10 Questions With David Quinn - Feb 20, 2019

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 You started out as a drummer didn't you? How did you get started playing honkytonk music? And when did you make the transition to front your own band.

DQ: Yeah, I started drumming around 10 or 11 years old. I always had a lot of energy, so drums seemed like the right thing to start with. My dad and brother played guitar, so I was always messing around with that too, but I started out in blues and rock and roll bands as a drummer. I heard John Prine from my dad for the first time when I was pretty young, and it changed everything for me and started me on a long journey into old country and roots music. I was always writing and journaling, so I decided to try and turn that stuff into songs. As my taste continued to grow, I could not find people who needed a drummer and were playing the type of music I wanted to play, so I figured I would just start playing my own songs, and I made the switch. 

Talk about the evolution of your sound from your earlier 2017 release of Low Down to the soon to be released Wanderin' Fool. Low Down tacked between both alt and traditional country, and Wanderin' Fool contains significant ambient experimentation as well as the traditional honkytonk two-steppers.

DQ:  You have a good ear. I think the most significant part of the evolution is the backing band on both. Low Down was done with some great musicians and good friends of mine, but they are not necessarily “country” players, so I think that helped shape the style. My backing band for Wanderin’ Fool was done with some country music heroes of mine. The sound of this new one was really dictated by these guys. They did what was natural for them, and it came out the way it did. 

Have you always written your own music? Who has inspired you, guided you, or are you completely self-taught? And what things do you really relish writing about?

DQ:  Yes, writing is my favorite part of all of this. I play guitar and sing as a vehicle to share the songs I write. A few songwriters that have really inspired me are Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and John Prine. For me, those are the heavyweights when it comes to songwriting. When I heard Townes for the first time, I couldn't write a song for six months, because I knew I would never be that good. I have always been really into writing and the process of it. For me, it is a very personal thing, and I always write alone. There is no better feeling then creating something that wasn't there just a few hours ago. It is also very cathartic. 

How did the production of Wanderin' Fool come about? What was it like recording in Nashville at Bomb Shelter Studios with Andrija Tokic? That's been a hot studio of late. First, Alabama Shakes, Luke Bell, and now David Quinn!

DQ:  It sure was a lot of fun. I was bugging Andrija for a while sending him some demos I had made asking him to help make this record with me. We finally connected on a call and talked over a few months while getting to know each other and eventually we made it happen. My favorite part about working with Andrija is that he does everything analog and straight to tape. He likes to capture as much as possible live and works pretty fast which helped create a certain energy that I think shows. We made the whole record in five days. 

The album includes some standout keyboard and steel guitar flourishes on songs like "In my dreams." Some notable musicians appear on your album including Nashville Bassist, David Roe who was Johnny Cash's bassist from 1992 until 2003. Tell us a little bit about the backing players on your album and how you met these people.

DQ:  One day Andrija called and said “Hey, I think I have the perfect band for you.” and I was blown away by the names he said. Growing up, Jimmy Lester was one of my favorite drummers, and then I was in a room with him making a record. Dave Roe has played on some of my favorite records of all time. Hearing Dave and Jimmy trade old stories was one of the best parts of it all. Micah Huslscher who plays keys for Margo Price is one of the most talented people that I have ever worked with. That's John Estes on steel, and he ended up playing a few different instruments on the record. Then we brought in Alexis Saski for some harmonies, and she really killed it. it was a humbling and inspiring experience, and we all had a great time doing it.  

From the atmospheric prairie anthem, "Where the Buffalo Roam" to the cowboy two-steppin' "Cryin' Shame," there's plenty of variety to choose from on the new album. If we haven't listened to a David Quinn song before, which song on the album should we start with to understand what you are all about?  Also, how do you, yourself, categorize your own music?

DQ:  I think lyrically the song “Wanderin’ Fool” sums up who I am, but “Where the Buffalo Roam” might be a better representation of where I am going musically. I really struggle with the “category” thing. I have always called what I do Country Music but I have had plenty of folks disagree. As Harlan Howard puts it “it's 3 chords and the truth.” 

How do you know if you've made a good song and what current honkytonk performers out there right  now do you think make good music?

DQ:  I just try to go by intuition, and I always try to write from the heart and make something I would want to listen to. I have a pretty strong world view and point of view, so I just try to express what is true to me. If it ever feels forced, I just stop. Most of the time a song just sort of shows up, and I feel as If I am just transcribing what's already there. Those are always the best ones. 

As for some current artists I really like -- Tyler Childers, Luke Bell, Sam Outlaw and Charley Crockett to name a few. There has been some great stuff coming out recently.

Chicago isn't normally thought of as a hotbed for honkytonk music. From your perspective, what are the benefits and pitfalls of being a honkytonker in Chicago?

DQ:  Yeah, it can be tough at times especially because the word “country” can turn some Chicagoans off who might otherwise like the songs I play. There is a tight knit group of honkytonk/country groups around and most of them have been pretty welcoming. Also the folks over at Chicago Honky Tonk have created a community of like-minded musicians and honkytonk fans, and they have been very kind to me.

Tell us a little about your live band that includes Shane Allen, Andy Holcomb, and Tommy Veronesi. How did you guys meet and decide to start playing music together?

DQ:  We actually met on Craigslist right before I went to make my record in Nashville. Shane (guitar) and Tommy (drums) had just moved back to Chicago, Shane coming from South Carolina and Tommy from a stint in Colorado. I think I met with Andy first who plays bass. The first time we all met each other as a band was when I got back from Nashville to play the mixes for them. We all hung out and listened through the record and they have been playing with me ever since. I'm lucky and thankful to have those guys back me up. Tommy is the funkiest country drummer I have ever heard. Shane plays a mean slide guitar, and Andy can tear it up on upright and electric. 

What are you plans for 2019? We see you are playing in the Chicagoland area at numerous venues. Are you planning to expand your reach and hit the national scene? Give us a little idea about what you have in store for this year.

DQ:  Yeah, so I have my record release show on April 5th at the Empty Bottle, which I am really looking forward to but after that I have a few short tours being planned. I will be doing some stuff out on the West coast and probably a few trips back to Nashville and south. I definitely want to expand beyond Chicago. I have been lucky enough to get some press and write-ups building up to the record as well, so I hope it all helps expand the audience. 

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 When I listened to your eponymous Western Swing Authority album, my initial reaction was an immediate acknowledgement of the high level of musicianship on that record from the vocals on down through each instrument. Please tell us about the genesis of The Western Swing Authority as a group, and how this "swing supergroup" came together. 

WSA: Well, first of all thank you for the kind words. We are so proud of this latest album and all of the work that went into it. Of course, we are proud of all of them, but this album really hit a special place for us. 

The Western Swing Authority came to be out of pure love of the genre and happenstance. Shane (my husband and our fiddle-slaying band leader) had been chatting with a friend at a gig at The Commercial Tavern. The friend was Charlie St Denis (who happened to become our first drummer) and the Commercial Tavern is the bar we wrote about in the final track of Big Deal, “This Old Bar.” Charlie knew that Shane loved Western Swing music and had since he was a kid. He would sit at the top of the basement stairs when his parents would have a party and listen to the music instead of going to sleep. Charlie had this DVD of The Time Jumpers PBS special done at the Station Inn, and he told Shane he HAD to check it out. We took the DVD home that night and watched it, and I remember the moment vividly when Shane looked over at me and said, “I have ALWAYS wanted to have a band like this…” I looked back and said, “Well, why don’t you then?” That night he sent a message to a bunch of musician friends who were all at the top of their game in studio and touring alike. Those musicians became the band and the rest is history. Our first gig was the first time we all got together (ever!), and we haven’t looked back. We spent the first year or two playing all cover songs and really just enjoying the traditional sounds that none of us got to play anymore in our other musical lives. WSA was born out of the desire to keep this kind of music alive. 10 years later, we are still loving it, but it has become so much more. 

What does it mean to you to sing "new vintage" originals? How do you take a classic sound like Western Swing, put your stamp on it, and make it sound vital and fresh today? Do modern production techniques account for some of the immediacy of the sound? Are your arrangements slightly different? How does your sound all come together? 

WSA: Being that we have been playing together for a decade now, I think we have certainly honed in on “The Western Swing Authority” sound. There is a trust among the players and a lack of ego, which makes it so fun and a safe place to experiment. I think the thing that has changed us the most is the writing that we have done. We love playing traditional tunes and keeping those old standards alive, but it’s like any living thing. If you don’t feed it with new fuel it could die. We have worked really hard to create songs that stay true to that classic sound while being fresh and new. I know our audiences appreciate having cool, new music to listen to along with the best of the past.  

As for production techniques, that definitely helps our music to keep up to “radio standards” of today. I love the power that we are able to recreate in studio. The true litmus test for us, though, is that we need to be able to sell it live just as well as we do in the studio and that is where the musicianship and excellence of all our players really shines through. Some arrangements shift as we play them more live … added shots, harmonizing lines, upgraded solos. But we truly pride ourselves in being able to bring the same tight arrangements to our live show that we create when recording.  

The Western Swing Authority is very well-known north of the border. Since you are based in Toronto, Canada, how did you get involved with the Ameripolitan Awards in Memphis? How did Dale Watson and Celine Lee find you? 

WSA: That is a great question … one I would like to know the answer to as well! When the Ameripolitan Awards began 6 years ago, we were still doing mostly local shows and didn’t have a lot of spread, but somehow our music landed on the radar of Dale and Celine, and we were contacted during the preparations for the first event in Austin. We got an email from the coordinator back then, and he said that we had been nominated and would we want to come down to the award show. That year, back in the ballroom of the Garden Suites, we arrived and knew there was something special about this organization. We have been nominated in some facet every year since the very beginning, whether it be for Western Swing Group or Western Swing Female. We are so proud of that. We haven’t taken either award home yet, but to risk sounding cliché, it really is an honour to be nominated along with all the fabulous talent out there. Our peers are all wonderful artists and musicians, so really when something wonderful happens for them it’s good for everyone. And hey, even Susan Lucci won eventually! We plan on just keeping on with creating great new music that we love and sharing it with anyone who will listen. I love watching the Ameripolitan movement grow and find its feet. 

We saw Stacey's stunning performance of "You don't Know Me" at the Cindy Walker Tribute event in Memphis for the 2019 Ameripolitan Awards. Stacey's performance was one of the highlights of a magical, musical weekend for us. What was it like singing that classic song in front of so many great musicians and an audience that included Country Music Hall-Of-Famer Rose Lee Maphis and Texas legend, Gary P. Nunn? 

WSA: Aw, that is so sweet. It was truly a highlight for me too. That song is such a well-known tune, and it has been performed by some of the best in the music business, across all genres. That to me is what I love best about that song. To be able to reach a universal audience like that no matter who is singing? That is the real deal.  

To be quite honest, I was absolutely shaking the whole time. Being backed and standing beside all of those strong, beautiful and talented women alone was incredibly powerful in and of itself. But that song has a life of its own, and the energy in the room was absolutely electric when I began. Perhaps it was because of the video that we had all just watched at the beginning of the show. It was like a big, beautiful wave of emotion that I didn’t come down from until I was long back at the hotel. I cried a lot afterward with gratitude just to be able to share that song, my way, in front of so many people I love and respect. It was a truly humbling experience. 

How do you approach singing a standard like that? How much interpretation do you usually allow yourself? And how did you get assigned that particular song? 

WSA: Ha! When they sent the email out to ask everyone to put in their votes for songs, I just snagged it!! It was between “You Don’t Know Me” or “It’s All Your Fault” (which I perform with The Western Swing Authority in regular set rotation). When I heard back that I could have it, I was nervous, because I wanted to do it justice, but I knew that my attack of the song would be less “western” and more soul oriented. My favourite version of that song has always been the Ray Charles version … and I grew up listening to Motown, R&B and soul music with my dad. Since I lost him this past year, it just seemed like the right way to go. I got so many neat little signs that he was around, and the performance that day was one of them. 

Western Swing was born in the dance halls and honky tonks of yesteryear. Who is the audience for your music today? 

WSA: I feel like the audience could be anyone really. Our age demographic is very wide. The very young to the very old. The music is upbeat and fun … slow and romantic at times, with intricate arrangements for the “musos.” That is what I love about the Western Swing genre. There is such a breadth of inspiration for the sound. You’ve got jazz, blues, country, swing. The same song could have a different audience depending on which sound you focus on the most during the performance. I really feel that good music can find a place in any audience. Of course, those who like traditional country music and swing music will enjoy our sound, but we just think of it as “feel good” music. Everyone wants to feel good these days. 

The Western Swing Authority played a private party in Nashville in March of 2018 for Garth Brooks and his manager Bob Doyle. Could you tell us why that happened, and what was it like? 

WSA: Surreal. Stressful. Amazing. Humbling. Unforgettable. 

It was a whirlwind trip that almost didn’t happen. We got the call literally ten days before we were down there asking if we were available to play a surprise party for Major Bob Doyle’s 70th birthday. He had requested a Western Swing band for the party, and they had called to see if The Time Jumpers could come, but they were unavailable. Jimmy Mattingly, Garth’s longtime drummer, has been a friend of ours for a while and threw our name into the hat. It was an amazing vote of confidence for us, and we will be ever grateful that he took that chance on us and trusted us to pull it off. There was rush paperwork to figure out, we had to find a substitute drummer, figure out last minute travel arrangements and childcare. SO many reasons it could have fallen apart, but it didn’t. As well, my dad was in hospice care. I could barely imagine leaving, but he was the first to say that we HAD to go. He had been a fan of Garth Brooks for a very long time, so knowing that he would in the same room as us was really exciting for him as well as the band. We all knew it was a once in a lifetime chance, even if the timing wasn’t ideal. I never got the chance to tell Garth how much it meant to see him in the audience, really listening to us play, but I hope to someday. Being appreciated for exactly who we are and getting to play for such special guests … it made being away during a difficult time much easier. The day after, we drove home on a big high and just kept saying “Can you believe what we just did?” I will never forget that day. 

WSA's 4th studio album, “BIG DEAL,” includes guest appearances by nine-time Grammy winner Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel), Grammy-nominated Jazz performer Jane Monheit, and others. If we haven't heard The Western Swing Authority before, what's a track that we should start with? Do you have a signature song or two that you would like to share with us? 

WSA: OOOOOOOH. I love this question, but it is so hard to pick! As for signature songs, we have a few originals that I think really capture our sound of the last few years. “Sweet Harriet” from our album Now Playing is pretty hard not dance to and “I’ve Got a Feelin” from our album All Dolled Up is a true signature torch song that embodies the band’s playing and the way I like to sing. I love all the songs on the new record, but if you are looking for just a few I recommend “Mississippi”, “In the Middle of the Song” (written and performed with the amazing Miss Carolyn Martin) and "Extra-Ordinary." Silly to saucy to sublime. We try to make sure that every album is a great listen all the way through as a whole. It’s a musical journey, so it’s best listened to all the way through in my opinion. 

Stacey has shared the stage with some legendary artists including Merle Haggard and The Nitty Gritty Dirt band. Is there a performance or show that really sticks out from these encounters? 

WSA: Oh wow. That is going back to another lifetime ago! I was in a more pop-country girl trio at the time of those encounters … no kids, no husband. It was a very different time. I DO however remember opening for Merle In Georgia with my band of the time, LACE. We were three young girls and Merle’s manager came to the trailer with tee-shirts for us to wear. They weren’t very big, and I ended putting mine on my teddy bear when I got back home. It fit him better.

Tell us about your plans for 2019? Any trips planned for the US? Any large festivals we should be aware of in Ontario? Back in the studio soon? Please let us know. 

WSA: World domination! OK, seriously … we are heading out for a bunch of corporate dates into spring and some soft seat theater dates in Ontario. We have some radio trips planned to small markets nearby. Beginning in June, we will head to Ottawa and Pembroke to do some backing gigs for the Country Music Association of Ontario awards, and playing for our friend Jason Blaine at his celebrity Golf Tournament and show. (featured with us on My Window Faces the South on Big Deal) Other than that, we would love to get back to the States for some more runs of shows, and someday Europe and beyond. Baby steps and big budget planning for this big band.

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Talk about your evolution from a little boy in Italy to the international godfather of Rockabilly. How did you get started with this music? Is there a particular musician that really inspired you to play rockabilly? What's the rockabilly scene like in Italy?

DDG:  “Music” was in my parents’ house all the time in my childhood. In fact, my father was a music fanatic. He played jazz, swing, blues, folk at every hour, bringing me, since I was a young boy, into the record stores he frequented, and I attended a lot of concerts with him. 

I always considered the music not as a hobby but a real job, and this was considered “weird” in the Sicily of the late 80s early 90s. When I put together my first trio, it was 1994, and I was playing Texas blues. The people started dancing, and so I discovered that the music I was playing was more “rock and roll” than classic blues. A friend of mine, at this point, said to me “did you ever listen to the Stray Cats?” This was the turning point! Nothing was the same for me after I heard that amazing trio with its minimalist approach to the music and an incredible guitar player. The rockabilly scene in Italy is not bad; rockabilly music is pretty “fashionable” now, but the problem is many rockabilly musicians don’t know what’s behind the rockabilly music. I mean the components of this kinda music: the early country, the Western swing and the blues.

What's the first rockabilly song you ever recorded? Do you remember the circumstances around that recording?

DDG:  My very first rockabilly recording was in early 2000 with a band called “The Blues Boppers.” I was playing with these guys mixing the rockabilly music with some jazz stuff. We recorded a rockabilly version of a Johnny Mercer’s hit of the fifties. Was fun and the final result was completely different from the original recording.

We recently saw you for three shows in Chicago, and we are naming the one at the Montrose Saloon as an early consideration for A Shot Of Honky Tonk's Show of the Year. We were around a bunch of veteran musicians who were marveling at your technique in various styles whether it was rockabilly, honky tonk, cowboy jazz, western swing, or Dick Dale surf music. Did you have a guitar guru growing up? Is it all self-taught? Where does your technique come from? We know you always cite Bill Kirchen as a major influence.

DDG:  Rockabilly was the best thing ever happened in my life (talking about my career). It’s like the “outta water” part of a big iceberg. If you wanna be a good rockabilly musician, you need to learn what’s behind the language of this, apparently, simple kind of music. Rockabilly music is a melting pot of country, blues, Western swing and a lotta twang. I started practicing all these styles, and I completely fell in love with these components. I really wanna be able to play all these “shadows” that create the rockabilly authentic sound. I practice constantly, and I listen to the “godfathers” of this music every day! I often mention Bill Kirchen as one of my mentors, and I wanna explain why. I play in a trio, and I often play some songs that are supposed to be played by big combos (four or five pieces usually, with fiddles, pedal steel guitars, piano and more). Bill always plays with his trio, and he is definitely credible when he plays a honky tonk tune with just a bass and drums behind him. His way to do the rhythm, his way to do the solos, his way to draw between the spaces of the voice is something incredible. Of course, I can mention tons of other guitarists from whom I take inspiration, but Bill remains the best example for a “working class musician” like me. You asked me where my technique comes from, and I tell you that I never stop practicing, even when I’m on tour. The guys of the band literally hate me, because I’m always searching for an acoustic guitar to improve my skills on the acoustic. And when I’m not on tour, especially in the morning (my wife is out for her job and my kids are at school) I’m able to stay 5 hours with the guitar by my hands. Sometime, I sit on the couch to watch a movie and keep the guitar with me to practice in an unconscious way. I took this trick from the great Tommy Emmanuel: he told me that the guitar is the best way to spend his time!

 You have a beautiful signature guitar that you take on tour wherever you play. Where did you get it? Who made it? Could you tell us a little about the-one-and-only DonCaster?

DDG:   This is a guitar made by the one and only Paolo Lardera. His guitars are called “BlackBeard.” He gave me this one right before the USA tour of  2018. When I plugged in this raw telly for the first time I said to myself “wow … I’m officially a BlackBeard addict.” He is a guy you gotta know before ordering an instrument. He lives in the deep north of Italy, and he takes care of each instrument he makes. I think he really feels sad when a guitar goes away from his shop. He knows me very well; he knows my music and my approach to the music. And the instrument he made for me reflects both of my and his attitude: a road dog for a road dog! I have a lot of guitars in my house, but I really can’t imagine to go over without this piece of wood and steel. Do you wanna know the way he conquers his customers? I’ll tell you. He is present at every guitar show in Italy, and his booth is full of crazy instruments, built with passion, red wine and handmade “salami.” No expensive woods, no expensive finishes, like the food he provides for his customers!

Marco Betti just recently joined the band as your new drummer. You guys are an incredibly tight trio. Tell us a little about the other musicians in your band, Marco and Luca Chiappara, and what it takes to be in the Don Diego Trio.

DDG:  When Sandro, our ex-drummer, said to me (almost crying) “guys I have to quit the band because I wanna stay with my family,” I soon thought about Marco. We played together many times during my “spare time” from the Don Diego Trio in other projects. He is a touching musician, the first drummer I have ever met in my life that really loves the MUSIC and not only the things related to his instrument. And, as important, he is such a nice guy. We stay together for weeks and weeks, sharing the same room in the hotel, the small space of a car during the journeys, the same table for lunch, dinner and breakfast. We talk a lot about everything, and we love the magic atmosphere we have together onstage. He is now bringing a new flashy swinging attitude to our show. 

Luca was in the band from the first minute. He is a talented musician and also a funny little boy. He and I, onstage, are like the classic comic duos: I’m grumpy and old, he is funny and young and the audience seems to love this “acting.” Of course, our musical skills are the basic point of our show, but we love to see  people happy not only for the music we play. 

Is there a big difference between American audiences who might be used to rockabilly and European audiences who may not be so familiar with it? Are you received differently in your home country compared to the U.S.?

DDG:  Honestly, I have to say that the American audience sometimes is more open minded. The music we play is obviously part of your DNA and when I say “Buck Owens” here in the USA you say “wow,” while in Italy people say “who?” But it’s always up to me. I have to make a reaction! You really can’t expect that people know everything about your musical process. Behind this point of view, every audience is the same, and my job is to give them a sort of happy ending of a boring day. So, USA people and European people have to be approached in a different way but always with the same respect for the music we play. 

Talk about your experience with jazz? Aren't you an author of a book on jazz theory?

DDG:   I’m not a “jazz guy.” I consider myself a swing fanatic. Think about the lyrics of “you don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing.” That’s my motto. When I play some jazzy tune, I think about Bob Wills or Django Reinhardt, and people into the “snob” jazz scene always think about me as a weirdo. But I don’t care … I do what I wanna do and what makes me feel good. I like to mix the country music with the jazz substitutions, and also, I like to “twang” on a swing tune. No one will die if I commit these sacrileges. I’m not able to write a book. What I do is the result of 25 years onstage for almost 200 gigs a year. I can write a book about the things you have to watch out for on the road.

What does it mean to musicians who come from Europe to travel to places like Memphis, Austin, or Nashville and perform in those cities? And how did you get involved with the Ameripolitan Awards and Dale Watson.

DDG:  I’m really scared every time I play in places like Memphis, Austin, Nashville, or Chicago. These are music capitals, and I come from a small town in the middle of nowhere in Sicily. But I love these kinds of challenges and, believe me, I read a lot about the story of these cities, because I don’t wanna be unprepared. I respect the sound of these cities and, if I have to play in Nashville, I wanna be sure I can play a lot of Tennessee rock and roll. And the same gotta happen in every place I go. It is an honest tribute to the culture I really love. 

The first time I was nominated at the Ameripolitan Awards was like a bomb for me. I soon understood it is not only a festival, but it is a family! The 90% of the people I know in the USA come from the Ameripolitan family and all of them are giving me an incredible amount of help, both in the USA and Europe. I’m really proud to be part of this movement, and I can’t stop saying thank you to Dale for keeping us all together under his wing. 

"Greetings from Austin" is your latest CD. What track should people who are not familiar with the Don Diego Trio listen to first on this CD to get a handle on what you guys are about?

DDG:  OMG! I can’t answer! I really love this album. I wrote the songs in few weeks, I recorded the album in two days, and I still love to play the songs from the album every night. I don’t wanna choose a song because each song is a tribute to one of my Texan heroes. So, please take your time and listen to it from the beginning to the end. 

Also, tell us a little about the documentary "Greetings from Austin." Why did you make it and who's it for? Where did you come up with the idea? Who is involved in the production of the documentary?

DDG:  It’s Vittorio Bongiorno’s idea. He is a writer, a movie maker, a photographer, a good friend and a funny guy. Of course, he is crazy! Only a madman would make a documentary about a Sicilian cowboy trying to conquer the real cowboys! It was supposed to be a drama, but it is actually a fun movie. I “act naturally” during the movie (I always wanted to use this sentence).

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Much of your family was involved in classical music correct? Tell us a little about the musical environment you grew up in as a child.

MM:  Yes, correct! My mother’s aunt, who always lived with us, was an opera singer. My father was a lawyer, but he was also a journalist involved in music deals, and he used to listen to music at home pretty often. He loved classical music, but I remember him listening to Louis Armstrong a lot. Moreover, one of my sisters, Giovanna, is a classical piano player, but she plays guitar too, just for fun. I remember so many nights in which family friends used to come to our house for dinner and then spend some time with guitars singing songs. I was particularly attracted by that joy and fun coming out from music.

Growing up in Catania, a port city on Italy's east coast, how did you get introduced to rockabilly music? Was there any single record that was particularly important and started you down that path?

MM: Early eighties rockabilly was something “trendy” around Europe caused by the great revival brought by the Stray Cats music and other rockabilly bands coming from the UK. Catania has always been considered one of the most “rock” and “musical” Italian cities. At that time, there was a huge rockabilly movement in Catania. My sister Giovanna used to hang out with a rockabilly guy that gave her lot of tapes and records. I was ten and, especially after my father died, that guy became a kind of model to me. I remember that he gave me a tape with music recorded from a British radio show called “Radio Memphis” hosted by a DJ named Roy Williams. He played mainly Memphis music coming out of Sun Records. I used to listen that tape a hundred times per day!!! Same thing about a record that was a Sun Records compilation that I listened so many times with other two albums: Gonna Ball (Stray Cats), and Chuck Berry Greatest Hits.

When you originally started playing with him, what was your first impressions of psychedelic rocker, pioneer, photographer, performance artist, tango dancer, Tav Falco.

MM: Actually, the first time I saw Tav Falco, it was late eighties in Catania. I was maybe eighteen. I remember that I remained very impressed by his approach to rock’n’roll music, I mean, with tons of other music influences. At that age, I was still attracted to the traditional r’n’r and rockabilly, so even though I bought two albums, actually I listened to them years later – also, because I never imagined to find myself being his guitarist and producer. It happened that I’ve read about him in many music magazines, and I have to say that I’ve always been attracted by his original way of being a rocker as well as a tango dancer. I started to play with Tav in summer of 2014; we’ve been making records and touring together since then.  Tav was my “Train to Memphis.”

On any given night, you are expected to play old country blues, psychedelic surf, tango drenched dance tunes, and crimestory-caberet. How do you prepare to play with Tav? He has quite a catalog of albums and over four decades of music from which to draw. 

MM: Of course, after five years, we have collected new material that I produced, recorded, and played, so that’s fine. At the beginning, he sent me a very long list with at least 50 songs that he wanted me to learn. Can you imagine? Also, because the real point wasn’t to learn 50 songs, but try to catch that weird attitude that he’s able to give to his material. You never know what to expect. So, I learned more to be ready to jump into places and atmospheres I’ve never been.

You wrote or cowrote several tracks off the “Cabaret of Daggers” album, and you also produced the album. Tell us a little about those sessions. Which tracks did you write? The album jumps from a cover of Billy Holiday's Strange Fruit all the way to the rise and fall of imperial glory in Red Vienna. Is there a connecting thread to the songs on this album? Also, how did you get American opera singer Kallen Esperian to sing the beautiful closing aria on Red Vienna.

MM: Even in the previous album that I produced for Tav, “Command Performance,” I cowrote a song, Memphis Ramble, but Cabaret of Daggers was totally different ever since I listened to the material that Tav had sent me. He wanted to realize such a more elegant as well as bizarre album than the typical r’n’r record; something able to drive the listeners through different worlds, a sort of a bridge between the American and the European cultures. I cowrote New World Order Blues and Red Vienna. It was a big challenge for me to write that song not being a classical musician, but something came out in a proper way, and I’m glad we made it. The idea about having Kallen Esperian in that song came to my mind while we were recording the song in Rome. Kallen was my neighbor in Memphis, so it was pretty easy contact her. She was enthusiastic about this collaboration, and she did an amazing job.  

You recently played on a Rebecca Jed record that will be coming up soon. You did this in Nashville correct? When you come into recording session, does the artist plan everything that you are to play? Do you develop your own lead guitar melodies or work with the artist on the song structure? How does this work? Give us an insight to the process when you play on someone else's songs.

MM: Well, there are different ways to collaborate and operate into a recording session. There are artists, arrangers, producers, or music directors that tell you exactly what they want. Others give you any indications about the attitude that they would love to catch, others they leave you totally free to play following your feeling, and so on. Working with Rebecca was cool. One-day session in Nashville. She had sent me the songs before, but I haven’t done anything but listen to them. We recorded live during the session, and she liked what I did, and we kept it. Then we made some guitar lines overdubs and got it. I like to play for other artists trying to catch their feelings and building something together, but keeping my sound as much as I can. I do the same thing with the musicians when it’s me who produces the record.

Memphis is a world apart from Italy. How has the music scene been for you in Memphis, and why did you want to move to there?

MM: I chose Memphis because I grew up with Memphis music. Memphis has a great history and a huge energy. Everybody can feel the vibes coming out from this magic place. Memphis has been treating me great so far, like I was one of its sons. I have to say that I’m a man from the South, and I can affirm that the South has always something special, more than other places. I met a lot of musicians and artists here. I play a lot here, and I’m so proud that I can define Memphis as my new home.

We saw you on stage at the Ameripolitan Awards in February. You certainly looked like you were having fun. What's it like to play in support of Dale Watson and all those other great musicians during an awards show like you did earlier this year? There seems to be a lot of moving parts up there. 

MM: I met Dale in Austin in 2017 when I participated as guitarist for my old friend Don Diego Geraci who invited me to play with his trio.  Then, I met Dale in Memphis after he decided to move over there part time. I’m very flattered to be a part of the Ameripolitan Awards Production, and it’s a privilege play with him as well as in the Ameripolitan Orchestra. It constantly gives me the opportunity to meet and play with great artists. So, my eternal gratitude to Mr. Watson.

Do you have any other projects that you are currently working on -- either as a producer, writer, or guitarist?

MM: I have a 45 coming out next November on  Record Store Day, for Black and Wyatt records from Memphis. I can define it as my debut album here in the U.S. More details will be announced soon.

Give us an idea of where you will be this summer. Touring with Tav Falco? Any summer festivals in the US? Where can we find you?

MM: I’ll be playing in Memphis till mid July, then I will fly to Europe. I have some festivals over there: Helsinki, Switzerland, Italy. Check it out on my website www.mariomonterosso.com or Facebook page.

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What are your musical backgrounds and how did you fall into the Honkytonk/Americana genre coming from North Carolina?

Steph: I am a self-taught musician for the most part, aside from some formal training on flute which was the first instrument I picked up in middle school band. My family grew up singing karaoke together when I was a kid. We’d go to this Japanese restaurant, the Dragon Palace, regularly on Wednesday nights in Hickory, NC, and that’s when I really fell in love with performing. Later on, in high school, I picked up the guitar and learned a few chords and songs from some books which eventually took me out to the local coffee shop’s open mic nights. 

Like many folks living in the rural pockets of blue collar America, I grew up listening to country music; between my parents and grandparents, there was a healthy balance of the current 90’s hits and the golden classics. North Carolina has been the birthplace of many incredible musicians - from folks like Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson to John Coltrane, Nina Simone and Randy Travis. It’s never felt weird or out of place for me to be making country music here. 

Mario: My parents put me in middle school band. I took up the trombone, learned to read music, and ended up playing it through college. But in high school, the guitar definitely took over. I started teaching myself with what I could find on the internet, playing a cheap acoustic guitar that was really hard to play. Then my parents got me a Peavey electric guitar and a little Fender amp for Christmas under the pretense that I would take lessons. For a few years, I learned from this guy who studied classical guitar at Oberlin and was also a Van Halen nerd. I ended up studying classical guitar in college, and I was obsessively consuming as much music as I could. I got into improvisation from jazz and jam bands. I got into studying theory and composition from a few great professors. I remember feeling the world open up when I recognized connections across different kinds of music. After college, I moved from Florida to North Carolina and got into acoustic music and bluegrass while playing with Steph. When I felt like getting back into electric guitar, it was a pretty simple sidestep to country music and all the subgenres. That’s the dirt bluegrass grew out of.

Was there a single moment when you realized you had incredible vocal chemistry with each other? What was that like to find out that your voices blended together so beautifully?

Steph: I first remember hearing Mario sing with me when we were riding in the car to a gig for the first band we played together in, Steph Stewart & the Boyfriends. He put on one of my demo recordings and started singing, and I got chills! Even now when we sing together, there are times when I can’t tell where my voice ends and his begins. He’s truly a master at harmony. 

Mario: I love Steph’s voice and the way she sings. I’m just trying to meet and complement what she does with her voice. It helps that we listen to the Everly & Louvin Brothers, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings ... you know, people who create a singular instrument with their voices. That’s something we strive for.

Similarly, at what point did you decide to go all in for the music and hit the road full-time? Did any single event or moment in time make this decision clear for you?

Steph: I don’t think there was really a single moment when we decided. We just took the full-time leap this past June. Before that, I was working with young children as a Montessori teacher for eight years, and I loved that. For a while, doing both was working out fine because of the openness of the school calendar. But last year especially, I was starting to feel like I was burning the candle at both ends between the two commitments, and I hate knowing that I’m half-assing anything I do. When we got an offer to join Red Kats Artist Management, which also manages our good friends Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, we had to really think long and hard about music being a viable option for us. That certainly made it easier. Ultimately, I’d regret my whole life never knowing what could have happened, and that’s not how I like to live my life. The worst thing that could happen is I might fail. Then what? I get to do something else!

 You recently did a run of shows with the legendary, Guit-Steel man, Junior Brown. Was it just you two? Did you have a backup band? Tell us about that experience on tour.

Mario: Yea, we got to warm up the stage for him in Charlotte and Durham. We did those shows as a duo, which is how we typically play an opening slot. It was the coolest to see him and his band do their thing. He plays that Guit-Steel loud, and it’s amazing! It was a nice surprise that he was very kind to us and had great things to say about our sets each night. Watching him meet his huge line of fans at the merch table after the show was really great too. Every person in that line got an autograph and a picture from him. He’s an old-school class act.

 Spending time together as a couple and working as performers, how hard is it for you to leave whatever problems you may be having during the day and not bring them on stage with you when you perform? What's the trick for keeping your personal lives and professional lives separate? Is that possible at all?

Steph: We argue a lot and piss each other off on a regular basis, but we’re a team, and we know how to call each other out. We’ve both been in relationships where people bottled everything up inside and never addressed issues head on, and they didn’t last. I think at the core of everything we are to one another, is a solid foundation of trust built upon open communication. It sounds kind of weird, but when we’re on stage, we assume a new identity as Blue Cactus, and we set everything else aside during that time so we can be present with the songs, the audience and with one another.

Mario: I don’t know what she’s talking about. Juuuust kidding! But really, I think the odd sound engineer would have more to do with problems onstage than we would with each other. All of the other non-musical “stuff“ we end up doing in order to get to that stage takes away a lot of the fun music-making or writing time. So being onstage is the payoff, when we get to do what we want. We feel pretty lucky that we get to do this together. We’re also pretty good at getting “alone time” when we need it.

Your self-titled album, Blue Cactus, pays homage to the wit and insight of old-time country wordsmiths with songs like Not Alone ('Til You Come Home), So Right (You Got Left), Years Are the Minutes. Do you have any favorite songwriters from the past that you admire for these types of lyrics? How did you learn to write lyrics in that style?

Mario: That style of songwriting has always appealed to us. The parentheses in song titles really bring some heft when you see them written on the record jacket. Someone like Tom T. Hall could pull you along with a simple, profound story and a refrain that sounds good, and then you’re hearing very specific language or details that end up leading you to some universal truth or experience in the span of three minutes or less. There’s some magic that happens when you hear a lyric, process it, and then ... boom, it means so much more! Or, there are rhyming puns and jokes all over a song and that just makes you feel good.

Many of your songs depict loss and grief told from an intensely personal viewpoint. How hard is it to come up with new material given your status as a couple? Where and when do you find your best inspiration for writing new material?

Steph: We typically write alone in the beginning, and we’re always respectful of the space and time we each need to take in the creative process. Most of the songs I write are inspired by personal experiences. I think these more introspective songs are my way of processing loss and grief. Being a couple doesn’t change the past hardships we’ve endured. If anything, our personal relationship has created a new lens of self awareness and understanding, allowing me to own up to the part I played in failed relationships. And remember when I said we argue a lot? Well, that can be pretty inspirational too.

Mario: I get in my head a lot. Sometimes, I try to write a certain kind of song, try out different perspectives or characters and that works out. It can be a better, faster process if I regularly free write and/or sit with a guitar. Something real comes spilling out when I’m not thinking too hard about it. I don’t see a therapist, so I try to unload my stuff when it piles up. Sometimes, I don’t realize until I’ve written it out and it’s staring back at me, that I needed to get something off my chest.

Taken overall, you've created a beautiful, melancholic sonic painting with the Blue Cactus album. One of our favorite songs on the album is From the Bottle to the Floor. With the delicate, muted harmonies and reflective piano and guitar backing tones, we can imagine couples slow-dancing and holding each other close without realizing they were shuffling to a story of boozy, heartbreak all told in three quarter time.

How are you able to give classic Honkytonk its due like you have and still innovate within that style? How much freedom do you feel within the genre?

Steph: We are fortunate to have such a deep well of inspiration to draw from, but that’s what any genre is to us at the end of the day: Inspiration. We can’t let what other artists have done before us dictate what we do. It has to inspire what we do, not put us into a box where we just do what other people have already done. That’s boring and pointless.

“From the Bottle (to the Floor)” is a masterful song written and sung by our dear friend Nick Vandenberg. He played bass with us prior in the Boyfriends and drums when we first started Blue Cactus before moving to Boston. Nick encouraged us to pursue Blue Cactus in the beginning and invited us over to his place to make our very first demos for the project. We’re big fans of his music and love collaborating with him. 

Mario: I think any creative work, especially genre-based music, is made or valued within boundaries. As artists, the choice we have is whether or not those boundaries are to be exploited. We set out for the first album to acknowledge things we love in country music that’s 50 years or older, while writing songs that felt relevant to us. Putting in an unexpected chord progression or time signature makes it feel like ours.

Radioman from your 2018 EP features the harnessed power of Steph's evocative voice and the moody reverb of Mario's guitar in a track that contains a variety of layered, atmospheric elements. What was the inspiration for that song?

Steph: “Radioman” almost wrote itself. It never felt like I was the one in charge of that song. In the summer of 2017, Mario and I were at Wildacres, which is an artist retreat in the mountains of NC, to write tunes for our new record. In our downtime, we’d been having a lot of conversations about our nostalgia for things like video stores and the radio and wanted to write a song about that. I got to thinking about everything the radio had been to me and to all of the generations before me. Such a powerful piece of history with such a story to tell! So I imagined how people used to listen to the radio. What were they hearing? What did it mean to them? How did it shape the identity of our country? And that’s what Radioman is about.   

 Tell us what's next for Blue Cactus. Anything we should know about coming up?

Mario: We’re wrapping up our new album right now and look forward to releasing it. We’re really proud of the songs and performances, and can’t wait for everyone to hear them.

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Give us a brief biography of the band. Who is in your band and how did you all meet? What is the origin story of The Golden Roses?

 GR:  It all started in the parking lot of Ginny’s here in Austin during Chicken Shit Bingo Sunday. I was telling my buddy, and our original bass player Rick Watson, about songs I had been writing. I had meet Rick when he was playing for Jesse Dayton, and we would all hang out behind the Broken Spoke and tell tall Texas tales. After playing some tunes for him, he suggested we start a band, so I enlisted Shawnee my best friend of 20 years to play drums, and Rick brought Heather Rae on board from a band he was in at the time. 

The first time I met Heather was on stage at Ginny’s. She showed up late, so we plugged her in and we shook hands and introduced ourselves to each other and took off. The first song we did was Mama Tried and when she kicked that fiddle off and jumped right in singing harmonies, I knew she was in the band. It’s funny because I think folks thought it was an act but we really did just meet. That’s music in Austin for ya. Rick became too busy and suggested Troy step in full time. When I heard Troy and Heather sing those harmonies, and his ability to get in the pocket with Shawnee, I knew the band had been completed. 

Your current album is entitled Terlingua Graveyard. Terlingua is a well-preserved ghost town situated near Big Bend National Park in Texas that features an authentic boot hill cemetery, other decaying historical buildings fit for a horse to be tied to, and an open saloon that serves cold cervezas to its many curious visitors. Is this a spot of myth and legend for Texans? Is it just cool? Why this look and feel for your album?

 GR:  I think I can sum up Terlingua by quoting Jimmie Dale Gilmore: “The allure of Terlingua is that its 100% ok to be crazy.” That place is magic, it’s about as far out in the middle of nowhere as you can get it seems. There is a wild and creative vibe that keeps me coming back. If you can’t go there and feel changed and inspired by it than you just might not have a soul.

You shot the official video for the album there in the cemetery as well.  Any fear of rattle snakes getting a little too involved in the production process? What was that experience like for the band?

 GR:  Actually, my girlfriend and I shot an impromptu promo video for the album on a whim. We were out there after the album came out to take some pictures, and I happened to bring my guitar. We walked out towards the mountains, and I sat down facing the town in the distance and she recorded me singing the title track, “Terlingua Graveyard.” No snakes were harmed in the making of the video.

How do you categorize your sound? Honkytonk? Western Swing? Ameripolitan? How do you describe the soul of your band?

 GR: Toughest question! I don’t really know; I listen to country music and in my mind we are a honky tonk band. Our job changes from gig to gig, town to town though. In Texas, we play a lot for the dancers, but other places they just wanna hear good ole country songs. There is freedom in Texas, I can play whatever the hell I want as long as it’s got soul, and the folks can dance. At the end of the day, we are musical servants. If the crowd wants to hear Merle Haggard, I’m gonna give it to them, and if a fella or a lady asked me for one of my tunes about suicide or divorce or celebrating in my favorite beer joint, I’m gonna oblige them. 

"First Time in My Life" is a self-reflective honkytonker on the Terlingua Graveyard album written from the perspective of someone going through a time significant change, probably a divorce, and having to the meet the eyes and truth of a young son. Is this autobiographical? How hard is it for you emotionally to write a song as personal as this?

 GR: The song is in fact autobiographical, but it’s not really what it appears to be. That song has been interpreted a few different ways by people over the year since we released it (none of which is correct). So much so that I don’t tell the story behind it any more. It’s much more gratifying to watch folks apply it to their own lives. Sometimes, that is a song’s purpose; it exists to tell the listener’s story.

Your latest single, "Top Shelf Whiskey and Cold Lone Star Beer," does bands all over Texas and beyond a service by instructing bar-goers exactly how to treat a band if you appreciate what you hear. Talk about what made you record this song live from the White Horse bar in Austin Texas, and how this song came about.

 GR:  That song was written on the spot on stage at The White Horse, so it was only fitting that we record it live where the song was born. Someone had been passing around the tip jar and this fella didn’t have cash on him I suppose, so he asked me what we were drinking. I gave him my answer in the form of a song. Musically, it got people up and dancing right away and they got the words pretty easy so it stuck and became an essential part of the act. It also gets us some pretty good drinks! 

 You've recently been on a whirlwind tour and hit some classic spots around the country: Dukes in Indianapolis; Fitzgeralds in Chicago with Chicago Honkytonk; Milwaukee's Pabst Taproom with JP Cyr; Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge in Madison, TN. Your last night in Nashville had to be special. Tell us about the tour a little bit, and what it was that like to open for Jim Lauderdale as part of the great series Honkytonk Tuesday Nights at The American Legion Post 82.

 GR:  “Whirlwind Tour.” I see what you did there! Look, we love it here in Austin and are well aware of how good we have it, but taking what we do to other like-minded folks all over the country is an amazing feeling. I been traveling in bands my whole life, but this last tour was the best yet. I can’t believe the amazing things that people like Brendan Malone in Nashville , The whole Chicago Honky Tonk crew and Dustin at Dukes in Indianapolis (just to name a few) are doing. The word is out y’all, people love and crave steel guitars, fiddles, sad songs, waltzes and trucking songs (not songs about trucks btw)! We are more than happy to provide all of those things. 

Mr. Lauderdale was so kind to us, he said such nice things and took the time to chat with us and take photos. He is such an amazing performer and writer; he wrote one of my top favorite songs of all time “All the Rage in Paris.” It was an honor to share a bill with him.

 With all the growth in Austin, how hard is it to stay there as a musician? We've heard of musicians leaving to escape the rising cost of living. How does it work for the members of the Golden Roses? Because it's such a musical mecca, do you recommend young bands go there anyway if just for the experience?

 GR:  I’m not gonna jump on the “Austin bashing train,” so I will say this. It’s changing and fast, rent is getting higher and it’s a tougher town to be a musician in than it was 10 years ago. That said, it is still the best damn place to live in my opinion and will be home for me until they put me in the ground. Some people have left and have illusions of greener pastures, but if they think that cities that seem cool and inclusive to musicians now won’t turn their back as soon as the money rears its ugly head they gots another thing coming. To young bands I say this, follow YOUR heart. If your heart says go to Austin, well come on down. Y’all are welcome. 

 What do you see as the future for traditional dancehalls in Texas? Are places like the Broken Spoke and the Whitehorse in danger of extinction? Or do the young folks in Austin appreciate the heritage, culture, and way of life provided by these places?

 GR:  Without a crystal ball I can’t really say. There are great organizations like the Texas Dance Hall Preservation folks working really hard to keep our culture alive. I have faith that the music and the venues will persevere and survive.

What's the next year look like for you? What do you have coming up in the horizon? Will we see the band in Memphis in February at the Ameripolitan Awards?

 GR:  We go into Yellow Dog Studios in November to record a new single with Mike and the Moonpies producer Adam Odor, and then we will hit the road again to support that record. Hopefully, get back up to Chicago before the spring! As far as the Ameripolitan Awards go, I don’t think we got the nomination, I reckon we’d have been told by now. I’m happy for all the past and future participants, and I support Dale in his endeavor 100%. I just don’t think it’s a club that has a place for us.

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If there ever was a place to appreciate the "Lonesome Sounds" of country music, the grasslands of Saskatchewan seem like a fitting setting. Coming from your Saskatchewan roots, how did you both develop your love for honky tonk music given its origin as an American art form. 

BB: Saskatchewan is roughly the same size of Texas with a dispersed population similar to that of Dallas. It makes for a staggering rural to urban ratio therefore themes that have always been present in American traditional country music resonate deeply with our identity. I'm from the Southeast corner of the province, which has a shine/bootleg culture very similar to that of the Appalachia -- mostly out of necessity however the area was also a prominent routing during prohibition. Southern Saskatchewan was a destination for outlaws at the turn of the century; we are riddled with tales of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, etc., as they would have somewhat of an amnesty once they crossed the border. Lastly, cowboy culture is very strong, rodeo has always been a celebrated form of entertainment. What you find is when we draw on our collective identity, you start to see themes and styles that look like a combination of  Appalachia, the Midwest, Texas/Southwest, however genuinely originate in the roots of rural Saskatchewan. The artists that have been true to that identity are now finding an American population paying attention as the fabric is so similar but genuine unto itself. 

When you get into the musicality of it all, we draw off our own unique origins. As bluegrass came from Irish settlers cross-pollinating jigs and reels with African instrumentation introduced by exiled slaves, we have Metis fiddle music that is a combination of European reels and jigs combined with traditional First Nations rhythms and music. I can appreciate that what became known as "American music" has most definitely had its influence on us, but it needs to be seen that Canadian "country" music has unique origins, and we are proud to be a part of that lineage. 

BP:  We had an AM radio in our sod house. 

Rolling Stone recently featured Belle's song "Is it Cheating," which asks the important philosophical question, "Is it cheating if you don’t get laid?" in their 10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week section. This is a duet Belle did with Colter Wall correct? With its sing-along chorus and its pulsating, lumber camp style piano, it's certainly a catchy, endearing song that gets a lot of play from Belle's Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath album. How did that track all come together?

BP: That song was buried for years by my quest to be a "serious artist.” I trotted it out here and there as a joke, and the response made me realize that it’s ok to have a laugh. Except when certain crowds don’t think it’s funny, and then it’s the longest two and a half minutes of your life. As far as the production, most of the record is driven by Bryce Lewis’s guitar, or Ian Cameron’s pedal steel; I wanted turn attention to Jeremy Sauer’s piano playing as a contrast. We took a bit of from Jerry Lee Lewis’s 1956 version of “Crazy Arms.” Truthfully that song knows what it wants. You don’t have to overthink it. Bringing Colter in was part of the desire to showcase the Saskatchewan community. 

Talk about the traditional country/Americana scene in Saskatchewan. You guys are from Regina; Colter Wall is from Swift Current. Anyone else from SK we should know about? Are there enough places to play around the province to showcase your music or is getting out of it a necessity? How much time do you spend on the road?

BB: We've all been lucky to have Colter shine light on his home community. The benefit to that is how small it is so a lot of light is shone on a handful of artists. More so than ever, our community carries itself as a collective, lots of collaborations and shared growth. Both Belle and I have been active in this family for over a decade, so it comes as second nature to share opportunities as they are continually shared with us. There are so many to give love to, a swath would be wide and bountiful, but I'm really excited for two specific artists right now, Kara Golemba and Ellen Froese. Both are genuine to their own stories and how they internalize. I'm a fan of their writing, and that only leads to that desire for collaboration that's in all of us. Kacy & Clayton, The Deep Dark Woods as well. Then there's a slew of mainstream acts.

Another really interesting trait among Saskatchewan artists is our sense of innovation. So, alongside many conventional music venues and grassroots promoters all over the province, there also exists an entire community of the unconventional. It's a hustle, and there is a way to make a living playing music solely within the borders of our province; however, I'm motivated by other factors that can only be achieved by living a road-devout lifestyle. My curiosity for the outside world is overpowering -- it is a physical and mental game, but once that is on lock-down, you can remain moving between cultures and people, learn from them, internalize it, incorporate into the art, tell new stories, the benefits are perpetual. Touring with your wife ... that's a whole 'nother question to answer.

BP: As a Saskatchewan born singer/songwriter, I’m obliged to say that if you don’t know Joni Mitchell or Buffy Sainte-Marie’s catalog, I’d recommend diving in there.

In regards to touring, I always enjoyed traveling and prefer having a profile as an artist that extends beyond regional. Being on the road internationally definitely suits both of those goals.

It's been several years, but what was the life altering experience Blake experienced in December 2015? How did it figure into the spiritual and musical journey he went on to create 2017's Realms, which is Blake's honkytonk concept album inspired by the work of writers such as Joseph Campbell and C.S. Lewis. 

BB: I've struggled with being explicitly open in regards to this. When I'm ready within my journey I offer insight and its usually in the form of a riddle, visual cue, or puzzle in my art. I've tried to have fun with it for as real, outer-worldly and paranormal as it was. I'm also very literal about the experience throughout the lyrical content of the Realms album. There's an ever-evolving riddle and storyline that I'm adopting as an artistic road map to my career. 

Campbell and Lewis fit into this as they dedicated their lives to formulate a thought. One grandiose theme they were always chipping  away at in one way or another and then offering their findings to whomever was interested. I would include Stan Lee, William Blake, J.R.R. Tolkien among the minds that I draw inspiration from as well in this development. Campbell and Lewis are an interesting duo as they were each examining the divine through two totally different lenses and coming to what I find as similar conclusions. My experience in 2015 kickstarted me down that path. 

The song "Moose Mountain" on Realms (video here) contains a great lyric: "I got a 13-year-old palomino mare with a need for a contact high." Does a toke, a saddlehorse, and the open pasture provide the best scenario for contemplation and self-reflection regarding human relationships? What was the inspiration for this song? 

BB: Fun stuff. Um, well, since legalization in Canada, this track doesn't carry the edgy weight that it did upon its release. Then again, cannabis usage in Canada was always such a prevalent thing that it was comical that the powers that be weren't taking their cut. I use it for a handful of reasons; it becomes dangerous when one of those reasons is escapism. I've been guilty of that. Realms has a big message, so in crafting the storyline I had to attract and keep the listeners that needed that message delivered. "Moose Mountain" has always been an important piece in that mission. It's fun, and it has resonated with a certain aged, certain lifestyle male - that is whom my energy is being directed to in order to try to make change. I've been lucky to have cowboy culture around me at almost all times, and a horse is always a healthy approach to escapism. If some of these old boys saddled up, rode for an hour, lit up a joint and watched the sun go down, it would translate into an inner peace and clarity, from which their empathy and compassion would be easier to access. Traits that are in pretty serious need these days, especially in men.

Tell us about your recently completed "Denim Wedding" tour. Who thought to create your custom jumpsuits, which we liked for their Elvis-Goes-To-The-Calgary-Stampede vibe? Where did you get these made? 

BP: The jumpsuits started with me. Stage wear is a fun aspect of the business, but I truly dislike shopping for clothes. Plus, they generally fall short in some regard when you wear them night after night on stage. So, I teamed up with a friend, Matthew Donnelly, who has made lots of costumes for performers both here in Saskatchewan and when he lived in New York. He and I have actually made three jumpsuits and one dress together. Blake wasn't sold on the denim jumpsuit concept until he saw it, and then it was game on. 

BB: I just liked how my butt looks in them.

BP: It’s a commonly held viewpoint.

As far as the Denim Wedding tour, the concept arrived after we realized that we could not feasibly have a wedding that could include all of our many family members, as well as our music and friend community. On top of that, we were asked so frequently if we were going to wear our denim jumpsuits at the ceremony, that we decided to just make a tour out of it. For the record, we did match at the wedding, but it was a pair of coyote fur coats that we borrowed from family. It was pretty boss.

What's it like for you both now that you are married? Eight months now is it? How do you balance performing Blake's musical catalogue versus Belle Plaine's (so to speak). Do you have plans to write together? How does it all work?

BP: Oh boy … I dunno. We just make it work like anyone else. Our specific circumstances are ours, but couples work together all the time. Like, we both come from farming backgrounds. I don’t think it’s all that different, once you set aside the aspects of what the career is. You have to communicate. You have to make sure that you’re not demanding every need be met by your primary relationship. You have to have boundaries, and learn to respect one another. The big difference is that we choose to be public about our business.

BB: I think the ongoing mission is to mold a lifestyle that is rooted in truth, and, by being full time touring musicians, we are definitely kept humble. Seeing growth in each of our careers when we put our heads and abilities together has been inspiring. We also value our autonomy, so we are intentional with the flow of the show and how it is billed (truthfully). Lately, however, I've been fulfilled by putting my weight into other artists, and Belle's writing makes it easy to step away from any limelight. If we didn't like each other's writing, we probably wouldn't be married. If there's a lack in co-writing, it can only be blamed on us focusing time and energy into other areas of our relationship, but naturally everything I write is shared with, influenced by, and suggested upon by my loving wife. 

Since you both came from separate musical backgrounds, how long did it take you to develop the chemistry necessary to sing the lovely, close harmony that you feature in your music. And can we credit the harmonic inspiration of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings for your marriage?

BB: It's all a big melting pot. Our personal life influences our stage banter and performance, that's the chemistry people get to see. There is also that chemistry among bandmates -- we are a close-knit little family helping each other achieve life goals, it really helps that we are all motivated by the others' successes. We have to work at that harmony, but its just like anything, as long as your constantly chasing self-betterment, who cares how strong or weak you are at something in the moment. I think we are developing a very strong ear for harmony, phrasing, cadence, etc. Sleeping together helps. 

BP: It’s true. Blake’s shared a bed with everyone in the band as far as I know. Maybe not Steve...

Damn, your guitar player, Bryce Lewis, can play. With his fluid phrasing and artfully finessed tone, his sensibilities really flavour your music perfectly. Along with Bryce, who all is in your traveling band, and where did you meet?

BB: Bryce is an anomaly, again it goes back to self-betterment. He's on a continuous search to take what he does to new levels. He's also a bandit, careful what you play around him as there are no rules when it comes to stealing and reselling licks back to their original owner. Bryce's tele saves us on piano, fiddle and steel fees. Sometimes bass as well if just him and Steve and I head out on the road together.

BP: When we got married, we joked about our band becoming a blended family. Steve and Bryce are Blake’s, Jeremy and Beth are mine. I mentioned Jeremy Sauer’s playing earlier, but he was integral to the start of my career. Fast-forward to when we were mixing Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath: I kept saying, “TURN UP THE KEYS.” I didn’t want his importance to literally get lost in the mix. Jeremy and I have been pals and collaborators since we attended the same college. Jeremy is all over Realms too. He’s the guy you hear at the end of every song. Ha ha. But those Bryce and Jeremy are just our lead players. Steve Leidal, our drummer, has made me a better guitar player just by continuing to tolerate my best efforts. I pretty much stole him out of Blake’s band before we all started touring together. He was always willing to elaborate on what kind of feel he was playing, and I really appreciated his sincerity and musical knowledge. And, of course, my OG bassist, Elizabeth Curry. She and I toured so much together as a duo that we can anticipate every sneeze and stumble of the other. I love playing with her, because her groove is a great match to my made-up style, and she learned to sing by performing with me. We’re fiercely loyal to each other, and we make each other crazy cause we can basically read each other’s thoughts. That’s kinda how it gets with everyone at some point though.

Take us through your plans for the next few months. What do you have coming up?

BP: Who needs to write a new record?

BB: I'm going to put some energy in the backend development of things. I'm into production and recording these days, so don't be surprised if I disappear for a while. 

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 In earlier interviews, you mention influences such as Jimmy Rodgers, Charlie Poole and Lefty Frizzell. At what point in your life did you get exposed to this type of music and who from your immediate family or friends was your impetus for starting playing?

TDW:  My Grandma played the piano, and I always thought that was pretty cool. My first show was watching Willie Nelson play adjacent to my Grandma's farm. He played on some random hillside at a two-lane blacktop road intersection, right in the field. They put up a big stage and hay bales and put on a big show for all the local farmers. I thought that was pretty cool for someone that famous to play for just a few local farmers. After that, I started liking him and others like him such as Merle Haggard and George Jones. Then I wanted to know who influenced them and found the stars of the 50s, Lefty Frizzell and Wynn Stewart, then before them, Floyd Tillmann, Ernest Tubb, all the Hanks, and then Jimmie Rogers and all the great string and western swing bands. 

In 2009, you seem to have made the musician's equivalent of a monk's vow. You put all earthly possessions on the curb near your home in Columbia, Missouri, and started your musical odyssey that has taken you throughout North America and Europe. Many people would expect that sentence to finish "and you didn't look back."  Have you ever looked back? What is the best thing about being a musical vagabond? What is the worst? And how many times did the vegetable oil-powered airport shuttle bus you owned break down in the early days?

TDW: That Veggie bus was pretty good. Took me and a lot of buddies down a lot of fun roads.  I got into it not knowing anything about diesel engines nor running off vegetable oil. After several years, still didn't know much about it, but logged a lot of hours learning how to fix the things that were broken. I got a lot of veggie oil, radiator fluid, brake fluid, diesel fuel on me that's for sure. 

Looking back ain't good for ya. I think you just have to go all in, half way just doesn’t cut it sometimes. Being a traveler, you get to see the best and worst of human character. I grew up watching all the westerns; I really enjoy traveling and going on to the next adventure.

Tell us about the time you met the producer for the Black Keys, Mark Neill, at a farmers market in San Diego, and how he has affected your career ever since?

TDW:  That was crazy. I had a trio going and we were playing at this farmers market in the dust and sun on a Thursday or something. No big reason on the surface to stay or to go there. He came up, and we picked a few tunes and then the next few months we stayed in touch and cut a demo out there in San Diego. He set me on a good path and has been giving me advice and tightening me up ever since. In my opinion, he's the best there is right now for music. He has helped me focus and shape my music career immensely and has been really good friend ever since.

You've toured Europe every year since 2015. Does the reception there for your music differ from that of the various places you play in the US? Your 2017 album, Folk-Country-Blues, was released on the German label, Blind Lemon Records correct? How did that happen?

 TDW:  A lot of people overseas have been collecting 78's and other records for a while now. The cool thing about that is they really appreciate and know the music. They like to listen and dance. That's always fun for musicians and they really know a lot about American music from the 20's through the 50's. I love going overseas and playing.

 What are your interests outside of music given the fact you have to create music and play it, you are your own driver, producer, booking agent, and you sit in with and support various other bands? Is it even possible to have other interests from your standpoint? Or do you need to be 100 percent all in to music to make it work?

TDW:  I love fishing, listening to records, cooking with friends and just hanging with friends and family. It doesn't happen all the time, I do really enjoy it when it does though. The nice thing about traveling is you get to see all your buddies when you are passing through.  

 The video for your new song ,"One More Pair" (Video Here), is gaining a lot of traction online. This is a sweetly danceable track for two-steppers who thought their crying days were through, but then realize they're about to cry another set of tears for their next love. Tell us how that song and the video came together. 

TDW:  I have been working on that song for a few years. I always like cutting videos with the folks at GemsOnVHS. They chose that location and get some great shots out of folks. I really like what they are doing, and that they help get the word out on so many great artists. Looking forward to doing another one with them real soon.

Your music is fitting for any country dancehall, and you are obviously someone who cares about the craft of songwriting. How do you design an album from the ground up? Is it paint by number? For example, you include a couple of waltzes, some two-step numbers, a few up-tempos, a ballad? Or do you simply accumulate a number of quality songs and then distill the album to the best ones? Walk us through the process you go through to choose songs for a new album.

TDW:  Fortunately, there has been a bunch of great albums put out that lay a great foundation for how it works. I like using some of those frames and then just listening too. I think it's important for things to complement each other and mainly listen. A lot of these songs, I have been working on for a while. It’s nice to have a message and to make it useful for as many people as possible.

You plan to release a new album early next year. Since your roots run through folk, blues, and country, where you do think the sound for this new album lands? Who did you make this album for? And will the album be coming out through Country Roots Records?

TDW:  This album will be a bunch of songs  that I have worked on over the years and some new, fresh ones. I like making music for a purpose and that purpose sometimes is unknown. Each person uses things a little different. I enjoy these songs, and I hope everyone else will too. I think this album will have some solid country hits and hopefully some things that fall between some lines.

 Early songs you recorded pay tribute to the American masters of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. In songs we've heard for the new album, there's a purity, sweetness, and personal longing in the songs that seem all your own. How has your songwriting changed over the years? How do you view your own evolution musically?

 TDW:  It just comes and goes  with things I like and listen to. Some days, I get stuck on Lefty or Wynn, some days, Jimmie and then some solid R and B from the 50s. Some days, I just work on my own stuff. It all depends on what's floating around my head. I think the more you know, different ideas come and grow. The more you learn, you can develop ideas a little better. I think songs that draw on emotions are really cool.

"Something's calling, something's call me. I hear it calling, I hear it calling me. And I know, and I know, it won't let me be." This line comes from your song "Heart Over Mind." You've lived in Missouri, New Orleans, and now Nashville, and we saw you on tour in Chicago. As a musician who performs throughout the U.S. and Europe, do you always feel the road-born restlessness so clearly expressed in this song?

 TDW:   It comes in waves. You know I haven't spent more than three months anywhere in the last 10 years.  I like traveling, meeting people and playing music. It just seems like something gets me going somewhere. There’s always work to be done, somehow somewhere. I do enjoy getting out in the country and off the road. You can’t fish much in the city. 

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