The Fire Ant Gazette - A Midland, Texas Blog

Knew him when...
Category: Local... Music...
Posted Friday, February 09, 2007 at 08:56 AM [GMT-6]

Do you know anyone famous, infamous, semi-famous, or should-be-famous-if-there-was-any-justice, and you can say about that person, "I knew her/him when..."?

I know several folks who fall into that category, ranging from a multi-millionaire would-be-governor of Texas whose lawn I used to mow when I was in junior high, to a current US congressman whom I met with on Wednesday evenings in our roles as directors of our respective Sunday School departments. But I also know someone who may be on the verge of becoming an "I knew him when..." candidate, and if you pay attention, you'll be able to make that same claim.

I'm referring to Kyle Lent, whose blog is listed over at right in the "Other Texas Blogs" category. Kyle grew up in Midland, graduated from MHS, and we count his parents as dear friends. He now lives in the Austin area, is a member of a Christian band, and owns a recording studio. He's also working on a solo musical project, and that's the real subject of this post.

He's posted links to four of the songs on the new album, which will be titled In Harbors Gray, and I'm impressed. I've got all the CDs recorded by his current group, the Justin Cofield Band, but, frankly, his solo work is much more my cup of tea. I recommend dropping by his place and listening to the songs; if you have time for only one track, start with the bluesy Providence. I think Kyle would probably tell you that he's been influenced musically by people like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jonny Lang, and he's skillfully woven those influences around a worshipful song.

Somewhere in a shoe box in a closet, I have an 8mm video tape of Kyle and his dad playing guitars in a talent show at a local fair. I don't know how old he was at the time...early teens, I think, but he was the crowd favorite. To this day, I still can't figure out how the judges decided some doofus pre-teen boy in a sequined suit singing and dancing to a Broadway show tune was superior to a rockin' dude belting out licks with his guitar behind his head, but I guess that falls into the last category of "famous" I mentioned above.

Anyway, take a listen to Kyle's music, and when you start hearing it on the radio and downloading it from iTunes, you'll be able to say "I knew him when..."

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Comments

Thanks so much for the tip. I'm listening to him sing "The Devil Will Run" and I agree! He definitely deserves to be encouraged and recognized for his talents.

Posted by: Deb Thompson at February 9, 2007 09:57 AM

Will def have a listen when I get back (I'm just on my way out :)! How exciting...

Posted by: Rachel at February 9, 2007 02:44 PM

Slightly off-topic:

I was reading the other day about a rather well-placed personage who lives in the Washington area who owns a small patch of land in Midland in Texas.

Is this the same Midland which plays host to a certain internet site dedicated to furthering the cause of a certain ant-family?

Posted by: Will at February 10, 2007 02:21 AM

Will, you're in the ballpark with your observations, although some of the details aren't exactly correct. President Bush refers to Midland as his hometown but as far as I know, he no longer owns property here. His ranch is in Crawford, Texas, which is about 300 miles east of Midland.

But, yes, there's only one Midland, Texas, and that's where the Gazette originates, to the city fathers' occasional chagrin. (Although, technically, when you use the term "host" and "internet site" together, I think of webhosting, and the domain is actually hosted by a South Carolina company on a server located in Houston.)

Posted by: Eric at February 10, 2007 07:16 AM

"I remember the time I was posting comments to Eric's blog during Superbowl... the one in 2007... and Kyle was posting at the same time. We're practically brothers."

Or not.

In an earlier chapter of my life, I was engaged to a niece of a member of the Texas House of Representatives and spent numerous family gatherings with him and his family. He was a nice guy, despite being a politician, and it made me smile when I recently heard him doing a guest spot on one of the local talk radio shows.

I also chatted with Webb Wilder once, during a break at one of his shows. He initiated the brief discussion, which as I recall it had something to do with a misspelling in a bit of graffiti he found in his stall.

But that probably doesn't apply to your posting, as Wilder was already reasonably well-known by the time we spoke.

Posted by: Foo at February 10, 2007 07:42 AM

I don't know Webb Wilder from Jack Webb, but at least I now know someone who does know him, which is only 2 degrees of separation (as I understand The Rules), so I've got that going for me now.

Posted by: Eric at February 10, 2007 10:25 AM

Degrees of separation... that reminds me that I'm only three degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon, the result of a supporting role in a low-budget slasher flick. I was stunned, as I would have guessed it was quite a few degrees more than that.

Posted by: Foo at February 10, 2007 11:15 AM

Well, your story is significantly better than mine; nevertheless, I'll use it to affirm that I'm now only FOUR degrees separated from my boy Kevin!

Posted by: Eric at February 10, 2007 11:50 AM

hey eric thanks so much for the kind words... and the publicity! it is much appreciated! take care.

Posted by: kyle at February 10, 2007 11:41 PM

Kyle must be a "chip off the old block" - which would be his Dad! I happen to think he's superb!
So nice of you to agree.

Posted by: Toni at February 12, 2007 09:47 AM

Kyle, you're welcome. I happen to know talent when I hear it and I can prove it. I predicted "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans would be a big hit and was spinning it at the radio station in Fort Stockton literally weeks before anyone else picked it up.

Of course, that was in the 60s, but I figure I'm due again. Plus, my mom told me to tell you that she listened to the song and was very impressed. Your mom has to say that; mine doesn't.

Toni, I know his dad keeps saying that he taught Kyle everything he knows, and I'm sure that got Kyle through the third grade with flying colors, but you can only do so much with power chords. ;-)

Posted by: Eric at February 12, 2007 09:56 AM

Though I never met him I went to the same high school as Dean Friedman who once had a top 40 hit.

Posted by: soccer dad at February 14, 2007 12:20 PM

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