When my husband and I started out on our honeymoon after Pardi Gras last January, we planned our first night’s stop to be in Gulf Shores, Alabama. That’s because it was a Monday and we knew that we could head to Lulu’s at Homeport, have a great meal and hear one of our favorite Trop Rock artists: Brent Burns. We were in his back yard of LA – not Los Angeles, but Lower Alabama!
Brent migrated to LA from Oklahoma, Arizona and Nashville, plus he did a stint for the military along the way. His dad taught him to play the guitar when he was 14 and he started writing music in the 70s. In 1979 he wound up on the front page of the New York Times and was featured on the Mike Douglas show with his humorous hit, “Cheaper Crude or No More Food.”
After a few years of self-proclaimed writer’s block, he decided to follow Mark Twain’s advice and write what he knew. He was living at the beach by then and recorded the album “Living the Life.” From there, his popularity exploded with the Parrot Head crowd and he’s now one of the most well-known Trop Rock artists around.
And Trop Rock awards? Brent has all kinds of TRMA accolades, dating back to 2008, when he won Entertainer of the Year, CD of the Year (“Rag Tops and Flip Flops”) and the Wave award for his charitable work. In 2010, he was named TRMA Songwriter of the Year and CD and Song of the Year awards. 2011 brought Entertainer and Songwriter of the Year and last year (2012) “Don’t Come Knockin’ if the Tiki Hut’s Rockin” won both Song and CD of the year. Wow!
Much of Brent’s charm in a live performance is his humor and keen sense of comedic timing. He is a favorite among the seasonal “snowbird” crowd at Lulu’s and he is always in demand for house concerts and Trop Rock festivals across the nation. The next time you see Brent, give him a wink and ask for his “man card” (from one of his great songs) and you’ll have friend for life!