Billy Bob Thornton battles odds with new album

By John Benson

The Boxmasters, with Thornton, are on the road promoting their new album.

When talking about actors-turned-musicians, the names Don Johnson and Bruce Willis sadly (and embarrassingly) come to mind.

One person doing his best to prove actor-musician isn’t an oxymoron is Academy Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton, who since the turn of the century has been exploring his love of country music on various solo albums, which have received mixed reviews at best.

Naturally, you don’t have to dig too deep to get Thornton to spout off about the uphill battle he faces as a successful Hollywood actor who also enjoys writing and performing music.

“The thing that chaps my ass the most is that people will mention something like Keanu Reeves or someone like that, but they don’t mention [successful musician-actors] Levon Helm or Kris Kristofferson,” said Thornton, calling from a tour stop in Huntsville, Ala. “They also don’t mention Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

“There’s always an angle with writers and I guess that’s just an easy angle, instead of actually paying attention to what you’re doing.”

What the 53-year-old “Slingblade” star is doing now is playing drums and singing in the British invasion and classic country-inspired trio The Boxmasters, which was formed while Thornton recorded his most recent solo album, 2007’s “Beautiful Door.” While the reviews have been lukewarm regarding The Boxmasters’ recently released self-titled debut, one thing everyone seems to agree on is the act’s sound — self-coined as raging hillbilly rock — is different.

“We certainly have some rockabilly in us, the irreverence of that stuff, and there is a [love of] punk that we share, but it’s just an interesting blend when the three of us started playing and recording together,” said The Boxmasters electric guitar/lap steel dobro player Mike Butler, also calling from Huntsville, Ala. “It fell into this really cool sound that we loved. We never really thought about whether anybody else was doing it, we just wanted to make this record for us.”

The double-disc set includes one album of original material accompanied by a CD of cover songs, including The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright,” Mel Tillis’ “Sawmill,” Michael Nesmith’s “Some of Shelley’s Blues” and Kenny Loggins’ “House at Pooh Corner.” Already the band has begun working on future releases.

“I think the next album due out next year is a little heavier than the last record,” Butler said. “It’s a little louder and faster. It’s a lot of the same subject matter and vibe, but this one we dig in even a little bit harder.

“We’re also releasing a Christmas album in November that has seven traditional Christmas songs and three originals that may have a little ‘Bad Santa’ in them. The originals are definitely exploring the darker side of Christmas.”

For now, The Boxmasters are on the road, including a gig at the Beachland Ballroom on Wednesday. Dressed as a ’60s band, the seven-piece touring act opens the show. Then the same members come back on stage and perform behind Thornton, who plays a concert of his solo material.

Thornton comments on his evolution as an artist in relation to his current situation with The Boxmasters.

“I’d say a lot of it is just confidence and not having to deal with all of the other crap I had to deal with on my first or second record,” Thornton said.