1.) Why does a cohesive theming across your music, style, and the artwork attached to the music matter to you?    

 To me it’s all about storytelling. For thousands of years we have used visual enhancements, whether artwork or special regalia or costumes to help us convey the stories we wanted to tell one another. So by making sure my visuals, dress, and music work together to be as clear with my art as possible in terms of my its relationship with the audience it makes me a more potent artist.

2.) Does being in the South change the way you listen to or see music rather than being up in the PNW?

Yes and no. The music I make has always taken cues from the South but then combined with my own experiences home in the PNW. Personally I think when you write about real life feelings and occurrences the music is all the same. That being said, being so close to the historical birthplaces of much of the music I love rather than it only living in my speakers or headphones is much more visceral. I now have a clearer understanding of how the genres of the blues, country, bluegrass came to be because I’m able to first hand observe the melding of cultures that created those genres. I would like to note though that I don’t believe the South has a monopoly on the creation of country or roots music. Much of where I’m from in Washington state is rural, hard working, blue collar and outdoorsy. Add in some historical economic depression from the environmental collapse of timber and fisheries there is a lot of parallels with the region of Appalachia and we both get together and use music to make sense out of all of that from campfires to venue stages.

3.) How has being a solo artist after working with/in a band affected your creative process?

I miss a lot of it. I miss the satisfaction of collective creation and the camaraderie that can only be formed by hours spent practicing and playing in a band. Those people will always be family to me.

In being a solo artist the biggest way it has affected my process is that I have to be more conscious of my ego. I technically don’t have anyone to answer to so it can be easy to get tunnel vision and either think some new song is really great or really poor without any real reference. So playing for friends, smaller background gigs, songwriter circles are crucial for that. I also have a lot more flexibility to take on as many live opportunities as I want without having to coordinate with others necessarily. As a result I’m playing out more often which has made me sharper as a performer and writer.

4.) Tell me about Springsteen.

Much of my musical upbringing came from my mother’s side of the family. They’re all singers, musicians, creatives in some way. But my dad, while not being musical himself did offer his own influence on me through the music he would play in the house or while driving. Bruce Springsteen was one of those artists. I don’t remember specifically the first song I ever heard by The Boss, probably Born to Run or something. But there were three albums that really made Bruce not just my dad’s music but mine as well. The first was Born in the USA. I was a freshman in high school and was having a hard time. My dad played me Glory Days as way of showing that those times aren’t the end all be all. He gave me the cd and I devoured it. I was captivated by the juxtaposition of how big the songs sounded but with very personal and often intimate stories in the lyrics. Next came Nebraska which is such a hard hitting record. The writing is so economical and lean. The stories on that album are wrought so clearly you can play that whole album like a movie in your head. Then there’s Devils and Dust which I find sonically so interesting. There’s some heavy themes there. My dad gave that to me for Christmas when I was 16 or 17. I love the guitar and drum sounds on that album and how Bruce tries some things with his voice. I love how bold he is as a writer and performer. He takes big swings as an artist and I find that inspiring.

5.) Tell me about how you start out writing a song, from the lyrics to working with other musicians to the sound, the story, the feel, the audience, the goals.

 Wow big question. I write about my own direct experiences but also people I meet and sometimes full on fictional stories. But I want everything to feel authentic. My biggest heroes like Johnny Cash and John Prine were masters of that so I take cues from them. My process evolves and regresses, back and forth. I started writing at 9 years old. Back then till I was in my early 20s I would fiddle around on the guitar till I found a chord progression that made me feel a certain way and then I would sing some nonsense words and melody till I found something that worked. That has now evolved to writing entire songs in my head when an idea comes. Lately I’ve been writing while driving or when I’m milking goats at my farm job. I write the lyrics on my phone and then when I have access to a guitar I make sure my melodic ideas work. But sometimes I still go back to those early techniques too. Once I have something I feel is complete I write it in my journal and then record a rough demo to send to my band. They are all phenomenal players and bring their experience to the songs in practice and we just jam them out until we feel like we know them inside and out. When we take the songs to live shows they go through evolution too. We make sure that how we play them makes the audience feel something and are engaged. My sound is very organic. Not a lot of tech, just people playing real instruments made out of wood and metal and guts. I think that comes from my upbringing in the Northwest too. We don’t suffer inauthenticity up there too much so I want what and how we play to feel lived in.

6.) Ford or Chevy?

Ha! Well I drive a Chevy but it’s a modern truck that just has a lot of problems with its tech. I understand Fords these days have similar issues. I don’t want to sound like a grumpy old man but THEY DONT MAKE EM LIKE THEY USED TO! But I guess I gotta go with Chevy. Someday I’ll maybe get something vintage. Now that I say that though an OG Ford Bronco would be cool. Ah! No comment I guess!

7.) What are some non-musical influences you find within your work?

The outdoors play a huge role in my work. There’s a lot of nature references in my lyrics. I’ve always worked outside and that connection to nature brings me peace which allows me to be more open to inspiration. I love working on my farm, hiking, fishing etc, so that seeps into my music. I want what I make to feel like you could always listen to it around a campfire.

8.) Novels or poetry or pieces of writing that inspire your work.

Lots. J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, Norman McClean, Cormac McCarthy, Toni Morrison, Emerson, John Trudell, Gary Paulson, Edgar Allen Poe, W.S. Merwin, Mary Shelley, Joy Harjo, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Amanda Gorman….

9.) How do you take your coffee? (Don’t be a douche about it.)

Three options. Black, chai tea latte, or a dash of bourbon.

10.) Tell me about what motivates you.

 I’ve always been driven. I don’t know exactly where that comes from.  Maybe some combination of being raised to work hard and commit to what you set out to do? In an unhealthy sense I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder so between wanting to prove myself in the world and to create something objectively great I hyper fixate on my craft. I’m actively working to move out of that limiting thinking and just make art for myself and the satisfaction of creating something from nothing. I think that is important. I find nature inspiring in the sense of how great thing like mountains or massive trees and rivers form over time to produce great beauty and I want to be part of that cosmic process of creation.  I do think I have things to say that go beyond just entertaining and being fun to listen to and I work hard to do that in a way that has some sort or net positive in the world. 

11.) Tell me about the things that are on your mind when you first wake up and the things that keep you from falling asleep at night.

Most days I’m up at 3:30am to work the farm so pretty groggy at that point but probably making sure I’m ready for my tasks of the day. But also my family, friends, what songs that may have been brewing in my sleep. At night the things that keep me awake are my anxieties about being delusional about my musical talent, will I find love, how much time do I have to make my dreams happen. I could go on and on.

12.) Do you catch a lot of live music in Nashville? Tell me about your favorite places to go and how you keep up with smaller live shows.

 Yes for sure. Some favorite spots are American Legion Post 82, Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, The Underdog, Station Inn, The Bowery Vault, the 5 Spot, and of course The Ryman. Word of mouth and instagram are my primary modes or finding the cool stuff happening in town. There’s also awesome spots that have live music outside of Nashville too like Leiper’s Fork Distillery and the farm I work at Noble Springs Dairy!

13.) Any friends or artists you wanna shout out?

So many, but my tops are Fretland (a fellow Washingtonian), Jordan Day, Rosemary Hanna, Bristol Coon, Micah Subar, Stefanie Joyce, Hunter Loken-Parcel and Will Overman.

14.) Tell me something important about your childhood.

I grew up surrounded by a close knit family filled with music. My mom’s dad, my Papa, introduced me to so much music and through him and my uncles and aunts and my mom I learned to sing and play. Singing around the campfire with them will always be a cherished memory.

15.) Tell me something significant, however simple it may be.

I’ve had some brushes with my mortality and lost some family members way too soon. As a result I know that my time on earth may be shorter than I may want it to be so I feel I have to live the best life I can. Maybe that’s cliche but when you know life is finite everything comes into sharp focus. I think eternal life comes from how we impart our spirit during our life in a good way that people remember after we’re gone.

Check out Garrett Hendrick‘s work and keep up with his career.

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