You can describe this native Texan and Americana singer-songwriter as a purveyor of acoustic ballads that travel down the road between Folk/Roots and Country Music with some side road influences from Bluegrass, Acoustic Blues, and Hymns/Inspirational Music. The art of storytelling is alive and well in RGW's original songs. It is often said that his baritone voice is calm and peaceful whether the song is fast or slow, light-hearted or sad. "Folks Like Us Were Born To Sing" was the title song of his first album and tells the story of growing up in a working-class family who loved to sing and where singing helped a soul forget hard things and troubles in life. As a storyteller, he says that his favorite original song is "In That Blue Collar Town"  which is a true story about two young lovers. He has been told on multiple occasions that he has a Johhny Cash like voice and his song "He Looked Like Waylon And Sounded Like Cash" has become his trademark song. 

 

The music and songwriting journey took him down that road of performing at Country Music Opry Houses in the 1980's such as the Oklahoma City Opry and the Mesquite Opry where he sharpened his performing and songwriting skills. While on the Country Opry circuit he wrote two memorable songs that still follow him around today including "Frank And Jesses James" and "Does Everyone Comb Their Hair Like That In Nashville". Then the journey took him to Contemporary Christian music in the 1990's were he played in two worship bands. During this time he wrote many songs in the Contemporary Christian music genre and one of his songs, "Your Mercy Is A Blessing", was recorded and released by the recording artist Christopher Rixon who is a worship leader in Austin, Texas. It was during this part of the journey that RGW met Denise Owen who was a keyboard player and vocalist with the worship band he played in. 

 

What a blessing it has been to meet Denise who is a great harmony vocalist and keyboardist and who now has sung on both of RGW’s albums and released singles. She also sings with him as a duet at concerts and she is a member of Duck Creek Station that is based in North Texas. They have become great friends over the years and recently became co-writers on a few singles including "A Little Bit Of Heaven" and "All That's Left Is The Walkin' Out" which are scheduled for his third album release. Another blessing has been his friendship with Brad Davis. Brad is the co-writer of "Ain't No Angels" recorded by Tim McGraw and Brad himself had a number one bluegrass song in 2018 called "Fourth And Goal". Brad is also a Grammy Award-Winning Musician on Warren Zevon's last album. RGW was fortunate enough to co-write two songs with Brad including "Good Friends" and "The Ballad Of John And Jane Doe" which were released on RGW's second album"Texas Is Our Home". RGW and Brad became good friends and have now worked together on two albums and multiple singles. Brad has been RGW's musical producer, recording engineer, and music business mentor and is responsible for signing RGW with Louisiana Hayride Records. RGW's first Americana song that was ever recorded was“Waitin’ On My Time” a storytelling song about a chance meeting with an elderly gentleman at a small Texas town cafe during lunch. There are a couple of songs written by Brad Davis that became some of RGW's favorite songs including "Every Shade Of Who I Am" and "Never Give The Devil A Ride". Another resident Texas singer-songwriter that has been a recent influence on RGW has been Tony Ramey, a Texas Country Music Association Entertainer Of The Year, as well as a Gold/Platinum songwriter. Tony is the songwriter of "Hot Grease And Zydeco" recorded by George Strait. Two of Tony Ramey's own recoded songs "This Ain't No Country" and "Pray Hard" quickly landed on RGW's favorite song list. It has been great to meet and work with Denise, Brad, and Tony and add them to that Good People List he has met along the way in the music business.

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Other singer-songwriter influences and additions to that list of good people RGW has met in the music business are the gracious host of a House Concert Series in Waxahachie, Texas called "In The Music Room". Randy and Helen Treadway are not only accomplished singer-songwriters but they introduced RGW to the world of House Concerts with multiple invitations to come and share his original songs. Randy was the first one to say that RGW traveled down that road between Folk and Country Music to that land called Americana. This singer-songwriter music venue is truly one of the best listening rooms in the songwriting world. RGW will be the first one to tell you that he has grown in his craft partly due to the opportunities offered at this world-class singer-songwriting venue.

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RGW's songwriting has also been influenced by Texas songwriters like Guy Clark and his songwriting and performing partner, Verlon Thompson. Their songs “Magnolia Wind”, “Old Friends” and “Dublin Blues” were influential as well as many songs Guy and Verlon wrote individually. Michael Martin Murphy, the writer of songs such as"Wildfire" and"Cosmic Cowboy" was another Texas songwriting influence. Alex Harvey the writer of "Delta Dawn" and "Reuben James" was another important Texas connection and songwriting influence. Townes Van Zandt's influence can be heard through such storytelling songs like "Pancho & Lefty" and "Tecumseh Valley". Waylon Jennings songs"Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" and "Bob Wills Is Still The King" and Willie Nelson's album "Red Headed Stranger" were important Texas Songwriting influences. 

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You can catch one of RGW's concerts in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston areas and sometimes even out of the great state of Texas. He is an active registered BMI songwriter and recording artist. He performs at concert venues, music listening venues, music festivals, private parties, corporate events and at house concerts as a singer-songwriter. He also appears with that almost all acoustic Americana Duet/Trio called "Duck Creek Station"....... and the song-writing journey continues.