From honky tonk stages to rodeo arenas to chart-topping hits, Moe Bandy’s journey reflects the essence of a true country musician.
With a career spanning decades, starting with his debut album I Just Started Hatin’ Cheatin’ Songs Today in 1974, the 79-year-old’s tunes have stood the test of the time.
TCC: You’ve had 10 No. 1 hits, 40 Top 10 hits, 66 charted songs. When you first started, did you ever think this is where you would be today?
MB: I did not, I wanted to have hit records, you know, but I’ve gone way beyond what I ever dreamed of. And I’m so blessed that I’m still doing it, I love it.
TCC: We all know your music, but talk about your involvement in ProRodeo and the PBR. Tell me more about all you’ve done in the industry.
MB: Well, my brother Mike Bandy, he rode bulls for years. He went to the National Finals seven times and so we played a lot of rodeos together, where I would sing and Mike would ride bulls. And we did one in Houston at the Astrodome and Mike won the bull riding. And when I was a kid, my dad had Bandy’s Arena, which he bucked bulls.
TCC: Talk about your friendship with Gene Watson.
MB: He’s my good friend. We started out in South Texas, actually, with our little bands. I’d run across him at a benefit or something, you know. Next thing you know, I have a hit record and here comes Gene with a hit record and we’ve been friends ever since. That was probably in the 70s, early 70s. He is one of the greatest singers out there and I think over the last few years, with a lot of the TV he did, people found out how great he is.
TCC: If you had to choose a favorite memory from your career, what would you say?
MB: I guess walking on the Grand Ol Opry stage for the first time in the music business. I remember walking on the stage in ’75 and I looked and there’s Ernest Tubb and Faron Young and all of these great heroes of mine and so it was really a thrill, that’s one of the biggest, there’s a bunch of ‘em.
TCC: What’s your favorite rodeo to play?
MB: There’s a bunch, San Antonio and Houston, I’ve played Cheyenne and Calgary, I played all of ‘em and I just had a ball.
Portions of this interview have been edited and condensed. You can find more about Moe Bandy and his music here.