We chatted with Darryl Lee Rush at the renowned Love and War in Texas venue in Plano Texas before his show last week. Photos are from the show that night.
After walking through what seemed like a labyrinth of Love and War in Texas’s wood panels and kitchen tiles, Darryl leads us into “The Green Room” where he invites us to have a seat. It seemed more like we were being invited into his den for a visit rather than a backroom storage area interview. That was the kind of vibe that Darryl Lee Rush exudes; very laid back and down-to-earth. After a few moments of traditional niceties, we got to talking about Darryl and his background.
Rush is a soft-spoken man but is sure about his words, a quiet confidence. We spoke about the important stuff first, family. Darryl is a family man first and foremost. He has a lovely wife and two teenage children back home in Florida. He credits his earliest musical influences to a Jerry Jeff Walker album he received from his sister at the age of 9. He was hooked on that style and that sound that he just couldn’t get enough of, so he started writing and learning to play. His father loved to sing, and his mother played accordion, so he came by his talents honestly.
Little DLR probably had no idea just what kind of path he was on, and definitely didn’t have any clue he would go on to win the first “Shiner Rising Star” competition and burst onto the Texas Music scene that seemed to be blowing up around that same time. Darryl’s debut album Llano Avenue was well received and showed true talent in both lyrics and musicianship. He later recorded a live album Darryl Lee Rush: live from The River Road Icehouse which garnered great reviews from old and new fans alike. (This happens to be my personal favorite album from Darryl). In 2011 DLR released his self-titled album Darryl Lee Rush with a bevy of strong tracks. Darryl spent a lot of time traveling and performing for the next few years with his band and making lots of music and memories, but the time on the road can wear on any man, so a break was well deserved.We spoke about his hiatus from music and how it really helped him understand what is important in life, but how he longed for the music he loves so much. He decided it was time to record another album. His first album in 15 years.
Of course, in that 15-year span, things change, including the record producing process and how to get that album heard. The days of radio spots and road trip tours are not the only way to get noticed, there is social media now. Social media is a new platform for people of his generation but can’t be ignored because streaming media is by far the most common way music is consumed nowadays. Navigating social media and streaming services is a science in its own right.
Darryl finds himself being video recorded by his bandmate Blake Brownlee (guitar/harmonies) being his goofy self and posted for the world to see. To Darryl’s surprise, and to his chagrin, those moments seem to garner the most positive responses from social media followers. While it is new and different, Darryl is accepting of it and understands that it is a necessity in 2026 so he plays along.
When asked about how things have changed in writing and recording music, Rush recalls how difficult it was to produce an album himself and has since hired “professionals” to help streamline the process and produce the best possible album he can. Afterall, the fans deserve it, and the songs need to be heard. Rush called on some friends to help with his newest album Willow to be released sometime after August, namely Andy Rogers (multi-instrumentalist from The Wilder Blue) and Eric Delegard (multi-GRAMMY award winning engineer) to make sure this next album is as good as can possibly be.
Darryl really loves his fans like family, and to see him interact with them before and after his live performances, you would agree that everyone gets the truest form of Darryl Lee Rush, the kind and appreciative guy he is. Darryl also knows how to keep a crowd interactive, by telling great light-hearted whimsical stories about the inspiration behind songs and crowd favorites. One specific inspiration behind the song ‘Town Too Tough to Die’ landed him a mention in The Washington Post after a write up following Hurricane Harvey in Midfield, Texas. Bill’s Grocery has sign that says “Midfield, Texas, a town too tough to die” and that song has become the unofficial anthem of Midfield.
Love and War in Texas holds a special place in Rush’s heart because of his history there, and just happens to be where he won that inaugural “Shiner Rising Star” competition mentioned earlier. Also, lots of his long-time fans and distant family seem to show up for him here, so it’s just that much more special of a venue. Darryl truly does appreciate the opportunity he has been afforded, his talents, and the path he’s been on and continues to travel down. When he introduces his band, Blake Brownlee on lead guitar, Larry McPherson on bass, and Randy Lovvorn on drums, he then ends with “my name is Darryl Lee Rush and I’m just proud to be here” and we all believe him because it’s absolutely apparent that he truly is “just proud to be here”.
You can find Darryl’s latest single ‘Fast Train’ on streaming services, like Apple Music and Spotify. Look for his new single this month, and new album Willow to be released soon after.
Find more information here on his website: https://www.darrylleerush.com