Interview with Cornell Hurd, April 6, 2007 - transcript

Lane Cartwright interviews Cornell Hurd.
Tape 1 Side A: Cornell opens with his childhood, explaining his musical influences and records he had growing up.
Side B: He talks about getting introduced to country music and becoming interested in high school through college. He discusses transferring to Berkeley for college to focus on the music scene there and putting together a country band, El Rancho Cowboys. He talks about western films and music from Texas that were influencing him to move there. He explains moving back to California and starting a new band, Mondo Hot Pants Orchestra, which eventually caused him to return to Texas after recording and touring over the next years.

Tape 2 Side A: Cornell gives a timeline of the bands he was in and how it led up to the Cornell Hurd Band existing. He talks about the awards and tours they did as a band. He explains turning his life around after a bad marriage and substance/alcohol issues, eventually moving to Texas with his current wife. He talks about his friends reuniting and continuing the band, but eventually everyone wanted to settle down and be with family or have children. He talks about the new members of his band. He tells the story about how the phrase ""country music's worst nightmare"" came about. He explains why he loves playing in front of a crowd of people.
Side B: He talks about the experiences in his career that have stood out to him, some awkward and some entertaining. He discusses meeting Clifford Antone and describes how he is.