Cliffs + Caves - the mother-daughter duo of Lindsey and Claire Justice - unabashedly share their deeply personal and relatable stories through songs that resonate with listeners of all generations. Their newest EP, Capsize, due January 11, 2019, dynamically demonstrates their unique blend of indie-folk music created from intimate lyrics lilting over smooth musical progressions.  Partnering with producer Chris Jacobie (Penny and Sparrow, Jarrod Dickenson, Duncan Fellow) in their home state of Texas to complete the project, the result is a five song showcase of the musical ingenuity that is created when artistry runs in the family. The duo recently released their first single from the project, "Right Side," and here Lindsay answers their Essential 8 where she talks about their songwriting process, shares the story behind "Right Side," and talks Red Rocks, Ruston Kelly, and more.

Please choose one song and tell the story behind it.
The first single we just released from our new EP Capsize is a song called “Right Side” that Claire wrote after a break up. I’ve been encouraging her to write lyrics for years, so I was thrilled and really proud that we finally got to record a song that she penned the lyrics for. Claire is only 16, so she actually wrote it about the only boyfriend she’d ever had from back in 8th grade. Claire said, “This is about my first relationship.  We were close friends before we started dating, but after we started dating I realized I wasn’t comfortable with it.  After ending things, it’s awkward- no matter how hard you try to make things smooth. That’s the thing that was sad was the friendship lost, because after being close for so long it’s hard not having that person you tell everything to and are so at ease with. But after a while, you wake up and you feel better that you made the right decision.”

When/where do you do your best writing?
We have a ranch outside of town in Hallettsville where we keep cattle and our two horses – that’s our favorite place to write together. Claire and I go on walks in the woods and down along Sandy Creek and we sit around a campfire at night. It’s just the perfect quiet space to be creative. Of course it doesn’t always work out that we’re there for writing, but getting off by ourselves in a place where we can feel connected to each other and nature is prime. We jump on those rare moments where we aren’t distracted by the pull of regular daily life, all the responsibilities like Claire’s heavy load of high school work or busy sports schedule, or for me- endless emails, meetings, and laundry. Feeling away from all that and getting off by ourselves is key.

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
For me, writing the majority of our lyrics, I find that my best writing comes from direct personal experience, when the feelings are fresh and just happening. I think it’s important to make time to be alone and sit back into whatever the feelings are- and thoughtfully process as much happening during all the different kinds of moments of life- big and small.

Blues Americana artist Katie Knipp has been on a passionate musical journey her entire life. Always in choir, she was drawn to the piano at the age of 15., but since there was no piano at home, she began teaching herself at every lunch break during high school. Beginning college, Katie believed it would be practical to major in medicine, but singing in a choir rendition of Mozart’s Requiem changed her future path. In order to follow her heart, she would dedicate herself to music. 

To date, Katie has released four studio albums, a DVD, and played hundreds of venues throughout California with Sacramento News and Review nominating her for Best Blues Artist in Sacramento in 2017.  On November 7th, she released her new album, Take It With You, and here she answered her Essential 8 where she spoke about her musical mentor, Joe Barnett, shared the story behind "Metro in Paris" and much more.
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​Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?  
Most definitely. Joe Barnett was my piano and voice teacher for a good 8 years.  He helped me find my voice.  His teaching style always included humor, discipline, and passion.  Although he tragically passed at the young age of 46, he is part of my everyday life.  I still warm up with our previously recorded vocal warm-ups to keep in tip-top shape, and his Yamaha grand piano was purchased by me a few years ago.  Not only do I love playing it, but I also get to teach my own students piano lessons on it.  I hope to carry on his legacy and inspire as many people as possible.  Doesn't it ALL start with a mentor?

Please choose one song and tell the story behind it.  
The song "Metro in Paris", although very flirty sounding, actually comes from feeling extremely claustrophobic on the metro in Paris during their rush hour.  I was quite shocked how nobody seemed to mind being completely pressed up against each other.  We were packed in like sardines!  I began to feel queasy and found out after the trip it was because I was pregnant at the time!  I decided to turn the story into a sexy dance about wanting to take someone home and romance them.
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Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?  
A combination, for sure!  Personal experience is a must because it has always been very healing to write about pain, love, loss, etc.  The song "I Will Stick Around" is about a friend of mine who experienced so much tragedy that I didn't know how to process it except to write.  I finally admitted to him yesterday that it was about him and wanting to be there as much as possible for comfort.  I love the adventure of a made up story and get a lot of inspiration from movies.  The song "Come Back" has a bit of inspiration from the movie "Fatal Attraction".  "Another Round" is my tribute to New Orleans and how the city is a constant inspiration to me.  My heart belongs there!  "Santa Cruz" blues is a true story.

 Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Doug Schmude (Pronounced as to rhyme with moody) spent most of his formative years in Oklahoma and Texas. He honed his songwriting in the late 1990's while performing in and around Boulder, Colorado. In 2000, he relocated to Nashville to further develop his craft. While in Tennessee, he was nominated for several awards through his work with the acoustic blues duo Hot Foot Delta. Currently based out of Southern California, Doug recently released his fourth album, Burn These Pages, which features 10 original tracks as well as a Chris Knight cover. The songs all start with a foundation of Roots Americana and mix in equal parts rock, blues, indie rock, and grunge in tales of vividly drawn characters from all walks of life.

​Doug kindly took the time to answer his Essential 8 where he spoke in depth about his songwriting process, shared the stories behind selected songs, and much more.

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
It’s different in every song, but, there is a point during the writing process where you can tell you are on the downhill stretch.  The song has pretty much been written (or in some cases written itself) and all that is left is some cleanup and final touches.  However, songs don’t ever really feel perfect to me.  I don’t mean that in a negative or self-deprecating way.  When I first start with an idea for a song there is a feeling of limitless possibility of being able to express it all perfectly.   When I’m finished I can tell it’s done and I’ve expressed what I intended to in the best way possible in that moment, but they never really reach that idealized potential.  The continued pursuit of that potential is a real motivator to keep writing. 

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
The album title is taken from the title track, Burn These Pages.  I like to introduce that song when I play live by saying it’s a song about not being able to write a song.  It’s about those nights when you sit down to write and nothing comes out.   Probably like most songwriters, I have pages and pages full of half finished songs, ill formed ideas and concepts.   Songwriting is a messy process with lots of wrong turns, detours and accidents.  The chorus of Burn These Pages really speaks to the desire to continue to chase these songs while at the same time some level of desire to hide the reality of the process.  I chose it for the album title as I felt it captured my feelings about the writing process currently.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
I generally get inspired by moments where I can see the world from someone else’s perspective.  Or at least as much as one can not being in their shoes.  It sounds kind of corny, but for me songwriting is more like a lifestyle than a profession.  What I mean by that is I have found that my songwriting radar is always up and you never know when you are going to be inspired.   You might be having the most benign conversation about something and just the way someone says something strikes me, or the way the light comes off of someone or something gives me an idea.  So I always have to be ready to make a note of it, even if I don’t have time to do anything with it for a while.  Of course, you don’t always know which ideas will grow into something more, but I’ve had the idea for many a song I’ve come up with at the most random time. 
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I have also written a few songs in the storytelling vein that were inspired by newspaper articles or news stories.  I’ve gotten to the point now where people will send me stories they heard and say this sounds like a song you would write.  Which is really cool.  The Song My Daddy’s Musket came about that way.  A friend of mine turned me on to the story about this woman in North Carolina who is that last person receiving pension benefits for the Civil War.  Her father fought for both the Confederacy and the Union and in spite of her being into her 80's and the war having been over for 150 years, she still gets letters from Southerners calling her a traitor.  That’s an amazing story that in my opinion had to be told.  The challenge is doing this woman, her family and the story the justice it deserves.  I sure hope I did so.

Previously the guitarist for Whitey Morgan and the 78s, Josh Card is branching out on his own and releasing his solo debut album With A Heavy Heart, today, November 9.  Produced by Dean Miller and featuring some of Nashville's most sought-after players such as Paul Franklin and Mike Johnson on pedal steel; Guthrie Trapp on electric guitar; Mark Beckett on drums and Jennee Fleenor on fiddle, the ten-song project is “the most honest, genuine thing I’ve ever made,” states Card. “I wrote authentic songs, influenced by life, from the deepest depths of my heart and soul. I just wanted to make an album that is “me” without trying to use any formula or mold. It’s a self-made project that I feel truly displays who I am.”  From the fiddle-heavy opener, “Suffer,” to the smoldering ballad “Won't Chase Your Love” and the toe-tapper “Choice To Make” Card’s gift with the pen shines throughout. A few weeks ago, Josh kindly took the time to speak in depth about the album, working with Dean Miller, and more.
 
Growing up in Florida, Card spent time learning Conway Twitty tunes on his acoustic guitar, then spent the better part of fifteen years touring the country and beyond in punk and hardcore bands. He says the transition back to country was really about coming full circle musically.

​Even though I dove into punk and hardcore in my teen years, my first love has always been country music. When I came in from the road with those bands, I was home writing some country songs. Eventually, when I moved to Kentucky for work [Card worked for Harley Davidson], I didn't know anyone, so I returned to sitting with my acoustic guitar and playing songs. Moving to Kentucky was a blessing in disguise because that’s where music really started to reveal itself. I ended up playing open mic nights and dive bars and that sparked something in me; and once I started playing out more and more, it was clear music was my number one priority. Working at Harley Davidson was not a bad job, but I was totally miserable not being able to focus on my music and go on road as freely as I used to – ignoring that was like ignoring a magnetic force that’s pulling you to what you’re supposed to be doing....and you can only ignore something like for that for so long.
 
It's your calling.
In 2017 Josh released an album with his band, JC and the Restless Souls, then toured with Whitey Morgan before returning to the studio for his solo project. Do you prefer bandleader or band member or do they both have plus and minuses?
 
When I returned to music, it was with my songs but I approached it from a band aspect because that’s what I was used to. I missed having people on stage with me when I was playing those dive bars, so I started a band called Josh Card and the Restless Souls. Those guys came into the studio with me to record that album, but this new one [With A Heavy Heart] is my first solo project because it was really just me from start to finish - from picking the producer to playing to deciding where to record…it’s fully a Josh Card project.

Playing in bands is great and we got to do amazing things all over the world, but one thing that was always hard for me was relying on others to take it as seriously and work as hard. No matter what, when you have 4 or 5 guys it is going to be rare that all of you are on exactly the same page and that’s okay, but what I found most of the time was that I was the one who was more focused and working harder. And that’s one thing about this project that I appreciate the most - there’s no one and nothing that can stop me from my own ambitions and goals except myself.

North Carolina-born Danielle Johnson kicked off the Fall season with the release of her debut self-titled debut EP, delivering a project with a wide range of influences encompassing pop-appeal and rootsy authenticity.

Featuring five tracks, all co-written by Johnson, the EP came to life through many writing sessions and was inspired by real feelings, experiences, and living in the moment. She says,
“The writing process for this project was so much fun. Every song is very special to me and tells a story of its own. The EP takes you on a ride that’s full of twists and turns. I poured my heart and soul into this and I hope it brings joy to your life too," 
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Here, Johnson answers her Essential 8 where she talks about her songwriting process, playing MSG, Taylor Swift, and more!

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
One song that comes to mind is "You're The One That Got Away" off my recently released debut EP. It was so exciting to see the finished product! I wanted the emotion of the song to soar in the instrumentation, and we did that. I'm super happy with the outcome! 

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
My songs are all about my life experiences and my truth. I always want my fans to connect to my songs and truly feel what I'm singing. I want my music to be an escape for people all around the world. 

When/where do you do your best writing?
Writing comes very organically for me. It happens at different times of the day. Sometimes, I write at night when I'm thinking about my day or it comes in the early morning hour. There's not a form to it or a time that is better for me. I love writing. Writing offers so much. You're telling your own stories from your own life and to be able to share that is a wonderful thing. 

What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out?
Don't ever give up. Work hard on your craft and practice. Keep your faith and stay humble. Remember that everything happens for a reason and at the right time. 

Watch Danny Golden - “Hangover”

Austin - by way of Colorado, Pittsburgh and places in between - singer-songwriter Danny Golden believes the job of an artist is to "investigate the depths of our world and bring some meaning back to the surface." Golden does his job, and does it extremely well, with his new LP, Old Love, a ten-song collection that invites you to explore relationships, situations, and moments - both clear and cloudy, inspiring and frustrating - we find ourselves in when we let someone into our lives.

Recently, Golden took the time to answer his Essential 8 where he spoke about the album, shared the story behind "Delilah," his first (but not favorite) concert, and much more!

What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician?
I walk away from every conversation with my friend David Ramirez with a whole new understanding of what it means to be a musician. That guy just knows where it's at. Every songwriter should listen to David’s song “Stone”.

When/where do you do your best writing?
Home alone, sitting at my kitchen table in the middle of the night. Surrounded by candles, books, notebooks, and instruments. The outside world starts to fade away and i lose track of time. When i’m lucky, Inspiration comes to find me there.

Is there a song of yours that gets the best crowd response?
‘Hangover” without a doubt. It's simple and relatable on the most basic human level. And the band rocks out to another dimension on that one. And i get to blow off all my steam at the microphone.

Hailing from the UK, Lucy Grubb is an Americana singer-songwriter who draws from genre heavyweights such as Johnny Cash and Paul Simon, and more currently, Jason Isbell and Courtney Marie Andrews. On October 31st, she released her second EP, Dear Walter, and here answers her Essential 8 where she talks about the EP, personal songwriting, where we'd find her if she wasn't making music, John Mayer, the Opry, and more!

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
 When I was choosing songs for my first EP ‘18 Miles’, I actively decided that I wanted there to be one song about my grandad on it, as he was the one that got me into Country music and ultimately led me down this path. So when choosing songs for this upcoming EP, I wanted there to be a few shared themes throughout both of the releases, one of them being another song about my grandad. This time I had a track ready and waiting, and it was called ‘Dear Walter’. It seemed fitting to call the second EP ‘Dear Walter’, because these tracks are for him. Not all in the literal sense, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without his input, so this is my way of reaching out to him and saying thank you. Even though he’s no longer around, I think he’d appreciate the sentiment.
 
When/where do you do your best writing?
I jot down a lot of notes on my phone on the bus, but I exclusively write full songs on the sofa in my parent’s house. I have tried writing in other rooms, other houses, different modes of transport, but it only works on the sofa. It’s a pretty comfy sofa so maybe that’s it.
 
Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
When I was younger I had a pretty wild imagination so my songs were all fantasy based. I guess you could say that as a 12 year old I wasn’t really going through a lot at the time, so I didn’t have a lot to write about in my personal life.

As I got older, and I reached about 16, I started drawing in on my own experiences, simply because I enjoy writing about what I know. I feel like I don’t really have the authority to write about the experience or feelings of others, only my own. It has almost become therapeutic, kind of like writing in a diary. My songs get very personal, and that’s OK with me. Most of the time when I’m writing about my feelings towards someone else, its subtle or disguised in a metaphor. This way I don’t have to address them directly, and it means that other people can relate to the songs a lot easier.

After a time-out working as a writer for the past five years, Dublin's ​Robert O’Connor returns with his latest single, "No Second Chances." Produced by Stuart Gray with Steve Hogan at Jealoustown Studios in County Meath, Ireland, the emotional shuffler has received major radio support from stations across Ireland, as well as plays in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany and France, despite O'Connor being an entirely independent artist. Here, get to know O'Connor as he answers his Essential 8 and shares the story behind the song, talks about his producer and mentor Stuart Gray, honest songwriting, radio play, and much more!


​Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
My producer Stuart Gray sat me down at the beginning of this year right after we’d met. We were going through ideas that I had and I really wanted to come back with an upbeat country record but I was constantly questioning myself and what people would think and he just said, “make this for you, let’s make sure the three of us in this room are happy with this work when you’re leaving, and forget about everything and everyone else”. He was basically saying that you can never predict trends or what people are going to like, and when they’re going to suddenly stop liking it and move on to the next thing. That was re-iterated when I had a meeting with First Music Contact’s Angela Dorgan here in Dublin recently, a few times when I mentioned about doing things for a very specific commercial purpose she’d say to me “be careful”, and I do need to be reined in sometimes because I’m 50% about loving to make music on my own terms and 50% about wanting to gain that popularity that can take me to the next level!

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
When I went into the studio in January this year it was my first time recording in seven years, and it had been five years since I’d released anything, so it was really daunting. I went to my producers Stuart and Steve with “You Found Me” which would become the first single, and it was kind of ‘80s-influenced soft rock, and then we made it into this brooding downbeat track with industrial drums, and it lost its catchiness but damn it was cool, but the part of me that wanted a fun song to perform live won, and so we went back to the commercial ‘80s rock. Then we questioned the chorus, wrote a new one, I kept saying “I want a Coldplay stadium sing-along-chorus, so I went into the booth and did exactly that, and then we sort of said “well there needs to be a country element because that’s where we’re going with the next single, so Stuart made that happen and that’s when I really felt “These are the ingredients, this is my sound”. We really went back and forth on so many elements and disagreed on things too, but we got there in the end and I think because of that fusion of sounds, I’ve had people like it who mightn’t usually like country. 

​After receiving critical acclaim for her 2018 album, Barnstormer, Rhyan Sinclair returns with a joyful holiday album of classics and originals.  Released on November 2nd, Marshmallow World  touches on Sinclair's varied musical influences with originals that are both timeless and timely, fun, and poignant.  "Santa How You Gettin’ in My House?" is a playful country romp that would be at home on an old Dolly Parton album, while "Let the Light in (In the Name of Christmas)" touches on the hope that the holiday season can bring us together. Here, Sinclair answers her Essential 8 and talks about the album, shares some of her favorite concerts (Cyndi Lauper, Steve Earle) as well as her must have albums for the road, and much more!

How did you choose the standards you put on the Christmas album?
I had a long list that I narrowed down. It was hard to choose, but it really came down to which songs I had the clearest, most fresh vision for, sonically and arrangement wise. I was kind of changing it up until the last minute, until the selection of songs felt right.

Can you please share the story behind "Let The Light In" which is timely and hopeful?
I wrote "Let the Light In" about the divisive times we're living in now. I think the song kind of pleads with everyone to show empathy and find peace, amongst turmoil and disagreement. To let the time of year heal and center us, bring us closer and let us re-evaluate.

Have you met any of your musical heroes and how did it go?
One of the first songs I learned with my first band, All the Little Pieces, was "Soap, Soup and Salvation" by Lone Justice. We posted a live video of the song on YouTube and we sent it to a Maria McKee fan page, not realizing it was actually her, and got a super nice note back from Maria herself. We kept in touch and when I went to California for my sweet sixteen, we got to walk around L.A with Maria and her pug on my birthday. Best day ever! Also, my family and I are huge Steve Earle fans. We've met him a couple of times after his shows and he's really great. One time, we saw him at a library in Cincinnati. He played a few songs and read from his book. It was a super cool, intimate event and we got to have a great conversation with him afterwards and he shared some of his wisdom. It was awesome.