Seven years in The Big Apple didn't take the country out of Brian Keane. Originally from South Carolina, Keane is a distinct new voice in the Austin music community. His sincere introspection tells stories of a life worth living and time well spent — despite the inevitable scrapes and bruises — without being self-indulgent or whiny. Keane's forth coming debut, "I Ain't Even Lonely," is one of the most anticipated local releases of the year on Mix-o-Rama, also home to Carolyn Wonderland and the Sessions from the Hotel San Jose and produced by drummer extraordinaire Eldridge Goins. Keane's songs have a way of hitting hard although they are delivered laid back and effortlessly by Keane and some of Austin's finest including Goins, Carolyn Wonderland, Susan Gibson, Guy Forsyth, Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne, Colin Brooks, Will Taylor, Patrice Pike, and Stephen Doster just to name a few. "I Ain't Even Lonely," is proof to the old saying, "it takes a village" and Keane is a welcomed new member to the live music capitol's village.

After a stint at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Brian got his stage legs being a keyboardist in NYC's famed Cafe Wha? house R&B band. Drawing on influences such as Lyle Lovett, Prince, Hank Sr., and Townes, Keane steadily honed his writing style, weaving a line between Americana and folk-country with his straightforward and honest songs. During this time, he worked as a multi-instrumentalist (singer, bassist, pianist, and banjoist) and writer with NYC bluegrass band Red Rooster. This led to Keane landing a weekly solo gig at The Back Fence in the West Village. This is where he developed his own voice. Despite staying busy as a working musician, he remained unsatisfied.

Austin acts like the Asylum Street Spankers and Bob Schneider made their way through town and drew Keane's attention towards a town friendlier to original music. Thousands of miles later, Keane was living in Austin hitting open mics seven days a week for three months before landing an opening gig for Foscoe Jones. This is where Keane met Eldridge Goins, a producer and drummer living in Austin.

With Goins' help, Keane put together a crack band and recorded an album that captures Brian's songs and brings them to life. The guest appearances on the record read like a who's who of Austin-based talent, although the guests don't even come close to overshadowing Brian himself.

With regular shows at Gruene Hall, a weekly slot at Austin's Momo's, carefully leaked rough mixes, as well as regular appearances on KGSR, Brian has managed to attract the attention of four record labels, and has already developed a dedicated following locally in Austin and the hill country, all this in around a year of living in Austin without a record. The wait is over…

Profile courtesy of The Propaganda Group and the artist.