NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville celebrity gossip

The Rankin Twins discuss 'Good Vibes,' moonshine & their new EP: Exclusive

The Rankin Twins pass around the good times (and a little moonshine) with their latest single "Good Vibes," a smoothly-polished pop-country track that's as catchy as it is charming. For Amy and April, the mid-tempo toe-tapper is only scratching the surface of what they are capable of and samples their forthcoming EP (out Dec. 2). "We released the full length only a year ago and before the year was up people were ready for NEW music. Financially an EP allows us to release new music more frequently and keep our fans engaged," Amy shares in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview, of the decision to release an EP instead of another full-length. Their most-recent LP came in the form of Moonshine & Maybes (we're sensing a theme here) in 2013.

Leading up to their new project, Amy and April are dropping a new track and accompanying video every month. Why? April explains, "We wanted to offer something different for this project and we have been dying to do more videos since we are such visual people. Each song from the EP will have a music video and is being released only for 12hrs on a specific day of the month, as a teaser, until the EP releases on Dec. 2nd. We hope it creates excitement for the release and our fans will look forward to the EP."

Next on the docket is a song called "Over You Train," which they co-wrote with Nashville songwriter Dustin James, and "should be releasing in a couple weeks." April adds, "It's our girl anthem song for the record." Throughout the ucpoming EP (titled Good Vibes, too), the duo dig a bit into their own songwriting prowess. "We co-wrote every song on this EP," she says. "We've been writing since the release of the last album. You typically write a bunch of doozies before an album worthy one comes in to play. Heck, we are still writing and finalizing the last few songs to make the cut."

As a new duo, Amy admits that they are "always finding a unique sound that we can call our own and it's always changing and evolving which is the exciting part." Based in Austin, Texas, the girls make sure to incorporate their red-dirt roots with a bit of a slicked-back contemporary sound. "We love POP music and we love Country Music so it's important to try and incorporate both sometimes," April says. "If we like it we are going for it. We aren't trying to fit a mold but make music we like that people can dance and sing to."

Surprisingly, there are very few female-female pairings currently making headlines, something that's not lost on either of them. "It's so true, which is really crazy to us because we've always loved the duos (the Wreckers, the Judd's) hopefully that demand will change and we will be there front and center ready to fill that void," Amy says. While they have enjoyed their fair share of success so far, they confess that it's been a wild ride, too. "Of course [it's been difficult] but It's been a blast. Everyday we meet some obstacle that we haven't faced yet and since there's really no path made, because everyone is different, it's constantly a learning experience. What worked once may never work again. We've learned to roll with the punches and at the end of the day trust our gut and just GO FOR IT!! It's really the only way we will truly learn."

Previously, The Rankin Twins competed on Cozi TV's hit show The Next Great Family Band. April recalls the greatest lesson they learned, "Our mentor Phoenix Stone really encouraged us to go out there and set ourselves apart and leave it on the stage every night. It was a neat experience and we are grateful to have been chosen to be on the show."

But years before they took a spin at the music wheel, both singers worked desk jobs. "We were living in Dallas and after Amy's college boyfriend broke it off she started guitar lessons," April says, of the moment that sparked their desire to become full-time musicians. "That really sparked the desire and she moved back to Dallas where I was and we both had day jobs and we started playing shows here and there on the weekends. It wasn't but a couple months that Amy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. THAT was the moment our passion became a priority and a reality. Two months after the second surgery we packed up and moved to Austin to pursue the music career. We both got jobs until we released our first single 'Headaches & Heartbreaks,' which Amy wrote after the first surgery, and went on our first radio tour. We also own a photography company called 'Twinty Photography' that allows us to be full time musicians."

Their childhood was as you'd probaby expect: "We had a pretty amazing childhood... your typical small town upbringing. We were our parents' only children so we are definitely spoiled but more so in the loving sense. Our family is really close and our parents encouraged us to be a part of any and all activities. April took guitar lessons when we were in elementary school and Amy took piano but we ultimately decided to pursue sports until college. We've always loved to perform though."

Of course, being identical twins, they did have a bit of a Parent Trap moment once. "April was grounded one time in elementary and wasn't allowed to play Nintendo after school. We switched clothes on the front porch so our babysitter wouldn't know. We fooled him," Amy says.

As for the present, Amy and April have finally found a balance with their personal lives and budding career. "There really wasn't a balance in the beginning because Amy sacrificed both of their personal lives for the sake of the music," April laughs. "(Boss lady) Now it really does take work and sometimes you just do what you've gotta do. The google calendar is our scheduling bible and if it ain't on there it ain't happening!! It's really more of a balance of knowing what's important to us right now and what sacrifices we are willing to make. Being on the same page is necessary too."

For their new single "Good Vibes," Amy and April sing about moonshine, but do they really like to imbibe? "We really like the apple pie moonshine and we are obsessed with mason jars," Amy admits, sheepishly. "We served the signature drinks at April's wedding out of mason jars too." In the vibrant video clip (below), polaroids make quite an appearance. "[Polaroids are] nostalgic and kinda considered vintage now since everything is digital. I even have a Polaroid app that you can put pics in a Polaroid," she says, of the old school technology making a comeback in the mainstream. "We wanted to incorporate them into the video because it had that summer love nostalgic feel. Makes you wanna get lost in those moments that the Polaroids capture and as an added bonus we will be giving those behind the scene Polaroids away with pre-orders of the album."

Over the past year, with such releases from Miranda Lambert ("Automatic") and Florida Georgia Line ("Dirt"), nostalgia seems to be at the centerpiece of the format. "It's important to remember your past because it's what made you who you are. Country songs tell the whole story and take you back to those moments and everyone relates to them in their own ways. It's really beautiful," April says.

In other ventures, the Rankin Twins are currently involved with Hunt For A Cure and recently filmed the pilot episode. April details more, "We recently shot a pilot episode for a new hunting show out at the Solana Ranch. This was their 3rd year for the Hunt For A Cure benefit. Each year they had planned to donate to a different cause and they've chosen the Susan G Komen chapter in Austin for the past 2 years so it was a great opportunity for us to be involved with. Breast cancer is an awful and more common disease in women than people know and if we can help raise awareness by hunting dove on the opening day of the season then count us in."

Grab a copy of their new single "Good Vibes" on iTunes now!

PHOTO CREDIT: Rankin Twins Facebook/NPGPR 

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Mike Ryan on his 'Bad Reputation' & recording in Brad Paisley's home: Exclusive

Mike Ryan is making a bold statement with his new album Bad Reputation, and despite the title, it's a rather good lesson in how to blend Texas with the mainstream. Whether it is the mid-tempo lead-in "Dancing All Around It" or the plucky, pain-doused regret "When I Drink Beer," Ryan made sure to pour every ounce of self-awareness into the project, freely sharing his penmanship on every song. From there, he took to Brad Paisley's home studio (in Nashville) to polish up the collection with electricity, powered through with slick guitar riffs, thumping bass and hooks that simply can't escape the mind. "We were lucky enough to get that worked out [to record there]. What a guy!" Ryan shares of the experience of recording in Paisley's own studio, in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview.

"Brad was out of town while we were recording which was the biggest reason why we got to use his studio in the first place, cause he was in the middle of recording a record too," he recalls. "He got back in one night as we were finishing up and treated us to dinner."

He adds, "We talked a lot about Star Wars and Harry Potter. I’m not well versed in either series so I didn’t have much to add to the conversation, but I was certainly entertained." And the absolute best part of that experience? The inspiration: "We were surrounded by priceless equipment, guitars, amps, pedals, more amps, more guitars. It was incredible. We actually got to go out there a couple of times to watch Brad and his band at work recording his newest album 'Moonshine in the Trunk,'" Ryan says.

And the rest is history. Now, Ryan gets to sit back and let the music do the talking, led this time 'round with "Dancing All Around It." He explains why he settled on that particular track to sample the record, "It was one of the first songs we wrote for the album and it quickly became a favorite when we started playing it live. It was also the first song that Chris [DuBois] and Brent [Anderson] and I wrote together which is pretty cool... We have written a bunch of others since then, but there’s always something special about the first time."

For the video (below), filmed in Antlers, Okla., the singer kept things simple, but nature-focused. "We have a good friend out there with some of the coolest land I've seen and he was gracious enough to lend it to us for a couple of days," he says, adding, "[and] that cabin was too cool to leave out!"

Stylistically, Ryan's Reputation differs vastly from his debut LP Night Comes Falling. He says, "I would say the biggest difference is that all the songs on 'Bad Reputation' are brand new. NCF had a lot of songs that I had been playing for years and had become very familiar with by the time we started recording. There were a few that I finished writing in the studio and a few covers, but for the most part, we were well acquainted with those tunes."

It was after Falling that Ryan garnered the attention of Sea Gayle Music. He recalls that moment in his life like a storybook, "I didn't know what to expect when we scheduled the first trip out to Nashville to meet with Chris DuBois. He was introduced to my music by a mutual friend of ours named Robert Gallagher. We talked briefly and worked out a good time for us to meet and booked flights... about 24 hours before we left I came down with some sort of upper respiratory thing and I was sick as a dog when we finally got there."

He continues, "Chris met us for the first time at The Basement where I limped through a 30 minute acoustic set. The next day, my manager, Wayne and I met Chris up at Sea Gayle where I was fully prepared to hear something like 'It was nice meeting you. Let me know the next time you come into town' or maybe a 'we’ll be in touch' type of thing, but once we started talking, those thoughts went out the window. Chris said they were prepared to offer me a publishing deal and they wanted me to come back to town to write as often as I could."

"I told him I was looking forward to working together, thanked him for the meeting we shook hands and left. As soon as we got in the car, Wayne says 'Do you realize what just #+%@$?* happened!?!?!?!' We were high fiving and woo hooing all the way back to Texas," he says.

Notably, recording in Nashville (instead of his usual Texas hot spot) opened a whole new experience for Ryan, even more than he ever thought possible. "The musicians we had in the studio were just incredible and all these songs were very new, so there was a fair amount of experimentation that took place. It was really cool to see the songs come to life in that way."

Of course, there were quite a few challenges along the way, too. "I wasn't necessarily writing for this record, I was just trying to pile up as many songs as I could to build my catalogue," he says. "Cowrites were somewhat foreign (and scary) to me at first because most of the writing I had done before was all solo. I was a little anxious going into the first few sessions with these complete strangers cause I was “the new guy” and all these other writers had been doing it for years, but after the first few it wasn't so bad, and before long I started to become very comfortable with it."

But Ryan wasn't quite as comfortable with pushing the envelope, quite yet, with his music. It's about building that fan base and reaching an audience first. "I don’t know that I'm really pushing the envelope with my music just yet. I have been very comfortable with all the songs that I've put out so far, and I don't think what I'm doing is groundbreaking or way different. Its just me being honest and putting out songs I believe in, and hoping that they move people."

Of course, his love of music had to come from somewhere. Ryan cites his family pushed him the most, from the time he was born, to reach for what he wanted. "My mother sang to me often before I hatched and continued to throughout my childhood. My family has always been very involved with music and I wasn't gonna be any different. It started with church choir and piano lessons, then in middle school I played the saxophone in our school band for two years before moving to the choir, which continued through high school. We have a lot a musicians in our family which makes it a lot of fun around the holidays. We’ll get together and sing/play songs and Christmas carols around the piano complete with trumpets, trombones, french horns and guitars, and the coolest harmonies you've ever heard."

"My goodness, you haven't lived until you’ve heard a family harmonize with each other. There is just something about it," he says. Musically, though, his influences run pretty deep into '90s culture. "I grew up in the 90s which is my favorite era of country music. There were so many great artists and great songs during that time. I didn't hear a whole lot of older country until I got to college, though. I knew about Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash along with tons of other artists of their time and I was happy to listen to their individual brands of country music, but my favorite artist of that era was Waylon Jennings."

He goes on to mention "Rose Of Paradise" as his favorite country song of all time (or at least at this moment in time). "It's just country music at its finest. The song tells a great story, a sad story, but the music doesn't feel sad... thats always been very interesting to me. When you can take such a sad thing and still make it beautiful, when it brings a tear to your eye and puts a smile on your face at the same time. That’s country music to me."

And understandably, music isn't his only passion. He recently went wake surfing, a bold, daring first for the singer. "I’ve had a little experience behind the boat water skiing and tubing," he says. "I had never done the wake surfing before. I was far from good, but I managed to get up and stay up for a little while. My boy Mark and his boat made a nice wake to surf."

His other hobbies? Everything outdoors. "I love to play golf and softball and I spend as much time hunting in the woods as I can. I grew up hunting deer and hogs with a rifle, mostly, which was great, and I’ll always enjoy that, but the last few years I have gotten turned on to bow hunting. Its quickly become one of my favorite pass times and money pits... Im also a big duck hunter. Is it November yet?"

If you haven't, grab a copy of Bad Reputation on iTunes now!

[PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Ryan Facebook] 

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Kellie Pickler teases fifth album; talks record sales, females on TV: Exclusive

Kellie Pickler is having the best days of her life. Since her run on American Idol (ultimately finishing in sixth), she has gone on to become one of the most heralded vocalists in recent years. On her diverse, roots-driven 100 Proof, the singer offered up a blistering collection of songs that cut through the noise, ultimately landing on many best-of year-end tallies (2012). A year later, she returned with an equally provocative set, albeit more mainstream-leaning, with The Woman I Am, lead with a searing ballad "Someone Somewhere Tonight" (originally recorded by Walt Wilkins and later by Kenny Rogers). From there, Pickler has remained true to her artistic tendencies and continued to forge her own path, much outside the assistance of mainstream country radio.

For many aspiring females or even those who have already gotten a shot at superstardom, turning to other avenues for exposure is often necessary. Most recently, Emily West (who previously charted a Top 40 hit with "Blue Sky" in 2010, via Capitol Records) and Sarah Darling (a Top 50 radio and Top 35 sales hit with "Home To Me") have appeared on such summer competitions as America's Got Talent and Rising Star, respectively. For Pickler, she agrees that it "doesn't hurt" the chances for success. "It’s a wonderful way to have your voice heard," she shares in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview.

"My husband and I just watched Emily on 'America’s Got Talent.' She’s an amazing singer. My husband knows her. She’s phenomenal," she continues. "It’s a great way to get her out there. It’s just great for country music, in general. Competitions and talent shows have been around for years. I remember watching Star Search. Justin Timberlake was on there. Mickey Mouse club had Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Some of the biggest names in music have come from those shows--not just 'American Idol,' but those shows I grew up watching as a kid."

But when you look at current radio playlists and the percentage of females being heard on a large scale, the numbers can be rather disheartening. On any average day, you'll probably hear hits by Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift; those are a given. Here and there, you might hear Sara Evans, Cassadee Pope and Kacey Musgraves but few others. "I keep doing what I do and of course, everyone wants to be on the radio. If its your time, its your time," Pickler says of the possibilitie of the tides turning to favor females. "We are outnumbered, but I don’t want to be that girl that’s ‘poor pitiful me.’ I’m blessed. Regardless, it kind of is what it is. I don’t want to be one of those people who becomes jaded over it."

And jaded, she is not. In fact, the singer has already set her sights on her fifth studio set. "We are in the very early process of this fifth album," she teases. "Right now, I’m just writing a lot, listening to songs. For me, a great song is a great song, regardless if I write it or not. Tammy Wynette didn’t write ‘Stand By Your Man,’ but she sure as hell sang it better than anybody else does. If it’s right for me for this particular project, then I’ll take it."

With both of Pickler's most recent full-length albums, she earned rave reviews from critics, something she could never have expected. "I’m so blessed to get to do what I love, to put my life in the form of a song. I know a lot of people relate the the story of my life. It’s really amazing how a song can connect you with a person," she says. "I really enjoyed being out on the road performing all of the songs and looking out into the crowd and see people singing along with me. It’s special to them; it might be their story as well."

"Of course, if the music is critically acclaimed, that’s a bonus. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really affect record sales," she admits. Everyone wants those blockbuster sales, but for Pickler, she doesn't dwell on negativity. "You just have to do what you do. Hope for the best. What will be will be. You can’t sit and dwell on what you don’t have. You have to focus on what you do have. You have to learn to be happy with what you have and pursue everything else that you want."

Speaking of which, Pickler pursued a cool animated opportunity, lending her voice to this fall's upcoming Veggie Tales feature, Beauty & The Beet. In the film, to drop Oct. 14, she plays Mirabelle, a quirky, fun-loving sweet potato. "I’ve always loved animation and always wanted to be part of an animated movie," she says. "When they reached out about playing the role of Mirabelle in the new movie, it worked out perfectly. It was so fun."

On hitting the studio for the animated film: "It’s so much harder than what people think it is. You have to really make this character come to life with your voice. It’s not like a regular film where you see the actors and see their face and body language. It’s cartoon characters, and you have to really play up your voice and make it as animated as possible. If you feel like you sound silly, you’re probably doing it right."

For the accompanying soundtrack, Pickler recorded several original songs, as well as a Christmas classic ("Deck The Halls") to run during the final credits. "[The songs] are so cute. They are play off vegetables. There are so many quirky songs in there," she says, adding, "Many of them sound like ‘50s and ‘60s throwback. It’s definitely different than anything I’ve done before."

She shares of her favorite childhood cartoons: "I love ‘Little Mermaid’ & ‘Cinderella.’ You know, like ‘Finding Nemo’ and all of that hadn’t come out yet," she laughs.

Recently, Pickler took to New York City for a great cause: Meow Mix. "We had a great crowd. We have a mobile recording studio set up in New York City. It’s been fun. We’ve encouraged as many people as possible to jump into the studio and record the iconic Meow Mix jingle. For every recording, Meow Mix will donate 100 meals to the New York City Food Bank. We had a really great turnout. We had so many people jump in the booth and sing," she says.

She adds, "I’m a big animal lover. I love all animals. It was a great partnering."

Find out more about the Meow Mix campaign here.

Photos courtesy of Black River Entertainment 

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Swedish rocker Hicks on 'Hayride,' tearing down stereotypes & young love: Exclusive

When you think country music, the last thing that (probably) comes to mind is Sweden. While the format is still find its place overseas, rocker Hicks is laying down the groundwork for what could soon become the nation's biggest format. On his new single "Hayride" (and his first official stateside release), he champions country's roots but dabble in a bit of high-octane rock that blasts through the speakers like a couple shots of Jack on a Friday night.

Sure, he played in countless rock bands as a teenager, but when he was just a toddler in diapers, he knew about he greats: namely Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Jim Reeves. "Maw told me that her dad (my grandpa) and her were big, big country music fans," he shares in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview. "I stood there in my diapers and I used my grandpa’s big shoe horn to play air guitar to Hank [Williams], Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves. They were like, ‘well, you’re gonna be an artist.’ And yeah, they were so right."

Then, in his teens, things began to shift a bit. "I started to play in bands, I wanted to play country. But none of my friends had listened to country," he recalls. "They just thought I was cheesy. They wanted to play rock, and I liked rock, too. Then, Garth Brooks happened. It was like BAM. That’s it. It was a no brainer for me. I was done being an artist when he came out."

It was some time later, though, that Hicks sojourned to Nashville to see country for himself. "When I went to Nashville, I met a guy called Ronnie Thomas. He’s a producer and manager for a lot of bands. He worked with Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry [also Lee Ann Womack and Gretchen Wilson]. I played my songs to him. I was meaning to pitch my songs to other country songs."

"He looked at me and said, ‘no, no, no. You shouldn’t pitch those songs. You should do them yourself.’ I was like, ‘no. I’m not an artist anymore. I’m a songwriter.’ ‘No, you’re not. I can hear the passion in your voice. You’re an artist.’ So, I thought about it for a minute and went back to Sweden and started. I decided to give it a shot and see what happened," he says.

Still unsure of how to launch a full-fledged country career, he says he issued his first single "Mama's Kitchen" (above) just to test the waters--"to see what kind of response I would get. Then, OH, it took off like crazy. Stations from all over the world started playing it. I wound up on charts I didn’t even know existed. That song went to #2 on the big European country chart. How did that happen? It took on a life of its own. I am in no control of it anymore. It just lives."

Fast forward a few years, and Hicks is setting trends, especially on his new hard rock-tinged single "Hayride," his first with MTS Management. "I was really aiming for a party song, beer-drinking, foot-tapping, sing along type of song," he says, then adding that his fans have gone absolutely nuts over it. "That’s the song everybody wants to hear. They’re like, ‘play it again, play it again!’ It’s so easy to sing along with, too."

On hearing fans sing his songs back to him in live performance, he finds it more than a little wierd. "There’s a lot of pride in that," he says. "I’m so proud that I landed a song everyone wants to sing and listen to. There are so many emotions attached to it. It is a weird feeling when you are playing and there are 5 or 10,000 people in the crowd and they’re all singing along."

Previously, he's also released such tunes as "Unreachable Dream" (below), a folk-draped mid-tempo piece, and "Bad Call After All," an even more emotional story. But those were independently released, without support from a label. Now, Hicks is enjoying unbridled MTS support. "Michael Stover is the best. I’m really glad to be working with him because he thinks outside of the box. He’s so educated, hard-working, just like me. I love that about him. We don’t take no for an answer. That’s why I wanted to work with him," he says.

Hicks has also found continued creative freedom, most certainly in his own organic songwriting. On his process: "It could be lyric or could be the melody or something else that sounds cool together. The latest song I wrote, I wrote with Sharon Vaughn. She’s written songs for Willie [Nelson], Waylon [Jennings], Oak Ridges Boys, just everybody. We wrote a song called ‘Don’t Monkey With What’s Working.’ It’s kind of an anthem for me. We sat there talking about what kind of song we’d write. I was like, ‘I know what I want. It has to sound a little rock or country.’ Then we had the title and wrote a song about that. It’s so nice when that happens."

He continues, "Usually when I write, I have them in my head first and then write them down. I don’t pick up an instrument until I have the structure and the lyric. I know it when I pick up a guitar or get at the piano and start too early, it narrows it down for me. I want it to live and be what it wants to be before I put anything music to it. Sometimes I take it to someone else and have them do the same thing, of what vibe they think it is."

Looking back, he recalls the very first song he ever wrote; it was about love, of course. "I was seven or eight years old. I was so in love with a girl in my class," he says. "It was a Swedish song and I wrote it on my mom’s organ. It was called (in translation) ‘You Are So Close, Yet So Far.’ She sat in the bench next to me. I was so in love with her, but I didn’t dare tell her. I didn’t play her the song, either, it wasn’t that good," he laughs.

From his new-found success, Hicks had the chance of representing Sweden at last year's CMA Music Festival, performing a set in downtown Nashville. "That was such a huge, huge honor. It was just like, ‘CMA knows who I am?’ I couldn’t believe it," he says. "They then invited me to represent Sweden. That was just mind-blowing. I got to Nashville a lot to write. I have many friends there. I’ve played many honky tonks before, but I was there as an official artist. That was really, really awesome. Then, I met fans in Nashville. They came up to me after the show, ‘we came all the way from Canada just to see you.’ I was just like, ‘how did that happen?’"

On the differences between Swedish and stateside audiences, he notes the attention to detailed lyrics. "In the states, the audience listens a lot more to what you are singing about. They are more attentive to the lyrics. Of course, it’s their language. Over here, we speak Swedish and German and French. Of course, they don’t understand as well. Country fans, in general, really listen, though. It’s not a music form that’s just consumed like pop or rock. You really listen to it."

"Other than that, they part just as hard over here as there," he laughs.

For fans itching for a full-length, Hicks reveals that an album is already in the works, potentially for release in early 2015. "We still have some songs to do. We are tweaking mixes of songs right now," he says. "Then again, I’m working on a big thing in Sweden. If that locks in, we’ll have to wait to release the album until March or April of next year. It looks like that’s gonna happen."

"There’s a huge, huge show coming up that’s gonna put country music on the map here. Country music isn’t big here. I’m doing what I can. There are some other artists here, too. Now, we have the TV show ‘Nashville’ and that helps a lot. People are going, ‘wow. Country isn’t that bad.’ People are starting to get it. There’s been an underground country movement. Brad Paisley, Dolly [Parton] come here for shows and every one is sold out. It’s just the media that’s not really opened to it yet. They think it’s something cheesy or corny."

If you ask him one piece of advice for newcomers wanting to forge a country career, he is pretty honest. "Don’t copy anybody else. Know the roots. Know why it sounds the way it does. Study it. Love it, learn it," he says.

Grab a copy of "Hayride" on iTunes now! 

Photos courtesy of MTS Management

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Cody Bryan teases new EP; talks Texas red dirt & creative integrity: Exclusive

Cody Bryan is finally catching is breath following the 2013 release of his debut country album Wreck Me, an electric, driving set that goes from zero to 180 in the blink of an eye. With each of the project's slender 10 tracks, the singer-songwriter, who admittedly lies somewhere between the smoothness of Luke Bryan and the dirty grit of the Randy Rogers Band, perfectly blends his Texas roots with a slick, polished mass-appealing journey. In many ways, the album is a statement record "This was our first album, so we wanted to set the tone for who Cody Bryan Band is," he reveals to NashvilleGab in an exclusive sit-down interview, surrounded by the bubbly chit-chat of Edgehill Cafe.

It's a blazing summer afternoon, and as I approach, Bryan leans forward in his seat, beaming from ear to ear. As one of country music's finest newcomers and musicians, he sure knows how to handle himself when dealing with the press. His demeanor is poised and confident, as he chuckles when talking abou this favorite Cafe drink. It is this delivery that is quite evident on the record; even his vocals possess an innate theatrical element. I even point out his matching arena-sized tone to Broadway and film star Adam Pascal (most known for his work in Rent). "I can’t say I’ve ever had anyone compare my style to Adam Pascal, and honestly I’m not familiar with his stuff.  You’ve inspired me to go check out his stuff though!" Bryan says, inching closer (as the rustling of chairs and boisterous talk begins to cut through our conversation).

Having recorded the album, which includes standout tracks "Good At Being Bad" and "A Shot In The Dark," in his hometown of Austin, Texas, he explains how that directed his aristry. "A lot of our influence comes from [there]. There are a lot of great bands that play here with many different styles.  I think we’ve pulled a lot of our influences from this and also from a lot of the other Texas Country artists that we started listening to years back, such as Randy Rogers, EYB, Creager, and Ragweed."

Admittedly, he has yet to record on the brightly dazzling Music Row, and doesn't have plans to anytime soon. "For the next record we plan to record at Orb Recording studios in the Austin area, and in fact have already cut three tracks there that we plan to put towards our next record.  I’m not gonna say we will never record in Nashville though.  Who knows what the future may hold," he says.

And when you take a listen to Wreck Me, you'll find yourself relating to many of the songs,as such common themes as "being in love, broken hearts, and good times" are threaded from start to finish. He says, noting that exploring his more vulnerable side isn't hard, after all, "Music is something that I feel needs to be genuine.  The only way to be genuine is to really lay it out there."

When Bryan sets about creating, he doesn't let outside trends (i.e. mainstream radio) influence or sway his integrity. "I try to stay away from writing based on a certain formula," he says, rather frank. "There are certain artists that I listen to and take away a lot from, so certain radio trends just happen naturally."

Two of those ubiquitous trends you'll find in any Bryan or Florida Georgia Line or Jason Aldean tune is hip-hop and rap breakdowns. Bryan just might take his spin at it in the future, or not. "Not gonna rule it out," he says of the possibility. "One of the guys that I write with (AJ) was a rapper in the past and still dabbles.  Maybe we’ll get him rapping on a track someday; who knows?!"

After laying down songs in the studio and making his way out onstage, he tries "to put myself back in the situation that the song is about" in order to bring the same energy to his live performances. He adds, "The studio is most definitely different than being on stage and singing in front of a live audience.  It’s tough to get that energy when you’re singing in a vocal booth to the walls in the studio."

"When singing on stage this energy really just happens more naturally.  Your blood is already pumping when you’re feeding off the crowds energy," he says.

Previously, Bryan dabbled in a bit of alternative rock, before transitionaly completely to down-home country. And he doesn't have any regrets. "I’ve always had country music in my bones.  If you listen to my alternative rock stuff it has always had somewhat of a country structure to the lyrics and guitar parts.  Also, country fans are some of the most loyal fans around.  It’s great having that support," he says.

If fans are already itching for new Bryan music, don't fret. An EP is on the way! "We just finished tracking three songs to put towards our next album," he hints. "Be on the lookout for those. Looking to release a few of them as singles."

He adds, "[We're] hoping to release in the spring of next year!  We have three tracks recorded and lots of other material in the works."

Grab a copy of Wreck Me on iTunes now! 

Photos courtesy of Cody Bryan

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Chris Burkmenn strives to empower Nashville artists with CBEX: Exclusive

Digital leader, online personality and budding host Chris Burkmenn is on the verge of something big. Through his newly launched CBEX (a revamp of his former website), he gives struggling Nashville artists an opportunity for exposure, through giving them a wholly unique platform to showcase their music. "I began CBEX orignally because I wanted to be a host and I never had the ability to do it on tv," Burkmenn shares (exclusively) with NashvilleGab. Since the web series launche in late 2013, he has gone on to acheive remarkable things in 11 months, including interviews with many promising singer-songwriters.

"I wanted to start it because I felt that if a network wouldn't give me a platform then I would do it another way. I worked for CMT Hot 20 Countdown and we used the lunch as a platform to launch the webshow, but we were not able to use that for very long," he continues. "I then decided that I wanted to do it around the city of Nashville and show off each artist in a different light. I was so fortunate to work with some outstanding people. Andy Burchett does the videography for the show and really help bring to life the vision."

And his vision is clearly becoming a dazzling reality. Some of his interviews include Evan Gibb, Lancifer, Kayla Woodson and Spencer Kane. "From there we began filming interviews with artists and I really realized how much the new artists get little to no attention. I felt that when I really reflected on the vision of the show that we strive to Empower the artist. Help give them a platform for their talent to really shine. We do an interview and a performance with each artist. Alison Goedde does a fantastic job of putting these videos together and making sure the artist is represented well," he says.

Despite his success, he has surely endured rocky stops along the way. "Throughout this journey, I have really realized how much I am fighting for the dreamer in us all," he notes. "Each of us has the ability to chase our dreams, but often times we don't because we do not know where or how to start. We need someone to go before us and show us that it can be done, and I truly believe that I am pioneering the unknown. Webshows are the future and CBEX is really doing that and trust me, it has not been easy, but very rewarding."

As he heads into the future, he has impressive goals of where he wants to go next. "My goal for CBEX is to be a place where people goal to find out what is upcoming in music. To be that distribution place for these new artists, and for them to want to be on our show. We are constantly brainstorming and figuring out new ways on how we can empower the artist, and I love it. It keeps us motivated, and driven to where we want to take this. Each artist I interview, I believe in and I wouldn't have them on if I didn't believe."

He adds, "I would really like to see so many different things come from this, I'd really love for us to go even further and be a Nashville staple be a place where any artist can come on the show and really go even further in their career. Labels are really a thing of the past and these artists are mostly independent which is great, because they can make decisions for themselves.

"Nashville is the city where my dreams came true, and it's just really exciting to see what is next for the show, and myself," he says.

Burkmenn has also partnered with Talkapolis, a social media-driven campaign to bring fans' favorite online show directly to Facebook and Twitter feeds. "Talkapolis has given CBEX a huge platform, it has allowed us to reach close to 450,000 people each week in the TN area and we are growing in the Atlanta area as well," he says of the opportunity. "This is a huge accomplishment, and I am really excited to see where we go next. We also have been lucky enough to partner with Aud Co Nashville, and the incredible My Fans Demand app. We are reaching to new heights and continuing to look for interested partners, and sponsors."

Keep up-to-date on all the CBEX latest on the official website. 

Photos courtesy of Chris Burkmenn 

 

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Jiggley Jones on his new single 'Walk On Me' & his hard-rock past: Exclusive

Whether you consider his music Americana, acoustic or alt-country, Jiggley Jones has something to say. On his latest album, titled A Mountain, A Struggle, A Tunnel, A Light, he goes for the emotional, raw gut-punch on each of the meager six tracks. Lead by his current single "Walk On Me" (also the haunting opening track), the album strikes a chord between truly organic stories and memorable hooks. It's hard to find that balance, but Jones has more than managed to deliver. "[The album title's] my metaphor for life," he says in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview.

"Everybody struggles across mountains (in the difficult times in their life). Hopefully, there’s a shortcut...or tunnel," he continues. "The light at the end of the tunnel is what you’re always looking for. It tied all the songs together, not that it is a concept album or anything. I came up with the name of the record after the songs were picked. I put them in a certain order and listened to them. I was carrying a pen and paper around with me for a couple weeks, jotting around different titles. One morning, with a cup of coffee, this one came to me and stuck out."

On the process of nailing down the perfect track list, he says, "The whole process is difficult in its own ways, even as far as picking titles, too. I have a tendency to overanalyze. You can try different songs back to back, listening to the ending of one and the beginning of another. It takes a while to do it, but in the long run, you are more satisfied."

The album, produced by Dave Moody, finds Jones digging into Americana for the first time in a long time. "[Dave] was great in the studio. He made a really great atmosphere. It was relaxed. He picked some great musicians to play on it. He was very influential in putting the music into a certain genre. He put me more squarely into the Americana genre than I was before, which was what I was looking for," Jones says of the recording sessions. "He’s a great musician himself. He really solidified a lot of the music on the songs. He didn’t really mess with the songs much at all from the original arrangements. He directed the other musicians in how they put their spin to it."

Surprisingly, Jones was previously the front man of a New York-based rock band called Q that was "more aggressive" than his current work. "[That was] in the mid to late ‘90s. We were [a little like] the Red Hot Chili Peppers," he says. "New York is a great city. People were very open minded. That was probably the best band man-for-man that I was ever in. We had some people at MTV that we knew and gave us an opportunity to have some music put on soundtrack stuff. It was when I was really young. It was a lot of fun. It was one of those things that it just didn’t work out in the end."

On Light, Jones finds himself returning to his "roots." "As a child, I listened to a lot of things like the Eagles and more classic rock. This is more my comfort level now," he says. "As far as the Americana genre, it’s not that I picked it to be in, it’s just the way the music went. On the business end, the people involved are the ones that sort of picked that direction."

But, admittedly, he doesn't believe music should have labels. In fact, that's one of his pet peeves. He explains, "That’s a business thing. That’s what they do to pigeonhole you. It’s for marketing purposes. I believe in good music or bad music. I guess it’s more convenient if you are looking for a certain type of music. I guess that might be because I don’t have a concrete genre. I touch on country, rock, folk. That’s not done on purpose; it’s just how it came out. I’m hanging out bouncing out between the three."

You can certainly understand where he's coming from when you take a listen to his single "Walk On Me," a song written some years ago. "That song is actually the oldest song on the record. I originally did it a couple years back. It was more of a rock song, then. I liked it so much, I never let go of it," he says. "When I redid it, I slowed it down a bit and made it more acoustic and changed the key--made it a little more soulful. The melody was always something that was really strong to me. That’s why I redid it."

"When the label picked the song for the record, I was shocked. It’s one of those songs that just came out and flowed really nice from the get go," he adds.

On how the song came to be, he notes his usual songwriting process: "Usually when I write songs, I have the lyrics last. I’ll come up with the guitar progression, with a scat vocal (vocals without words) and it gives me an emotion or feel of the song might have. Specifically, I can’t remember why those lyrics [to this song] came out. It just happened. It wasn’t something I was dealing with personally at the time."

To bring that searing recorded quality to his live shows, he likes to go acoustic, at least for now. "Right now, I’m playing acoustic, just me and a guitar. The songs are being presented in their infant forms. A lot of people like that; they get to hear what I was feeling when I wrote the song. I would love to do the full band thing. I can’t wait for the day that that’s the case. But for now, this is much more easy to get it together and keep it together, just to go out and do it myself," he says.

At the 2013 International Music and Entertainment Association (IMEA) Awards, Jones was award the illustrious Songwriter of the Year honor. While it is a "great feeling," he doesn't let that moment define his music or where he goes next. "To be recognized for what I feel I do the best in my life. Everybody’s good at something, and that’s something I always felt I had a shot of being good at. It was great to finally somebody in the industry to recognize that. It helped in my positive outlook of what I was doing," he says.

Going forward, he hopes to continue bringing his unique brand of music to more and more fans. "I like to separate my writing from my performing. Right now, it’s all about performance," he says of his plans for 2014. "The record is out, and I need to get it out [even more] as much as possible. It’s going to take the rest of this year to make it work. That’s where my focus is now. I can’t wait to get back to creating; that’s my favorite thing. But it’s one thing at a time."

Grab a copy of A Mountain, A Struggle, A Tunnel, A Light on iTunes now! 

Photos Courtesy of Lamon Records

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Lenny Cooper discusses his new album 'The Grind,' Bucky Covington & more: Exclusive

"They say the legends of the past are rolling over in their graves," Lenny Cooper drops on the opening track of his forthcoming album, The Grind (Aug. 26), "Now, that's not what I see. Let's agree to disagree." Cooper, with two previous full-lengths to his credit, is ready to try some new things. That's why, when listening to his new album, you can hear more eclectic influences, enveloped in his signature hip-hop sensibilities. Admittedly, he says that the current diversity at mainstream country radio just might help his new album breakthrough. "Florida Georgia Line is already doing it, and they’re getting played," he says in an exclusive interview with NashvilleGab. "That’s helping us to get one step closer to getting played too. They’re proving it can be done."

"You have Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean, too," he adds. "There are a bunch of artists that are now getting into that same category and trying it and it being successful. It’s opening up doors for us to get in there even faster."

Dubbed the Muddigger King, Cooper says it has been difficult to keep each track fresh for his fans. "It is very hard not to write something that you haven’t already written," he says. "A bunch of artists always have that happen to them. They’re writing a song and, ‘man this sounds like something I wrote already’ or ‘it sounds like so and so’s song.’ It’s hard to pinpoint on what exactly you want to do with a song. Once you have a good topic and idea, it is so easy to write."

For The Grind, Cooper moved away from simple solo writes to enlisting some of Nashville's finest songwriters, including Noah Gordon and Mark Harnett. "This is the first album I’ve written with other songwriters. They say ‘two heads are better than one.’ I had a lot more fun writing with someone else than just me by myself. You get more creative and think of different things I wouldn’t on my own. It really freed me up," he says.

"I got to have fun with this album and not worry about if fans will like. With my first two albums, that let me know what they like and what they want...and if they want something new."

You'll  find another rather recognizable name on the record: Bucky Covington. "Noah and I had written ['Redneck Country Song']--it was completely done. I told the label I wanted to have one big name on their, somebody I could just walk down the street and ask 10 people and seven know who it is," Cooper recalls. "We started with people like John Anderson and Craig Morgan. We were also thinking about Luke Bryan. We had a whole list, but everybody was so busy. It came to the point of...we’re almost done with this album, we needed someone to jump on here. It happened to be that Bucky came along. We got in touch with him, and he was all for it. It couldn’t have been better. His vocals are just perfect on the song. It fits well with his style. It’s one of those songs I think everyone should hear. It’s that good."

"He actually wrote a few lines of it, too. If radio doesn’t play it, there’s something wrong. It’s just country right there," he says.

"Redneck Country Song" is a polar opposite to the album's lead-in, though--the guitar-laden hook-fused "Lights On." Cooper details exactly how the groove came together in the studio: "We were actually sitting here in the studio in Nashville, we started thinking, ‘what could we do?’ I told them I wanted to do a bar-scene song. I’m a big fan of ‘Rehab’ and that kind of stuff. I didn’t want to do something similar to that, but I wanted something that talked about being in a bar and having a good time on the weekend. Then you have that one bartender who wants to shut the place down. ‘Hey, I’m turning the lights on, last call, ya’ll gotta get out of here.’ When you are having a good time in a bar, you don’t wanna do that. You want to stay for one more beer, one more song. That’s where I edged the song around, adding a little bit of comedy to it on the second verse, where I was acting like I was rapping drunk." Fans can expect the video to drop any day now.

As far as the rest of the album: "This one is a lot different [than my previous ones], but at the same time, it’s not so different where it’ll confuse fans. I wanted to not focus on mud as I did on the first two. I wanted to show the fans I am growing. I want them to know I’m capable of doing more stuff than talking about mud. Plus, this album has a lot more ‘live’ sounding songs. A lot of the songs are played with live instruments. I’m really excited about that, to let fans hear something new that I haven’t done before. Even on ‘Lights On,’ that’s more live than before. I want to show I’m capable of doing different things."

Being an outsider to country radio, Cooper has found that he doesn't need it to find an audience. "We’ve proved that we don’t need it. We can do it on our own," he says. "[It’s] the beauty of internet. [So many] people now don’t listen to the radio in their car. They’re mainly playing CDs, or their iPod through their radio. Or using Pandora, that’s a huge thing. This month I’ve got 2.2 million plays on there. I would never have expected that in a million years. Would I love to be played on the radio? Absolutely. Who wouldn’t. That’s why with this album, I wanted more of a live sound."

In addition to the new record, Average Joes will also release a second issue of The Average Joes comic. "I thought it was pretty funny at  first," he says of the animated project. "I didn’t think it’d work, but people are enjoying it. The first issue came out and I just got an email from the CEO of the label saying this is a comment from a little girl who read the comic. She says she’s worried about my character, because something happened at the end. She commented and asked if Lenny is going to be OK. That right there are fans out there that are getting a kick out of it. That made me feel good about it. Plus, who wouldn’t want to be a comic book superhero?"

But more importantly, what is his superhero power? "I can melt down into mud and go under doors. I usually wear sunglasses when I perform, so that’s how they recognize me. My sunglasses also shoot these beams, too. It’s pretty cool."

Pre-order a copy of The Grind on iTunes now!

Photos courtesy of Lenny Cooper Facebook / Average Joes Entertainment 

 

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Ray Scott on modern country radio, Brandy Clark & 'Drinkin Beer': Exclusive

 

It's a good day to be Ray Scott. Through grassroots marketing and a strong online presence, this multi-faceted singer enjoys making the music he makes and has amassed an impressively loyal, music-buying audience. His target has always been to let the lyrics speak for themselves, and he's clearly seen that pay off in dividends. Following Rayality in 2011, he is ready to redefine the way of doing things, even if he is far more traditional than most.

"There’s certainly a short list of us [traditionalists] that’s for sure. In my case, being independent, it’s really free. From day one, even when I was with Warner Bros., I still did it the way it comes out," he shares in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview, about how he navigates an industry seeped with hip-hop and rap breakdowns.

"I have never really tried to lean towards the trends," he continues; it's certainly a bold statement to make. "It simply doesn’t work for me. I’ve always stuck to my guns of what comes. It’s 100 percent true to who I am. There’s still a lot of people out there who love this type of music. Honestly, there’s plenty of room on the musical landscape for guys like me, such as Jamey Johnson, Sturgill Simpson. There’s so much cool stuff out there, that’s not on mainstream radio. We find places to be heard."

And being wholly independent, he has even more freedom to find new ways to reach country fans. "Over the years--of being in the industry for a while, having a deal and then losing it--you figure out the directions to go in to find people to hear your music," he notes. "Thank goodness for the internet, you know what I mean? I don’t really see it as a huge challenge. I’m not necessarily trying to compete with the major labels."

But he wants to be clear, that he has nothing against artists like Luke Bryan or Florida Georgia Line and incorporating mainstream-leaning sounds. He explains, "I mean, I loved some hip-hop stuff growing up and rock or whatever. I totally loved it. I went through a total ‘80s-rock phase. From a production standpoint, I sometimes sound a lot like that stuff. But what I lean towards is still a mixture of a lot of things. We’re just as modern as anyone else; the direction is just different."

He also notes that the team that surroudns him is "very important," if not the most important component. "Having someone that’s a social media rockstar is a huge advantage. Mainstream radio and the big charts very much determines who is getting all the work out there. It does make it challenging for guys like myself to get good gigs to keep the bus and band on the road. You have to be more crafty to figure those things out. I’ve been lucky to have people around me who truly believe in it."

"I’ve found upper avenues," he admits, humbly. "I have three #1 songs in the UK. I’ve built a heck of a following in eastern Europe. I’ve been on one tour. I got back recently and I’m leaving again for Paris and Switzerland. It’s cool. I’m balancing Europe and the US right now. It’s a busy year for sure. There’s definitely more than one way to skin a cat."

For his latest single "Drinkin' Beer," a rowdy summer anthemic piece, Scott dips his toes into what has been dubbed "bro country," by New York Times journalist Jody Rosen, but that doesn't define who he is. "It’s just a fun song. It’s something everybody can relate. It’s a lot of fun to play [live]. It’s talking about a pretty universal thing, but it’s pretty catchy. One of the most important things about it is it has my personal spin on the lyric," he says.

For the video, fans can expect it to follow the storyline pretty well. "It has a few different scenes. One is out on the lake. It has a funny approach and sight gags in it," the singer teases.

The rock-soaked track is the lead-in to his forthcoming self-titled album, predicted for a fall release, which is, quite franky, "the same old me," he asserts. "The great thing about this go ‘round is the first time I’ve really taken on a label and have an infrastructure. I’ve had my own label for a few years to house the recordings and put them out on a brand. This time, based on success we had last year in sales of ‘Rayality,’ we just had a lot of freedom to regroup and do it exactly the way we wanted to."

He adds, "Each song is a separate vignette. Nothing sounds the same. We had all the freedom on the world to do it the way we heard it and not try to stick within any parameters or limitations, when it comes to production or song choice."

And one of those songs is "Wheels On The House," a tune he co-wrote with the critically-acclaimed songbird Brandy Clark. "It was one that I had the idea on the way in to the co-writing session. I’ve known Brandy for a little while," Scott recalls. "David [Brainard] produced her album, too. I’ve known her for three or four years now. I knew going in that both of us had spent a majority of our young lives in trailers. That’s a unique way to live life. We had that in common. It’s a pretty funny song. I love how it came out. I love Brandy. I think she’s one of the best out there today."

More on Clark: "She’s just an extremely real person. We are cut from the loin cloth. I did the low voice on her ‘Stripes’ song, but I was also a guest in her video. We were friends. From the first time I heard her, I knew there was something special about her. Then when you meet her, she’s just this really beautiful person from the inside out. There are big things in store for her."

While the new record won't have a specific linear concept, it will be his "version of country." He says, "It’s through my window. It’s not necessarily a concept album or anything like that. It’s just a collection. It’s the way I’ve always done it."

"My A&R process basically consists of going out and playing songs for people in the live shows. I pay attention over and over to what gets the reaction and what they lean toward. It’s not that every song I record is something I know people love already. There have to be some that I feel are special, as well. I work better like that. You can find out who your audience is."

During a recent live performance at the Riverfront Stage in downtown Nashville, Scott peppered in humor between each of his songs in his set. Admittedly, it's something he's always done. "I think that’s something I started to fall into a groove with," he says of using comedy in live shows. "It’s my personality, more or less, extended between songs. In recent years, I’ve probably had more..well, not necessarily more success with funny songs...I just tend to lean towards them."

"I love Jerry Reed and Roger Miller and all those guys. I like a really clever story and lyric. A lot of my songs lean toward that. The show is a show. I’m not the type of guy that takes life or myself extremely seriously. The humor in between songs is an extension of that. People are used to seeing these bands up there doing rockstar poses--nothing wrong with that--but I kind of make fun of that. It’s just being real. It’s a show. Laughter is a huge way to be entertained. I’m not the guy up there with the pyrotechnics or swinging on a vine. You go to what your strengths are."

But no, he couldn't imagine himself becoming a comedian. "Comedians have the biggest balls of all," he laughs. "Those guys that can get up there and stand in front of an audience, without a guitar and guys standing behind man--they’re putting themselves out there. I don’t know that I would ever have the nerve to do that. I don’t think I’m that funny for that long. I might throw out a one liner here or there and catch some wind with it. I dig what Rodney Carrington does. He’ll get up there and cut up for a little bit and then sing a funny song. I think that’s a pretty cool thing. It breaks it up and takes pressure off you."

"I do have a number of serious songs that people respond to, as well. As artists, we have to be careful to include a bit of both," he concludes.

Grab a copy of "Drinkin' Beer" on iTunes now!

Photos courtesy of Ray Scott Facebook 

 

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Dylan Scott discusses his role model Keith Whitley & songwriting: Exclusive

Upon first listen of Dylan Scott's brand new single "Mmm, Mmm, Mmm," you'll get the sense that his influences truly do run the gamut. Well, that's certainly an understatement. Following his previous release, the breezy "Makin' This Boy Go Crazy," the singer is ready to make his mark—bolstered, of course, by his self-titled EP. "I have to stay true to myself and not get caught up in what they’re doing and stay on my path. If it works, great, keep doing it. You have to find who you are and be that guy," he shares in an exclusive NashvilleGab interview, of how he separates himself from the pack.

And he does that by truly fusing together an eclectic dose of sounds. He recounts what made him decide to pursue music in the first place, "Well, my dad was in the business. He played with Freddie Fender and Freddie Hart in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. He met my mom and moved back to Louisiana, which his where he’s from and where I grew up. Then, he started a family."

He continues, "I used to see pictures of my dad on stage and hear his songs and hear the stories. So, I’ve known since I was five or six years old that I was going to move to Nashville and become a singer. I didn’t know I would actually be signed and do all that. I knew I was at least going to give it a shot."

Early on, he was gifted one of Keith Whitley's fine records, which was really the tipping point for him. "He’s my role model," Scott says. "He died a year before I was born, but I knew all of his songs growing up. That’s who I wanted to be when I moved to town."

As far as where his hip-hop style comes from, he notes, "At the same time, my buddies were listening to Lil Wayne and Usher and all these pop music guys and rap. I was inspired by those guys, too, just good music. I put all that together for my music."

Scott first moved to Nashville six years ago, when he was only 18 years old, and "I didn’t move to Nashville to be a songwriter. I kind of got pulled into it. All my buddies were writing. I was like, ‘man, I love this.’ Over the past six years, I’ve really honed in on who I am as a writer. It’s been one of those things I’ve grown to have a huge passion for."

On his uniquely cultivated process: "Every song is different and comes from a different inspiration (on that day). I don’t like to just go in a room and say, ‘oh, I’m going to write a song today.’ I like to have a reason to write, maybe something that’s on my mind or something that happened to me that week or maybe I’m really happy that day."

As a newcomer, he is also well-aware at how important the live show is at building a loyal music-buyin fan base. "It’s easy [to bring the same level of energy to each show] when the crowd is excited," he states. "Before you go out and it’s packed house, it gets me excited. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had no sleep; I get pumped up. I’m a newcomer, you know, so sometimes the crowds aren’t the same. But you still have to go out and put on a great show. Maybe next time they’ll tell their buddies about it. It’s basically motivation. You have to look for the next step and how you’re going to give it your all."

When it comes to the set list, he often flies by the seat of his pants. "If we’re half-way through our set and I see a song coming up. It’s like, ‘well, I don’t think this song’s gonna work for this crowd.’ I’ll usually turn around to the guys real quick and let them know," he says.

Grab a copy of "Mmm, Mmm, Mmm" on iTunes now!

Photos courtesy of Dylan Scott Facebook / Curb Records 

 

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