Max was born and raised in Houston, TX. His love for Texas country music started in Junior High and was heavily influenced by Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, Cory Morrow, and company. Playing music was never more than a hobby for most of his teens and twenties. He would entertain friends and family members but the idea of a career in music didn’t ever cross his mind. Max was battling some pretty heavy demons during those lost years. What started as partying on the weekends turned into full-blown drug addiction before long. His struggles are what makes his music so authentic. David Garrick of The Houston Press wrote “… his music is so sincere and heartfelt, that you immediately see him as so much more than those Nashville stereotypes”. There is no choice for Max but to tell his story. Since 2012 he has been clean and sober and found his true purpose is helping others recover, whether that be through his music or community outreach.
With a degree in Finance from the University of Houston, Max took a full-time job in the oil & gas industry. It wasn’t long before he knew his heart was elsewhere. Determined to find a way to turn his dream into a reality, he sought out some local musicians and open mics. He recalls that first time introducing himself on stage as “a terrifying moment”. After four years as a financial analyst it was time to take a leap of faith. Slowly but surely he gained enough of a following and stacked up enough regular gigs to leave the security of a corporate job behind. “Playing music is my Plan A right now. I don’t think about a Plan B because I don’t even want that as an option in the back of my mind. I’m determined to make a living doing what brings me joy”, he says.
Since March of 2017 he has been working as a full-time musician. “It still feels strange when I tell people what I do for a living” he says. In his first year he released a six song EP and two singles. His single “As Big as the Storm” was dedicated to the resiliency of Houstonians in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The song was featured by Channel 11 news and helped raise money for flood victims. He’s opened shows for the Eli Young Band, Hal Ketchum, Cory Morrow, Micky & the Motorcars, Ryan Bingham, Dirty River Boys and more. His notable venues include the main stage at House of Blues Houston, RODEOHOUSTON Wine Garden, the Heights Theater, Redneck Country Club, ACME Nashville, and many others from south Texas to northern Colorado.
While still partial to the Texas Country he grew up on, he is greatly influenced by the classic country legends such as Merle Haggard, George Jones, Jonny Paycheck, Ernest Tubb and others alike. “I really identify with the raw vulnerability and grit of the classic country artists. They delivered honest lyrics in the simplest of ways,” says Max. In addition to his original material, he always sprinkles in a variety of cover tunes ranging from Bob Wills to Alan Jackson during his sets. If you like honest lyrics, fiddle, steel guitar, and two-steppin’ then you’ll love a Max Flinn show.