Bobby Bare Jr.: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

So I'm in Nashville, standing in line at a food/music festival ordering some kind of pulled pork bun when this guy behind me says hears my voice, recognizes me and says "hey Bob Boilen...Bobby Bare Jr. here, I've been hoping to play your desk." Truth be told I've been hoping to make that happen too...and so the deal was sealed over a pork bun. Thirty minutes later at the same festival Bobby's on stage with his dad the country legend Bobby Bare Sr. and Kings of Leon. Ah Nashville!

Bobby Bare Jr. is a sharp witted guy who pokes fun and makes fun. His love/hate relationship with Nashville comes from his life raised by two country singers and even his own name on a hit record at the age of eight. The Tiny Desk seemed a perfect place for his antics, just he and his as funny piano playin' sidekickin' mate, Matt Rowland. At times he sings about promising "to get more famous friends" when he hits "The Big Time" and poking fun at the staple of Nashville life, the music biz. The line 'You don't even need to sing on key, producers with computers can fix it all in Nashville, Tennessee" is a line only songwriter and young Bobby's mentor Shel Silverstein could have delivered better.You don't have to like country music to love Bobby, just a love of human flaws and a love of laughter.--BOB BOILEN

Set List
" Don't Wanna Know" 0:05
" The Big Time" 4:56
" Visit Me In Music City " 10:12

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Maggie Starbard; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Susan Hale Thomas, Maggie Starbard; Assistant Producer: Susannah Whittle; photo by Susan Hale Thomas/NPR