Video Premiere: Jon Wolfe’s “Baby This and Baby That”

Jon Wolfe may be from small-town Oklahoma, but he is a Texan through and through, catering his musical talents to the Lone Star State by performing in dance halls and honky-tonks.

He’s drawn insight from artist-icons like George Strait, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, and Merle Haggard, but with every new song, Wolfe demonstrates he’s his own man with his own style.

Since his first album, Wolfe’s been making an impression on the Texas Music Charts, earning six Top-10 singles with hits “Let a Country Boy Love You,” That Girl in Texas,” “I Don’t Dance,” “It All Happened in a Honky Tonk,” “The Only Time You Call,” and  “What Are You Doin’ Right Now.”

Now his next album, Any Night In Texas, due out June 16, is going the extra country mile.

Wolfe talked with C&I about his new album and gave C&I readers an exclusive sneak peek at the video of his most recent single, “Baby This and Baby That,” filmed exclusively in Texas.

Cowboys & Indians: What’s the backstory of your song “Baby This and Baby That”?
Jon Wolfe: I write as much as I can on my albums, but I’m always looking for great songs from other songwriters. “Baby This and Baby That” was written by Jonathan Singleton, Deric Ruttan, and Darius Rucker. From the first time I heard it I knew I had to record it. It’s just one of those songs that fits what I do perfectly. It’s modern, but it’s got that ’90s country feel to it too. It’s a country summer jam!

C&I: Tell us about the inspiration for the video.
Wolfe: The video was filmed at a ranch that I used to work at years ago. It’s a ranch in the Texas Hill Country called Caballo Creek Ranch. It’s a place that means a lot to me for quite a few reasons. It’s not only a place that holds great memories for me, but I’ve also written a lot of songs out there. I wanted to capture the imagery of the ranch and bring one of the horses into the video. As I started throwing around ideas for the video with director Justin Key, we both thought it would be great to have a barrel racer in the video and get some riding shots. It’s not done as much in country videos anymore, so we really took it as a challenge to capture it! The talent, Hannah Forbes, was a hugely talented rider and a great addition to this video. As was Moon Man, the horse she rides in the video.

C&I: The video was filmed exclusively in Texas, where you have such a large fan base. a) Did you choose to film there for that particular reason? b) What went into making the video? c) What was it like to represent the spirit of Texas in the video?
Wolfe: I chose to film the video here in Texas because it’s just me. It’s where I live and it’s part of my music. I’m a firm believer that it’s important to be yourself in country music and incorporate things that show your fans who you are as a person. What went into making the video? Oh, man, a lot! From finding the right director to finding the right location, there are so many things that have to come together to make a great video — plus a lot of luck! We nailed it and got lucky, so we’re thankful for that. The spirit of Texas never ceases to amaze me. Even as Texas and the world around us continue to modernize, there’s a maverick spirit that remains in Texas. It’s about doing things your own way and making no excuses for it. This video showcases a lifestyle that exists every day in Texas.

C&I: You were born and raised in Oklahoma, but by now you’re definitely part Texan, too. a) What do you miss about Oklahoma? b) What do you like about Texas?
Wolfe: I definitely miss Oklahoma at times and that’s why I love playing there as much as possible. Oklahoma to me will always be home and it’s still old-school to me. To me, it’s resisted some of the change that the rest of the country has seen ... and I love it for that. What do I love about Texas? Too many things to list, honestly. I love the food, the people, our fans, the landscape. And even sometimes the weather!

C&I: You’ve roomed with Hayes Carll and opened for Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, and George Strait. How did those experiences influence your own music?
Wolfe: I’m constantly learning in this business and I like to think that I’ve taken something from every experience and every show that has shaped me in some way, whether positive or negative. I don’t feel like you ever “master” country music — it’s more of a journey. And I’m thankful to have shared the stage with some country music legends and have had the privilege of developing friendships with some of the best in the biz.

C&I: Your new album, Any Night in Texas, is coming out on June 16. What excites you most about its release?
Wolfe: Any Night in Texas was a challenging album to record, so I’m mostly excited to actually see it come out!! In all seriousness, though, it’s just an amazing feeling to see something you’ve poured your heart and soul into finally come to fruition. This album was custom-made from the imaging to the songs to the production. And I feel like it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

C&I: What kind of touring will you be doing to support the release? What’s it like being on the road?
Wolfe: We have a series of album-release shows to support the new album from Brewster Street Icehouse in Corpus Christi to Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but it won’t end there. We have tons of shows on the books following the release from Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth to Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas. Just check out my tour dates on my website and come see us! ... Being on the road is fun but exhausting at the same time. I love it though. I get to see and meet our fans and I get to see parts of the country I’ve never seen before. I’m blessed to be able to get out and play.

C&I: Are there tracks that didn’t make the cut? If so, can we expect them to be released in some form down the line?
Wolfe: There are of course tracks that didn’t make the album, but I’m never sure if those will reemerge. I guess that remains to be seen. I did, however, record a bonus track for the vinyl version of Any Night in Texas called “Good News.” It was one of the first songs that I recorded and took to Nashville 10 years ago. I decided to re-record it and it turned out great! [You can buy the vinyl here.]

C&I: What’s next for you?
Wolfe: What’s next for Jon Wolfe? Well, I hope to keep making the best country music I can, to continue to grow as an artist, and to keep lovin’ on our fans, because without them I wouldn’t be here. Oh, and maybe spend a little more time out at Caballo Creek Ranch!

Watch the official world premiere of Jon Wolfe’s “Baby This and Baby That” video below.

For more information on Wolfe and his upcoming tour dates, visit his website.