Burtons set for Lockhart reunion at Commerce Hall

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

When Jack and Maja Burton return to Lockhart on Friday, Feb. 9 to perform at Commerce Hall, they will not only be returning to their roots, but playing “rootsy” music too.

“The show at Commerce Hall will be a roots, rock and blues show,” said Jack Burton. “It will be high energy. It will kind of be like front porch blues, where you will stomp your feet to it.”

Jack, a 1996 graduate of Lockhart High School, and Maja, a 1998 graduate of LHS, were each born and raised in Lockhart and were high school sweethearts. They’ve been married for 25 years and have enjoyed playing music together the entire time, originally in Austin and now in Valencia, Spain.

The couple decided to move to Spain with their seven children to enjoy a change of life.

“Why Spain?” Jack asked. “We had a great life in Austin. We wanted more family time. So, we picked up everything and moved.”

Jack is the son of Dr. Andy Burton, a former dentist in Lockhart. His mother is Bobby Burton. He has a daughter, Zion, working at Commerce Café, and a brother, Matt, and his wife, P.J., both teach locally. He also has a couple of retired aunts living in the area.

Maja no longer has family in Lockhart, but some may recall her mother, Cyndi, and her sister, Justine.

The doors for the Commerce Hall show will open at 7 p.m., with the Burtons to start at 8 p.m.

“We are hoping to see some old high school friends,” Jack said. “We still have family and friends in town. It will be good to see some Lockhart folks. We may even have some friends from Austin come to town.

“Maja has her own rock ‘n’ roll band. We have been touring Europe with our band. We both work remotely for our day jobs.”

Starting life in Spain was difficult because the only Spanish Jack knew was limited to what he had picked up in Lockhart. He joked that he knew to ask, “Where’s the bathroom?”

While in Texas, Jack and Maja will be play at San Antonio’s Tandem on Feb. 2 and Austin’s C-boy’s Heart & Soul on Feb. 6. There is a chance they’ll play other shows.

Jack Burton was called a “Brilliant Texas songwriter” and “clearly, a soulful man” by BBC Radio’s Ralph McLean. He has been described as something of a cross between Nathaniel Rateliff and Mark Broussard. His biography reads Jack has a “deep affinity for the musical heritage of the southern United States is unmistakable, both in his addictively engaging live performances and on his previously released EPs.”

Jack’s first release was “I Think You Know.”  It is labeled as a high-energy musical experience with the raw soulful power of Jack’s voice and the grooves of his nine-piece band known as the Jack Burton Trio.

Jack Burton is lead vocalist, while also playing acoustic and electric guitar. Maja Burton performs backing vocals, plays keyboard, and works an auxiliary percussion sound system.

Robbe Rooms of Desende Beren, said, “Burton makes it quite difficult to sit still. He likes to show his diversity and knows how to appeal to everyone.”

The Burton’s band was named a Top 10 live performing band in the blues category for the Austin Music Awards.

John Aielli of KUT Austin said, “What a voice! I expect big things from this young man.”