WASHINGTON — His classic country sound is still in rotation on throwback country radio.
Now, country star Hal Ketchum plays The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday, Oct. 16.
“I can’t wait,” Ketchum tells WTOP. “It’s my favorite place to play in the world.”
Ketchum burst onto the scene in 1991 with his gold-selling second album, “Past the Point of Rescue.”
The title track, “Past the Point of Rescue,” reached No. 2 on the Billboard country charts.
“My wife was a publisher at Jack’s Tracks where we were doing the recording. She just brought that song home one night and said, ‘Listen to this thing,'” Ketchum says. “It’s just the most moving poetry. It could be written and hung on the wall regardless of the melody. It’s just that masterful of a piece.”
The album spawned another massive hit in “Small Town Saturday Night,” which also reached No. 2.
“I didn’t want to cut ‘Small Town Saturday Night,’ Ketchum admits. “The demo was kind of like this reggae, funky, folky kind of thing. And (producer) Allen Reynolds just took me aside and said, ‘Hal, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to insist. You’ll thank me for it.’ I can’t thank him enough! It’s fantastic. … I was riding with John Brown, who was a promo guy for Curb Records … and we pulled over to the side of the road and just cranked it up and just boogied man! Just danced our little tails off.”
His third album, “Sure Love,” spawned two more country hits, as the title track reached No. 3 and “Hearts Are Gonna Roll” reached No. 2.
“Those songs really never go away. Good work just stands up forever,” Ketchum says. “A good song to me is like a three-minute movie. The curtains part, you invite people in, you sit ’em down and you say as gently as you can, I’ve got a story to tell you. I think it’s relatable that way. I honestly do.”
Eleven albums later, Ketchum is still recording, most recently with “I’m the Troubadour” (2014).
“I’ve been real blessed,” Ketchum reflects. “Now I make a great little livin’. I live in Fisher, Texas, population eight people. I kid you not. … We live upon a hill in this beautiful little house that we restored and life is mighty good. … I’m grateful every morning. I thank The Maker every day. I go out on the porch, I pray to the four winds and I just say, ‘Thank you, God. It’s been one hell of a ride.”
The ride continues Friday in Alexandria at The Birchmere.
“My lifeblood is playing music,” Ketchum says. “Always will be.”
Click here for ticket information.
