by Kelly Reeves
The East Texas town of Noonday is famous for growing the sweetest onions. Grapeland and its sandy soil grows the best watermelons. Tyler is known for its roses. Gilmer and Golden, no doubt, produce the sweetest sweet potatoes … and Jacksonville is well known as the Tomato Capital of the World. There’s some debate whether it is the area soil, or it is something in the water, but one thing is certain, East Texas grows talent.
East Texas has produced a number of notable singers, songwriters and entertainers such as Don Henley of the Eagles, contemporary Christian artist Chris Tomlin, country music stars Miranda Lambert, Neal McCoy, Lee Ann Womack, Kasey Musgraves, and more. One of the most recent East Texans to make waves in the country music scene is singer-songwriter Chris Colston of Lindale.
Chris has swept through the Texas music scene playing sold out shows and touring with some of the most highly regarded performers in the genre, including Koe Wetzel, Casey Donahew, Parker McCollum, Stoney Larue, Whiskey Myers, and the Eli Young Band. His fanbase has exploded since releasing his album Bombs Away in 2020. The hit songs started there and keep coming.
Chris Colston’s tunes are commonplace at my house, as my entire family are fans. His songs are the kind you can’t help but turn the volume up and sing along with, and it’s impossible to pick a favorite. You can imagine how excited I was to learn that we had several mutual friends. One of which, Roger West of Double R Taxidermy in Van, made our introduction possible. Roger told me of Chris’ love for the outdoors, and of his skills as an outdoorsman, which piqued my interest even more.
The day finally came that I was able to visit with Chris, and a pleasure it was. I learned that Chris comes from a long line of military veterans, and law enforcement officers who instilled in him a love for this country, a love for the outdoors, and other important character traits. A mutual friend told me, “Chris is the kind of guy that will greet you with a smile, look you in the eye, and give you a firm handshake.” There’s not a better compliment than that in East Texas. I found Chris to be very humble, modest, down-to-earth, patriotic, and polite. He is definitely a proud American and a proud Texan. Chris displayed the good East Texas values that would make any family proud. Although this was our first visit, it certainly won’t be our last. Luckily, I was able to catch up with him while he was taking a break from his tour schedule, and recording in Nashville, due to the recent birth of his first child. Chris and his wife, Peyton, just had their first baby, a girl named Emersyn Ruth, and it’s obvious he is quite smitten. He is taking a short break to spend time with Peyton and the baby, and allow his new title of “Daddy” to settle in.
Chris Colston shared with me that his love of hunting and fishing came naturally. His father, and other role models were lovers of the East Texas outdoors. His uncle was a well-known Texas Game Warden in our area. Warden Colston shared his knowledge of firearms safety, water safety, and wildlife regulations with Chris. These men, together, taught him the love of hunting and fishing, and the importance of conservation and wildlife management. He has been hunting since he was a kid which fostered this passion.
Chris said, “Hunting and fishing is a passion, and when I’m not playing music, I’m in the woods or on the water.” He has been hunting in Henderson County on a family deer lease for the last twelve years or more, but also hunts other areas as time and opportunity allow. Chris said that he was a die-hard gun hunter until recently when he began shooting a bow. Now, Chris said of bow hunting, “I fell in love with it. I started practicing and shooting competitively. My first archery buck was a spike that I was able to video and capture my reaction and put on Tik-Tok. That video went viral.” As you’ll see in this publication, and his social media, that spike buck isn’t his only buck. Chris has taken several “wall-hangers” and made many life-long memories in the woods.
Besides hunting whitetail deer, Chris loves to hunt dove, turkey, exotics like Axis deer, and catch crappie, bass, and catfish. He grew up fishing Lakes Tyler, Palestine and Fork and they are still some of his favorite fishing holes. Chris regularly posts pictures of his outdoor successes on his Instagram account for all his fans to see.
Chris’ song, Livin’ Like This and accompanying video give fans a true look into his life. The video was shot at his Henderson County deer lease and Lake Palestine, and featured his father and uncle. It premiered on Taste of Country and is currently airing on CMT.com and the Chris Colston YouTube channel. I urge you to seek it out, turn it up, and watch it. You won’t be able to watch it only once, guaranteed. Livin’ Like This represents exactly who I am,” says Chris Colston. “All I have ever wanted to do in life is to play country music, hunt, fish, and be surrounded by family and friends. If you want to know who Chris Colston is outside of music, this song will tell you.”
In July, without warning, Chris dropped another new song and album with the same title, on his fans. Boy Like Me is a song about Chris and Peyton meeting, marrying, learning that she is pregnant, revealing the news to family and friends, and the joy of the birth of his new baby girl. The heartfelt lyrics of the chorus could make any girl dad tear up.
“ Now those bucks, ducks, and bass on the wall
are out in the shed and that room
down the hall is set up for a little lady
all covered up in daisies.
I’m scared as hell but I can’t wait
to hold your hand and see your face
and Baby Girl, it’s crazy to think
that come this June, God will give a girl
like you to a boy like me.”
On stage, in the woods, or on the water, Chris Colston is the real deal. He describes his style of music as “Gritty Texas roots combined with rock n’ roll.” He writes or co-writes much of his own music. His voice is unique, all his own and is so sought after that his tour schedule keeps him busy running all over the United States performing for sold out crowds. Make plans to see him at the Troubadour Festival in Tyler September 10th and visit his website for upcoming tour schedule and information at chriscolstonmusic.com.
