 Courtesy of the Artist
Nashville-based troubadour Matt Campbell released his latest offering, The Man With Everything, on November 9th. Recorded and produced with Joseph Lekkas (Flour Sack Cape Records), the critically lauded collection is an honest portrait of a songwriter striving to understand his place in the world with songs drawn straight from American culture. Here, Campbell answers his Essential 8 where he thoughtfully discusses his musical mentor, the value of being gracious, his first concert, and much more.
Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? G. Brown, a music journalist from Denver. I met him when I was just beginning to perform, but I remembered him from radio and TV when I was a kid. He let me tag along to some concerts with him and we struck up a friendship. Though he is older than me, we’re both Denver kids and the city’s culture informs a lot of who we are. He has always been encouraging and supportive, but never hesitates to add a dose of reality anytime I get ahead of myself. He’s observed the music industry for over 40 years, so he may know a few things I don’t. Really, going to him for thoughts or career advice is a small part of it these days. I’m proud to have him as a friend. My longtime friend Mike Wolf, a fellow Denver kid who ended up in Nashville, has been a constant compatriot in seeking out different sounds and genres. We’ve played together on and off for more than 10 years. He makes an appearance on the latest record. Gary Fielder, a lawyer from Denver, was also an early encouraging force. He really opened my eyes to some great songwriters. His brother, Jeff, is a prominent musician in Seattle. Their family music recordings were a big influence on me early on. Is there a story behind your album’s title? The lyric is “The man with everything, may yet be empty still” from the song Twice As Big. It’s part self-realization, part cautionary. It was the last song to get written out of the group. I realized it was the most concise representation of the themes of the collection. Perception, expectation, inward and outward happiness, etc... Do you have any touring tips? I think it’s important to be gracious and polite to the folks you encounter. You’re the guest at a venue or in a town or someone’s home, no matter how big you think you are. The sound person, the bartender, the door person, etc… They’re there to help facilitate your experience, hopefully. Be a professional. It can be a hard lesson to learn.
What has been your biggest struggle/success so far?
My biggest struggle has always been that my ambition outweighs my resources. It bothers me to see artists with more resources show such little ambition. But, it’s a success that I’ve continued to make music and ideas come to life through perseverance. I find ways to get things done, regardless of circumstance. What’s your favorite venue and why? On the whole, the next venue is my favorite. I appreciate the space to present my songs and I’ve always felt very grateful for venues that open their doors to me. There are a couple places that hold a special place for me though… Leon Gallery in Denver, The Westport Saloon in KC, and Robert’s Western World in Nashville. Who would you love to collaborate with? I’ve never worked with a true producer and I’d like to see what might happen. I enjoy the records that Dave Cobb has produced. Daniel Lanois has produced some classics too. Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended? It sounds funny, but the duo Nelson was my first show. It was 7th grade and my friend’s sister worked at the venue. We went backstage, totally oblivious to the fact we were way out of place. I remember thinking it was special that we had seen them play and now we were “hanging out” with the band. In reality, we stood silent until his sister got done with work and took us home. The first concert that had an effect on me was Bob Dylan at the old Omaha Civic Auditorium, maybe 1999 or 2000. I have an uncle who is a big Dylan fan and he would play it in the car or at the house when we were young. My cousins and I hated it. Sitting there though, hearing the songs, watching him play and hold the audience… I was blown away. I started to understand the timeless quality of songs and their ability to cross all sorts of lines, in this case generational. I called my uncle the next day and thanked him. I hadn’t played a note of music in my life before that and it was 6 years before I put out my first record, but that night I started to become a different person. Have you met any of your heroes? If so, how did it go? I’ve had the privilege to meet a lot of folks I respect. The most memorable have been very kind and extremely humble. Kris Kristofferson tops that list. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off? To be on Columbia Records. I’m not sure that’s a realistic goal given the music industry these days, but to me that would be as good as it gets. Website/Facebook
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