For any music lover who catches shows regularly, there are the acts that make it big and those that don’t. Bigger acts – if they don’t succumb to drug addiction, band quarrels, or the fate of being one-hit wonders – have a sense of security that allows them make a career out of music. Acts that don’t make it big, you know, those musicians who travel from town to town in a van playing bars and small rooms, may be lucky enough to gain a small but supportive following. But that life isn’t easy, and most acts we see opening for the big ones or playing the local dive bar/venue eventually burn out and leave behind the life of an artist in favor of something more reliable, whatever that may be. Despite the hardships of such a life, there are musicians who believe in their art enough to pursue the uncertain life of being a small act. Tommy Womack is one of these brave souls.
Born and raised in Kentucky but a longtime resident of Nashville, Tommy Womack initially forged his way as a young rocker in groups like Government Cheese and the Bis-quits, before the term indie rock was thrown around as a status symbol. With these groups Womack experienced life traveling in a van with a handful of dirty bandmates, playing in club after club for inebriated youngsters. By the mid-nineties he had moved on to releasing his own solo material with a more matured, roots rock sound that still managed to embrace the youthful spirit of his early bands.
At the age of 53 Tommy Womack has been through a hell of a lot – some of which may be the result of always staying true to being a musician, no matter the cost. In 2012 he finally got clean after years of alcoholism, and in 2015 Womack had an even closer brush with death when his car was hit by a tractor trailer. These experiences, as well as the general plight of being an aging rock and roller, are the subject of Tommy Womack’s new album Namaste, which drops this Friday, June 24th. If the title doesn’t make it clear, this isn’t an album steeped in doom, gloom and sadness. Womack has always had an ability to balance cynicism with humor and leave the listener with a feeling of optimism. This is, after all, an album that features self-explanatory tunes like “Comb-Over Blues”, “I Almost Died” and “When Country Singers Were Ugly”.
All of this can be found on the tune “End of the Line”, which we are excited to premiere on Glide Magazine today. The opening strumming brings to mind The Jayhawks’ “Wichita” in a sort of rootsy, alt-country style, and what follows is a confessional look at not only Womack’s battle with alcoholism, but also his place as a musician who “never made it big”. All told it is a song about being happy just being who you are. The song also shows exactly what makes Womack such an appealing songwriter to respected artists like Todd Snider, Jimmy Buffet, David Olney and others, all of whom have recorded his material.
Offering his own thoughts on the song, Womack says, “I’m at the end of the line. Always have been. I’m 53 years old, made 15 records in 30 years and I’m in back of the line between one million folks all younger and prettier than I ever was. Am I going to stop? Retire and count my toes? I don’t think so. This is what I do. I write and play music. And even though I spend several hours every day wondering what the hell I’ve done with my life, it’s what I do and who I am. Nobody does exactly what I do. (There’s probably a good reason for that.) Todd Snider is more populist, Robbie Fulks has more chops and gets nastier than I do. I’m an island. I’ve never made it big. I never will. But I do Tommy Womack better than anybody, and the few folks who like me seem to really really like me. Nobody ever screwed me over. Nobody ever twisted my arm and made me go onstage drunk. I did it to myself. And now here I am, four years sober, ready for my close-up, and the train’s passed me by. I’m at the end of line, but I’m holding on fast to the box car in front of me, bumping my chin on the railroad ties, and I ain’t lettin’ go.”
If that quote doesn’t put a smile on your face, “End of the Line” definitely will:
Tommy Womack releases Namaste on June 24th via Cedar Creek Music. For more music and info check out tommywomack.com.
Photo Credit: Gregg Roth
