By: Karen Steinberg
Photo by Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez
Q) Your music has been described as a little bit Americana meets folk. How would you describe your sound?
A) I’ve been told recently that I’m “heartland rock,” and that feels pretty close, but there’s a little more in me than that. I’m just a lifelong music lover — my 4,000-plus-piece record collection runs from jazz to hip-hop to old soul to bluegrass — and all of it seeps into what I do. It kind of melts together into something that feels like a new version of Americana. So, today, I guess I’d call it New Americana with a heartland rock backbone.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) Guitar-wise: Dave Matthews, Eric Krasno, B.B. King and Ani DiFranco. Songwriting-wise, I grew up studying the greats — Tom Petty, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen — but I’m just as inspired by modern writers like John Moreland, Will Hoge, Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson. Vocally, I started with old soul — Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett — then later picked up a lot from the nuance and restraint of singers like Sam Beam, Cat Stevens again, Chris Stapleton, and Ray LaMontagne.
Q) Talk about the story behind your single, “Silo.”
A) “Silo” came from me humanizing this massive concrete silo I passed while on tour through Washington State. It looked strong but lonely and that image stuck with me. Later that night, sitting alone in a cold motel room in Portland, the emotion kind of hit home. The song turned into a circumstantial breakup story — about how strength and distance, even when they’re meant to protect you, can accidentally separate you from the people you love.
Q) What do you think it is about this track that will resonate with listeners?
A) I think it’s honest and relatable. As an adult, I’ve learned that love isn’t always enough — it can’t fix bad communication or the stuff we all carry inside. This song kind of pokes at that truth and hopefully lets people know they’re not alone in it.
Q) Your EP, The Silo, is set to release in February. What are some themes that you explore on it?
A) The EP looks at the inner workings of the human spirit — how our strength can feel like both a hard-earned gift and a weakness at the same time. It wrestles with mortality, timing, love and circumstance… all the ways life shapes us whether we’re ready or not.
Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) I always start with a lyric. Once I find a line that feels real, it usually suggests a vibe on the guitar and then everything just kind of flows from there.
Q) Fellow artist Lee DeWyze and Nico Grossfeld worked with you on the production of this EP. In what ways did teaming up with someone you have played music with for so long help craft the “perfect” sound for it?
A) Working with those guys was a dream. I’ve played shows with Lee for over a decade and he’s really watched me grow from a solo acoustic act into whatever this version of me is now. Getting into the studio together felt like a natural next chapter after all those miles on the road. His perspective was fresh and his longtime partnership with Nico made the whole process feel easy, creative, and really exploratory.
Q) “She Sleeps Better in the Rain” and your cover of “Against the Wind” are my personal favorite tracks. Which ones stand out to you and why?
A) “She Sleeps Better in the Rain” was my favorite while walking out of the studio. I bounce around, but I always land back on that one. It felt unique when I wrote it and it still does. We were all a little nervous about how to produce it, but once we got going, it just flowed. Plus, I got to play my nylon-string on it, which was really special for me because I’ve always wanted to record a nylon-string lead line.
Q) What songs off your EP are you looking forward to performing live?
A)I’m excited to play “Silo.” I think it has the potential to be a really intimate, quiet moment in the set once I get my arms wrapped around it live.
Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to The Silo as a whole — either as an emotion or message?
A)It was produced pretty cinematically, so I hope people walk away feeling like they just watched a movie that shook them a little — something heavy but hopeful at the same time.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) I’ve played some incredible venues, but I always love the smaller, artsy towns the most. Places like Portsmouth, NH, Easton, MD, Portland, ME, Clear Lake, IA — they just feel like home. There’s something about those communities that really show up for live music. And Chicago has always been especially good to me, too.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) I get asked this a lot and my answer changes constantly. Today, it’s Bob Schneider. I just think he’s a brilliant writer and I’d love to see what would happen in a room together.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) Lately, I’ve fallen back in love with the early Counting Crows records. I watched a documentary on them recently and it sent me back down that rabbit hole. August and Everything After and Recovering the Satellites are just epic records. The lyrics are so honest they feel timeless.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Thank you for making me and my art a part of your world. I don’t take anyone’s time lightly and the fact that people choose to spend theirs listening to my music means everything to me. It’s an honor, always. I’m forever grateful.