 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.
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 Credit: Henry Diltz United through music and matrimony, indie folk rock duo Desi and Cody will release their sophomore effort, Yes, This Is Killing Us, October 12th. The eleven-song collection highlights Desi’s ethereal vocals, Cody’s stellar guitar playing and the couple’s sun drenched harmonies.
The duo describes their new album as “a dark comedy” as it sonically manifests a refreshing homage to classic 60’s femme fatales with chamber pop, baroque textures, and vibrant horns transforming their Okie roots into the realm of futuristic folk. Here, Desi and Cody thoughtfully answer their Essential 8 and talk in depth about the album, Cain's Ballroom, Jack White, and more! Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? I had so many. I was lucky. My father is the main one. He was always playing and listening to great music and quizzing me on who played what instrument and stuff like that. Also, my Uncle Mike who showed me my first Chords. My Dad and Uncles had a band in the 70’s... with these brothers named Brad and Greg Smith. “The Smith Brothers.” They still play sometimes and I occasionally I’ll jump up on stage with them. Also, my High School Band Director Rod Clark. He was a Jazz Guy and taught me about playing behind the beat. - Cody I had many influences growing up and always sang. I remember watching old movies with actresses like Judy Garland and Doris Day with my cousin Destiny, afterward we would turn the fireplace or any elevated “stage” like area into our opportunity to entertain! My sister introduced me to The Beatles, Patsy Cline and just so many other amazing artist. My father would amaze me with his voice just goofing around the house singing Freddy Mercury or Zeppelin! So in a way I kinda sum those experiences up to mentoring but when it really gets down to the very definition, I’d have to say my mentor has been Cody. Over the years he has helped me find my voice, and transformed my thoughts into songs and taught me how to live and breath music! -Desi Is there a story behind your album’s title? It’s kinda a joke. It’s real dramatic... ‘Yes, This is Killing Us.’ It has to do with the music business and being married to your band mate. It’s amazing... but it can definitely be trying to say the least. The road can be a tough place. In reality, we love it... and in fact... in all my years of touring in bands, Desi is the easiest for me to get along with on the road. It’s from a lyric on the last song on the album... which resolves with “What was once killing us now makes us feel so alive.” The musician lifestyle is a love/hate relationship, but in the end it’s all I think I could ever do and be happy. - Cody Well I think it’s kinda become a laughing matter but really a lot of the songs came from a period in our lives that seem like a blur. You ever have those times when it just pours? You just keep running and the water keeps rising? That’s where we were for awhile. After experiencing the loss of loved ones and a series of various traumatic events, daily life started to feel impossible and pointless. So we ran for awhile. We avoided what was going on inside by immersing ourselves into being “musicians”. We partied with fans and fellow musicians. We celebrated at night and nursed hangovers during the day. When reality and anxiety became too much we’d escape again. Somehow even at our lowest we had moments of clarity and we saw each other. Thank god we still had each other and we both knew something had to give. Recording the album was really therapeutic for me and I can recall us looking back on it all while considering titles. Cody joked and said “Let’s call it ‘Yes.... this is Killing us” and laughed. It made perfect sense to me ha! Now that the storm had passed we could have a good laugh! -Desi  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!  Courtesy of the Artist
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.  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.  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. |