Austin Gilliam

Persistence — a recurring theme in Austin Gilliam’s music — has been a defining element of the Texas artist’s character since childhood, and fueled his transition from ubiquitous sideman to songwriter fronting his own band across the Lone Star state’s vital music scene. In the predominantly country music community where he “made his bones,” the brawny guitarist has resolutely blurred the lines dividing country and rock to establish his personalized “Americana rock” style. Now, two years after the pandemic canceled all his gigs, he is finally releasing his hopeful singles “Brother” and “Buying Time” and making plans for the future.
The offspring of a musically inclined family in Kingsville, Texas, Gilliam’s earliest memory of music is of stumbling upon his mother’s 12-string acoustic guitar and being infatuated with Slash’s guitar solos in Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” video. At 15, he screwed up enough courage to play Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” at a downtown Corpus Christi café, a memory that in retrospect inspires a hearty laugh: “I was shaking like a poodle shitting peach pits.” By 17, he was playing in his brother’s old band, working the Corpus Christi rock club circuit and hauling gear for acts at downtown clubs; he scored a job at Dr. Rockits’ blues bar, where he joined jam sessions and absorbed licks from some of the best guitar players he’d ever heard. Those experiences merged with the Brit rock, grunge, metal and Tom Petty hits he’d grown up playing to shape his evolving sound.
A stint with another band landed him in New Braunfels, home of leading Americana radio station KNBT. With so many local and marquee acoustic artists performing at beloved New Braunfels venues Gruene Hall and River Road Ice House, Gilliam found himself increasingly drawn to finger-picking guitarists and singer-songwriters like new-found heroes Ryan Adams, Slaid Cleaves, Jason Isbell and Chris Knight.
“I was striving to be better, in every way,” recalls Gilliam, who earned respect as a harmony-singing guitarist and bassist for regional artists such as Brandon Jenkins, Drew Kennedy and Matt King. “There are people out there who have music down as a religion — they dig deep — and it opened my eyes to a whole new world. I needed to broaden my horizons so I started jamming with other guys that were in tune with that side of music. I grew into what I am now because of my time in New Braunfels. That helped influence who I am, why I play, what I play and how I play it.”
Standing at 6'5" with his mountain man beard, edgy baritone and beefy guitar lines, Gilliam strikes a commanding presence onstage. In 2010, tired of waiting on lead singers to hire him, he pulled on his frontman boots and created his own opportunities.
“A bunch of my friends were side musicians as well and we all needed money so I was like, ‘Screw it, I’ll start my own project,’” Gilliam recounts with the earthy practicality of a working musician who earned his chops in the bar scene. “I had five original songs and played covers the rest of the time, but I made it work. That’s how it went for the first six months. I was still a side guy until one day in 2014, when I looked at my calendar and realized I had booked myself solid with my own gigs instead of playing guitar or bass for somebody. I’ve been doing my own project since then.”
Gilliam’s 2012 EP Sunshine showcased his songwriting, burly vocals and diverse sonic palette. His infectious pop-rocker “Strawberry Lemonade” quickly became his “flagship song,” earning him local radio play and performance slots on Austin’s Fox 7 TV station, while the Oasis-influenced anthem “Convenient” has also remained a fan favorite and the steel-buffed ballad “Next Stop” offered the conversational comfort of lived experience. The tracks were unified by Gilliam’s dynamic fretwork, compassionate real-world stories, and strong melodic hooks that encourage audiences to dance and sing along.
“I want to evoke an emotion,” Gilliam says. “I want people to identify with what I’m trying to say. Because if they identify with it, if they find it relatable, then they’re going to remember that and hold onto it for the rest of their lives and say, ‘This song right here defined a moment in my life.’ I’ve had people tell me that.”
As the pandemic disrupted the rhythms of nightlife and touring in 2020, Gilliam began playing Gruene Hall every other month with his full band, blending melodic Americana lyricism with rock ‘n’ roll chords. He also performed solo at acoustic songwriter nights across Texas, sharing different aspects of his artistry. “I love both,” he says, expressing hope that he’ll soon be back to regularly performing songs from a still unreleased album — wherever he can go while holding down his day job.
“Hey, I became an adult in 2020,” he jokes, while describing how he swallowed his pride to ask a friend for work so he could hang on through the pandemic and make music again. The experience directly inspired “Buying Time,” a moving song to which many listeners will relate: “I got me a job down at the local store/ Bagging groceries and sometimes sweeping floors/ It don’t pay much but it gets me by/ All I need to buy some time.” “Brother,” the grooving rocker he plans to release this spring, was directly inspired by the trials of the past two years. Set to a reassuringly tough backbeat and Mike Campbell-esque guitar solo, it offers the kind of earned wisdom and determined uplift Gilliam’s fans have come to expect:
“Brother, life don’t always seem fair
But you have to stick with the ones who really care
You can always look to me for a helping hand
Or lean on me — I’ll help you stand”