Bio
Troy you were a ‘landmark’ in the early 70’s in Nashville! We thought it was very cool…driving by your house and seeing you in the front yard playing. I was usually with Bob McDill, Vince Matthews, Tom Ghent and Shel Silverstein! We counted on you and had faith when we saw you!
Jim Casey (Nashville Songwriter & Guitarist)
There would certainly not be anything strange or odd if you found yourself saying: “Where do I know that name from?” Considering that this is the same TROY HESS who made his recording debut before the age of 3 years old which secured his title as that of “The World’s Youngest Recording Star” or that this is the same TROY HESS who has been written about in numerous magazines such as Rolling Stone Magazine, Country Music Magazine, Billboard Magazine and in various newspapers all over both the United States as well as the world!
The same TROY HESS whom has appeared in several books on music including author Randall Riese’s “Nashville Babylon”, Nolan Porterfield’s “Jimmie Rodgers- The Life and Times of America’s Blue Yodeler”, Irwin Chusid’s “Songs In the Key of Z” , Paul Hemphill’s “The Nashville Sound”, Laurie E. Jasinski’s “The Handbook of Texas Music-Second Edition, 2019”; and author Joe Bonomo’s 2017’s “Field Recordings From the Inside.” Yes, this is the same TROY HESS that has appeared in several music documentaries such as the BBC’s “All You Need Is Love; episode-Makin’ Moonshine”; the PBS’s “The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy”; the PBS’s “Music Row: Nashville’s Most Famous Neighborhood”; or “The Dean Martin Replacement Show!” Not to mention that this is also the same TROY HESS whom was featured on the front page of the June 3rd, 2019 edition of the Nashville “Tennessean Newspaper” which wrote of his triumphant return to “Music City”; a place he had previously called home for sum 10 years: www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/cma-music-festival/2019/06/03/marty-stuart-late-night-jam-ballad-little-troy-hess-jimmie-rodgers/1293422001
When you take all this into consideration, coupled with the fact that TROY HESS has been referred to as a legend by Marty Stuart, who is not only a country music superstar himself and also one of the latest inductees into The Country Music Hall of Fame as well as an authority & great historian of not only music in general, well then you might say to yourself, “I’ve heard of TROY HESS, now I want to know more about him!”
TROY was born in the heart of Texas; a state that has produced such great artists as George Strait, Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Steve Miller, ZZ Top, Bob Wills, Barry White, Freddy Fender, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, Janis Joplin, Meatloaf, Don Henley, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, and many, many more! And TROY’s linage is steeped in his deep musical heritage, going all the way back to the Father of Country Music, Jimmie Rodger’s, who taught TROY’s dad, former Columbia Records, & Mercury Records recording artist Bennie Hess how to play the guitar. And Bennie himself is considered to be a music legend by many! TROY made his first on-stage performance at age 2 years old with non- other than western swing legend, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys in TROY’s hometown of Caldwell, Texas. TROY would then go on to record his first record, “The Ballad of Troy Hess” before the age of 3 years old. When he was 3 years old, TROY and his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee where his mother Dorothy worked in the music industry for such artists as Loretta Lynn & The Wilburn Bros., Hank Williams Jr., Tommy Overstreet, Mell Tillis, and Don Williams then later Gene Watson & John Conlee while his dad, who had formerly produced such artists as Floyd Tillman and Kenny Rogers, returned to his former status as a independent record producer.
Throughout his years in Nashville, TROY would go on to appear with such greats as Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Porter Waggoner & Dolly Parton, Hank Thompson, George Morgan and Faron Young, to name but a few! TROY’s unique status also afforded him the great honor of performing with some of the greatest musicians of all time, including fiddle legends Johnny Gimble, Leon “Pappy” Selph, dobro legend Tom Swatzell, Elvis’ drummer D.J. Fontana, the steel extraordinaires- Leon McAuliffe, ”Little” Roy Wiggins & Shot Jackson, banjo star Wendy Holcombe, “Nashville Now” staff guitarist Fred Newell, as well 2 of Hank William’s legendary Drifting Cowboys band members Don Helms & Jerry Rivers.
When TROY was only 7 years old, he recorded a novelty song that would go on to become his most famous, as well as infamous recording, thus far; “Please Don’t Go Topless Mother.” The song has since become not only a national, but an international sensation, and considered legendary with underground and college radio stations throughout the country and has achieved a cult-like anthem status, even inspiring a cartoon.
In June of 1988, TROY signed a management contract with former Columbia Record’s head Rick Blackburn, which eventually led to TROY recording a session for Columbia Records at the legendary RCA Studio B. The session had famed George Strait producer Blake Mevis producing the session with the “Nashville A Team” providing the musical accompaniment! The session included “Wild Horses”, which would later be picked up by Garth Brooks for his platinum selling “No Fences” album, in which TROY’S arrangements were used.
Over the years, TROY has appeared all across the U.S., and in Texas alone he has performed at such premium venues as the Astro Hall, The Kerrville Folk Festival, The Houston International Festival, The Tomball Rail’s & Tails Festival, The Woodlands’ Red- Hot- & Blue Festival, The Jimmie Rodger’s Jubilee, as well as numerous dancehalls, VFW Halls, SPJST Halls & American Legion Halls. These performances have brought TROY great fame in his home state, and his fan-base continues to grow throughout each year.
In 1998, TROY became greatly dissatisfied with where country music was then headed, and he decided to challenge his ability as both an artist & an entertainer, when he formed Zebra Three; a band that covered a broad spectrum of musical styles including classic rock, R&B/soul, 80’s pop/rock, as well as the then current rock- music landscape of the 90’s, but the band’s roster was void of any country music! TROY proved his great ability as a musical chameleon when Zebra Three became one of the best local pop/rock bands in the Houston area, which culminated in 2003 when TROY & the band were tapped by Warner Bros. Pictures to submit a song for the upcoming “Starsky & Hutch” movie soundtrack. Not long after that, TROY felt his first love calling him back, and he then organized: TROY HESS & the Texas Heartbreakers; a group of exceptional musicians, and returned to his rich roots!
In June of 2019, TROY returned to his former hometown of Nashville, and was featured on Marty Stuart’s Annual Midnight Jam, along with Steve Miller, Sheryl Crow, & Dierks Bentley. The previously mentioned front page of The Tennessean Newspaper featured TROY, and this led to Stuart writing the liner notes for TROY’s soon to be released album “The Tune in Dan’s Café”, which features several songs that TROY himself wrote. The album itself has received preliminary rave reviews, and it has been hailed as a country “Rumors” album for its broad appeal, and exceptional lyrical content. Also, it has been noted that TROY’s vocals actually defy his age, allowing the album to appeal to a much broader audience!
Through it all, TROY has stayed the course, and remained ”true” to the white hat that is his trademark! And though he has many monumental achievements, and has already left his mark in the world of music; he has never bent to pressure, or compromised his principals in order to expedite a shorter path to success, nor will he ever! In this regard, he is quite incomparable! But, it is by far his music and its broad appeal that makes him so very, unique!
Now, that you have a better idea as to whom TROY HESS is, your curiosity may not be satisfied until you have had the opportunity to see this artist perform in person! What TROY brings with him to the stage is so much more than just the confidence of a talented & consummate artist; what he also brings is a sense of humbleness that can only be construed by the audience he loves, as honest! With a musical style that has been described as that of being a “purest”; when TROY walks out onto the stage, don’t be surprised if you have the perception that you’re not only witnessing a performer at his best, but that you are witnessing an entertainer like no other; …a living legend!!! And an artist that provides: “Timeless Sound, Legendary Performance…and an Unforgettable Experience!”
