Courtesy photo

With a father who made his living in the music business, coupled with a Southern upbringing and a name like Stoney, perhaps it was preordained that Stoney LaRue would end up a country musician. Whatever the reason, LaRue (real name Stoney LaRue Phillips) seems to have made the right decision. The 30-year-old singer/songwriter, born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, has seen his solo debut — 2005's The Red Dirt Album — hit the Billboard Country Albums chart, not to mention his upcoming slot on the “Stars of Texas” acoustic show on Thursday, Feb. 7, at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Before the set, LaRue talked to 210SA about why he doesn't go by his full name.
 

Why don't you go by Stoney LaRue Phillips?

I never use Phillips because I don't want to be (thought of) as Stone Phillips from “Dateline NBC.”

Is he still on that show?

He still is in my heart (laughs).

Having lived in Oklahoma and Texas, what are the states' respective dynamics?

Oklahoma is a smaller place. There are more people in the (Dallas-Fort Worth) metroplex than there are in the entire state of Oklahoma, so that gives you a little bit more space to run around. You don't run into as many people. But Texas is bigger, the biggest state in our union ....... Texas is completely it's own thing, and I'm proud to call myself a Texan. But I'm also proud to call myself an Okie. I'm a Tokie.

Considering your rodeo show is an acoustic set, will it be tough to pull off an intimate type of show in an arena environment?

It's not difficult to pull off. You just have to place the energy in the right place and make sure you're aware of what you're fixing to do. It doesn't matter if you're playing for one or 1 million. You still have the same intention, the same heart and desire.

You have quite a few tattoos. Would you mind describing the significance of some of them?

I don't desecrate my body unless it's for a purpose. I've got family and religion on my left arm and music and what I call political science on my right arm.

Being a family man and on the road 300-plus days a year, do you ever think of shutting it down for a while?

I never think about shutting it down, but I do think about postponing. I also have goals and know how to achieve them, and my wife is understanding. She's also understandably hesitant for me to stop, since this is what she's put her married life into. We both have a vested interest in this. So far, so good.

As you experience more success, are you able to do fewer dates with bigger audiences, or is the demand such where you're on the road more now than ever?

It will increase the demand, but you don't want to spread yourself too thin. Obviously, I want to be successful, but success to me is having a family and a nice home in a nice area with my kids not having to worry about eating mac-and-cheese for dinner or staying in a hotel because their dad couldn't pay the rent.

If you had to give up music today, what would you do?

If I have to give up music tomorrow, I'd probably go into prosthetics for mechanical hands, because (the removal of my hands) is the only way I'd not be making music.

CLINT HALE | 210SA