Self-proclaimed fried chicken enthusiast Jeff Austin sparks conversations with Southerners simply to hear their accents.
Luckily, as a singer, songwriter and mandolin player in the Jeff Austin Band, he can experience the South and its accents in full.
“There is a lyrical aspect to the people’s voices and the way they talk and how they tell stories — I just love it,” Austin said. “I know it sounds strange, but as a vocalist, the accent gives me a new way to look at words and how to pronounce them.”
Austin said he not only likes the way the people in Baton Rouge sound but how their stories translate over the years. A bonus is the southern cooking he experiences while on tour, he said.
“I plan on experiencing as much of the food as I possibly can without falling asleep on stage,” Austin said.
Austin said he has been playing music since he joined his school choir at age five, and, in 1999, he switched to music full time.
In high school, he played guitar until he switched to the mandolin, his current instrument of choice.
“It was not until 1995 or 1996 that I really became entwined in the instrument,” Austin said. “I picked it up and found out that it sounded very cool, and I became hooked.”
The Jeff Austin Band formed after Austin took a year off to spend time with his family after leaving another band, he said. He wanted to enjoy time with his new baby and the Colorado summertime, something he hadn’t been able to do after nearly 17 years of touring.
“Change is an amazing thing — you can either run and hide or take it and go for it, and I decided to go for it,” Austin said.
His hiatus off ushered in new changes for the way Austin looked at and made music.
“When I hit the brakes, it slowed everything down and affected the way I write and think on stage,” Austin said. “It was a spectacular change and I was fortunate to be able to do it.”
The band consists of three other members besides Austin, and most have played together years before forming the Jeff Austin Band.
Austin said he and bassist Eric Thorin played in a side-project band for over a decade. Thorin and the band’s guitarist Ross Martin have played together for more than 20 years. He said the prior playing experience between the members creates a natural and comfortable stage presence when the band performs.
Despite the band being named after him, Austin said everyone in the band operates equally.
“When we take the stage, we are acting as one cohesive unit,” Austin said. “The band has an incredible ability to create music on the spot, which is why I do not define what our music is. It has potential to change at every show.”
The Jeff Austin Band will perform at the Varsity Theatre Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 after the doors open.