Texas based songwriter, Max Stalling, had no expectation of ever being in the music business. “I didn’t even pick up a guitar until graduate school,” notes Stalling. After attending high school in South Texas, Stalling studied at Texas A&M - College Station, where he earned a masters degree in Food Science. He followed the corporate road from there and eventually landed in Dallas working in product development for Frito-Lay.

During this time, Stalling discovered the Three Teardrops Tavern and Dallas community radio station KNON. These outlets exposed a musical heritage to which Stalling had been nearly oblivious. Inspired by artists like Townes Van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, and Jerry Jeff Walker, Stalling started writing songs, recording albums, and eventually touring with a full band to back him. In June 2008, Stalling joined musical greats Kris Kristofferson, Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, Selena, Guy Clark and many others when he received a star on the South Texas Music Walk of Fame in Corpus Christi.

Stalling's style is modern with a vintage feel. With Jeff Howe on drums and percussion, Glenn Wallace on nylon-string guitar and electric guitar, Heather Stalling on fiddle and harmony vocals, and Jason Steinsultz swapping between stand-up and electric bass, Stalling creates a dynamic live show that’s smart, charming and as listenable as it is danceable. Stalling and troupe are equally at home on a huge concert stage in front of thousands or playing an acoustic set for a hundred. Attendance numbers at shows have continued to rise. “I chalk it up to the strength of the songs and the strength of my band”, comments Max.

Despite playing the same circuit as many household names in Texas country, grouping Stalling with them would be premature. His unique voice and amusingly clever song lyrics pull him in a different direction - a direction most obviously evident in his newest record Banquet.

Stalling has put together an elite team for his newest studio project, Banquet, including recording heavyweight and Grammy winner Lloyd Maines. Maines has been instrumental in developing the sounds of some of the best artists in music and has worked with industry giants including the Dixie Chicks, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Bruce Robison. “I’m very proud of the life that this record has,” says Max. “We poured heart and soul into this project and I think people will be wowed by what this project contains”


Banquet was released in 2015. Previous projects include Home to You from 2010, Topaz City in 2007; One of the Ways, 2002; Wide Afternoon, 2000; Comfort In the Curves, 1997; and three live releases (Sell-Out, 2006; Live From The Granada CD/DVD 2009 and Live At The Mucky Duck - Portmanteau, 2019). All of his projects are self-released on the Blind Nello Records label.