Tag: singer songwriter

LISTEN: Jane Bruce, “Best of Me”

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Artist: Jane Bruce
Hometown: Ogden, Utah
Song: “Best of Me”
Album: My Bed
Release Date: February 11, 2022

In Their Words: “This song really flowed out of me. I find it (too) easy to write and sing about my insecurities and the pieces of myself that I don’t love, but I felt that writing a song that clearly laid out those things in the hopes that it might make someone love me more was an interesting twist on a ‘pining-for-you’ love song and an exploration of the ways we present ourselves to the people we desire. Growing up in Utah I felt constantly aware of my different-ness and keenly attuned to all the things that made me unlovable, or wrong. With time I have come to realize that these so-called shortcomings are human and that my deep-seated fears of disappointing others come from a place of empathy, not weakness.” — Jane Bruce

Photo credit: Angelina Castillo

LISTEN: Waylon Payne, “Sunday”

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Artist: Waylon Payne
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Sunday”
Album: Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me: The Lost Act

In Their Words: “Back in 2003, my mom [country singer Sammi Smith] went through a divorce and moved back to Austin, Texas. She was really sick with lung cancer and was actively dying, but she reached out to her friends that lived in Austin hoping to get a little work. I was, at the time, right in the middle of both a terrible relationship and drug problem, and I wasn’t much help. I would come into town often though, as we finally were able to live in a house together again after a lifetime of trying. None of her friends would call her back, and she frustratingly looked at me one day and said, ‘We ought to write a song called “Nobody’s Home on a Sunday.”’ Being high at the time, and shamefully, I blew her off. A couple of years later she was dead, but had written some thoughts to be read at her funeral by her stepsister. ‘Waylon, the one thing I want for you is to get yourself off of speed.’ It killed me to hear those words. After I cleaned up and had a few years under my belt, I moved back to Nashville to pick up with my music career. I moved into my first home by myself in ten years at Thanksgiving. As I sat in my new place, alone with my thoughts, I clearly heard my momma say again, ‘We ought to write a song called “Nobody’s Home on a Sunday.”’ So, I did. I love the fact that my momma and I did something together, even if it was after she died. I love you momma, and I did what you asked. I hope you all enjoy this song as much as I do.” — Waylon Payne

Photo credit: Pooneh Ghana

LISTEN: Rodes, “So Well”

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Artist: Rodes
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Song: “So Well”
Album: All of My Friends
Release Date: October 22, 2021

In Their Words: “‘So Well’ was an idea that came to me on the drive home from work one night, that was then fleshed out on a guitar the next day. I was nearing the end of a tumultuous professional relationship and feeling frustrated and powerless. I think there are elements of it that can be interpreted as a breakup song, and in some ways it is. Ultimately, it’s a song about power imbalance and not having the right tools or access to bring someone to justice.

“We tried out a couple different arrangements for ‘So Well,’ but ultimately decided on one that centered on rhythmic acoustic guitar and a straightforward drum beat. I had the slide guitar line in my head, but I couldn’t quite translate it to the guitar while keeping it in tune. Ryan (Johnson, formerly of American Aquarium) stepped in and laid down a beautiful lead part that really anchors the whole song. I think he captured the mournful and resigned spirit of it perfectly.” — Rodes

Photo credit: Chris Frisina

WATCH: Katie Cole, “Short Story Long”

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Artist: Katie Cole
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia, and lives in Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Short Story Long”
Release Date: October 15, 2021

In Their Words: “I wrote this song hoping to channel some old school Aretha and Otis, but applying a little more rootsy instrumentation. Honestly, it’s the first song I’ve penned where I take back my power in a relationship and call a spade a spade. I’ve had my share of relationships where I have tolerated too much for too long. So being familiar with the phrase of making a long story short, where you cut to the chase, I started thinking, ‘What if I could flip that to a short story long?’ where things get dragged out. Right then I knew this would have to be a fun and sassy song that really contrasts with my more acoustic and sparse songs. Luckily when my producer Howard Willing and I started tracking, he managed to bring in Cheap Trick’s bass player Tom Petersson to play on this song. I am really proud of this one!” — Katie Cole

Photo credit: Dire Image

BGS 5+5: Noel McKay

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Artist: Noel McKay
Hometown: My hometown is really the little Central Texas Hill Country community of Pipe Creek. I currently live in Nashville, Tennessee.
Latest album: Blue, Blue, Blue
Personal Nicknames: I think that in the US, Noel is a sufficiently unusual name that I never really got a nickname. It’s a fairly common name in the UK, as it turns out.

Which artist has influenced you the most… and how?

The artist that influenced me the most is Guy Clark. Guy took a shine to one of my songs when I was a young songwriter. He did a lot of nice things for me and I won’t ever forget it. As I began to dig into his catalog, I realized the depth of his work. Of course, I will never live up to the expectations that come from being spoken about favorably by such an amazing writer but, every day, I try to anyway.

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

With the pairing of food and music in mind, I would love to sit and eat Cajun food with Lucinda Williams somewhere in the Atchafalaya Basin. So much of her work has had a huge impact on me.

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

The moment I knew I wanted to be a performing songwriter was when I was 11 or 12 and hearing Randy Newman’s records Sail Away and Good Old Boys. The very sharp expressions of his worldview really appealed to me and made me feel like it was possible to sing about something besides hedonism. Up to that point, the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati had been showing me a sort of cartoonish example what musicians were supposed to be like.

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

I have a few rituals in the recording studio. When cutting basics, I find that it’s best to avoid caffeine for the purposes of keeping a relaxed vibe. When singing, I do lots of breathing and drink tons of water. When in mixing, I like to have books with lots of pictures, i.e., vintage guitars, famous painters’ works, sculpture, archaeology, things that allow me to be partially distracted so that my ear remains engaged, but I don’t micromanage or obsess over a small part of the bigger song picture.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

If there’s a mission statement for my career, it is this: “You Do It Or You Don’t.” I’ve tried both.

Photo credit: Aisha Golliher

LISTEN: Lilly Hiatt, “Simple”

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Artist: Lilly Hiatt
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Simple”
Album: Lately
Release Date: October 15, 2021
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “The love that exists in our universe is infinite. My family is a big part of that realization for me, and they all appear in this song. I wanted this to begin the album as if to say hello with a smile.” — Lilly Hiatt

Photo credit: Dylan Reyes

WATCH: Glenn Echo, “Moon Seems Lost”

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Artist: Glenn Echo
Hometown: Northeast
Song: “Moon Seems Lost”
Album: Fixed Memory
Release Date: October 15, 2021

In Their Words: “A nod to the intimate, ‘Moon Seems Lost’ explores the topography of bodies in union, and of beings in relationship. This song was written at a time when I was reading a lot of Pablo Neruda, specifically his Odes, and the seasons were changing. With this song I wanted to focus on the connections between seasons and physical intimacy, trying to really zoom in and magnify small sensory moments, similar to what Neruda does in the Odes. In the song I explore the changing of bodies overnight, like the image of roots growing, entwining, and hardening, and also the image of transitions within the self, a molting of an exterior like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Time plays such an important role in Neruda’s poetry, and I wanted to do the same through songwriting. My producer Peter Brownlee and I explored this by starting the song off as intimate as possible, almost as if I was playing right next to the listener in a room, then morphing to an expanse that feels enveloping.” — Glenn Echo

Photo Credit: Ariana Dixon

BGS 5+5: Taylor McCall

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Name: Taylor McCall
Hometown: Easley, South Carolina
Latest Album: Black Powder Soul

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

“Black Powder Soul.” It took me three days.

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

It used to be standing in a river fly fishing. But now I don’t get to do as much fishing these days and slipping out into the country fuels my songwriting.

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

Cold shower to start the morning. Breath work and meditation.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

To me there are deeper layers of hidden message and “hiding” in a song. A tasty sonic phrase can not only sound cool and intriguing but also mean a million different obscure things. To not only me but the listener.

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

Easy! Jimi Hendrix and jambalaya!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0rFdqyreyBtJhzIEjDQFlT?si=gdYxqJ2ZRgyNeUW29izWFw&dl_branch=1

Photo credit: Laura Partain

WATCH: Robert Finley, “I Can Feel Your Pain”

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Artist: Robert Finley
Hometown: Bernice, Louisiana
Song: “I Can Feel Your Pain”
Album: Sharecropper’s Son
Label: Easy Eye Sound

Editor’s Note: Read our BGS interview with Robert Finley.

In Their Words: “‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ relates really to what is going on today. From people losing loved ones to the pandemic, all the marches going on, people being slaughtered by the police. Even if you don’t really know about the situation from a personal perspective you feel sympathy for that person who had to go through those things and this song is for them.” — Robert Finley

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

LISTEN: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, “Groundhog’s Retreat”

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Artist: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Groundhog’s Retreat”
Album: Make Each Second Last
Release Date: October 15, 2021
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Instrumentals I write are often ones that would serve as song melodies, too, if they had words, and that’s the case here. I wrote it on the guitar, but envisioned it as a mandolin tune, so I wanted to bring in Mark Stoffel to join in the composition and take it in that direction.” — Chris Jones

“Chris presented me the idea for an instrumental co-write on ‘Groundhog Day,’ which is an important day in the Stoffel household because we get to watch our all-time favorite movie. Need I say the title? In any case, I loved the melody and the structure of the tune …. and to be honest, I didn’t have to add much to it, just a few minor tweaks. But I do take full credit for the title!” — Mark Stoffel

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither