When Don Kincaid takes the stage, the New Jersey native brings the flavor of Texas with him.

Kincaid, who grew up in New Jersey, spent time in Texas where he pursued his music endeavors, and has now lived in Hackettstown for several years. Texas, though, remains a big part of his heart and his musical style. 

Kincaid, pictured above, has been playing guitar, writing and singing his own material for a long time and it all came together with his first CD. Part Americana, part country, “Whiskey and Women” received accolades near and far. 

On Saturday June 25, Don Kincaid & The Wait is part of a show at Vasa Park in Budd Lake that features NJ country-rock icons Kinderhook as the headliner, and local favorite Kevin Defeo as the opener. Doors for this outdoor show under the Vasa Pavilion open at 4:30 with music starting at 5. Tickets for the show are just $15 per person, cash only at the door. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Coolers are not permitted. 

Kinderhook’s roots go back to the late 70s and into the 80s when they were one of the most sought after country rock bands in the tri-state area. Along the way they’ve opened for numerous name acts including The Byrds, New Riders of the Purple Sage, David Bromberg, and Commander Cody. Their popularity continues to this day as they still enjoy a solid following. The current band lineup features ties to Warren County. Lead singer Jerry Kopychuk lives in Mansfield Township and bass player Andy Fediw formerly lived in Hackettstown.

Kincaid honed his songwriting craft in the Hill Country of Texas and at picking circles in the state’s iconic town of Luckenbach. When it came time to create an album from his latest batch of songs, he traveled back to where his journey began, rural NW New Jersey. Kincaid gathered together a formidable group of musicians and friends. They wrote more songs together, recorded an album and formed a band (The Wait) to take the songs on the road and into the future.

“I wasn’t a natural born singer, guitarist or songwriter,” admits Kincaid, a tattoo artist by trade. “But I’ve worked hard at it.”

Indeed, Kincaid’s tunes offer solid lyrics, good melodies and some, he says, “will evoke smiles” as a few are tongue and cheek. “The bottom line is that everything I write and sing comes from some sort of life experience that I’ve had,” added Kincaid, who has worked at First Place Tattoos in Hackettstown for several years.

The band’s Americana Alt-Country style draws from their outlaw country heroes Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson,  and Merle Haggard, but with a modern edge the appeals to fans of current artists such as Jamey Johnson, Ryan Adams and Sturgell Simpson. The songs range from energetic country rock to touching story-telling ballads, with lyrics delivered in a baritone that would make Johnny proud.

The multi-talented country singer Kevin Defeo is the perfect opener for this show.