Country Singer Aaron Watson Gives Back to Home State of Texas In Huge Way With New Album Release

Bradford Coolidge

Growing up in Texas, especially with a mom born and raised in Houston, Aaron Watson attended the iconic event Rodeo Houston many, many times.

When he became a country singer almost 20 years ago, playing at the world’s biggest rodeo was just a pipe dream. Fortunately, that dream came true on opening night of the 2017 Rodeo Houston. Standing on stage in front of 65,000 screaming fans, Watson not only performed for them, he recorded a live album.

Speaking with Country Rebel, Watson said that being able to perform on that stage was “such an iconic thing.”

“For a Texas artist, getting to play the Houston Rodeo is like a golfer winning the Master’s and getting that green jacket,” he continued. “I mean, getting that gold buckle with your name stamped on it, is just about the greatest thing ever.”

After you play Rodeo Houston, your name gets etched into history on a gold belt buckle, which is on full-display on his newest album’s cover.

Courtesy of Aaron Watson

For some time now, fans have been wondering when that album would be coming out – and thankfully we don’t have to wait any longer! Set to release on August 24, Aaron Watson Live at the World’s Biggest Rodeo is sure to transport you right back to that night, making you feel as though you were one of the 65,000 people in the stands.

Just a few months after Watson recorded this album, and headlined the iconic event, tragedy struck Houston. Hurricane Harvey hit the south coast of Texas in August 2017 and caused over $125 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. 13 million people in over 41 Texas counties were affected by the devastating storm.

Because the album was recorded in March 2017, Watson and his team were aiming at a release the same year, but once Hurricane Harvey happened, he told us, “it just didn’t seem like the right thing to do.”

He put it frankly, “I honestly didn’t think it would ever come out.”

Then, came a stroke of brilliance.

Why not release it around the one year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Rebuild Texas Fund?

You know, Hurricane Harvey is no longer on the front page of the news. It’s not trending on social media. But guess what? in 12 months, you don’t recover from $125 billion in damage. The destruction was devastating,” he said, getting a little choked up.

For every Aaron Watson Live at the World’s Biggest Rodeo album he sells, $1.41 will be donated to the Rebuild Texas Fund, in hopes to raising enough money to help his fellow Texans get back on their feet and rebuild what they lost last summer. 

It’s just an honor to be able to give back,” he told us. “I know we’re having a lot of success nationally, and even internationally, and everywhere I go, I let them know I’m a Texas artist. Texas music is my brand of music, and I’m honored to represent it in this way.

Not only is he releasing a brand-new album, he is also burnin’ up the charts with his sexy single “Run Wild Horses,” which is accompanied by an even sexier music video starring his wife Kimberly.

YouTube video

Aaron Watson Live at the World’s Biggest Rodeo includes his first top ten hit “Outta Style,” twelve other pure country tracks, as well as an acoustic bonus track Watson wrote after the hurricane hit called “Higher Ground.”

Take a listen to “Higher Ground” below.

To order the live album, and help contribute to the Rebuild Texas Fund, click here

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