Diana Jones Interview

Diana Jones has long written empathic songs for the historically displaced and abandoned - and her current sensitive release, SONG TO A REFUGEE, is devoted to the contemporary plight of people and the real issues of today.

This is the New York-based Diana’s eighth album. Adopted and raised in the Big Apple, she was unlike most teenagers who were drawn to commercial music. Instead, she had a passion for country music and explored the work of artists such as Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. 

Her inclination towards this musical style was explained and consolidated when she was reunited with her birth family in eastern Tennessee and learned that her grandfather was a singer who had played in a band with Chet Atkins. 

We spoke recently via Zoom with this most affable of singer songwriters about the album. She explained, quite emotionally at times, its history and her delight to be able to contribute in her own way to highlighting the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in the 21st century.   

Congratulations on SONG TO A REFUGEE. You must be delighted with the positive response it continues to generate. After you’ve done the spadework and got your music out there, are you generally anxious as to how it will be received?

I was especially with this record. There was this road that I followed after I found my grandfather’s family of exploring the music of the Appalachians and also the music of England, Ireland and Scotland, and the roots of where that music came from. I’d finished that cycle and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. Everything just happened in 2018, with the borders and also with the horrible situation with our Government, everything seemed to be getting worse and worse. It was a response to all that and a bit of a departure, simply a reaction on my part. When I looked at the songs after I wrote them, the songs were what they were, there was no way that I tried to make them anything but the stories that they told. So, I think after all that I wasn’t necessarily worried, more curious, because they are political from my perspective and I also think the songs are immediate. I’ve written songs before about social justice but they were about people that had died two hundred years ago (laughs). These songs are about what is actually happening. There’s a kid in a cage with his brother. I was so devastated. It’s not that I wanted to feel better by writing the songs. I just wanted to give respect to the humans that this was happening to. 

You managed to suppress your anger in the manner that you deliver the songs on the album. Was that difficult?

(LONG PAUSE) I was angry for sure. There were times when I cried myself to sleep that summer. I suppose a lot of people did the same at the sheer inhumanity of what was happening in our country. It’s about how I approach writing and when a song excites me. When I get into a character, the story becomes about them and my anger does not become part of it, I get freed of it in a way. 

Think about a woman coming in from Guatemala with her child and how it must feel like to be that terrified that you would walk for months to a border. On some level she trusted that things would be better because she did that so her child would not die. She must have been traumatised on every step of that journey.   

How did your chance encounter with Emma Thompson influence the direction of the album? Had you got the concept for the album prior to meeting her?

To meet someone like Emma Thompson, that you admire so much was amazing. She has such a beautiful light inside of her and she is such a humanitarian and that’s where our paths met, and I got the inspiration to follow that path.

I had just come back from the U.K. having been on tour for my live album. I hadn’t been writing a lot and became ill due to a gas leak in my apartment. I was just getting around to thinking what I would do next. As a touring artist, when tours are over and records are finished, it’s like you reinvent yourself. Anything is possible at the moment and I thought, maybe I’ll do something different. Funnily, I had been watching YouTube videos of Emma, because the way she talks about writing is so amazing to me. I’ve always been a fan of hers, particularly as a writer and a generator of context. So, to see her in my local park was kind of miraculous. We had a lovely encounter and when I told her what I did she said we must go and listen to some music sometime. I went off on tour and she was staying in that area, close to where I live, doing a movie. I came back from tour and the first day I was back I did one of those prayers where I don’t know who I’m praying to, but I was asking for a small sign of what to do next. The refugee situation had always been something that I’ve been concerned about, most people that have a heart would be.  So that concept came to me, and I actually ran into Emma that day and we ended up having a two-hour lunch. We spoke a lot about the refugee situation. Emma is President of the Helen Bamber Foundation and she said that I must go to the website and listen to the stories of some of the asylum seekers and refugees. One of the stories was about a woman from Sudan who left her country for the U.K. and had to send for her children, when she got asylum. It was a terrible situation. She told the story of being in the detention centre and how much she missed and loved her children.  It nearly broke my heart and I literally sat down that afternoon and wrote I Wait For You.  A couple of days later I sent it to Emma, we talked about it and she suggested it could be the start of a song cycle. I thought it would be a great idea. We then talked about possibly doing interviews in England with victims. Literally within a few weeks everything started happening in America with the borders and the stories were coming in so fast that the songs just came to me. I had done some interviews and one of the songs I had written, The Life I Left Behind, was about a friend of mine, who has since passed away and had come to America from Syria when she was seven. 

Over what period of time was the album completed?

So, I met Emma in May. Started the writing in June, finished the writing in September. I then thought of who I wanted to work with on the album. I had met David Mansfield through a friend and realised that he wrote the score for a movie called Songcatcher, that his wife Maggie Greenwald directed. I actually had the music from the film on my phone, that’s how much I loved the guy’s work. When I met him, we both spoke of how we loved each other’s work. A few years later and I’m walking down the street with my dog and I actually bumped into him. I told him how I’d love to work the album with him and he actually had the time available in a few weeks. So, I sent him the songs and we talked about producing it together. The Songcatcher connection was funny, because I felt like I was literally catching everything I needed for the album. Everything about this record just seemed to happen! After the record was nearly done, I realised that Richard Thompson was only two towns away. He showed up in his shorts and little hat and put some vocals and guitar on the recording. When we were finished with everything, I wrote We Believe You and we thought it should feature on the album. I also thought it should be something that that people I admire should join me on. 

So, you approached Peggy Seeger and Steve Earle to sing a chorus on that song?

Yes. Peggy is the closest thing that I’ve had to a mentor. I’ve spent a lot of time with her over the years and always make time to spend a few days in Oxford with Peggy when I’m in the U.K.  I met her some years ago when I opened for her and she’s the most gracious and lovely person. I connected with her instantly and she’s a person I never want to let go as a friend.   I had always wanted to do some sort of project with her, which we were not previously able to pull off in real time. This was the mother verse for Peggy to sing. I love Richard (Thompson), he had let me tour with him and he has introduced me to his audiences. Steve (Earle) had produced an album for Joan Baez with one of my songs on it. We’ve done some television together and got to know one another and so I thought of him to also sing a verse. Everyone was so gracious to say yes.

David Mansfield was an inspired choice as both a producer and musician. His Curriculum Vitae can boast working with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, T Bone Burnett and Dwight Yoakam, to name but a few. Having self-produced previously how did sharing the production duties work on this occasion?

I always think of production as a joint effort anyway, I could not work with someone who wasn’t open to my ideas. I’ve never worked with anyone that I didn’t trust. I had an input at stages but I trusted David’s musical ideas and instincts. There were times when I would leave things up to him and others times when he would put a few parts on and we would choose which path to use. 

With limited opportunities to perform live in New York, how do you intend working the album?

Nothing is happening here in terms of live performances. What I have been hoping to do based on my idea about this record is interesting.  When I was booked to play any city, in the middle of the set, we were going to invite someone in to talk about the local refugees. So, if people at the show were moved by the songs, they would have a particular person as a reference, which might lead them to the Hearts And Homes For Refugees website, if they wanted to volunteer or even donate. One of the things I felt myself was that I was so helpless. I wondered what I could give, so my contribution was to write the stories about these real people. I started doing shows that way and It was so powerful and started a conversation between myself, the audience and the point person. People got involved immediately and were asking how they could help these families in their community, because it was very grass roots. It just made me feel so happy. I do what I can do, but if it helps to start a conversation and connections, that’s magic. But then unfortunately everything shut down with the pandemic.  Hearts and Homes then called me and asked me if I’d be interested in doing an online benefit. I said sure and I contacted Richard (Thompson) who had recorded his song called A Heart Needs A Home, which was perfect given that it was a Hearts and Homes project. I did my own sets, I actually recorded them with my iPhone! We put it together, sent it to them - you can find the show on YouTube - and it raised $10,000, which is a lot more than I could raise at a live show. When Hearts and Homes got the money, they bought food cards to feed families and buy furniture that very night, it was that immediate. What we are thinking about now is doing more benefits like that, particularly in places like say Australia, where people know my music but I’ve never got to perform there. That’s the plan right now since I can’t play live at the moment and I’d like these songs to be heard as much as possible. 

One of the things that has interested me is what the people who work with refugees have told me. It is also traumatising for those workers and many have thanked me for putting words to feelings they have but have not always been able to express. It’s very nice to know that it’s helpful for them also. 

Had you considered delaying the release of the album?

March was the first idea we had for release and had a tour arrange for April and May, along with festival dates that were coming in. It was really exciting but then everything shut down and we had to regroup and see if we could re-book later dates in the U.K. for November, which also got cancelled. So, we decided to go ahead for the September release. With the release and the positive press and the momentum the album was getting it’s a pity that I can’t tour, but I do think this record will do other things, particularly with the chance to involve refugee organisations.

With time on your hands at present, have you been putting it to good use?

I’ve actually written a new record. I’ve a new toy, a pandemic toy. For the first time I’ve actually got a great microphone and I can record myself. It’s maybe not studio quality but it’s good enough. I’ve written nine songs so far and David (Mansfield) and myself might work on them together at some point. I’ve worked on a few other songs like I Can’t Breathe, that I wrote a few years ago. There are some moments when I do feel a bit uninspired, but I do have a few things on the back burner. 

Globally we seem to be at a tipping point politically and emotionally at present. What are your hopes or, more realistically, your expectations looking back at 2020 in twelve months’ time?

My dearest wish and hope are that Biden is our president and that the exchange of power is handed over peacefully. There are just so many things that might happen now. I just think we can get someone elected that’s not a narcissist and a fascist, and can lead us in some way. What has happened with the death toll due to the pandemic is unforgivable. We simply need a leader on a very basic level. Someone that can simply say: ‘Wear a mask, it’s for your neighbour, your neighbour’s grandparents, it’s for all of us.’

Interview by Declan Culliton

Zephaniah OHora Interview

It’s all too easy to apply the cliché ‘modern day classic’ when enthusing about an album that brings to mind a definitive sound or artist of yesteryear. It’s an assertion that is frequently over used, over stated and often wide of the mark. When tempted to use the description while reviewing an album, I check myself and apply a simple logic. Will I still be drawn to the album over the next few years and will my opinion remain? 

THIS HIGHWAY, the debut album released in 2017 by New York resident Zephaniah OHora, is a case in point. The album was much more than a recreation of the Bakersfield and Nashville sound of the 1960s. I was impressed by the song writing, vocals and playing, with OHora composing all but one track. This very much suggested that he had more than a classic voice and was capable of creating material to match his musical role models’ output. Three years on and my opinion has not altered. I’m enjoying the album as much as ever and returning to it regularly. It does, therefore, justify the accolade of ‘modern-day classic’ and it’s set to be joined in that file by his second album, LISTENING TO THE MUSIC that came out in August.

This album is further proof that classic country music is alive and kicking and not confined to Music Row, Nashville. OHora joins a host of artists such as Jesse Daniel, Charley Crockett, Victoria Bailey, Jaime Wyatt and Brennen Leigh, who have recorded stunning country albums this year.

Your surname suggests some Irish blood in your veins. Is this the case or have you researched your family tree? 

It’s an Irish last name but I haven’t done any major research.  On my mother’s side is Croatian heritage, which there is more documentation and photographs of in my family’s archive. 

LISTENING TO THE MUSIC has been attracting rave reviews since its release in August of this year. Many of those reviews, including our own at Lonesome Highway, are by writers that were drawn to you from your debut album THIS HIGHWAY. Do you sense that you’re reaching a much wider audience this time around?

 I think so. It’s much appreciated.

You decided to launch the album during the pandemic rather than wait until touring opportunities presented themselves once more. What were the factors that most influenced this? 

I had already been sitting on the album for a long time. It was time to release it. Plans were in order before the pandemic, and I’ve been saying since April that the pandemic will last much longer than most people I knew were saying. No sense in waiting around for the pandemic to be over. 

How different was the recording dynamic when compared to your debut recording THIS HIGHWAY?

The dynamic was different this time around. It was recorded largely with a totally different group of players alongside Roy Williams and Jon Graboff, who were in my band the 18 Wheelers. All of us had spent many hours playing music together. So, it was a breeze.

The selection of Neal Casal to produce was inspired. He did not let the instrumentation get in the way of your vocal, yet every note on every instrument is crystal clear. How different was it working with him and how did you hook up with him in the first place?

I met Neal at the album release show for THIS HIGHWAY. We became friends after hanging and talking for a while after the show. We kept in touch and when I wasn’t sure who should produce the record, Neal’s name came up and I realized it was likely a very good musical match. Neal was a very special guy who lived for music, so It was hard not to have fun in the studio with someone like that. We had so much fun and we talked about working together on another record in the future. 

Your sound is unconditionally traditional country. What drew you in that musical direction and which artists and era particularly influenced you?

I’ve listened to it all. I’ve been a long-time student of country music. First and foremost because I genuinely love it. It’s only natural if you’re seeking out great music, you are bound to stumble on country music. 

When recording both albums did you consider them, notwithstanding their individual qualities, as a pathway for a younger generation of listener to explore the classic artists of yesteryear such as Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and George Jones? 

Honestly, I never considered that during the process. I’ve just tried to make great sounding and well written albums that I would want to listen to many times over, if they weren’t my own records. 

Brooklyn is not necessarily renowned for music involving fiddles or steel pedal. Is there a growing underground Country music scene there? 

There was a moment in time from around 2013 to 2018, when it appeared that way. A lot of people have relocated to Nashville, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. New York can be a hard place to survive as a musician. And all of the great musicians are constantly growing and evolving, so New York is just one stop on their journey. 

Did you get sufficient opportunities to gig locally before the lockdown or was it essential for you to tour in order to get shows?

There were plenty of local gigs. Touring is an investment for artists at my level. It’s not a big money maker. Not if you’re touring with a band anyway.

A lot of musicians favouring Americana and Country music have relocated to East Nashville looking to breakthrough to the next level. Has this been a consideration for you? 

I love Nashville. So sure, I hope to wind up there someday.

A number of artists in recent years have released traditional country albums but moved more towards country soul and mainstream for future recordings. Do you consider yourself locked into the classic country genre going forward? 

Time will tell. I’m not sure what’s next for me. 

There is quite a healthy following in Europe for what you are doing. Scandinavia, Germany, The Netherlands, UK and Ireland spring to mind. Are you intending bringing your live show to Europe when the world returns to normality?

That’s possible. Again, it’s an investment and huge undertaking to hit the road across the pond with a band. Things appear so uncertain at the moment. It’s not even something I’m seriously considering to be honest. 

 I’m aware that you also worked as a booking agent at the Brooklyn bar Skinny Dennis, which reads as the ultimate role for a musician like yourself to sustain a living. Is that bar still functioning as a music venue? 

No. It’s been closed since New York went into lockdown. 

 Where do you foresee a full-time sustainable career in music going forward for artists like yourself? Given what we are living through at present or do you think the whole career model will change?

 I have no idea. A lot of things need to change. It’s about time venue promoters started doing what independent artists have been doing long before Covid-19. If you want to survive and keep your festival or venue going post Covid 19, you need to offer artists enough money to cover expenses to play that one show. So many artists at my level have been booking tours knowing that we may lose money or break even, if we’re lucky. We’re told it’s what we have to do to invest in our careers. Festival promoters need to invest in independent artists, if they actually care about that corner of the industry. People need to buy music again. You can’t exclusively stream all your music and expect this shit to keep going. 

Have you a career master plan going forward and if so, where do you see Zephaniah OHora in ten years’ time?

Hopefully I’m still alive and releasing music professionally.  

Many thanks for taking the time to talk to us and congratulations on what is for me one of the best albums I’ve had the pleasure to hear and review in 2020.

I appreciate you taking the time to review the album and telling other people about it. Thank you.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Interview with Victoria Bailey

 From the opening track and first single from her debut full length solo album, Victoria Bailey nails her colours firmly to the mast. That song is titled Honky Tonk Woman from the recently released album, JESUS, RED WINE & PATSY CLINE. Together with the album title, it leaves you in little doubt where her heart lies. It’s one of nine tracks that introduce another fledgling artist with the skillset to become a flag bearer for traditional country music in the coming years. The songs are well structured and mature, the playing is top notch and the icing on the cake is a stunning soprano vocal that recalls the classic female country vocalists of yesteryear. We spoke with Victoria recently about the album, her passion for music and her side project Little Folk Club.

Congratulations on your recent release JESUS, RED WINE & PATSY CLINE.  We're loving it at Lonesome Highway.

Hi, guys. Thank you so much for the support on this album. I am over the moon to have it out in the world and excited to talk to you about it. 

I understand you grew up with a lot of music around you at home but not necessarily country. Was there a defining album, artist or occasion that won you over?

I was surrounded by so much music as a kid. My dad is a drummer and was always in local rock bands, and my mom has a huge heart for folk music, which all really inspired and sunk in at an early age. My first true love in country music was the queen, Emmylou Harris. Her albums, and who she is as a human overall, had a huge impact on what I wanted to emulate as a songwriter and performer. I started singing Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris duets with a friend at shows, which kind of gravitated towards our little local country-loving scene of musicians in Orange County and LA.  

JESUS, RED WINE & PATSY CLINE has its foundation in The Bakersfield Sound rather than Music Row Nashville. What drew you initially to that sub-genre?

A few local legends around here have told me so many great stories about the “Bakersfield Sound” and taught me a lot about all of the country magic that has come out of California - Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Dwight Yoakam, to name a few. I really dived in deep and listened to podcasts and read a lot about this time in country music and the Bakersfield scene in the '50s, and I really wanted to pay tribute to that on this record, which led me to write the track Skid Row.  

It's a killer album title. Namechecking Patsy Cline was a brave move but it's certainly justified by the quality of the album. Did you harbour any doubts about the title or were you confident that the music would vindicate the decision?

The title purely just sums up the three most important things that inspired this album, and what I hang onto very tightly as an artist. It’s also a line pulled from the first track, “Honky Tonk Woman,” which was the first song written for the album. So, it was always in the back of my mind as a title, as well as what I wanted the rest of the record to represent.  

Jeremy Long nails the production on the album, together with playing great pedal steel. Had you worked with him previously?

Jeremy has been a long-time friend and mentor to me. He’s truly a legend around here. We started playing together when I was just dipping into the country genre. He has not only been my greatest teacher, but also has exposed me to so many great country records and has always encouraged and supported me as an artist. We were super in-sync with how we wanted Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline to sound, and it was purely so fun and natural bringing it all to life together.  

You tip your hat to a honky tonk bar in Los Angeles on the song Skid Row. Was there a country music scene at that bar before the pandemic?

Absolutely. The bar is called The Escondite, and it rests right in the middle of downtown LA’s “Skid Row.” This is one of my favourite little honky tonks, as well as one of the only country bars we have here in Southern California. There is a great little country scene in LA that gathers around a summertime event called “Grand Ole Echo,” which is honestly one of the things I miss most during this wild year. It’s such a great community of musicians paying homage to a traditional country sound and gatherings and culture.  

What tracks on the album are personal favourites for you?

Honky Tonk Woman will always be my favourite to play with my band. Spent My Dime on White Wine is another favourite. Both of these songs just put me in a really good emotional place and are probably my favourite, production-wise, on the album. 

How frustrating has it been to release the album and not have the opportunity to perform the material from it live at present?

It’s so bittersweet. It honestly was tough to grasp at first, but once we were a few months into the pandemic and life looked so different overall, I’ve realized how much the world needs music and the new albums that I have listened to this year have been my saving grace. It will never be too late to travel with these songs, so I’m okay with being patient, and I will definitely tour once all is safe in the world to do so. 

How would you compare the album with DREAMER credited to Victoria Bailey and The Victoria Bailey Band from 2014?

Oh, my gosh, ha ha! I always describe DREAMER as my 18-year-old self’s diary entries. I am so proud of that album because I recorded it with my dad and was playing shows and singing in front of crowds for the first time ever and learned so much. My sound and style have changed a ton since then, so I really just see the two albums as two completely different parts of myself and my life. 

There is a steady resurgence of classic country music emerging in recent times with artists like yourself, Zephaniah OHora, Michaela Anne, Jesse Daniel, Kayla Ray and Jason James - to name but a few - recording excellent albums. Do you feel part of a revival of sorts?

There is definitely something special going on in the Americana/classic country scene, and I feel really lucky to be playing music during this time. It's so beautiful to see a lot of history and classic sounds being pulled back into this era, too.  

Prior to the present restrictions, were there many outlets and opportunities for you to perform locally and did you tend to tour outside California?

I’ve been playing solo around town for years. You kind of just get creative at some point with gigs, and prior to the pandemic, I was playing a ton. I even had a residency at Whole Foods (yes, the grocery store, ha ha!) every Friday for years.  We have a few great venues in Orange County like The Wayfarer and The Coach House for bigger shows, but also little beach-side bars, and LA, of course, is endless but there is a lot more competition for gigs. I also host a kid’s music club, so I’ve put on a few family concerts around town, too. 

Had you booked a tour in anticipation of the album release before lockdown?

We had one in the works, which is just on hold at the moment. It was nice to be able to focus on the release in a different way, though, and to connect with fans and family through different outlets like livestreams and such. Of course it doesn’t compare to playing to a live room, but my team has been incredible and still poured so much love into the release of the record. 

Tell me about your side project Little Folk Club?

Little Folk Club is such a big piece of my heart. I started this “mommy and me” music program about five years ago, and it grew into something bigger than my wildest dreams for it. I started the club to share my love for traditional folk songs and wanted to expose this younger generation to songs that I hope can be preserved forever. Pete Seeger and Joni Mitchell were a big inspiration for the tunes I started playing for the families. We have a jam circle open to all ages and instruments, and I perform little concerts for the community. I have had moms bring little ones as young as three weeks to soak in the music and energy of the community, and it is truly such a joy to see how powerful music really is at any age. 

Does the project target country music specifically or a wider range to capture the children's attention?

It’s really a good mixture of all genres. The root of it is folk, but we also do a lot of nursery rhymes and play newer folk artists, too. Kids love interactive songs, so getting them to play drums on the ground or to clap along to beats and dance is what they love most, whatever song or genre it may be. 

It's an impressive and practical blueprint to have a side project alongside working as a professional musician. Do you see yourself expanding the scheme / club going forward?

I will always coincide both of my music endeavours. It’s always been a dream to be a pre-school teacher alongside me performing, and Little Folk Club would tie into that perfectly, of course. I think it’s such a blessing to be able to educate in the smallest way with my music and will always continue to share my love for the music that I was brought up with. 

Are you finding the present restrictions demotivating as a writer or are you using the downtime productively?

Yes and no. I’ve been recording a lot this year which has kept my creative heart happy. I write best though when I’m traveling and experiencing new places and cultures and stories, so that part isn’t flowing as well as I’d like. But that has kind of settled well with me, and I still know what’s to come next as far as song concepts and little ideas flowing here and there. 

Many thanks for taking the time to talk to us and hopefully we will get to see you play either in the U.S.A or Ireland in the future. 

Thank YOU guys, so much. Thank you for supporting musicians in such a special way, and for listening to my record, and for the super kind questions. Much love to all of you, and stay healthy and safe.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Photograph by Stefanie Vinsel Johnson

Juliet McConkey Interview

You may or may not have come across singer songwriter Juliet Mc Conkey. If not, you’re well advised tracking down a copy of her debut album DISAPPEARING GIRL and giving it a listen. Since moving from the Blue Ridge Mountains in rural Virginia to Texas in 2018, she has established herself as one of the primary emerging players from a State that’s not short of gifted artists. She chose her career path under no illusions about the inherent obstacles and challenges that awaited her. However, based on her positivity, pragmatism and abundance of talent, her calling is most likely going to continue on its upwards path. We caught up with Juliet recently, having reviewed her debut album at Lonesome Highway.

Was the decision to relocate from rural central Virginia to Texas driven by an ambition to further your career as a musician?

Partly, yes. I knew that if I didn’t go somewhere with the intention of taking my music more seriously, I’d probably just piddle around and half-heartedly dream about it for too long. A musician enchanted with the mystique of Austin isn’t exactly a novel idea (laughs), but what I wanted to do was get out and play, so it sounded like a great place to do it. But I also had a fascination with that region of the world in general and a desire to go live somewhere I’d never been and experience some life. People from Texas really LOVE Texas. I thought it looked like a lot of fun, so I went and fell madly in love with it. Worth it a thousand times over! 

What determined the choice of Texas rather than Nashville, Tennessee?

I just really wanted to live in Texas. The easy explanation I gave to (the many) people who asked me the same question was that I wanted to get out and play as much as I could and that I thought Austin was a better place to do that than Nashville. I feel that turned out to be true for me. But it wasn’t really about choosing one over the other so much as just wanting to go somewhere I thought I’d love living, regardless of career aspirations. I’d just graduated college with the realization that my heart was not in what I’d studied and a yearning to play more music but not really knowing where to start. I felt guilty for “wasting” a degree and was floundering around in search of some semblance of purpose. Somewhere in that headspace I got the idea I’d like to go to Texas and then I just decided why not. I hear people all the time saying “oh I wish I could go live/do/see this or that” but they never end up following through. I thought, ‘there’s no reason why I can’t do this’, so I did!

Was music part of your childhood and at what point did you decide to pursue it as a career?

Music was very much a part of my childhood to the credit of my father. He’s been a songwriter for his whole life and played in various great bands over the years. Most family gatherings still wind up turning into a jam session reminiscent of what I imagine the radio sounded like in the early ‘70s. I got a guitar and started writing songs around age 12 and though I dreamed of doing it for a living, I don’t think I really thought I could. I thought I wanted to be a physical therapist and planned to do just that until right around the time I actually had to make that choice and and I knew I wasn’t that passionate about it. I think I really decided to give music a shot because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering about it. I’m nowhere near it being a fully financially sustaining career (although in a twisted way it is technically my only job at this present moment due to Covid-19), and while that would be wonderful if it ever happens, I know I can be perfectly happy if it doesn’t. I’ll never stop making music because I love doing it. But I believe something that personal is done best on your own terms and I think I’ll be one happy 75-year-old lady if I can look back knowing I didn’t compromise in ways that made me unhappy. I have other interests too and I don’t mind working a straight job and making music too.

What music would you have been listening to as a teenager?

A lot of stuff that has since lost my interest (laughs), whatever was on the modern pop and country stations, which these days I can’t stand. When I got an iPod, my friend put his whole music library on there which consisted of a lot of Jack Johnson and Guster and many more I can’t remember. My first real introduction to country was the music of The Chicks (of the formerly Dixie variety) and that love has remained true. Through it all the music my parents raised me on has never lost its shine and is still a favourite now. Lots of the Beatles, Beach Boys, Sam & Dave, Diana Ross & the Supremes, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt … I’ll stop or I’ll just keep listing. But my favourite radio station growing up was called Superhits 102.3 and it played all the hits of the 60s and 70s. My taste has changed plenty over the years but that stuff will always be timeless.

You made quite an impact in Texas in a short space of time. Did winning the Blue Light Singer/Songwriter Competition in 2018 in Lubbock, open doors for you?

It definitely did. The Blue Light is run by some really kind folks and it’s a tight-knit, supportive community. They gave me a lot of great gig opportunities following the contest and have just been generally very supportive. I entered the contest because I didn’t know any musicians in Texas and thought it might be a nice way to make some friends. Which was a tad silly considering Lubbock (where Blue Light is) is a solid 6-hour haul from where I was living in San Marcos, but it worked out and as a result I did end up connecting with a lot of wonderful folks making music in Texas.

You also earned opening slots for Kelly Willis, Jamie Lin Wilson, Jaime Wyatt and LeAnn Rimes. Apart from the exposure these slots would have afforded you, what did you learn from playing in the same shows as artists like these four?

I learned what a pro looks like. They’re all artists worth looking up to and those that I had the pleasure of meeting were so gracious to me. Especially Jamie Lin who’s gone out of her way more than once to help me out. I felt incredibly fortunate to have been able to share a stage with them.

Much of the material on your debut album DISAPPEARING GIRL appears to describe characters and events from your life in Virginia. Had you written much of the material prior to moving to Texas?

None of it actually (laughs), it was all written within the first year and a half of living here and consistently spread out within that time. River Run was the oldest I think and Like A Rose the newest. But you’re definitely right that much of it is influenced by my upbringing, directly or indirectly. Intentional or not, I think your roots are gonna find themselves woven into your art.

Are the individuals and happenings fact or fiction?

Both. Individually and mixed together. DISAPPEARING GIRL is essentially all true and came about while pondering what makes people bad people. Hung The Moon is completely fictional. Good Times is inspired by an old co-worker and imagination took over from there. I guess most of the songs are born of observation and subsequent thought, which usually winds up somewhere between fact and fiction.

You hooked up with Scott Davis to produce the album. How did that come about?

I first met Scott very briefly when I opened up for Kelly Willis and he was playing in her band. The more musicians I met in Austin, the more I realized how much everyone deeply respects Scott. He’s not just one of the most talented people I know, he’s one of the all-around best. I loved the sound of Jamie Lin Wilson’s JUMPING OVER ROCKS and once I learned he produced it, I got the idea I might like him to do my record, whenever I felt I had a record to make. At least a year after that, James Steinle helped me actually sit down and hash it out with him, and in few months, we were in the studio. I trusted him completely and got out of the way (laughs). He assembled the wonderful group of Steve Christensen, whose studio we used and who engineered and mixed everything, Richie Millsap on drums, and Trevor Nealon on keys. And Scott multitasked everything else. They never made me feel like the absolute rookie that I was, I consider myself mighty lucky to have worked with them.

The production focuses very much on your vocal with the instrumentation complimenting your voice rather than competing with it. Were you particularly seeking that balance in the recording?

To me that’s a testament to the players ability to emote along with the lyrics of the songs. Scott is an incredible songwriter and understands the importance of words so he’s not just gonna make noise for the sake of noise, he’s intentional. Richie’s percussion in I’ve Got A Dollar sounds like sticks on a plastic bucket because he listened to the words. All three of them are wonderfully tasteful players who know how to add to the story without drowning it out.

The album thankfully avoids slipping into country/pop crossover territory. Were you conscious to avoid it heading in that direction or was there a temptation to look for a more mainstream sound?

I told Scott from the beginning that I was not at all concerned with fitting any sort of genre mould and quite honestly wouldn’t mind if we happened to do the opposite. To quote James (Steinle) when asked what kind of music he plays: “I just write songs, man.” I’ve got these songs, they sound how they sound, let’s make ‘em pretty and not worry about anything else. We made a real melancholy batch of tunes and while I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out; I understand if they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Maybe my next record will make you dance a little faster, but I don’t worry about that too much (laughs). We all agreed it’s best to just give the songs what we thought they needed.  

Given the lack of opportunities to perform live at present, we’re you tempted to delay the release until a degree of certainty returned?

Not really. I initially wanted to release it in May 2020 but that was before I knew how long it would actually take to get all my ducks in a row for a release. Looking back, I was comically unprepared for most aspects of what it takes to put out a record. Live and learn! But in the grand scheme of things, nobody knew who the hell I was, so there really was no reason to put it off.

I believe you’ve packed your bags and are enjoying an alternative lifestyle in the medium term rather that sit around waiting for normality to revisit us?

Yes! Super excited about it. I moved in with James in Austin in July and after a few months of sitting around wondering what to do, we decided to get out of town for a while. We’ll be spending extended chunks of the next year or so with family, doing some work on his family’s ranch in New Mexico and my family’s fruit tree nursery in Virginia and wherever else we might end up. Hopefully a little bit of normal works its way back into the world, but we’ll just take it as it comes.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Karen Jonas Interview

Karen Jonas is from Fredericksburg, Virginia. She released of her debut album Oklahoma Lottery in 2014. This was followed in 2016 by Country Songs, Butter in 2018, Lucky, Revisited came a year later and her current album is The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams. She was named Best Country/Americana artist by the Washington (DC) Area Music Awards and was nominated for a Ameripolitan Award as Best Honky-Tonk Female yet her music, in terms of quality, speaks for itself. Lonesome Highway took the recent opportunity to ask Karen some questions about the new album and life in Covid-19 times.

It is always great to hear an artist develop their talents with each album. Was The Southwest Sky And Other Dreams a difficult album in its journey to completion?

Making records is intense, but I enjoy that. With this being our fifth record, I feel very comfortable with the process and aware of its challenges. The recording process of The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams was intentionally arduous as co-producer EP Jackson and I made a decision to work slowly, honing each nuance to find the sound we wanted. But any difficulty of creating is quickly overshadowed by the excitement and satisfaction of creation. 

Equally it is hard to dismiss the music you made previously that got you here even if you went back and relooked at some of those songs for Lucky, Revisited. Was that a dissatisfaction with the overall production or a feeling that vocally you could achieve more?

We released Lucky, Revisited in 2019 because I wanted to show how much the songs had changed and matured since their original recordings. I wanted a record to sell at our shows that really sounds like guitarist Tim Bray and I sounded after playing full time together since 2014. It’s dynamic, polished, and exciting.  

You have released 5 albums to date. What did you learn from the process of recording them?

I learned to slow down. I learned to trust and value my instincts. I learned to work only with people who hear and respect my input. I suppose I’ve been learning about myself mostly, applying it back to the recording process. 

Many of your songs have a personal aspect that has the feel of being drawn from real life experiences, both good and bad. Is it hard for you to reveal those aspects of your life?

When I think about it, it does seem strange to put so much out there. But that’s a big part of my ethos as a writer. Telling the truth is hard and important. That’s also where having a safe recording space, full of people that I trust, is so critical. These songs feel fragile at first, maybe tentative or even embarrassing. But as we develop the arrangements and get comfortable with these truths, they gather intensity and strength.

In your writing, do you draw from observation or imagination (or both) in the writing of the characters featured in your songs?

There is definitely a healthy dose of both. In some ways I create a world where my feelings make sense. A home for my thoughts. I was playing The Last Cowboy (at the Bowling Alley) at a winery gig last week (we are grateful to be gigging at all in this Covid environment), but people were sort of busy drinking and talking. I came to the line, “the kids don’t notice but, somewhere in his heart he wishes they would,” and I realized that it was as much about myself as it was a past-his-prime cowboy at a bowling alley. 

When did you find that country music was your chosen path, was it something that you grew up with?

I’m not sure if I ever decided that, it just sort of happened. I’m a songwriter at heart, and that twangy sound feels honest to me. 

Do you feel that the more traditional aspects of country music have a relevance today given the term these days often has more to do with diluted pop version in the mainstream?

I try not to worry too much about pop country, not because I’m a stickler for traditional country, but because there’s no point wasting breath on something so fleeting and meaningless. People are selling something and some people are buying it - but none of it feels like art to me. 

Who are you influences and continued inspirations?

I love the great songwriters: Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon. For a little more twang, I turn to Hank Williams and Dwight Yoakum. For more current artists, I love Jason Isbell and Justin Townes Earle. I was so sad to hear of his passing recently. 

The opportunities to promote the new album must limited in these times. How has that figured in your day to day life?

I wish we had been able to tour to support this record. We have so much fun playing it, and the band is sounding really pro. But, maybe next year. For now, I’m here taking care of my virtual-learning kids, and trying to play as many outdoor gigs as we can before the weather turns cold. 

Like some of your contemporaries such as Zoe Muth with Dave Harmonson and Eilen Jewell with Jerry Miller you have developed a partnership with your guitarist Tim Bray. Can you tell us how that came about and why it has worked?

I feel so lucky to have Tim on board. He’s just an incredible guitarist, and he’s also extremely smart and organized and motivated and fun. We’ve been playing together for seven years now. When I started planning to record my first record, people started telling me about how I needed to meet Tim. I guess they were telling him the same thing, and eventually we met and recorded Oklahoma Lottery. I think it works because of our vast mutual respect. Tim lets me handle my writing and creative aspects, and he handles a lot of business and organizational aspects of what we’re doing. We’re a good team. 

As mentioned the scenario for a musician has changed dramatically over the last few months. Can you see light at the end of the tunnel?

Not yet, but we’ll adapt like we always do. It’s been a relief to play outdoor gigs this summer after a locked down spring, but winter is coming. 

The overall feeling from your music is a sense of hope, uplift and moving on. Is that a part you spirit?

Thank you, and yes. I don’t underestimate adversity, and I’m not a “happy-go-lucky” type, but I find a lot of meaning in hard work, a few strong relationships, and moving on when necessary. 

Do you use the current down time and the times when you were travelling to gigs to write new songs or do you gather together brief sketches of songs to work on later. I know you have family at home so that must make alone writing time a little more difficult to find the space?

It is very challenging to find space to write right now since I’ve got four kids and none of them are in their regular school. I try not to stress about it too much. I will gather inspiration and write it down when I have a little more time to think on it. 

When this pandemic is under control and other things come to pass what on the agenda for you?

We were scheduled to make our first UK tour this summer but had to cancel, so we are excited to add that and hopefully some other European destinations to our schedule when things start moving again.

Interview by Stephen Rapid

Daniel Meade Interview

Glasgow songwriter Daniel Meade has performed in various venues in Glasgow from a young age. Sharing stages with acts like the Kings Of Leon, The Fratellis, The Zutons, New York Dolls and Glasvegas as well as in small bars and clubs. His band The Ronelles released their only album Motel in 2006, to promote that album they were able to tour in the UK, USA and Japan. Whilst in the States he was exposed to a lot of old country music, and on his return he formed rootsy country/blues and rock ’n’ roll combo The Meatmen with he toured around the UK and Ireland as well as in Morrocco. 

He released his debut solo album, the home recorded As Good As Bad Can Be in 2013. This album was well received and  attracted radio exposure including a coveted BBC Introducing Session on Another Country With Ricky Ross. Since then he has released 5 albums under his own name, two accompanied by The Flying Mules and, now, his most recent album with long time guitarist Lloyd Reid entitled If You Don’t Mind.

Essentially, when you started out releasing albums you were aligned to Americana more than any other genre. Do you think that was your intention then?

Not at all, I was just doing my own version of ol’time roots and country music, or so I thought. I first heard the term ‘Americana’ when I went to Nashville in 2014, Morgan (Old Crow Medicine Show) produced my Keep Right Away album and that’s what he was calling it. I still find it a pretty vague concept, I’m not sure I’d class it as a genre at all, more of a banner for genres to live under, somewhat reluctantly in some cases!

Subsequently you have released and played a broader range of music. I suspect that relates to the different types of music you grew up with and the fact you are a touring member of Ocean Colour Scene. has that given you a wider artistic palette?

Yeah those things have definitely played a part these last few years, if they hadn’t then I’d be a little concerned about what I was doing. The more you widen your perspective, musically or otherwise, the more options become available to you. I think if you don’t broaden your palette then you aren’t challenging yourself, and if you aren’t challenging yourself then what you’re creating isn’t going to be interesting or fulfilling, for yourself or anyone listening. I’ve never wanted to make the same album twice, or write the same song over and over, I just don’t see the point. I think a lot of artists worry about alienating their fan base so play it safe too often. I have a lot of respect for folk who take chances with their output, I gravitate more towards that sort of performer.

As a fiercely independent artist, who has been signed to indie labels, is releasing the recordings yourself preferable?

Self-releasing can be great because you work at your own pace, have complete control over the process and don’t have to compromise on your vision. But you’re completely on your own, financially and otherwise, and those things can also become negative, a hindrance even. Sometimes working to a deadline, or giving up control and compromise on certain elements can be a healthy thing, so I think it really depends on the project and who you’re working with.

Many of your recordings have seen you as a largely solo artist playing the majority of the instruments yourself, is that your preferred way of working or is that something that has come about due to the economics of making music?

In my early years, I would just write the songs, get a band together and hope everyone knew what they were meant to be doing! I wasn’t interested in how it all fit together, and not a lot of thought went into it. As I get a bit older, different styles & techniques appeal to me and now I just want to learn as much as possible from everything I do. So I play instruments I wouldn’t normally, like bass, lead guitar, percussion, banjo etc and try to figure out how it works, where it fits within a song. It was never my intention to work like that but it has become one of my favourite parts of the recording process, and has ultimately made me a better musician and writer. I guess it saves on session fees but it’s not about that, if there’s something I hear but can’t figure out I’ll happily draft in a pro.

You have however maintained a long and close relationship with Lloyd (Reid) - including you excellent new album If You Don’t Mind - Where did that relationship start and how has it grown?

It started back in 2009. I was playing a set and he was playing guitar for the headliner, Alan Cranney (who’s dynamite by the way!). I was pretty wired but his playing intrigued me, he didn’t play the same way as other local guitarists I’d seen. I wangled his number from the promoter the next day and started phoning him, pretty lubricated if I recall correctly! He eventually answered, apparently we had a chat and that was it, he was playing in my then band The Meatmen within a week! We’ve never really looked back, and we’ve done a lot together over the years, countless bands, gigs, tours and sessions. He’s as solid a friend as he is a musician and I feel lucky to have shared so much with him. We both seem to have grown in the same direction musically over the years so we’re mostly on the same page when it comes to playing, and I think that’s kept us together. I’ve found that to be a rare thing doing what we do so I don’t take it for granted.

Obviously Covid19 has had an effect on musicians worldwide how has it impacted on you personally?

It’s been mental, I don’t know anyone it’s not affected in a big way. I’ve gone from 4 gigs a week to zero in 7 months, and there’s no end in sight. On a positive note it’s made me get busier in the home studio. I’ve managed to write and record an EP and two albums in that time, one of which is the duo album with Lloyd. If I’m being honest I’ve not missed gigging as much as I thought I would, which has surprised me. I’ve literally not stopped in about 15 years so the forced hiatus has been quite welcome in a lot of respects. Will be happy to get back to it once the madness dies down though.

Is Glasgow a good place to be at this time?

Glasgow is a good place to be anytime!

There seems to be a move away from the kind of covers band who were normally the mainstay of the regional country clubs to something more original. Are there other contemporary artist you admire in the UK?

Within that country/roots style then aye there’s a few, our good pals Rob Heron & The Teapad Orchestra from Newcastle, The Most Ugly Child from Nottingham, and there’s a group of young guys from Glasgow called Awkward Family Portraits who are making a good noise these days. I don’t follow the ‘official’ Country or Americana Charts so not really in the loop as to what is hot or not. A lot of that modern stuff sounds the same to me anyway.

Sleeping On The Streets Of Nashville from your new album seems to have an autobiographical context. Can you relate some of the ups and downs that your chosen career has placed in front of you?

That song was written after I got speaking to a homeless guy in Nashville, he asked for a few cigarettes and we got talking and the tune grew from there. It’s a good question, but I’ve realised I don’t think in terms of ups and downs these days. I think that must come with age, or should do anyway. It’s all just a journey and if you’re doing it for the right reasons then everything should be considered an up. When you’re starting out you’re made to think if you get THAT slot, or get a song played on THAT show then its going to make everything fall into place, and it doesn’t. It’s nice when it happens but there’s always something else, always another THAT. It’s very easy to be consumed by what you don’t do/get in this business, so it’s important to remember why you started in the first place. Everyone’s journey is different, just try and enjoy yours.

What plans, if you have been able to make any, have you made for the future?

Well we’ve got the new album out this week which we’re really excited about letting folk hear, and I have another solo one ready for next summer, but that’s really as far as I can get at the moment. When gigs return there’ll be plenty of that no doubt, but until then I’m learning how to tune pianos as a sideline which is great fun. It’s always been an ambition I never had the time to do anything about, so I’m pleased to finally get started.

In that light where would you like to be in the next 10 years?

I’d like to be happy, healthy and living in an Independent Scotland.

As a songwriter what is your normal way of working and as a lot of your songs are relationship based is that a key source?

Writing songs has been, for the most part, therapy for me. I stopped drinking 9 years ago and writing turned out to be the main focus of my recovery. I drank too much for a long time and it was only going to end one way so it had to go. I replaced it with music. Writing allows me to evaluate and express everything I’m feeling, struggling with, worried/happy about etc. and helps me get my head in order. It keeps me busy and out of trouble most of the time. Having that to focus on has been a life saver over the years, a healthy distraction when the head inevitably goes down for whatever reason. Yes, a big part of it is helping me to interpret my relationships, but also all my roles in life and every other aspect of being a ‘normal’ functioning person. I don’t have a set way of writing, sometimes lyrics come first, sometimes the tune, just got to be ready to let it roll when it starts.

You have also played on other artist’s albums is that a thing you would like to continue and would you like to produce other artists?

Yeah, definitely to the playing on other people’s stuff, my only rule is I have to feel I can contribute something to it nobody else can, otherwise what’s the point?! Producing other artists isn’t something I aspire to, maybe I’m not confident enough in the studio but the thought of it doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest, not yet anyway. I’d like to write for other people again at some point, I’ve done a little bit of that in the past and that was pretty fun, so anyone wanting a song? Hit me up! 

Looking back over your released albums do you have any particular favourites?

God, there’s too many to choose from, all personal favourites for different reasons, though I’ve not listened to any since I put them out so fuck knows what I’d make of them now! Each one takes me to a different point in my life, it’s like keeping old diaries in that sense. And then there’s usually the 3 or 4 standout songs from each release that have a little extra meaning, so it’s impossible to put any album ahead of another. I’ve been toying with the thought of putting those particular songs on a single collection at some point, keep them altogether. So that will be my favourite if/when it happens, ‘The 2011-2020 Danthology Triple Vinyl’! 

Finally, you recently became a father. How do you think that has affected you on different levels?

It has affected me deeply on every level, it’s hard to put something down on paper that’s close. I realised what it’s all about when I held Otis for the first time, what’s really important, and it’s not what I thought it was all those years. Things I used to constantly worry about don’t cross my mind now, things I thought I wanted or needed don’t matter anymore, I can’t even remember what they were. The only way I can describe it is some ancient form of psychedelia, it blows your mind every hour of every day!

Interview by Stephen Rapid

Ashley Ray Interview

Nashville, Tennessee, is heavily populated with talented artists, scraping by, hoping for that little bit of good fortune to launch their careers. They’re serving tables, working in bars and stacking supermarket shelves to cover the rent, hanging on by their fingernails in the hope that the relocation to Music City will eventually pay dividends. Many left their rural homes, families and friends to follow their dream. The fortunate few do eventually get the breaks, but for every Miranda Lambert and Margo Price, there are a string of artists, conceivably with equal talent, who continue to follow their dream.

Ashley Ray was raised on her parent’s farm in Lawrence, Kansas, and having finished school enrolled in Belmont University, Nashville to earn a business degree. This was seen as a stepping stone and part of her plan to pursue her ambitions to make a living as a country singer-songwriter. She did eventually find work as a songwriter at both Sony ATV and BMG Nashville, writing songs that were picked up by Lori McKenna, Little Big Town, Caroline Spence and Wade Brown. Survival also demanded that she worked long shifts for tips, waiting tables at local restaurants. She released her self-titled album in 2010 and has since shared stages with Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert, as well as a 40-city tour with Eric Church. She has also graced the stage at The Grand Ole Opry. 

With those experiences under her belt, you would have expected Ray to follow the ‘music by numbers’ writing formula for her recently released album PAULINE. Instead of predictable and bland compositions concerning fictional characters and mundane occurrences, Ray bravely chose to frame the album around her own life journey, from a young girl growing up in a regular, hard-working blue-collar family. The songs trace her journey from childhood through to the present day and are, effectively, her life story. The title of the album is in honour of her grandmother, who passed away before Ray was born. Ray is immensely and justifiably proud of the album, regardless of whether it sells hundreds or thousands of copies, as she detailed when we spoke with her recently. 

At what stage did you decide to devote the album to your grandmother and family, rather than travel the conventional Music Row formulaic writing path?

 I decided to name the album PAULINE pretty early on. Pauline is my middle name, and a huge part of my identity and character, so I kind of went into the record knowing I was going to write a song for her. It felt like the right call to honour her by making the album title her name. 

How important was it to you personally to research, write and record the project?

It was very important. In my family we always talk about her and the people we’ve lost, so I feel like I already know her on some level, but that’s how we got my mom’s voice on the record. I called her and put her on speaker phone, my producer Sean McConnell set up a microphone when she started talking and we caught the whole conversation of my mom talking about her mom. It’s one of the greatest gifts and honours of my life.

What drew you towards Sean McConnell to work on PAULINE with you?

Sean is a long time and dear friend. What drew me to him producing was I knew I could be myself. I wasn’t delivering this album to a label.  I was delivering it to myself. I could get comfortable, I could cry, I could walk downstairs hug his wife and make a sandwich. Sean is so talented, especially when working with artists, because he is an artist himself. I felt like he pushed me in the gentlest way to say the things I might’ve held back on. We just sat in a room, I talked about my families’ stories and we put memories to music.

How long were you working on the songs?

Sean and I wrote the song Rock ‘n’ Roll almost three years ago and when we finished, we knew it was the beginning of a record. It was just too personal to be pitched to anyone else. Fast forward, and about a month ago, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, an incredible blues artist and guitar player, recorded his own version of the song and it’s incredible. Anyway, some time passed between Rock ‘n’ Roll and the rest of the songs, but when we went back in, it happened fast, the songs just flew out.

The videos that accompany the songs from the album are particularly striking. Was it your intention to film them prior to the lockdown? 

It was my intention to do a lot of things before the lockdown since we never saw it coming. Fortunately, I was able to give my childhood home videos to one of my best friends, Stephen Kinigopoulos. He edited them into that magic video that is, St Patrick’s Day. I cried. Ha-ha.  I was able to shoot Waiting by myself on my iPhone and then for Dirty Work we all social distanced and shot it at a friend’s farm and my backyard. Then, of course, for Pauline, I did it alone with the help of my team. I’m grateful to have them as friends who know me so well, that they helped me recreate all of it. 

Were you tempted to delay the release date given the pandemic?

Yes, I was tempted to delay the release, thank God my team was not. They asked me what I thought would get me through quarantine and a pandemic and I said “records and cooking.” I knew I wanted to release the song St. Patrick’s Day on St Patrick’s Day to honour my Dad, along with my Popo, who filmed all of the home videos that are edited into the video for that song. So, they encouraged me to release it then and we just kept going.

You were understandably quite emotional when you performed the songs live on social media a few weeks ago and gave invaluable background to the songs prior to playing them. What has been the reaction from your family to the album?

My family’s reaction has been overwhelmingly supportive. Their approval in what I share and write about our life is really important to me. I never want to make them relive any of the past trauma we’ve been through, which is why I think I couldn’t write this record until 10 years after losing my Dad. I played Mom the track Pauline when it was just her my sister and me in the car and it made her cry. I said: “Mom, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry.” She said “Ash, I haven’t thought about my mom that way in so long, you’re telling our families story, I’m proud of you.”

The album embodies classic country together with rockier material and classic singer- songwriter songs. What musical direction do you see yourself heading next or have you even had time to think that far ahead?

Wow, those are my three favourite things, country, rock ‘n’ roll, and classic singer/songwriter. I haven’t really thought of a direction, I just want to remain honest, and chase the best songs within. It’d be fun to get a little more rock ‘n’ roll on the next one, but I’m just going to see where the songs take us and shape it from there. 

Have you ambitions to tour the album when things do get back to normal or stay closer to Nashville for live shows and how difficult is it to get a band on the road to tour?

Yes. I cannot wait to tour the album, I am missing live music and performing so much. I would love to take it everywhere. I’m part Irish and have never been to Ireland. Will you show me all the cool places if we make it there? I think all we’ll have to do is book the shows and the band will be packed in the van and ready to go. We’re all ready to get back out there.

You arrived in Nashville, like so many others, with stars in your eyes. How difficult was it coming from a more rural background? 

It was very difficult. The first six months living away from home, I’d cry almost every day. I missed my family so much. I’m still such a homebody and I remember as a little girl thinking I wanted to have a career in music and knowing I’d have to travel, but never thought I could do it because I didn’t want to be away from home. I eventually adjusted to living in a big city, but I still breathe deeper when I go home or to friends’ houses in the country.

I believe your father was responsible for getting you on stage in Broadway on the first occasion.

Yes, yes, he was. We walked into a dive bar called The Wheel and he threw a 20 in the woman’s tip jar and told her “my daughter sings” the next thing I knew I was on stage singing every cover song she knew.

You’ve survived those difficult early years and are still in Nashville. Was that determination and work ethic passed down to you from your mother and grandmother?

Yes, I think my work ethic comes from my entire family. I come from hard-working, blue-collar people who work outside in the hottest days of summer and the coldest winters. My Mom, Dad, Popo and Mamal (Pauline) all started out in factories and then Popo and Dad worked construction. Dad would work a full day and come home and try to chop a load of wood before the sun went day. He worked hard. Mamal packed ammunition and my mom was a UPS driver where she was hauling packages that weighed more than her every day. They all worked hard. They all persevered because their family was counting on them. That’s how I was raised. 

How difficult is it to survive in an overcrowded market in Nashville when talent alone is no guarantee to success?

Have you heard my song Waiting? Ha-ha. It’s extremely difficult. It takes loving music more than anything and a lot of people who support you and will pick you up when you fall.

You have written and co-written for some household names like Lori McKenna, Little Big Town, Wade Brown and Charles Kelly. Is your preference for writing for others or for songs to be performed by yourself?

Wow, what a question! I think it depends on the idea and the song. I get really excited about both.

Is your preference to write alone or co-write and which comes easier to you?

 I like to start ideas alone and then if I feel like someone can offer more to the song, which is true most times, then I think about who would resonate with the idea and take it there. I definitely have to have my reading and writing time alone to fill the well back up.

I’m interested to hear if you set targets for yourself and if so where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I do. I’m always setting goals. I make vision boards. Wow. In five years, I would like to buy a house in the country: maybe my sis will have moved to Nashville by then. Adopt two more dogs. Start a family, have the ability to bring them out on the road. Have a couple more records in the can, have travelled those, maybe sell out some shows along the way, play the Ryman and write a hundred more songs that I’m completely proud of.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Charley Crockett Interview

“They better watch out in country music because I’m just getting started, brother.” 

These are the defiant parting words from Charley Crockett, the amiable and polite Texan, at the end of an engaging telephone conversation. He’s holed up in Van Horn, West Texas, in the Guadalupe Mountains, when he takes my call. It’s where he’s been for the past five months, instead of touring his latest album, WELCOME TO HARD TIMES, which has been generating knockout reviews since its release last month.

Quarantine is unfamiliar territory and that goes for the nomadic Crockett as well who, since his teenage years, has spent his time on the road, living and busking in Dallas, New Orleans and New York, together with spells in France, Spain and Morocco. During his early days, once he was armed with a guitar, survival was never an issue. He could always find the means to perform and generate an income. 

When recording became an option and since the release of his debut album, A STOLEN JEWEL in 2015, his modus operandi has been straightforward: record the albums cheaply and independently, and tour them five nights a week. 

“Mentally it’s been difficult these times, real difficult. I think that since I picked up the guitar when I was 17, I’ve never been in a situation where I couldn’t tour. Before I toured, I was always able to go out to the public and play at a street corner or a subway platform and I could always make money doing that. Now I don’t have that, I’m stuck not playing. Financially it’s a strange place to find myself. I don’t have all the activity I had before, but also, I don’t have my team with me, which is hard. I’m used to being on the bus and having a ten-person crew on the road. All of those guys are unemployed at the moment, strange times. 

It’s ironic because here I am not touring and not being able to play a single show in support of this album I’ve put out. All my guys are collecting unemployment and it looks like those benefits are about to stop for all of them.”

The title of the new album could reflect both his personal predicament as well as more global affairs. A distant relative of Davy Crockett, times have seldom been easy on him. Raised in a trailer park by a single mother, he lost a sister to drug addiction and his brother served seven years for fraud. His career was growing steadily, culminating with his 2017 release, LIL G.L. BLUES BONANZA reaching No.11 in The Billboard Blues Album Chart. However, a routinecheck-up lead to a diagnosis of a congenital heart condition, resulting in open heart surgery in early 2019. 

“I had the heart surgery in January of last year. I wasn’t off the road very long, only a couple of months. I worked really hard, lived on the highway most of last year and then I wrote most of this record including the title track in November and we recorded the whole thing in February. I finished it about a month before America got turned upside down. Ironically, the record is selling unbelievably well compared with anything I’ve ever put out before.”

 A prolific writer, he has recorded no fewer than seven albums since 2015. WELCOME TO HARD TIMES is his most personal, finding him exploring his own roots alongside that of the United States. 

“I carry a lot of heritage and tradition in my sound from my life in Texas and Louisiana and my time being an itinerant and a hobo. I carry a lot of music with me and what I like about country music is that it gives me a clear identity. When I’m being looked at for my eclectic heritage and my colourful background it can be confusing for people to understand where I’m coming from. But I think country music gives me a canvas and an identity that people can understand”

The album is also his most country and western recording, abandoning his earlier, more blues slanted direction.

“It is my most country record overall. I wanted to get back to that 60s gothic country style, that darker western thing that George Jones, Marty Robbins and those guys were doing while, of course, bringing some West Coast country soul sound along with me.” 

The album’s title is also the name of a 1968 Western film, which starred Henry Fonda.  The western aspect to the album is highlighted by the dazzling videos that support a number of the tracks on the album - well worth checking out on You Tube. The enforced isolation of recent months gave Charley the opportunity to explore the cinematic aspect of his music to complement the songs.

“When my producer Mark Neil and I were making the record, he talked about it being cinema for the ears. I knew I needed to create visuals that could complement the record, rather than take away from it. A lot of artists in independent roots choose not to put out visuals a lot of the time, because if they’re not adding to the album, they can take away from it. One of the other ironies of this pandemic is that on a normal touring schedule I’d be lucky to have an afternoon to make one of those videos. Because I’m not touring and have that time on my hands, I was able to put a lot of time into them,  to give them the symbolism and the storyline. I had time to think, get a small team together and then co-direct and develop that scenario, and give people a message that I always wanted to put out, but never had the time or financial resources to do.”

With the main record labels and their advertisers dictating the direction of country music and diluting it beyond recognition, supporters of traditional country music are dependent on a bunch of torch carrying artists to retain the link back to the classic performers of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Crockett alongside Zephaniah OHora, Jason James, J.P.Harris, Jeremy Pinnell, Joshua Hedley, Jesse Daniel, Colter Wall and Tyler Childers are among a hardnosed bunch of male diehards, determined to support a style of music they believe in. It’s a goal that Crockett is both passionate and optimistic about. 

“There has been a great fall off in country music and a lot of other music in America. This has to do with business, consolidation and commercial interests. I find myself in what I think is a unique scenario. The type of music that I’m doing, the type of country music that I think I’m carrying with me is by American standards long past its sell-by date. The challenge for country music which other artists have spoken about is real. I really see that because even in the Americana world,  where the roots artists are in independent country, I think even a large portion of those folks are not aware or capable of playing the country music that comes out of the forties, fifties and sixties and bring it to people. I do think though that it can happen. I’d like to think that what I’m doing is helping that and showing the high art that country music was. 

Not outlaw country, because in my opinion it was the beginning of the end. Outlaw country was the start of country music being bought and sold off. For me the high art of country music ended at the close of the 60s. What I’m trying to do is bring that music to the fore, because I believe the production, the performances, instrumentation and arrangements reflected on all of the best parts of American popular culture. It could be found whether you were looking at country music by George Jones or popular music and R’n’B from Ray Charles – that was the best of the best. I think younger people can be interested in those sounds and they don’t necessarily need to understand where it’s coming from, simply that it moves you. It’s like hip hop, when young people find hip hop that moves them, they often trace it back to its jazz and soul roots. I think that country music can do that again. I don’t think that’s going to come from the folks that are claiming country music right now. Artists that don’t have the interest in the heritage of country music in the first place.”

It's a topic, together with the difficulty earning radio play, that Crockett is pragmatic about. He has strong views about the period in American history when the tables started to turn and commercialism began to suck the life out of country music.

“Corporate radio could play artists like myself but they won’t. When they hear the stuff that I’m doing, they don’t want to know. The people promoting what I’m playing would not even mention me to those stations, they couldn’t sell it to these stations. I do think if they played some of the cuts from WELCOME TO HARD TIMES, like the track you played on your radio show, Run Horse Run, it could be a sensation. Controversial maybe, but I believe the interest and call ins they would get from ordinary Americans would be tremendous. There is a resistance to do this. We could spend a whole conversation on what happened to country music since 1974. Look at America when we entered the Vietnam war and then the close of the Vietnam war and the exiting of Nixon. You can see a lot of things meeting their end that line up with the Vietnam era. Country music and a lot of other music was never the same at the close of that conflict, it says a lot about where America was going commercially.”

Ironically, what would have been daytime radio listening six decades ago has now got to look for shelter under the Americana music umbrella, which has given exposure to acts like Crockett to a wider audience. It’s generated an audience that has welcomed his sound with open arms.

“It is wasn’t for Americana we wouldn’t be showing up anywhere, there wouldn’t even be a chart for us. Of course, the charts may be skewed or maybe rigged or whatever, but if we didn’t have the Americana Radio Charts, we wouldn’t even show up on the map.  But I’m not gonna stop anyway. This album cycle has got me a lot of press that I haven’t be able to get before, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and The Independent in England have all supported me and I think as long as I keep doing it, I’ll reach more and more folks. I believe one thing about country music that does make it different and that is we artists have to keep laying it down because young people need to hear this music in their time. It gives them a connection to the past. I feel that when you make a very good country record that has wide appeal, even if it does not initially get through the door because of a rigged market, an album can grow over the years by the spoken word. I’d like to think that my record, WELCOME TO HARD TIMES and the stuff that artists like Zephaniah O’Hora are doing, will be well known years from now because people will keep talking about them.”

From humble beginnings playing street corners, Crockett has learned ‘on the job’ exactly how the music business works and the required survival strategy. Fortunately, most of his aborted touring dates from this year have been kicked forward to 2021. He’s due in the U.K. next summer, so hopefully he’ll get over to Ireland for the first time.

“Yes, from the standpoint of the festivals and large show dates like premium venues, most of them have transferred the schedule to next year. I expect when they give us the green light, we’ll be back out doing shows but I don’t know what the guidelines will look like. I think some things will change permanently, safety regulations, protocol, there’s going to be lasting changes. I will be in the U.K and would just love to hop across to Ireland to play for you guys.”

Interview by Declan Culliton

Caitlin Cannon Interview

I sincerely hope that The TrashCannon Album, released by Caitlin Cannon a few months back, kickstarts the recording career of an artist with the skillset to entertain, shock, amuse and sadden the unsuspecting listener in equal measures. On my initial listen to the album, I found it upbeat, kinda country, kinda bubblegum pop and lots of fun. Further listens unveiled some fairly heavy tales and observations hidden behind the cute melodies, often dealing with a range of thorny issues. The songs read like chapters from a personal diary, with the subject matters confronted head on and very often, laced with humour. I tracked down Caitlin to chat about the album and found the discussion to be every bit as frank and amusing as the record itself!    

Firstly, many congratulations on your recent release The TrashCannon Album. It’s made quite an impression on us at Lonesome Highway.

Thank you, Lonesome Highway. 

Where are you located at the moment and how are you dealing with the uncertainty that surrounds us all?

I’m in Durango, Colorado where I have a little salon. Normally I’d be splitting time between here and Nashville, but until things safely open up, I’m hiding out in the mountains trying to put songs and money in the bank.

What were your plans to promote the album before the pandemic took over our lives?

I was heartbroken to cancel a tour I’d made to accompany the release, and most excited about the 4 Corners Folks Festival in September in Pagosa in Colorado. I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to follow Lucinda Williams again, even if it is the Sunday early show after her Saturday evening headlining slot. Fingers circumvoluted for 2021. 

Can you talk a bit about your early career path? I understand it led you to theatre rather than music. What changed that direction?

Questions like these are really helping me get to the bottom of all that. As a kid, I was kinda like the little actor girl in Once upon a time in Hollowood- over zealously devoted to the craft. I realise now that I couldn’t cope with everything happening then, so I’d anchor myself to those make-believe worlds and characters. And then later to boys, and then to booze, until no escape tactics would work anymore. It sounds dramatic but, I think having a theatre life saved me as a kid, in the same way having a songwriting practice did when I became able to reckon with parts of myself and my past. I didn’t think I would pursue a career in it at first, I was just trying to stay on the planet. Everyone has a ton of shit to deal with forever. I just have to make an art project out of mine to get myself to do the work. It’s like cardio – it’s more fun if you do it on ice skates. 

Have you found helpful overlaps between the two?

I sure hope all of that training and technique helps make my performances better for my audiences. But then again, I was such a bad actress, that it’s probably better if I don’t try and make use of that education here. It was humbling to have invested so much into becoming something, then fail at it hard, and then just go and be really bad at this other thing, too. But now I think, if I ever get really really good, that will be why. I think if you’re a perfectionist, and I am, that your work will always be too neat and tidy, unless you’re willing to let yourself be really bad at it sometimes. 

You initially started performing with your band in Brooklyn. Was there an active country or rockabilly music scene there at that time?

Not so much I was the least cool of all my friends, writing country songs about my New York experiences. I did eventually discover that I could find Justin Townes Earle playing at the 11th St. Station in the East Village. I met Julia Haltigan and Eleanor Whitmore of The Mastersons there, and played some house shows with them. I felt pretty cool after that.

Tim Randolph Edgar (who went on to produce Imagine Dragons) made a record out of a batch of my earliest songs. Turning my country-ish tunes over to an indie-pop producer was fun I never knew I could have. I was bartending at Teddy’s in Williamsburg, and gave a copy to the owners who gave me a Wednesday slot to get out from behind the bar and play music. Probably because I wasn’t a very good bartender either.

Kinda bitchy: *See Better Job (Track 11 on the album!)

Tell me about the all-girl band The Cannondolls that you then formed. Had you ambitions beyond playing live sets locally with that band?

Around the time I formed The Cannondolls, I’d left New York, and I was going to get married and cut hair and be normal. So, it began as a laid back and casual side project, but truthfully, I’m not very good at being laid back or casual. Once It became obvious everyone in the band had different goals, we parted ways. It was good to gain the support of the folks in the Four Corners New York during that time. I do wish we’d made some live acoustic recordings, so I could bury those harmonies in a time capsule.

There’s a lot of humour on The TrashCannon Album, even though it confronts some heavy yet everyday topics. Did you welcome the challenge to write the songs by way of dealing with those issues?

Sure, except … I think the issues come first, and the songs happen when living with the feelings becomes intolerable. Like, I know if I’m gonna write a song about something that really matters to me, that that process will require me to become honest about it, and that’s something I usually like to avoid, until the lack of clarity becomes more painful on the other side. So, it’s kind of a masochistic situation ... that’s also at least 5 per cent funny at all times. 

Did you write all the songs with the album in mind or were some of them already in the can before you decided to record the album?

Megan Burtt (producer) and I sorted through a bunch of songs I’d written over the years, and decided there was enough there to make a cohesive record. We needed a few more rockers and wrote Toolbag, Mama’s a Hairdresser, Dumb Blonde and Pin Cushion together. I was making fun of my tendency to overshare when I joked it should be called “TrashCannon,” while Megs suggested the drummer play trash can lids instead of cymbals. And then all of that happened. 

How did Megan Burtt, a talented musician and songwriter in her own right, come on board as producer?

I met Megan Burtt over a decade ago at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival and fan-friended her automatically. Her song writing isn’t like anyone else I’ve ever heard, and her skill is something to be revered. Megan has so many incredible songs that she hasn’t recorded yet, because she’s been busy making records for everyone else. I can’t wait until her next release. I expect it will slay.

Did she have an input in the direction the songs should take?

Absolutely. I had pretty clear ideas about song directions, examples of styles and artists who I thought had executed a thing well, but Megan was able to pull those feels out of the band and capture them in the tracks. We communicated about these things telepathically, and that’s probably another reason the record doesn’t really sound like anything else. 

And the use of humour and satire. Did that make the process less difficult by adding a sense of farce?

Growing up in Alabama; having my bro locked up when I was so little, I think I learned I had better chances of influencing people, if I could do so without alienating them. Maybe that’s manipulative and dishonest dressed up as diplomacy, but I do make some strong political statements in these songs, and I’d like even those who disagree with me to be in on the joke if they want. When I’ve called the record “satirical”, I’ve meant that literally. There’s a lot of humour, irony, exaggeration in the lyrics meant to expose a political injustice. It’s probably easier for me to make my point through humour than anger. But I am angry, of course. So, here’s a way we can all enjoy my anger.

Were you apprehensive of washing your dirty laundry in public?

I should get one of those machines people keep in a closet that washes it for you, instead of sorting it out in this interview.

The first track Going For The Bronze is some opening statement on the album, dealing with underachievement versus traditional expectations. What was the deciding factor in choosing it as the album’s opening track?

We thought we’d go ahead and lower everyone’s expectations for the remaining 11 tracks.

Mama’s A Hairdresser is both a killer title and an equally driving and grungy song. It also tells a tale of a lifetime of devotion by your mother dealing with the incarceration of your brother at a young age and the support she continues to provide for him. She seems like an extremely strong person. How did she feel about including her background on the album?

Whenever I introduce it as Mama’s A Hairdresser (Baby’s A Life Offender) people think it’s going to be a funny song. I guess the title was the only place I could hide a joke in in this one. I think it’s that same part of my Mom, that doesn’t abandon the fight for my brother after all these years, that continues to support me pursuing music, while I know it's been hard for her to watch me struggle. It was selfless of both of them to be my subjects. 

Drink Enough visits and speaks honestly of alcohol dependency. It’s a widespread problem but particularly difficult for people working in the arts and the lifestyle and specific pressures that apply to that career. How have you found the writing process compare both sober and drinking? 

Well, I’ll be the first to debunk the theory that you have to be f****d up to be creative. That’s just the drugs and alcohol talking. That said, I did write “Drink Enough” in a black out. But mostly, I was content to drink box wine and play candy crush and binge watch Real Housewives of Atlanta. For me, the hardest and best part of being sober, is that I can’t feel the intensity of my desire, and then I have to do something about it. 

You’re not holding back on the powerful Dumb Blonde. Had you particular individuals in mind when writing it?

I was thinking of myself, mostly. But, these characters (and caricatures) I’ve idolized, in classic country and Hollywood, share a common trait in how they’ve used wit (among other assets) to outsmart the rival. So, having been made to feel stupid in the past, or good for one thing, “Playing Dumb’s the Smartest Thing a Blonde Can Do,” pays homage to that long-time struggle, but also the embraces it. It’s like- If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em... and then beat ‘em.

You’ve managed to tick most every box musically on the album. Classic country, Countrypolitan, Rockabilly and even good old Alt-Country all raise their heads. Are they musical groupings that define your own personal tastes?

I’d say so! Inventing genres is fun. My favourite bands and writers are also my biggest influences on the album. Uncle Tupelo, Jason Isbell, DBT, Shovels & Rope, Dolly, Loretta. Jamie Wyatt, American Aquarium and Alice Wallace are heavy in my personal rotation lately, but I don’t know how everyone’s categorizing their music. The criteria is always changing.

Have you completely emptied the laundry basket with this album?

Well, I change my outfits a lot, so I make more dirty laundry on a daily basis. I will say there are certain subjects I feel complete on, and I don’t know if they need another song to explore some unexposed anger.

Have you considered another album yet and the direction that might take or is it too early for that? 

Yes! I have a quarantine’s time hamperful ready for a public washing. But I’ll have to do many more good deeds before I start calling in the amount of favours it takes to make a record. Takes a lot more to make a record than it takes to make a baby. I owe a debt of gratitude to so many who donated their talents to this one, which has gotten more visibility than I ever dreamed it would, hence, this generous interview with you. I hope I’ll get a chance to hop over the pond and play for your readership soon. 

Many thanks for talking with us. I hope you’re back on the road belting out those tunes again sooner rather than later.

Thank you so much, for the very real questions.

Interview by Declan Culliton

An interview with Dorothy Daniel of The Danberrys

Nashville based band The Danberrys are husband and wife duo Dorothy Daniel and Ben DeBerry. They recently released their latest album SHINE and it has been justifiably earning very positive reviews, including one from our good selves at Lonesome Highway.  The album consists of material drawn largely from personal experiences, both painful and often still at the healing stage. Dorothy spoke openly with us recently about the album, the disruption caused to them by the pandemic and intimate matters that she is overcoming. 

Despite having its release date put back to late July, your new album SHINE has already been receiving great reviews both in the U.S.A. and Europe. That must be particularly satisfying and uplifting in these uncertain times?

Yes! It really is so wonderful when people connect with what we're doing. We've hit so many bumps in the road with this album release, so reading (most of) the reviews has been uplifting, to say the least. Paul McGee wrote a review for Lonesome Highway that was particularly generous and thoughtful. Not gonna lie ... given the current atmosphere, some of the reviews have made me cry happy tears.

Notwithstanding the glowing reviews, I believe the album was created during a traumatic four-year period for you. It covers a journey from acute depression, through a healing process and appears to arrive at a time when your confidence is at a high point. Is the lack of opportunity to perform the material live at present therefore particularly frustrating? 

In a word, yes. But we've also been doing some live streams, so that has helped. We've also done quite a few recordings for music outlets and other projects, so I do feel like we're still getting to perform. 

A number of the songs cover issues that are even more relevant currently, that when you created them. The River Is Wide, The Mountain and Love Conquers War especially come to mind. Were these songs written with specific issues in mind or more open-ended? 

We almost always draw from personal experience when songwriting, so all of the songs on the record (and those three songs in particular) are actually quite personal to us. There is a specific story behind every song - some experience or feeling that we were processing with our music. However, we've always tried to craft the songs in a way that they can be interpreted to mean different things for different people. We've both always been huge fans of the mystery behind lyrics. It's more fun to guess at what the lyrics mean than to have it handed to you on a platter. It's somewhat harder to write that way - it's like writing three songs in one - but the process is more rewarding to us and the resulting songs tend to be more universal and timeless. We use a ton of symbolism as well, especially for The River is Wide and Francis, on this particular album.

The songs on the album are credited as co-writes with your husband Ben DeBerry, with bluegrass player Jon Weisberger also getting a co-write on three of the tracks. Did you each agree on the subject matter for each song and develop the lyrics from there, or how exactly did that process evolve? 

The three songs we wrote with Jon were actually songs that I had started a few years ago. I had a verse and chorus (at least) to begin with, and we just finished the songs with Jon. Ben and I used to write solo, so we each have a pool of unfinished songs in the bank. Jon taught us how to write together. He didn't know that's what he was doing...but that's what he did. 

After finishing those three songs with him, we had learned to communicate with each other as professionals instead of married people (two totally different things!), and we had effectively entered the creative space at that point, which is that place where you've made yourself actively open to receive and it just starts flowing in. Most of the remaining songs on the album came easily after those first three co-writes with Jon. One of us would come up with a melody or a guitar lick and then we'd just sit down and hammer it out. I usually focus more on lyrics and melody, and Ben is better with chord structure. Ben came up with two of the songs, Rain, and Love Conquers War, and I mostly just helped him finish them.

You move a few paces away from your previously more acoustic sound with SHINE, adding a more bluesy and folky edge this time around. Is this the trajectory you see yourselves traveling going forward? 
Yes and no. I think we've definitely left the acoustic string-band sound behind, but I would like to be open to bringing back some of the old instrumentation into the broader sound. It also feels like we might be leaning into a bit more of an Indie Rock vibe in the future. Only time will tell.

You have the legendary Darrell Scott adding vocals on The Mountain. How did that materialize and what other players feature on the album? 

Having Darrell on this album was one of the greatest gifts. One of our producers, Marco Giovino, is good friends with Darrell. They had worked together on a few projects, including Robert Plant's Band of Joy. Marco sent the song to Darrell and he apparently really liked the song, so he agreed to sing on it. He's amazing. Can't say enough about him as a musician and human being. All of the other players on the album are equally spectacular: Duke Levine on guitars and mandolin, Marty Ballou on upright and electric bass, Neal Pawley on guitars and trombone, Tom West on keys, Marco (of course) on drums & perc & vibes, and Vanessa McGowan and Amanda Broadway on background vocals. We had an all-star cast of musicians and friends on this record. 

As well co-producer Marco Giovino, Brian Brinkerhoff, who has worked with Van Morrison and more recently Carla Olson, is also credited. What lead you to them and what did they add to your music that otherwise might not have unfolded? 

Brian Brinkerhoff called us out of the blue after our last album, GIVE & RECEIVE, was released. We didn't know him, but we had a mutual friend who had turned him onto our music. He said he wanted to make a record with us, so we asked around to a few other artists in town who had worked with him. We initially agreed to record a stripped-down, duo-style record at Brian's home studio in Santa Cruz, CA, but when we started writing the songs, it quickly became clear that these songs were not suitable for that kind of record. Brian had mentioned that he knew Marco at the beginning of the project, so we asked if we could possibly get him involved. We were beside ourselves when Marco signed on to co-produce the album. He's one of our favourite all-time drummers, and he brought the swampy tribal vibes to this record as nobody else could. He also hand-picked the players and provided the studio. He worked with us for weeks via email prior to our scheduled studio dates to get the song structures and tempos just right. Marco's impact on this record was huge and hugely positive.

You speak openly of difficult personal periods in your life, in particular dealing with and eventually becoming aware that you were struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Has that realization and acceptance been a weight removed from your shoulders?  

In a way, yes. I was extremely relieved to have a name and a source for all of the "issues" that had been plaguing me, but awareness does come with a price. Awareness is only the beginning - the real work (and it's hard work) starts there. I remember feeling almost euphoric after discovering I had been sexually abused as a child. My therapist told me at the time to prepare for the wave of emotional turmoil that was about to unfold, but I didn't listen to her. I was just so grateful to finally understand why I had struggled so much with all of this debilitating depression, anxiety, and physical pain and numbness. But then the wave hit and a big part of me wanted to go back and unlearn everything - I wanted to push it all back down where it came from. But there really is no turning back at that point. I've come to understand that healing will be my life's work. I've had to work diligently (every day, every minute) to re-wire my body's stress response, and I’ve discovered over time that it’s something I will need to maintain. Healing from that type of trauma is not a fix-it-and-forget-it situation. The process has been much slower than I expected, but I’ve made it through the tunnel to the other side. The hardest part is over, and I’ve come to accept certain gifts that these life experiences have bestowed upon me.

Your life journey has most certainly generated the groundwork for striking and intense storytelling. Has songwriting been therapeutic in terms of dealing with these issues?

Absolutely yes. It's partly how I process my emotions. I learn things about myself when I'm writing. It's like I open up to my subconscious and let it speak freely to me. It's very healing.

Your musical career was launched at an early age, singing in church as a young girl. I gather this was quite a daunting experience for you? 
Yes, I hated it! I had terrible stage fright and would be sick for weeks beforehand just thinking about it. 

Many artists, like yourself, admit to suffering from stage fright, which often surprises the casual punter who assumes anyone getting on a stage must be bursting with confidence! What’s the magic formula for overcoming this, or is there one?  

I think most performers probably have a certain level of jitters before getting on stage. At this point, I try to re-frame those feelings as excitement, and that usually works to settle me back into my body. The only way to get over it is to keep doing it. There is no better way of getting over stage fright than to get on stage. And to get on stage again. And again. And again.

The Danberrys performed regularly at The 5 Spot at Five Points in East Nashville at the weekly bluegrass sessions staged there. Given the seemingly endless pool of musical talent in East Nashville, how difficult is it to stand out from the crowd?

That's a really difficult question to answer. I think the only thing we can do as artists is to be authentic. If you're being yourself, telling the truth about yourself with your music, then you will resonate with people. Talent doesn't hurt (obviously), but I strongly believe there is an invisible magnetic force that emanates from confidence and presence, and you only have that power when you're being truly authentic. I think that's what connects with audiences.

Growing up near Nashville and eventually moving into East Nashville, no doubt you’ve witnessed the neighbourhood morphing into a very cool place to reside. Given the ongoing pandemic and the pressures on those working in the arts, do you envisage that musicians and others working in the industry will be priced out of continuing to live in the area?

It's already happening. Musicians were getting priced out of East Nashville way before the pandemic. Most musicians who move to town can't even afford rent in East Nashville, forget buying a house. It really has impacted the local music scene, but I do believe artists will find a way to make it work. We're creative like that.

Finally, having navigated and overcome some difficult hurdles over the past number of years, how difficult has the COVID-19 pandemic been for you both personally and professionally?

We've had our good days and some bad…some really bad. There have been a few moments where I felt like I regressed some years with my anxiety. Luckily, I/we have the tools to deal with it at this point on our journey, and we have each other and our daughter, so it hasn't been lonely. Professionally, it's been frustrating at times. Many plans have been foiled, but we always (always) eventually return to the belief that everything is working out for the highest good of all...a basic trust in the universe that has been hard-won. So even when our personal and professional plans fall apart, we take comfort knowing that something big is in the works. It’s easy to see if you ignore the news and start paying attention to the people around you. When we focus on our community and our fellow humans, it’s easy to see the beautiful transformation taking place.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Emma Swift Interview

Emma Swift is an Australian artist currently living in Nashville. My first encounter with Emma was when she performed at the legendary 5 Spot in Nashville during Americana Fest three years ago. She made quite an impression on me and subsequent visits to that festival have invariably led to further encounters with her, both on and off stage. She also appeared at The Workman’s Club in Dublin last year, opening for her partner Robyn Hitchcock on that occasion.

She is due to release her interpretations of Bob Dylan songs on August 14th with an album titled BLONDE ON THE TRACKS on Tiny Ghost Records. She released the single I Contain Multitudes during lockdown a few months back. It’s a beautiful delivery of a song which was only recorded earlier this year by Dylan and a flavour of the quality across her album.

I spoke with Emma recently about the album, how she landed in Nashville, working with Patrick Sansone of Wilco and her concerns for the industry going forward generated by the COVID -19 pandemic.

Growing up in Sydney, Australia, what music were you exposed to in particular and what turned you in the direction of country music?

I wouldn’t describe the music I play as country music any more than I would describe Bob Dylan’s music as country music. I grew up listening to ‘90s indie rock and golden oldies radio. My early favourite bands were The Sundays, The Smiths, Mazzy Star and The Lemonheads. Pretty, lyrical music for sad teenagers. At age 15 a family friend gave me a record player, and I taught myself to sing by listening to Linda Ronstadt. I guess that’s where the country came in, I got into California country rock, Laurel Canyon stuff - CSNY, Flying Burritos, Joni Mitchell and so on.

At what stage did you crossover from listener to performer?

Music has always, since I was a small child, felt like an essential part of my life force. I started singing in front of people when I was eight years old, so I’m not entirely sure that there ever was a crossover point, even though there have been times, particularly my early adult life, where music took a backseat to other pursuits: partying and studying and failed romances and such.

There appears to be considerable support currently for Country & Americana artists touring Australia. Was that scene around in Sydney when you lived there?

Australians love live music and the scene, local and international there has always been pretty cool.

Was your initial venture to Nashville by way of a holiday or had you intended staying for a more extended period?

I first visited Nashville in 2011 on a holiday. I also spent time on that trip in New York, Seattle and San Francisco.

Anne McCue, who produced your self-titled EP in 2014, took a similar career path, moving from Sydney to Nashville. Had you known her prior to arriving in Nashville or was she someone you naturally gravitated towards when you arrived there?

I admired Annie’s music long before I met her. She’s a deep and sensitive soul, with an incredible talent for playing the guitar.

You’re very much part of the wider artistic community residing in East Nashville at present. Notwithstanding that many of your peers are also not originally from Tennessee, was it difficult integrating into the thriving musical community in East Nashville?

Moving cities is always difficult and moving to Nashville was no different to that. The scene here is wonderful, but in a way that magnified my initial loneliness. You can watch a band at the 5 Spot on a Sunday and think those folks are really great, but buying a record or a beer doesn’t buy friendship. True connection, kinship, love is as much like discovering buried treasure here as it is anywhere else.

That self-titled EP featured material announcing your love of all things Nashville, from the bohemian lifestyle in East Nashville to the lively honky tonks in the more commercial Broadway. Six years later and in an altogether different climate both environmentally and politically, do those songs still represent your enthusiasm?

The songs I wrote for that EP feel like they might have been written by someone else. I still have affection for them, but I don’t really play them anymore. I was very green at that time. I have deep love for this city and for my friends here, but I wouldn’t say I have enthusiasm. Yikes, I sound like I’m talking about a marriage! Perhaps me and Nashville need to consider couples therapy.

Your album of Bob Dylan covers BLONDE ON THE TRACKS (great title by the way!), is due for release in August. It’s interesting that Dylan’s I Contain Multitudes was chosen as the first single from the album, given that it was only released in April of this year, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Can you recall hearing the song for the first time and the impact it made on you personally?

I Contain Multitudes is a heart-stopper for me, a song of exquisite beauty and tenderness and truth. It’s a love song to poetry and art and music and ghosts, and when I first heard it I must have played it back five more times just to take it all in. The fact I had been isolated in my house for almost eight weeks when I first heard it only served to elevate my reverence. It came at a time when I needed a prayer I could relate to, and I am grateful to Bob Dylan for delivering it.

The song title is from Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself. Were you familiar with his writings and poetry prior to hearing the song?

The song is loaded with literary references and while Walt Whitman takes the title, the opening verse with “Follow me close, I’m going to Bally-na-Lee/ I’ll lose my mind if you don’t come with me” is much more interesting to me, in that it evokes the wandering bard Antoine Ó Raifteirí. I like thinking about Bob Dylan thinking of himself as a wandering bard. It’s an acknowledgment of the great oral tradition of poetry, which to me is much more related to song than the written tradition. But they’re all connected of course! Dylan’s been on tour forever and he has the Nobel Prize for Literature, so he should know.

Back to your question - yes, I’m familiar with Whitman and read and studied Leaves of Grass back in my university days. But the poets I’m drawn to, the ones whose work resonates deeply with my own existence are Maggie Nelson, John O’Donohue, T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Lyn Hejinian, Mary Oliver, Frank O’Hara, Michael Ondaatje, Anne Sexton, Gertrude Stein, Ocean Vuong. I could go on and on and on and on. I love words. I love poetry. I love that this song gives me a chance to talk about this stuff.

You must be particularly encouraged by the reaction both the single and video has received?

One thing I’ve learned in my lifetime of art making is that you must do it for you and you only. Praise is unimportant. Success is unimportant. Art for me is a spiritual practice, a dialogue between the me in my body and the me in my soul that existed long before this body. That said, if something I create connects with and brings comfort or joy to other people, that is just wonderful. Music has been my main form of therapy for years, but I just worked out how to create music videos, so I’m glad that my visual side, the part of me that likes to do collage and cut and paste is finally out in the open.

How long have you been working on the project?

The project was born in 2017, put on hold in 2018 and 2019, and restarted in 2020. Six songs were recorded and finished over 2017/2018, and then I Contain Multitudes and Simple Twist of Fate were recorded in April and May this year. The only thing I’ve ever done in a rush in this lifetime is get to the bar before closing time.

Had you intended to release the album in August prior to the lockdown?

I had intended to release Queen Jane Approximately as a 7-inch single this year, but after I lost all my touring work for the year due to COVID, I decided to go the whole way and release an album.

I understand that most of the material had been recorded prior to the lockdown with the remainder while you were in quarantine. How difficult was it to finalise the tracks with so much uncertainty surrounding you?

When uncertainty strikes, it’s good to find something to be certain about. The songs are already great, they’re the compositions of the best songwriter in the world. Are my performances of them any good? It’s not up to me to decide. When it comes to recording and releasing music, I can get stuck in a nowhere zone we call “death by options” at our house. Being in lockdown at home forced me to make decisions. A lot of folks have recorded Dylan songs, so that is not new but I was very determined to be the first to record and release I Contain Multitudes. I guess that song has propelled the whole release.

You hooked up with multi-instrumentalist and Wilco member Patrick Sansone to produce this time around. What drew you towards him?

Patrick is a sweet man and an intuitive and imaginative producer. We love a lot of the same music, and he’s made some fine records with Wilco, as well as artists I really look up to like Karen Elson and Linda Perhacs. He and his partner, film programmer Mae Moreno, are exactly what I was talking about earlier when I spoke about finding your kin in East Nashville. They’re rare and special gems.

Another thing I would say about Pat is that he is infinitely more talented than me when it comes to musical proficiency. I’m a singer. Mr Sansone is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer. But he never once made me feel small about that. He’s a great listener and communicator. I am so lucky to know him.

I expect that you knocked on a number of neighbour’s doors in Nashville to play on the album. What players feature?

The first door I knocked on was Robyn Hitchcock’s, because we have been musical and romantic collaborators now for seven years. He’s a phenomenal guitar player with an inventive picking style that recalls Bert Jansch and Martin Carthy, with a healthy dose of Lennon and McCartney in there too. Robyn is known mostly as a cult songwriter, but he really is an exceptional guitar player.

Jon Estes is on the bass and Jon Radford is on the drums. The Jons are two of the hardest working musicians in Nashville. If you check the liner notes of a lot of records made in East Nashville, you’ll find them there. Exceptional players, exceptional people.

Thayer Serrano is a mind blowingly talented pedal steel player who I met in Athens, Georgia. We became friends very quickly over our mutual love of the Neil Young Ditch trilogy era records. She’s the best.

And of course, as well as his work as producer, you can hear Patrick Sansone all over this record. He plays guitar, keyboards, percussion.

The tracks are an interesting selection, especially choosing songs written by a male but performed by a female artist. Given Dylan’s extensive songbook, how did you approach the selection of the eight songs that feature?

There are so many wonderful Bob Dylan songs and the tracks that made it onto the album were chosen for a couple of reasons. One because I like them. Two because they moved me in a way that made feel I could sing them with heart and soul and purpose. And three because I wanted to have fun with gender pronouns and retell the same stories without tweaking the lyrics in anyway. In the old days women or their producers would adjust the words so that Mama You’ve Been On My Mind became Baby You’ve Been On My Mind for Linda Ronstadt and Daddy You’ve Been on My Mind for Joan Baez. Given that it’s the 21st century, I just wanted to sing the songs and leave it at that. A good song is a good song, regardless of the gender of the person singing it.

I’d consider it near sacrilege to remodel Dylan’s songs. You remained true to the original versions. Had you considered giving some of the selected songs a makeover?

No. I have no interest whatsoever in undertaking renovations on a perfectly good house.

On a wider issue, you’ve decided to ignore the larger platforms and release the album on Bandcamp. With the exception of the more established commercial acts, the majority of bands and artists appear to use these servers for exposure rather than financial gain, given the miniscule returns that the larger music servers provide to the artists. Other than exposure the servers are strangling the majority of artists. No doubt you’ve had this discussion many times with your peers. Do you consider that people have given up the battle with them and conceded defeat, or do you any way forward that artists can be adequately rewarded for providing the material to the platforms?

The way I see it, as a professional musician I am a worker, just as when I was a newsreader in Australia, I was a worker. If the ABC didn’t want to pay me a living wage to read the news, I wouldn’t have done it just for the “exposure”. It’s not my job to tell other musicians how to run their business and each of us has to make whatever decision feels right. But I know for me, I can’t live off the money paid by mainstream streaming services. That might have been okay when I was on tour all the time, but COVID has illuminated how broken the current system is. In the first two weeks of this album being on pre-order, I sold 400 records. The simple math there is that to get the equivalent in income from Spotify, I would need two million streams.

Some of the venues in Nashville appear to be opening their doors again. As both a performer and punter, how anxious are you about returning to live music at present and when do you consider venues like the beloved 5 Spot will be functioning again.

I’m very worried about the future of live music globally, not just in Nashville. I am starting to see places open up again, but without a vaccine, I can’t see myself playing shows or going anywhere crowded soon. We need intervention on a government level to save and protect these spaces. In places like Ireland or Australia, that might be more likely though than in America. I am heartened to see music fans contributing to fundraisers and such to ensure that these spaces can continue. I can’t imagine Nashville without the 5 Spot or Exit/In. I can’t image Los Angeles without The Troubadour.

Finally, the best of luck from us at Lonesome Highway with the album release and your career going forward.

Thank you so much Declan! I am so grateful for your interest and your encouragement. It’s lovely to talk to another music lover. I can’t wait to see you again in the real world.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Bill Kirchen Interview

Bill Kirchen is a renowned guitarist known as a The Titan of The Telecaster for his musical prowess on that guitar. He was a member of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen  from 1967 to the mid-1970s. Kirchen was born in Bridgeport in Connecticut and he grew up in Ann Arbour Michigan. There in high school he learned to play the trombone. After Commander Cody he formed a new band called the Moonlighters and began a decades-long collaboration with British musician Nick Lowe. He later recorded and toured with Lowe before he formed his trio Too Much Fun around 1986. Since that time he has recorded several albums under his own name. He is considered a pioneer of what is now know as Americana. He has just released a double CD of the three albums he released through the Proper label in the UK as well as a version of these recordings as a double vinyl set. Lonesome Highway took the opportunity to catch up with him as asked a few questions.

An obvious question maybe, but why the Telecaster over any other classic iconic guitar?

The Telecaster was born and grew up in California along side the country music I was most attracted to, the Bakersfield twang of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Those two, plus their long time guitarists Roy Nichols and Don Rich respectively, plus James Burton and many more, all seemed to play Teles almost exclusively, so that is how I got interested. It’s completely lacking in ornament, but the design is elegant in its simplicity. As I said in the song, it was born at the junction of form and function. It seems to me to impose its will on the music less that any other electric. Hence you will see it in the hands of Keef, Buck, Prince, the disparate list goes on and on.

You have noted that you saw Bob Dylan back in 1964 at the Newport Folk Festival. What and who were you listening to up to that point?

Although I got to Rock’n’Roll late, I was already listening to The Beatles and Stones, also lots of Folkways and RBF records, which I’d buy as cut-outs when I hitch-hiked to New York. They included the Harry Smith collections of great old 20s-30s-40s American music, and collections of the great country blues players: Mississippi John Hurt in particular, Son House, Skip James, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Sleepy John Estes, Robert Pete Wilkins. Also Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, New Lost City Ramblers, and the whole axis of New York/Cambridge based folk singers: Joan Baez, Kweskin Jug Band, Dace Van Ronk, Tom Paxton, Carolyn Hester, Bob Dylan. With the exception of the Beatles, I got to see live every one of those artist and many more, the majority of them at Newport in ’64 and 65. 

Tell me a little of the time you spent with Commander Cody? It seems to have need a good time for the exploration of roots music and western swing influences.

We discovered Bob Wills in the cutout bins in Ann Arbor. Billy C, who had came up from Alabama had a repertoire that included  lots of Hank Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson. George Frayne had learned Boogie Woogie piano back in New You, and he and John Tichy had  fronted working frat bands, and knew tons of 50s and 60s R’n’R. I found a Johnny Bond platter with both Smoke That Cigarette and Hot Rod Lincoln, both of which songs became chart records for us. 

You came to prominence as a solo artist being related with Truckin’ and the Dieselbilly songs and stories. Did your days on the road give you a deeper insight into the life of a truck driver?

It didn’t hurt. We ran the same roads and hit the same truck-stops as the truckers. At that time Truck Driving music was a legitimate sub-genre of Country, with it’s own aesthetics, and I was drawn to it.

Although your music covers a range of styles and topics you are considered an Americana artist. How do you feel about that?

I think it’s more because I cover a wide range of styles, all of them obviously rooted in some of the traditions I got to witness first hand coming up. It’s not up to me to assign categories, so that’s OK by me. Of course the “American” music I heard coming up was not very far removed from the songs and styles of our ancestors’ native lands, often the British Isles, continental Europe and Africa.

The Proper albums were either recorded with some very English musicians or in London. How different was that experience to working back home?

Well, people are people, so there were no great culture clashes. It was all a big huge plus as far as I’m concerned. The mechanics of recording all pretty much the same wherever I’ve worked. Most importantly, I’ve known most of that London crew for many years. The cast of my first Proper album, The Hammer Of The Honky-Tonk Gods is the exact group that we had recorded and toured the world with as Nick Lowe and the Impossible Birds. Plus I was already an Anglophile well before I met them, having grown up with English uncles who kept me up to speed with Eagle Annuals and cricket gear. I’d also spent a lot of time in England with Commander Cody, doing lots of gigs with some wonderful sightseeing snuck in when we could.

Are there any musicians (past or present) that you would have liked to work with - have you an ideal line-up? 

I’ve been lucky enough to have played with a whole lot of wonderful folks. There are literally hundreds of musicians that I would love playing with, and could learn so much from, but I can’t really whittle it down to a wish list. 

How do you like to record - in a live studio session with everyone together or is that more of an economic necessity - though, obviously, some of the work was done on different continents?

It’s not so much the economics, more the necessities of modern recording. It is nice to get as much as possible with everybody playing at once, but you have to be focused on the results, and what needs doing to get the best possible rendering of the song. I feel fortunate every time I set foot in a studio, or break out the DAW at home. 

Do you have a particular favourite of the albums you have recorded?

Hmm, tough one, so many reasons why different ones stand out. But The Proper Years is the one I’d be happiest listening to right now, out of the dozens I’ve made. 

The world for musicians, more than most, has changed dramatically. What has the effect been for you?

Something I did very regularly for 50 years came to an abrupt halt on March 12 of this year, that being playing to live audiences, often on the road. Although it was a very big change for me, it’s hard not to realize that in this world-wide catastrophic event, I’m luckier than many. A great many. I miss being with others, I miss hugging my grand kids. But my family is still healthy, I’m enjoying being home more, and we have social interaction with friends via Zoom and other social media. My performing life is an every-other week live stream from my living room which I enjoy. But the biggest obstacle to serenity is of course watching a corrupt and criminally negligent administration play Godzilla with a democracy. At great cost of human life.

On Hot Rod Lincoln you imitate a lot of classic riffs and renowned guitar players all done with the Telecaster and without pedals. A difficult thing to achieve or simply good fun?

The task at hand is creating with technique alone a caricature sketch of each lick that triggers the listener’s the memory. People may say, wow, all those licks sounded exactly like the record! Of course they didn’t, but that’s the illusion I’m working to create, so that the listener gets immediate identification. And yes it’s good fun, but let’s just say it does take some doing.

What does the future hold in the light of everything for Bill Kirchen?

Well, I imagine I will keep putting one foot in front of the other, just the way the rest of the world is trying to. I feel very fortunate for the life I experienced before the shut the shut down. I’ll continue to write and play music however I can, and I’ll be right there with all the rest of you, waiting to see what the future holds.

Interview by Stephen Rapid

Angela Backstrom Interview

It’s anything but easy for emerging artists attempting to create a fan base, get their music on Independent Radio Stations and create a platform whereby they can survive in an over-populated industry. For many their budget does not stretch to being in a position to hire PR agencies to promote them and their music, often resulting in their talents sinking without trace. For those who can scrape together the finances to engage that vital support, the dilemma they face is to track down the right people that will put their shoulders to the wheel and justify that hard-earned investment.

US-based Angela Backstrom Promotions certainly appear to fit that bill. Over a short number of years Angela has become very much the ‘go to’ person for emerging acts seeking to get their music on radio and their profiles expanded. Her current list of clients includes the crème de la crème of Americana – Jaime Wyatt, Jesse Daniel, Charley Crockett, Western Centuries, American Aquarium, Joshua Ray Walker and Whitney Rose among them.

Many of the album reviews at Lonesome Highway and tracks that feature on our weekly Radio Show on 103.2 Dublin City FM, come courtesy of Angela Backstrom Promotions. We can certainly vouch for Angela’s professionalism, enthusiasm and faultless efficiency in our ongoing dealings with her. She set aside the time to chat with us recently and, as you will gather, she has no intention of allowing the current pandemic to dampen her spirits or those of the musicians she supports.

Had you worked in PR or Radio in Australia prior to moving to the U.S.A?

Many, many years ago I helped out on a friend’s weekly show on PBS Radio back in Melbourne, Australia. So I had a few years being around the DJ world and seeing what goes into the programming side. I always enjoyed being behind the scenes and I really love local community radio.

Was country/roots your music of choice growing up?

My grandmother was a big country music fan so a lot of Dolly and Merle in my early days.  Mostly growing up in the 90s back in Melbourne I was listening to an array of genres. High school was all about grunge and then being an angsty teenager, I headed to the punk and goth scenes. In my 20s I found Britpop, Northern Soul and Jump Blues and during that period delved into the Alt Country and Rockabilly world.

Can you recall the first country song that turned your head?

Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colours. I still get emotional hearing that song.  It’s just so easy to connect too.

Your interest in country goes way beyond the music. The fashion side of the genre is also very close to your heart. Did the music or the style come first?

I’ve always been obsessed with fashion. I used to work as a stylist for a few years for a photography studio with some of the most incredible photographers in Melbourne. I was lucky enough to use my own wardrobe for many editorial photo shoots. Later I worked as a buyer for a ladies’ clothing label so was able to create the feel and look of the brand.  Back then we would travel internationally to see the latest styles and know what we needed to do back in Australia. Fashion was always my first love. Before my husband Al and I moved to the USA back in 2010 I had emailed a few Etsy designers that were making western clothing. I was lucky enough that one of them got back to me on making my first custom western suit.

That was Jerry Lee Atwood (Union Western) he makes all the Post Malone suits and I’m sure you have seen Orville Peck in one of his creations last Americana Fest.  Then the first place Al and I relocated to in 2013 was in Bloomington, Indiana and that is close to where Jerry lives so I got first-hand experience with him learning about the art of Chainstitch. Such a great experience. My collection has become a little insane over the years. I am always trying to collect pieces from the designers that dressed the Country Music stars in the day.

You hosted a weekly radio show from Bloomington when you were living in that city. How did you manage to get that radio show a Saturday morning prime time slot?

I had a meeting with Jim Manion the Music Director/Founder at WFHB when I was helping put on a live Americana Music Series with a friend. We wanted to buy some underwriting with the station to get the word out about the music we were hosting – Zoe Muth, Otis Gibbs. That same day after the meeting Jim emailed me and asked me if I was interested in a show. They had a spot. And Hell, I was in America as if I was going to say No. It was Saturday mornings 8-10 am, bi-weekly and later weekly: an all free form, alt.country show - Sweetheart of the Radio was born!

Were you also doing PR work at that time?

No. After I got my USA work permit, I decided that Radio Promotion would be something I would enjoy doing. So, I moved out from behind the mic and on to the telephone. I have over 20+ years in sales experience so it was fun to use that experience on a job that I knew would be really rewarding. Talking about music and artists all day is easily my dream job.

Who were the first acts you represented? 

My first two artists were Jason Wilber and Austin Lucas. Both based in Bloomington IN and great friends of ours. Jason really helped launch my business as he was a huge help in getting the artist side across to me. He helped me with my research, my very first mailing and telephone lists. Jason Wilber was playing guitar with John Prine and he had so much experience in this world. That was really the start of it all. Austin Lucas, a very dear friend, helped me to start working with Last Chance Records who were one of the first labels to take a chance working with me. I feel very fortunate to have formed those early friendships.

Your current clients are the cream of both the emerging and more established Americana acts. Do you identify and canvas acts for work or do they come to you?

I used to do more of the A & R work early days but now I have enough referrals that I try to mostly just work with repeat clients and their friends that they send to me. I’m lucky enough to consider most everyone I work with to be a friend. The interesting part is the bands I used to play on my old radio show before I became a promoter are all mostly my clients now. Feels like a full circle. And it feels honest because my old show used to be about finding those artists that not everyone knew about but were so absolutely worthy of airplay.  My business was always founded on these artists and how could I help them. The chart game is important, but I always firmly believe in the long game. The more I work with an artist to radio the better it gets. Sometimes we have early success but sometimes it takes two to three records. I also believe in not sugar coating anything. I think being realistic is the only way to earn trust.

What process do you go through before signing an act?

The Artist or Label will send me a Soundcloud. If I like the music, we will have a call and discuss details. The artist might be interviewing several promoters. Generally, it’s all about finding a publicist for print and radio that you know will fight for your project. I’m also working with so many more women these days and on many all women teams. And it’s cool. I really enjoy that many women are trying to lift other women up also. It’s long overdue.

What do you find to be the most difficult aspects of getting their music radio airplay?

Competition is hard. The more established acts will generally be added to radio faster that a new act. It’s incredibly hard to break an artist to radio without a big team. It can be done but it’s in no way easy. Over the years most of the DJs and Music Directors see what kind of projects I work and know that I only work quality records that are important to me. I book out generally (before Covid-19) five to six months in advance. Times are very different now for my music friends on when to release music. The pandemic also spun radio in many directions.  My artists lost the ability to do the usual radio tours so every week I try to schedule zoom/phone interviews/DJ guest spots - any new ways to connect.  Many people don’t realise the size of teams working on projects. It’s important to be realistic with your target, especially for a new artist to the genre.

Do you set yourself specific targets with each individual act?

Target is always airplay and interviews.  With repeat clients we are always trying to beat the last result. Some clients will express chart goals. But it really is up to the radio stations to love the music. I can get the record listened to and to the top of the listening stack, but the artist/ music must win each station over.

What’s a typical Angela Backstrom working day?

Turn on espresso machine, coffee, look at tracking, check emails, look at daily call times, check off contacted stations, count spins, breakfast, make calls, send emails, load up singles, work on postage list, listen to radio stations, text folks, client calls, listen to new music, more emails, tracking spins, tracking reports, lunch, Really the paperwork is endless … The only break we get is December when the chart closes for three weeks.  It really never stops.  January can be a little quiet but otherwise it’s go, go, go.

Given the present pandemic and the uncertainty of many venues opening their doors for live music in the near future, do you foresee many of the lesser established artists leaving the industry or settling for part-time musical careers?

None of my folks will give up … I feel like I have chosen most of my folks because of how much they want it. The music industry will continue to pivot. We are all trying to find our feet still.  Every week there’s something new to deal with. 2020 has been such a tough time on the business I love. 

Final questions. What artist past or present would you most like to meet?

Dolly Parton: total badass and the best in the business. Respect for life.

And what fashion piece would you most like to get your hands on?

I don’t have a Nudie Suit… That’s on my bucket list.

Interview by Declan Culliton

Prinz Grizzley (Chris Comper) Interview

Chris Comper - the fine musician using the pseudonym Prinz Grizzley - resides in the Bregenz Forest area of Voralberg in Austria. Lonesome Highway caught up with him to discuss his recently released album as well as his thoughts on getting back on the road, both in Austria and further afield, in these unsettling times.

His second solo album is titled TO MY GREEN MOUNTAINS HOME, which we have recently reviewed and it follows his well-received 2017 recording COME ON IN. With the new album completed and ready for release, like many other artists, he was faced with the dilemma of sitting on it for a while to await easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions giving him the option to tour in support of the album.  

‘Yeah, I really was thinking about that option. But then I heard of so many artists delaying their releases that I thought I had better stick to my plan. There’s so much music out there anyway and if all the better known artists release new music around the same time, you can be sure to get swallowed in the masses. I took the risk of the release in favour of maybe getting heard right now. I will live with the disadvantage of not selling any of it at live shows. You can’t have everything.’

Chris is pragmatic on the effect the pandemic has had on both his work schedule and the manner in which the Government has dealt with the virus in Austria.

‘Apart from not being able to play live shows, it has not had too dramatic an effect for me. Me and my wife just got another baby in March, so we can´t complain about having too much time on our hands. I think our Government is doing a good job: they acted early enough and avoided many deaths through that. I think it is time to swing back to normal life now, step away from the panic and start to analyse these events and learn our lessons from it. Right now, we do have to wear masks in shops and public transportation, but there´s an end in sight on that too. We are allowed to have events with 250 people from July on, but with very strict rules.’

The opportunity to perform locally may indeed unfold, but the option to travel further afield with his band The Beargaroos, remains uncertain.

‘To be honest, I really don’t know if there will be any touring this year. I will focus on getting some weekend shows in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, as I don’t know yet whether travelling to other European countries will be an option. I haven´t tried too hard yet to reach out to venues either, because everything is still a bit uncertain. A few shows that I would have had in spring are now delayed until Autumn. I hope the venues and agents don’t face bankruptcy We will see how many venues still exist come September.’

His latest album is a combination of some material that was written for his debut solo album, together with some more recent compositions. Interestingly, the motivation for some of the tracks emanated from preparations for his first appearances at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in 2017. With the opportunity to perform on no less than six occasions with his band over the weekend at the festival, Chris wanted to make certain that he had ample material to draw on.

‘I wrote three or four songs from the latest album in early 2017. I had just got booked to play Kilkenny Roots Festival for the first time and the organiser John Cleere asked for a 90-minute set which I had, but I was missing some faster songs. So, I wrote Longing for a Fire, Drifting (the old version) and I think Meet Me at the Pines especially for this Kilkenny set. And they have stuck in the set list since then. I guess, sometimes all it needs is half an hour and a bit of pressure to write. The other songs came out of a pool of around 60-plus songs I wrote after or around COME ON IN was released.’

The new album was produced by Beau Bedford, who has an impressive list of employers to his name in recent years, both as a producer and session player. He’s worked with country outlaw extrovert Paul Cauthen, Texas Gentlemen and Jonathan Tyler to name but a few and his engagement with Chris came about quite fortuitously. 

‘Imagine, you are an artist coming from Austria, you have just released an album, then you get to play the Americana U.K. in London. You go for dinner and by chance you sit next to who you think is only the keyboarder of a really awesome band.  You get talking, he´s a really nice guy, and you share contact details. Then just before you leave for SXSW, your pedal steel player tells you he looked that guy up, then tells you that he is  Beau Bedford who has not only played on that Texas Gentlemen record, but has produced it as well as another record you really dig, sound and song wise, by Paul Cauthen. Then you meet him again in Austin, pass him a demo, two month later he calls you to say he´s in. I mean, that is unreal isn´t it? What was the question again? But what really influenced my decision was, I was a big fan of his productions, before I even knew he produced them.’

Chris invited Bedford to Austria to oversee the recording at Nautilus Studios in Dornbirn, rather than travelling to the USA to record the album.

‘Yes, that´s right, he came over to record with me here in Austria. We chose to do so because I wanted to have my steady backing band "The Beargaroos" play on the songs. We had already played a bunch of the songs live that then ended up on the album. I didn´t want to rob my gang of the fruits of their hard work and let someone else play their parts. The last three years they have travelled with me through highs and lows and supported me where they could. I couldn´t have asked for a better band, thanks guys, I love you all.

‘I think for Beau it was a great experience, too. By coming over he could see and breath what inspires so much of my music. We hiked a bit in the mountains, he looked out the same window as I did when I wrote those songs, got to know my family, and so on. I guess through knowing all that, it was so easy to work on the recording with him. We had a great time in these Austrian mountains.’

The material deals with a range of issues, but the sanctuary of home is visited on a number of occasions, which is obviously very close to Chris’ heart. The prospect of travelling and touring may appear glamorous but a clear message from the album is the importance of having a strong home base to return to.

‘The first time I was seeking for "fame and glory" I was 20 years old. Me and my band mates quit our jobs, bought an old VW van and went straight to London, thinking they were waiting for us over there.  After two months sleeping and living in a tent in Crystal Palace with endless miles of looking for shows and money slowly running out, I had this weird dream. I could clearly see the mountains of home. I started running towards them but they kept being in the distance and I wasn´t able to reach them. I started crying and shouting and felt really desperate. When I woke up, I knew there´s only one place on earth where I will always long to be.’

He closes the album with The Salty Life Of The Ocean, which reinforces this point and also the importance of the sequencing of the songs on the album.

‘For me the sequence of songs is really important, not just on this new album. I don’t want the singles or what I think are the best songs on tracks 1,2,3 or 4. I want the album to work in its whole and people to explore the songs and get soaked in the world I tried to create. I never write a song and then think ‘oh this is a single’. When I write an interesting song, I immediately think of a counterpart to it. I always think in terms of album tracks, rather than singles, I don’t know why.’

COME ON IN included a powerful and personal song titled Walls.  It was composed after Chris had visited his ailing grandfather in the nursing home where he spent his final days, having suffered a number of strokes. He has travelled back a further generation with the song Shovel, the subject matter containing an intriguing narrative.

‘It’s about my great grandfather, some real events, some fiction. The fact is he emigrated from Italy into our region in search for work, like many others. They weren't treated very well. I wouldn't say like slaves, but it was not welcomed when outsiders like him married a woman from these villages and settled down. I owe him a lot as he was brave, left his home behind and started a new life somewhere else. Who knows, without that move I maybe would be a professional soccer player in Italy.’

Equally powerful are the lyrics in Magdalena, which reads like a traditional ‘stand by your man’ country song. However, with that sentiment considered from the male perspective, it takes on a somewhat divergent drift.

‘Magdalena is a dedication to all strong women out there. Women who have been put through a lot by the men by their sides, but stood true to them because they knew it wasn´t all hope lost, sometimes beneath the dirt there lies a diamond. This song was very much inspired by one of my favourite albums by Bob Dylan, DESIRE. And yes, my wife´s name is Magdalena.’

Having recorded indie rock albums in a previous life, his two solo recordings are very much in the roots music category. I wondered if he had found his musical home yet, or was he still in transition?

‘What I like most about the music direction I am on now is that it is about the song. This Americana genre is so awesome. On an album you can put a blues song next to a country song, followed by a soulful rocker and nobody gets hurt. There's so much diversity. For me that means total freedom. Hell yes, I feel at home.’

He mentioned the musicians and bands that gradually drew him away from indie and towards a more roots-based sound.

‘I have been listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival since I was a young kid and I always loved their roots orientated sound, still do. I think to get where I am now was kind of a process. I listened to Ryan Adams since his debut, then around 2004 a friend introduced me to John Hiatt with the great album CROSSING MUDDY WATERS. When I lived in London for the second time in 2006, I discovered the Delta Blues with the likes of Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf. All this roots music was in the back of my mind and slowly but surely making its way through into my song writing. For example, I wrote I Can See Darkness for what would be the last album of my band, but it didn´t fit the other songs. When the band broke up I wasn´t too sure where I wanted to go sound wise. Just then I discovered Daniel Romano (genius) and it clicked.  The music I had been listening for years broke through and I started writing what would become my debut solo album.’

 Never afraid to pull his sleeves up and continue on his musical voyage, an invitation followed to showcase at Americana Fest in Nashville in 2018. The opportunity provided the prospect to both establish a wider fanbase and make useful contacts and connections.

‘It was a really great experience to even be involved in the festival. Nobody is waiting on you and there is a lot competition there, but if you don’t visit the wolves cave, you can’t make progress in howling.’

We’ve all had a wakeup call by recent events and are essentially living through historical times both politically and environmentally. Signing off, Chris articulated his hopes for 2021 and beyond.

‘This may sound like a "Miss Universe" thank you speech, but I wish mankind the wisdom to learn from all these events, finally. Show respect to the human being next to you and to nature. Through this shut-down nature could take a deep breath. We all should be aware to not use the car every time, or to avoid taking the plane for just a weekend trip, which could add a lot to the health of our environment.’

Interview by Declan Culliton

For over two decades, Paul Burch's unique interpretation of American rhythms and roots music has attracted fans and collaborators from both the punk to honky tonk fraternity. Burch’s latest album LIGHT SENSITIVE has recently been released on Plowboy Records. It features a dozen parables about living in the modern south. Lonesome Highway recently caught up with him to discuss that album, his career and his thoughts on being a musician and living in these strange and straitened times.

Looking over your career is it panning out pretty much how you thought it would? 

I never thought very far ahead so I feel very fortunate.  Like everyone, I often feel like I slip through a door right before it disappears. I always wanted to make records. My parents and their friends brought home new records with a sense of pageantry. A good album was played over and over again. I heard a lot of jazz growing up. Early rock and roll. Jimmy Cliff’s THE HARDER THEY COME and Steve Wonder’s INNERVISIONS were on all the time. I loved John Lee Hooker. And my grandparents had the same love for music. My grandfather loved opera. My grandmother played good boogie woogie piano and loved Count Basie and Sinatra. In the Washington D.C. area where I grew up, there were two record collectors –Dick Spottswood and Joe Boussard—who had radio shows that featured early blues and country 78s. They’d play songs like I Got Your Ice Cold Nu Grape by the Nu Grape Twins and Terraplane Blues by Robert Johnson. Records that were hard to forget. D.C. had a great jazz scene. Flautist Lloyd McNeil had a group that played a lot. Les McCaan was a family friend. Bands like the Nighthawks and Evan Johns and the H Bombs were in town all the time. Even if I was just sleeping in the car outside, I could hear the music.  

I didn’t have any idea what kind of place Nashville was when I came. But I had friends here who told me it would be a good place for me as a songwriter. I knew it was a recording town. But I didn’t want to be famous, I just wanted to be included. The first artists I met were members of Lambchop and Tom House—a fine poet and songwriter. They were just like me: they wanted to make records. They were very supportive of the way I was trying to blend together a lot of different kinds of music. I had no goals to speak of other than to figure out to how to make a good record. We were also punk rock kids. We grew up with the idea that you should own the fruits of your labor. That single mindedness –and the fact that I wanted to be in charge of my work—insulated me from a lot of risky business decisions. So, I feel very lucky for the way things have turned out so far.   

I’m still fascinated that you can record the same people in the same studio a year apart and the two sessions won’t sound anything alike.  I still daydream about music the same way I did when I was a boy. I mediate on sounds. The birds in the daytime. The crickets at night. The sound the trees make in the wind. I will often look at a photograph and imagine the kind of music that might go with it. I can close my eyes and hear the ocean if I need to. Good actors can do that. They store away sensations. In Nashville, where the caliber of musicianship is very high, the very best hear so fast and feel so deeply that you can almost sense electricity coming off them. I think fiddler Billy Contreras is like that. The one time I did a session with bassist Roy Husky Jr., I wasn’t even in control of my hands. He stood just a few feet from me and taught me what to do intuitively. After the session, I sat in my car trying to remember everything I had learned from watching and listening to him. I wondered if musicians who played with Charlie Christian felt like I did. Roy took my breath away. That was my introduction to Nashville. My pal Dennis Crouch makes that impression on me whenever I hear him. I'm a better musician everytime we play. 

Would you have changed anything with hindsight? 

My regrets are pretty small. Today, I wish more people could see us perform. But I know that if I had been on the road more, I might not have had a home to come home to. I was self-aware enough when I started to know that to improve as a writer, I had to have the peace and security that comes with having a home. Having a family matures you. In comparison, I saw friends of mine come home from the road with a hard shell—a kind of meanness—that just wasn’t my style. And it’s also tough to write if you’re worried about the logistics of the road.   

I love to perform. It’s a vital part of good musicianship. But the touring business is a racket and you have to be careful.  A couple weeks at a time is fine. Your voice loosens up and you start to surprise yourself. After three weeks, you get in a groove and every show is in the A-range. But stay out any longer and real life begins to fade away. Your day revolves around the few hours between waking up and soundcheck. You become like a prowling panther circling its pray, saving up your energy for the kill—getting on stage. You lose track of the arc that people live by.  You call home and nothing anyone says makes any sense.  There’s a line in Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row about getting a letter from home: 
“All these people that you mention, Yes, I know them they’re quite lame,  I had to rearrange their faces , And give them all another name”

Part of being a professional is keeping your hand on what’s important. Some cats fall apart in the real world once they’ve had that high that music brings. I would guess that most composers enjoy a balance of both. 

A friend took me to see the Daniel Fish production of Oklahoma last Christmas on Broadway. The show brought us to tears. We were in the lobby afterwards, just trying to wrap our heads around what we had just seen. Within minutes after the curtain came down all the actors came out in their street clothes, walked straight by us, and blended into the Broadway night. If you can do that, you can make it. My career is more like an expedition—trying to find those people who I feel have hidden gifts they don’t see in themselves. I want to create an environment so they can discover what I see in them.  

You were one of the musicians that helped to revitalize the music scene in Lower Broadway in the early 90s. How do you view that area now? 

It might as well be another planet now. But it was a priceless experience back then. Playing downtown sharpened my musicianship and toughened me up. When you do a four-hour show, you discover where your voice can go, how to handle a crowd, how to put together a set list, and lead a band. But those joints were tough. I did all my work at Tootsies and there were two owners at the time. They were suing each other. One time, one of the owners forged the other’s signature to sell the bar. When the other owner found out, he came to our show, got on the plywood stage, shushed us down, held up a shot gun and said into the mic: “Show’s over. Time for you mother fuckers to go home.”  Man, I didn’t even turn off my amp. I just picked it up and walked out the back. I have quite a few live recordings we made back then and they’re strong. We weren’t a great band, but we were different, we loved what we were doing.  

During the day I was meeting musicians who were secret heroes of mine.  My first session was with Vassar Clements. My second was with Owen Bradley at the Bradley Barn. There was a couch in the main studio and Owen sat there with his sailor’s cap and mahogany cane in front of a giant grey book cabinet that held Patsy Cline session tapes. Our steel guitarist Paul Niehaus was warming up. Paul came with me from Lambchop and helped form the WPA Ballclub.  Owen heard Paul and said: “He sounds like Jerry Byrd! He’s using the same inversions.” I thought: “Ok, I better find out what an inversion is.”  

Every studio, even the tiny places, had a multi-track tape machine.  If you knew the engineer, you could sneak into a studio on the weekend with a reel of tape, record all day, and walk home with an album. The older session musicians were absolute gentleman. Whatever you had in your pocket, they would help you out if you had your act together.  We just cut a session with Charlie McCoy who played on Oh Pretty Woman and BLONDE ON BLONDE and Simon & Garfunkel’s The Boxer. Records that will last forever. Before we ever played a note, we talked for an hour about his life and how he got started. How he used to hide his Little Walter records from his Mom and Dad. But once the red light was on, he was switch blade serious. And everything he did was dynamite. 

I believe you knew and played with Bucky Baxter who recently passed away? 

I did. Bucky had just left Bob Dylan when we met him. He used to sit in on steel with us at Tootsie’s. Bucky played a 6-string with Bob, but Niehaus played an 8-string. When Bucky came up to play, he took the two “extra” strings off, threw them in the crowd, and re-tuned the steel while playing a solo. At the end of the night, Bucky would take us to the Hermitage Café at 2 in the morning and play Dwight Yoakam’s Fast As You over and over again on the jukebox.  He’d tell us crazy stories like after he quit touring with Steve Earle, he flew planes from Central America with Pablo Escobar’s drugs. He’d say: “Dylan would love you guys.  He wants to be a hillbilly singer so bad.”  And sure enough, Bob took BR549 on the road.  Lucinda Williams and John Prine came to our very first gig at Tootsie’s. Raul Malo of the Mavericks came out and gave me and Paul a lot of encouragement.  

There were a lot less people downtown back then…

Oh yes. Downtown was very funky. And during the week it was dead quiet. You could stand on Lower Broadway late at night and hear the creak of the Ernest Tubb Record Store sign as it turned ‘round and ‘round. I felt like ET was looking right at me. “Go home kid!”  I worked for a while stocking records there and found a box of sheet music for Walking the Floor Over You in the basement from 1941. Up the street there was a junk shop on 2nd avenue that had piles of acetates—funerals, sermons, and record booth recordings of fiddle players and carnival barkers who just wanted to hear their voice on vinyl. 

Back then Bill Monroe played every week at a little club outside of town called the Bell Cove.  If he was in a good mood, he’d talk about DeFord Bailey. If he was in a bad mood, he’d pretend he couldn’t hear you. One time he wasn’t feeling well so I got up and sang I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome in B, a pretty high key. He wrote that with Hank. I didn’t think he was listening. But when I came back the next week, I was sitting at a round table and he came from the other side, took my hand and pulled me across the table—he was very strong. “I sure appreciate you helping me out last week, boy. That was mighty fine.”  

I was backstage once at the Opry and his fiddle player was showing off an old Martin D-28 he had just bought. Bill stopped him and said: “Come here boy…that’s Hank Williams’ guitar isn’t it? I’ve been looking for that guitar. I always wondered what happened to it.”  Bill pulled out a piece of paper in his wallet with a serial number in pencil and sure enough, it was the same guitar. Now this was 1994 and Hank had been dead since New Year’s Eve 1952. No one cared about these crazy fellows but for us, they were like the first generation of daredevil pilots. 

There’s no doubt these are strange time for musicians, so how have the changes that have come around in regards to selling albums, performing and keeping your name out there affected you?

Every time I put out a record, the business has changed a little more. When the pandemic begins to fade, there’s going to be a lot of people who won’t come back to the card game. For now, I’m content with trying to make the best records I can and to perform anywhere I’m asked to go. The only complaint I have about Nashville is that musicians get a little overheated about their career and forget that what an audience wants is a great performance. If people are willing to meet you halfway—get a date, go to dinner, pay the door, buy a beer, and take a seat—then you have to make them feel welcome. People assume that if you’re on stage, you want to be there, you’re rehearsed, and you’ve got something to say. So, make them feel good about giving you a chance. Today, the business is like a game of 3-card Monte. The game was never meant to be played fairly. The only way you can win is if you don’t play.  

It’s a good while since you toured in Ireland and Europe. Is that a financial consideration or has they been other reasons why you can’t tour as much as you did?

The only reason I haven’t played overseas in a few years is because the shows haven’t been there. I miss traveling. But I’m philosophical about it. There are many artists I admire who have gone years without a full calendar and all of a sudden, they will be in demand again. Often the smallest changes in your life can make a great difference in how you perform and how you’re perceived. Success is rarely logical or convenient. So, you just have to be ready and be present every day. Which is how you’d want to be anyway.

What decides your choice of direction when you set out to make an album?

Most of the time when I call a session together, I’m not thinking about a new album. What seems to work for me is to first focus on recording three or four new songs that feel good. When I listen back to what we’ve done, the strongest songs will stand out and from there, I’ll try to lean in that direction. If one of the musicians is playing a new instrument, I’ll encourage them to bring it to the session. New sounds will influence how we play off one another.  

Originally, I was hoping the new album, LIGHT SENSITIVE would be built around loops—repeating rhythms and phrases. That’s an idea I’ve had for a long time. But then in the middle of my writing, I was asked to write songs based on Eugene Walter for the Southern Foodways Alliance conference in Oxford, Mississippi.  Eugene was a fascinating character who was a writer, poet, theater director, and cook who wrote about the history of southern food culture. He also lived in Paris and Rome in the 1950s and acted in a few of Fellini’s films. I had lived in Oxford for a short time, so it was a good trip for me. My favorite songs from that project seemed to fall right into the sound I was originally hoping for. In the end, LIGHT SENSITIVE turned out quite rich, like a series of small film scores.  So, to answer your question, I can plan ahead about what I’d like to do, but I don’t really know what will work until I hear the playback. Whatever feels good to me and everyone else usually sets the direction.  

What denotes a WPA Ballclub album from a Paul Burch album?

It’s a bit arbitrary. But the WPAB is with me on everything and they are never anything less than invaluable. Sometimes the artwork just looks better to have the full name on the cover. The new album feels a bit more like a “band” album to me. MERIDIAN RISING required me to play the role of Jimmie Rodgers—or at least be a spokesman for his imaginary journal. The songs were small soliloquies. The words had to push the music. I felt I had to be a little more out front. In contrast, LIGHT SENSITIVE is a bit more modern. And it’s about a region rather than a person. All the rhythms are based on grooves you’d hear in New Orleans or southern Mississippi. The music and the lyrics push and pull together. Jean Garrigue required us to do some careful arranging together compared to –say—Fast Fuse Blues which was pretty much roll tape and play. I love both styles. 

Even when you are recoding under your own name you have a lot of the same musicians working with you. Do you feel most comfortable with these players and do you like to throw in the occasional wild card into the mix?

I put the band together based on musicianship but also around people I like, people who share my outlook about music. The WPAB are all very interesting, uniquely gifted people who could be producers themselves if they chose to be. As a band leader, it’s up to me to provide a place where they can relax and just play out. Sometimes to make it in Nashville you have to hide away what you love the most. If you get a reputation for just playing R&B, you might not get called to a pop session even though you can play both.  In contrast, I try to focus on what musicians love to do.  For instance, when I was making STILL YOUR MAN, our longtime bassist and co-producer Dennis Crouch had been listening to a lot of Duck Dunn from Booker T & the MGs.  We were working on a song called Lead Me On. I asked Dennis how Duck Dunn would play the melody and he came up with the bass line that starts the song. That’s my favourite part of the tune now. Fats Kaplin and I have also played together for 25 years. During the pandemic crisis he’s been playing a lot of Hawaiian steel guitar so I invited him to work on some Sol Hoopi classics we can record with ukulele—for the hell of it. It’s a great sound. Maybe we’ll write something together. So, on one hand they are my band. But I’m also their rhythm guitar player. We make a powerful sound together. And we’re just as surprised at the racket we can make as anybody. As for adding a wild card, I think every band should. Whether it’s Roy Agee from Prince’s band or Charlie, I’m always eager to bring in great people. Someday, all of them are going to show up and there will be 20 people on stage. 

You once said that recoding with Ralph Stanley was a highlight of your career. Can you define what why and what other outstanding memories have there been? 

Recording with Ralph was a wonderful opportunity that came about because Laura Cantrell and I had done a short tour with him. We talked quite a bit about the Stanley Brothers on that trip.  Little Glass of Wine was a favourite of mine and it was the first record he made with his brother Carter. Our session was a nice way to acknowledge that we had become friends. It was a great honor for me, but he treated me like a colleague. He was very prepared—easy going, very focused. From a singer’s point of view, I felt the tone in my voice wasn’t too far off from Carter’s so I gambled we would make a good record. And it worked. He told my wife he thought my tone reminded him of Carter which was very kind of him. It’s a big responsibility to produce Ralph. I wanted people to hear him how he hears himself. He sings mountain music, not bluegrass.

Part of getting better is narrowing the distance between what you hear in your imagination and what you can actually do. When you’re up against someone who sings so beautifully, all you can do is try to be yourself. Singing harmony is fascinating. You’re naturally inclined to find a place where you and the other person can make a unique, third sound.  If you find it, it’s beautiful.  And it only belongs to you and the other singer.  As for other guests, I mostly vibe on it. I’m drawn to people who are unique. I think the first person I admired from afar that we brought in was Ranger Doug of Riders in the Sky. Ranger Doug is a great rhythm guitar player. We play similar roles in our groups. For me, his presence was also special because I knew his musicianship was informed by people he had worked with like Herb Jeffries and the Sons of the Pioneers—both heroes of mine. Everyone I meet has added something to my musicianship. To them it might not have been a big deal but to me, it was impactful.  

You have recorded and been located in Nashville for quite some time. Is that how you prefer to create?  

I’m not sure I’d call it a preference. It’s my home and the world does seem to come to Nashville eventually. There is nothing quite like being in an environment where there are so many good people. But I don’t think I have to be in Nashville to be creative. The city has turned into an outdoor mall with a very large parking lot. The studios—and the musicians—can’t really afford to be here any longer. And neither can the small clubs and bars and funky little shops that a music community thrives on. I think the world crisis will affect the city in ways we can’t see yet. But the diversity is much, much better. Still has a long way to go, though.

You have your own studio. Is that still where you record and tell me a little about why you like it?

I do still use my studio. It’s a funky spot. If you get too loud, the room fights back. But it has a unique presence and a unique sound. And for all its limitations it does accurately represent the band.  If we’re having a good day, it will show up on tape. To some degree, my favourite engineers like Sam Phillips from Sun Records and Tom Dowd from Atlantic were like good cooks. They made use of everything.  You couldn’t record a lot of drums or bass at Sun Records.  But Sam found a way to compensate. A lot of the great records on Atlantic—John Coltrane, Ray Charles—were recorded in an office. At night, they would just push the desks and couches against the wall and set up some mics.  My studio is a bit informal, too. You can get very close together without wearing headphones and just play. That influences our performance quite a bit. As long as I remember to plug the mics in, we can usually make a good sounding record. 

How would you define your own music?

As strange as you might think this answer is, I call it rock and roll. If I’m listening to the Staple Singers, you’ll hear some Pops Staples in my guitar sound. If I’m listening to Leon Russell, I’ll encourage Jen Gunderman or Heather Moulder to lead us on piano. If Fats is playing tenor banjo, I’ll ask him to work it into whatever I’m writing. My favourite artists are stylists who would sing anything they liked. Sam Cooke. Charlie Rich. Ray Charles described himself as a ball player. He can catch. He can throw. He can bat. Chuck Berry played Hawaiian music, blues, rock and roll, and Calypso. I mainly draw my inspiration from rhythm. Playing rhythm guitar or drums is probably the best way I can contribute to a group. I’m happy to sing, but I’m even more inclined to help set the feel. The WPA’s drummer Justin Amaral intuitively plays what I would want to play so I get the best of both worlds. I learn a lot from hearing everyone play their part. 

Where you happy LIGHT SENSITIVE in all its facets?

I am, thank you. I thought the band played beautifully and some of the songs I think are among the best sessions we’ve ever had. Dennis Crouch and I worked very well together. It was Heather Moulder’s first album and she played wonderful piano. Jen Gunderman became Fats Domino on Boogie Back.  But as with most of our albums, every tune was cut in one or two takes. We have a good time. As Charlie says, when the red light is on, then it’s serious. But in between takes, we’re just trying to figure the tune out. I relish the camaraderie as much as I do the music. Even if I wrote the song, I have to learn it, too. 

What is the future of roots/county music now? Do you think that people are looking for something more authentic?

It wouldn’t surprise me if roots and country music became even harder to pin down as the best musicians start blending different kinds of styles together. I think there’s more appreciation today for the true roots of country music which is—and always has been—the blues.  The record business is a bit of a mess so it wouldn’t hurt if we spend the next year getting acquainted with audiences again before we go back in the studio. I think authenticity is a fool’s errand. What is authenticity? I grew up on a farm and I know what horse manure smells like—as Hank Williams once said—but that doesn’t give me any special credentials to sing country music. I would say I’m a rock and roll singer who loves good country music. But I’m sure what I call “good” might not be the same artists that you like. And that’s the way it should be. 

Your writing often stems from a real situation or place. Do you research a story once you have decided to write a song about it?

Every tune seems to be different. I think when I wrote Gunter Hotel Blues, I had no idea the hotel was haunted or that a famous murder had occurred there in addition to the Robert Johnson sessions. I knew Jimmie Rodgers had kept a room there. Most of the other details were based on just riffs that came into my head. My uncle told me his grandmother, Lena, died in their home when he was a child, so she found her way into the song. 23rd Artillery Punch on the new album was based on Eugene Walter’s drink recipe. I had to add some other ingredients. You wouldn’t normally put avocado in a drink. But I found out that in the deep south, some people call them “alligator pears” and I wanted to have that in the lyric. The best songs seem to come all at once and I barely have time to write them down. If I’m writing about a place or person and I don’t know a specific detail, I will go back and try to find a detail that might fit. When I’m not in the mood to write, I’m always reading or listening to music. Names, places, and odd details find their way into my imagination.  

You mostly write solo but do you enjoy working with other writers?

I love writing with other people but like great friendship, it either blooms or it doesn’t. Writing with a partner requires a love for theatre and for the absurd—for making a show out of nothing. Dennis Crouch and I only recently started writing music together after 25 years playing nose to nose. And we have a great time. Jon Langford and I wrote “Great Chicago Fire” in about 15 minutes—just passing a notebook back and forth. I’d love to write with Amy Rigby or Amy Allison. They are two of the great writers of our day. I love Kevin Gordon and I hope we can write sometime. Friends of mine come up with lines and ideas all the time. There are lots of classics by writers who didn’t think of themselves as writers. Al Bell who ran Stax Records wrote one song—I’ll Take You There—for the Staples Singers. Can you imagine a better song? Having a good experience writing with someone gives you the confidence to put the pen down when you’re stuck. But sometimes you just have to solve it yourself. Every tune is different and seems to have its own code. 

Do you keep notice of your contemporaries and can you recommend any who have made an impact on you?

I have a DJ show on WXNA in Nashville so I get to hear a lot of good new music.  The band Longneck I quite like. Jr. Thomas and the Volcanoes. My neighbors Tommy Womack and Will Kimbrough are making good records. Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift live nearby and they’re always making new music. Jessie Antonick recorded my tune “Last of My Kind” and did a beautiful job—lovely voice. My old friend Phil Lee has been working with Crazy Horse. On the big stage, Kendrick Lamar put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in a big arena. I’ve seen Guided by Voices several times and I always hear a 2-minute song that sounds like the best thing I’ve ever heard. Thanks to your introduction, I’ve seen Elvis Costello every time he’s come to town and he’s always taking chances.

Aside from music what other interests do you have? 

I draw quite a bit. My son wants to be a film director, so we are working our way through the Criterion Collection. I’d love to visit Cuba. I’d like to see more of America and write for other artistic mediums like the stage or film. LIGHT SENSITIVE and MERIDIAN RISING gave me the chance to expand my horizons and move a little farther away from familiar sounds.     

What’s next? Are there any musicians and singers who you would like to work with?

I think I’d learn a lot from working with Luther Dickinson. I love his musicianship and we always have a good time together. I’d love to make a record with Booker T. Rhiannon Giddens is wonderful. The composer Paola Prestini—she’s very far out. Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who is a young cellist. I’d love to put Dennis and Christian McBride together on dual upright basses. I recently started an education program called Catfish & Onion with my friend Catie Baumer Schwalb who is a chef and photographer. We want to introduce kids to food and music traditions and show how they are connected.  It’s a combination of history and current events. After making Light Sensitive, I feel the band is entering a new phase—more open, more experimental, more cheeky.  As time goes on, we get closer to “beyond category” as Duke Ellington called his music. That would be a nice place be.

Interview by Stephen Rapid

Interview with Joey Allcorn

Traditional country singer Joel Allcorn was born in 1980. To date he has released three albums and has just releases an EP titled STATE OF HEARTBREAK after a break of 6 years. His debut album was titled 50 YEARS TOO LATE which, in some ways, sums up his ethos. However he, as with any independent artist performing today, has to work within the realities of the current state of music industry. Lonesome Highway recently had the opportunity to ask Allcorn some questions about his life and times.

Can you tell me about your background growing up in Columbus, Georgia, What were your earliest memories?

Mostly just things around the house with my grandparents to be honest. There wasn’t (and still isn’t) much that goes on in Columbus. It’s a big city, the second biggest in Georgia actually, but also a very remote city since there is no interstate that passes through. Some people have called it the worlds largest cul-de-sac and that’s a pretty good way to think of it. You don’t really go there unless you have a specific reason to do so, there isn’t much to do or see.

Was your mother being a Hank Williams Sr. fan something that have left an indelible mark on your consciousness. When did that translate into action and making your own music?

I wouldn’t really say she was a big Hank Williams Sr. fan, she grew up listening to mostly rock and southern rock like KISS and Lynyrd Skynyrd and stuff like that. I think she was just more of a casual Hank Williams fan and for some reason bought a greatest hits CD of his one day and it happened to end up that I was the one listening to it all the time. I first learned to play guitar in a general music class in elementary school and that Christmas my grandmother got me a Harmony guitar from Sears. It sat in my closet for a couple of years until I got that Hank Williams CD and it inspired me to actually want to learn to play and sing and write.

I doubt that hardcore country was the choice of many of your contemporaries when you were growing up. Was it hard to resist following what the majority were listening to?

No, not at all. I’ve never been one to follow the crowd or get into things that happened to be in fashion at the time. I’ve always sort of done my own thing and been sort of an outsider when it comes to stuff like that. I’m still that way today!

Did you have any musical interest outside of traditional country at the time and who in that genre of honky tonk etc were your major influences?

I guess my musical journey began with Jerry Lee Lewis when the Great Balls of Fire movie came out in 1989. Shortly after that I was listening to a lot of Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, and then a few years later I discovered Hank Williams and that was around the same time bands like BR5-49 and Wayne Hancock were coming out. So as far as country music goes, that was sort of the way it went. But I was also into the alternative rock stuff that was coming out of Seattle in the early 90’s. So really those three genres were my primary influences when I was just getting into any music in general.

You recorded your debut album independently and released it in 2006. It was aptly titled 50 YEARS TOO LATE. You co-produced it in a number of studios between Columbus and Nashville with a group of like minded individuals so was that a difficult thing to do back then and how hard was it to find the right players to achieve what you wanted?

No, I didn’t know what I was doing back then so I’m sure that made it easier! Ignorance is bliss, right? It actually just came together on it’s own time. Some of the tracks were laid down in a local demo studio, then a guy who owned a local club decided to build a legitimate studio and we moved the work to his place. The studio was under construction at the time so we sort of had to work around the construction schedule and had to deal with people learning the equipment and things like that. Then I took it to Nashville to finish up tracking and to mix it. It was about a two year process all said. Some of the musicians we’re guys in my band at the time and they had been playing those songs on the road and the only Nashville studio guys I used on that record we’re for lead parts; Johnny Hiland on guitar, Donnie Herron on fiddle and Andy Gibson on steel.

Three years later you put out the follow up album ALL ALONE AGAIN. That album was special in that you got to work with Hank Williams’ steel player Don Helms. What do you rememberer of those sessions and the reaction to the album on its release?

Working with Don on the road and in the studio will always be the highlight of my career for me. It’s hard to explain what it was like to be on stage and hearing him playing behind me. It was a surreal experience to turn around and watch him play a lead on that same steel guitar he played with Hank Williams and to think how often Hank turned around on stage and did the same thing. When I hear one of my songs that he played on it is still kind of hard to believe I got to record with him and that that same steel guitar that is on Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline recordings is on a few of mine as well. After the session I took him back home and paid him and thanked him for the session. He wouldn’t accept the money and told me it felt good to finally play on something again where he felt like he belonged. I’ll never get a compliment any better than that.

Around that time you were pretty much out of step (if you were ever in it) with mainstream country radio and the prevailing idea of what constituted country music. Were they difficult times?

No, I’ve never paid much attention to what was going on in the mainstream. I know that the kind of music I write and record will never be accepted as mainstream country so I just don’t worry about all that stuff. Years ago I went and saw Hank Jr. in concert and he said something that totally changed the way I look at doing music as a career. He said “I play when I want to, where I want to and with who I want to!” I was blown away by that and it totally changed my perception. Music is supposed to be fun and it is a career you can really do whatever you want in, so why not do it that way? It should never feel like you’re punching a clock or in a competition. I just do the parts of it I enjoy and let other people who are chasing fame or fortune worry about all the other stuff. I am in my own little world most of the time.

It was a number of years later (2014) when you put out your next album NOTHING LEFT TO PROVE. This time as streaming was the way that a lot of music was being released you decide to try that instead of producing a physical album. Did this work for you or did it prove a difficult way to sell you album?

At that time I sort of already knew I was going to stop touring and doing music full time. Booking shows was getting consistently more and more difficult and without shows to sell the CD at, I didn’t see much of a need to invest in buying 1000+ copies of something I really had no way to sell other than on the internet. So it was released strictly as a digital album because the writing was on the wall as far as that was becoming the primary way people were going to be hearing new music. But now that I am back as a full time musician again we may finally put it out on CD and or Vinyl if there’s enough interest in it.

Were you gigging around the release of these albums and why did you decide to leave that gap between the second and third albums? 

Mostly due to money. Records are pretty expensive to make and promote so it’s quite an investment and I’m not independently wealthy so I always have to go to friends and fans to fund my records. I’ve never had a record label or a big investor behind what I was doing, just some really good, generous fans that believed in what I was doing and wanted to help me get my music out there. We’ve never been able to afford a real PR campaign or anything for my records, we just kind of send them out there and whatever happens happens. But I’ve been making records for almost 15 years now and people are still buying and playing them, so I see that as a validation that people genuinely like the records I’ve made and that their success is not due to hiring a good publicist or any other means of manufacturing excitement or interest. 

Following on from that why have you now decided to release the STATE OF HEARTBREAK EP?

State of Heartbreak was a song I wrote while I was recording NOTHING LEFT TO PROVE. I was playing the song live and knew it would be a good one that people would like and I was kind of bummed out that I wasn’t going to be able to record it. So I always knew that if I ever did make another record, State Of Heartbreak would be the single and/or title track. But the whole thing came about because a friend of mine turned me on to Patreon (www.pateron.com) and how it worked as far as fans supporting artists to “create” directly. So I started thinking about how that platform could work for a musician and basically came up with the concept that it makes your fan base your record label. In the past, labels would green light budgets for albums based on how many they expected an artist to sell. So in my case, my fanbase will decide how much new music is released. I have it set up so once we reach certain goals, we will do one, two or three EP’s per year as well as vinyl releases. It really just cuts out the middleman and allows me to have that direct relationship with my fans and allows them to play a direct role in my career. I think it’s better that way.

When play was it with band or solo and was that down to the economics of touring?

The industry has changed so much since I first began my career. I sort of got started right at the tail end of a time when it was standard for everyone to tour with a full band and I did that for the first part of my touring career when we mostly played the southeast. I had a five piece band with steel guitar, lead guitar, upright bass and drums. After my first record came out and I started touring nationally in the US, we dropped the steel player due to playing a lot of door deals and to travel lighter and just make it easier as far as finding a place to stay and everything along those lines. I toured like that up until the 2009 economic crash. The price of gasoline shot up and the clubs started paying even less, so that really put a hurting on any national and regional touring. From 2010-2015 I mostly played regional shows and only went outside of the southeast a hand full of times. Then I took a few years off from playing music all together and returned in 2019 to find that most places only want two or three piece bands now and they’re paying about the same as they did in 2010. So yeah, the show you see on the road for any band is usually a result of the economics on the time.

Obviously the Covid -19 situation has added whole new layer to the difficulties and revenue possibilities of all performers with big and small. How have you personally been effected?

It really hasn’t altered much of what Im doing right now. Most of what I do is based online with YouTube, Facebook and Patreon so I’m still able to do all those things as I was before all this happened. If anything, it helped me because it had a whole lot of people spending more time online. As of right now the only shows I’ve been doing have been duo gigs with my guitar player mostly in GA and AL and those have of course not been happening, but other than that it’s pretty much been the same old, same old for me.

You, in the main, write all your own material where do you draw inspiration from to do that?

I try to write from a place of emotion as opposed to telling a story or trying to write deep, complex, thought provoking songs. I’ll leave that to other people. I like to write a song that people can connect with through things they have experienced in life. Pain, love, loss, death, all that sort of stuff and I just write about things I’ve been through, felt or saw happen to people and it’s gotten me this far so I don’t reckon I’ll mess with that formula too much in the future.

Right now there seems to be a growing number or artist going back to a more traditional sound. How hopeful is that, overall, in such a tight-knit scene?

I think there are a lot of bands out there that are called country, but in truth they are acoustic rock bands with a fiddle or steel put in the mix so they can call it country or Americana. I don’t think there are that many people out there that are really doing genuine country music that would have been welcome on the radio or the jukeboxes back in the 50’s and that’s sort of what I use to decide what is or isn’t country music. Of course it’s all subjective and everyone has their own thoughts and opinions on the subject, but that’s how I look at it. If I couldn’t imagine Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Merle Haggard or guys like that singing it, then it’s probably not country music.

Do you plan to release a full album in the near future?

The plan is to do two EP’s per year that will be released in limited quantity on CD. Then, those two albums will be combined and released as a full length LP on vinyl. But I will continue released two EP’s per year and then release only singles to streaming services.

What has been the best thing about playing, producing and writing your music?

So many things. I’ve been to so many places and met so many people I never would have if it wasn’t for the music. I’ve worked with and recorded with a lot of the people that played on the records I’ve listened to my whole life. It has really been an honour. I enjoy recording more than any other part of it so producing is something I’ve really grown to love and it’s something I get really deep into the zone with when I’m in the studio. As far as writing goes, I think it’s the best therapy there is to write down your heartache and pain and put it on a record and have other people connect and identify with it. When I started out that was the one goal I had as a writer, to just help someone else get through something the way people like Hank Williams helped me. I hope I’ve been able to do that.

You gave testimony in 2007, you appeared before theUnited States House Committee on Small Business as a record label owner and a performer. What were the effects of that appearance long term to were there any benefits?

It helped a lot of independent radio broadcasters to keep doing what they were doing and you have to remember, this happened back in 2007 before there was any streaming or iTunes or anything of that nature. Back then, internet radio was really the only way people could discover independent artists music outside of the few terrestrial radio stations that would play it. Today, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal because you have Spotify and all these things, but it was something I was happy to do and something I am proud to have been a part of. It’s not every day a hillbilly singer gets to testify before members of the United States Congress!

Looking back on you career would you have done anything different?

I wouldn’t have done anything different, only smarter. I really didn’t have anyone around me that knew how to go about putting a career together, I just had to learn and figure it all out on my own. I was fortunate enough to be around people that knew things and offered their advice, some of it was good, some of it was bad, but that’s just how it goes. I am very satisfied with what I’ve done in my career and that that’s how I was able to step away from it for a few years and try something else for a while. If I had to walk away from it again, I wouldn’t have any regrets or feel like I missed out on anything. I’ve been very fortunate to do a lot of the things I have had the opportunity to do.

What other possible upcoming plans are there for Joey Allcorn? 

You never know, but that’s what makes it interesting! I don’t have anything specific planned other than to continue recording albums and releasing them as previously mentioned.

Finally are they any artists out there right now who have impressed you?

I’ve been a huge fan of Hot Club of Cowtown for many years. I think they’re phenomenal musicians and entertainers. We got to open for them for the first time last year and they were very kind and friendly people as well. I’ve always been a fan of Dale Watson and Wayne Hancock, they have been in regular rotation for me for many years now and I always listen to their new records. But as far as “newer” artists, I’d have to say Pokey LaFarge. I haven’t met him, but I enjoy his music a lot and I like how most of it harkens back to a 1930’s sort of style, the type of stuff from Jimmie Rodgers’ era. Another one is Jason James from down in Houston, TX. I really like his songwriting and voice. I’ve gotten to know him recently as he is part of our “Live from the Lost Highway” deal on Facebook.

INTERVIEW BY STEPHEN RAPID

Interview with Hollow Hearts

One of the interesting musical happenings of 2019 for Lonesome Highway was discovering Norway’s Hollow Hearts band - special thanks to Somerset musician Jesse Budd (aka Billy Shinbone) for turning us onto them. Plans for a live interview were scuppered when their UK tour booked for June 2020 was, of course, postponed due to Covid19. Undeterred, we conducted a socially (very) distanced interview with Ida Karoline Nordgård - in another instalment of our ongoing exploration of the Nordicana music scene.

In our review of the latest album, PETER, Lonesome Highway waxed lyrical about Hollow Hearts’ ‘distinct signature sound, marked by lushly layered vocals, skilfully wrought catchy melodies and gothic undertones’. Their website describes them as folk/roots/Americana. 

We don’t like to think of our music as a specific genre, Ida Karoline explains. Each one of us has quite different influences from jazz, funk, soul, country, blues, rock and folk. Our common influences are bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Bigbang (a Norwegian band), Bon Iver, The Band etc.

Their base is Tromsø, a city of over 70,000 located in the far north of Norway. It’s probably musically best known outside of the country as the home of Royksopp and a thriving techno scene. What is the overall music scene like there? 

Tromsø is a very vibrant city, with lots of gigs every week, in many different genres. I guess the most important venue is a club called the Bastard Bar, where we played our debut concert. It’s a very cool place, hosting many both smaller and bigger acts. We also have a lot of nice festivals in town, like Buktafestivalen, Rakettnatt, and Tromsø Jazz Festival, which we are booked to play this August.

Fingers crossed that this will go head as planned.

We wondered how the writing process works in the band? 

Sometimes we all start together, writing from scratch. At other times one of us has an idea and we start from there. Ida Helene is the wordsmith in the band, so she writes the lyrics, but we all contribute to the story-making. It often starts off with basic acoustic instruments and vocals, and from there we work on further production, as a collective. Our main band instruments are vocals, guitars, bass and drums - but we like to experiment with other instruments also, depending on what we want to do with a song.

Even on a brief listen to any Hollow Hearts track, it is clear that the standard of musicianship and production is unusually high. The reasons for this become obvious when the origins of the band are discovered.

Myself (bass), Mikael Pedersen Jacobsen (drums, mandolin) and Christoffer Nicolai Mathisen (pedal steel, guitars) were all in the same degree class in Tromsø Music Conservatory, while the other Ida, Ida Helene Løvheim (guitar, accordion) was a few years behind us. We discovered that we liked each other’s way of playing, and enjoyed each other’s company. After a few beers together, the band was formed!

The band’s songs are all written in English. Why did they decide to do this?

 I think it’s about 50:50 whether bands in Norway chose to write in either our native tongue, or in English. We just did it because we wanted to - it is never our goal to be commercial, but of course it helps when we reach out to audiences outside of our country.

Lyrically, the influence of the sea and the weather are very evident in the songs on the last album, PETER. Does the Norwegian folk tradition influence their work on a conscious level?

Our lyrics and stories are inspired by our way of living in Northern Norway, both modern living and older folk traditions. And the weather ..... there’s just something about all this weather!

We have a lot of old sagas in our region, and one of them - the Saga of Birte & Benjamin - became a song on our 2019 mini album TRAVELLING SONGS.

So it seems that Nordicana, like Americana, has to have a murder ballad (as mentioned above) thrown in there somewhere!

Like most bands the world over, the members combine day jobs as music teachers and record store employees, to enable them to continue to fund their involvement in Hollow Hearts and other music projects. However, they are also fortunate to have a very supportive government when it comes to the Arts, and Arts Council Norway has helped them (and other artists like them)  financially with touring and recording costs.

PETER was a concept album of sorts, the closing chapter of the story of Annabelle and Peter (which started on their 2018 debut album ANNABELLE). So, are there any plans yet for the next album? 

We were almost sad when we finished that chapter, but now we’re keeping our minds open while writing a lot of new songs and we’re planning to get into the studio this autumn.

Apart from their native country, have they played anywhere else?

Last year we went on tour to Germany and Switzerland. It was absolutely amazing. The audiences were great and we got so much love from the promoters and everyone we met.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for our first opportunity to catch Hollow Hearts live. We suspect they will live up to their reputation for exciting stage shows. Come to think of it ... who’s up for a trip to Norway once travel restrictions allow?

Interview by Eilís Boland

Pete Gow – The Second Coming

London-based Pete Gow released his solo album HERE THERE’S NO SIRENS in April 2019. Produced by Joe Bennett (St. Etienne, Dreaming Spires), it was quite a departure from his signature sound with highly regarded UK Americana band Case Hardin, who recorded four albums between 2011 and 2016. The addition of orchestration on the tracks propel the sound to an altogether higher level. It was a brave move that has paid off deservedly and spectacularly. Recording the album at that point of his career might have seemed like a musical suicide mission, departing from his core sound. 

‘To a certain extent each new record is a potential musical suicide mission. Within the tiny orbit of Case Hardin, if you loved our album ‘PM’, there’s a chance you wouldn’t get along with COLOURS SIMPLE but that is where you have to sit back and trust your audience. By the same token, every time you write a song, it’s a personal exorcism of sorts.’

The album has been particularly well received but I get the impression that it has not reached anything like the audience that will eventually cherish it. 

‘Well, a ‘slow- burn future classic’ status would certainly be nice, but yes, we are more than happy with the audience who are cherishing it right now. It makes our job so much harder next time around, but that’s a fantastic problem to have. None of this would have been possible without the unswerving support we have received from Clubhouse Records, who I have been with since the second Case Hardin record, Del Day from Ark PR and more recently SRD.’

Recorded swiftly under producer Joe Bennett’s trusted eyes and ears, the notion of populating the songs with strings was Gow’s intention from the outset. 

‘Yes. The idea came from the very first phone call and it was the main reason I chose to call Joe; I knew he could bring that skill-set to the project. The four songs I already had were written for a Case Hardin album that never happened, so internally I was hearing them one way and then got really excited about the potential once Joe got to work. The remaining tracks were all written once Joe had signed up, so I could really work on giving him a platform. Album opener One Last One- Night Stand is a perfect example of this... that big instrumental section in the middle was written very specifically to give Joe room to roam … similarly the outro to Pretty Blue Flower. That song was written before the sessions, but the final section was written in the studio, knowing it would close out the record.’ 

The album was mastered by Tony Poole who has previously worked with Steeleye Span, Maddy Prior, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Pentangle and Danny & The Champions Of The World. Poole was also a founding member of the 1970’s rock band Starry Eyed And Laughing and more recently joined forces with Danny Wilson and Robin Bennett to form Bennett, Wilson, Poole. 

‘Tony most definitely added to the final product. Mastering is the final layer of polish on any track and helps pull out those tiny musical nuances, especially with complex string arrangements. Tony masters pretty much all the albums Joe produces, so there is an intrinsic understanding between them as to what the final product should be.’ 

The songs that make up the album were written with this venture in mind together with some previously written for Case Hardin.

 ‘For this album it was about 50/50 split (a few of the Case Hardin songs went on to our follow up album THE FRAGILE LINE and a couple will even be revisited for the upcoming record that we have just started recording). When I was choosing the songs for the Sirens recording sessions, it wasn’t so much I felt they were better suited to a solo project, it was more picking songs I thought would work for where we hoped to take the production on Sirens. I had, for instance, written a song like Mikaela for the Case Hardin album. I never thought it wouldn’t fit on a band record, but when pulling material for the solo project, it shone out to me as perfect, both in tone and subject matter.’ 

A snippet of The Pogues’ Rainy Night In Soho features at the tail end of the title track. It’s a deeply evocative inclusion possibly mirroring the emotional state of mind of the composer at the time of writing the song.

‘Shane MacGowan has been mirroring any state – emotional, or otherwise - I have found myself in since I first heard RUM, SODOMY & THE LASH in 1985. He is one of a couple of artists that I fully submerged myself in both when I first heard them, then at various points along the way. That kind of obsessive love of a song and its composer felt like the kind of thing the young woman at the centre of my song would feel and link it internally to her own experiences.’

One of the album highlights is the song titled Strip For Me. It was a brave song to write with lyrics that could invite a number of interpretations. I wondered if it was a deliberate challenging the listener given the lyrics. 

‘The challenge for me came in putting it out as a song without caveats, or explainers: there are ways around that. On a record you can go back and listen to the song again and study the lyrics, and in concert you can set the song up before a performance. 

‘When I was pulling it together, I didn’t really see it as a gauntlet being laid down. I wasn’t pushing buttons, or thinking about what kind of a reaction it might generate. Simply because at that stage I wasn’t writing for anyone but me. 

‘Anyone who came to my songs before this album, that kind of approach – taking an ironic distance from a tough subject, or character, that then allows you to write in the first person – is something I have done on a couple of occasions previously as it gives a lyric so much more power, but it also runs the risk of being misunderstood. Again, you have to go with your instinct and trust your audience. There were a couple of additional verses to Strip For Me that would have made the song less ambiguous, but you have to make decisions on making the best possible song you can, and that doesn’t always align itself with fully explaining yourself for the benefit of the listener.’

The album works spectacularly well in the live setting with Pete accompanied by The Siren Strings on stage.  Given the logistics of performing as a nine-piece assembly, they have been astute in their options to tour and perform. 

‘It doesn’t compromise touring options; it redefines what touring looks like. No- one on our circuit is, or really has, toured this kind of show before… it’s special. As we can’t go out and play 75 shows a year with it, the concerts themselves become special. Joe has been very careful as to how we curate the live shows, particularly where we play. So, we have done churches and theatres and resisted the temptation to reduce the numbers on stage, or perform without strings which would undoubtedly mean we get to go out and play more gigs, but at what overall cost?’ 

One of the festivals chosen to perform was The AMA UK Fest in Hackney. The occasion was a delight, goose bumps inducing times. After showcasing your own material, the band launched into a hair-raising delivery of Warren Zevon’s Lawyers, Guns & Money. An inspired set closer, the inclusion of a well-chosen cover version has become part of their setlist.

‘I can’t really recall where the idea of putting a cover into the Siren Strings show originally came from (we performed Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Into My Arms at the Here There’s No Sirens’ album launch). I’m a huge Zevon fan and each night I hear that riff and counter riff in Lawyers, Guns & Money being performed by the Siren Strings, it sucks the breath out of my chest. I can only imagine what it does to an audience member hearing it for the first time?’ 

The artwork by Veronica Casey on the album is particularly dramatic, capturing the darkness and mystique of the project. It most certainly does the album justice by matching the material with equally striking imagery. 

‘Veronica’s portrait of me was perfect for this project, in every way and its design has been the template for all the promotion, singles artwork etc. so it’s an honour to bring her work to the attention of a new audience, she truly deserves it. This entire project has been put through the filter of making it a separate entity to Case Hardin. Remember, even four months after it came out, Case Hardin was still a going concern, so outside of the actual music there were a couple of more subtle, personal touchstone. No Case Hardin record has, or ever would be, titled after one of the songs on the record and no Case Hardin cover would ever feature the bands image. Like I say, pretty subtle, but it meant a lot to me at the time.’ 

Given the distinctiveness of the album it’s difficult to imagine a HERE THERE’S NO SIRENS Part 2. It’s also a project that is unlikely to be bettered or equalled for that matter. 

‘Within a wider musical and personal context HERE THERE’S NO SIRENS is unique, a one- off venture. The confluence of good luck in bad times, hard work, sadness and fun that pulled the eight songs out of me, through Joe and Farm Music Studios then out onto that album simply can’t be repeated. Why even try? Just move on to trying to find the next bolt of lightning and hope there’s another bottle nearby!’ 

Gow is one of quite a number of UK artists, loosely categorised in the Americana cubbyhole, that hardly receive the exposure and recognition their talents deserve. His previous band Case Hardin alongside Peter Bruntnell, Danny & The Champions Of The World, William The Conqueror, The Hanging Stars, My Darling Clementine, Ags Connolly, Thea Gilmore also come to mind. They share the distinction of artists that would have been household names in the music industry in different times.  

‘Wherever you are in the world there is an attraction to the seemingly foreign and exotic, what Billy Connolly calls ‘windswept & interesting’. Just look at how Brits are treated in the US? Doug Sahm pretty much pretended he was from England (Sir Douglas!!) to give his band an edge in Texas, because he thought it would improve his chances of making it. It took The Rolling Stones to persuade Americans that their blues musicians should be revered and respected.

‘Record companies funded touring for just about everyone in the decades before the 90s. Not many bands, or artists, toward the lower reaches of the food chain, like myself, who didn’t sign up to a crippling deal with a label could afford to do it themselves. Pretty much everyone these days funds their own tours, so for acts like us economics make the kind of relentless touring required to build up a fan base anywhere harder than it used to be. And who can even begin to predict how much more difficult touring will be in a post-Brexit, post COVID-19 world?’

We await with interest the next musical direction and journey that Pete Gow decides to undertake.

‘I was fortunate to be surrounded by music from the very beginning. My Father and my Grandfather on my Mother’s side were both performing musicians in their respective local circuits, around Elgin in Morayshire, where I’m from, so I was exposed to a pretty eclectic catalogue of music before I hit puberty. But my ‘moment’ came around 1983/ 84 when I first heard Dylan’s Desolation Row. It hit me in a way I had not been hit up until that point. I had never picked up a guitar, had no aspiration to write a song, but I knew then – even if I never did pick up that guitar or pen - that music would be the most important thing in my life from that point, and that song still hits me like that every time I hear it.’

Interview by Declan Culliton

A Conversation with Norma MacDonald

Halifax, Nova Scotia resident Norma MacDonald’s fifth album, OLD FUTURE has just recently been released. It’s a recording that has made quite an impact on us at Lonesome Highway and will most certainly feature in our ‘Best of 2020’ listings at year end. 

It enters the world in extraordinary times both globally and locally for the singer/songwriter who was born and raised on Cape Breton, a small island about four hours’ drive from her current home. The closing song on the album opens with the words: ‘Some days you can’t ever lose, some days you can’t see the green for the blues.’ Given these uncertain times I wondered what sort of day it was in Halifax when I spoke with Norma last week. 

‘’That’s a tough question to answer right now. On top of the global COVID-19 pandemic that is keeping people isolated in their homes, Nova Scotia also experienced the worst mass shooting in Canadian history this past weekend. People are hurting and scared, and confused as to how this could happen in our beautiful, largely-peaceful little part of the world. But ... the sun is out right now and it’s a lovely spring morning. We’re trying to mourn but keep our heads up at the same time.

I wrote Some Days as kind of a country-song mindfulness activity; trying to reconcile myself with the idea that whatever happens, good or bad, that things will pass and then the next thing will happen, and everything just continues to flow along. I’m trying to remind myself of that right now.’’

OLD FUTURE features ten tracks and so much about the album, from the songs to the packaging and photography, appears to be looking back at the classic country sounds of the 1960’s and 1970’s. 

‘’A couple of years ago I was asked by a theatre company in Nova Scotia called Ships Company Theatre to produce a tribute show to the great ladies of classic country music. I did some deep digging through repertoires of female country artists, mostly from the 60s and 70s, and completely fell in love. I wrote a lot of the songs from OLD FUTURE during the time I was researching music for that show. Some of it must have seeped in. Incidentally, I was also listening to a lot of Roy Orbison and 60s girl groups, like The Ronettes, which really influenced the production on I Already Have a Shadow. I wasn’t really intending for the entire project to sound so retro, but once we started production the arrangements just naturally took on that shape. It was also my first-time recording bed tracks to tape as opposed to digital, so I feel that gives the album a warmer, vintage sound.’’ 

Like the work of many artists, the writing on the album is a combination of songs based on both personal experiences and in the third person. The themes range from mortality to regret and passion, with every word meticulously enunciated in what I would describe as classic country vocal delivery. The song Your Wedding Day is particularly striking: it is classic, old school country. I could imagine quite a number of established Nashville artists covering it. A pension song perhaps, with a bit of luck?

‘’I would love that. Could you send it around for me? I definitely feel that of all the songs I’ve written this one lends itself best to being covered by other artists. And it even has a good classic country key change. Your Wedding Day is an amalgam of several (yes, several) situations in which ex-boyfriends got married shortly after we broke up. It’s meant to be pretty tongue in cheek. All my writing tends to be a bit of both. Some songs on OLD FUTURE are intensely personal and others not so much. The opening track, Temperamental Year, is about trying to process the death of my dad in 2015 and the pain but inevitability of losing people you love. Other songs like Slow Down Marie were written just because a stream of words flowed out that worked well with the melody and luckily they weren’t complete nonsense.’’

The track Golden Age reads very much like a song for the days that we face currently. The lyrics are striking and evocative and could be regarded by the listener as relating to lost love or yearning for the more uncomplicated days of yesteryear, or indeed more recent times.

 ‘’The process of writing Golden Age actually went on for several years. I had the melody and chord progression recorded as a voice memo in my phone probably as long ago as 2013. I really loved the mood of those chords but struggled with finding the right lyrics (although the word “Golden” was always in the title for some reason). In April of 2019, I was rushing to finish two last songs for Old Future before heading back down to Dale’s (Murray) studio. I was frantically scrolling through ideas to see what I could try to flesh out. I had been thinking about how a couple of my close friends had recently moved away from Halifax and how much I missed them, and the lightness and ease that they brought into my life. I came across the voice memo for what would become Golden Age and managed to write it all in just about an hour. But yes, I think a lot of us are yearning for the golden age of just a couple of months ago right now. Everything feels so far removed from where we were.’’

 Naming the album DEATH BY NOSTALGIA, a reference that appears in the song Some Days,was aconsideration but one that was eventually overruled. 

‘’Ha. Because people kept telling me they thought it was morbid. I thought it was funny. And the sound and lyrical content of the album are so nostalgic. I do feel like OLD FUTURE captures the essence of the album pretty well, too, though.’’

 It was co-produced with Dale Murray, whom Norma has worked with previously. The song One Man Band could have been directed at him, given the number of instruments he plays on the album. 

‘’Dale has played guitar and pedal steel on several of my albums but we hadn’t worked together as co-producers before this.  I’m a huge fan of both his playing and production so it seemed an obvious and natural choice. He had a ton of great ideas but was always respectful of what I was bringing to the table production-wise as well. The whole process seemed so incredibly easy and fun.’’

Together with her solo work, she is also a member of the folk-rock band Bend the River, a seven-piece Halifax collective covering a range of sounds that include pop, soul and folk. 

‘’My friend Ronok Sarkar is the principal songwriter for Bend the River, although the whole band contributes to the arrangements. I mostly sing backing vocals but take lead on a few songs. Being a backing singer is the best gig in the world, nothing to carry. I LOVE being a member of that band. If you haven’t checked out any music yet, you should track it down.’’

Alongside her musical callings she also enjoys a parallel career as an ER nurse. It’s an interesting dual occupation and one that appears to comfortably suit her character. ‘

“I feel like I have two very distinct sides of my brain that both need attention. I’ve played music full time in the past and it didn’t make me happy. Just as I wouldn’t be happy if I were working as a nurse and didn’t get to write and play music. My life feels very full and satisfying having both careers.’’

The current Coronavirus has imposed immense pressure, both financial and mental, on the majority of musicians, with the exception of the household names and commercially successful acts. Many artists have resorted to live streams by way of continuity. It’s a platform, isn’t it, that most likely will be explored more in the future as a means of communication when things return to some degree of normality?

‘’I do think that artists will continue to use online performances more frequently after the pandemic is over. Touring is expensive and exhausting. If you can reach people from your own living room and create some connection, why wouldn’t you? But on the other side of the argument, playing in front of a live audience - to see people’s faces and hear applause when you finish a song - is far more rewarding than seeing some words and emojis appear on a screen. I feel online platforms will be used more frequently as an income adjunct, but I don’t think this will ever replace the magic of an actual onstage performance.’’

Given Norma’s surname, the issue of her Celtic roots was of interest to me. She explained.

‘‘My family is originally from Scotland but has been in Cape Breton for generations. My brother Peter is a huge genealogy buff, so most of the things I know about our family’s roots are through him (and he could tell you about them for hours. In my early 20s I played in a Celtic pub band called Highland Heights that toured and recorded for several years. We played a lot of traditional Irish and Scottish folk songs so I used to be fairly well versed in that music, but admittedly haven’t been playing much of that style over the last decade. As a bit of a non-sequitur, I also remember being obsessed with Mary Black during that time. A friend of mine had a bootleg recording of her singing at the Royal Albert Hall that he made on a dictaphone and I played it 8 million times. Her voice was just magic, even on that crappy pocket recording.’’

A visit to perform in Ireland did take place some years ago and hopefully she will return in the future. In the meantime, she closes the conversation with this fond memory.

‘‘I grew up in Cape Breton, NS and many things about Ireland reminded me of home; the landscape, the people, the music. This memory may not seem like a big deal but I remember having the day off in Galway and I brought a book to the pub in the afternoon to read for a while. I had a lovely, hilarious conversation with the people next to me and when they left, I had another great conversation with the people who took their seats. Before I knew it, it was the evening and I had spent the entire afternoon chatting with a dozen complete strangers but felt so warm and welcome. I’m really hoping to get back there to play some time in the near future.’’ 

Interview by Declan Culliton

Kelsey Waldon Interview

 A large signboard was erected last year in Ballard County, Kentucky. It reads ‘Monkey’s Eyebrow Home of Kelsey Waldon.’ No mean accolade for a State that in the past has honoured artists such as Loretta Lynn, Bill Munroe, Dwight Yoakam, Crystal Gayle, Keith Whitley and Tom T. Hall in a similar manner. It’s certainly something to be proud about.

‘Yes, very proud, that’s my hometown. Kentucky is very proud of all the talent that comes out of there. I grew up seeing signs like that everywhere around my home State. They’re just very proud people and they like to recognise their own. I’ve been doing this for a little while now and it feels nice to see that.’ 

I’m sitting with Kelsey in the downstairs bar at Whelan’s in Dublin. It’s late February and she is due to perform at the venue together with Sean McConnell and Garrison Starr. She is dressed in denim jeans and jacket and the customary cowgirl boots, which is in contrast to the glitzy nudie suit that she wore when I saw her on stage at 3rd & Lindsley at Americana Fest last September in Nashville.

‘That suit is at the dry cleaners’she informs me, laughing. ‘This is strictly a denim tour, no room in the suitcase for that suit,’ she adds. Her Kentucky drawl is fetching, almost musical, the spoken words identical to the natural and unfiltered accent that feature on her albums.

That appearance at Americana Fest was on the same bill as Tanya Tucker, playing to a full house. Other shows that week included a Jam In A Van session and guesting with J.P.Harris on his annual Sunday Morning Coming Down event. ‘We were everywhere at Americana last year, played almost every night and had that showcase on the same bill as Tanya Tucker. Awesome.’ 

It hasn’t been anything like an overnight success for Kelsey. She left her hometown in rural Kentucky as a teenager for the bright lights of Nashville in pursuit of fame and fortune. Unfortunately, her initial move did not go to plan and she returned to Kentucky. Older and somewhat wiser, her second journey to Music City was motivated by the opportunity to enrol at Belmont University. She subsequently majored in song writing and the business end of the music industry, together with working in bars and playing gigs wherever and whenever the opportunity presented itself.

‘That was a while back. The first time was difficult, I was working jobs and didn’t have much time to play anywhere and didn’t know anybody in Nashville at all. I was only 19 and too young to get work in bars, I played where they let me play. The second time around I just got into the right circles you know, met some of the right friends and progressed to playing in bars as I was old enough then to go to these places. I met the friends I needed to meet the second time there.’

Her career has progressed steadily and methodically ever since. She released her debut album THE GOLDMINE in 2014 and followed it with the excellent I’VE GOT A WAY  two years later. The title of that album was a clear statement of intent. The no-holds-barred songs on it dealt with personal issues confronting her at that time. 

WHITE NOISE/WHITE LINES, released last year, is equally intimate, an anthology of tales often inspired by her home state. Like its predecessors, it addresses her inner feelings and issues such as the contradictions encountered in her childhood, growing up in Kentucky and putting a bad relationship firmly behind her. 

‘Half of the songs were written stuck in a cabin back home in Kentucky where I grew up and half of them were written in Nashville. Any record I’ve made, I don’t ever sit down and think it’s going to be this or that. They’re the songs that define me. I realised that I was honestly coming into my own with the new album. It’s me finding a serious sense of myself and making sense of the world around me too you know. Singing and song writing for me is just that. The songs all come in different ways. I can’t write when I’m on the road, touring for me is hard. I mightn’t write a song for two months and I’ll sit down when I get home from touring and I’ll be somewhere for a week and maybe write five songs, they just pour out of me. I think it does get harder to write as you get older and busier. It takes more discipline but the songs are always there, the ideas are always there, you just have to sit down and write it.’ 

WHITE NOISE/WHITE LINES was released on John Prine’s Oh Boy record label to favourable reviews both in the U.S.A and Europe. She can boast to be the first artist to be signed to that label for eighteen years. The album was recorded and produced in Nashville by Dan Knobler, who had previously worked with Kelsey’s close friends Erin Rae and Caroline Spence. With her own band members on the recording, Knobler creates a potent and raw sound, very much in keeping with her live performances. Acclaimed in many quarters for possessing one of the most distinctive and unique country voices – “One of the more authentic country voices I've heard in a long time” said John Prine – Oh Boy liked what they heard and supported the album.

‘I’d written it and we sat on it for a while until the timing was right. Things had to build up, we finally executed everything and got it rolling. John (Prine) and Fiona (Whelan) were supposedly big fans of the record I put out independently, I’VE GOT A WAY. Oh Boy had heard that record and I had known some of the people there for quite a while and they were always in my corner. I don’t think they were ready to sign another act back then and like I said, the timing was right with the new album. I was patient, I waited for the right moment and I got it.’

Kelsey is a member of a thriving community of female artists in Nashville that includes Margo Price, who like Kelsey, was no overnight success. Following numerous record label rejections, she struck the jackpot when Jack White’s Third Man Records released her debut album MIDWEST FARMER’S DAUGHTER, a career launching break. Is Kelsey’s backstory somewhat similar?

‘Margo and I are great friends, she was one of my first friends in Nashville. We’ve all had different paths, our journeys are seldom the same. No one tells you ‘here is how it’s going to happen.’ My peers just happen to be women but honestly the whole scene in Nashville is very supportive, I think It’s a myth that women are cut throat, there is room for all of us, men and women, especially in the country realms. Michaela Anne, Erin Rae and Caroline Spence are also all close friends of mine: we have a group text and talk most nearly every day when we’re on the road. That said, I’ve had a great team for a long time with plenty of muscle and having someone like John (Prine) endorse the album is really great for me. That worked a lot for me overseas, it got me press in the U.K. and Europe. I’m the same person that I’ve always been but I’m on a train right now and it’s gonna keep rolling and keep me busy until the end of the year.’

With Country Radio Stations for the best part ignoring female artists like Kelsey and her peers, gaining exposure can be challenging. It’s an issue that she’s quite realistic about.

‘Radio play should be based on the quality, not gender. I think that’s the most frustrating thing. There truly is no obvious argument, no reason at all why more women shouldn’t get played. It is unfair, back in the ‘90s and before, all the stars on Country Music Radio were women. I don’t think country radio really cares about quality anyway.’

Does Country Music Radio even care about music, or more likely just selling advertising? 

‘Yeh, (laughs) I don’t think I’m one of those artists that really needs that airplay anyway. We get played on stations like Americana Radio and Independent Radio. Certain artists need the radio others don’t, it’s not needed all the time.’ 

The attendance at this evening’s show at Whelan’s is likely to be considerably less than the numbers Kelsey has become accustomed to. In recent years she has performed at The Grand Ole Opry, The Ryman and sharing stages with John Prine, Jamey Johnson and Willie Nelson to name but a few.

‘That’s the name of the game. I think people on the outside often feel that when you’re an artist and get signed to a label that you’ve got it made. It’s not like that. One day you’re playing The Grand Ole Opry or the Ryman, or your selling out somewhere, and the next week you might come to Dublin and there’s three people there.  I say ‘we just play for whoever shows up’. It’s like starting all over again playing Ireland, you might be the only one here tonight (laughs).’

Since this interview, of course, Kelsey’s touring plans have had to be put on hold and the much-loved John Prine passed away on April 7 from Covid-19. 

She is a focused, talented and discerning individual who has overcome the odds previously – and when things get back to some degree of normality, there is no doubt Kelsey has the drive and talent to continue her climb up that industry ladder.

Interview by Declan Culliton