From Ault, Colorado, Braxton Hamblen is a singer who says his music is, “a mixture of Country, Red Dirt, and Folk, but my live shows pull a lot more from the Red Dirt side of things. I pull a lot of inspiration from bands like Ragweed, Stoney, Turnpike, and a lot from newer guys such as Logan Ryan Band and Tyler Halverson when it comes to live performances.”

Braxton first started playing music at the young age of five, saying, “I got a guitar for Christmas and always loved music, so I just automatically assumed I was gonna be a musician; there was never a question about it. It’s always been a part of my life, whether it be just listening to the radio or going to shows. I’ve always been around it.” Starting out at a young age always makes me wonder about where the artist got inspiration from. For Braxton, he told me, “My dad had a lot of friends that were musicians that were fairly big in the Red Dirt world at the time, so I grew up going to shows and watching those guys. One of the first shows I remember was Casey Donahew at The Lincoln in Cheyenne with my mom and I saw all the smoke and lights and everyone moving around on stage and knew that I wanted to do that. It attracted me like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t look away if I wanted to.”

Now, those were his inspirations, but who does Braxton draw influence from? He said, “Very hard question. I listen to a ton of different artists. All of them have pieces of their writing in my music and in my writing, but most of them wouldn’t show through to the average person; it might show up in a line or a musical phrasing. Most of the stuff I’m listening to right now and trying to use as inspiration is Turnpike Troubadours, Logan Ryan Band, Danno Simpson, a bunch of demos Mason Marek has been texting over to me, Stoney LaRue, Micky and The Motorcars, and Ragweed. I could go on for days. Music that focuses on lyrics more than the music is what attracts me and inspires me the most. (Bird Hunters by Turnpike is my go-to when I have writer’s block).”

What’s been his favorite show or venue to play so far? Braxton told me, “Moxi Theater in Greeley, Colorado, with Logan Ryan Band hands down. That was the first show that Logan and I ever did together, and we’ve become good friends since then, but it was the largest crowd I’d ever seen at the Moxi. That place has a special place in my heart because it’s right in my backyard, and all of the folks over there treat artists and fans absolutely amazing. Truly a special place, and I recommend all venues look at the Moxi for an example of how to do things.” Now, what’s Braxton’s dream venue to play at? He told me, “Red Rocks (no explanation needed). Other than Red Rocks, obviously, Billy Bob’s and The Grizzly Rose are on there, but the one I’ll never get to play (on account of it closing) is The Wormy Dog in Stillwater, Oklahoma, home of the greatest live album ever.” Well, this is obviously one of the somewhat older interviews because now The Wormy Dog is back open!

Have there been any major turning points in his career so far? Braxton told me, “I released a song called Shit Colts last year, and it’s been my highest streaming song to date, and it’s definitely helped introduce a lot of people to my music and helped fuel a lot of opportunities.” What’s something about Braxton that people might not expect? He said, “I like to jam to some white girl music, and I love my white girl coffee. You’ll definitely catch me listening to Sabrina Carpenter while drinking some random coffee I told them to surprise me with.”

What does he hope people feel when they hear his music? Braxton said, “I want them to forget whatever is happening in the world. Give them a 4-minute break from all the noise and let them be transferred into the music and feel whatever emotion they WANT to feel. I know there’s songs that are supposed to make me feel happy that make me feel sad because of experiences I’ve had that I get reminded of via that song. I don’t want people to necessarily feel one way or another. I just want them to feel the emotion that that specific song brings out in them. (I’m terrible with words, that’s why I write songs lol).”

What does success look like for Braxton in music? He said, “Not money, not fame, but simply being able to do it. We’ve all got bills to pay, and “making it” for me just means being able to pay those bills via music and be able to make music for people full time and share it with the world at shows and through releasing music. I don’t need a ton of money, just enough to get by.”

How does Braxton balance music with the rest of life? He told me, “At the point I’m at in my career, that’s not a huge problem yet. Most of my family understands that I might miss some birthdays and holidays here and there, and they understand. I make sure when I am home, I hang out with my parents and my siblings, and get some work done around the house and whatnot. I’ve got some horses that I’m working on keeping in shape, and hopefully will be a little better once I’m done riding them. I help out folks around the community the best I can, working for some of the neighbors with their cattle and horses, and helping with the county fair when that comes around.”

What’s one piece of advice he’d give to someone just starting out in music? Braxton says, “Never say no, every opportunity comes for a reason, unless you’re losing a lot of money (and I mean a lot), there’s almost 0 reason to turn down a show, meeting someone, or writing with someone. They only help you. Even if it’s a bad experience, you learn from it. I’ve played some absolutely terrible, grueling gigs that I didn’t get paid enough for, and I got treated badly by the venues or the headliner, but I learned from it, and it’s made me a better artist. Playing on stage, no matter how big the crowd, makes you a better performer. You can’t play in front of 5000 people if you’re not comfortable and able to play in front of 3, two of which work at the bar.”

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Thank you for reading todays artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Braxton Hamblen is behind his music. Go check him out, and go catch him at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned!

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