Fowler gets back to what he loves

Hometown boy Kevin Fowler is finding ways to revamp his musical career by working with another Amarillo boy.

Fowler - who'll return to town for a 9 p.m. Friday show at Midnight Rodeo, 4400 S. Georgia St. - will put out his latest album in March, an EP instead of a full-time record.

Helping him out is producer Trent Willmon, a prolific songwriter and performer in his own right.

"We've been friends for a long time," Fowler said. "We were drinking beer last month, and I said, let's just do this record together."

Willmon brings "another ear (as) somebody who thinks like me," Fowler said. "We're not all about radio (singles). Some of the Nashville producers, all they can think about is pop (songs).

"We're really not about that anymore," Fowler said. "We're more about the fans, about finding something that will go more viral on its own."

And the honkytonker plans to bump up his output in 2016, too.

"Instead of putting out full-length records, we'll put out less songs more often," Fowler said. "People just buy singles these days anyway. That's the key right now: Keep pumping out new music."

In the past few years, Fowler has gone independent again in more ways than one - going through a divorce in his personal life and starting up his own label in his professional life.

"I do wish I had a record deal with money still," he joked. "I don't like paying for my own records. But it's nice to have total control."

That helps, he said, "get that fire again."

"I'm back to making music and enjoying music and not just pulling teeth to make a record," Fowler said. "It's always good to get back into what got you into it - playing music loud enough to piss my mom off.

"I think that comes from working with people you enjoy hanging out with," he continued. "Writing and enjoying and playing music with buddies, that's always a plus, as opposed to writing for labels, where there's so much stress, so many fingers in the pie."

One such buddy is tonight's opening act, Zane Williams, a rising star on the Texas country scene. (See related story.)

"He's just an amazing songwriter," Fowler said. "A great talent."

how to go

¦ What: Kevin Fowler with Zane Williams

¦ When: 9 p.m. Friday

¦ Where: Midnight Rodeo, 4400 S. Georgia St.

¦ How much: $12 advance; $17 day of show ages 21 and older, $20 day of show ages 18 to 20

¦ Information: 806-358-7083 or www.midnightrodeoamarillo.com