If You Were A Pair of Cowboy Boots: Willy Braun from Reckless Kelly

Willy Braun, lead singer for Reckless Kelly, took time out for a brief interview with us for Allens Boots. Check out what he said below about the Austin music scene and how music can influence fashion.  

 

Willy Braun front man for Reckless Kelly.

What Willy is wearing...Ryan Michael "the Classic Western" shirt in Navy, Levi 501's, Rios of Mercedes custom boots, and his personal accessories.  






If You Were a Pair of Cowboy Boots…

With Willy Braun from Reckless Kelly

AB-How long have you been calling Austin home now? 

WB- 17 years now. We have been around a long time, one of the first in town, when we were the traffic.

AB-Why do you continue to call Austin “home?”

Wb- Austin is such a music city.  There are always great live shows to go see or venues to play.  There is inspiration everywhere.  Austin has great food and bars too.  Over all, Austin is just a great town!

AB- Growing up in a family of musicians, you probably had many types of influences, why did you decide country music was the way to go?

WB-Growing up we played in our Dad’s (Muzzy Braun) band, which was a country band.  So country music has always been a huge influence, but we wanted to add a little edge to our music, more country rock…a little louder, a little harder.  Of course there will be a level of variation between every album; one might be more country influenced, one might be more rock influenced.

AB- After 9 albums, what continues to inspire you to write?

WB-Soon to be 10 albums, we just finished up our next album to be released in September. But most of my inspiration comes from life on the road, but I read a lot of books.  I’m known to quote a lot of lines from books I read into lyrics.  But really it’s just about living.

AB- When you’re not on the road or in the studio, what do you enjoy most about “home?”

WB- GOLF…we (brother Micky Braun, from Micky and the Motorcars) play a lot of golf.  We are fortunate enough to be members of several country clubs in the area.  Some we are able to trade playing some gigs for our memberships. For example, Micky (from Micky and the Motorcars) and I played a little gig last night at Onion Creek (a local South Austin country club) for playing at the club.  There is a lot of great golf in Austin.

AB-We have a lot of visitors to Austin these days, if you could recommend one spot to catch great live music where would you send them?

WB- The Continental Club; it has some of the best consistently good talent.  You can go on a Sunday evening and see HeyBale! Or Monday night see Dale Watson play.  They (the Continental Club) do a good job upholding the integrity of quality local live music.   

AB- Music is attributed to many types of influences from memories and emotions to fashion, how do you think Reckless Kelly has influenced fashion through music?

WB- I don’t know if we influenced this single handedly, but seeing lots of bracelets and necklaces.  I love accessories.  I have only one tattoo, so I try to keep up with my “bling.”  I also love those Ryan Michael shirts.  Normally, I wouldn’t pay for a shirt like that, but the fabric and the quality are awesome! They’re perfect on stage.  

AB-What’s your favorite outfit to wear on stage?

WB- Of course you have to wear boots.  We are currently sponsored by Rios of Mercedes; we get to go to the factory and custom design some of our boots from picking the foot leather, quarter and foot designs, to toes and heels. Then I pair them back with my staple Levi 501’s, a snap shirt, and my “bling”.   

AB- I heard through the grapevine that you have quite the collection of cowboy boots. How many pair of boots do you have?  Which one is your favorite and why?

WB- Yes, I probably have more boots than some women have shoes; at least 25 pair.  Right now my favorite pair is one that I designed with Rios of Mercedes.  They have roughout Black Ostrich vamps, with uppers in distressed black like an old motorcycle jacket.  I love the distressed look because I don’t have to take care of them, I can just wear them and beat them up.

AB-If you were a pair of cowboy boots, what would you look like and where would you like to go?

WB- Wow, that is an interesting question! I would be a roughout leather, distressed black, with a square toe.   Growing up in Idaho in the woods, the mountains are a place I love to go to get away. So, I would put my boots up in the mountains.

What Willy is wearing...Ryan Michael "the Classic Western" shirt in Navy, Levi 501's, Rios of Mercedes custom boots, and his personal accessories.  

For more about Reckless Kelly check out www.recklesskelly.com.