In NASCAR it is not uncommon for sons to follow fathers on to the track to become generational racing families. So too it is in music with children following parents down the musical staff for multiple generations.
One such artist is Phillip Sanders who is a fourth generation singer/songwriter. At one time his grandfather shared a rooming house with Hank Williams Sr. And no doubt a jam session or two.
Working the oil fields in Texas, in 2016 Sanders decided that the time was right to pursue a lifetime dream and follow in his father’s musical footsteps. The first single Sanders’ penned – “Never Thought I Could Change” – was a collaboration with father Charles’ collaborator Curt Ryle.
Since that first release “With You I’am”, whether it be a solo writing, a collaboration, or a reworking of a remake; Sanders has scored every song on the European Country music charts. Most recently, he has broken into the top 10 of the iTunes charts in the United Kingdom.
While he never collaborated on writing a song with his father, Phillip did finish writing a song his father had urged him to write – a Christmas song – before his father died.
An in October, Sanders will travel to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry for the Josie Awards – independent music awards – where he has three nominations.
When it comes to songwriting and recording, Sanders says that he focuses on creating the best music he can. His musical style is the traditional Country music like in the days of Hank Williams Sr.
The husband and father continues to work the oil fields while he works on fulfilling his dream. Sanders notes that he has enough original songs to create a full album but is not in a hurry to record one.
Other Phillip Sanders songs:
“We Do that in the Country”
“What I Didn’t Do”
“Drink You Down”
“Lay You Down and Love You”
“I Don’t Think I Will”
“With Her I’am”
“Over a Beer”
“IF I Didn’t Love You Girl”
“Another You”
feature photo credit: Land Goodman