Mario Tarradell

ALLEN – For Zane Lewis, patience is not a virtue. It isn't even a possibility.

The way he sees it, he's got no time to waste. At 42, after a career in advertising and then magazine publishing, the Lubbock-born, Round Rock-reared country singer needs to kick up his musical passion several notches. So his second CD, the just-released Zane Lewis, is his first with national distribution. He recorded it in Nashville, with songwriter-producer Brett James ("Jesus, Take the Wheel," "When the Sun Goes Down") helming three songs. Mr. Lewis even co-wrote two cuts.

BRANDON THIBODEAUX/Special Contributor

Zane Lewis

Then he secured investors to release Zane Lewis on independent imprint Slant Records.

"Would I love to be on a major label? Absolutely," says the wiry showman. He's seated at the dining-room table of the elegant home he shares with his wife of 18 years, Amy Lewis, and 8-year-old twins, Brianna and Carson.

"The more people I get in front of, the better," Mr. Lewis says. "You can do that by being on a big label. But I don't have time, nor do I want to set aside time to wait for that to happen. So I'm charging ahead, doing it myself.

"Hey, I want to work with you, but you're not ready to work with me right now, so I'm going to do what I'm doing. And if you want to jump onboard later, that's fine. Let's party. The same thing for labels here in Texas. If they want to get involved, let's rock 'n' roll. I'm all ears."

Nashville, Mr. Lewis says, takes too long to develop new artists. Texas may be feeling the glut of original music in this music-driven state. Since he's already on his third career, the clock's ticking. Plus, you'd expect this kind of right-now attitude from a singer who relishes the high-octane onslaught of rocking country. His brand is influenced by Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Garth Brooks, as well as U2, George Strait and George Jones.

"That's what I grew up with, listening to the more Southern, rock-edged music," he says. "It just felt natural. When I do the softer songs, the ballads, I feel really uncomfortable. I'd much rather be rocking out to 'Welcome to the Southland'... . That's when I get out there and mix it up and jump on an amp or get bashed in the head by my lead guitarist and bleed all over the stage. That's when I'm having the most fun."

Mr. Lewis thrives on energy. He has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. "I really do have ADD," he says. "I'm like a pingpong ball. I'm all over the place."

Maybe that has helped him seize opportunities. After graduating from Texas Tech in Lubbock with an advertising degree, he worked in the Dallas offices of New York's Curpier Co., which specializes in ad sales for magazines that don't have in-house advertising departments. In 1998, he became a publishing partner of Western & English Today, an equestrian apparel and riding equipment publication. In 2000, he and partner Rodney Hand sold that to Cowboys & Indians, a Western lifestyle magazine. Mr. Lewis continued to work for Cowboys & Indians as publisher of Western & English Today and also fashion editor of Cowboys & Indians until 2003.

The sale of Western & English Today "didn't make me a millionaire," Mr. Lewis says, "but it set me up to be able to pursue other business opportunities." That's how he self-financed This Town, his 2003 debut CD released on his own Brand Z Productions label.

Eventually, three cuts from This Town made it onto many Lone Star dials. He's no longer the green novice, but he's not exactly seasoned yet. Mr. Lewis plays the honky-tonks, rocking out twang-style onstage. But when he goes home, he's in the suburban world of Allen's Twin Creeks development. The kids are safe in school. His wife, Amy, is a senior underwriter for GE Real Estate, a part of the General Electric Co., in Addison. Mr. Lewis still does advertising work as an outside contractor for Curpier.

"Which is why people look at me like I have two heads," he jokes. " 'Why is he doing this now? You had all this going for you, why would you be insane enough to think you could make it in the music business?'

"I'm your average guy who always dreamed about singing and being onstage in front of people and had the guts to just go do it. I'm just like everybody else. I could be on any street in anywhere America."

Plan your life

Zane Lewis and his band perform during a CD-release party Friday at 10 p.m. at the Horseman Club, 4750 Bryant Irvin Road #686, Fort Worth. Mama Sweet is the opening act. 18 and older. $10 for adults and $15 for ages 18-20. Call 817-361-6161.