One of the greatest song titles in country music.
Today Trent Willmon is mostly known as a superstar songwriter, and producer for a lot of artists in the Texas country music scene.
He’s produced all of Cody Johnson‘s albums, and written songs for names like CoJo, Eric Church, Montgomery Gentry, William Clark Green and Randy Houser.
But back in the early 2000s, I first learned of Trent as a kickass singer in his own right.
He released his self-titled debut album back in 2004, and had some modest success with his first single, “Beer Man.” But it was his second single that was nothing short of a damn masterpiece.
“Dixie Rose Deluxe’s Honky-Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop, Used Car, Beer, Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop, Laundromat” is not only one of the best song titles I’ve ever heard for a country song, but it’s also a rockin’ country song that nobody else even seems to remember.
Whenever I reference it (which is probably more often than I should admit) everybody always just gives me a weird look and has no idea what the hell I’m talking about.
So if you don’t remember it either, let me remind you.
Written by Willmon and Michael P. Heeney, “Dixie Rose Deluxe’s Honky-Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop, Used Car, Beer, Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop, Laundromat” pays tribute to the (fictional) small-town store of the same name – and more importantly, the owner’s sundress wearing daughter Becky Jo who works behind the counter.
“Yeah I got four of everything in there
Bunch of stuff that I can’t use
Hundred cans of Skoal on my dashboard
And I don’t even chew
Yeah I’m there when they open
And I’m there when they close
Standing at the checkout line
Just checking out Becky Jo
Down at Dixie Rose Deluxe’s Honky Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop,
Used Car, Beer Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop, Laundromat”
Is it a lyrical masterpiece? Of course not. But is it a fun song that perfectly captures that early 2000s sound and is still way better than 90% of the new stuff that’s coming out?
You bet it is.
If you’re not familiar with Trent’s work as a singer, he also had his biggest hit with “On Again Tonight,” the first single from his 2006 album A Little More Livin’. And this one’s a classic country heartbreaker about wanting your “on again/off again” romance to be “on again tonight.”
And probably my favorite from Trent was “Home Sweet Holiday Inn,” a heartbreaking song about a father who only gets visitation with his son, having to spend their limited time together at the “Home Sweet Holiday Inn.”
