NASHVILLE —  For Delta-born musician Steve Azar, writing songs is as simple as listening to his own voice. But keeping it simple is not necessarily an easy task when a musician first lands in the country music capital of the world.

The Greenville native moved to Nashville more than 15 years ago and has recorded four albums since, but the last two, including one released last month, have taken on a different tone.  “I’ve learned in the last couple of records,” Azar said, “if I’m going to make an honest record ... I’m not really overthinking anything, I’m just letting it happen.”

Azar’s newest release, “Slide on Over Here,” has 13 original tracks and is the second release on Ride Records, an independent label he launched in 2006.  Azar’s previous hits include “I Don’t Have to be Me ’til Monday,” “Waiting on Joe” and “You Don’t Know A Thing.”  Independence makes a difference, he said.  “In some cases, I would put it in other peoples’ hands,” Azar said. “There are no filters anymore. I’m writing the songs, and the emotion I’m feeling when I’m writing and recording comes through. That could be a great thing or not, but I think it’s got to be done this way.”  And it’s more fun, he said. He credits his Delta roots for much of his inspiration.

“Country, rock, pop, blues,” said Azar, “it all came up from where we grew up.  The cool thing is, it makes sense, the way we’re going about it.  We do come from a place where it all began.”  That’s why, he said, fans of all those genres embrace his music.  “We play the same show everywhere,” he said. “There’s nothing contrived about it.”  A 46-concert tour with rock icon Bob Seger motivated Azar to write some of
the songs for “Slide on Over Here.”  After opening for Seger, Azar said he
would often stand back and watch him take the audience through a journey of
peaks and valleys. “I spent a lot of time watching him,” Azar said, “and for a lot of reasons, I thought it was time to smile a bit.”

Listeners will likely smile — and relate to — the album’s first single, “Moo La Moo,” which has a well-known theme of living paycheck to paycheck.  “Moo La Moo” is making its way up the charts and Azar expects it will get picked up in more markets.
The album has a darker side too, hinting at regret and change. “There was a lot of change,” Azar said. “There was a lot of that in my life.  I think I’m better for it. I’m not afraid to take you to exactly what I’m feeling and people who are in my life. You just can’t have anything in reserve. What’s going on in your heart and what’s in your soul,
that’s what goes into the music.”

Songs were co-written by Tony Colton, A.J. Masters, Jason Young,
Phillip Moore, Jim Femino, James House, Jeff Mitchell and Josh Kelley.
Azar fans can purchase his new album online at:

iTunes.com
Borders.com
Amazon.com
BestBuy.com
steveazarlive.com.