Singer-songwriter James McMurtry began his career in 1989 after a Grammy Award-winning rock singer, John Mellencamp, hired his father to write a screenplay.
“I pitched [Mellencamp] a tape — well, it was actually called a cassette back in those days — but I was hoping he would want to just hear one of my songs and instead he produced a record for me,” said McMurtry, a Texas native.
Nineteen years later, McMurtry will take the stage at 7 tonight at Lulu’s Nightspot, 129 ½ Pugh St., where attendees older than 21 can indulge in his laid-back folk rock.
The same year McMurtry gave Mellencamp his demo, the Grammy winner co-produced McMurtry’s first CD, titled Too Long in the Wasteland. Since then, McMurtry has released nine CDs, including Just Us Kids, released April 15.
McMurtry said his music is comparable to that of Crazy Horse, Neil Young’s band from the 1970s.
Ted Swanson, who promotes shows at Lulu’s, said he is thrilled to have McMurtry play in State College again after he played a great show at The State Theatre last year.
“He comes from a long line of bands from Texas,” Swanson said.
“He’s one of those bands that [LuLu’s] always wanted to have, but the timing had to be right and this date fell right into his tour.”
McMurtry said he does not plan on doing anything different from last year’s show, even though the venue is changing from a theater to a bar.
“We just do whatever works for the show at the time,” he said.
“We don’t have an actual set list, we just are going to play a mixture of old and new stuff.”
Opening for McMurtry is another Texas rock band, The Dedringers.
“We’ve never played with them before, but we really respect them and like them as a band,” McMurtry said. “We hope one day we will be able to open for them when they get huge.”
Swanson said McMurtry will probably hit the stage around 9 p.m., and attendees should expect a long set from him.
“If he plays less than two hours, I’ll be stunned,” Swanson said. “Everyone I know that has seen him before said, ‘Make sure you give him enough time to play because once he gets the crowd going there’s no stopping him.’ ”
