You grew up in Oregon, tell us how that shaped your development as a musician?
I connected with music at a young age. Got my first guitar at age 10 and started writing songs right away. Music has always gone hand in hand with songwriting & entertaining for me. When I was 11, I got a couple of my buddies to learn drums and bass so we could play a “show” at a neighborhood 4th of July Party. We played five songs I had written, and I was hooked. Oregon has been such a supportive place getting behind me and constantly showing up to my concerts and buying my music. There are also a lot of talented artists in Oregon, so it challenged me to give music my best and take it seriously.
You recently moved your family and yourself all the way across the country to pursue your dream in music, how has everyone been adjusting?
Going into it, I spent a lot of time in Nashville, and we were really excited to be in Music City with a record deal and lots of new opportunities. We thought the transition might be more difficult to get used to, but it has gone really smooth. Nashville is definitely the south but has a ton of transplants from all over the country which gives it an amazing feel. I meet people every day from different parts of the country and love it. Nashville surprisingly feels culturally a lot like Portland. I’m a big fan.
We saw you performed for the ACM, “Party for a Cause,” as well as appeared on the red carpet for the first time, how was that experience? What were some of your favorite moments?
The ACM’s was an awesome experience. The “Party for a Cause” was a great festival to be a part of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for families in need. Walking the Red Carpet was a crazy experience. My wife & I had no idea what to expect getting out of the limo stepping on the carpet & all of a sudden cameras are flashing, people yelling my name, and interview after interview. Still seems crazy to me being a small town kid from Corvallis, OR getting to share my music with the world. The thing I love the most about the country music world is that everybody is so down to earth!
Beyond musical influences, what influenced your musical style and songwriting?
Growing up in the grass seed capital of the world (Willamette Valley) definitely had a huge influence on me. Country music was a big part of growing up for me. I loved the stories in the songs and being able to feel the emotion in the songs taking me to a different place. I have always wanted to create the same experience for other people. Country music has no boundaries right now sonically, which I think is really cool moving the genre forward while still appreciating the past.
We see you're anxious to share some of your new tunes you've been working on… Any details you can share about them?
My team & I are bringing a new sound to country music. It sounds fresh, young, and not trying to copy what anybody else is doing. These songs are honest, fun, and I couldn’t be more excited to release my debut EP with Curb Records on June 17th.
When many folks think of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, they think of Portland, counter culture, rain… but there's also a thriving country scene in this region. What is the country music scene like and how is it different from the country scene in other regions of the US?
There are amazing country fans & radio stations in Portland. I feel like the loudest voices in the NW are “counter culture” & “hipster” which the area gets a reputation for. But I have experienced some of the most die-hard country music fans in the Northwest. My favorite event to play every year is the Bi-Mart Willamette Country Music Festival. It seems like people come out of the woodwork to the festival & they are amazing! I love the NW country fans. Wouldn’t be where I am without them.
Looks like you have a summer / western tour taking place over the next few months – are there any venues you are particularly excited about playing?
I am excited to play all of the county fairs & festivals we have scheduled for this summer. I grew up going to my local county fair to watch the music every year. It was the highlight of my summer. Now I get to give that experience to people all over the country and humbled to do so. My band and I take it very seriously to try to come out every night and put on the best show we can for the crowd. A couple of shows I’m really excited about are opening for Lady Antebellum at the Greely Stampede in CO & opening for the Zac Brown Band in Pendleton at the Round Up. I’m a huge fan of both.
You've said that crowd engagement is important to you. Why is that and how do you work the crowd to get them fired up?
When I go to a show, I am always hoping to see something that might only happen once. A special moment with the act where they might go off script and let something happen organically to give a special moment to that crowd. I like to leave room in my show to create moments with fans that they will remember forever.
You've played a ton of venues over your career – is there a venue on your bucket list that you're dying to play?
I have always wanted to play Red Rocks. Every time I tour through Denver, I stop at the venue to work out and run the stairs. Dreaming of the day that I get to take that stage with a packed house full of smiling people putting on the show of my life. The other is the Gorge in Washington. When I was in 9th grade I saw Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at the Gorge and that night I promised myself I would never give up on music.
Switching gears, we're working on a campaign that's encouraging people to pick up the guitar and give it a try. It's about putting down the technology for a few moments and playing music – doing something creative. What words of encouragement do you have to offer for folks who are thinking of trying the guitar?
DO IT! It is a release, inspiration, freedom, and fun! There are a lot of great instruments, but the guitar is the best 🙂 you can take it all over the world with you, play around a fire, or in your room, or in front of 20,000 people. It has changed my life and even if you don’t play professionally, I promise you it will give way more back to you than you can imagine. I found hundreds of songs hiding in my guitar just waiting to be written. Constantly looking for the next one ready to come out. And yours are waiting for you!
When did you start playing the guitar, and how was the process of learning challenging and rewarding?
I first started with the trombone when I was 10, but after one lesson I realized I couldn’t play & sing at the same time… So guitar it was 🙂 I remember the days when my fingers hurt, and I felt stuck but just kept playing. Feeling stuck is temporary, and the reward is always around the corner. Learning one new thing can open so many doors that catapult creativity.
What would your life be like now if you didn't stick with playing the guitar / being a musician? What would you be doing if you were not a musician?
I made a promise to myself when I was in 9th grade that I wouldn’t give up on music. I prayed countless times, thanking God for opportunities, and working as hard as possible to play every show possible and write every song I was inspired to. Music has changed my life, and I can’t believe I get to wake up every day and this is my career. I’m honored & so excited to see where we get to go together.
Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians who are trying to make it in the biz?
Work, work, work. There will always be someone more talented, with more connections & more experience. But you can control how hard you work at your craft. Put it all on the line and give it a shot. Take every show you can, even if you’re playing for four people in a run down casino in the middle of nowhere California….you are growing. The only person that can stop you is you. Try to keep a big picture view and constantly move forward. You never know who is watching and listening. Also, don’t see other artists as competition. Help and support them. There’s nothing like growing with other artists and helping each other succeed. We really are in this together.
