Got stories?

James McMurtry has, that’s for sure. The Texas singer/songwriter is the son of novelist Larry McMurtry and an English professor mom. While that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a good singer, it does lend him some songwriting skills. At first blush, he sounds pretty country. But if you’re not a huge fan of the genre, like me, you have to look beyond the southern twang of his voice. His songs are like finely-crafted short stories. They range from kids bragging about leaving their small town, to depictions of a visit to his grandparents on Memorial Day. All imbued with a wry sense of humor. Think of him as sort of a Texas version of Bruce Cockburn. And his voice has a homey, old pair of boots sound to it. It does grow on you.