Robert Earl Keen on His Mother's Cooking and His Deep Texas Roots
About Robert Earl Keen
Storyteller, songwriter, and a man who helped define Americana as a musical genre, Houston native Robert Earl Keen started playing guitar and writing music while attending Texas A&M University. He would eventually go on to tour for over four decades, including a brief stop at the Southern Living offices back in 2012. On this episode, Robert talks about his mother's dump cooking, his Americana podcast, living with Lyle Lovett during college, and what it felt like when The Highwaymen named their album after his iconic song, "The Road Goes on Forever." Plus, the Texas legend explains his emotional decision to retire from touring and performing in September, and why he decided to play his final shows at Floore's Country Store in Helotes, Texas.
What Robert Earl Keen Talks About on This Episode
*His mother's dump cooking
*Growing up in Houston, Texas
*His Americana podcast
*Coming to the Southern Living offices 10 years ago to play at the office
*Living with Lyle Lovett during college
*How he felt when The Highwaymen named their album after his iconic song, "The Road Goes on Forever."
*The emotional decision to retire from touring and performing in September
*Deciding to play his final shows at Floore's Country Store in Helotes
Quotes from Robert Earl Keen
"I think I got most of my music appreciation from my mother, and that still holds true today. My mother was a big fan of country music, but she was also a big fan of classical music. Those are pretty much the two things that I always default to when I run out of new stuff that I'm listening to, or something else that somebody turns me onto. So, I love classical music and I love country music."
I learned all my cooking chops from my mom and my grandmother. I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but with cooking it's sort of innate in a personality. You either really like it going into it, or you're kind of apathetic about the whole thing. I always loved it.
—Robert earl keen
"There are so many different looks in the State of Texas. You don't really have to go anywhere else, even in the world, to find all the different kinds of landscapes and physical beauty that this state has. Well, Alaska doesn't count because it's too damn cold up there, but far as in this latitude, you can't find anything like the State of Texas."
About Biscuits & Jam
In the South, talking about food is personal. It's a way of sharing your history, your family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living, sits down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they've been shaped by Southern culture. Sid takes us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road.
Download and listen to this episode of Biscuits & Jam with Robert Earl Keen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or everywhere podcasts are available.
Get a transcript of the full interview with Robert Earl Keen.