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Hunter Perrin digs into his Texas roots with his latest recording, Wild Card, due December 7th. Recorded at The Station House in the Echo Park neighborhood of L.A., Perrin utilized 1950’s equipment to help reinforce his unique take on Americana music resulting in an album with strains of Buck Owens, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, and Duane Eddy, all while sounding at home to modern audiences who are dialed in to the worlds of JD McPherson and Wilco. Ahead of the album's release, Perrin kindly took the time to answer his Essential 8 where he spoke about songwriting, Billy Gibbons, John Fogerty, eating regional on the road, and much more.
Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? My guitar teacher Reid Farrell. He is a legend in Houston, TX. For years, he toured with Archie Bell and the Drells spreading the H-town love with the “Tighten Up.” He took me and my cousin to meet ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons when we were 12 and that really changed everything. Bring your own unique spin on things to all that you do. Play with soul. Play down low. Focus on your rhythm and your sound. Where do you draw inspiration from when writing? A lot of the writing for this album happened while on the road. I’d be out playing guitar and singing backup for someone and come back after the gig and have an idea. Backstage at a venue. Hotel room. The Train Museum at Travel Town. From my life. Who I am. Who I was. Who I want to be. The news. When/where do you do your best writing? I can’t force it, but it usually happens when I’m busy. My brain is active and I’m in a good place to experiment with emotions, mood, storytelling, humor. It seems to help when it’s quiet after a lot of activity. I’ve written a lot at my wife’s family’s place in Wyoming. You can walk all day there and not see another person. I like to go there after touring and let all of the things that have been jammed up in my head just slowly trickle out.
What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician?
Billy Gibbons is often quoted as saying “play what you want to hear in your head.” I think that about sums it up. Do your own thing and don’t overthink it. What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out? Play your instrument all the time. Have one with you constantly. Keep your hands on it. Learn it inside and out. Talk to older musicians you admire. Never stop learning. Open up your ears. Listen to everything. Figure out what you like. Why do you like it? What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road? I love the regional stuff that’s the signature thing for that area: Tex-Mex in Texas, Frikadeller in Denmark, etc. Shake it up. Keep it interesting. Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended? Rolling Stones / Living Colour 1989 Astrodome. 5th row seats. Blew my mind. Have you met any of your heroes? If so, how did it go? I played in John Fogerty’s band for about five years and that was great. We ended up doing a Grammy performance with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard where we got to back all of them doing their thing. That was pretty wild. Website/Twitter
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