Highland Lakes native debuting first album in Austin
Joelton Mayfield, a native of the Highland Lakes area, will debut his first album “Crowd Pleaser” in Austin on Friday, Nov. 21. Photo by Kerri Nelson Media
Joelton Mayfield, a lifelong musician, was raised in Granite Shoals, and now he is just days away from a performance of his first studio album in Austin. While his career has taken him to the big stage and under the wing of a storied alt-country label, his musical roots are undoubtedly right here in the Highland Lakes.
Mayfield takes the stage at live music venue Mohawk Austin on Friday, Nov. 21, to play his freshman record “Crowd Pleaser,” debuting it for a Central Texas audience. The album was released on Oct. 24.
The show begins at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Pedal steel guitarist Alex Dupree and musician Zack Wiggs will open the night. Tickets are available in advance for $25.50.
“I know it’s an hour drive but we promise a good time,” Mayfield told DailyTrib of his supporters in the Highland Lakes area.
“Crowd Pleaser,” a mix of alt-country and indie rock, was released by Bloodshot Records, a Chicago-based label that helped shape the alternative country music movement of the 90s and 2000s. Crowd Pleaser is available on all streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, and those interested in physical copies can look in Austin record stores or order them online through his website.
“I hope people feel a connection to it,” Mayfield said. “It’s my first record.”
Mayfield recorded the album during the COVID-19 pandemic in a barn on a friend’s farm in Fairhope, Alabama. He said isolating together was “the only safe way to make a live record” at the time and, despite the shutdown, it became an ideal creative environment that allowed him the budget and space to create “Crowd Pleaser.”
“It took a really long time to find a home and get over the hurdles,” Mayfield said, reflecting on the search for the right team and representation. He continues to share updates on social media, and fans can sign up for email updates through his website.
Born in Austin and raised in Granite Shoals, Mayfield says his work draws heavily from his childhood influences– church, baseball, and the support of his parents and grandparents.
“You have to write what you know, and if you’re not writing what you know then you’re probably not writing anything that’ll make anybody feel anything,” Mayfield said.
Mayfield began singing when he was three years old in his church’s children’s program and was surrounded by music at home. His dad’s side of the family was musically inclined and his mom’s side of the family were big country music fans.
“(Music) was always encouraged around the house,” he recalled. “There were all these instruments around, but church was kind of the main vehicle for being able to sing and play so that’s kind of where I got my start.”
As he grew older, he picked up the “music bug,” taking guitar and piano lessons. Guitar skill came especially by way of lessons at Harmony School of Creative Arts in Marble Falls.
Mayfield’s family had little to no access to the internet when he was younger, but when it finally came, he was introduced to a world of music beyond the radio.
Digging through old records of his parents, he found artists like Bob Dylan, who helped him understand how expansive music could be. Visits with his grandmother introduced him to George Jones and Patsy Cline, showing him more music outside of church and helping him realize it “could be whatever he wanted it to be.”
From early church solos to a debut record release show in Austin, Mayfield’s journey now comes full circle as he shares “Crowd Pleaser” with the public.