Tag: North Carolina

LISTEN: Zoe & Cloyd, “Where Do You Stand”

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Artist: Zoe & Cloyd
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Where Do You Stand”
Release Date: May 8, 2020
Label: Organic Records

In Their Words: “‘Where Do You Stand’ is a commentary on the state of our national discourse. Often, it’s the farthest ends of the political spectrum that make the news and it seems like inflammatory rhetoric is the only thing that gets heard these days. I’d like for us to remember that we’re all connected and are more alike than we are different, no matter who tries to convince us otherwise. For us to move forward, we have to find common ground on which to build a path toward a sustainable future.” — John Cloyd Miller

Crossroads Label Group · Zoe & Cloyd – Where Do You Stand

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

BGS 5+5: Chatham County Line

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Artist: Chatham County Line
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Latest album: Strange Fascination

Answers by Dave Wilson (songwriter/vocalist/guitarist)

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

This is a tough question and a hard one to pin down to just one artist. As a songwriter I believe that one needs to pick up inspiration from all facets of the world and in every way possible. Personally I am in awe of those artists who can follow their muse sometimes to the detriment of fame and fortune. I believe a true artist is driven by an inner guiding artistic force, a force that pushes them to create something new and miraculous, with no thought to the consequences. David Lynch is an artist that I really admire for this quality. When you are in the presence of his work, you feel connected not only to the piece of work but also the mind behind it, the artist themselves, and I believe that to be the linchpin of true artistic work.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

I don’t know if it is a favorite, but we had an unforeseen moment at a show in Portland, Oregon. Four songs into the first set, the monitor engineer let me know that a woman in the audience was having a medical emergency. In order to stop the show gracefully and take the attention away from her situation, I told the audience that I had ripped a hole in the seat of my pants and we would take a short break to fix it. The paramedics swooped in and were able to administer aid to her and the audience was distracted by the fool on stage. Live performance is a strange business to be a part of, but you must be prepared and willing to turn on a dime for anyone and anything.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

I believe that film is one of the greatest treasures that modern technology has given to man. The ability to tell a story, to elicit an emotional response by playing with light and sound is an amazing thing. I’m continually awed at the way that the genre is pushed and pulled to play with the conventions of the medium. I love that even in the early and very technologically limited days of cinema, someone like Georges Méliès was already manipulating the camera and the film stock to play with his audience. In this age we live in I pray that real cinema can survive and folks will still go to the theatre. Much like live music, it needs to be experienced with others and when everything clicks, its power is undeniable.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I was away from home one summer at some sort of camp that intermingled folks from different socio-economic backgrounds in a very thoughtful way. I was taken by the experience and wrote a little song about it. The response I got from my fellow campers when I played the song on the last night was something I will never forget. Someone told me that I should be a songwriter and I laughed it off. It still seems like a dream today to actually have followed that once unimaginable path.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I’m an avid cyclist and try and get out for a couple of long rides every week. I find something about the solitude of cycling and the rhythm have a real meditative and restorative quality. That seems to help reset me a little bit if I am living a little too much in my head. Although I did write one of CCL’s most popular tunes while mowing my grass so who knows?

Photo credit: York Wilson

LISTEN: Aaron Burdett, “Dirt Poor”

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Artist: Aaron Burdett
Hometown: Saluda, North Carolina
Song: “Dirt Poor”
Release Date: April 17, 2020 (watch the teaser)
Label: Organic Records

In Their Words: “‘Dirt Poor’ is about nostalgia and hope and the passage of time. We’re all doing the best we can with what we have each day, and trying to look ahead and plan, but for the most part we’re all adding up tiny decisions and moves day to day with the hope that they add up to something we want in the end. My family moved into an old summer cabin in the woods in Saluda in 1979, when I was four and my brother John was a newborn. My brother Joseph was born a few years later. This song is in part about my parents and our family and my experience growing up there, but it’s also about their friends and the community in aggregate. It was a simpler time. Or at least I think it was. That’s another element of this song I hope comes across: our perception and memory of times past. The nostalgia element, if you will.” — Aaron Burdett

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

WATCH: Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves, “1920”

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Artist: Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “1920”
Album: I Have Known Women
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Label: Strictly Country Records

In Their Words: “This song was written to keep us mindful of the strong herstory of resisting oppression in the U.S. and to celebrate the centennial of the ratification of the 19th amendment. As this song states, ‘So much has changed. So much remains.’ There is much more work to be done before all U.S. residents are welcomed to participate in the democratic process. We hope that this song will serve as a reminder of the many generations of inspiring women who have brought us to this point in time, and inspire those in the present to keep fighting for justice and representation.” — Saro-Lynch Thomason and Sam Gleaves

Photo credit: Ben Bateson

LISTEN: Fireside Collective, “Bring It on Home”

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Artist: Fireside Collective
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Bring It On Home”
Album: Elements
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “We love all genres, especially funk. Getting to show that side of our band is always fun and a nice break from bluegrass, which we also love. Carson and Jesse worked a lot on getting the bass line as groovy as possible and I think they succeeded in making this one extra funky!” — Tommy Maher, dobro

“‘Bring It On Home’ is a great example of what can be done with bluegrass instruments outside of the bluegrass groove. The song begins with a unison riff before branching out into a funky groove with tight harmonies and tasty fills and solos to match. While it doesn’t land in the bluegrass groove, this song is a great example of where the genre is heading.” — Alex Genova, banjo

Photo credit: Heather Hambor

LISTEN: Carolina Blue, “Grown Cold”

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Artist: Carolina Blue
Hometown: Brevard, North Carolina
Song: “Grown Cold”
Album: Take Me Back
Release Date: June 19, 2020
Label: Billy Blue Records

In Their Words: “‘Grown Cold’ is the lead single from our forthcoming album, Take Me Back, on Billy Blue Records. I wrote the song specifically for Tim Jones to sing, and boy, does he deliver! What makes this song ideal, in my opinion, is that it’s different from anything that’s out there today, and that was intentional on my part as the songwriter. It really fits our motto of ‘Original yet Traditional.’ As a band, we want the listeners to be able to identify our music the moment that it comes on the radio, and I think we will be successful, not only with ‘Grown Cold,’ but with every track on the album. Hope you all enjoy it!” — Bobby Powell, Carolina Blue

Photo credit: Corey Johnson Studios

BGS 5+5: Jonathan Wilson

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Artist: Jonathan Wilson
Hometown: Forest City, North Carolina
Latest Album: Dixie Blur

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

Painting more than others really, I’ve always admired the visual arts so…..I want to be a great painter and the painters want to be a musician…….

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

The studio ritual is weed, the live ritual is multi-faceted: setlist, vocal warm-up for good luck, a tequila onstage and voila.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I live in nature and have for most of my recording career, it’s hugely important, the moon, the sunsets, they inspire new work, they make everything feel meaningful and magical … I live in the woods.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

A Gjelina dinner with Neil Young is on my bucket list.

Photo credit: Louis Rodiger

WATCH: Darin & Brooke Aldridge, “Emmylou”

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Artist: Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina
Song: “Emmylou” (First Aid Kit cover)
Album: Inner Journey
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “When we were choosing songs for this album project, Brooke and I were poring through YouTube videos looking through Emmylou Harris songs, when this tune popped up. We immediately were drawn to it and decided to record it.” — Darin Aldridge

“The song seemed perfect for us as a couple that makes music together. There’s not a day that goes by that Darin and I don’t share a smile and wonder how we got lucky enough to find each other. Years of searching and praying for that exact moment when love would find us. Little did we know what started out as the same musical goals and ambitions would bring our hearts together in a marriage and a career of music.” — Brooke Aldridge

Photo courtesy of Darin & Brooke Aldridge

WATCH: Brew Davis, “Another Scarecrow Learning How to Fly”

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Artist: Brew Davis
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Another Scarecrow Learning How to Fly”
Album: Another Scarecrow Learning How to Fly
Release Date: February 28, 2020
Label: Hellbender Records

In Their Words: “This song is about transcendence and trying to get beyond the ruts we get stuck in, especially in ‘middle age,’ which is where I find myself these days. The opening line came to me in church, actually, and the verses just flowed out from there. I wrote the chorus later but it was clear to me what I wanted to say about life — how we get tempted by the stuff the world tells us is important when really the most important things are the people and things (i.e., music) that we love and that make us happy. One fun tidbit is that the shirt I’m wearing was my granddad’s. He died several years ago at 93 and is one of the ones I talk about in the chorus who’s ‘calling to me from the other side.'” — Brew Davis

Photo credit: Andrew Kornylak, FourMile Media

LISTEN: Nathan Evans Fox, “Cigarettes and Moon Pies”

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Artist: Nathan Evans Fox
Hometown: Glen Alpine, North Carolina
Song: “Cigarettes and Moon Pies”
Album: Kindness
Release Date: February 20, 2020

In Their Words: “I wanted to write a love song that’s equal parts cultural idiosyncrasy, self-reflection, and just kinda manic. Some of my favorite places in the world are small, local gas stations in the Carolinas. They’re such an interesting cultural intersection; there’s goods from local growers alongside industrially manufactured, shrink-wrapped foods, and old relics of legendary NASCAR racers next to brand new vinyl banners promoting strange, cheap beer spin-offs. You’re left with a big cultural mish-mash that’s really complex and rich, and I think there’s something really romantic about these small drive-by spots. They’re a true reflection of all the strangeness and complexity of growing up in a place like North Carolina. They just seem like a good place to fall in love.” — Nathan Evans Fox

Photo credit: Zach Wolfe