Ronny Spears was on the cutting edge of the resurgence of Texas country two decades or more before anyone ever heard the term “Red Dirt.” He was a boy in Frisco, TX when Frisco was just open fields; nothing like the sprawling suburbotropolis that it is today. The things that shaped Ronny’s life – family, baseball, cowboys, and music – have brought joy and pain in sometimes unequal measures over the years. But the common threads of love and passion and hard work that course through all of those things remain a constant in Spears’ life and craft today. There aren’t many better on a stage, unleashing the electric presence that draws in a crowd and connects on a primal level. But the connections don’t matter if there’s nothing to say when they’re made, and that’s where Spears excels. His songs are us, exposed and naked at our core. And he’s always delivered them in an easy, unassuming manner that allows a listener to reflect and enjoy all at once. It’s a rare trait in a reality show world, and all the more precious as a result.
Robby White’s got a voice so country it’ll hurt your damn feelings while it heals your soul. His brand of roughshod vocals brimming with nuanced power is a rarity and a treasure. This duo thing is a new deal for White; his back trail is littered with evidence of his ability and worth as a songwriter and frontman. But sometimes two halves make a better whole, and that’s the draw here for Robby. His integrity and work ethic form the basis of his hard earned reputation as a solid professional who delivers what’s promised, and his songs carry legitimate weight. White’s a family man, an honest man, and the kind that puts real priority on things like the legacy of the music he feels privileged to help continue to grow. That’s a key reason he’s as comfortable singing Johnny Bush songs as he is unleashing his own. Country music isn’t dead; it lives vibrantly and brilliantly in the souls of those still grounded enough to grasp its simple power. And that’s Robby White in a nutshell.