Tag: gospel music

First & Latest: Half a Century of Gospel Dynasty The Isaacs

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The Isaacs need no introduction. In gospel, bluegrass, and country circles they are well known for their convicting, heartfelt songs in the sacred tradition, demonstrating ardent faith through familial harmonies and a stunning polished, tight-knit sound.

They’ve been performing and recording as a group for 50 years, with their first commercial albums released now more than 30 years ago. They are veterans of the Grand Ole Opry, churches and bluegrass festivals all across the country, Gaither Homecoming, RFD-TV, and so many more roots music and gospel institutions.

In October of last year, the family – whose band consists of Lily and her children Ben, Sonya, and Becky – released a brand new album, Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah. And, whether heard by “secular” listeners or listeners of faith, the project is a pitch perfect continuation of the mission and message the Isaacs have brought with them across their entire 50 year career.

The collection, as always, is stirring, resonant, and warm. With crisp and clean stylings of modern worship music intermingled with country and string band touches. In an exclusive interview with BGS, we spoke to Sonya Isaacs via email about More Than A Hollow Hallelujah by comparing and contrasting their latest project with their first – A Labor Of Love, which was released in 1990 and Live in Atlanta, which arrived in 1992.

We spoke about the Isaacs’ longevity, their faith, what sacred music offers to all of us, and how it feels to look back on so many decades of making music together as a family and ministry. Gospel music and roots music have always gone hand-in-hand and the Isaacs demonstrate that connection, intuitively, in all that they do.

Your latest album, Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah, begins with the track, “Gratitude,” which I feel is a perfect place to start. This project is more than 30 years – nearly 35! – since your first releases. Can you speak a little bit about your longevity and what it means to you, at this point, to look back at such a prolific and productive career? I imagine you must practice a lot of gratitude.

Sonya Isaacs: We have been so so blessed to be doing what we love to do for the majority of our lives now! We are incredibly grateful for the journey that has brought us where we are today. The highs were high and the lows were low, but God has been with us and allowed us to live our dreams. A lot has changed about our sound, style, and even personnel since those humble beginnings, but one thing has remained and that is Christ is the center of everything that we do!

Gospel music and sacred music go hand-in-hand with American roots musics of all types. You all are comfortable in so many genres and styles, from bluegrass and country to contemporary Christian. I wonder what it means to you that gospel is such a big part of so many roots genres and how you see your own music fitting into different formats and styles of music?

When we started out 50 years ago, we never intended or dreamed that our music would cross over into different genres and styles. God has opened doors in different markets for us to get to take His message into. We don’t change who we are, we don’t change why we are there, we just sing and the songs do the work! It’s wonderful that so many different styles encompass the gospel message and we are grateful that we get to stand on different stages all around the world and be who we are. God is always the most important listener at our concerts.

What do you remember about the making of those first albums, A Labor of Love released in 1990 and Live in Atlanta released in 1992? Did you ever think or dream or assume you’d still be putting out records well into the 2020s? Was that always the hope or the plan?

I don’t think any of us were thinking too much about the future when we first started out recording almost 50 years ago. We were so excited to be in the moment and to get to be singing and recording, especially when we got our first major record deal in the late ’80s. Back then we weren’t very experienced as musicians or singers, and in the studio everything felt like a dream! We remember feeling nervous, excited, and grateful during those early years.

When we recorded the Live in Atlanta album and video, some of us were the most nervous we have ever been on stage. But it felt like a game-changing album once we finished the concert. There was a sweet spirit in that room that only God’s presence can bring. The songs we recorded on Live in Atlanta became some of our first to reach the top of the charts.

Now, a song you selected to spotlight from Live in Atlanta is “From the Depths of My Heart.” How did that track come into your repertoire and how does it strike you now, decades later, when you listen back?

“From the Depths of My Heart” was a song Ben and I wrote in a car riding from home in Morrow, Ohio, to our new home in LaFollette, Tennessee in 1992. I had just graduated high school the day before and we were all leaving behind all we’d ever known. The sad goodbyes with friends and loved ones were the inspiration for the song. It was like a gift God gave us to not only help us, but millions of other people who have needed the words over the years. It became our first number one song in gospel music, and remained in the charts for nearly 4 months. Looking back, it’s really the song that catapulted our career. We still get requests for that song all the time!

Obviously, there are so many connections between your music then and your music now, but I wonder what through lines or consistencies you see in your own body of work? What’s changed? What’s stayed the same?

As styles and technology have evolved, so has our sound. When we first started out, there was definitely more of a bluegrass trueness that came from our dad Joe Isaacs’ musical heritage. As the kids got older and began to play instruments and write songs, the style became more contemporary in general, but still was heavily influenced by the traditional bluegrass sound. Over the years we have done different albums with different styles; some country, some Americana, mostly gospel, bluegrass, and others, but the harmonies the Isaacs are known for have remained a constant. The instrumentation of guitar, mandolin, and bass have also remained a staple in our sound. Also, we have always been faithful to stick with lyrics that didn’t compromise the gospel in anyway.

It certainly feels like, from the outside looking in, the conviction you feel and the passion you bring to your music remains steadfast. What keeps you “in it,” making gospel, sacred, and Christian roots music?

We have always looked at our music as a ministry. Sometimes we are singing to the choir and sometimes to those who won’t even step inside a church door. We know that any talent we have comes from God, the Creator, and we love the faith aspect of our music. It is truly why we do what we do and we couldn’t imagine our music without Him being the center of it! He is everything to us, and our mission is to carry His love to the world.

Can you talk about “(More Than A) Hollow Hallelujah,” the title track, and how the song and its message became the cornerstone of this latest album?

When we decided to do an album of praise and worship covers, there was a song that came to my mind that I had started writing years ago. I had the chorus mostly finished and called the other three to come finish it with me just a few days before the session. It seemed like an important song to have on the record because it summed up everything the record was intended to say. Without sincerity, it’s all in vain. Jesus is looking for true worshippers and followers. It’s easy to get caught up in life’s rat race and hurdles, but it’s more important now than ever to show God how much we love, appreciate, and need Him. He responds to praise and that is something we have learned down through the years. The mysteries of God and the miracles we read about are found out in the deep. We shouldn’t be content to splash around on the shore. This song calls us out to the deep.

Looking ahead to the next 35 years, the next 50 years, what do you hope will be the Isaacs’ legacy over the upcoming few decades?

As we are all getting older together, it’s interesting to think about where we will be in 10, 20, 30 (if we’re lucky) years from now. We run so hard on a day-to-day basis that somehow it doesn’t feel like we are as old as we are – with our youngest Becky turning 50 in August this year! What we pray our legacy will be, when it’s all said and done, is a family who loved to sing and pray together, who loved to share the good news of Christ in song, and a family who never stopped striving to be the best they could be at their trade. We hope the songs we have written and recorded will live on in time as those we enjoy today from others who have gone before.

Is there anything else you’re reflecting on or want to add as you consider your First & Latest and your long, full careers?

Looking back, it seems good that you can’t look forward. We have learned that the journey is just as important as the destination, and if we could see some of the twists and turns, some of the disappointments, we would no doubt have chosen different paths. We have been so blessed to have made it to where we are today with God’s grace, but we sure have overcome our share of dark days. Many songs and testimonies have been written out of those dark days that have helped others get through them. By experiencing life’s struggles, we are equipped with the knowledge and experience to help others get through them, too. Don’t begrudge the hard journey – it’s where our faith is built and our wisdom is learned.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Today’s Bluegrass Gospel Is All About Good News

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

While playing music in a bar, Tammy Rogers of The SteelDrivers learned a lesson that would guide her life choices. After Rogers graduated from college, she was happily earning her living as a musician. But she wondered if it was enough.

“I felt like it was all about me, rather than what I could give back and put into the world.” She had considered teaching or studying music therapy, thinking that, “Maybe I needed to be actively doing something to help.”

Here’s where the bar band comes in.

“I remember this like it was yesterday. I sang a gospel song.” Rogers said. “And after the set, a couple came up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much for singing that song. It meant so much to us.’ And it was like a light bulb came on – answering the question, ‘What should I be doing with my life?’”

For Rogers, the interaction with that couple in the bar was God giving her the message that she was doing what she was meant to do.

“The music that you write, the music that you play can touch people and help them, whether it’s in happiness or sorrow.”

Bluegrass musicians often incorporate old and new gospel songs into their performances. Whether it’s the melodies, the spine-tingling harmonies, the familiarity, or the content, gospel music has an enduring appeal to the full spectrum of bluegrass fans, regardless of culture or religion.

Last year, The SteelDrivers, as well as the young band High Fidelity, produced gospel albums – Tougher Than Nails and Music In My Soul, respectively – and Chris Jones released a gospel track, “Step Out in the Sunshine.” For them, the music is personal. They all come from a place of faith and sincere connection to the good news of the gospel, as well as loving the music itself.

In the rural communities where bluegrass began, life often centered around church, as a place of prayer, music, and friendship. Eventually, Southern gospel music also took on a life independent of worship.

Wayne Erbsen wrote in his charming book, Rural Roots of Bluegrass, “By the 1850s, songwriters were composing new gospel songs to appeal to the thousands who flocked to the rapidly growing number of shape-note singing conventions throughout the south.”

These lucrative gatherings – possibly more entertainment than spiritual – continued well into the 20th century. Erbsen told BGS that people would bring the books they already owned, but when they arrived, “they had to buy more books” to learn the new songs. The publishers hired excellent performers to attend the conventions and inspire the singers.

Erbsen wrote, “The songs and styles that were part of this shape-note singing convention tradition eventually merged with bluegrass instrumental and vocal styles to create a new genre now known as bluegrass gospel.”

Bill Monroe, like others of his generation, was exposed to religious-themed music. While performing with brother Charlie, Monroe’s first hit record was “What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?” And just as he learned the blues from Black fiddler Arnold Shultz, he was “fascinated by the music of the Black churches,” Chris Jones said. That’s where Monroe learned “Walking in Jerusalem,” popular today for its rich harmonies.

High Fidelity – Jeremy Stephens, Corrina Rose Logston Stephens, Kurt Stephenson, Daniel Amick, and Vickie Vaughn – is steeped in traditional bluegrass. Corrina’s parents got hooked on Reno & Smiley and the Stanley Brothers looking through department store record bins – and Corrina has stayed close to the traditional fold ever since. “It feels like it’s in my blood,” she said.

Jeremy learned to sing harmony from his grandfather. After he picked up the fiddle, a school bus driver made him a cassette tape of classic bluegrass. “And that tape was transformative to me,” he shared.

All of High Fidelity’s music is infused with the harmonies, instrumentation, and themes of early bluegrass performers. The friends who make up High Fidelity (the name comes from the words often on labels of early bluegrass records) came together as a band to compete in the SPBGMA band contest. They never imagined they would take first place. So, “It was this overwhelming gift that we won,” Corinna said. “It almost felt like divine intervention.”

“And everyone in High Fidelity is spiritual,” she continues. “We’re all Christian folks. We all identify with the songs that we’re singing.” So, from the earliest days, she said, they felt a gospel album was in their future, to “honor the Lord and thank him for giving us this gift.”

During a long period of illness that Corinna later learned was caused by toxic mold in their home (they since have moved out, and she feels a lot better), she received another gift from God, she said. She woke in the early hours of the morning with a song in her head that was so compelling, she had to get out of bed to record it. “And almost all of the verses just came out, bypassing my conscious brain.”

That song is “The Mighty Name of Jesus.” It is a centerpiece of, and the only original on, their recording, Music In My Soul. Corinna said, “We wanted [the project] to feel like a quintessential High Fidelity record, very bluegrassy.”

She wanted to emulate another early hero, Carl Story. When listening to Story, she said, “It wouldn’t even register that I was listening to a gospel record. It was just such good bluegrass… I wanted Carl Story’s vibes.”

Their recording successfully and joyously channels the spirit and musicality of the earliest bluegrass stars. High Fidelity worked hard to find little-known gospel songs from a variety of sources, performing them with the same enthusiastic vigor that they bring to their secular music. Listeners will recognize classic banjo introductions and harmony variations that have been passed through generations since bluegrass hit the radio.

And just as Music in the Soul is undoubtedly High Fidelity, nobody but The SteelDrivers could have created Tougher Than Nails. It is gritty, bluesy and achingly human.

Rogers said that for years, The SteelDrivers’ most requested song has been “Where Rainbows Never Die,” from the 2010 recording Reckless.

“We’ve gotten so many emails, messages, people come up to us at shows, telling us how they’ve played the song at their dad’s funeral or for grandpa or whomever and how much it’s meant to them.

“It doesn’t say the word God. It doesn’t say the word Jesus. It doesn’t even use the term heaven. But it is a gospel song, a spiritual song. It’s about passing on to the next life. To me, it is such a powerful, beautiful way of sharing,” Rogers said.

In the same way, she said, a SteelDrivers’ gospel collection wouldn’t be “preaching at people or using even the language they’re familiar with. But if the message is the same, why not?”

On Tougher Than Nails, expect the same gutsy, no-holds-barred, gorgeous vocals that we love from The SteelDrivers. Their original gospel songs are as much about the dangers, choices, and blessings of humanity as their songs about liquor, guns, guitars, and heartache.

They ask us to think about Mary Magdalene, and how she balanced love for the man with love for the divine. They wonder if Judas’ heart broke as he fulfilled his destiny of betrayal. And they celebrate the victory of love over the cruelty of crucifixion.

Even “Amazing Grace” is uniquely SteelDrivers – starting with a primitive drone that weaves into the blues-driven rhythms we associate with Black Baptist church choirs.

Chris Jones is one of the most enduring and admired singers in modern bluegrass. He also is a SiriusXM radio host and writer, and a respected commentator on all things bluegrass.

Jones recently recorded “Step Out In the Sunshine.” Jones learned the song from listening to Ralph Stanley on Jones’ “all-time favorite gospel album.” It’s a song of hope and joy.

“I think the feeling and sincerity of gospel music touches all different kinds of people. It has a broad appeal, whether you’re a believer or not,” Jones said.

He noted that many bluegrass fans relate to melodies and arrangements and often overlook the lyrics. He referred to a listener who loved the song, “Julie Ann,” because it was so happy. (It’s up-tempo, but sung by a man begging his wife not to leave him.)
But lyrics do matter to the musicians who sing them.

Jones echoed a sentiment reflected in the gospel choices of High Fidelity and The SteelDrivers. A religious commitment “makes you a little more selective of what you’re willing to sing. Is this a message I really want to send to people?” Jones chooses gospel songs that are welcoming and inclusive.

High Fidelity’s Jeremy Stephens said they avoided lyrics that sounded like condemnation, the ones that say, “You’re bad because you do this and you’re bad because you do that.” He said Music In My Soul “is our hearts talking to your hearts… the Lord said, ‘Come to me as you are.’ There’s so much peace and love and acceptance in him.”

Award-winning singer and guitar player Greg Blake currently performs with his own band as well as with Special Consensus. Blake had a ministry for 30 years before becoming a full-time musician. He said he has learned a lot over the years about judgement, love, and being open-hearted. And his insights inform his choice of spiritually-oriented songs.

“When I was younger, and probably more zealous and less informed, I felt like I needed to be ‘right.’ But as I got older and looked at the teachings of Jesus, I saw that his message was more about right relationships,” rather than proper dogma or theology.

So today, Blake says, “I like to bring into gospel even songs that may not have a strong Christian element, but are just good, positive songs… that leave one with a sense of hope and love and care for one another. I think that’s the message that people of the world need to hear today.”

Photo Credit: Photo of the SteelDrivers courtesy of the artist; photo of High Fidelity by Amy Richmond.

WATCH: Tyler Childers, “Angel Band (Jubilee Version)”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps
Hometown: Lawrence County, Kentucky
Song: “Angel Band (Jubilee Version)”
Album: Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?
Release Date: September 30, 2022
Label: Hickman Holler/RCA Records

In Their Words: “I grew up Baptist and I was scared to death to go to hell. And a lot of that stuck with me. Filtering through that and trying to find the truth, and the beauty, and the things you should think about and expelling all that nonsense has been something I’ve spent a lot of time on. This is a collection that came together through those reflections. In a lot of ways, this is processing life experiences in the different philosophies and religions that have formed me, trying to make a comprehensive sonic example of that.

“Working with the same song three different ways is a nod to my raising, growing up in a church that believes in the Holy Trinity: The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and what that means. The Father being the root, the place from which everything comes from, and The Son coming to free up some of those things, allowing it to be more open and welcoming. And then you have the Holy Ghost once The Son is gone — that feeling that’s supposed to keep us sustained until we are reunited, in whatever way that looks.

“Message wise, I hope that people take that it doesn’t matter race, creed, religion and all of that like — the most important part is to protect your heart, cultivate that and make that something useful for the world.” — Tyler Childers

Editor’s Note: Conceptualized as a three-part project, the eight songs on Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? are presented in a trio of distinct sonic perspectives — Hallelujah, Jubilee and Joyful Noise. Produced by Childers and The Food Stamps, the collection features a mix of new and traditional songs and was primarily recorded in guitarist James Barker’s home studio. The Hallelujah version captures Childers and the core band playing live in a single room over the course of two days, while the Jubilee version builds on it with the addition of strings, horns, background vocals and an array of worldly instruments such as dulcimer, mbira and sitar. The Food Stamps are: Barker (pedal steel), Craig Burletic (bass), CJ Cain (guitar), Rodney Elkins (drums), Chase Lewis (keyboards) and Jesse Wells (guitar, fiddle).

Photo Credit: Emma Delevante. Pictured (L-R): Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps (Jesse Wells, James Barker, Tyler Childers, Chase Lewis, Craig Burletic, Rod Elkins)

Basic Folk – Leon Timbo

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

When Leon Timbo was a teenager, he prayed for a singing voice. As a young poet and the child of a preacher, he was a born storyteller, but he dreamed of being able to sing. Leon’s remarkable artistic journey has been the answer to that prayer.

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Timbo started writing and performing songs on DIY solo tours in his native Florida, eventually expanding his reach across the United States. He focused on connecting with each audience member and immediately started building a loyal following. It was on one of these tours that musician and actor Tyrese Gibson fell in love with his music and storytelling and invited Leon to open for him. Gibson’s mentorship helped Leon hone his sound and opened massive doors of opportunity.

Each step of Leon’s musical path has been guided by faith, spirituality, and the power of human connection. He has performed with the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers and hung out at a bar with Quincy Jones. He has a unique take on Americana, R&B, gospel, and folk music. His new album, Lovers & Fools, Vol. II, is a vehicle for his hopeful worldview, and of course, for his spectacular voice.

Photo Credit: Jace Kartye

Basic Folk – Brent Cobb

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Georgia-born Brent Cobb is a true blue southern Gospel country artist. His music career kicked off when he shared a demo tape with Dave Cobb, one of Nashville’s finest producers and Brent’s cousin. The two have collaborated on numerous albums since Brent’s debut and I had a lot of questions about that creative relationship during our interview.

 

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Cobb’s 2016 album, Shine On Rainy Day, earned him a Grammy nomination and saw him tour with country stars Chris Stapleton and Zac Brown. He has also written songs for artists like Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert. Brent has fascinating insights about touring, collaboration, and his role as an interpreter of Southern culture in an interconnected world.

In July of 2020, Brent was driving with his one-year-old son when their truck was t-boned. He got up off the pavement and found his son unharmed in his car seat. This brush with death inspired him to create a Gospel album, drawing on the musical tradition in which he was raised. And Now, Let’s Turn to Page… reimagines time-honored hymns and features one original song co-written by Brent and his wife, Layne. Life, death, love, community, and Willie Nelson-style gentle vocal performances – this album has it all.

Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

LISTEN: Dedicated Men of Zion, “Lord Hold My Hand”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Dedicated Men of Zion
Hometown: Eastern North Carolina
Single: “Lord Hold My Hand”
Album: The Devil Don’t Like It
Release Date: March 3, 2022
Label: Bible & Tire Recording Co.

In Their Words: “The difference in making this album from the last album was the level of comfort. With the first album we were all getting to know one another. I found personally with myself that my level of pressure is much higher when I am working with someone for the first time. So, I would say one key difference in making the first album and the second was comfort level. It was Bruce [Watson, founder of Bible & Tire Recordings] that made everyone comfortable in the first album. Which in return made the second album very much comfortable for everyone. Working with Bruce has been one of the greatest experiences that I have personally experienced working with producers. Bruce has a way of pushing an artist to get the best out of them without the artist ever knowing that they are being pushed. I do not want to sound cheesy bragging about Bruce. However, the guy is just extraordinary as a person as well as a producer.

“Let’s talk about the band. Somehow Bruce has brought together a group of guys that can bend music around any kind of song and make it work. Bruce found a group of guys that are extraordinary musicians with the humblest attitudes ever. We have had session after session and in most cases when we finish, we are burned out and ready to go. However, the sessions that we have had at Delta Sonics are like none other. It is as if when the session is over everybody just wants to stay and enjoy one another. I credit this to Bruce and the band. Our first album posed the biggest challenge for our group. We were just like many artists today attempting to stay with the times and present creativity through our songs. Bruce presented us with an entirely different style. At first, we were reluctant but we were willing to give it a try.

“To make a long story short we dived into the songs to try and recapture the originality of the song. When we joined up with Bruce and the band it happened. ‘Lord Hold My Hand’ kept its original feel, while progressed and converted to sacred soul music. With our second album, The Devil Don’t Like It, we were excited and had a new level of expectations. Just like before, we went into the studio with Bruce and the band, and they excelled our expectations and took sacred soul music to another level. Trust me when I tell you an outstanding band and a great producer can really bring the best out of an artist and a song. Bruce’s vision of preserving the originality of sacred soul music has shown to be educational, unique and inspiring.” — Anthony “Amp” Daniels, Dedicated Men of Zion

Photo Credit: Bill Reynolds

LISTEN: The Chuck Wagon Gang, “Two Gardens”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: The Chuck Wagon Gang
Hometown: The current members are pretty scattered, but the Chuck Wagon Gang originated in Fort Worth, Texas
Song: “Two Gardens”
Album: Radio Days
Release Date: August 13, 2021
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We’ve had many fans request a recording from our old radio show. We’re so happy to finally be able to grant that request. We’ve put several old songs from the 1940s that we deem a deeper dive into the Chuck Wagon Gang archives. But there are also a few newer songs like ‘Two Gardens’ on this latest recording. We received the demo for ‘Two Gardens’ and I remember not being able to get the tune out of my head. Put that together with amazing lyrics and I believe we have a song fans will truly be blessed by!” — Shaye Smith, The Chuck Wagon Gang

Photo credit: Clay Lisenby for The L House Photography

WATCH: Elizabeth King, “Living in the Last Days”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Elizabeth King
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Song: “Living in the Last Days”
Album: Living in the Last Days
Release Date: April 2, 2021
Label: Bible & Tire Recording Co.

In Their Words: “There’s so much going on now that you wake up in the morning time and all you hear is something going wrong, you know. It’s affecting your children. People know they wrong but they think it’s right. How is it that a mother can hit a child in the streets and don’t even stop to think. It set my mind back, like in the Bible days, like when the lady went to sleep and killed her child and stole the other lady’s baby. It just let you know that time is getting shorter and shorter every day. If you notice the weather, it look like even the storms are mad. There’s just so many of them. There used to be a storm every now and then. Now, just look like it’s in a hurry to get it over with. I know I’m living in my last days. God already gave me my promise. Every day with him, it just gets sweeter.” — Elizabeth King

Photo courtesy of Nick Loss Eaton Media

From Homemade Tapes to Hip Hop, Black Pumas Share Their Influences (2 of 2)

Posted on by Editor

Heading into the Grammy Awards this year, Black Pumas are competing for three trophies, two of them in high-profile categories. Their breakout single, “Colors,” is up for Record of the Year, while Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) will vie for Album of the Year. Their third nod, with “Colors” in the Best American Roots Performance category, reflects the duo’s affinity for soul and folk music, as well as the way they blend genres without losing the groove or the message. The recognition also follows their 2020 win from the Americana Music Association as Emerging Act of the Year.

From their home base in Austin, Texas, Black Pumas’ Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada caught up with BGS by phone, speaking about the music that shaped them, trusting their instincts, and the message they’d like to send out in 2021.

Editor’s Note: Read part one of our Artist of the Month interview with Black Pumas.

BGS: One of my favorite songs on this album is “Fire.” To me, it has a message of encouragement. What sparked the idea to write that song?

Eric: “Fire” was one of the tracks that Adrian first sent me. Adrian has such a brilliant way of making music that feels almost visual and vivid, almost cinematic, so when I got it, I couldn’t help but be moved to allow the song to inspire lyrics. At the time I was living with a girlfriend who was going through some health issues. She had an autoimmune deficiency and I was encouraging her to call on me. That you don’t have to feel like you’re overbearing or too much was the message that I made universal on the song “Fire.”

And lastly, with that song specifically, the funny thing was, before this I had never sung to another man on the phone. But this was one of the first songs that I was inspired to write lyrics to. When I get an idea, I like to show my friends almost right away. I called Adrian right away, not even meeting him yet. I called him and I said, “Hey, man, check this out!” I turned the song up and I started singing the melody and a few lyrics here and there, showing where it was moving, so I could integrate the space. It was really interesting to show Adrian that, and I was glad we were able to finalize the idea.

Adrian, what was going through your mind when you heard Eric sing in person, in the same room at the same time?

Adrian: Goosebumps. Trying to play it cool and not get too excited. I tried to play it off, but yeah, I knew that it was going to be a special thing, but I hadn’t heard it in the room. There was obviously a spark there, so it was just a matter of containing my enthusiasm and not getting too ahead of anything — until I finally broke down and said, “All right, man, we have to play this stuff live. Are you into doing that?” And he was like, “Yeah, let’s do it.”

It seems like you guys are in tune with your instincts. How important has that been to the success of Black Pumas?

Eric: It’s hard to put too much pressure on ourselves regarding what others are going to think about us. As opposed to trusting how easy it is to know what moves you first. It’s much more of an easygoing experience making music if you’re doing it to move yourself, knowing that what moves you has a really good chance of moving someone else. As Adrian mentioned earlier, when we started making music together, it was to have fun. We really dug what we were doing and we just kept doing it, and it turned into what it is now. Regardless if anyone was listening to the music or not, we would probably be making music every other week or so, because we enjoy doing it together. Hopefully like what we having coming up next, but if not, I think we’ll still be making music. It won’t crush it.

Adrian, who are some of your favorite guitarists?

Adrian: I personally have gravitated more toward rhythm players, and the finesse and nuance that goes into something like that. Recently I’ve been getting into Cornell Dupree, who played on thousands of recording sessions. He was in Aretha Franklin’s band for a long time and played with Donnie Hathaway and all the classic soul recordings. He’s an unsung hero of the instrument, and of the genre, too, because he didn’t always get all the shine. I don’t know if you saw that Aretha movie, Amazing Grace, from a few years ago that finally saw the light of day. I saw him playing on there and it was like, “Oh, man!” He never got that much attention, but I just started going down the rabbit hole of looking up YouTube videos.

Eric, I read that you grew up listening almost exclusively to gospel music. Is that right?

Eric: Not necessarily. My family comes from the church, and my grandparents were missionaries, so it was part of what was around, but for the most part, my family are also very artistic – musicians and writers. I would listen to my uncle write songs. He would pull out tubs and tubs of little tapes, and I would pop in one of his tapes once in a while and listen to his songwriting process. As a young kid, that was one of my toys, if you will. That’s pretty much how I learned to write music, listening to an uncle who had a really heavy hand in raising me, bringing me up, especially as an artist. For the most part, I would either hear whatever was on the radio in California, but most intimately it was through my uncle’s songmanship and his songwriting.

Adrian, who did you grow up listening to?

Adrian: I grew up listening to whatever was on MTV. I was really influenced by that. I was an only child and I was home by myself a lot. I grew up in South Texas and didn’t have a lot of places to get music from. So, when I discovered MTV, it turned me on to a lot of stuff, everything from hair rock bands to Nirvana and that whole sound. But the one thing I was really into, that had the biggest influence, is hip hop music, which I discovered through one of my neighbors who would always be playing stuff outside when they would be playing basketball. … I don’t know exactly what it was about the sound of hip-hop, but as I discovered the source of a lot of it, there was jazz and soul and funk at its core. And later on, I started getting into that music. I realized there was *that* underneath, hiding there for me to discover.

Looking ahead, what would be the best-case scenario for you in 2021? What would you hope that this year brings for you?

Eric: That we get to continue to create time and space to do exactly what we really love to do, which is to create music. We’re very fortunate that we’re seeing the opportunities we’re seeing now because people are buying the music and supporting us. Individually I look forward to creating more with Adrian, one, and also I just bought a house so I look forward creating somewhat of a studio set-up to can get into production myself.

Adrian: Yeah, I’ll second that — just the opportunity to put some new music to tape and get some out this year.

Eric: Lastly, I’ll speak for both of us briefly and say thank you [to our fans]. Thank you so much for listening to our music, for supporting us. We miss you guys, we love you guys. You guys fuel our passion and we look forward to continuing to be honest in the studio, together, that we may take what comes from our heart to allow it to move you guys’ heart.

Photo credit: Jackie Lee Young

LISTEN: Marley’s Ghost, “Travelin’ Shoes”

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Artist: Marley’s Ghost
Hometowns: Seattle/San Francisco
Song: “Travelin’ Shoes”
Album: Travelin’ Shoes
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Label: Sage Arts

In Their Words: “I don’t remember where I first heard the song; gospel music has been a part of my life from early on. It’s a song that’s sung by a lot of my favorite groups, such as Clara Ward, Swan Silvertones, Chambers Brothers — it’s a tune with a lot of versions. I played it on bottleneck guitar at first but when we were looking for songs for the album I started trying it on banjo and brought the tune to our producer, Larry Campbell. He took the seed and grew this great version with the band, adding the vocals, and they really make it something new, I think, and exciting.” – Dan Wheetman, Marley’s Ghost

Photo credit: Aaron Wheetman