 We try to do the right thing. I'm Houston Bernard. I'm a country singer from Oklahoma originally. And I grew up in Alaska, and I'm from Massachusetts. Even at a young age of five, I remember writing jingles and singing and performing and rocking out. The man was blessed with a beautiful voice from birth. I think one thing that's unique about his music is that in the pop country realm, I don't really hear a lot of male voices that sound like his. I first got paid to play music when I was about 12 years old. I would sing in old folk songs and stuff like that or different shows. So that's when I first started. Then I had a bunch of bands, different styles of bands, mostly rock. I used to sing Sinatra stuff. I would sing 50s and 60s music. I did electronic and dance music. I toured through Europe and all over North America. I never wanted to do country music because I grew up mainly around my mom. Everyone has their own journey. But for me, I was growing up without my father and not meeting him until later in life. I felt like there was something missing. Country music is about the roots. It's about authenticity. It's about sweat and blood and heartache and real, real deep emotions. And that's probably why I didn't like it that much because it was just too much for me. But a lot of the country I heard was really sad. And I was like, I don't want to feel sad. I was too young to have a ton of those emotions, I guess. Seven, eight years ago, I decided that I'll give it a shot, play some outlaw country music, so I started an outlaw country band. And that's where I met pretty much most of my band now. He brought me on board because he liked my playing. And we sort of developed a rapport at that point. I helped him find some other players for that group. He's interested in growing as a musician, not just as a recording artist or as a public persona. So I really appreciate that about him. I think the drive-in especially does tap into some deeper emotions and some very real thoughts and feelings that are really coming from him. And I feel like country music for me is feeling like home. And it's getting in touch with my roots. Getting in touch with your roots is getting in touch with your family. And if you learn about your family, then you learn about who you are. Why do you feel this way? Why do you act this way? It's not always environment. Sometimes it's in your blood. Obviously, there's stereotypes that country is Southern music, and sure, it's largely Southern, sure. But country music is very popular in New England. I think country music itself is mainly about small-town, good-hearted people. I have been working at the country station for over 20 years here in Boston. Hey, it's Cruiser for the local catch here at country1025.com, where every week we spotlight a different artist from New England who has amazing talent that we want to share with you. That's the case in point with this featured artist today this week. It's Houston Bernard. The market for country music in New England is weirdly huge, as is evident in listenership of country radio and the country concerts that sell out and how many of the artists want to come here. They all say the same thing. This is one of their favorite markets to play because of the passion of the audiences. Five years ago now, I think I started Cruiser's Local Catch so I could spotlight local musicians because there more and more were becoming abundant. And I couldn't believe the talent, the caliber of talent that was right here in our own hometown. And big, huge country stars all start as a local artist. And I thought it was important to introduce people to these artists that we have right here at home and you can go buy their music and you can go see their shows. Houston, I first met when he was doing one of our concerts. I was very impressed with his professionalism. And so when I started doing the Local Catch, I invited him to come in and perform a couple of songs and introduce us to his latest music and talk about himself. And he is very impressive. Holy child, holy child, it's like the first time, summertime kiss, while lighting when it hits your lips, a little kick start, dip your heart and hit it again. Just wait for it, wait for it. Playing music since the pandemic is that we don't, well, we don't get to play music, we don't get to connect with people. And that's the biggest part about music for me is connecting with people, sharing my music, entertaining. And that's what I do, it's like breathing. So when that stopped, for me, it was really tough. And I did a lot of things like just live streaming every day for a while, which was helpful but not fulfilling and that was the biggest thing. Anyway, this song's for you. It's a different type of connection. It's definitely not the same, but I'll take what I can get. I've been doing a lot of live streams. I do weekly live streams on music right in the heart. That song gets me. Ain't like me, okay. We talked about the song, people ask you questions and that's really cool. That's a really, it's a really cool connection. And it's not like a live atmosphere or venue where you can't really get it, you know, that close and that personal with people. So that's a really cool thing. Playing live streams is very challenging compared to playing with an audience because the energy is not there. And so what I try to do sometimes is just imagine there's a crowd there and just see those faces and that connection. That helps me when there's a live audience is that energy, that connection. It really is a living, breathing thing that you feel. Like when you're giving so much of yourself and you get back more, you give more and like that just kind of resonates. It becomes like this huge energy. If you're ever like Loretta's Last Call is a great example on a regular Friday, Saturday night. If we're playing in there pre-COVID and it's packed, there's a line down the street, you know, you've got hundreds of people, everyone's ready for a good time. They're drinking, they're wanting to have fun, especially if you play songs they know and they sing, they're sometimes louder than the band. People will sing their heart out. And it's like that room just feels like this, this huge energy and there's nothing like it. And to be able to be part of that and even like the main component of that, making the music, I mean, it's just, it's definitely my purpose in life. The song Ain't Like Me was the first time that I worked with Houston. Collaborating with Bernard when I was in Nashville and he was in Boston wasn't that weird because we were already in the middle of pandemic. Everybody was Zoom writing anyways. And so it actually kind of worked. There's a delay with Zoom. You can't play your guitars and sing at the same time. But the musical part can be challenging but you can still make it work. The idea for Ain't Like Me, it's like when you fall for somebody or you just meet somebody and you're really into them and you're like, why am I acting so different? That's not like me. That's not like me to trip over myself and like strutting a dog. This particular song, I was surprised on how much I like reused my ideas. A lot of times like we use pieces, maybe I'll come in with a chorus or an idea and we'll just use like chunks. But this particular song Ain't Like Me is a whole lot of me. We wrote the chorus and then when we figured out that first line of the verse, I got even more excited about the song. And it just took it in the right direction because we talked a lot about wanting to keep the message we didn't want this guy to sound like he just became like this enamored by this girl and he completely lost who he was. We wanted him to still be relatable and tough that he's just like a guy that's never felt like this before. I mean, sometimes people like, oh, I really like that song. And I'll think of that person who really liked that song. There's a couple of people that said, oh, that's my favorite. So when I sing it, I go, oh, they like this song, which is always flattering with people like what you create. I just, you know, I really just try to focus on just improving and entertaining and making people happy because that makes me connecting with people. That I think that is, that's my goal, just keep doing that. Constantly working at being a better musician, being a better human. Baby, I'm down on my knees. This ain't like me, this ain't like me.