Eli Young Band. Photo Courtesy of Eli Young Band.

Mike Eli of the Eli Young Band chatted about covering Little Texas’ “Amy’s Back in Austin” with George Birge.

“It was incredible,” he admitted. “George Birge and I have been really friends for a long time so it was neat to have a project like this to do together.”

“Little Texas is a big part of growing up, musically, as well as starting a band. Being from Texas, this song was a no-brainer for us,” Eli said.

“Growing up, this song was huge. We are really proud of the way that it came out. We are paying tribute to a great song that had a big impact on a lot of folks,” he added.

When asked what he thinks happens to Amy in the song (and whether or not she did go back to Austin), Eli said with a sweet laugh, “I don’t know. What is great about music is that anything can happen on everybody in their own story. I think he should go back to Austin because he obviously cares about her.”

Favorite songs in the Eli Young Band catalog

While his personal favorite Eli Young Band song changes all the time, a few that stand out include “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and “Love Ain’t.” “They both have such an energy to them,” he noted.

“When it comes to having an impact on our career, it would be ‘Crazy Girl’, which was co-written by Lee Brice, and it changed our lives in so many ways,” he said. “The same holds true for ‘Saltwater Gospel’ and being able to do that with Jimmy Buffett was a real treat.”

Eli also loves the energy to “Dust,” and they like playing it at the beginning of their set. “It has such a great energy to it,” he exclaimed.

He also shared that lyrically, he enjoys the lyrics in the album cut “Angel Like You,” which is this journalist’s all-time favorite Eli Young Band tune.

The digital age

On being an artist in the digital age, Eli said, “It’s good. We were coming up at a time when we had the navigate the new landscape. We are trying our best to adapt. It gives you such an opportunity to get your music to so many ears that don’t necessarily get to hear you on the radio.”

“The digital age gives the power back to the people. Everything is at your fingertips,” he added.

Dream female duet choices in music

Eli listed Wynonna and Miranda Lambert as his dream female duet choices in the music business. He also praised the talents of Lee Ann Womack and Patty Loveless. “We’ve been huge fans of Lee Ann Womack,” he said. “Also, Patty Loveless is iconic. That would have been a no-brainer.”

Success

Regarding his definition of the word success, Eli said, “I don’t define success as money. I’m a very lucky man, I’ve had an incredible career, and I have a beautiful family. I get to continue doing music while maintain some type of equilibrium between everything.”

“I get to be a dad and a husband but I also get to go out and follow my dreams and play music. I am very happy where we ended up,” he added.

The Paramount on Long Island

Eli shared that he enjoyed playing The Paramount in Huntington on Long Island, New York with the Eli Young Band. “It was incredible. We have been so lucky to perform at The Paramount. We love our fans on Long Island. It is nice being there. It has a great vibe,” he said.

Fans

For his fans, he said, “Thank you. We’ve had an incredible group of people that have supported us through our ups and downs. We’ve been so lucky to have them. They continue buying tickets to our shows, and our career would not be the same without them.”

Closing thoughts on ‘Amy’s Back in Austin’

“We are paying tribute to Little Texas and their career. This is a special song that broke the mold, and it thought outside the box. It was a special lyric and a special sentiment, and it was worth the listen then and it is worth the listen now. It deserves all the awards and recognition that it got back then.”

“Amy’s Back in Austin” by Eli Young Band and George Birge is available on Apple Music.

To learn more about Eli Young Band, check out their official website, and follow them on Instagram.