Pat Green

Texas songwriters might now be categorized by what type of tattoo is hidden under their pearl-button shirt sleeves — or how far away from the university keggers they’ve traveled. San Antonio-born Pat Green, twice nominated for a country Grammy but still rarely heard on country radio, has put in his quiet mileage. Lately he’s taken a few hits for trading in his cowboy boots and longneck empties for sandals, puka shells, and shades. Still, Green is that rare guy who can amble unrecognized through the cheap seats, mount the stage with a grin, and drop pearls of south-Texas wisdom that make everyone momentarily ponder a drive southward.