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Close with Sheldon (3 Ring Rodeo)
(Interviewed
on August 02, 2004)
 Genre: Country
PC: When did 3 Ring Rodeo begin there music career?
3RR: We’ve all been in the music business for years. Chad started in
his late teens playing in a Branson, MO show band. Donny actually started
on guitar in a metal band and switched to drums later. I started in my
family’s band when I was 12. We’ve all done the “sidemen to major
artists” thing for a lot of years and decided it was time to start our
own band a couple of years ago so we could play the music we wanted to
play.
PC: Who are 3 Ring Rodeo main musical influences?
3RR: That’s a really tough question. Our tastes in music are widely
varied. We listen to everything from Hank Williams Sr. To Hoobastank.
Maybe that’s why people have such a hard time classifying us...
PC: Let people know how many people are in the band and who you are.
3RR: As far as the core of the band, Chad Bilbrey is the bassist and
primary vocalist, Donny Tomlinson is our drummer and I play guitar and
sing. We usually have another guitarist at shows, and sometimes a steel
player, too.
PC: Where can someone get copy of 3 Ring Rodeo CD "Don't Send The
Invitation If You Don't Want To Party"?
3RR: Currently you can get our cd via the internet on www.cdtex.com
or at
our shows. We’re working on a distribution deal right now, so look to
see the cd in stores pretty soon.
PC: (Texas music artists are like one big family, everyone helps each
other out) is this true?
3RR: Yes and no. Musicians as a group tend to hang out together and
help each other out. A lot of Texas artists are based out of Austin, they
play a lot of gigs locally, and run into each other quite often. To a
lesser extent, those of us from the DFW area do the same. It’s not an us
vs. them thing, it’s more that we just don’t run into each other as
often. The odds of a band based out of Amarillo and one from San Antonio
crossing paths regularly are kinda slim. I think most musicians are
comrades in arms no matter where we hail from, not just here in Texas.
PC: Is there anybody that 3 Ring Rodeo would like to perform with or do
a duet with?
3RR: Our first cd features a duet with Tommy Alverson. At the time we
recorded it his son Justin was playing guitar with us and he asked Tommy
to come in a sing. As to the future, there are so many artists out there
who we admire that we could probably do 10 albums worth of duets and still
not get to work with everyone we’d like to.
PC: Where does 3 Ring Rodeo want to be in the next few years with there
music career? Any long term goals?
3RR: Of course we’d like to get more airplay here at home. I think
that all of us have been around the block enough times that we don’t
have stars in our eyes. To be able to put out a cd every year or so, get
some airplay and make a decent living at it would be great. Right now
we’re moving away from multi-night club dates and toward doing one night
shows, concerts, festivals and the like. It’s a tough business, but
we’re doing this because we love playing music. Now we wouldn’t
complain if a couple of our songs started climbing the charts...
PC: What are your fondest career memorys so far?
3RR: Playing our first big show as a band last fall was a blast.
We’ve all done big concerts a lot in the past, but when it’s your own
music it’s a different deal. There’s a lot more pride involved. Quite
truthfully this whole roller coaster ride has been a blast so far.
PC: Where do you see the future of Texas Music going?
3RR: Experts say nowhere but up. Seriously, Texas Music has been going
strong for decades, before Pat Green, before Waylon and Willie, even
before Bob Wills, and I doubt that’s going to change. It seems to be
particularly popular at the moment, and quite innovative, too.
PC: In your CD player right now, what CD would be found?
3RR: I’ve been listening to Los Lonely Boys a lot here lately. Last
time I was in Chad’s truck I think he had a Deryl Dodd CD in the player.
Lord only knows what Donny’s got playing right now. Could be Dale
Watson, could be Van Halen....who knows
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