If you've got the money

Honey, Tovar’s got the time

By the looks of him, Jacob Tovar is as close as it gets to an old school cowboy in 2015. When you meet the man and hear his music, you’ll know he’s the real deal. Originally from Perry, Tovar honed his country, western and old-school honky tonk chops on the Tulsa scene. He also managed to wrangle the Saddle Tramps, one of the tightest performing bands I’ve ever seen. 

Tovar will release his debut album, Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps, Friday, Aug. 14 at VFW Post 577. The all-ages party starts at 7 p.m. in the VFW’s downstairs hall. You can also catch Tovar every first and third Thursday at The Colony.

The band puts on one of the best live shows in town, so it’s no surprise that they chose to record the album live, straight to a vintage 16 track 2” analog tape machine. Native Tulsan Jason Weinheimer engineered, mixed and mastered the album at Little Rock’s Fellowship Hall Sound.

“Not a lot of bands could pull this off—no tricks, no fixes, no overdubs,” Weinheimer said. “But anyone who has seen Jacob and the guys play knows how great they are, and I wanted to make a record that reflected their unique take on classic honky tonk.”

Weinheimer said the studio, in a restored church building, was designed to capture the essence of classic studios of the ‘60s and ‘70s. A talented musician himself, Weinheimer also recorded Jesse Aycock’s Flowers and Wounds and Paul Benjaman’s Sneaker (to be released in September).

Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps contains four self-penned titles, three of which were co-written by local man of mystery Dennis Howard, who unbeknownst to many is an incredible guitar player and songwriter. (One of these days, we’ll get him up on the bandstand.)

The first single, “Three Good Reasons,” is a potential Cain’s Ballroom sell-out hit. Luthier and slide guitar player Seth Lee Jones nails the solo section with lightning speed and precision. Not to be outdone, electric guitarist Cooper Waugh beefs up the sound with a country Tele twang that could rival Waylon Jennings. He and Jones bounce off each other like a rowdy saloon patron on a mechanical bull. 

Tovar himself soars, juggling both rhythm and lead parts, though his booming voice tends to steal the show. His timbre is reminiscent of country greats like Webb Pierce, whose 1953 hit, “There Stands the Glass,” showcases Tovar’s voice beautifully. The album also offers up top-notch covers of Texas Troubadour Ernest Tubb’s “When a Soldier Knocks” and “Driving Nails into my Coffin.”

It’s safe to say, with all due respect, that Tovar’s renditions give the classic recordings a run for their money. The Saddle Tramps add a strength and candor not found in the original versions, and of course some shredding electric guitars. 

But the album’s originals, which are full of country themes and sentiments, pay visceral homage to its predecessors. On “Tips and Beer,” the life story of a country musician, Tovar sings, “Blame it on Hank Williams/Blame it on George Jones/Blame it on my honky tonk heroes, for singin’ them old sad songs.” Equally impressive is “Good Spirits,” a bona fide dive bar anthem that evokes a neighborhood oasis where “It don’t matter if my day goes wrong/Alright, cause I’ll be in Good Spirits tonight.”

A favorite of mine is “One Track Minded Baby,” which was co-written by Tovar’s wife, Jamie, and inspired by their daughter, Sylvia. The beauty of this song (and a mark of great songwriting) is that it could just as easily be about a smothering lover as it could be about a baby. This track also spotlights the impeccable rhythm section of drummer Patrick Ryan and bassist Aaron Boehler.

To brand Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps a throwback album would be to overlook the fresh energy it brings to old classics and, arguably, the reinvention of its treasured roots. This album is as rock ‘n’ roll as it is country, and it very well might be a key player in the face-lift that mainstream country desperately needs.

Check out our Courtyard Concert with Jacob Tovar & The Saddle Tramps for a conversation with Tovar and Seth Lee Jones and a performance of "One Track Minded Baby."