Courtesy photo Roger Creager has forged his own trail in Texas country music. And though he’s toured the globe, home is where his heart is.

 Roger Creager is a traveling man. Scratch that. We might as well give him the title of Texas music ambassador. He’s been strumming and spanning the globe recently. Now that he’s back in Texas, the singer-songwriter is on the cusp of releasing his first studio album in five years. But he also spoke with 210SA about some more important topics — bartenders abroad and beer.

You kept busy by touring 14 countries last year. Is the rest of the world receptive to Texas country?

They don’t distinguish between country and Texas country and Western. To them, it’s similar enough to get lumped together. But are they receptive? I think so; you know, we did a European tour that was festivals and there they were extremely receptive. But I don’t think it’s really that popular. But in the summertime, I think that they’re looking for something cool to do ..... We played in Southern France. It was called the Country Rendez-Vous Festival. It was all country, and it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 people.

Sounds fairly popular to me. I guess you didn’t have to deal with too many negative reactions toward Americans while you were over there.

You know, honestly, I had one British bartender make a comment and she was working in Switzerland for the summer ..... And she made some comment. I just blew it off. I was like, “I’m not here to talk about politics, dummy. I’m here to have a beer.” But that was really it.

We heard you just got back from a vacation in Alaska. Did you feel like coming back to Texas after being out in some real wilderness?

After a long enough vacation away, you’re ready to come home.

And you probably had to come back to support your new album, Here It Is, due out Aug. 26. This is your first album in five years, right? What have you been up to?

Well, it’s my first studio record. I did a live album four years ago ..... You’re right, though, this is the first new music in five years. I’ve been writing for it for a long time. The first couple of years, I really only toured. And then the last couple, I’ve really been working hard on writing. The last 10 months or so, I’ve really been hitting it hard with recording, trying to perfect the record.

You’ve spent a lot of time with these songs. Can you call one your favorite?

It’s one called “I Loved You When.” I’m just proud of the song itself. It’s one I wrote with Paul Overstreet.

You’ve called “I Loved You When” your best story song. Is it more difficult to write a song with a plot?

I don’t think so. I’ve always tried to write all along the spectrum — everything from just pure, silly, fun songs to really deep, trying to be profound at times (songs), to everything in between.

There’s another song on the album titled, “I’m From the Beer Joint.” That song is kind of a sing-along. Do you always try to include a sing-along on your albums?

Well, it’s a good thing to do that, but I don’t know that I’ve specifically set out to do that. I don’t know that it’s a specific goal. Although, it’s something that I love. I grew up singing along with Jerry Jeff Walker. And the next song will be something that’s not a sing-along that speaks to you. So, I’ve kind of patterned that a little bit, I guess. Maybe it’s just the way I write.

Can you admit to having a favorite beer joint?

Uh, well, gosh, I don’t know. That’s a good one. I will say this: When it came time to record the video, we came to San Antonio. We recorded in San Antonio, and that’s just because of the crowds. I like the San Antonio feel. I don’t know why. It’s the No. 1 tourist city in Texas, so maybe it’s kinda got that permanent vacation feel ..... We did it at Floore’s Country Store, outside of town there.

Is Floore’s your favorite beer joint, then?

I like them all.

So what’s your favorite beer?

Bud Light ..... I’m sponsored by them.

What do you think of their parent company Anheuser-Busch being bought out by Belgium’s InBev?

That’s their business.

You don’t think the flavor will change?

Boy, I don’t think so. They’d be crazy to mess with it, in the sense that it’s the most popular beer in America.

Jennifer Lloyd | 210SA