Interview with Moe Bandy in Llano, TX, 2011

© 2011 / Bruno Michel; Fotos Bruno Michel

BM: Since your first single Lonely Lady in 1964 throughout your recording session with producer Ray Baker in the early 70s until today, you always stayed true to Honky Tonk Music. What offer would it had to be that you would have changed your style?
MB: It would have taken quite a bit. I don’t think I sing that well to cross over. I did some different stuff before, but I just enjoy traditional country music more. And I had quite some success with it.

BM: Beside great musical success, you own your theater in Branson and have received countless honors, among which being a member of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Is there still anything in your life that you would like to achieve?
MB: I’ve been really blessed to do all that I’ve done. I love to perform and do shows. I just want to keep singing and doing records. I’ve gone so far beyond of where I ever thought I would. I put a lot of energy in my shows and I hope to keep entertaining people for as long as I possibly can.

BM:Songs My Mama Sang, a Gospel Album, was your latest project in 2008. What is cooking right now if anything?
MB: We’re talking about doing a new album and have already gathered some material. Dennis Money who works with me in Nashville and produces my record and I hope to have the new album ready by the end of spring.

BM: What would you like people to say about Moe Bandy in 50 years from now?
MB: I would like them to say that my music made them happy and that they enjoyed it. I’m really flattered how people all over the world like my music and I hope that they would remember me for the music I gave them and hopefully for the happiness I could spread.

BM:You’ve been on stage with so many famous other stars. Is there still a name you would like to share the stage with?
MB: I did a show not long ago with the great George Jones, I just love him. I’ve played with almost all of my idols and friends. I sure wish we hadn’t lost so many of the great artists I already shared the stage with. I’m very happy with what I’ve done so far and I just plan on keep on doing it.

BM: I heard that you pawned your furniture to pay for your 1974 recording session with Ray. Today’s music business is quite different from the old days. What advice would you give to young artists who try to make it today?
MB: I’d tell them: Don’t forget to put your heart in your music. I love some of that new music, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes I feel that we’ve lost the soul of our music. We used to feel a song that we played. Nowadays they sometimes get lost in that mass producing thing where you just sit there and worry about marketing and all the technical stuff and forget your heart. Today they aim songs at a certain group of people while we went in and sang our songs wherever they ended up.

BM: Very true. You can see some examples of that marketing machinery by looking at what they do to artists like Taylor Swift today.
MB: You’re right, totally marketing. We just tried to find the best songs in the world and played them not worrying about whether they were top hits or not. As I said, we put our heart and soul in it and just hoped that this would work for the song to be loved by the people.

BM: If Moe Bandy wouldn’t have had a music career, what would your profession be today, assuming it wouldn’t be one of your early year’s professions like cowboy or sheet metal worker.
MB: I don’t know, I never thought much about that. Probably a rancher or something. But I might as well do some of what I did before my career in music. However I know that I would never love it as much as I love doing what I do now.

BM: Your career spans more than four decades and in one month from now you’ll turn 67. What keeps Moe Bandy going after all these years?
MB: Well, for one thing my family. I have a beautiful wife, three children and six grandchildren. That’s keeps me going more than anything else. The fact that I’m doing music really helps me to keep feeling young. It’s a good valve to let stress off. You can use music to release yourself and just live up in the songs.

BM: Assume you would strand on a lonesome island. What are the three things that you would like to have with you?
MB: The main thing would be my family. Then my guitar. Other than that, not much else.

BM: If you were to interview Moe Bandy, which question would you ask him that I did not ask?
MB: Oh boy. Well’ I’d probably ask him about his bull. I bought a bull a little more than two years ago. His name is MoeBandy.Com, he’s an American Bucking Bull and is competing in the PBR championships (ed.: Professional Bull Riding). He’s already gone to the National Finals twice. Tonight he’s competing in Sacramento, California, I believe. Many people see him on TV or read about him and they ask me: What’s that have to do with you. So, yes, I would ask Moe Bandy about his bull.

BM: Thank you very much for the interview.