McClure glad to cross Great Divide into rock country
Ten years ago Mike McClure was lead singer of the popular Oklahoma band The Great Divide, a group that cracked the Billboard country music charts.
These days, he fronts the Mike McClure Band, and he's traded in his Wrangler jeans and major record label support for traveling from gig to gig in a van and playing music that sounds closer to rock than The Great Divide's songs.
The transition wasn't always easy, but now McClure has three studio albums of his own to draw from for his live shows.
McClure performs Friday at Cowboys, 1850 S. Clack St.
When he set out on his own, he tried to avoid playing The Great Divide songs, such as ''Pour Me a Vacation,'' to establish his solo career. McClure's sound has moved toward rock music during his solo career - which sometimes blindsides fans who remember his country music past.
''A lot of people were expecting me to play The Great Divide songs all night and I didn't want to. I still don't play a whole lot from the TGD days,'' McClure said in a recent telephone interview. ''We have been a band almost five years. I occasionally pull one out, but our repertoire ... isn't filled with The Great Divide songs.''
Besides, McClure has other things to think about - such as producing albums. His name can be found inside the album covers of bands such as Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue, Johnny Cooper and Darren Kozelsky.
''It is just part of the creative processes that I enjoy,'' McClure said. ''I enjoy sitting with bands and helping them arrange songs and come up with parts.''
Age, experience - and sobriety - have sharpened his producing skills.
''There were times where the party would overtake and make the record. But you know, that is all rock 'n' roll,'' he said. ''I am always in the studio learning stuff ... techniques, dealing with bands and everything.''
And he balances his production work with songwriting, recording his own music and touring.
''There are times that I will be in the studio for a week and I am ready to hit the road and get out of there, or get off by myself and write some songs,'' he said. ''If I am on the road for too long, I would just as soon hibernate in the studio for a week. It is kind of back and forth.''
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