 Courtesy of the Artist Hailing from just south of Toronto, Ontario Canada, Tia McGraff is an internationally-renowned, award-winning Americana singer-songwriter and author. Accompanying Tia on her musical journey is her life and musical partner, Tommy Parham. The two met and married while both were living in Nashville, TN and have enjoyed an extensive career performing, songwriting and recording together for more than 12 years.
With the 2018 release of Stubborn In My Blood, first single, “Strong” is already reaching beyond all demographics and boundaries, having been adopted by “Me2” and women’s empowerment groups around the world! Second single, a cover of the classic, “One Tin Soldier” recently hit #22 on the iTunes Canada Country charts! Here, Tia answers her Essential 8+ and talks about the album, her husband Tommy, her love of the news, and more. Did you have a musical mentor? yes If so, who was it and how did they influence you? My Transylvanian grandmother. She had the most beautiful voice and I wanted to sing like her. With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? Let Em See Your Strong. We co-wrote this with our friend, Devon O’Day in Nashville. The song just took off and pretty much wrote itself. We all knew it was finished when we sang it through for the first time, let the ending happen “magically” and got the chill bumps. We were all blown away by the power of the message and spirit in the room. What’s the story behind your album’s title? Stubborn In My Blood is the title track and the whole album is a story of discovering your history, roots, strengths, beliefs, faith, future and passion. I am Transylvanian/Scott/ Canadian…….My husband accused me of being “stubborn” one day. I looked at him and said, “what do you expect I’m Transylvanian/Scott. I’ve got stubborn in my blood.” We knew we needed to write that! Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did? We wrote and recorded a number of songs for this album. We were writing and recording right up to the very end. For the first time in my career, I didn’t set a ‘deadline’ for this album, but rather knew it was done when it was finished. We sequenced the songs and knew we had a story…something special. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? Conversations, feelings of course, and a lot of times from current events and art! Pilot of Change was inspired by a wonderful painting by First Nations artist Shelly Niro. Tommy and I were leading a songwriting workshop at a local art centre and discovered this painting.
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 Courtesy of the Artist Watch the video for "One Less Girl" HERE
In July, Kentucky native J.D. Shelburne released of his fourth studio album, Two Lane Town. “I have been on a whirlwind these past few years performing over 200 shows per year and releasing three albums independently. Most recently I have recorded my fourth album....and feel this collection of songs is my best work yet." The album, which features ten tracks, is sure to introduce Shelburne to a new audience who sing along with every word. Here, the singer-songwriter answers his Essential 8 and talks songwriting, the road and much more. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? I write from real life experiences. I grew up in a small-town and discovered I could play guitar while in college. Everything started to click then. I write about my past, my experiences, my life and everything involved with it. It all makes for a great song. When/where do you do your best writing? Honestly I feel I write better with other writer rather than myself. More writers in the room helps ideas develop faster. Every now and then I get the honor of writing with successful songwriters who have written #1 hits. Those guys make it easy! What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician? Hustle and play out as much as you can. Remember you won't get discovered in a basement. Best advice ever given. I play over 230 shows per year now and hustle nonstop! Music is my livelihood! Do you have any touring tips? Assemble a setlist, play it every night and make it tight! The rest falls into place.  Credit: Amanda Mills The songs of Carl Nichols and Johanna Rose are the bridge upon which their influences meet. Just as their harmonies manage to entwine their distinctive voices, the duo’s music is also a melting-pot of unique styles. On the face of it they could be seen as a blend of folk and Americana, but that doesn’t come close to describing their sound.
Growing up in segregated Milwaukee, Carl was raised in the city’s north side on a diet of gospel music and the sounds of Senegal, Mali and Guinea whereas Johanna was born in the east side, before spending her youth in punk basement shows in the Riverwest neighbourhood. A list of the artists that inspire them ranges from Taj Mahal to Django Reinhardt, from Ali Farka" Touré to Lucinda Williams. Throw in other ingredients such as the works of Aldous Huxley and the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky and you start to get a sense of Nickel & Rose. Their new EP, Americana, features five courageous tracks that explore the duo’s fractious relationship with the genre; their inventive melodies and rustic charm pay homage to the Americana tradition but at the same time the themes look at what it means to be a diverse artist in the United States today. In advance of the album's release, the Carl and Johanna answered their Essential 8 and spoke about musical mentors, must have albums for the road, bucket list items, and more. Carl: Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? I’m a self taught guitarist but when I was younger, I spent hours learning from 2 friends who play Kora (West African Harp), Yaya and Keba. That gave me a musical foundation and a strong interest in roots music and folk music from around the world. What are your “must have” albums for the road? Margo Price's “Midwest Farmer's daughter” and Tom Waits' “Mule Variatons” were on repeat for 2 months on our last tour. Favorite thing to do on a day off? Laundry and a good museum is a great way to refresh on tour. Who would you love to collaborate with? One of my folk music heroes, Eric Bibb. I've been listening to his album of collaborations, "Friends", since I was a kid and I've dreamt of being a part of it.  With poignant lyrics, enchanting melodies and a sunny southern charm, newcomer Kelsey Lamb is undoubtedly a star-in-the-making. The Little Rock, Arkansas-native has already made a name for herself in the Music Row community as a powerhouse vocalist whose voice is as rich as it is tender. Additionally, her song, “Warning Sign”, was featured in the Lifetime Original Movie, “Bad Stepmother," a film in which Lamb also starred. Her debut single “Little by Little” is now available through all digital retailers and here Lamb answers her Essential 8 where she talks songwriting, the Opry, her must have albums for the road, and more!
With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect? Yes, I knew that when we finally finished “Little By Little” it was going to be the first song that I was going to release. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? My inspiration when writing typically comes from personal experiences that I have just had or that I've had in the past! When/where do you do your best writing? I do my best writing when I am with co-writers that I have written with before and when we are in a comfortable space.  Courtesy of the Artist Fifteen-year-old singer-songwriter Olivia Ooms has the mature vocals and songwriting prowess of an old soul. The multi-talented entertainer’s passion for country music is evident in every performance from opening for Lady Antebellum and Old Dominion with her band Olivia Ooms and The Resistors at Coastal Country Jam, to entertaining crowds of fans during CMA Fest, and opening for country music icon Tanya Tucker. The Huntington Beach, Calif. native caught the attention of Radio Disney and CMT with her new single “Thoughts of You," from her 2018 EP of the same name. Here, Olivia answers her Essential 8 and speaks about Debbie Gibson, first concerts, what she's listening to now, and much more.
Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? Yes, I did! Debbie Gibson was a huge mentor to me in the early stages of developing my career. She was a young artist just like me and she helped me with vocal development and understanding that it’s important to stay true to myself and enjoy my childhood. Why did you choose to anchor your album with the songs you did? As a young artist, I felt these songs set a basis for my sound and life as a teenage girl growing up and going to a public high school. Although these songs highlight my life as I'm going through crushes and my view on the world, people of all ages and genders can relate to the lyrics of these songs. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? I always write about my personal experiences throughout my life and my feelings.  Credit: Justin Clough Los Angeles, California-based sister duo Savvy & Mandy have always had a shared love for music. At the ages of 9 and 11, they saw an audition notice for a new musical group being formed for girls ages 15 and up. Just wanting to have fun and gain audition experience, the girls’ decided to go for it. Little did they know that the directors would end up loving them together and decide to scrap the initial project to form a new project centered on them. The girls began songwriting and performing, going on tour and building a fan base across the country.
After gaining invaluable learning experiences about the music business, touring and songwriting music techniques, the sister’s felt a natural shift towards the country music genre. “We have always loved to write with that kind of truth and openness in every song we do, so pursuing country music was a no-brainer for us.” The sister’s decided to move to Nashville to immerse themselves in the culture and be surrounded by music 24/7. While in Nashville, the girls’ had the honor of writing and producing with some of the city’s finest, and have performed at many iconic clubs including The Bluebird Café, Douglas Corner, and The Listening Room. The girls new single, “Wildfire”, is a perfect example of the duo sticking to their mantra of promoting strong and confident women. “This song is all about being confident in yourself, and knowing who you are and what you want. It’s about saying to someone, ‘I know my faults and if you want to be apart of my life, this is who you're gonna get and you may get burned.’” Here, the sisters answer their Essential 8 and talk about the importance of staying true to yourself, songwriting, their go-to food on the road (Arby's!), favorite venues, and more! Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination? A combination of all of those things! Songwriting is so therapeutic to us. It's great for getting out anger, happiness, etc! That being said, if Mandy or I aren't going through anything at that moment, we like to draw from other people's experiences or come up with a whole new story to spark our brains! What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out? Keep going and stay true to who you are and your music. This industry is so cutthroat and challenging! Everyone has a opinion about you and your music...the way they think it should sound or how they think you should look! If you conform yourself to every single opinion out there, you're going to completely lose sight of yourself and something that was once fun and gratifying will feel miserable and you will feel like you're lost! What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road? If we are talking fast food...we always try to find an Arby's haha! Arby's at least has the "healthiest" options out of the other fast food joints...especially when you're in the middle of nowhere! Otherwise, we love trying the places that the locals recommend in every new city we go!  Courtesy of the Artist Originally from Killeen, Texas, Bryan James is a songwriter with a passion for the style of country music played by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr. His latest CD, Between The Devil and The Angel, debuted at #8 on the Itunes charts, in the same company as James Taylor, Tyler Childers and Colter Wall and can be heard on stations throughout the U.S. From the title track about two characters sitting on opposite shoulders of all people, to the acoustic track "Every Now and Then" that gives the feeling of a lost loved one being with you at times, this album is a welcome return to country roots. Here, James answers his Essential 8 and talks about songwriting and inspiration, Charlie Daniels, his must have albums for the road, and more.
Is there a story behind your album’s title? It's not so much a story I don't think, but it's definitely something that everyone deals with on a daily basis. There's that one voice that tells you to go on and do it and then there's the other voice that tells you that what you're thinking about may not be such a good idea. Which one wins is up to the individual person, which is why the song begins with the line “There's a battle that's been going on between a pair of jokers, a devil and an angel that each sit on my shoulder” Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? I write everything from personal experience. So it's either something I've gone through, something someone I know has gone through or even something I may have over heard just being somewhere. Writing for me is a release, almost like therapy. I'm not a very emotional person outwardly, so I tend to get out what ever it is that's on my mind by writing about it. It's hard to go a day or two and not find something that makes me want to write. What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out? I think what Waylon said sums it up the best and it's absolutely true. He said: “You've got to care about the music. You'd better not be doing it for the publicity, the fame or the money. And you sure better not be doing it because it's a way to make a living, cause that ain' always going to be easy. You've got believe it, believe in the music. You've got to mean it.” I don't think you can put it any better than that and it's the most solid advice I've read or heard yet.  Courtesy of the Artist
Speaker/author/entrepreneur and musician Corey Durkin released his latest single, the delightful "Rest My Bones" in March and is currently prepping the release of his new EP August 1st. Here, Corey answers his Essential 8 and talks musical mentors, shares his insightful touring tips, his love of Whole Foods, must have albums for the road, and more.
Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? Every singer/songwriter from the 70’s. James Taylor, Billy Joel, Petty...all of them. There’s also a great documentary called Running Down A Dream about Tom Petty that I’ve watched approximately 13,145 times and that doc contains endless roads of theoretical and tactical gold for a musician to travel on. To travel upon...to walk on. The analogy and sentence structure of this answer has really gotten away from me. What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician? Years ago, my friend Stephen Kellogg told me that the barometer for whether or not you should go into music full-time is whether or not you would absolutely die if you had to do anything else...in other words, do you love writing/playing music enough to be so steadfastly committed that you’d sacrifice everything else in your life to make the music work? That advice allowed me to go easy on myself when I realized that I loved music but I had other interests as well...and I made the choice to go into the world of business and speaking and writing books. Being a musician is an especially tough business as you’re required to be open and honest and vulnerable, all of the time...while still trying to maintain a thick skin against rejection. It’s difficult. Stephen’s advice gave me the permission to take a different career path than the one I’d dropped out of high school to pursue and that has guided me very powerfully throughout my career as an entrepreneur.  Courtesy of the Artist Daughter of entertainment icons, Johnny Lee (Urban Cowboy’s “Lookin’ for Love”) and Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing on hit TV show “DALLAS”), Cherish has been around the limelight her entire life. Her father helped to open many doors in country music — taking her on the road, performing at the infamous Ryman Auditorium and The Grand Ole Opry. However upon moving to Nashville, this Los Angeles native has solidified her own name in Music City. It was here that she wrote and recorded her album Tequila Cowgirl, perform at renowned festivals such as CMA Music Festival and Tin Pan South Songwriter’s Festival as well as legendary songwriter spots like the Bluebird Café.
Now, Lee returns with the heartfelt and personal ballad, "Ones You Leave Behind," an emotional tune that delves into the long-lasting ramifications of drug use and the pain of losing a loved one while life continues around you. “Ones You Leave Behind is a glance into one of those breathtaking moments where everything continues while you're standing there holding the heaviness of loss. Every time I perform this song people come up to me and hug me saying they're going through the same thing or crying because they've lost someone…,” Cherish says, “This song is for everyone that have been affected by the devastating drug epidemic, and most of all it’s for my love, my light, my Brother Bear, Johnny Lee II. Hopefully ‘Ones You Leave Behind’ helps people to take a step forward in their new lives without that person they love so much.” Here, Lee answers her Essential 8 where she talks inspiration, authenticity, the road, and much more. What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten from another musician? The best advice I’ve ever received from another musician was actually from my father. He told me to always be authentically me and never try to sound like anybody else, because there’s only one ‘me,’ and the others have already been done. What’s the best advice you could give to a musician just starting out? Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and get a lawyer. What’s been your biggest success? I think my biggest success as far as music goes has actually been this album, Tequila Cowgirl. I had so many people trying to take me out and tell me “no,” and shut me and my music down. They told me that it was impossible what I had set out to do, and seeing how far this album has come, it’s pretty incredible. What’s your dream venue and why? I guess my dream venue would be, though I’ve performed there with my dad, the Grand Ole Opry. To have my own night there would be incredible.  Courtesy of the Artist New Orleans native, Karen Waldrup, is a musician, songwriter and recording artist known for her thrilling performances and bold musical style. In November of 2016, Waldrup, who recently won 3 Nashville Independent Music Awards for Best Live Country Performer, Best Video and Best Solo Female Country Artist, became a viral sensation when her cover of Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” garnered more than 24 million views (and counting). On July 13th, Waldrup released her new album, Justified, and here she answered her Essential 8 where she shared the story behind the album's title, and spoke about Waldrup Worldwide, Shania Twain, and more!
Is there a story behind your album’s title? Yes. My ex boyfriend was music teacher and he was in love with the dance teacher next door while we were dating. I had no idea but once I found out, I called her out on it and she lied and said there was nothing. Fast forward a few months I found that there was actually something there and I needed to walk away. She brought me to the Cheesecake Factory in Green Hills and paid for my food just to chat. During the conversation, she said to me she thought it was "just texting" or "just friends" but it was Justified. And the moment I heard her say that word I forgave her for everything and named my album that and I'm thankful she's in my life. Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did? I really wanted to create a specific vision and tone and I wanted the album to be positive energy. I feel there is a lot of sadness and hardship in the world already and I wanted to make a joyful noise. I wanted the album to sound like country soul since I'm a country artist but am originally from New Orleans, LA. (Mandeville) so I knew exactly what tone we were trying to accomplish. Garth Fundis helped me channel that sound and we hand picked these eleven songs based on the fact they are positive, and make people feel good. I learned the power of positive music when I experienced the power of I Hope You Dance. It was only right that we put that song on the album because it is a musical angel. What has been your biggest success? Building a musical family called Waldrup Worldwide, which is almost 500,000 people across the globe that not only support me but support each other in life and music. It's truly a unique and valuable experience to have such a large music family rather than a passive fan base. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off? Playing at the Grand Ole Opry!!! |