Houston Bernard stays true to himself and his heritage with his latest single People We Are — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
A country boy through-and-through, Bernard writes the majority of his own music — “but I’m always open to recording others,” he explains. Such is the case with People We Are, penned by Nashville songwriting powerhouse Cole Taylor (Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Chase Rice) and Kim Penz. “When my manager asked me to listen to this song, I knew it was right for me.”
Bernard comes from a long line of country living — musically, and otherwise. He has shared bills with Luke Bryan, Old Dominion, Granger Smith, Montgomery Gentry, Marshall Tucker Band, Clint Black and more, and been featured across notable playlists, The Country Network and The Heartland Network.
A direct descendent of famous gunfighter George “Bittercreek” Newcomb — a Most Wanted Man in the 1890s and a member of the notorious Wild Bunch who inspired the Eagles hit Desperado — Bernard’s father and uncle were a local staple known as The Rebel Brother, backing the likes of Tanya Tucker and Sleepy LaBeef.
“My dad’s family had a large farm in Norman, Oklahoma,” Bernard shares. “It was a small community at the time and my father was still going to a one-room schoolhouse. My dad told me that, when he was growing up on the farm as a small boy, they were still using an outhouse — only eventually putting their own plumbing and electricity in the home. It seems like that would be 100 years ago, but it was not.
“My uncle Johnny Bernard made his entire life playing and writing country music until he passed in 2003,” Bernard offers. “I’m coming from a long line of country musicians which, making a career of music is not an easy thing to do. I’m proud to carry the same ethics for hard work and outlook into both my life and my music: Quality over quantity.
“To me, the story in People We Are upholds all the philosophies and ethics of the Bernard family, which I’m proud to represent,” he continues. “Growing up on the farm in Oklahoma, generation after generation … My dad’s family was all about the standards of doing the right thing, being self-sufficient, living within means, and building something that will stand the test of time. I think this song represents just that, and I hope others connect with it as I have.”
Listen to People We Are above, hear more from Houston Bernard below, and keep up with him on his website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
