Aaron Watson is the newest kid on the country music scene in Texas and is quickly stirring things up all the way from Austin to Nashville with the release of his second full-length record, Shut Up and Dance.
Born in Amarillo and raised on country music, his first musical influence came from singing old gospel hymns at church and later down the road inspiration came from Willie, Waylon, Merle, and George. While attending college at Abilene Christian University and playing baseball, Aaron polished his vocal and guitar playing skills while writing continuously with his close friend Neal Lowry and developing a strong following in the local honky tonk circuit.
In late fall 2001, Aaron entered the studio along with his band and additional players from the Robert Earl Keen Band as well as the legendary Lloyd Maines to record his latest CD, Shut Up and Dance. Although still very country, this newest project also shows a wide variety of rootsy styles including swing, bluegrass, and rock 'n' roll. Shut Up and Dance was initially slated for a February 2002 release but was delayed after major labels from Nashville showed an interest in signing Aaron. "I am looking to develop a strong fan base and take a more grassroots approach to building a loyal following" Aaron says about his career. Deciding to stay independent, Shut Up and Dance was released on June 23, 2002, on Aaron's own record label, Sonnet. It is distributed nationwide through Sony RED and Emergent Music Marketing in Nashville.
The first single released off the album was "Shut Up and Dance," a slow ballad about focusing on the love of a marriage despite whatever financial turmoil might be present and is the perfect song for a slow waltz. Released second, "I Don't Want You To Go (But I Need You To Leave)," was the single that expanded Aaron's base to over 60 stations in Texas and featured a music video that has been seen on GAC and worked to CMT. It was this single that set the stage for his current and most successful single to date, "Off the Record," quite arguably the best track on the record. Many mainstream country stations in Texas and beyond have had made this song a permanent fixture in their playlist rotations and it is one of their most requested songs.
Aaron also recently signed a deal with Justin Boots that will spotlight 3 of his songs on a new nationwide TV campaign. Songs for the commercial series include "Something With A Swing To It," "Some Never Will," and "Diesel Driving Daddy," an unreleased tune that will be recorded for his upcoming album tentatively entitled "The Honky Tonk Kid." Aaron plans to record the new record in late October and release it in spring '04.
Aaron loves the energy that he and his band bring to every show and will be touring Texas and the surrounding states heavily in support of Shut Up and Dance extensively. The sky is the limit for this young star rising out of Texas.
