John Rey started his musical journey in Oklahoma City in 1968 when he joined “The Chosen Few” and started touring Oklahoma playing sock hops and high school proms around the state. An oil-field brat, he moved around a lot, finally graduating from high school in Midland TX in 1971. After attending the University of Texas for a couple of years he spent a year traveling in Europe and North Africa.

 

After returning to Austin in 1973, he settled into the local music scene and over a 20 year period, fronted numerous bands including “Hand to Mouth” (1974-1975), “Shoes” (1975-1977) – and was a Kerrville Folk Festival songwriter in 1978 and 1979. Afterward, he started “The Octave Doctors” (1980-1985). When they disbanded he formed “The Skeletones” with members of Ray Wyle Hubbard’s, Joe Ely’s and Alejandro Escovedo’s bands (1980-1985). From 1987-1991 he toured in Broadway-style 50’s and 60’s rock play “American Jukebox” as a vocalist and lead guitarist.

 

After releasing his solo album “Ghost of Another All-Nighter” in 1992 he was signed to a publishing deal by Austin-based “Bee Cave Music” and moved to Nashville to “write hit country songs.” After five years of hearing “good song – sounds like Texas” from numerous Music City publishers, he realized that he didn’t really fit that mold. He continued writing songs for himself rather than others and released his first album in 20 years “Learning To Drive The Truck‘. He still lives in Nashville with his incredible wife April and enjoys spending time with his daughter, Jasmine, and grandson, Anthony. The new album “Learnin’ To Drive The Truck” is available online, website and socila media.

 

If you are sentimental for the old days, or just like hearing new music, hopefully, you will enjoy a small part of the history of some of Austin’s music and John Rey’s newest release.

 

Thanks for the memories.