Billy Craig – Sonic Tunesmith

By starrymag | February 12, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) What I’ve tried to do is let my sound flow. It’s not easy to do because you can’t pre-judge anything and you have to let your influences flow through you until that materializes as your own voice. I think on this album, Sonic Tunesmith, I’ve found or have come closest to what I feel is my voice. There’s a sound of your own that every artist should reach for that makes you unique as an artist. I draw heavily from classic rock and classic artists because that is what I like the most. Sure, I try to put a new spin in my own way because honesty to yourself as an artist is the best thing you can do. I’m hoping for authenticity.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) It has taken me a long time and four albums to answer that question and define myself as an artist because my tastes are so wide and eclectic. My approach is similar in motivation to the Bakersfield Sound, a genre of country music in the mid to late 1950s out of Bakersfield, California. It wasn’t the overly produced Nashville sound of its day. It was unique and you can hear it in the work of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Then, you had the Outlaw sound of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson that continues to this day with Shooter Jennings and many other artists. My approach is what I call the Midwest sound and I draw more from a classic rock perspective of artists like John Mellencamp and Bob Seger – that sort of thing. It’s very rock influenced, but although there have been hints of it I feel my artistic voice is coming through much better than in my prior work.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “With You.”

 

A) With love, there is a magic when you find someone you really want to be around all the time. Hopefully, everyone gets to experience that if life–when you meet that person that you can’t stand to be away from. When you find that person, even the simple things seem much more enjoyable, like walking downtown or anything. That’s the motivation behind this song. It’s about a couple who just want to hang around, and it doesn’t matter what they do because they enjoy each other’s company so much. I’m lucky. I found someone that fits that area, but we’ve been together for a while and that dynamic changes back and forth. I remember those early days and remember them well and it’s that initial spark that builds the fire that quite possibly rages on for a lifetime. I see it all the time when I’m at the grocery store and I see that cute older couple enjoying the moment, smiling and laughing as they do their shopping. It’s a great realization for anyone when they realize and say, “I’m happiest when I’m with you.”

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) We’re all human and arguably the strongest emotion of all is Love. I suppose there are those that love doesn’t fit in their specific game plan right now, but eventually there is going to be that time. It’s that moment when you find yourself lonely and think it would be great to have the support and warmth of someone who cares. I think that is why people connect to the song because it’s a place we all want to be at some point in our lives. Life is not easy. In fact, it can be quite harsh, but the accompaniment of another person to share the good times and soften the bad times is a very strong thing to have. Seuss said, “We’re all a little weird, and life’s a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” This is what makes it fun, because when you find that someone, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s all good.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The video hasn’t been created, but it should be quite simple as videos go and it could very well follow the lyric of the song fairly closely. It could be a beautiful summer day, it could be a rainy day, cloudy day or all of the above in the way that moods change for the positive when it is accompanied by someone that you really, really like. It will be all that and the simple things that become more enjoyable or those memories that perhaps you remember for a lifetime like going to the county fair and having the time of your life. The best of times, the time of your life, that’s it because that’s the kind of enjoyment you get out of being with the other person.

 

Q) What is your song writing process?

 

A) I’ve learned that there are no songwriting processes. There may be some that work better for you and it creates a great starting point. Inspiration can come in so many ways, strumming an acoustic guitar, a beat, a thought or an amazing electric guitar riff or uplifting piano tune. To me, there are all these moments that we all have from time to time of ideas that you recognize, and you pull them out of the air and create something. The biggest rule that I’ve found to be absolutely true is discipline. It’s the discipline of stopping when that inspiration hits and recording on a piece of paper the start of a lyric like a chorus or something or a melody that flies into your head and you have to harvest that and catalog it before it is forgotten. It can come with fully loaded chords and lyrics and boom you have a song–or it’s a start or jumping point that you can come back to and finish off. The discipline is making sure you write or record it in a way and that you have enough to expand the idea. Some days are better than others when it’s like a fountain of ideas and then there are the days where you can’t pull anything out and you walk away. A great example of this happened just the other day. I got into my car to drive somewhere and I was hit with multiple melodic ideas for guitar and they were very good. That’s the decision time, do I go back in the house and record them real fast? Unfortunately, I couldn’t miss the appointment and let it go. Now the better plan is, I should have just hummed the ideas into a recording app on my phone and got back to it later. I didn’t and it was lost and what did I lose? Well, it wasn’t the cure for cancer, but it could have been a handful of break-out ideas. In my arrogance I thought they’ll come back to me but who knows. Every songwriter goes through this, but one of my favorite stories that brings this point home is about Keith Richards. This isn’t an exact telling of the story but will do. Keith woke up from whatever happened the night before and with him that could have been anything. Anyway, he woke up with a melody in his head and recorded a guitar riff and mumbled, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Then, he went back to sleep. He didn’t even remember recording it, but they needed a song. He pulled out his cassette recorder and played it for Mick, who liked it, and the rest is Rolling Stones history. It was a smash hit.

 

Q) Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

 

A) There are no rules. Sometimes it starts with acoustic; sometimes is starts with the lyric. Inspiration comes in all shapes and forms. Sometimes you have a clear vision and moment of clarity and the lyrics come in full bloom. Many times, it’s something that you chip away at for days or weeks or you change a line or two when in the vocal booth from a moment of heightened creativity. So, to answer the question, there are a few different ways like starting with music and the lyric comes through conveying the emotion of the music. It can come lyric first and you write them down, adding music afterward. It can come to you together, lyric and music and you’re left wondering how you just did that and very happy you did. Again, the discipline is to get the idea down on paper or recorded to document for later review or work.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music? 

 

A) I’m a hands-on guy, if that answers the question. I like to be part of the production from beginning to end. The only part I personally bring to a higher power is the mastering process. It’s the critical last step before releasing a musical project. It’s also another set of ears if you know them well enough. Getting back to the project, I care deeply about each sound being used, and that can be controlled by budget but still it’s something I like to do. Each sound is important and has a purpose and deserves its rightful place in the mix. The kick drum, snare, and the bass, the guitars and vocals and whatever instrumentation you choose to get the idea across in the best possible way that you can. It’s like a painting or building a house. If you build a quality foundation and go from there, the house will stand.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Billy Craig performance?

 

A) Live performance is my domain. I’ve performed for many years and have a benchmark that I like to target. It all starts with a solid professional band. You have to have a great drummer because that’s the core that makes a show. I come from the blue-collar work-until-you-sweat kind of mold when it comes to shows. I want to connect with the audience because it’s a two-way street. The energy comes from artist to audience and from audience to artist, as natural as breathing, breath in breath out. Energy out from the artist and energy back from the audience. The absolute best at this is Bruce Springsteen. When I see a show, I don’t just want to see a bunch of songs like boom boom boom, okay, see you next time. I want to see the personality of the artist and be part of the living, breathing show and that’s what I attempt to bring to a show. I believe you get what you give so if you give a lot of energy, you get a lot of energy coming back. Artists feed off the crowd as much as the crowd, hopefully, feeds off the artist.

 

Q) Where did your latest album get the name Sonic Tunesmith?

 

A) Every album that I’ve released I’ve tried to capture the body of work from my standpoint. I’ve tried to make each With this album, I selected songs from a larger pool of songs that I had written. I wanted to take my time and just do the best job I could. Throughout the process of hammering out the ideas, the production and performances, I kept thinking it was like a blacksmith at his anvil. Hammering away with sparks flying to craft something that was special in its own way. With that idea in mind, I started to look at graphics and pictures and happened upon a metal worker who took photographs of himself in his shop. I went through so many, but he had this one that just jumped out at me. It took some doing to contact him because he lives in England. Then, I had to get permission to use the picture and thankfully he was ok with it. Thinking of the blacksmith working, I started thinking of the title. I had quite a long list and was rather attached to the word “tunesmith.” I added sonic to the front and it was born. Sonic Tunesmith.

 

Q) What was the process for narrowing it down to just eleven tracks?

 

A) I suppose there are artists who write the exact number of songs that go on an album. However, I’m a firm believer that you want the best of the best that you have to offer coming from a larger body of work. I’m also a believer that, as an artist, you want to work on the songs that get you excited, that touch something inside emotionally or that you can really get ahold of. I don’t believe you can ever give up on a song. You can change a lyric, a melody, a beat or anything and it can create a spark that brings it to a higher level. In this case, I believe it came out of around twenty-five ideas. I brought it down to the eleven songs that I liked the most and ran with them. I also look at it from an album standpoint. Although you eventually release singles to hopefully create interest in your album, I think there’s a lot to be said for the sequence of songs. It makes for a great experience for the listener from the beginning to the end. I also think that it’s important for the artist to allow the listener many different looks. A magician doesn’t do the same trick over and over. A true artist has to show the full breadth of their abilities. This to me is the mark of a true craftsman representing his or her art. This is what I attempt to bring to my albums.

 

Q) What songs off the album are you most enjoying performing live?

 

A) Live shows are tricky. I’m happy that now I have four albums to draw on in putting together a live show. That’s huge in itself because that’s a fifty to sixty song catalog so you can use the very best to design a show. I like a show that is high energy for me and the audience but also has those moments you can bring down to genuinely connect with the audience. So, it’s a tough question of what songs that I enjoy the most because each song is strategically placed. For example, I like a big opener, high energy and probably very upbeat. That being said, and to try to answer the question, the songs most artists get excited about are the newer ones off the latest This freshens the show, making all the songs fresher. That would be my answer, the newer songs.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

 

A) I think every artist has a choice. It’s a choice that fits you Some wear it like a mask but for me, for the most part, what you hear and get from the lyric is who I am. I’m not trying to represent myself in a way that is not me. I’m trying as hard as I can to be a unique voice in an incredibly crowded industry. That’s not easy to do just from the sheer numbers of musical artists out there and the new artist that come out every single day. We all want the same things, validation as an artist unique to ourselves as we see that, and even more, the sustainability of a real career and the livelihood that it brings. In an interview that I heard or read years ago with Willie Nelson, he mentioned a fan saying he had helped her get through so many things in her life. That has always stuck with me and something I like to attempt with both recording and live shows. Music has to be fun, but past that it has to move people. I’ve made the choice that if I’m going to move someone, I’d like to move them in a positive way. It’s just who I am. Sure, we all have our own battles. I kind of use my songs as my therapy and, hopefully, for some my songs will reach people in that way. I have those songs on every album, but on this particular album there is a song called “Touch By An Angel.” It’s not about heavenly angels. It’s about everyday angels, good Samaritans who decided to step in when someone needs it the most and lift them in a positive way. I believe we all have that capability, whether its family, a friend or a stranger the impact is enormous.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

 

A) For me, it’s not the place but the people – where the people are and I’m like any other performer in the way that the bigger the crowd the better. That’s not always true because there have been rather magical moments that I’ve had in smaller venues like every performer has. My favorite place where I’ve performed is an outside concert venue in the Detroit area called DTE Energy Theater. It’s a summer venue so that makes it up there for me. The other thing when it comes to venues is the history of the venue and this particular venue has been there since the mid 70s. You name the artist and they have been there. It’s had the biggest names of all genres so when you step onto that stage you can feel the history–KISS, Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Carole King, Doobie Brothers, Willie Nelson, etc. The list is endless, and it hits you as you walk into the backstage area on onto the stage. It’s a special place.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I’d love to collaborate with just about anyone because I like to work and stay busy. I would probably lean towards more classic rock or classic artists or the ones that were influential to me. Also, my collaborative efforts kind of go in two different directions. One is as a songwriter and the other is as a guitar player. This is a very difficult question to answer because I’m like a kid in a candy store. It might be better to ask which artist I’d like to work with. As a songwriter, some of the real craftsman like James Taylor, John Prine and Willie Nelson. There are just too many. For guitar, I’d really love to do an instrumental album with Peter Frampton and a few other classic rock guys. This is a wish list, but at this time of budgets, doing projects is the main thing.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) It’s a mood thing for me. I think it’s that way for anyone though. If I’m going to listen to music, it’s going to be (for the most part) relaxing. So, I’ve gravitated towards artist like James Taylor, Cat Stevens or even some of Elton John’s early albums. An artist that I hadn’t listened to that I’ve recently discovered is Jackson Browne. Some of his earlier albums are fantastic. He has an album called For Everyman from 1973 and the opening track is “Take It Easy.” I’m listening in my headphones thinking, “I’ve heard this one before.” I didn’t know that classic song, which was huge for The Eagles, was co-written by Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne and existed on a Jackson Browne album. The other artist I’ve started listening to is John Hiatt. He has a great album called Bring The Family. He’s quite an artist. Mark Knopfler is very inspiring. His last couple albums are great listening, Privateering and Tracker.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) It’s a great way to be connected to the general public on a consistent basis. It’s not a one-way street. I get to see what they think and they get to see what I think. Social media brings to an artist a way to keep their brand and work in front of people. I think it’s one of those things that you get what you put into it. It can be time consuming, but there is no better way to get your message across to the people who matter most. At the same time, like anyone else, you better keep track of your time because time flies when you’re online.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you, thank you and thank you. I’m working hard and I hope that the inspiration to create new music never stops. I encourage all to follow or at least participate in your dreams. Spending time doing what you love and what really makes you click is your therapy, so never ever give that up. Music has always been something that comes from deep in my soul and heart. It’s what makes me click. I hope people feel that as they put on the headphones or turn it up on their stereo. Wishing you the best in the future.