Courtesy photo

Sunday, June 17, will mark a homecoming of sorts for Texas country music legend Pat Green. Green, who was born in San Antonio and raised in Waco, will open that night for country superstar Kenny Chesney. Green has cultivated a loyal following over the past decade and released his major record label debut, Cannonball, in August 2006. The album debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Green recently chatted with 210SA.

Do you think you might be an even bigger draw than Kenny Chesney at your upcoming show at Verizon?
Kenny Chesney is the biggest country superstar in the world right now, and I'm just happy to be his guest. It's an opportunity for me to take this thing we've got going to the masses, and opportunities like that don't come along very often.

How much of a struggle was it in the mid-90s, when you were just getting started in the music business?
Everyone struggles. We're in a van, pulling a trailer and there's not a band out there that won't say it sucks. We're playing in empty parking lots, but at one point, I'm living with my friend Jeff Griffin in Waco, and it started to happen. We started selling a little, and people started showing up.

When did the crowds really start showing up?
I'd say around (2000's) Carry On, because that got a lot of airplay on the radio and CMT. That's when we sort of began to become a household thing, and not just for the college and high school gang.

Was there pressure to deliver with Cannonball, since it was going to get some national attention?
After 10 records, I know what I feel like in the studio, so I just went in with a blank slate and saw how it played out. I just wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone.

Of all your previous releases, is there any one that is perhaps more personal than the others?
Wave on Wave (in 2003) stands out. That was the first one I recorded at Willie (Nelson's) studio in Austin. Plus, my wife was pregnant, so there was a lot of emotion at the time. With Cannonball, it was just a good time being in the studio.

It sounds like you grew up on a diverse mix of music. Who were some of those musicians?
The most important thing is when I started playing guitar, and the people I was into were Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and David Allan Coe. Really, that's why I play country music.

How does it feel coming back to play in San Antonio, your birthplace?
San Antonio is one of my old stomping grounds, and I always feel the energy when I'm on stage there.

Is it tough to mix up the set, where you play the old hits but also make sure to include some of the new stuff?
We've had so many big songs on the radio, and there are songs we just have to play or we're probably going to hear about it. But we've also go to play some Cannonball songs. That's the album we're touring on, and we have to play that too.

How has your family handled your breakout success and the grind that touring brings?
My family is very supportive, and my wife and I knew what we were getting into when this whole thing started. As soon as I have the capability, I'll probably slow it down. I don't know how much longer I can do this, but right now, the kids are little, so it's easy to take them out on the road.

What's next for you?
We'll probably record a record in the fall and go out on tour. I tour all the time, and I don't stop. I don't see the point in stopping. When that happens, that's when the weeds start to grow.

CLINT HALE | 210SA