With one of the most anticipated music festivals in Stephenville less than two weeks away, it’s important to know that west Texas native Randall King will be hitting the stage this year. King started singing from a very early age and has grown into the artist he is today.

“(I’ve) Been singing since I could talk, never would shut up so my dad got me a guitar one day and it’s been all downhill since,” King said.

It was not too long after that King decided that he would start writing his own songs. “I messed with it [writing songs] a little in high school but I really started writing in college when I was still in the dorms my freshman year at Texas Tech University. Probably the main reason I didn’t go to class,” King said.

Many artists get inspiration for their music from all kinds of different places and King is no different.

“Anything can be inspiration when you keep your eyes and ears open,” King said. Particularly, inspiration can come from the artist’s you look up to. King looks up to artists such as Haggard, Whitley, Jones, Strait, and Alan.

King said he comes from a “old school country background” and with many country inspirations it’s no surprise that his music is country as well. According to King though his sound is “Couuuuuuntry”.

A lot of the times it is easy to wonder if artists always expected to get as popular as they are, and King is no different.

“I’ve always set my goals as high as possible; I don’t think you’re ever not going to set your goals higher than your expectations. There’s always more work to be done,” King said. “I’m just incredibly blessed to have fans that love what I do, and I get to take that stage every weekend and do what I love.”

When asking King if he had a favorite or least favorite song to perform he couldn’t narrow it down.

“I don’t know about a least favorite. We build a set that we love and can have fun with so that our fans can join in on the fun,” King said. “You have to believe in what you do and love it, they’re all my favorite songs. Every time I look down at the next song on the set list I go ‘oh that’s a fun one’, and it just keep happening.”

When it comes down to favorite places to perform King has a hard time picking.

“I love so many places that we play, it would be a toss-up for my favorite between Lubbock and LJT. I’ve got to say that may change after I play the Ryman, that’s a dream show,” King said.

King is looking forward to playing again on the main stage at LJT this year.

“(I’m) pumped, this will be my third year to be playing the main stage and we always do our best to come up with something crazy to pull off at the craziest festival in Texas,” King said. “This is like the Texas version of Woodstock. We always bring our A game, but we really step it up at LJT.”

Make sure to check out Randall King at this year’s LJT festival on the Bud Light stage Thursday, April 25. An important piece of advice is to from King himself, “bring your big boy britches, LJT is going to be wild this year.”