“With each new thing I roll out, people will see a new side of him that they hadn’t seen previously,” says Jody White, the son of swamp funk country music legend Tony Joe White. It’s been his mission since his dad’s passing in 2018 to keep his music around for fans, both die-hard and uninitiated, and with the upcoming release of The Real Thang, Jody knows it’s going to be quite the treat for Tony Joe devotees. “This should resonate with a lot of people,” Jody says. “He didn’t have a record deal, and he’s writing all of these great songs. [The Real Thang] is kind of his forgotten era.”
Tony Joe White’s beautifully distilled brand of swampy, funky country music was just on the cusp of blossoming on The Real Thang when it was originally released in 1980. Eventually, the groovy outlaw country vibe became a staple of the rest of White’s career, both on stage and in the studio. Legendary performances, such as his Austin City Limits television appearance in 1982, set the benchmark for incorporating even the most left-field influences into country music. But that’s only half of the story. This upcoming version of The Real Thing also showcases White’s time in Nashville, singing and songwriting as a country artist—including several songs he wrote and sang with Waylon Jennings during their time together in the ‘70s.
Today, White’s estate released the latest single from The Real Thang, an up-tempo, riotous romp called “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies.” Written by Tony Joe White and Leann White, the take on Waylon & Willie’s 1978 original, “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys,” got the ultimate nod when Waylon Jennings himself joined White on guitar and vocals for the re-imagining of his own classic. “Obviously a parody of the original and written in good fun,” says Jody White, “Waylon singing on the track just makes it legit.” Jody describes it as a light-hearted take on a mother raising her kid to be tough, wild, and fun—like a “real” cowboy. “Let him have fun, run free, and do what he needs to do to become a man.”
Fans can stream or purchase “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies” today at this link, hear the album’s previously-released single, “Cowbody Singer,” here, and pre-order or pre-save The Real Thang ahead of its October 24th release right here. For more information, please visit tonyjoewhite.com.
Along with the release of this new music, the newly formed Tony Joe White Supply Co. has just brewed its first beer, aptly named Cowboy Singer. Brewed by Peaceful Side Brewery, the crisp and refreshing international lager is a limited run, so ask your local distributor about a six-pack or two today.
The Real Thang Tracklist:
Goodbye LA
Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up to be Babies
Cowboy Singer
It Just Don’t Get It No More
Redneck Women
I Came Here to Party
That’s the Way a Cowboy Rocks n Rolls
Let’s Trade Heartaches
She Sits Close to the Driver
Pour Me Another Memory
Hangin’ On
Alligator Stomp
Swamp Rap
I Get Off On It
Grounded
Even Trolls Love Rock n Roll
Polk Salad Annie
Disco Blues
More About Tony Joe White: Across five decades as a performer and storyteller, Tony Joe White—a.k.a. “The Swamp Fox”—left an indelible mark on American music. His catalog offers indisputable classics such as “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” and his songs have been recorded by Ray Charles, Kenny Chesney, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, and Tina Turner.
