Musician Dallas Moore, known by many as “Mr. Honky Tonk,” is about as down-to-earth as you can get. Despite his success and list of friends in high places, he is warm and easy to talk to. His big, jovial laugh was ever-present during our conversation. It’s no wonder that his band was the Ameripolitan Group of The Year in 2017 and that this year Dallas has been nominated for Ameripolitan Outlaw Male of the Year. It’s also no wonder that people find his music so relatable! Don’t miss out on your chance to hear the Dallas Moore Band live at The Hunt Store in Hunt, Texas, on Saturday, December 8. The show is free with dinner or $10 general admission. It’s guaranteed to be an amazing night of music in one of the best, most intimate venues in the Lone Star State. Dallas is pleased to be returning for his fifth performance at The Hunt Store.
Dallas is a story-teller whose songs often describe many things that have happened directly to him, while others are stories about people he has met on the road. During our interview, Dallas laughed and said, “You could say my music is partly fact and partly fiction.” When asked about his inspiration for writing songs (he writes his own, by the way!), he shared that the best way for him to write is to jump on his Harley Davidson and that, “The lyrics and the melodies just come to me. Seems like they come out of thin air.” He says if the song was meant to be, he’ll remember it and bring it straight to his guitar, and the song will develop from there.
Video: YouTube/Sol Records
But make no mistake, this down-to-earth honky-tonker is also a hard worker. With more than 300 shows a year, he makes the rounds, and the fans couldn’t be happier. Dallas lives part-time in Ohio and part-time in Texas, which was the inspiration for his song “Texahio,” which appears on his latest album, “Mr. Honky Tonk.” Having grown up in Ohio, at some point Moore was in Texas so often that he needed a place to call his “second home” in Universal City- a place he calls the “Honky Tonk Hacienda.” And he does make the rounds in Texas, a popular part of the Texas honky tonk scene here.
Dallas and his wife Jenna recently had a baby girl named Victory. While his wife and daughter have both traveled some with him this year, Moore says that he is often on the road on his own with his band these days, since traveling a great deal can be tough on a baby. But Jenna still runs a good part of his business from home while caring for Victory and continues to play an integral role in Dallas’ career.
Photo: Facebook/Dallas Moore
Those early days in Ohio are also an important part of Dallas’ story. His mother Madge Moore, a former Buckeye Belle in the ’50s, gifted Dallas a guitar at the age of 16. “Probably to keep me out of trouble,” Dallas said, laughing. An athlete prior to that, Dallas knew pretty quickly that music was his “calling,” and he abandoned sports with little hesitation. Growing up in Norwood, Ohio, he says many of his peers finished high school and went straight to a factory job, but that music was his way out. Ever humble, he says, “You know, everyone has a different story, but that was mine. It’s never too late to play music. It changed my whole life, and I know it’s what I was meant to do.”
In his time on the road, he’s had the honor of touring with some big names, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Dean Dillon, among others. Having looked up to many of these musicians for years, he says, “It’s a privilege when you can start calling your heroes friends.” Dallas is already hard at work on his next album, due out likely in spring of 2019. We look forward to seeing Dallas’ continued success. Not only a hard-worker and a family man that gives credit where it’s due, he’s also an easy-going guy and a great story-teller. It’s clear his many fans agree! Catch Dallas Moore performing live at The Hunt Store in Hunt, Texas, on Saturday, December 8, for a show you’ll never forget. Plus, it’s free with dinner or $10 general admission!
