford Opera House (now
Dixie Theatre) and Vertigo, and on Satur
day, Oct. 4, the group will be playing at the
Cow Hop.
Ahern said the last time he came to Col
lege Station, he thought the crowd was
docile and a little more preppy than he ex
pected.
“You can’t let a tame crowd get you
down,” he said. “I think a lot of people
play worse when the crowd’s not going
their way.”
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