 Lyle Lovett emerged in the 1980s with a distinctive,
idiosyncratic sound that wasn't quite country, but was pivotal in the New
Country movement. He broke off from the rest of the Nashville crowd when he
demonstrated a willingness to dabble in everything from folk to big-band swing
to traditional pop, and a propensity for literate, witty lyrics.
Lyle Lovett grew up on his family's horse ranch in Klein,
Texas, a small Houston suburb named after his grandfather. While he studied
German and journalism at Texas A&M University in the late '70s, he began writing
his own music and performing at local folk festivals and clubs. As a graduate
student, he traveled to Europe and met up with a country musician called Buffalo
Wayne.
While he traveled and performed with Wayne a bit overseas,
Lyle Lovett really got his start when he returned to the United States in the
early '80s. He signed with the label in 1986 and released his eponymous debut
later that year, to excellent reviews. Five singles from that album made it onto
the country charts. But Lyle Lovett's musical talents didn't stop there. He
continued to experiment in jazz, folk and pop within the country framework.
Pontiac, Lyle Lovett's second album showcased his talents for his loyal fans.
The 1988 release also garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews and eventually
went gold. At this point, Lyle Lovett had relocated to Los Angeles, and began
spreading his wings in the entertainment industry. He made inroads into several
other aspects of the business, including producing albums, making guest
appearances and appearing in Robert Altman's critically-acclaimed feature film,
The Player. He also released a fourth album, titled Joshua Judges Ruth.
In 1993, he hit the spotlight with a surprise marriage to
actress Julia Roberts, and another role in Altman's 1993 Short Cuts. In 1994,
Lyle Lovett released I Love Everybody, which was only a mild success. Lyle
Lovett and Roberts divorced in the spring of 1995, and he did not release
another album until 1996, when The Road to Ensenada came out, debuting at No. 4
on the country charts. The album featured an upbeat Texas feel with elements of
bossa nova, Cajun and honky-tonk, and was hailed by critics as his most
accessible album to date. The two-disc covers album
Step Inside This House followed in 1998, featuring mostly underexposed material
penned by some of Lyle Lovett's favorite
songwriters (many of whom hailed from Texas). In 1999,
issued his first concert record, Live in Texas, and his soundtrack to the Altman
film Dr. T. & the Women followed a year later.
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