North Idaho native scoring success in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Each year, several thousand more people pull into Music City, USA to pursue their dreams of stardom in the country music industry. And to many, North Idaho native Troy Bullock is just one more of those nameless and faceless people. But those in the know believe he has a better chance of succeeding than most.

Bullock is a country singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performed for years in North Idaho and beyond, honing his craft in venues ranging from middle-of-nowhere honky-tonks to the casinos of Lake Tahoe. He packed up his Ford Ranger and moved to Nashville three years ago.

“I played all over the Northwest, from Seattle to Missoula to Reno to Butte to Portland,” he recalled. “And I have to admit I miss some of the people back home, and I miss the land. I haven't been around there much lately, but I was recently back in the Sandpoint area for a radio interview on K-102.”

Teresa McRill of Clark Fork is Bullock's mother, and, as one might expect, she supports her son 100 percent, and has made several trips to Nashville to visit him.

“Troy's very talented, and I'm not saying that just because I'm his mother,” she said.

“I've seen the expressions on people's faces when they hear him for the first time, how people respect the fact that he is who he is and isn't fake or phony like so many seem to be these days. I'm very, very proud of him.”

A 1998 graduate of Clark Fork Jr. Sr. High School, Bullock performs whenever he can in Nashville in the hopes of gaining new fans and making new contacts in the music industry.

“I play out any chance I get,” he said. “I've played at a lot of open mics with some hit songwriters at places like the Bluebird and the Hall of Fame Lounge.” In addition to performing solo, he also sometimes plays live shows with his band, One Night Rodeo.

Nashville recording artist Waylon Payne, who portrayed Jerry Lee Lewis in the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line,” comes from a long lineage of country music royalty. His father is longtime Willie Nelson guitarist Jody Payne, his mother is country legend Sammi Smith, and he's named for his godfather, Waylon Jennings. Payne heard Bullock singing in a Nashville club and, impressed with Bullock's traditional style and voice, introduced himself. The two have been friends ever since.

“We've hung out and played some music together,” Payne said. “Troy's real genuine, not a lot like of what you hear on the radio anymore, and he's got a great presence about him. And on top of that, he's a real likable guy.”

Bass player and recording studio owner Mike Poulin of Sagle played and recorded with Bullock when he lived in the Sandpoint area. He said that, if anyone can make it in the music business, Bullock's the one.

“We were driving home from a gig one night, and talked about how someday we should head for Nashville,” Poulin said. “The next thing I knew, he was there. Troy's always been a talented player, and he's got the look and the sound. The sky's the limit with Troy.”

Susie Doo of Nashville, a former country radio deejay and now Internet radio host (www.susiedooradio.com) has assumed the role of Bullock's de facto manager in Nashville, helping him with publicity and with plans to book his band in the South.

“I was working with another artist in Nashville and I heard Troy perform one night, and I was hooked,” she said. “He's just truly amazing. I believe he'll be a major, major star with the talent he has and the way he knows how to play to a crowd.”

Even though he's causing a bit of a stir in Nashville, Bullock has no delusions about how bumpy the road to stardom can be. “I've got several labels looking at me right now,” he said, “but I'm just taking it a day at a time. In the end it's about making the right friends, because they don't care how good you are here. It's all about if they like you as a person.”

Bullock said that, even though he misses the people and terrain of his boyhood home, he has no plans to leave Nashville anytime soon, if ever.

“I love this town, this is where it's gonna be for me for a while,” he said. “This is probably where they'll bury me.”

Information: www.myspace.com/troybullockandtheonenightrodeo