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\n Joelton Mayfield, a native of the Highland Lakes area, will debut his first album \u201cCrowd Pleaser\u201d in Austin on Friday, Nov. 21. Photo by Kerri Nelson Media <\/p>\n
Joelton Mayfi<\/a>eld<\/a>, a lifelong musician, was raised in Granite Shoals, and now he is just days away from a performance of his first 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.<\/p>\n Mayfield plays live at Mohawk Austin<\/a> on Friday, Nov. 21, sharing his freshman record \u201cCrowd Pleaser\u201d with a Central Texas audience for the first time. The album was released on Oct. 24.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s an hour drive but we promise a good time,\u201d Mayfield told DailyTrib, addressing his supporters in the Highland Lakes area.<\/p>\n \u201cCrowd Pleaser,\u201d a mix of alt-country and indie rock, was released by Bloodshot Records<\/a>, a Chicago-based label that helped shape the alternative-country movement of the 90s and 2000s. The album 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope people feel a connection to it,\u201d Mayfield said. \u201cIt\u2019s my first record.\u201d<\/p>\n Mayfield recorded the album during the COVID-19 pandemic in a barn on a friend\u2019s farm in Fairhope, Alabama. He said isolating together was \u201cthe only safe way to make a live record,\u201d at the time and, despite the shutdown, it became an ideal creative environment that allowed him the budget and space to create \u201cCrowd Pleaser.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt took a really long time to find a home and get over the hurdles,\u201d Mayfield said, reflecting on the search for the right team and representation. <\/p>\n Born in Austin and raised in Granite Shoals, Mayfield says his work draws heavily from his childhood influences\u2013 church, baseball, and the support of his parents and grandparents.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to write what you know, and if you\u2019re not writing what you know then you\u2019re probably not writing anything that\u2019ll make anybody feel anything,\u201d Mayfield said.<\/p>\n Mayfield began singing when he was three years old in his church\u2019s children\u2019s program and was surrounded by music at home. His dad\u2019s side of the family was musically inclined and his mom\u2019s side of the family were big country music fans.<\/p>\n \u201c(Music) was always encouraged around the house,\u201d he recalled. \u201cThere were all these instruments around, but church was kind of the main vehicle for being able to sing and play so that\u2019s kind of where I got my start.\u201d<\/p>\n As he grew older, he picked up the \u201cmusic bug,\u201d taking guitar and piano lessons. Guitar skill came especially by way of lessons at Harmony School of Creative Arts<\/a> in Marble Falls.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mayfield\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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 \u201ccould be whatever he wanted it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n From early church solos to a debut record release show in Austin, Mayfield\u2019s journey now comes full circle as he shares \u201cCrowd Pleaser\u201d with the public.<\/p>\n Follow Mayfield online at joeltonmayfield.com<\/a>, on Facebook at Facebook.com\/joeltonmayfield<\/a>, or on Instagram at @joeltonmayfield<\/a>. <\/p>\n maci@thepicayune.com<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\tContinue Reading<\/p>\n ![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/LLU_2026-banners.jpg\"\/)
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