Nice to Meet Ya: Kyle Crusham

The Tonight Show has been a staple of late night TV for decades, think Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno in progression. It has been a very important showcase for artists of many different media, singers, celebrities, comedians and really anybody who's anybody has been featured on the show, from Sinatra to Seinfeld, to Springsteen and Mathew McConaughey.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is the current seat holder of the franchise and in the middle of this pandemic has featured recording artists and their videos. On Thursday, March 18, Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians were showcased in their video of the song, “Stubborn Love,” written by Edie Brikell and Kyle Crusham.

Crusham and wife Kristi with twins Everly and Jude live in Belterra and Dripping Springs is his home, close to his work and band mates who live in Central Texas.

Kyle is also the band’s producer and the video was recorded in Fischer, Texas, keeping the now Central Texas-based band on the national scene.

He’s been somewhat in awe being with a band formed in 1985. “Playing with a band, that has 30 years of hard work put in, it’s an honor to play with them,”Crusham said. “They’re a tight family.”

His philosophy when it comes to music is: “I’m no great at anything, but I can do a lot of things, like a utility player. There are no small jobs in music... I’ll even get the food.”

Growing up in a radio executive’s family, moving was not unusual. “I grew up in the WKRP lifestyle,” he said. “All over the place to bigger markets, St. Loui Tulsa, Pittsburgh then the move to Austin in high school in 1995.”

His dad became manager of KLBJ AM and FM. The change in culture was a huge paradigm shift, in a good way.

Crusham went to audio engineering school and still considers himself as one by trade, and “not a musician.” In fact, he wrote TV commercials and “as a radio intern wrote jingles.” Musically he would write music for the commercials and “if the client liked it, they would bring in the players.” One person would make a change in his life.

“Charlie Sexton, the day I met him changed everything,” Crusham said. “He taught me everything about music, top to bottom. He’s my biggest influence, teacher. He’s it for me.”

Kyle saw Sexton as an intern in a commercial. “We were editing a commercial and became friends. There’s nobody better as a teacher for record making,” he said. Sexton has toured with the best, such as with Bob Dylan as a member of his backing band from 1999-2002 and was the singer/ guitarist in the Arc Angels with Doyle Bramhall II and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s band, drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon.

Sexton was touring when Edie Brikell and the New Bohemians wanted to record, so Crusham stepped in as producer and remained with the band. In fact the song’s video that was featured on the Tonight Show was written by both Edie Brikell and Crusham.

“The song ‘Stubborn Love,’ I wrote chords for 13 or 15 years ago,” Crusham said. “I showed it to Edie and she went with it. Same arrangement… (I told Edie) I wrote chords, you brought magic. which she tends to do.” The band is hoping to tour after the current situation passes.

“I’ve been with the band four years as their producer and then a band mate,” Crisham said. “There are times I don’t play at all. When I’m an engineer I don’t pick up an instrument, I capture the lightning.”

He continued. “The work can be challenging but always fun. Any day you work with Edie Brikell is a great one… She’s probably the most creative person I’ve ever met and the most talented.”

Living and working in the Central Texas area with numerous recording and video studios, moving to Dripping Springs was a nobrainer. Familiar with the community, Crusham and wife Kristi with twins Everly and Jude need room.

Dripping Springs, the excellent school system and Belterra were the perfect choice for the growing family with grandparents close by and where he can work on his own music and with the band close at hand.

“I wanted a place where there’s a community pool they can walk to, kids can ride their bikes, exploring, getting in trouble (but not too much),” he said. “I like the idea of kids having fun and having the opportunity to have fun.”

The Edie Brickell and Bohemians performance will be rebroadcast this Thursday, April 1 on The Tonight Show.

To see the video of “Stubborn Love” off of the latest album, visit youtube.com/watch?v=7dwur_hqiWo.