Jim “Soni” Sonefeld – Snowman Melting

By starrymag | October 4, 2023

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I think the new Snowman Deluxe recordings fall into the singer/songwriter/folk/americana category, if that’s not too broad? But as fans will here with full-length album release, the original recordings sound very different, and THAT sound is hard to describe. I’d love to hear someone’s name for that category though!

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) The music that has influenced my writing style comes from goes as far back as my childhood. Simple songs inspired me to write simple songs, so music from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Eagles, The Band, Steve Miller, even The Archies are part of my DNA. But when I began to write my own songs, I would say Prime Country (80’s & early 90’s) had the biggest influence. I was obsessed with, and still love the country music from that particular era. I helped me develop a strong sense of melody, harmony, and song arrangement.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Sitting in the Green Grass.”

 

A) It was one of the last songs Francis Dunnery and I wrote for the Snowman Melting. It represents my desire to escape the difficulties in my personal life I was facing in 2007. The imagery of the countryside represents a place of peace for me, while the city life depicts my troubles.

 

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

 

A) Lyrically, if fans understand the meaning, I think they can appreciate the idea of getting away from life’s busyness and all the distractions that often keep us from finding serenity. The new production, with Luke Sullivant on acoustic guitar and Lee Turner on accordion, really gives it a “peaceful, easy-feeling” vibe that just feels like putting your head on a big, comfy pillow at the end of a hard day.

 

Q) I have to say, as a teen I was a HUGE Hootie & The Blowfish fan – bought CDs, wore t-shirts, had a bumper sticker & went to concerts. So, I was beyond excited to see you reunited with Darius Rucker for this song. Did the two of you reconnect and you brought up a feature for him on the song or had you stayed in touch all this time and you reached out after thinking of him to contribute to the track?

 

A) Since the band still does several performances a year we still communicate and see each other, but it’s hard to find time with schedules that are very different.

I wanted this Snowman Melting 15th Anniversary Deluxe to be special, and when the idea of doing a few collaborations came up he was the first person we thought of. I’m so glad he was up for this song, which I think fits his style well.

 

Q) How does the video for “Sitting in the Green Grass” play into the message behind the single?

 

A) I didn’t try and create any special message in the music video. I just wanted to show the laid-back moments we had making the song. Music videos can consume a lot of valuable time, money and effort and I’ve never been one to put a ton of time into their production.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I write in all sorts of ways, but these days I either fall in love with a chord progression and then add lyrics and melody, OR I fall in love with a phrase and then try and build a song around it. I’ve done a little songwriting in Nashville this past year and I’m enjoying some co-writing as well. That’s a completely different process altogether.

 

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

 

A) Working with Francis Dunnery on the original Snowman Melting in 2008, I let him lead most of the production because he comes up with so many great and weird ideas and he works super-fast. With the EPs I released between 2012-2022 I took a bigger role in production. I love to direct the instrumentation, vocals and arrangement, but I couldn’t do any of the production without a bunch of phenomenal producers such as Stan Lynch, Billy Chapin, Matt Houston and Lee J. Turner. I know little or nothing about computers, mixing, editing or ANY of that stuff!

 

Q) “Sitting in the Green Grass” is an added song to an expanded new edition of your solo album Snowman Melting from 2008. What made you want to revisit this album?

 

A) Because my life and our band were in such a big transition in 2007-08, when I made and released it, I never had a real chance to promote it properly or gain any traction by getting it in front of our Hootie fanbase. The timing was just all wrong. It basically got shelved. But my deep love for it never ceased. Finally, the timing was perfect!

 

Q) Is there a song(s) from Snowman Melting that holds a special significance for you and what makes it so close to your heart?

 

A) Honestly, they all do! I went through a separation, a divorce, the band’s entrance into an indefinite period of dormancy – all during this period. Some of the songs just break my heart listening back to them, while others are filled with the desperate hope for peace I was feeling at the time.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your music – whether it’s the song or this reissue of your album – as a whole?

 

A) Listening to music has always given me so many feelings, from sadness to satisfaction, to amusement and awe. I hope my listeners experience some of those emotions too.

 

Q) Surely, South Carolina is a standout, but where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Maybe there’s nothing better than a home crowd, but I’ve always been amazed at the reach Hootie & the Blowfish had in the 90’s, where we could be in South Africa or London or Nebraska or New Zealand and there would be thousands or tens of thousands of fans singing our songs. That is just soooooo cool!

 

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

 

A) Would love to collab with Matthew West! Or Radney Foster! Or Brandi Carlile!

 

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) Ben Folds new album is on repeat for me currently. Holy cow is it amazing!!

Ben writes about themes no one else can touch, with poise, humor, and irony. He goes deep and makes it seem effortless. Got tickets to see him in September!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are continued fans and supporters of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you, and I hope to see you soon!!