Play The Texas Coast 1 | Page 11

She quickly gives her parents credit for having the greatest impact on her life, “They have always been supportive of my dreams and goals, without hesitation. I moved to Texas when I was 18 and didn’t know a single person there. I know that was hard for them.” That ingenuous sacrifice was a wise one, indeed. She adds, “I’m like a bee! I work, work, work for that sweet honey called music! Trying to get that grassroots buzz going!” Bri’s a far cry from just another pretty face. After graduating 4th out of 550 with a GPA greater than a 4.0, she could have pursued any field she wanted, which landed her in Austin, Texas. There she earned a Marketing degree in 2009 at the University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business. She says, “I had a day job for a few months after graduating. I loved that, too, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as music. Music is definitely the more difficult path, I think.” She adds, “I believe that God gave me songwriting as a gift, and to hold that inside of me wouldn’t be fulfilling my purpose in life.” 6 years down the road, Bri’s been chasing that God-sent dream. “I’ve been in the Texas scene for a long time (by my standards). Every weekend we meet new people who come to the merch table and are surprised to see that I have three albums out, because they have never heard of me before. We aren’t new like many people think; we have persevered! Someone told me once that this scene is a lot about who can stay in it the longest without giving up. I’ve taken that to heart, and I haven’t quit.” “I’ve had the band (The Banned) for four and a half years, but I played for over two years just acoustic before that, and before that I had been playing with my brothers in a band in New Mexico for about 7 years. I think it’s been a slow and steady ride for me, and meeting people/fans/ bar owners/ radio DJs along the way has all really added up over time. Plus, The Banned and I really LOVE talking to people and hanging out after the shows. I think we’ve gained a lot of fans that have become friends along the way! Still a long way to go…” Folks might be curious as to why a New Mexico native like Bri would chose Texas Music, and she does not hesitate to explain. “There is nothing like the Texas Music Scene (which also has us touring other states like New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Louisiana due to the music’s popularity). We play over 130 dates a year, but a large majority of the radio stations that play our music are in Texas. You can make a living here just playing live music, which is absolutely crazy, and AWESOME!”. When asked about her most memorable performance, she replies, “There are so many! We were 60 tickets from selling out Gruene Hall in 2014. It was incredible. People came from all over to support me on my first headlining gig there! People were singing all of the words to the songs, and I was emotional the entire time. My family was there too, which was special.” “It was exactly who I was at that point in my life. I think I sound really young on it, but I get people all the time that say they still love that album. I think it was a raw representation of myself before I knew “rules” about songwriting and had any clue about singing in a studio.” CD’s “Bri Bagwell EP” & “When A Heart Breaks” have followed as her style continues to mature. Currently her favorite song grew out of her agricultural background. “Dear John Deer”, is about asking an old John Deere tractor to give just one more year when times are tough. It’s interesting and humbling to see the way people relate to it. Her song “Whiskey” caught the attention of Rebecca Creek Whiskey, so about 3 years ago the President of Rebecca Creek/ Enchanted Rock approached Bri at a Gruene Hall show. “He had a Texas-shaped basket with some of the best whiskey I’ve ever tasted in it. I had just released my song “Whiskey” to Texas Radio, and he thought we should partner up.” The rest is history, because she says, “You can find life-sized Bri Bagwell standups in over 90 liquor stores across the state, which makes for some pretty funny incoming text messages from my friends when they find them.” Although she sings Texas country songs, Bri’s a big fan of 60’s music and loves The Beetles, CCR, and Fleetwood Mac. However,