Since William Clark Green turns 30 years-old today, and since his performance at our Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival in Tyler last weekend was out of its mind, what better time than now to compile the Top 5 Greatest Songs of William Clark Green's 20s?

When and how did I meet WCG? Funny story.

It was the fall of 2009. It was brisk outside, and the sun had already set when he banged on the door at the teeny tiny radio station where I was working. Our meeting was set up by Neely Yates (shout out Lubbock), and honestly I only did the interview because she was so nice -- I didn't know he was.

But to be fair he had no clue who I was either.

We exchanged pleasantries, and then roughly 10 minutes after I met William Clark Green I accused him of backing into a friend's truck and let him know that he owed that friend of mine money. The story being he had hit my friend's truck leaving a Christmas party the year before, this was all news to Green, and this was all live on the radio.

I had an airtight backstory too, complete with a phone call to "the friend" that he had backed into, played by Gabe from JB and the Moonshine Band.

Will was confused and mad... and so confused. It was awkward. And funny. I couldn't even make eye contact with him as Gabe dead-panned an entirely made up story of Will's Christmas party hit and run, a Christmas party he had attended, while Will relentlessly defended himself.

Long story short, we punk'd him, we all laughed, then went and got beers.

I'll never apologize for our first meeting. What if I hadn't punk'd him? Maybe we'd have never gone for beers. Maybe we wouldn't be buds. And maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have ever written "She Likes the Beatles." And even though I won't do shots with him all night every time he's in town anymore; I'm damn happy for all of his success.

Happy birthday, Next Big Thing!

Here are The Top 5 Greatest Songs of William Clark Green's 20s. Here's to your next thirty!

5. "Ringling Road"

4. "She Likes the Beatles"

3. "Still Think About You"

2. "Sympathy"

1. "Dead or in Jail"

Unreleased Honorable Mention

6. "If You Asked Me Too"

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