Hailing from a small town in Missouri, Austin got his first gig at the young age of seven years old playing a local place earning ten dollars. Fast forward and Austin has served in the United States Air Force, worked as a sheriff for the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department and then returned back to the music scene making an appearance on season 4 of NBC’s The Voice.
Austin is a true to the heart country music artist standing true to his roots of the American flag, hunting and performing for the U.S. Armed Forces.
Courtesy of Michael Austin
We sat down with Michael to talk about a little bit of everything including a sneak peek into his new music and his hit song, “God, Guns, and Country Music.”
BC: So Michael, how did this whole music thing start for you?
Austin: “I fell in love with front porch pickin’ music. (Growing up in Missouri) we’d go down to the local marinas on the lake of the Ozarks. I was seven years old and it was at the Liberty Bar and Grill. One day I was out back trying to sample the bbq and there was a guy by the name of Nickles playing guitar. He asked me if I knew any songs all the way through and I said, “Yeah I know a couple songs” and he said, “Well listen, if you play two songs and they like you, I’ll pay ya.” I went in there and played Coward of the County and Lord it’s Hard to be Humble. He handed me a fresh ten dollar bill which my mom promptly turned into two five dollar bills - welcome to the music business I guess.” Austin laughs, “And that started a love affair with music and performing right then and there".
BC: You definitely started performing at a young age then, do you get nervous when going out on stage?
Austin: “A wise man once told me that if you stop worrying about what people think about your performance, you’re not a performer anymore. It makes a lot of sense you have to be willing to read your audience and there has to be a couple butterflies flying around, you have to be excited. I wouldn’t call it nervousness but I’d call it excitement to be out there. You find a couple people out there that are really getting into it and you lock with them and it’s magical at that point.”
“I lay it all out there - this is me, this is who I am. ”
— Michael Austin on, "God, Guns and Country Music
BC: Can you share with us some musical inspirations?
Austin: “I was always a fan of the Country Outlaws and southern rock music - ZZ Top, Johnny Cash, Marshall Tucker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Waylon Jennings had an influence on me would be an understatement but they all did. I loved that outlaw country rock music so much, it impacted how I write and how I perform. And, the legendary Ted Nugent.”
BC: Who was the first artist you saw in concert and has that affected how you perform now?
Austin: “It’s so funny because the first big show I saw was Ted Nugent opening for KISS. The greatest thing about that is before the pandemic I was touring with Ted. It made me want to be a better entertainer. Garth (Brooks) is a huge entertainer and he pushed everybody to be better. I take a little bit from everybody- I watch everyone.”
BC: That’s definitely a full circle moment - what do you want fans to take away from your live shows?
Austin: “I want them to takeaway a feeling like that they were right there with me the entire time - that each and everyone of them was important to me and I want them to leave with a hunger to come back for more.”
BC: You’re most recent single, “Deer Huntin’ Man,” is out everywhere, what can you tell us about this song?
Austin: “I flew to England to record that song with a producer I was working with and it was one of those things where it fit my life so much. Being a hunter, being a conservationist. It fit my life. Another thing about this time (we’re in) is that everyone’s panicked about ‘where do we get meat from?’My freezers full of venison, I’ve been a hunter all my life. Deer Huntin’ Man is an anthem for hunters for sure.”
BC: We wanted to talk about your song, “God, Guns and Country Music - what can you tell us about that song?
Austin: “Well it started out as a joke,” Michael tells us, “I was in the writing loft meeting with a couple of writers and Clay Mills (Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It, Heaven Heartache and the Power of Love, Sky Full of Angels) came down the stairs and jokingly said, “what are we going to write about today hillbilly?” and I said, “Golly Gee how about we write about God, Guns and Country Music?” and he said, “Sounds like a title!” so we sat down and that song was born in about an hour and forty five minuets. Everybody was just so excited. There might be a video of Clay swinging his t-shirt above his head singing the song as we were finished writing it.” Michael spills, “God, Guns and Country Music is the story of my life, talkin’ about walkin the thin blue line and performing at the same time. Being a deputy sheriff during the week and performing on the weekends. Everybody thought I was crazy.” Michael laughs. “I feel the way everyone’s talking about things today, the line in the song, ‘they might say that there’s no God or take my guns away’ and that’s exactly what they’re doing. For a conservative, country, christian kid like myself, those are fightin words. I’m just hoping it’s an anthem for every God fearing, gun totein, country music loving person out there.”
BC: What’s your favorite line from the song?
Austin; “Man, well it would be, ‘Strap Sam Colt up on Monday to walk that thin blue line till I hit the stage on Saturday Night singing country boy can survive.’ That’s my favorite line! Now I gotta get Hank to sing it with me one day.”
BC: "If you could describe your music in three words, how would you describe it?
Austin: "Heartfelt, America, and Faith”
BC: What’s your favorite part about being a musician?
Austin: The people interaction. I’m a people person, I love to meet people from all over the place. Knowing that my music touches them. They always say, ‘when words fail, music speaks’ there’s no truer statement told. COVID was really tough on me because I love to hug people, shake hands, let them know that I’m one of them. God gave me the gift and I get to share it with them and that’s exactly what I wanna do.”
BC: Do you have a least favorite part about being an artist?
Austin: “Right now the part I don’t like is how so many people take advantage of the artist. It’s one of those things where someone always has an angle and it’s the most depressing part about the industry for sure.”
BC: What’s your favorite song of yours to play live?
Austin: “Hands down God, Guns and Country Music. I lay it all out there - this is me, this is who I am. By the end of it, they are either gonna love me or hate me and that’s how I feel.”
BC: What can fans expect from you next?
Austin: “Working on a brand new record with James Stroud (Glen Campbell, Paul Simon, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith,Tanya Tucker, Kenny Rogers) and I’m in the studio right now. We’re working on a bunch of new great stuff. I got three amazing amazing titles which I’ll give you the names of exclusively; Shotgun Seat to the American Dream, Just For the Hangover, and Look at Me Now.”
BC: What is your favorite out of those three songs?
Austin: “I can’t, they’re like your kids being born you can’t pick a favorite. You watch them grow, see how people react to them - it’s amazing!”
BC: What is your favorite part about being in the studio crafting new songs?
Austin: “Its just that - That creative part of you that as a musician you want to get out. Hearing things come to fruition, hearing your idea turn into a full blown song with all the parts runnin’ it’s a feeling that you created something that other people will enjoy. That’s a high all the time when you’re in the studio.”
BC: What do you want people to take when hearing you on the radio for the first time or seeing you LIVE?
Austin: “I want them to know I’m an average guy that has worked hard my entire life to achieve the dream and if you work hard enough anything is attainable. I want them to know I’m a veteran, patriot, true American and a son of God. That’s the most important thing for me.” Michael says, “And I’m a Mama’s Boy, I talk to my mama everyday.”
BC: And lastly, what do you want to say to your fans?
Austin: “I know that we’ve had some rough times this past year but I’m ready to make up for it, I’m ready to get out there and see everybody, shake hands, hug people and 100 percent give it the best I have to offer and see everybody out on the road.”