Lee Roy Parnell is undoubtedly one of the best slide guitarists in Country Music. After releasing a string of top-ten hits in the 1990s, the Lone Star native continues to perform with vocalist Lisa Stewart. Listen to this podcast episode to get a taste of their life, “On the Road.”

Texas Country Music Royalty

Parnell grew up in Texas, surrounded by Country Music royalty. His father was great friends with the legendary Texas Swing fiddle player and bandleader, Bob Wills. Parnell is also cousins with Americana singer/songwriter, Robert Earl Keen.

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Lee Roy Parnell & Lisa Stewart in a songwriting session with friend Gary Nicholson

As a teenager, Parnell began his music career as a drummer before picking up the guitar. The young musician spent a decade playing in the bars, dance halls, and honkytonks of Texas before making the move to Music City in 1987 as a songwriter. He quickly parlayed his singing ability with his tremendous slide guitar skills, which created his own identifiable sound and stretched the boundaries of Country Music. 

Parnell continues to tour and tear the roof off of theatres and electrify festivals. He is passionate about his songwriting and most recently his Blackberry Smoke cut, “Good One Comin’ On,” which as featured on the hit TV series, “Yellowstone.”

A True Mississippi Queen

Mississippi native Lisa Stewart sings with Parnell, yet her incredible talent stretches into recording voiceovers and acting. Like Parnell, Stewart began performing at an early age by singing in church, eventually moving to Nashville in 1987 to attend Belmont University on the Roy Acuff scholarship.
 
Stewart earned her stripes in the music industry by playing clubs in Nashville while a full-time student. After a demo session with Byron Gallimore, she landed a contract with BNA Records. Besides promoting her singing career, Stewart hosted several nationally syndicated and cable entertainment news shows while balancing her touring career. She has shared the stage with artists as diverse as Lenny Kravitz to Kenny Rogers. And she has shared the silver screen with Oscar winners Gwynneth Paltrow and Melissa Leo.

Vocalist and Mississippi native Lisa Stewart

 
The young singer put her career on hold for several years when she married former Little Texas band member, Brady Seals, in 2002. After divorcing in 2018, Stewart has been touring with Parnell.

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I interviewed Parnell and Stewart via phone in May of this year after they were forced to cancel performances due to the coronavirus pandemic. I first saw this duo in April of 2019 when they performed at City Winery in Nashville at a benefit concert for fellow singer/songwriter, John Berry.

Parnell and Stewart, who are raising young children from previous marriages, discuss their individual musical backgrounds and how their combined love of singing and performing has brought their careers together.