Texas native Madelyn Victoria’s debut single release, “He Only Loves Me on the Dance Floor” reached #1 on the national country AM/FM chart, New Music Weekly, making it one of the biggest debut singles of 2016. The self-penned song won an Akademia Award for Best Country Song in April 2016, earning her numerous other award nominations and a spot on the CMT.com Top 50 Most Popular Artists chart. But, for the young Texas native, nothing can compare to walking in the footsteps of her legendary idols. Her latest video release, the original “I Can Be Your Senorita” has already received over 10,000 views and here, she answers her Essential 8+ where she talks about everything from her musical mentors and road life to her dream venue, what she's listening to, and much more.

Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
First and foremost, I like to think as my family (cousins, uncles) as my musical mentors. Just seeing them play and sing has inspired me so much. They support me so much in what I do. I also consider my choir director, Ted Lyra, and mariachi director, Mark Bazaldua as my music mentors as well. Mark has sadly passed on, but I will always keep with me all the teachings, encouraging words, and support he, and Mr. Lyra, gave me.

With (please choose a song), what was the “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
The “a-ha” moment with He Only Loves Me on the Dance Floor was when I completed the chorus/hook. I wanted this to relate as much as to what a person could be thinking while they are actually dancing on the dance floor.

What’s the story behind your album’s title?
My EP is self-titled. I wanted it to be an introduction to who I am as a music artist. I wanted the musicality of it to define my brand as a Neo-Traditional Country music artist- which to me is defined a little old, a little new.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
I express my emotions and thoughts the best when I write. Inspiration for me comes from everywhere. I can be watching a sunset, listening to a story from one of my relatives of how life was back in the day, or I can hear a song from one of my favorite artists- I take a bit of inspiration from every aspect of life.

When/where do you do your best writing?
I do my best writing anywhere. An idea or thought can come to me while I’m doing anything and will drop everything to make sure I jot it down. If I had to pick a place though it’s definitely traveling on the road. I have so much time to think and take in all the sights.

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
It’s definitely a combination of everything. I may even start off a song with my own personal experience then combine it with someone else’s. I observe a whole bunch so that’s where I will say my writing mainly comes from. The one thing that happens a lot when I’m writing is that I sort of foreshadow my own life events. I may write about something I think I am just making up, but then I will go through that situation I wrote about in the near future. It’s kind of crazy, yet cool!

With the songs on her full-length debut, And the Sky Caught Fire (out now), Austin's Nichole Wagner is calling it like it is. “This is very much a relationship record, and all of the songs on it are very honest.” The emotional intensity of the album's ten tracks - nine originals and a cover of Warren Zevon's "Reconsider Me" - are steely, vulnerable, raw and unflinchingly real. Here, Wagner answers her Essential 8 where she talks about the album, Red Rocks, healthy eating on the road, her love of thrift shops, and more!

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
The title, And the Sky Caught Fire, comes from the last line in the opening song, “Winner Take All.” The record has a bunch of real-life stories, but this song in particular felt the most honest and bare and every time I sing it I can recall the exact moment that inspired the song.

​Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
Most of the songs I write are a combination of personal experience and observations -- my truth mixed with a bit of someone else’s truth. For example, the song “Dynamite” (co-written with Terry Klein) is written from the perspective of a young man whose father worked at the DuPont Dynamite factory and the narrator is grappling with living in what had been a company town versus leaving and trying to make his own way. While obviously this isn’t exactly my story, it’s set in my hometown and I knew people like him growing up.

What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road?
I’m a vegetarian, so eating on the road can be a bit of a struggle.  Luckily, the options are growing by the day. I try to pack a bag of healthy snacks to avoid having to eat out every meal: usually nuts, popcorn, easy to eat fruit like bananas.
I love beets, brussel sprouts, and kale so anytime I see those on a menu I’ll try it. That said, Taco Bell is a go-to for something quick in a pinch!

Sara Latimer is an 20 year old singer-songwriter from the Washington DC area who currently attends the University of Miami where she is studying Music Business and Entertainment Industries and is a part of Bruce Hornsby's Creative American Music Program in the Frost School of Music. In June, she released her new EP, Passenger Seat, and here she answers her Essential 8 and talks about the project, her dream venue, her first concert (Corbin Bleu!), Shawn Mendes, and more!

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
When I first wrote “Just Another Face” it was originally titled “T-Shirt,” and the chorus was completely different. I wasn’t in love with it so I went back to re-write it and finally formed the concept of, wishing that your ex could be just another face in the crowd. I knew once I got the chorus the rest of the song would just fall into place.
 
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
Ideas usually spark from a real life experiences or just something someone says, than the light bulb moment kind of happens. I like to refer to a lot of my songs as an “exaggerated reality”. A lot of the main ideas come from real life but then the story surrounding it is molded to make a good song or more compelling story. 

What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician?
Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. I have always been scared to write from personal experiences and reveal too much about myself in songs. But, this piece of advice has really pushed me to be more open, both when I am performing and writing. 

After returning from his third and final deployment in 2010, Matt Williams discovered another battle waiting for him here at home.  PTSD and depression loomed near, as he had been wounded - and two of his best friends were killed - by an IED attack during his last tour in Afghanistan.  Things only seemed to intensify when Matt's father passed just three weeks after he had returned home from the Army. Matt desperately sought an outlet where he could direct his emotion, and he turned back to his roots: MUSIC. 

 Matt's love of music stretches back as far as he can remember.  His mother bought him a drum set at 18 months and he never looked back, learning piano by ear, singing in the choir at church, even becoming one of the top marching snare drummers in the country while in high school.  Matt found a solace in music that he couldn't find elsewhere, and it became the perfect emotional outlet.

"I began writing the story of my life in the form of songs that I hope other people can relate to in many different ways. I want to tell the world about my life to show that I’m not ashamed of who I am and that no one is perfect. Music, along with God, really can save the soul, and it can influence and impact people in ways that they cannot do for themselves. Music saved my life in more ways than one and I believe that it can help others as well."
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Here, Matt answers his Essential 8 and talks writing, success and struggle, Eric Church, and more.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
I draw my inspiration through life.  I don't just want to write fun songs, I want to write songs that the people will love and relate to on a personal level.

What has been your biggest success?
My biggest success is hearing the stories from my fans about how my music got them through hard times and that I am someone they look up to.  Changing someone's life for the better is something money can't buy.

Is drinking at gigs a positive or a negative?
For me, a negative.  I personally feel that if you have people paying money to come see you as an entertainer then you are obligated to give them the best show of your life every single time.  Drinking definetly doesn't allow you to do that, but after the show, yeah have a nice cold one and talk to your fans!

Hailing from East Tennessee, Handsome and the Humbles are prepping the release of their new album, We’re All the Same, on September 9th. The project, a collection of stories - poignant observations of humanity - embrace the idea that hope can bridge the gap forged by discord and divide while uniting listeners via connect on an emotional level. Here, Josh Smith answers his Essential 8 and talks about the album, songwriting, The Shed, Waffle House, and more.

​Is there a story behind your album’s title?
The title actually comes from one of the songs on the album, "We're All the Same." I wrote it one night when I got home from a friend's show at a craft brewery in Knoxville. I had one of those moments where I walked into the place and just felt like I was a lot less cool than the people that were there. I was looking around and admiring their mustaches and how comfortable they all looked drinking their strangely flavored beers, and I thought, "My mustache is not as cool, and I want to like this beer more than I do!" Then, I assumed that they could sense how uncomfortable I was and that they were judging me. Then I started judging them for judging me. Of course, this whole thing was in my head--these people were just having a good time, and I was the one making judgements. Basically, the song is about feeling uncomfortable, different, or not good enough and then realizing that we all feel these things at some point. When we realize that and actually start to talk to each other, we can understand that maybe we’re not as different as we thought we were.

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
My writing is a combination of all the above. When I am not playing music, I work in Physical Therapy and mostly with geriatric patients. I spend most of my day talking to these people, listening to their stories and learning about what they’ve been through. A lot of my songs have been inspired by my conversations with them. Other times, I’ve just made up stories based on whatever I’m feeling at the moment. There are a couple of songs on this album which were written from direct experience. “Down To the Wire” is about growing up and growing apart, and I wrote it about my high school/early college best friend. Another song on the album, “Tried So Hard,” is about growing up in a small, Bible Belt town, feeling the pull and weight of religion, and trying to make sense of everything. Ultimately, that one is sort of about my personal break up with religion, so it’s autobiographical. I’m a tender little guy, so pretty much anything can inspire me to write.

What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road?
On the road, we have a steady diet of things you can buy at a gas station and things that are open after you finish your gig. For the gas station food, there always seems to be some kind of jerky in the van. Lauryl, our old drummer, used to always eat these pickles that come packaged in a bag. She’d eat the pickle and then drink the leftover juice. After gigs, we usually end up at an iHop or Waffle House, although if I’m choosing, we end up at the latter.

Singer-songwriter Stevenson Everett recently released his new single, "Bury Me In Louisiana" a heartfelt ballad that tips its hat to the Pelican state. Here he answers his Essential 8 where he talks bucket list items, attentive crowds, drinking at gigs, and more.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
My latest album is called “Ballads and Blues.” I chose this title because those are my two favorite things to sing. They are also the two things Nashville told me I sang too much of, too many ballads and too many blues songs. I lost my most recent record deal 2 years ago and was at a professional crossroads. I had been in the music game for 16 years at that point, and decided that if I was going to make another album, then I was going to sing whatever songs I wanted to sing regardless of genre, style, and tempo. Not every song on the new cd falls in to either category, ballads or blues, but to me, the album is ballads and blues and everything in between.

When/where do you do your best writing?
Typically, late at night, alone, after the wife and kids have gone to bed. It’s quiet and there are no distractions and I just play. I’m not always looking to write something, but I’m always looking to discover something, whether it be a melody, a chord progression, or something musically that inspires a feeling that then inspires lyrics, that then may hopefully turn into a song. It’s a slow process for me, but one that I love.

What has been your biggest struggle so far?
My biggest struggle to this date has just been getting the music out to the world. You can create something beautiful, but if no one ever hears it, is it a waste of time and talent? I don’t know. The world has gotten louder and you’re competing with so much noise and content, not to mention the smartphone. I struggle with getting people to slow down long enough to listen. It’s not their fault, it’s just that the world has changed a lot from the days of the old troubadours and balladeers of the 60’s and 70’s. I do often wonder if I was born in the wrong era. But in the end, I still hold true that honesty will never go out of style, so I’ll continue to stay honest to myself and to the music.

Singer-songwriter Tristan Jackson returns with a new single, "When The Radio's Gone" from his upcoming album I Am. Co-written by Jackson with Love & Theft’s Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson, along with Isaac Shiman, the new single is a heartfelt mid-tempo romantic ballad that you'll find yourself humming along to. Here, Jackson answers his Essential 8 where he talks I Am, songwriting inspiration, key lime pie, and more!

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
Yes. The songs within I Am tell a story about my journey and what makes me who I am today. The title represents the strength and power that we all possess inside of us to achieve the things that we are passionate about.
 
Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
They all act as a page in a story, a chapter in a book that gives direction towards knowing who Tristan Jackson is. 
 
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
I draw my inspiration from the people around me. When I write with other artists, we share the same common feelings. I believe in building relationships first before writing. 
 
What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road?
My “go-to” food on the road is a good slice of key lime pie or an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Fueled by whiskey, vinyl, and heartache, the Stubborn Lovers rumble like a vintage pony car across the landscape of American roots music. Though based in the indie-rock mecca of Portland, Oregon, the quintet’s country pedigree is genuine: singer/guitarist Mandy Allan hails from Hendersonville, Tennessee, where her grandfather delivered mail to the home of Johnny and June Carter Cash; lead six-stringer Todd Melton honed his licks in the hills of Kentucky, just a stone’s throw from where Sturgill Simpson did the same.
Bassist Jenny Taylor grew up along the storied highways of New Jersey, and wears a love for anthemic blue-collar rock on her sleeve. Drummer Michael “Pearl” Nelson and pedal steel guitarist Jeff Porter are both veterans of a diverse array of Northwest bands, with the chops to prove it.

The Stubborn Lovers will release their first full-length album, Mother Road, a ten-song set that explores themes of family and the road, on August 17th and here they answer their Essential 8 where they speak about the album, as well as share their touring tips, first concerts, and much more.

​Is there a story behind your album’s title?
Jenny: Mother Road is named for one of the songs on the album, which borrows the phrase from John Steinbeck. For anyone unfamiliar, it’s what he calls Route 66 in The Grapes of Wrath. We use it in reference to both 66 specifically and “the road” in general. “Mother Road” is also a play on “Thunder Road”, the Bruce Springsteen song to which our song serves as a sort of sequel. We chose it for the title because it encapsulates the album’s major themes: family bonds, especially those between mothers and daughters, and the journeys we take along the road that leads both away from and back towards home.
​
What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician?   
Jeff: Don’t step on the vocal. That’s the most important part of the song and you need to work around it.

Jenny: Loop your instrument cable through your strap so that when (not if) you step on it, you don’t yank the cable out in the middle of a song. (Given to me at a show after I stepped on my cable and yanked it out in the middle of a song.)

Mandy: Take two Gas-X before you go on. ;)
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Todd: Look people in the eye when you play to them.

Atlanta’s Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics are the heirs to the thrones of the old-school masters....but they’re much more than just a group of revivalists trying to create a period piece. Powerhouse singer Velle and her band will settle for nothing less than bringing these classic sounds glimmering into the now with
a contemporary sheen. And that they did on their latest release, The State of All Things, a soulful, groove laden eleven song set that's fresh and fabulous. Here, Velle answers her Essential 8 and speaks about music as the great unifier, receiving a beautiful gift from a fan/friend Tennah, her bucket list item (heads up #teamcoco), and more.


With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
With the song “Broken Woman” we needed the build up and chaotic vocal delivery at the end. I just didn’t feel the song was complete without it. We haven’t really done anything like that in a song, so it made sense and it fit the vibe. I love when the horns come in just after the vocal part and amp up the crazy factor. To us, "Broken Woman" was the departure from our previous songs we were all craving at the time.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
The State of All Things is believing that despite the current climate of separatism, that we can unify despite differences. We see music as a great unifier and invite all our soul fam to feel these vibes through stories of the current times and issues, and through themes  of cosmic love and divine timing. We believe the state of all things is good.

How do you kill the long hours in the van?
I love working and reading in the van. It’s fun to hear what the bandmates want to listen to, so I tend to get a lot of work done while they are playing music or listening to podcasts. Shout out to Joe Rogan right now your podcast is on fire and sometimes so random and funny! We are loving it.
I have a hot spot so working from the road has been something I’ve done for almost a decade! There was one summer where I worked in 52 cities over 55 days, thanks internet!!

Twice winners of Scotland’s Traditional Music ‘Live Act of the Year’ Award, SKERRYVORE have been on a meteoric journey that has taken them from the remote Isle of Tiree on to International tours that have included performances in Central Park NYC, The Ryder Cup Louisville and the Shanghai Expo, China.

SKERRYVORE create a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and Americana that represents all the different personalities and upbringing of the 8 band members who hail from different regions of Scotland. Recently they released their sixth album, EVO, and here band members answer their Essential 8 where they speak about road life, Red Rocks, what they're listening to, and more

What do you love most about being on the road?
(Scott) I love being able to meet new friends. Every place we travel to,  we seem to connect with new fans, promoters and musicians-- it’s great being able to maintain these relationships over the years on the road and makes you feel like you’re are at home when you’re really on the other side of the world!
 
What’s your dream venue and why?
(Scott) Definitely the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado! A lot of my favourite bands have played there and it just looks like such an amazing and iconic venue! 
 
Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended?
(Fraser)  First concert I ever attended was back in 2003/4. I saw the Foo Fighters in The Exchange in Edinburgh. You’re lucky if you can fit 2000 people in that venue. 

Favorite thing to do on a day off? 
(Fraser) At home, I love spending time with my wife and kids. It’s great to go out to a park somewhere and go out for lunch. Then spend the evening watching a movie together. On tour, it’s good to get to the gym, depending where you are get out and do some sightseeing, have a nice meal out somewhere and get a couple drinks. Just relax mainly though, and recharge.