At 67, Brent Burns kinda/sorta thinking about slowing down

At 67, Brent Burns kinda/sorta thinking about slowing down
Local trop rocker invites friends to join him on a fall tour of Ireland

By Fran Thompson
Brent Burns says he would be comfortable if he retired today.
He and Pam, his youthful wife of almost seven years, already live in Craft Farms, where Brent, at age 67, is still a youngster in the neighborhood full of seniors.
Besides, most people would not consider what Brent does for a living – writing songs and playing his music live all over the country – work.
And if it wasn’t for the getting there, the setting up and the getting home, neither would he.
This Saturday, for instance, when he is driving to the Pensacola Airport to catch a 6 a.m. flight to play that evening in Ohio, he may have second thoughts about his sometimes hectic schedule.
But don’t count on it.
“Really, I’m having the time of my life,’’ said Brent, who will be making his third trip to the midwest to play since March. “I’m pumped up and ready to go. I talk about slowing down, but when the phone rings and the offer is for a good bit of money…
“I know I’m going to have a good time when I get there,’’ he adds. “But the traveling is harder. I still love it and I would be bored without music. It’s who I am. I look at it like every time I go out, it’s two round trip tickets somewhere. That allows Pam and I to travel and do bucket list stuff.’’
Yes, life is busy but good for Brent. Just last month, he played a fest in Key West, and earlier this summer, he traveled to France, Austria and Southern Germany with Pam. “She doesn’t want to go with me on the trips to gigs in Illinois,’’ Brent said, while also making it clear that marrying Pam has moved his needle nicely across the turntable.
Brent is even hosting his own excursion to Ireland this fall. The Oct. 1-8 Brent Burns Gone Irish Tour is Brent’s first trip to the Green Isle, the birthplace of Pam’s grandmother.
“It’s also the first trip that has my name on it,’’ he said. Brent said there are still around six seats left on the tour bus that can take 45 tourists comfortably around the country.
Brent is more familiar with all-inclusive resorts, and he is also part of the musical line-up for next April’s Rendezvous In Roatan at the Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort in Honduras sponsored by the Oklahoma Parrotheads.
“I know just about everybody going on the trip to Ireland,’’ he said. “I don’t want to call them fans. In my world, they are friends from all over.’’ There will be 18 states represented on the Irish tour bus. Fellow trop rocker Bob Karwin will also be on the trip.
“I’ll probably pick up a guitar every day, and I’m sure we’ll play a show in Dublin,’’ Brent said. “Hopefully, we will also get to integrate some with the local musicians.’’
Brent, a Purple Heart recipient and Pleasure Island’s official musical ambassador, also has another album in the works.
So much for slowing down.
“I’m not complaining. I have a great time working for great people when I get there. But it does get a little tiring,’’ he said. “Sometimes I think I’d just rather go to happy hour.’’
There will come a time when Brent is less the road warrior and more the happy hour regular at the Craft Farms clubhouse. But as long as songwriting royalty like Bill Whyte, Roger Sovine and Bobby Weinstein are willing to write songs with him, he’ll buy the beer and snacks for the sessions.
“Roger was the top dog in Nashville for a long time, and all three have had way more success than I have,’’ Brent said. “I’m just glad they find it in their heart to write with me.’’
A song about the first time he heard his Baptist mother say the F-word is currently germinating somewhere on the right side of his brain. And he’s written three songs with Whyte for the new CD that he mentions will be more sparsely produced than the 12 he’s released since 1999’s Livin’ The Life (Jimmy Buffett Only Wrote About).
Brent doesn’t mention his 10 Trop Rock awards, including Song and CD of the Year for 2012’s “Don’t Come Knockin’ If The Tiki Hut’s Rockin.”
He’s too busy looking forward. He and Pam are already planning a trip to Croatia next year.
Want to join them?
Brent Burns Gone Irish
There are around six slots open for this fall’s Oct. 1-8 “Brent Burns Gone Irish Tour,’’ which includes three castle tours, a banquet, visits to the Dingle Peninsula and the Cliffs of Mother and an authentic working farm and tickets to the country’s annual Sheepdog Trials. Brent and fellow trop rocker Bob Karwin will play several times throughout the trip. Cost is $1,675 per person (double occupancy) plus airfare. Info: happygeckotravelwebs.com or call Brent Burns at 251-948-8863.
Rendezvous In Roatan
The Copa All Inclusive Rendezvous In Roatan at the Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort in Roatan, Honduras is scheduled April 22-29 with prices starting at $133 per night per person. Hosted by the Central Oklahoma Parrotheads, it will feature Burns and Rick Lamb, accompanied by Colleen Keener on bass, performing trop rock songs daily. Info: copa-nut.com.