Though he is a bull-riding ranch hand from southwest Houston, Marez said he comes from a family of musicians in Oklahoma known for their bluegrass and fiddle talents. His first live performance was in the first grade at a talent show where he performed a Buck Owens song. He began writing his own music in high school, where he wrote his first song in collaboration with his mother, he said.
Marez said he takes inspiration from new and old country artists alike. Born in 1996, Marez grew up in the 2000s listening to Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. Seeing country artist Cody Johnson in concert in high school also had a major effect on both his music and live shows, he said. With over 2 million streams on Spotify, the most popular song from his first album features one of his largest musical inspirations, Ronnie Dunn of the now-retired country duo Brooks and Dun, in a song titled, “Where the Neon Lies.”
“My favorite moment was probably finding out that Ronnie Dunn was going to be doing a song with me I had cowritten,” Marez said. “I’ll never forget that. I still don’t even think it’s real, so that was a really cool moment.”
After moving to Nashville, Marez has also had the chance to grow in the writing room with renowned artists such as Terry McBride, former lead vocalist and bass guitarist for the Billboard-charting country music band McBride & the Ride. Following the resurgence of in-person shows, country music artists Kip Moore and Josh Ward are just two of the musicians Marez has spent time performing with in recent months.
“To have those people on our side is a blessing,” Marez said. “It’s been great to learn how they do it and grow from them. It’s been a fun adventure.”
Marez also sells merchandise on his website, and a few designs feature the words “Honkey Tonk As Hell,” a phrase he coined during a concert that Twitter ran with, he said. This willingness to express himself authentically is one of the reasons Marez has seen success so far, he said.
“Nowadays with social media, it’s so easy to be yourself and let people follow you as an artist instead of letting a label dictate who you’re going to be,” Marez said. “I write music that I love, and I write music that is true to who I am.”
After getting a taste of what the record-producing process requires with his first album, Marez said he expects to put out his second album in 2022. With more experience under his belt, Marez said 2022 will be a momentum-building year for his growing team.
The concert will take place at the Spicewood Vineyards Event Center, located at 1419 CR 409, Spicewood. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets for the concert are $40.
“I’m looking forward to the show,” Marez said. “It’s my first time in Spicewood, Texas, and I think we’re going to have a great time.”
