Update June 29 at 7:41 a.m.: Updated to include comment from George Dunham.
If you're a fan of Sportsradio 1310/96.7 FM The Ticket, you can thank morning host George Dunham for entertainment on the commute to work and money he raises annually for charities, among other things. But if you're a music fan, you can thank him for one of the most enthralling country albums so far this year.
Nashville darling Nikki Lane released her gritty, saucy third album, Highway Queen, in February, and at an acoustic performance at the Dallas Arboretum on Tuesday, she credited Dunham as the catalyst for much of the magic that's on it. Lane didn't use his name, per se — she couldn't remember it. But Dallas-bred musician Jonathan Tyler, Lane's romantic partner and collaborator who joined her on stage, sure did.
How exactly did Dunham have a hand in this?
As the duo tells it, Lane was in town visiting, and they had a chance to head to Echo Lab studio in Denton for an impromptu recording session, which resulted in the bulk of Highway Queen. (Tyler co-produced the album.) Dunham's band, The Bird Dogs, was supposed to be in that spot but had to cancel the session.
"Thanks to whoever canceled," Lane said Tuesday night. "What was his name?"
"George Dunham of The Ticket," said Tyler, eliciting an audible reaction from the audience.
"These people know," he continued. "We tell that story all the time, but no one ever knows who we're talking about."
The way Dunham remembers it, there was schedule confusion with Echo Lab, and The Bird Dogs were not ready for their time.
"I'm glad it worked out for Nikki, I think she is great," Dunham told GuideLive by email. "Jonathan probably let her know [the spot] was available as he has been working with my band The Bird Dogs. He helped produce our record that is due out next month."
Highway Queen, which has been billed as Lane's mainstream breakthrough, is a collection of 10 clever, raucous and creative songs about love, loss, rednecks and the occasional social media user who overshares on Facebook. The single "Jackpot" is about Tyler; the two have matching "777" tattoos, which they gave to one another.
Watch Lane and Tyler hit the winning numbers in the video below:
CORRECTION, 7:45 a.m., June 29, 2017: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Dunham had canceled a radio spot on The Ticket.
