In a few sentences, tell us about your journey as a performing artist and how you found yourself playing at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge this year.
My other band, The 40 Acre Mule, was on a break when Alejandro Escovedo asked me to open for him in Dallas. I had this crazy idea to form a Roots Rock-N-Roll organ trio to do the show. So, with Matthew Vasquez on keys and Spud Crowley on drums and two rehearsals, we played a sold out Kessler Theater. A few months later, we were an Official Showcasing Artist at SXSW 2024. While we were in Austin, a fantastic management company called Keystone Artist Connect asked us to play their event at Arlyn Studios. I guess it went well because they were kind enough to have us play their AmericanaFest event in Nashville at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge.
In this present moment, what does the term ‘Americana’ mean to you? Do you see it as a limiting or expansive term? Is the work of playing Americana music an act of mythologizing this nation and its people or demystifying them? Or both?
Americana has become a place for just about any music still played with real instruments. Red Dirt, Alt-Country, Folk…it’s all “Americana” now. To me, it’s all about where you’re from and your influences. I play Rock-N-Roll grounded in the Blues and Gospel and even Country of my roots. That’s “Americana” to me, the tapestry of where we’re all from and the lives we’ve lived. That makes the genre potentially the most inclusive in music today. There’s room at the table for everyone. Good music is still good music and I still believe music can bring people together in spite of our differences.
As a literary publication, Nashville Review is focused on publishing the best poetry & prose that lands in our submission piles. How has written literature played a role in evolving your work as a songwriter? As a performer? Do you have a special relationship with any author or their work?
I was an actor before returning to music. So, I read a ton of plays. I always went for the gritty side of storytelling. Plays that looked at shadier America, warts and all. David Mammet, August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle. I really enjoy crime novels, too. James Ellroy, Elmore Leonard… they created characters that you should hate but find yourself rooting for, even connecting with. Life isn’t black and white. We all exist in the gray. I think I carry a little bit of that into my writing. I find myself creating characters that aren’t necessarily bad but certainly are no angels. We’re all a little bit dangerous given the circumstances.
What’s an influence on your music that even a die-hard fan might find surprising? This could be another musical artist or genre, a hobby of yours, a unique experience, etc.
I love 80’s Yacht Rock. There’s something about the production quality. Plus, the vocals and songwriting are generally first rate.
What’s one question you always hope an interviewer will ask you about your artistry? What’s your answer?
Question: What’s success look like to you? Answer: I never want to become famous. Not at the level where I can’t even go to the grocery store. I just want to be famous enough that my teenage daughter gets embarrassed when somebody recognizes me while we’re in the grocery store.
Can you share a Spotify link to your favorite song played during your set at Dee’s?