Once upon a time, I was a radio personality, very heavily involved with local music & helping different bands "get out there". Songwriter, musician, & entrepreneur Ken Lehnig (latest album The American Music Show) is a colleague & has become a friend over the years. Recently, Ken invited me onto his podcast for Songwriter's Marketplace to talk music business & what bands can do to stay relevant in this day & age. It was a great chat, and gets me amped to be able to talk about one of my favorite things... music. :) Here's another interview I did with the web-site back in the day.
Songwriter Insights Interview with Ken Lehnig and David Dodds
Check out this recent interview where David Dodds and Ken Lehnig talk to me about being relevant and authentic as an artist. Ken and Dave are songwriter, musicians, and publishers of SongwritersMarketplace.com.
What’s Covered
Money opportunities for today’s artists.
Defining the whole artist package.
Adapting your skill and talent to change with the times.
Are talent shows and competitions relevant?
Why humility and gratitude are so important.
How your music genre allows fans to discover you.
Discovering your niche by being authentic and defining your style.
Q&A with Chicago Farmer
He might be a small town boy, but Cody Diekhoff has a big presence when he is on stage. Even if that stage is on the same floor everyone is standing on, right next to the bar everyone is crowded around. He is used to being in those smaller gin joints and squeezing himself into a corner to perform his songs, as many up and coming singer songwriters are. Diekhoff tours by the name Chicago Farmer and originally hails from Delavin, IL, a barely there town as you cruise by. Having been in his fair share of hole in the wall venues, probably drinking cold beer just as often as he performing in them, Cody uses these experiences as inspiration. A small town upbringing is what he knows, what he writes about, and what is gaining his success. Currently on tour in support of his new album Backenforth, IL, this small town boy made it a point to hit up those smaller towns with fans that have driven long distances in the past to support his musical career. Now they can just go around the block. It's his way of giving back, relating to all his fellow middle of nowhere folk, that know how it is to travel hours to the big city to see their favorite band. I'm one of them, and most of the people drawn to Chicago Farmer are in the same position. Cody is no stranger to the city though, having lived in Chicago, and is very familiar fast paced life. He has embraced all sides, but is now focusing on his efforts and paying homage to the places and the people that are little less traveled. Presently settled into his tour and latest release, he is returning to small town America and stopping in the more rural areas of the U.S.
Prior to his show in Canton, IL, I had the opportunity to interview Cody on 11/12/13 for local radio station affiliate WBYS. Our first meeting was typical, casual, minor chit chat, learning about each others backgrounds. Interestingly enough we have quite a bit in common, coming from similar areas and having mutual friends. Then of course, right to business, and into the interview.
He appeared timid towards the radio microphone at first, but the interview went smoothly. (Listen to the interview here.) He was modest, honest and you could tell the idea of the smaller venue tour was more appropriate for the singer and less like a gimmick. We aired only two songs off the album. The first, "Everybody in this Town," recounts the mentality and sometimes relentless drama that you can run into by merely being from a place where everyone knows you, or thinks they do at least. The other "Backseat", accompanied by singer Heather Horton, is one of very few love songs gracing his repertoire. Cody admits love songs are not really his style, but couldn't resist expressing love for his wife who has been a major supporter and now part of his management while he is on the road. Listening to the lyrics of "Backseat" brings you into a true love story, where he confesses that his lovely wife is first and foremost in his life. The sign of appreciation is one that any woman would love to hear. He might not be known for writing love songs, but he sure does it well.
When I arrived to the venue, Bistro 101, a dark, slightly upscale haunt, rather different that country dive bar that you usually find in these country towns, Chicago Farmer wondered amongst the crowd. Mingling with patrons and hanging with his wife Kymber while she worked his merchandise table. He casually sipped his beer and listened to his opening act, fellow singer songwriter and friend Nathan Taylor. An appropriate scene for a bar show. The room, comfortably packed on a sold out Tuesday evening with faces of all ages, eager for his performance to begin. That shy, humble demeanor was still present in Farmer while he graciously thanked me for our interview that day. Little did I know that the tentative attitude I had witnessed before was soon to disappear.
Chicago Farmer took to the corner of the room set aside to be the "stage" which was nestled next to the bar shortly after I joined the party. Standing only feet away from the people crowded around him, he took in his surroundings, while he tuned his guitar. The coy demeanor I had witnessed earlier evaporated in an instant and the showman appeared as soon as he began to speak. No longer meek, Chicago Farmer took to the stage mic like a fish takes to water, drawing the attention of every ear in the room. He chose to begin by addressing his accent, or drawl that is. How it couldn't quite be pin-pointed by people he met on his tour travels. In his travels, fans wondered, if the slow roll in his speech was from the deep south or the northwest, or maybe people find it familiar to their grandpa's old time accent. Well, I guess they've never been to a small town in the Midwest before. That drawl comes from middle America, where the world is simple, the people are truthful and the memories are thick of the country way things once were. Or so it seems.
That small town boy, very much still there, becomes the entertainer, the performer, the musician, steps up front to transport you to an easier era with modern day terms grounded in roots, folk and blues. Cody's voice strong and eerily stuck in a time that seemed to be long gone. His haunting voice seems to draw on the likes of Woody Guthrie and John Prine, and Cody would be the first to tell you these men are where he draws his inspiration.
Telling stories from the eyes of that small town guy in songs like "Everybody in This Town" and "The Twenty Dollar Bill". Cody's sound might be old-time, but the show was anything but dusty. Hooting and hollering from the crowd and jigs being danced. Fans laughed at his witty banter and savvy stories, all the while attempting to find the words to sing along. I must admit I was leading the way with dancing and humming along to tunes that had been stuck in my head for a week as I prepped for our interview. The whole room was coming alive with a new found energy based in folk music.
Chicago Farmer received big reactions from some of his older songs like "Illinois Anthem" where the jilted lover takes revenge on a former girlfriend with nude photos. One regret of mine was forgetting to ask him if that was really true. Did he reveal nude photos of that school teacher he once dated or was it just the thought that he could do that that made the song what it is? Toes could not help but tap with the beat of "200 Miles Away", as you relate to the feeling of worry he emotes through incredible tone and expression. Nearly every Chicago Farmer song can be branded as one that will get "stuck in your head". You will catch yourself humming his catchy tunes days later, surrendering to the melody. Diekhoff is very much the story teller, drawing you even closer into the embrace of his music, especially when he recounts one of his first dates with his wife before leading into "Backseat". Every woman in the bar had a hard time resisting the urge to swoon, as his wife gazed lovingly towards him from the back of the room. A moment I would have no doubt that she looks forward to each night on his tour. Most everyone in the room recognized his rendition of "Proud Mary", pulling several listeners to the dance floor that were waiting for the right moment. The evening was alive and magical in the small town of Canton, IL thanks to Chicago Farmer. Hopefully it will happen again, and maybe next time he can bring the whole band. Either way, Chicago Farmer is a must see if you have the opportunity, and Backenforth, ILan album to add to your collection.
This is the raw video of my interview Chicago Farmer! Thank you to WBYS for letting me use their space & air waves & thank you Chicago Farmer!
Q&A With Laura Reed
Laura Reed just signed by Sony/ATV and at a turning point in her musical career, approaches music and writing with an inner peace and desire for self discovery. After relinquishing a successful band in the South East and becoming a new mom, music went a different direction for Reed. She relocated from the mountains of North Carolina to Nashville, TN and connected with a wide range of new collaborators. With big names in the industry to mentor her on the business side of her music career, Reed is taking charge of her rising star. While taking the next step in her musical journey, she talks strategy and what it takes to get there.
Reed’s interest in music started early while spending part of her childhood in South Africa, soaking up sounds of spirituals, harmonies, & sounds of the country. Through travels with her mother around the world she was able to experience a broad spectrum of music cultures that have inspired her in her own writings, as well as reflecting in her style. During her adolescents living in the South East United States is where her musical talent was truly triggered. The young aspiring musician was immersed in an array of soul, blues, folk, reggae and rock that cast her into her first musical endeavors. Laura’s journey has woven the songwriting that has brought her to the latest exploration, and she is anxious for the release of her first solo effort in years.
Songwriters Marketplace gets a preview of “The Awakening” with Laura’s first single and music video “Faith Not Fear”, showcasing her many talents, giving us a taste of this much anticipated album. The opening lyrics bring a recognition of the trials and tribulations that have been overcome in her recent years. We get to talk to the busy songwriter while she is touring and opening for sold out shows headlined by R&B artist MiGUEL. Laura reveals a bit of her awakening, finding empowerment in the fears and turning them into faith in her music with driving effect. “The Awakening” is planned for release by the end of 2012.
Tell us about your upbringing and your musical background.
Very unconventional, global, and encouraging. I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is where my mom is from, however my dad is American (born in Nashville) and so at a young age we moved to North Carolina and I was raised here in a pretty rural area. I had been blessed to do alot of traveling with my mom from a young age though, and she was brave enough to let me explore a lot. I would join her on business trips to big cities like New York or Chicago and she would allow me to go out and explore as long as I could show her on a map where I was going and how to get back to our meeting spot- as you could imagine this cultivated a deep appreciation of my surroundings and all the people and stories behind them. I got to travel extensively with her internationally as well (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Australia) all over….I soaked everything up like a little sponge and it’s deeply woven in my music and message. The more I traveled and met different people the more clear to me it was how similar we all really are, and how exciting and beautiful our differences were. I was always encouraged to write, there were no musicians in my family really, but a lot of writers…so that’s what I did…i always had journals and notebooks, and was constantly writing poems and journals of everything. These soon turned into songs. I eventually taught myself to play guitar at 14 and then the poems and stories were accompanied with music, and then shared on small stages and coffee shops until I started playing in bands.
You have been a touring artist for sometime and worked with some really established musicians, for instance George Clinton and Karl Denson, fill us in on some of these experiences.
I have been really blessed, I grew up listening to George Clinton, so when I got the call to come and be a songwriter and vocalist on a project (Big ol’ Nasty Get down) with him I was thrilled. I was caught off guard at how down to earth he was, and wasn’t surprised at all at how creative and deep he was at all times. We hit it off and I got to not only write for the project but work alongside George on vocal arrangements- which was surreal and a great learning experience, the man is brilliant.
Karl is another one of those artists that is incredibly down to Earth- you feel like you are in the studio with your brother or someone you’ve known forever. He had such a positive energy and was so enthusiastic and encouraging towards all the vocals I did with Debrissa who joined me on backgrounds for his album “Brother’s Keeper”. We were honored to have been asked to do it, and he gave us a lot of freedom to just be expressive and translate what we felt.
You became a mother in the last couple of years, what effect did that have on your music at the time and what effect does it have on your music now?
It put everything in perspective. At the time it changed my course but that was inevitable, I tried not to cancel any shows, and continued to perform up until the last moment I could, and went back as soon as I could. Being pregnant gave me a lot of time to reflect and write and appreciate, I had never had that kind of time before and really indulged in learning who I am on many levels previously unexplored so I could be a better mother. I am not the same person as I was before Zion was born, there is no way I could be. It has a huge effect on my music now, I have some limitations on what I can do because of course first priority is my son, but in a way it’s great because I only do the things that are really necessary and compelling, I finally learned how to say “no”. I have also been inspired through motherhood in the message, my songwriting has always been positive and a reflective but now I feel like I am able to tap into a another, perhaps deeper vein of experience that I never could before, and I am a better songwriter because of it.
What is your favorite part about being a musician?
I get to share myself, my pain, my thoughts, my experiences with others, which is therapeutic and empowering…and in turn I see it also brings comfort and healing to the audience. I’m not sure what it is, but music has this incredible power, like medicine to heal and inspire. It helps us relate to each other and find understanding and comfort in the realization we all going through the same things and will overcome, not to mention getting inspired by a message or sound in a song that resonates with you- and that’s powerful.
You are very environmentally conscious. What did you do a few years back with your album Live From Tree Sounds Studios that impacted the environment & how do you continue to keep it green?
Starting off the actual location, Treesound studios is a facility that takes many more environmental measures than most. Portions of building are solar powered, onsite recycling and composting, food is grown at organic Rock Star Farms, There was on site Bio-diesel. So recording at Tree started us on the good foot. We also purchased energy credits for not sustainable energy used at studio as well as using ecological packaging from Groovehouse Records.
I like to think of it as a matter of balance. Trying not to take more then necessary, or waste. I’m a big advocate or reusing and “re-purposing” items so that nothing is really that disposable. I wish I was able to do as much as I did a few years back, but alas these days being a single mother and living in a city it’s tougher. I am particular about what companies I support based on their practices, the food I eat, the businesses I patron. I live in a Leed certified apartment, my energy use is very low- I’m a huge lover of public transport and living in Nashville I really don’t have to ever travel far, I do a lot of walking. Downside to city life however being I don’t get to have the great gardens I used to and compost but I’m working on my landlord with all that to get a community garden going… it’s the little things, and I never feel I’m doing enough, but I am raising my son to be conscious of his input and output and impact on the world, and in a way that might be one of the biggest steps I’m taking, essentially its living today so that others may tomorrow, so our youth are an important link in “keeping it green”.
You play a pretty mean harmonica, how often do you play it on albums or live?
It was about 5 years ago [when I picked up the harmonica], I don’t play it as much as I’d like- its one of those instruments that is a great accent. Recording wise I’ve only had it on one song “Train”, however I do bring it out during almost every live show- especially lately during my shows with Shannon Sanders, he has a song called “these streets” that features me on a bluesy harmonica riff.
What musical moment has impacted your career in this industry most?
I played a wedding in Atlanta a few years back that one of my mentors, Paul Worley was attending. Paul has been the most instrumental figure in my career. The folks I’m working with now, Paul either introduced or encouraged the relationship. Not to mention he has been a trustworthy mentor over the years. He gave me the best advice to date “follow the music, make the best music you can and then the rest will follow you”. He was blown away by the performance and has since changed my career in amazing ways, I find myself where I am because of that moment and because of him.
Who and what do you attribute to your success as an artist?
I have to honor my family, they always encouraged me to be as creative and “freaky” as I wanted to. An appreciation for free thinking and the arts was cultivated in me by them and that is a big reason why I see the world the way I do. They also taught me hard work, I still don’t know many people as hard working and focused as my mother, she motivates me everyday and actually works with me a lot in my career.
Focus and hard work are crucial ingredients to being an artist, creating the music is the easy part, that just flows out of you, you can’t stop it…it’s the discipline and work ethic however that allow you to translate the art in a tangible form for others and get it out into the world.
Tell us about your new album “The Awakening”, what direction are you going in comparison to “Soul : Music” and “Live at Tree Sound Studios”?
The new album, The Awakening is a completely different approach to songwriting, music, performance, and recording then the previous albums. The Awakening is a collection of songs that I chose with the album’s producer, Shannon Sanders out of about 40 songs that I had written in the last year or two. I met Shannon through Paul Worley. When I had decided to leave Treesound/Atlanta- Paul was the first person I called. He heard the music I was making post Deep Pocket and instinctively knew that me and Shannon would be a powerful combination, he was right. I met Shannon one morning at the Sylvan Park cafe in Nashville, we spoke for a while and proceeded to spend the rest of day vibing in the studio. It was safe to say we knew from the first meeting we were going to make some inspired music.
The songs we chose are all songs that speak to the message of “Awakening”. This is a big theme in my life right now, and the world I would say. These songs all carry with them a positive and inspired framework, but are packaged by Shannon’s undeniable “bump factor” and smoothness. We co wrote every song on the album, whereas the previous albums I was the only lyricist. These new songs have had a lot of time spent on each one to really tailor a sound that is unique to who I am and all my influences, drawing on soul, hip hop, world music,R&B, funk, and gospel. I’ve never made an album like this, Shannon is an acclaimed producer (won 2 Grammys/produced for India Arie, John Legend, Pink) so I really surrendered a lot of the process in this album and in turn ended up making the music I’ve been wanting to make my whole life. That’s what happens when you surrender I guess, and that was part of the awakening for me. This album has a clear message and I love that.
Please give some love to all the talented musicians that you work with and fondly call Deep Pocket.
I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of amazing artists and musicians, as well as had some great teams around me and continue to do so. Part of the beauty of Deep Pocket was the team element. It was alike a well oiled machine when it was going strong, everyone had a job in the band more then just showing up to play their instrument. For instance Ben Didelot the bass player would also be the one to send out promo for shows, Ryan Burns the piano player would also take care of tour van maintenance, this is was a great model and though we had a huge learning curve and there was a lot of trial and error, it was great example of a band sustaining itself. Traveling together as close as we did and sacrificing the way we all did for years for the vision we shared came through in the music in a lot of ways because you eventually start just completing peoples sentences musically so to speak on stage, and we had some incredible performances because of this.
You’ve release the music video for “Faith not Fear” , where did you film this & what was the message you were wanting to get across?
The video was filmed in various locations in Nashville. It begins in Paul Worley’s drive way, which was symbolic because that was where my journey in Nashville began. The song is about me leaving a shaky situation in Atlanta, failed relationship, left a label ect. and I took a huge chance and moved to Nashville and Paul literally welcomed me into his home to begin writing the album. The video then moved to different neighborhoods like Edgehill where some of my favorite scenes in the video are with the dog and the kids…and even right near where I live by the Cumberland River in the city, there is a river walk near my home that has an amazing view of the city and caught the sun just right for the chorus on “Faith not Fear’. There were different levels of message to get across, first being the song itself, it’s a mantra essentially “Faith not fear”. I wanted to convey Faith, white dress..confident, un-phased by any threat, judgment, concern, walking confidently through the streets or life, singing to everyone and no one in particular. There was a social message that was also at play, The video itself was a big of a social experiment because no one in it were actors, and it was literally live, guerilla style footage where I was walking through expensive neighborhoods, projects, and studios and part of the art was people’s reaction to me. Girl dressed in white dress with dreads and gold jewelry walking through the projects with a camera crew, that could’ve gone many ways, but I had faith not fear and it was a beautiful experience, people came out of their homes, kids got involved and were running down the street with me.
Me and Alex (director for video Alexander King) also realized while making the video that there was still a lot of social and economical separation in Nashville that we didn’t want to blatantly point out but wanted to illustrate. The fancy neighborhood I’m walking in at the beginning of video is only a few blocks from the projects I’m walking in later on. It was like two different worlds, but it shouldn’t be. Folks would not go from one to the other, and the separation is perpetuated by fear. Why are we so afraid of each other, and why do we not go out and ignore these social/economic boundaries? The answers might be obvious but while filming we really felt this needed to be addressed and knew that Nashvillians who recognize the locations or anyone already on this wave length would catch the message and recognize that Faith not Fear is essential for breaking down walls and living an inspired life.
Your single “Forbidden Lover” is in the action film “Cold Light of Day”, starring Bruce Willis and Sigorni Weaver in theaters September 7th, how did this come about?
Another blessing, I had been asked to come and write for a movie with a long time friend of mine Damien Horne. We were actually writing for another movie called “In Time”. I had already written a song called “Conflicted”, that was similar to the theme of the film in which love had bad timing and ill fated circumstances. We sat down and reworked the song a bit and gave it a romantic almost bossa nova feel and then threw it out to the music licensing folks until it was picked up by Cold Light of Day. We wrote a few other songs in those sessions that also found their way in film and the song “Forbidden Lover” was the one that really struck everyone involved, there was something very vulnerable about it that was perfect for a really heavy scene in a movie.
What is on the agenda now and what is next for Laura Reed?
Finish my debut album “The Awakening” is first priority at this moment. I just signed with EMI so I will be doing a lot of songwriting. I have a song “Forbidden Love” that I co-wrote with Damien Horne (The Farm), which is featured in the upcoming film “Cold Light of Day” due out Sep. 7th. Being a great mom, getting back on the road performing, and sharing music that gives people hope, encouragement, insight, and healing is the big goal these days.
Laura Links:
Official Site
iTunes
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter
Photo by Dusin Lewis
Q&A with Kellin Watson
Daring, sassy, and cute unravels with jazz infused folk pop from up and coming Singer Songwriter Kellin Watson. Coming off the release of her latest album “Halo of Blue”, Watson launches into the mainstream with music featured in television shows andcommercial ads around the world. Kellin talks to Songwriters Marketplace, interviewed by Ashley Davis, about the feelings surrounding recent successes, musical collaborations, her new album and more!
Born to a musical family in the mountains of North Carolina, and composing original songs beginning at 13, Kellin believed a life in the arts was the norm. Harnessing the early artistic nature, and after much touring, while putting herself out there in the musical wonderland for the masses, Watson shares inspirations from her musical upbringing to the major musical moments falling into place with great excitement.
Kellin you have been performing since a young age, what was it like growing up in a musical family from Appalachia?
At first, I never really thought much about it because it was the norm. Singing and dancing seemed to be the same as eating and sleeping, it was just part of our everyday activities. When I was about 7 or 8 though, I remember my Dad coming to my primary school and performing mountain traditional songs for the entire school in the gym.
For some reason, I was really embarrassed! I remember hiding my head while they sang this one song, Old Joe Clark. I didn’t get it yet.
Instinctively I tended to gravitate more towards jazz and R&B music as a kid. My mom, Bebe Watson, who grew up as a dancer, attending North Carolina School Of The Arts for Ballet, etc., had enrolled me in dance classes from a very young age of 2 or 3. I took ballet, tap, and jazz dance classes, and the Jazz dance classes were my favorite, because they were the most free form and funky, hence why I might have gravitated towards R&B more as a child.
As I grew older and began to realize the history of music on both sides of my family, and started to truly understand the tradition of how it was passed down, I developed a much deeper respect and acknowledgment of my family’s musical roots, and the influence they had on me growing up. My Grandfather spoke with the most mountain accent, as did my Grandma, however, my Grandfather played a style far from Mountain Music.
He played in several Jazz groups in the southeast. He never did it as a full time thing, but more of his night thing. He would probably try to disagree with me if he were still here today, but I believe he probably could easily have done it full time professionally.
Then my mom was a vocalist, and played a little bit of guitar as well. She’s always been far more shy about her talents compared to the rest of my family though. My Grandma on my dad’s side of the family was a piano player, as was my Aunt (Dad’s sister).
Again, they didn’t so much play the music of Appalachia, as much as they did classical piano pieces. However, my Dad chose to travel the world, and perform traditional music, and the music of Appalachia. My Dad had such a enormous amount of love and admiration for Appalachian music, that he immersed himself in the music and culture.
He played fiddle, guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin, pretty much anything you put in his hands on, he would figure out, however, he tended to enjoy playing stringed instruments best. So to bring it back around to your original question…it never really phased me that I was “growing up in a musical family from Appalachia” until I started to make music professionally. It was a blessing to be surrounded by people who understood the need and hunger to play music and be expressive in that way.
It was inspiring and encouraging to see them perform and have fun doing it.
Where do your writing inspirations come from, and how much time do you spend scribbling?
My writing inspirations literally come from everywhere…so it’s hard to name just one thing. A lot of the time, it’ll just float into my brain while I’m driving somewhere. I have hundreds of minute musical thoughts or phrases recorded on my phone, from a moment while driving.
I tend to be heavily influenced and inspired by intense emotions of any kind, whether it be my own, or witnessing someone else’s. But sometimes the melody of something will inspire me a lot. When I try to write something without feeling involved, I don’t usually get very far on my own.
Writing with other people can also be very inspiring. It offers different angles that you might not be able to acknowledge on your own, which is always inspiring. There have been times where I’ve had a super intense and vivid dream, and wake up immediately out of the dream thinking about it’s meaning all day, and before you know it, I’ve written three verses for a song.
The dream inspired songs always take me a few rough drafts to perfect , because it’s always a matter of tweeking the song so that it makes sense to people listening, since they, of course, weren’t having the same dream themselves. But the dream inspired songs always seem magical in a way, because it feels like a direct line to your third eye – or something!
You’ve already garnered some major success with two songs being featured on Canadian teen drama, Degrassi the Next Generation, another being featured on the CMT show, Big Break with Sara Evans, and an honorable mention nod from Billboard Magazine’s, top 100 pop songs written for 2007 off your album “No Static”. What kind of impact did these have on you and your music?
The Degrassi thing was great. It really brought in a ton of new fans that might have otherwise never known about me. A lot of kids decided to post their own versions of the song that was on Degrassi, “Ship”.
Some kids covered the song and posted it, and some made their own little music videos and posted them. It’s flattering and encouraging to know that I am inspiring others, especially teenagers. More recently, I had one of my new songs off of my new album “Halo Of Blue”, featured on CBS’s The Good Wife.
The song was called “Give Up The Ghost”. Having my songs featured and acknowledged on such prestigious and popular shows and networks is definitely encouraging. It makes me feel like I must be on the right track in that way.
I also had another new song featured in The Gospel Music Channel’s TV movie, Trinity Goodheart, starring Eric Benet, Erica Gluck, James Hong, & Mark La Mura. In addition to using one of my songs, I was also asked to play one of the roles. The story was about a girl who had been raised by her father, because her musician mother (ie: me) decided to run away to tour with her band.
As a result, the girl never knew her mother. You know what, in fact, here’s a link to tell you more about it: Trinity Goodheart. It has apparently received 5 Dove awards.
When you watched the show with your music playing in the background, what did you feel?
When I heard my song, “Ship” on Degrassi, I actually had to find it online at the time because I didn’t have cable at the house I was living in. Plus, I wasn’t really sure when it would be airing, I only knew the name of the episode. When I finally was able to find it online and watch, it was really exciting, because they put it at an emotional high moment of the story line for not only that episode, but for the entire season, so I knew it would impact the emotion of the moment, and catch a few folks ears.
Plus it was featured, so it was mixed pretty high volume wise, as this cute little teen couple had their first kiss and slow danced at their high school dance. The funny part though…is that the song actually talks about a couple splitting up to find themselves and grow…and it’s kind of a heavy tune. That just goes to show how differently songs can be interpreted from person to person though, which is the whole point I guess.
With the more recent stuff, like The Trinity Goodheart movie, and The Good Wife, it definitely felt more exciting because not only was my song going to be played, but I was making my first TV acting debut, which makes me laugh to even say. I was also able to go over to a friends house who had the Gospel Music Channel, and we were able to all watch the movie together.
With The Good Wife, it was very exciting too, though, because I found out literally the day before it was going to air, so it was a bit of a frantic scramble at first. When the song FINALLY came on, it was a relief at first because we didn’t know where they were going to play the song, only that it was during a bar scene. And their had already been two bar scenes, so I was beginning to worry if it wasn’t actually going to be in the episode because – of course – my proud papa doesn’t know how to not tell everyone he knows news like that when I tell him…so I knew all of my friends and family were probably watching, and wondering the same thing I was…did I miss it somehow?
When they finally played the song, it was at the very end, and the song was somewhat low in the mix. So relief would definitely be a better adjective than anything else for that one. In a nutshell, it’s always exciting to hear your music on a soundtrack to a story, especially on TV or a movie.
You get to see your story accent or contrast another story, and there’s something rare and special about that sense of accomplishment as an independent artist.
You’re latest album “Halo of Blue” was released in 2011, what was your focus on this album as the follow-up to “No Static”?
My focus was to try and keep the album consistent and organic as a whole, while still remaining true to the songs and the places they wanted to go. I had been listening to a lot of old soul records from the Stax and Motown era right before heading back into the studio. I had been rediscovering my love for that music, and all the greats that had contributed to that time.
The obvious ones like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, & Al Green, and some of the southern legends that not as many people seem to know about like, Lee Dorsey, Allen Toussaint, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Mississippi John Hurt (this list really goes on forever), all were making me long for that old sound and approach. My producer, Michael Bellar decided the best way to accomplish all of these things would be to put out a Lo-Fi record, and keep the arrangements as simple and as close to the original form as possible. “No Static” was far more produced and sonically hot.
We wanted to try and change tracks in that regard and dig down to a more rootsy footing.
Where did you record & who did you record this album with?
I recorded at a few different places. We started in Pomfret Connecticut at a place called Signature Sounds. It’s a cool little Americana studio out in the sticks of Connecticut.
We did four tunes there. We then went on to a studio located in Union City, New Jersey (which is basically a 15 min. drive from Manhattan) at a studio called Kaleidoscope Sound Studios where we recorded 8 tracks. And then we recorded the remaining two tracks at my favorite southeastern studio (and my favorite studio out of all the places we recorded for this album as well!), Echo Mountain Recording.
The two tracks we recorded there were” Rise”, and “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”, and then we also did a few overdubs on “Halo Of Blue” there as well. The core musicians that played on this record were part of Michael’s group, The As-Is Ensemble. Brad Wentworth on Drums, Rene Hart on Standup bass, Jonti Simon on electric bass, Michael Bellar on Keys and other things, and myself on acoustic guitar and vocals obviously.
Then from there, we had a wide range of guests come in. Sarah & Christian Dugas (The Duhks, Zach Brown Band) on vocals and percussion on “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”, Oliver Wood on the slide guitar (The Wood Brothers) on “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” & “Fire”, Rob Reich on electric guitar throughout the album, Ben Russel on Violin and Viola on “Give Up The Ghost”, “Threw It Away” and “Want To Believe”, Ward Williams (Jump Little Children) on Cello on “Give Up The Ghost”, “Threw It Away” and “Want To Believe” as well. Then locally, I had friends of mine come in.
Matt Smith added some Pedal Steel to “Halo Of Blue”, and Tom Leiner added some electric guitar to “Rise”. Then we did more vocal overdubs and harmonies at the producers home studio in Manhattan, which we like to call, Kitchen and couch studios.
We mixed and mastered the record with Gene Paul in Union City, New Jersey, and Gene and his engineers really had a gift for blending and bringing a consistency to tracks sonically. Gene Paul has worked as an engineer on some of my favorite artists albums, including Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Nina Simone. So I was honored to have the chance to mix and master my album with him and his staff.
How much touring are you currently doing?
I’m keeping my touring to a minimum at this moment. I recently started working with a great Americana guy named Al Moss as my publicist and manager, and we’re in the process of re-outfitting my brand and game plan. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m never touring again, just taking a brief moment to re-route. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on updates though.
Recall one of your favorite musical moments for us.
Maybe it’s because it’s so recent, but definitely my Music City Roots set this past month. On June 6th I played with a group of Nashville folks for this really cool old-school style Americana radio show that is streamed live on the internet and aired on Lightning 100 in Nashville TN. Jim Lauderdale hosts it and is an extremely accomplished and hard working Nashville singer/songwriter.
The reason it’s one of my favorite moments to date is for several reasons. First, my dear friends and soul mate siblings Sarah & Christian Dugas offered to put together a Nashville band for me so that I didn’t have to hire a huge cast of Asheville folks to schlep five hours, feed pay and house while we were in Nashville. Funds have been very tight for me since releasing my new album, Halo Of Blue, so I was extremely grateful and honored that Christian and Sarah were willing to help me out in that juncture.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my Asheville musicians, and I feel that they’re just as good as Nashville players! But if I can’t afford to pay them and take care of them on the road, I don’t feel right asking them, or pushing them to come along.
The thing about being on stage with Sarah and Christian for me, is that it always feels magical every time. And that really is a rare thing in this world. The musicians they brought in for the show were great and top notch too.
It felt so good on that stage, and I also got to bring along my soul brother friend Zach Blew who I have played music with for some time now. He had moved to Chicago a couple years back, and decided to move back to Asheville this past March. Since he’s been back, we’ve made it a point to get together once a week to play songs and shoot the shit and be silly.
Just have fun with music. So I asked him to come along to sing background vocals alongside Sarah Dugas. So I had three of my best friends on stage with me, which was uplifting and powerful.
Then I had this group of Nashville cats that were just doing it right…and with only one rehearsal at that! It was just so much fun. The audience at Music City Roots was so warm and loving too…I just couldn’t stop smiling all night. it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that great about a show.
I can’t really think of any moment where I got stressed that night, which is another rarity for me before important shows like that. Thinking further back though- every time I got to sit in my grandparents living room while visiting them, and sing jazz songs with my Granddaddy (aka Pops) was always so much fun …that will always be one of my top cherished musical moments. Anytime I get to perform, or sing with any of my family members…as cheesy as it may sound, it’s always a special moment for me.
You’d think that we just sit around performing together all the time…but oddly enough, we don’t get those moments now as much as we used to when I was younger…so I cherish those times.
As you’ve mentioned, you perform with Canadian band The Duhks quite a bit, how did the relationship begin and how does it continue?
I met the Duhks in 2003, right after they had formed and put out their first album. They were coming to Jack Of The Wood to play, and someone contacted my Dad and asked if the group could stay with him. We always joke that my Dad is like the Canadian Embassy of the South, because when he was younger and performed all over Canada with different groups, Canadians always took him in, and were incredibly warm and welcoming to him when he needed it most.
Hence, he has made it a vow to always take care of fellow Canadian musicians when in need, now that he has the ability to do so. So – as soon as my Dad heard that The Duhks were Canadian, he opened his arms and bought a big giant ham and told them to come on! The Duhks and my folks fell in love immediately, and the love affair blossomed from there.
Every time the Duhks came into town, they would always stay at my parents – no matter what. We would have little music sessions on the porch, and every time they would come into town, we’d always song swap “Got any new tunes? Let me hear ’em!”. It was really a beautiful thing, because we both were growing alongside of each other. I had just released my new album, at the same time they had released theirs.
We remained close over the last decade, and both have 4 albums out to date. During the making of my third album, the band was going through some changes, and the lead singer, Jessee Havey, and percussionist Scott Senor chose to move on from The Duhks and pursue other opportunities. Sarah Dugas and her brother Christian Dugas took their places.
They were amazingly talented, and great big love machines, so we of course loved them like they’d always been there as well. Sarah came in while I was making “No Static” and laid down a French rap, and blew my mind because she did it so fast and proficiently! Over the years to follow, I opened quite a bit at various venues along the southeast – big and small and we had a lot of fun traveling together.
More recently, The Duhks began to slow down, and Sarah and Christian Dugas started working on several side projects, which have transformed into pretty regular and major projects of their own. So when Leonard (the bands creator and banjo player) got an offer to re-assemble the original line up of the Duhks for a reunion show in Raleigh and Spindale NC, sadly everyone was available except for Jessee Havey (the original singer) because she was wrapped up in a production in Winnipeg that she couldn’t find a sub for. So Leonard then asked Sarah if she could do the date, unfortunately, she too was unavailable due to being on the road with Zach Brown Band as a back up singer.
At a loss for what to do, Jessee I think it was gave Leonard the idea to ask me. I was practically a Duhk anyhow since we’d known one another for so long, and I knew almost all the songs pretty well anyway. So he called me up and asked me to fill in for Jessee.
I was flattered and thrilled to take on the challenge. I was very nervous mind you – they sing several different songs in French, because they’re all bi-lingual up there of course, however me…I took Spanish all through high school and college…French was a just a beautiful sounding jibber jabber to me. However, I pulled it off, and had a great time doing it.
It was so wild to be up there with them, but at the same time felt completely natural. That was probably a favorite musical moment too – come to think of it…it was magic. The band isn’t touring and has no plans to record anytime soon.
So I have no plans with them right now.
What are you listening to right now, and what artists are inspiring you?
Let’s see…Jamie Lidell, Shovels & Rope, Cee-Lo, Electric Guest, Seth Walker, Alabama Shakes, Mavis Staples, Chic Gamine, Imaginary Cities, I recently just caught a set from a local band called The Critters, and I thought they were really fun and high energy, definitely inspiring to smile and be silly. Sarah and Christian Dugas are also in the process of preproduction for their first solo full length record follow up to their EP release last year. I’m telling you…their new songs are pretty sick and nasty…they always inspire me because they work really hard at what they do, and they really love it.
Nothing is more inspiring than seeing your friends grow and love their craft. I have so much respect for those two. Then I just got a record player and my bf and I have been getting into records a lot, so we’ve been listening to a lot of Stevie Wonder, Jack White, Ricki Lee Jones, Neil Young, The Who, Ella Fitzgerald, The Beatles, Fatz Domino, Blue Oyster Cult, Violent Femmes, Tal Farlow, etc. on vinyl.
There’s really nothing like listening to records. You can’t really skip a track if you don’t want to listen to it, or if you get bored. I mean you can, but it’s more of a hassle. Records are better for my ADD mind…they make me want to try and appreciate each track they way it was intended.
It slows you down a bit, which is a great thing in this day and age.
We met working for a charity event raising money for the Asheville Art Council in North Carolina, where you reside. How important is it for you to give back to your community and what are some of your favorite philanthropic ventures?
I feel like without community, you have nothing. Thus, being there for each other, and rooting each other on is critical. Aside from trying to buy local and doing the farmers market regularly, I also locally support and have ties with The Literacy Council of Buncombe County, Leaf In Schools And Streets, The WILD Foundation, Manna Foodbank, Joyful Noise, etc.
On a more national level, I am tied in a couple different Veterans programs called Operation Music Aid, and Soldiers Angels. Operation Music Aid is a really cool program that donates instruments to wounded soldiers to aid in the rehabilitation process.
I am not a fan of war, and I’m definitely not a fan of the effects it has on human beings who are thrown back into society after serving time for our country in brutal war zones. I feel that music not only can help in aiding the physical healing process, but most importantly, the mental healing process.
Music is based on feeling and emotion for me personally. I appreciate what Operation Music Aid is trying to do for our wounded soldiers and veterans of war. Soldiers Angels is really cool because it’s ongoing, and gives people the option to adopt a soldier, send care packages and letters, etc. There are plenty of soldiers who don’t have a family at home to remind them that they are loved and appreciated. Soldiers Angels remedies that.
Not only that, I think it is a beautiful thing to send words of encouragement to soldiers far from home, to make them feel that what they’re doing is not in vain, and appreciated. Another organization I support is Music programs for kids in public schools. There has been so many funding cuts, that I almost find it hard to believe.
Kids need and deserve music and the arts in their lives just as much as they need math and science in my opinion. A friend of mine works for a group called The Intonation Music Workshop, based in Chicago. I wish I had been able to have something like this at my school when I was in middle school!
They do great things. I think that the music community is vast and special, and I feel blessed to be a part of it.
You have been a touring musician for sometime, what advice do have for up and coming singer songwriters?
To educate themselves on the business side. It’s one thing to be a truly talented wordsmith/singer that makes good music, it’s a whole different thing to be able to have a clear and focused understanding of how the industry and business sides operate and function. You really have to be a proactive person, willing to “Do it Yourself”. If you can be good at both, you are half-way there.
The rest depends on timing and luck in my opinion. For some people, luck is everything. And good for those people. But to be successful at what you do, you have to assume that you have no luck, thus hopefully making yourself earn your keep, and hold your own amongst a sea full of people trying to do the exact same thing.
The music industry has definitely shifted, and “DIY” has taken over. Thus if you’re not willing to do things yourself, and remain as consistent as you can, you might as well accept it as a hobby instead of a career. It’s a hard road, and you never really realize how hard until you are already half-way down the road I guess.
I guess it just depends on how hungry you are. Patience, hard work, and showing respect for your fellow musicians are three good things to remember in general. Keeping a thick skin is good, as long as you don’t lose site of your own joy.
If you know it’s what you’re meant to do, don’t give up on it, but at the same time, don’t try to force it. Trust in the universe if it’s something you know you’re meant to do. And be willing to shift and move with the journey it takes you on.
That’s probably the best advice I could pass on.
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