Currently playing guitar and mandolin for Radney Foster, Eddie Heinzelman has already made a major footprint on the country music landscape. However, he's also imprinting in an even more impactful way as a solo artist, with the release of his sophomore album Wherever You Go (due October 26) which offers up an infectious mix of Americana, country, roots rock, and classic jams. 

With 10 new songs written over the past year while touring, Heinzelman explains that the evolution of this record was particularly special,  "This album has more of my own style and direction," he notes, adding that he hadn't been previously operating under complete creative freedom. "I was doing what everyone told me I was supposed to do in order to get a publishing deal in Nashville, but I had set aside making the music I wanted to make. This is me writing and performing—focused on being honest and true to the art and the craft of songwriting, improvisation, and the music and most importantly, to myself." 

Here, the artist answers his Essential 8 where he talks about the album, names his "bucket list" artist to perform with, offers some touring tips, and much more.

What’s the story behind your album’s title? 
I originally had an idea to write a song for my daughters who were graduating high school and heading onto college. I took a title and idea to Radney Foster when we got together to write one day.  We changed the title to “Wherever You Go” but then the song also took on a broader meaning - it’s not only advice to our children. It’s really advice to everyone and anyone who is heading off to chase their dreams or going into an unknown future. I finish all of my shows with this song and this message now - that sometimes, everyone feels alone, but they’re never alone. Like the last line says, “when you go running down your own road, know my love goes with you wherever you go.”

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
Wherever I can.  For example, Steal Away/Dandelion is inspired by the book Steal Away Home written by Billy Coffey. Wherever You Go is inspired by my daughters. The Road is a song for my wife. Medicine and Miss TLC both originally came from musical riffs I came up with. The Heart Knows What It Needs harkens back to my days growing up on a farm using the ferry to take tobacco to Kentucky to sell it.
Writers usually have a keen sense of listening. Inspiration is all around us if we just tune into the frequencies and listen and are open to receive it.

What’s your favorite food on the road? 
Breakfast Tacos!  I have favorite places that I go to every time I’m anywhere near them.

Captivating with a blend of roots, rock, and country Melodime’s latest EP, Roll-1 is the first in a 2 EP series that will culminate in the release of the band’s newest full-length in 2019. Roll-1, released August 31, features four tracks ranging from infectious celebratory anthems to an emotionally charged ballad that will leave a swell in your chest. While the Virginia-based four piece - Brad Rhodes (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Sammy Duis (piano, organ, bass), Tyler Duis (drums) and Jon Wiley (guitar, mandolin, dobro, backing vocals) – tour in support of the EP, Rhodes kindly took the time to talk about the project, their charity Now I Play Along Too, and more.
 
Roll-1 is the first of two EPs that will lead into the band's full-length release sometime next year. This is the first time you guys approached making an album this way, what spurred that?
With the way people consume music nowadays, we thought it might be more beneficial to slowly roll things out over a course of time rather than release the whole record at once. As a band who loves full records and all that goes into them, we felt that doing it this way is having the best of both worlds: we have the end goal [of a full-length], but at the same time, we can slowly tease things out which allows us to remain on people’s radar.

Definitely makes sense. So, in addition to releasing it in this manner, did you do anything else differently?
Well, we worked with a new producer, Marshall Altman, and that in itself allowed us more creative turns. There was a good amount of time between this record and our last release, so we came in with about 120 songs and had to ween that down to a much more manageable number. Once we did that, we put a lot more time into pre-production than we ever did, digging into every single song with incredible detail.
Also, whereas in the past we tended to bounce around a bit on a single project, this time we focused more on a single genre where everything was consistent and had the same vibe to it. We specifically wanted to lean more country with this record and that’s why we recorded in Nashville with Marshall, who really challenged us to make the record we were supposed to make. What we ended up getting was a more focused sound, but a sound that still is us - a band that’s born and raised in Virginia who draws influences from our upbringing and environment.

Reminiscent of Dolly Parton and Allison Krauss, Texas-based singer Reagan Quinn is best known for her impactful lyrics and vintage country melodies. Her newest EP, Texas Sky, is a six-song project she wrote on the banjo over the past two years. Honest and authentic, Quinn balances the piercing and deep tracks with those that offer a light sweetness. Here, she answers her Essential 8 where she speaks about the album, inspiration, her bucket list items, and more.

Is there a story behind your album’s title? 
This album is titled Texas Sky, a song I wrote about 2 years ago. I had just released my first EP, but felt like my music had been manipulated in a way that didn’t represent me. I knew I was changing as a songwriter, but didn’t know what my next step was. I felt like giving up, running away, but I kept coming back to the memories and experiences that made me who I was. One day I was watching the sun set while driving home to College Station and I just knew I couldn’t leave. Texas Sky was my first step into Texas Country music, and the first piece of the puzzle that really fit into place. Writing it felt real and authentic—I felt like myself again—and I knew I was heading in the right direction. That song went on to win me several spots in songwriting contests around the state, and later an opening act for a large festival in my hometown.
 
With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? 
"Alcohol Makes Women Cry" was the last song I wrote for the Texas Sky album, and the most difficult. It was the end of a relationship that left me insecure, bruised, and broken. I felt like there were three people in our relationship—Me, Him, and Alcohol—so I decided to write a song directed to Alcohol itself. In Country music, and especially in Texas Country, we hear from a lot from men who live an “Outlaw” type of lifestyle. They are the Merle Haggards and Waylon Jennings of the world. I wanted to write the other side of that lifestyle, the women (and men) who get hurt along the way. When I started writing this song, I wasn’t just thinking about me—I was thinking about his mother, his sisters, his next girlfriend. When I finished that song, I knew I was ready to record the album.

On September 13th, A Different Thread released their first full length album On A Whim. Recorded with Jeff Crawford at Arbor Ridge Studios, the band's original songs are inspired by the music that has crossed and crisscrossed the Atlantic ocean over the generations. Weaving together elements of folk, country, blues, and a hint of rock and roll, On A Whim showcases their versatility and story telling.  Here, the duo answer their Essential 8 where they talk about the album, their dream collaborators, and more.

Is there a story behind your album’s title? 
Robert: on my first trip to the states, I started writing the title track.  I didn't have any plans really. No friends there, just a guitar and a box of my old CD's. I finished writing the song when I got back to my hometown, Lichfield.  The song is as much about a homecoming as it is about taking the risk to leave again.  (This was all before Alicia and I met in Galway.)
​
Alicia: I was also traveling solo before we met, mostly down in Central America and Mexico, but visiting my home town/family when I could, so the song certainly resonates. When I flew to Ireland (where I met a Robert busking in the street) it was definitely on a whim!

When/where do you do your best writing?
R: the last carriage on a train to a place I've never been before.
A: I often wake up with the thread of a song in my mind, I spend the whole day trying to catch it.  If I wake up in the middle of the night, they often come out in one whole piece. 

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
R: Combination of these. 
A: As long as we can relate to the subject.​

East Nashville by way of Baltimore, songwriter Benjamin Jason Douglas weaves classic American folk tales, not unlike those of John Prine and Guy Clark, that are sprinkled with the sarcasm of Randy Newman and the voodoo blues of Dr. John. Douglas's debut record, First World Blues, was "slow cooked" from 2014-2017 at Greenland studios in Nashville and mixes everything from upbeat revival worthy gospel to darker sounding tales of desperation and more, producing a vast sonic landscape amid well crafted narratives.
Here, the songwriter briefly answers his Essential 8 where he talks musical mentors, inspiration, Elvis Costello, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? 
Yes I did...I've had a couple, in fact. My brother Chris introduced me to music as well the idea of playing and writing. Also Brian Whaley, a friend and musician I worked with that pushed me and taught me to pro-nunc-iate.

Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did? 
I let the band pick the songs..I don't trust me.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? 
Everywhere really… craigslist, family history, work, television, NPR, friends, and whatever else finds its way in my ear.

When/where do you do your best writing? 
I write best at home pacing around in my underwear when the roommates are out.

D.T. Buffkin resides somewhere "between the AM country of yesteryear, the high, lonesome willow-whine of the ferociously stoned cosmic cowboy and the horny rambunctiousness of '70s Brit-blues-rock" a musical melange of sorts that can be found on his latest outing, Saturday Night Sunday Morning. Here, Buffkin succinctly answers his Essential 8 and talks the story behind his album's title, unique sources of inspiration, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor?  If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
​All the good ones. Merle Haggard before he was rich, the Stones before they were disgustingly rich, Nina Simone at every point, Willie Nelson but especially ‘70s Willie, Tom Waits when he was hungry and inspired, Bessie Smith, The Pogues when Shane still wanted it, Lightnin’ Hopkins always, Willie Dixon because he’s our Mozart, Howlin’ Wolf, Captain Beefheart, fuckin’ Natalie Merchant. They have all meant it…or faked it really well.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
Saturday night feels good and Sunday morning hurts. You sin and then you ask forgiveness… from your partner or God or yourself. Going up and coming down. The circle of life. Hakuna Matata.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
Slutty moms. Prudish cheerleaders. Other radical lyricists. ‘90s radio country.

Country superstar Bucky Covington is back with a brand new song, "Probably Won't." Written, produced, and released by Covington "Probably Won't" is already shooting up the music charts. The touching ballad, with lyrics like You should probably just come back home, but you probably won't get around to that, and time won't ever bring you back, is a relatable track about loving and letting go. Here, Covington answers his Essential 8 and talks about the song, his loyal fans, the outdoors, and more. 

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
My current single, “Probably Won’t,” kind of just fell on the paper. I think it’s a really relatable song – Everyone has been through some kind of break-up in their life and this song tugs at those emotions. I just wrote from the heart and everything fell right into place.
 
What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out?
The industry has changed a lot since I first got my start. There are so many platforms now that allow your music to be heard. Upload videos to YouTube, play shows around town and network – but most of all, always be kind and remember where you came from!
 
What do you love most about being on the road?
I’m really lucky and have a great group of loyal fans. I love meeting new ones at shows and seeing familiar faces in the audience. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them! Getting to see different parts of the country is a plus, too! 

Born in Georgia, raised in Texas, and currently calling Nashville home, Tom Galloway combines roots, folk, bluegrass, classic country and rock to form a truly original blend of storytelling. Developing his craft for years, Galloway recently released Cross Currents, an eight song project featuring melodic hooks and captivating lyrics. Here, he answers his Essential 8 and talks musical mentors, songwriting, Rodney Crowell, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
My musical mentors have been everyone I've shared the stage with or written with.  Playing live you can listen, respond, and build off each other, and then go home and expand on what you learned from those moments.  Something I've learned since moving to Nashville is the importance of co-writers.  All the songs on the record were written alone, however now when I sit down to work on a song I can envision everyone I've written with around me sharing their thoughts, and kind of seeing the songs through their eyes. The more experiences with other writers, the more diverse and enriched you can become at the craft.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
I wrote most of these songs at our cabin up in North Georgia between my move from Athens to Nashville. It's hard not to be affected by the Appalachian country writing up there, definitely my favorite place to write. The sound of the nearby river was always running low in the background and that was the initial inspiration for the title. I was also reflecting on the currents pulling me to Nashville during that transitional time.  The album has loss and redemption and the cross relationship between dark and light. "Poorhouse of Sin," probably the darkest tune, is followed by "Lean into the Light," which is probably the most positive song, yet they're both beautiful to me in different ways. The crossing of genres became interesting because I set out for a singer-songwriter Americana album, but there are a lot of different sounds going on with some interesting sections and driving rhythms.  

When/where do you do your best writing?
I do my best writing on my own, just away from everything. There can be so many distractions, it's best for me to find a spot where I can just get super focused, once I can really tap into that zone it's the best feeling ever.