MUSIC

Goode's Armadillo Palace is proud to welcome Brandon Jenkins.

Throughout history the number 7 has always been considered a powerful and sacred number. With the release of his seventh CD justly entitled “VII” Brandon Jenkins takes his place as one of the most soulful and prolific songwriters around today. Standing well over six feet tall, shaved head, and tattoos blazing, most people would assume that Jenkins is a hard rock act or at least a professional wrestler, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

As part of the "Red Dirt" music scene in Oklahoma for more than a decade, he has honed his skills and made a name for himself as one of the premier performing songwriters around. Now living in Austin, Texas Brandon has assembled an incredible band and undertaken a hellacious touring schedule wearing out stages across the United States and Europe.

On the heels of his critically acclaimed CD “Down In Flames”, which produced 2 top ten singles on the Texas Music Charts, Jenkins has recently signed with Texas based Smith Music Group and is Making big waves with his latest hit single from VII, “Why Did We Ever Say Goodbye”.

Difficult to corral into one musical style, Jenkins’ music seems to reach far beyond any one type of classification, though Country, Rock, and Blues are all categories that his diversity allows him to be a part of. Soulful, poetic, rowdy, and fun; he explores all these things and more, sometimes simultaneously, and does it without the least bit of pretension, he writes songs the way they’re supposed to be: real stories about the heart of living, that everyone can relate to.

The road to success has not been easy for Jenkins; it has had several peaks, valleys, and a few sharp turns. Starting with his first record deal in 1994 with Alabama label Raney Records, things started out with a bang.

The label sent him on the road in a silver eagle, raking in the money from playing big country dance halls. Beneath the success though, a storm was brewing. The country "hat act" the label had turned him into was not setting well with Brandon. His artistic freedom was non-existent and the constant traveling was beginning to take its toll. In 1995 Brandon left the label and signed with manager R. C. Bradley (Dwight Yoakum, Jim Lauderdale). By spring, he had made the move to Nashville, but things there would not go well.

"Everywhere I went they told me the same thing; that I had a great voice but I didn’t have the right look, or my song was too risqué.” This only reinforced his resolve to be his own man. After less than a year, he decided to go back to his base in Oklahoma. This time, he would follow his own artistic vision, transforming himself from a longhaired country "hat act" into a bald headed tattooed singer/songwriter.

"I decided from here on out I’m going to be myself, and damn the consequences.”

Being true to himself has proved successful. Jenkins has built a large and loyal following of fans. He has shared the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr, Pat Green, David Allen Coe, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Charlie Daniels, Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, The Mavericks, Hal Ketchum, Steven Stills, BR-549, Jack Ingram, John Anderson, and Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Several artists of distinction have recorded Brandon's songs as well, including Billy Vera, Lester Chambers, Stoney LaRue, Bleu Edmondson, Red Dirt Rangers, Mary Cogan, and No Justice just to name a few.

Jenkins’ music has received several awards and acknowledgments for his work: Winner of "Best Video" for "Down In Flames" at The 2005 AMN Video Awards, Nominated for Album Of The Year at the Gruene With Envy Music Awards in 2003 and 2004, winner of Song Of The Year for "My Feet Don’t Touch The Ground" at the 2003 Oklahoma Red Dirt Music Awards, and Winner of the 2001 Jim Beam Music B.E.A.M. Music Grant.

With his latest album, “VII,” Jenkins continues to create honest music on his own terms. Not tied down by someone else’s dreams or ideas, Jenkins has finally been able to craft an album of 10 tracks using his own vision.

"Over the years there have been a lot of obstacles to overcome, but looking back I don't think I would change a thing; and it's going to make the success of this project that much sweeter.”