Aaron Watson brings show to ENMU
Apr. 25—For over 20 years, Aaron Watson has been making music. He has no plans to go "Outta Style" anytime soon since he's performing in Portales this Saturday at the Greyhound Arena.
The singer-songwriter is no stranger to eastern New Mexico. Watson, 45, was born and raised in Amarillo, and attended New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs to play baseball back in the day. Watson has played several concerts in Clovis including the Curry County Fair, and he said he's excited to be back on the High Plains.
"I was flattered that they asked me. Anytime, you know, people specifically want you to play your music for them, it's such an honor," Watson said.
The doors to Greyhound Arena will open at 6 p.m. Saturday. Watson is slated to follow the opening act of another well-known local country performer, Will Banister of Portales.
Banister's website shows Jenna Paulette kicks off the show at 7 p.m. with Banister taking the stage at 7:45, followed by Watson at 9.
Watson is on tour, playing shows all over the country throughout the summer.
"It started in Amarillo," he said in a telephone interview with the News on Monday. "And now I'm all the way up in California. Then I'll be, you know, in South Dakota, and we're all over the place."
Being a husband and father to three kids, Watson said he does get some breaks in between shows to be home and spend time with his family. After he takes the stage in Portales on Saturday, he said he's headed to his home near Abilene, Texas.
Watson said his shows feature a variety of his songs. He said, "When it comes to the live show, we really, really, really, really like to have a very energetic, fun, upbeat show."
He said they will play some of his slower songs, but he said they're all about making it "fun for the fans."
Watson has been a truly independent artist for his entire career and bills himself as an "underdog." This is because he has reached the Top 10 of Billboard's Country Album chart five separate times, all without the help of Nashville and corporate backers, according to his website.
Watson said his favorite thing to do is write his own songs, and that he wouldn't have it any other way. "The idea of, you know, winning awards and filling stadiums with someone else's songs ... that doesn't do it for me, that wouldn't make me happy," he said.
Some of Watson's musical influences include Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, the Beatles, The Beach Boys, and a lot of '60s and '70s country music and rock and roll.
