The Official Site of Heart of Texas Recording Artist, Joe Rucker
The Official Site of Heart of Texas Recording Artist, Joe Rucker

The official site of Heart of Texas Recording artist, Joe Rucker!

JoeRucker.com

JoeRucker.comJoeRucker.comJoeRucker.com

The official site of Heart of Texas Recording artist, Joe Rucker!

JoeRucker.com

JoeRucker.comJoeRucker.comJoeRucker.com

Welcome to my official website!

photo by: Carolyn McKinnie

Joe Rucker: A Traditional Country Fan Favorite

Joe Rucker is a popular artist among traditional Country fans.  Born in Texas and raised  Florida, Joe rose to prominence not long after moving to Nashville in the late 90s. He has had the honor of working alongside many legendary country artists and performing at iconic venues such as the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, Ryman Auditorium, Wheeling Jamboree, and the Heart of Texas Country Music Festival. Joe's music has resonated with audiences around the globe, cementing his status as a rising star in the traditional country music scene.

NEW RELEASE: Takin' A Walk (with Friends)

Joe Rucker to Release New Album “Takin' A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions” on October 11, 2024

Nashville, TN (October 11, 2024) – Traditional country music artist Joe Rucker is set to release

his highly anticipated new album, “Takin' A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions,” on October

11, 2024. The album, which will be available through Heart of Texas Records and distributed by

StarVista Music, showcases Rucker’s deep-rooted love for traditional country music, offering a

collection of timeless duets.

“It's something that I've wanted to do really my whole career,” explains Rucker. “I've been

blessed to work with a lot of legendary folks and already had five duets that I recorded over the

years. So, I recorded nine new ones to make an entire album, enlisting some of my very

talented friends.” The album includes duets with Tony Booth, Leon Everette, Jim Glaser, Hank

Locklin, Hank Adam Locklin, Darrell McCall, Eddy Raven, Marty Raybon, Jeannie C. Riley, Margie

Singleton and Justin Trevino.

The album is a celebration of the traditional sounds of Texas country music, with a twist of

nostalgia. Rucker aims to preserve and reintroduce the rich history of country music through

carefully curated songs and heartfelt collaborations with his close friends and fellow artists.

“This is mostly a Texas music-flavored record,” Rucker adds, “but what we were trying to do is

pick songs that you don't hear a lot of anymore. They might have been sizeable hits or album

cuts from back in the day, but you won't see a lot of these songs on compilation records or

projects of this kind today. Hidden gems, if you will.”

“Takin' A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions” is for both longtime country music lovers and

new listeners alike. “I hope hearing these songs will renew peoples’ love for traditional music or

maybe give someone who has never really listened much to traditional country a chance to give

it a listen with an open mind and an open heart,” Rucker continues.

About Joe Rucker: Joe Rucker is a popular traditional country music artist.  Born in Texas and

raised in Florida, Joe rose to prominence not long after moving to Nashville in the late 90s. He

has had the honor of working alongside many legendary country artists and performing at

iconic venues such as the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, Ryman Auditorium, Wheeling

Jamboree, and the Heart of Texas Country Music Festival. Joe's music has resonated with

audiences around the globe, cementing his status as a rising star in the traditional country

music scene.

ABOUT THE ALBUM

Joe Rucker “Takin’ a Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions” Track by Track

“Takin’ a Walk” (Hank Adam Locklin)

I've gotten to know Hank Adam Locklin over the years and at one point he wrote this

song for me when I was going through a personal rough patch many years ago and sent

it to me on a cassette tape. I always knew that I was going to record this song one day

and so I saved that cassette for a long time. When Tracy Pitcox (of Heart of Texas

Records) and I were talking about the concept for this album I knew this would be the

right time to record it. It took me about two weeks, but I finally found that cassette and lo

and behold it became the title track. It’s got a good Texas sound and a great shuffle

beat.


“It’s the Water” (Darrell McCall)

Darrell McCall is a Texas legend. I've worked with him for several years, he's always

been a hero to me and this is my favorite Darrell song. It’s upbeat and I just love it.


“Happy Birthday to Me” (Justin Trevino)

“Happy Birthday to Me” was one of Hank Locklin's big hits back in the 60s. Bill Anderson

wrote it for him and Justin Trevino actually suggested we record it. Justin produced

most of the songs on this album, too.


“House of Blue Lovers” (Tony Booth)

Tony Booth has been a hero of mine ever since I first heard him sing on “Hee Haw” in

the late 70s. I am so honored that he is my friend and did this song with me - we both

love James O'Gwynn, who originally recorded it.


“Lonely Wine”

Two songs on the album aren’t duets, and “Lonely Wine” is one of them. A lot of folks

did that song in the 60s. The person that I learned it from was Stan Hitchock, one of my

close friends who passed away a little over a year ago. Had he been living I think would

have done it as a duet for this album, so I recorded it as a way to honor him.


“Us” (Diane McCall)

Diane McCall recorded this song in 2012 as a solo (she co-wrote it with Justin ) and I

always heard it as a duet in my head. So I went and approached her about it. She’s one

of my favorite singers and I'm so grateful she decided to do with me.


“Shadows of My Mind” (Leon Everette)

My buddy Leon Everette flipped out when I asked him to record “Shadows in my Mind,”

which was a hit for him back in the 70s. I've known him all these years, and he’s been a

hero of mine since my childhood.


“Without You” (Jeannie C. Riley)

Jeanie C. Reilly is a lifelong friend of mine. She had quit recording completely but I was

able to coerce her out of retirement long enough to record this song with me and I'm so

grateful. It’s from one of her MGM albums and although it’s written in a romantic way, it

also describes our friendship. She makes the sentiment of the song so powerful.


“Burning Brady Down”

This is the second of two songs on the album that aren’t duets. I wanted to write a song

for the people of Brady as a way to say thank you. Heart of Texas Records is based

there and the Museum is there. I promise you that it’s a totally fictional account. It grew

out of a funny way I’d tell people I love Brady so much that I want to burn it down.


“Happy Hour Blues” (Jim Glaser)

I recorded “Happy Hour Blues” with the late Jim Glaser several years ago. I had been

looking for something to do with him and “Happy Hour Blues” was one of his songs from

a record back in the early 2000s. I still get chills when I listen to it because our voices

blend so well together. The great Andy Reiss of the Time Jumpers produced it.


“Leaving Tracks on Your Mind” (Margie Singleton)

Margie Singleton is one of the closest friends I have in music. She's always been by my

side and had my back. She's more than a hero,  she's one of my best friends. I had

recorded this great shuffle time song with her a while ago but it had never been

released. Margie was the first person to do a full-blown duet album with George Jones

and I am so grateful and honored that she would duet with me.


“For Just a Little While Tonight” (Hank Locklin)

Hank is the reason why I do what I do. My dad worked with Hank’s son-in-law at the

Kennedy Space Center on the Space Shuttle and we all went the Locklin house in

Florida when I was about 12. I had heard his songs around the house growing up and

there he was, sitting on a couch beside me and singing. After that, I started going to

garage sales and thrift stores to find traditional country records, really digging back into

the roots of the music.

When I was working on my second album, I knew I wanted to include Hank. So I went

looking for songs and found one that was written by Jim Reeves and Hank Locklin. I

had no idea they had written a song together. It was recorded by a little-known group

back in the 60s but no one else had touched it ever since. We made it in a Nashville

studio with Jason Coleman (Floyd Cramer's grandson) whose slipnote piano style gave

it that distinct Hank Locklin / Floyd Cramer sound.


“Bermuda Shorts” (Eddy Raven)

“Bermuda Shorts” is a fun, tongue-in-cheek song I did with Eddy Raven. I originally

wrote it many years ago as a play on Bart Simpson’s famous line, “eat my shorts,” but

added Eddy’s name in it as a tribute to his song about getting away to Mexico. Eddy

just loved that.


“Mama’s Rockin’ Chair” (Marty Raybon)

I've known Marty since I was knee high to a grasshopper and wanted him to sing this

song that my dad, Jerry Rucker, wrote. I think its lyrics are still relevant today because

it's about a farmer who's losing his farm. Everything is being auctioned off and he is

begging them not to sell his mama's chair. I’m so glad I got to do this with Marty.

THE FUTURE: What's Ahead?

 After over 25 years in Nashville, Joe Rucker has seen many of his musical dreams come true. He has worked with many of his musical heroes, has toured towns all over the country gaining grass roots fans everywhere he goes. He has performed at venues sought after by every Nashville musician including several solos performances at the Ryman Auditorium, Wheeling Jamboree, Midnite Jamboree, CMA Fest, and Heart of Texas Country Music Festival. When asked what his goals are for the future, Rucker responded, "My life-long dream is to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. I've performed on a few shows at the Ryman for different events, and I've been on WSM radio multiple times, but I still have not had the opportunity to debut on the Opry. That's my dream. That's the high mark for me. I can tell you just about everything about the Grand Ole Opry and its history...from Uncle Dave Macon and DeFord Bailey to Mark Wills and Carrie Underwood. Everything within my being loves the Opry like a guitar loves good strings. I will never stop longing to perform on the greatest show on earth; The Grand Ole Opry!" 

Behind The Scenes: The Making of "Takin' A Walk"

President and CEO of Heart of Texas Records, Tracy Pitcox and Joe Rucker. 

    Scott Wikle Interviews Joe Rucker on My Kind of Country

    Host Scott Wikle of My Kind Of Country talks in depth with Joe about his new Heart of Texas album: Takin' A Walk (with Friends) - The Duet Sessions, releasing October 11, 2024!

    Schedule

    10/10/24 Fox17 Nashville - Rock and Review Taping

    Joe will join host Eric Dahl on Fox 17 Nashville's  Rock and Review to talk about his new album! To be aired in late October. (TBA)

    10/14/24 WSM's Coffee, Country, and Cody with Bill Cody

    Join me on 650AM WSM, Home of the Grand Ole Opry as I talk about my new album Takin A Walk on Coffee, Country, and Cody with Bill Cody, Charlie Mattos, and Kelly Sutton. 9am! You can also listen online at wsmonline.com and watch on Circle Country TV on Roku and other streaming television sites.

    11/17/24- MUSIC VALLEY COWBOY CHURCH

     10am @ The Troubadour Nashville

    https://musicvalleycowboychurch.com/

    3/15-3/16/25 HEART OF TEXAS COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

    Heart of Texas Counry Music Fest- Brady, Texas

    For more information go to the following link: https://hillbillyhits.com/shows/live-shows-schedure or email: Tracy@hillbillyhits.com

    Joe Rucker - Takin' A Walk CD

    Includes duets with: Tony Booth, Leon Everette,  Jim Glaser, Hank Locklin,  Hank Adam Locklin,  Darrell McCall,  Diane McCall, Eddy Raven, Marty Raybon, Jeannie C. Riley,  Margie Singleton, and Justin Trevino

    BUY NOW

    Joe Rucker - Nashville Scenes CD

    $35 includes shipping (within United States)

    Super RARE! Joe's debut album in 2000. Only a few copies left!

    BUY NOW

    Joe Rucker - Untangle My Mind CD

    $20 includes shipping (within United States)

    18 songs! Includes the hit Best Day of My Life which was featured on WSM's Sunday Down South show. 

    BUY NOW

    Joe Rucker - Underhanded Game CD

    $20 includes shipping (within United States)

    Features original, edgy tunes along with the fan favorite cover of the Gary Puckett 60s Rock hit Woman, Woman!

    BUY NOW

    Contact Us

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    Please leave shipping addresses for CD orders here! Also for booking inquires and general questions. We'd love to hear from you!

    Official Site of Country Music Artist Joe Rucker

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