Chrissi Bickford
Mando Saenz is a relatively taciturn fellow, so I called my friend Jon Byrd to ask some scouting questions before our interview. Byrd, one of the finest country songwriters and storytellers I know, had a lot of wonderful things to say about his close friend Mando, including this, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s a great drinking companion. You can sit at the bar, and 15 minutes will go by and nobody’s said a word. It’s awesome!”
We crack up at this, because Mando has a lot to say; he just chooses his words carefully, whether in conversation or in song. He’s one of the finest writers in the roots country field, a torch-carrier for the tradition of poetic, narrative Texas songwriting who can also bring his best to Music Row co-writes aimed at the country marketplace. Another artist/fan is Jim Lauderdale, who’s written numerous songs with Saenz, including the title cuts to two of Jim’s albums, Time Flies, and From Another World. “He’s just a real treat to get to write with,” says Lauderdale, who says he’s eager to get back in the room post-pandemic. “I am very optimistic that we’ve got some more magic between us.”