The singer/songwriter/actress, Jana Kramer will be will be performing at Toby Keith’s at Destiny USA , Saturday December 13th.
Jana is no stranger to the bright lights with her impressive string of movie and television roles, but she credits her recent break into the music industry as her most important accomplishment to date. She loves acting but music is where she wants to be. It’s her passion.
Toby Keith‘s I Love This Bar & Grill in Syracuse has been a mecca for country music artists and fans to come together and have a chance to celebrate country music since it’s opening at Destiny USA. Bringing in national acts all year long, it was a thrill for NYS Music to be able to cover The Swon Brothers as they played on October 3, 2014.
Best known for their third place finish on season four of The Voice as part of team Blake, this dynamic duo has set the country music world on it’s ear since that time with their new album, The Swon Brothers, which their single “Later On” shot up the charts right away.
Zach and Colton Swon, graciously agreed to speak with NYS Music prior to their show, to say hello to all our country music fans here in Central New York.
Kathy Stockbridge: Thank you for agreeing to doing an interview with NYS Music…..Our readers are huge country music fans.
Zach and Colton Swon – (SB): Thanks for having us.
KS: Music has been a major part of your life. Talk to us a little about growing up in a musical family.
SB: Growing up in a musical family was pretty fun. It was pretty fun, we really didn’t have any other choice. From day one, we both grew up on a tour bus. My parents had a southern gospel group and went from church to church on weekends. That’s really all we’ve ever known.
KS: So you’ve been on the stage since a young age.
SB: Yeah, we just thought that was part of life.
KS: That’s sounds like a fun childhood. Now I read that one of your major influences in your music were The Eagles. Talk to me a little about what stood out about The Eagles and their style of music that is carried through today in your work?
SB: Well a lot of things. First and foremost are their harmonies. Nobody did it like them. Their harmonies are spot on. I have watched multiple videos and documentaries and they focused more on that during rehearsal than any other part of their show. The other thing is their stylistic differences in songs. They can go from “Life In The Fast Lane” which is really rocking to “Peaceful Easy Feeling” which sounds like a classic country song. But no matter what they were doing, you knew it was The Eagles because of those harmonies they put on top. That’s kinda the approach we took to our record, that’s coming out on the 14th. The songs musically are all over the map, but I think they sound like they go together because our harmony sets on top.
KS: Do you have other musical influences in your life that stood out as you were growing up?
SB: Oh yeah, there are tons. Growing up we did everything from Merel Haggard and George Jones to Michael Jackson. There are so many that have influenced us over the years. Even gospels groups, like Kenny Hinson and some artists you’ve probably never even heard of. So it’s been a wide variety of people who have influenced us…ELVIS…loved Elvis.
KS: Who doesn’t love Elvis?
SB: Right!
KS: Talk to me a little about your experience on The Voice.
SB: Tell ya what, Blake Shelton…well first of all The Voice in general and everyone involved with that production are amazing. From the guy driving the van, to the Executive Producer Mark Burnett, they are all amazing. They really want to see everyone succeed. It’s a great, great program they have for artists that want to get out there. We were lucky enough to have Blake Shelton as a coach.
KS: Yeah, talk to me a little about being on Blake’s team.
SB: Working with Blake was like working with a crazy uncle or big brother ya know. He always kept it lighthearted and left a lot of the stress out. Really it should have been a pretty stressful situation, but working with Blake made it a lot easier. I think one day he brought us in and was making fun of Usher and his coaching habits…all the physical activities that they did so Blake made us do some shake weights with him as a workout, as a new coaching method. You just never knew about him.
KS: He seems like a fun guy, a cut up.
SB: Oh, everything you think Blake Shelton would be like, he’s like.
KS: Whirlwind, ever since the end of The Voice you guys have been a huge whirlwind with a new album coming out this month. Talk to me a little about life after The Voice and this whirlwind you are on right now touring with your new album coming out.
SB: More than anything we are just really thankful for this opportunity. We’ve been trying this way before The Voice, and it’s been a great platform and opened doors. We’ve met a lot of great people along that way that have helped us, like Blake and Miranda, and Carrie Underwood has been in our corner as well.
KS: That’s right, she’s from your neck of the woods.
SB: We have been really, really blessed this year and we’ve put our heart and soul into the record, we picked the songs we thought fit us best and we were able to work with a great producer and put out our first single and support has been phenomenal.
KS: I love it BTW.
SB: Thank you …and we just got nominated for a CMA Award.
KS: Yes, I saw that. congratulations.
SB: Yeah, it’s crazy. This whole year seems like ..
KS: Surreall isn’t it?
SB: Every week something happens and we’re like, man how did we get here. We’re very grateful.
KS: Well we love ya, and we’re right behind ya cheering you on!!. I do something I call a social speed round…random questions that are fun and give our readers an insight into you on a personal level. Mind playing along?
SB: Let’s do it!
KS: One word that you would describe yourself?
SB: (Colton) Awkward (Zach) Confident
KS: Okay Zach, one word you would use to describe Colton
SB: (Zach) Mom. He’s the “Mom, the worrier”.
KS: Okay, Colton one word to describe Zach.
SB: (Colton) One word to describe Zach Swon…hairy.
KS: What’s your guilty pleasure:
SB: (Colton) Miley Cyrus’s “Party In the USA”
KS: Haha, I love it! And Zach…
SB: (Zach) Well, it’s not on anymore but I hated the fact that I loved watching “Jersey Shore”. I don’t know why, I got mad at myself every time it came on..
KS: Deer in the headlights huh?
SB: (Zach) Yep, but I watched every episode.
KS: You’re on the road, you see this, you have to pull off. No if, ands, or buts. You must detour!!
SB: Graceland
KS: What’s on your iPod right now? What ya listening to?
SB: (Colton) I just downloaded the Blake Shelton CD, Bringing Back The Sunshine, Miranda Lambert’s new album, and there are Kings of Leon..
KS: I love Kings of Leon..
SB: (Colton) And there’s even a little Daft Punk. (Zach) I’ve actually been listening to the new Tim McGraw album, I love it.
KS: Great choices you guys! Okay now..favorite movie?
SB: (Colton) I’m gonna go, Dumb and Dumber (Zach) I have a tie between Jerry McGuire and That Thing You Do.
KS: Thank you guys so much.
As I left the dressing room, I had just witnessed a taste of what these two brothers share night after night on stage with their fans. Their playful, energetic personalities come across as they converse with their audience. Each and every night they share pieces of themselves to those they play for. This quality of bearing it all on stage is what makes them so appealing.
Opening for The Swon Brothers this evening were local favorites, The Fulton Chain Gang. Together now for years, these five men continue to entertain audiences all over the state with their modern country and southern rock style. With Nick Bontempo (lead vocals, guitars), Mark Werchowski (lead guitar, vocals), Dennis Buczek (pedal steel guitar), Dave Montany (bass, vocals)and Brian Spoor on (Drums), they played both classic traditional country and modern country hits and warmed up this crowd for the awaiting brothers.
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As the two brothers and their band took the stage, they came out like gang busters playing some of their original songs mixed with an array of covers of all genres. You could tell the musical influences that played a part in finding their sound. With a mix of The Temptations, “My Girl”, George Jone’s “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes”, and throw in a little Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ In The Dark” (in which the entire crowd sang along to) they demonstrated their musical range and adaptability as true musicians. I must duly note as well, that their ability to harmonize is astounding. As unique as each brother is singly, together they have a harmonic chemistry that is untouchable.
They wore the stage like a pair of comfortable jeans. This stage presence comes from being on stage for their entire lives I’m sure. As they bantered back and forth with each other, band mates, and even audience members, they demonstrated how to them, the stage is their home away from home. They sang a happy birthday to an audience member, put their bass player on the spot to sing (in which he hit it out of the park, great job Seth), and had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands in no time.
As a child of the 80’s I have to say my personal favorites, and they nailed them, were The Eagles, “Life In The Fast Lane,” Boston’s “Long Time” and Tom Petty’s, “American Girl”. Excellent choices to close out this show. By the time they came to their current hit, “Later On,” these gentlemen had the audience transfixed. How could you not love these two? With the looks that garnered them a spot in People’s Sexiest Men issue, the smiles that melt your grandma’s heart, and voices that can croon and rock, it’s apparent why they are one of country music’s favorite duo’s on the rise.
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Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill in Syracuse has done it again. National recording artist Craig Campbell partied with Syracuse Friday, November 14.
From the moment I met Craig Campbell I knew that he would not disappoint. Such an amazing talent with such respect and love for his fans. From the VIP meet and greet, through his entire show, and even after his performance by inviting every fan to his merchandise table for pictures and autographs, he proved just how important his fans truly are to him.
Performing his hit songs “Keep Them Kisses Coming”, “Outta My Head”, and “Family Man”, Craig proved to Syracuse just what a class act he is. He and his band left the crowd cheering after every song and wanting more. Inviting two special fans up on stage to enjoy a shot of Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine (Big Orange Moonshine) and a beer while he played a few songs on the keyboard was simply amazing. He played a verse of Garth Brooks’ hit song “The Dance” and the entire place sang it right along with him. Best of all, Craig Campbell shared a little piece of a song he wrote that Garth Brooks performs on his new CD!
Craig’s entire performance was full of fun. I have to say that one of my favorite parts was while he was taking client’s cell phones and videoing himself singing and of course, making funny faces. I’m hoping he comes back to Syracuse many times. I would go to every show!
Kim Richer: Craig, thanks for taking the time to speak to . it’s so very nice to meet you.
Craig Campbell: You’re quite welcome. It’s my pleasure.
KR: So tell me a little about this tour you’re on.
CC: Well this isn’t really a tour. I enjoy going out and playing at festivals, bars and honky tonks. The size of the venues are nice because it gives me a chance to be on a more personal level with my fans. The shows that I’ve had this year have been great. This is the busiest year I’ve ever had coming off a top 10 song with “Keep them kisses coming”. Things have been really good for me this year.
KR: That’s great! Now do you find that you have more freedom doing shows this way instead of doing a tour?
CC: Well, there’s pros and cons to everything. I want to be on a tour to expose my music to more people. I could go do shows all day long and have the same 1000, 2000 people show up but when you get on a tour you have the opportunity to play in front of 15,000 and there’s a good chance that many of those 15,000 have never heard of your or never heard any or your music so that’s the appealing side of being on a tour. You get to be in front of all of these people and try to get your music out to more as the percentage of exposure is way higher. There is something cool about doing your own show in a club, but then there is also something really neat about being able to play in front of a whole ton of people.
KR: That’s true, but I must say from a fan standpoint I love the smaller shows because it’s so much more fan friendly and on a much more personal level.
CC: Even more personal than that are the theater shows I’ve done where everyone is sitting down and you can talk to the fans and carry on and talk about the songs.
KR: If there is someone you could pick to go on tour with, who would it be?
CC: Oh gosh, I’d love to go out with Luke Bryan. I’d love to go out with Garth, Eric Church, anybody. I’ve made some good friends over the years in country music. It doesn’t matter to me because I know no matter who it is we are gonna have fun no matter what.
KR: Now I understand you come from a pretty large family in Georgia. Is anyone else musically inclined or are you the only one?
CC: Well, everyone on my mama’s side of the family had some sort of musical ability whether it be singing or just playing. I was always the only one that wanted to chase it down and pursue it.
KR: When you were young was there anyone that you aspired to be like?
CC: I was a big Travis Tritt fan. I listened to the way he sang, the way he wrote his songs and the way he played. He was a great musician. He was the all around music package, he could do it all, write, play and sing. He was someone that I absolutely looked up to.
KR: Have you had a chance to meet him?
CC: Yeah, actually he sang on my last record. He’s a really really nice guy. It was a must on my bucket list to meet him so having him sing on my record was icing on the cake!
KR: I love Travis Tritt myself. I also understand your wife played a part in your last album with the song “Topless”
CC: Yeah, we wrote it together. She’s an amazing singing and songwriter herself so she always has a place on my albums for at least one song. We wrote it and thought it would be perfect for that last record.
KR: Oh most definitely. It shows the fun side. A lot of married artists usually do something sweet and sentimental but it’s nice to see the fun side as a couple too.
CC: I feel like both of us have a really good sense of humor so that was perfect for us.
KR: Can we look forward to her performing with you live anytime?
CC: Yeah, when she is on the road with me or if we are in her hometown or my hometown she will get up and do a couple songs. Eventually I would like to have her sing on my album, so we’ll see. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
KR: I’m interested in hearing a little more about this corn hole tournament you host annually.
CC: During CMA Fest there is a lot going on. There are a lot of free shows, there’s golf tournaments and all these other events going on for charity. I have always been geared toward Colon Cancer and Colon Cancer Research and awareness and I though man, nobody is having a corn hole tournament, let’s have a corn hole tournament. So we started it two years ago and did it this past year and it was a great success. It actually was a big part of me becoming the spokesperson for Fight Colorectal Cancer which March is Fight Colorectal Cancer month and we are actually going to my next tournament in the month of March. It’s going to be bigger and better and Bayer Heath Care is going to sponsor it so it’s going to be huge.
KR: Oh, that’s fantastic. I look forward to seeing that. I’ve played corn hole and I can tell you that I am not the best.
CC: Oh you don’t have to be good as long as you’re having fun. That’s one of the reasons I chose that game. It’s fun and anyone can do it.
KR: Have you been to Syracuse before.
CC: No, I’ve been to the area but never to Syracuse before. We actually played with the Hootn-Anges when we were in NY before out at Kegs Canal side.
KR: Are you working on a new album or are any new projects coming up?
CC: Yeah, my record label actually closed last May so I’ve been trying to get that worked out. Now that it is, I will have some announcements in the next few weeks.
KR: If there was anything in your career you could change, what would it be?
CC: I signed my record deal without having a manager. At the time it sounded like a good idea but in retrospect it wasn’t a great choice. Just because there were no checks and balances. There was nobody on my side holding anybody accountable. For the most part though we’ve done really well and I would do it all over again.
KR: Have you always wanted to sing and write music?
CC: Yeah, even in high school I was at the bars as often as I could trying to get in with the bands to see if they would let me go in and sing a couple of songs. After graduation, I knew that music was something I couldn’t shake so I decided to move to Nashville and chase it down.
KR: What was your journey like when you got to Nashville?
CC: It was long but I was making a good living in Nashville singing demos, playing and writing songs. I played piano for Tracy Bird and Luke Bryan. I got to do some really cool things and was putting food on the table so that was a success as far as I’m concerned.
KR: Has country music always been the choice?
CC: Yes, that’s all I know.
KR: If I were to grab your ipod would it all be country?
CC: I listen to some other stuff. I like good singing. I love Bruno Mars, Adele, Boyz to Men, Brian McKnight but it’s about 98% country.
KR: If you could sing with one person past or present, who would it be?
CC: Definitely Keith Whitley
KR: If you could give one piece of advice someone following your path, what would it be?
CC: It’s either all or nothing. You have to be 100% and not take no for an answer.
KR: Do you have any regrets?
CC: Nope, not one. Every decision I’ve made has either been based on gut feeling, or prayed about it or decisions my wife and I have made together. It’s all good stuff.
As a journalist you do your best to maintain a level of objectivity when dealing with anyone you cover for a story. You want to bring a story that is not only factual, but without a spin in one direction so that the reader can come to their own conclusions. However sometimes you just can’t help yourself when you meet them in person. This is what happened with me after speaking with Eric Paslay, and seeing him perform at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in Syracuse, September 20, 2014. I was totally impressed by this young man.
This would be the second time covering the musician for an event (Taste of Country Music Festival) and I was looking forward to both the performance and our scheduled phone interview. Many times these interviews happen to be right before a show, or in between sound checks. With such a busy schedule, when I received the call around 10am, it was a nice surprise.
Eric Paslay – Toby Keith’s Syracuse
Kathy Stockbridge: Hi, is this Eric? How are you? Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview with NYS Music.com.
Eric Paslay: Good Morning.
KS: Well Good Morning to you as well! You’re up early!! I didn’t expect you to be up so early.
EP: Oh yeah, we get up early. I would rather be awake for life.
KS: Welcome to NYS Music and again thank you for agreeing to do this interview for our readers. You’ve been on quite a whirlwind of a tour this year…talk to me a little about the highlights of the tour and some of your favorite moments.
EP: I think this has been the busiest touring year of my life, and it’s been cool. We go from town to town and see the same hearts and souls in each town but with a little bit of different backdrop which is kinda cool. I like getting off the bus and trying to wander around town if there is one. A lot the fairs and festivals that we play though there is not a lot around it other than the fair. Still, I try to walk around there if I can. I think the coolest thing though is this year is the first year I’ve had a hit as an artist, which I’ve been working towards my whole career, and I’m glad people are singing along to songs that I have written and now to songs that I’ve recorded myself.
KS: That’s awesome…I often wondered if you have the opportunity to get off the bus and get out there to meet the people and take advantage of places you are visiting. It’s nice to know you are able to take advantage of that and getting to know the areas you are touring as well. I actually covered your show at The Taste of Country Festival which was a scream…it was my first country festival I’ve been too…was totally off the wall, with more than 40,000 people.
EP: Yeah..that was a cool show!
KS: ..and was a lot of fun. Was that the first time you had been up this way to Central NY?
EP: No I’ve been up there before…That was my first time at The Taste of Country, but I have been touring around the country for about four years now, but I’m getting to play the big shows now.
KS: Well you did a great job..I really enjoyed your set.
EP: Thanks.
KS: And I’m looking forward to seeing you this Saturday at Toby Keith’s, and I do believe I’ll get to see you again in November when you visit my local area at the Utica Aud with Dierks Bentley and his Riser Tour.
EP: That will be a good tour!
KS: You have a huge country music fan base here in this area….do you see similarities with people in the different communities you come to, or differences as you travel around?
EP: You know, what I’ve learned is around the US people are taught to listen to you differently. Some people are there for the party, and they still love you being there…it doesn’t matter if your George Straight on the stage.. they’re not really watching you or listening to much..they are, but they aren’t. Then there’s other parts of the country where they’re just as quiet as can be with their arms crossed staring at you. You not quite sure what they are thinking, but they are soaking it up and loving it. I think that’s the coolest thing..sometimes a lot of new artists on the road think “wow, that crowd hated us”, then they go to the meet and greet line and see what they really thought. As the fans tell you that was the best show ever, they don’t even know how to react. It’s also really cool to go out there and start understanding your listeners. Not everyone listens the same way…that’s what makes us as unique which is a pretty cool thing. And it’s not a bummer when people go all nuts also!
KS: Do you feed off the audience when that happens?
EP: Oh absolutely, I don’t think a football player isn’t going to run as fast as he can and hit as hard as he can with an empty stadium.
KS: Absolutely!
EP: It’s nice when the crowd is cheering for you.
KS: I personally love your writing style. You mentioned once in another interview that you try to leave some hope in all songs even the sad ones. Is writing cathartic to you? Do you write to tell a message, or get feelings out, or what is your writing process?
EP: You know, a lot of times I try to have messages like you will get through this, and it’s okay to feel this way, and also let’s just rock it tonight. I tend not to write selfishly. Music is a very influential thing, and I hope I get to stick around and influence people for good for a while.
KS: I predict you will. You have written a lot of songs that have been recorded by others. Talk to me a little about your inspirations, and do they play a part in your writing style and your performance?
EP: I tended to just listen to music that I dug, and if it sounded good,I turned it up. Somehow God blessed me with the ability to write songs. To be able to walk in a room with nothing and not even an idea, as I write so much, you walk in and start playing a melody and you know within a few hours a songs written. The cool thing about a song is you never know where it’s going to end up. I’ve learned through a lot of my other songs being recorded, that some times it’s not up to us how a song gets heard, and especially how a song gets famous. It can be frustrating if you try to make sense of it all. Other than you swing the bat and sometimes people see the home run go over the fence, and sometimes you’re in the stadium alone. And that’s alright. You just keep swinging the bat, and maybe people will be around when you hit the home run.
KS: Well you are originally from Texas, the Austin area, which is hugely known as a musical mecca. Have you had an opportunity to perform in and around Austin?
EP: Yeah, its wild. I wrote a song for the Eli Young Band called “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”, and the second verse is “downtown is where I used wander, old enough to get there, but too young to get inside”. That was kinda me and Austin, Texas. I was 20 years old walking up and down 6th Street trying to get gigs for me and my band. But, I couldn’t even get in to see the club owner because I wasn’t old enough to get in. But we did play some shows around there. I moved up to Nashville when I was 20 years old though, so I wasn’t a big part of the scene at all. I was still trying to figure out who I was musically at that time as well.
KS: Now you had the opportunity to play at the Opry..talk to me a little about that, what was that like?
EP: It’s amazing! I kinda lucked out the very first time I got to play the Opry was actually when it was at the Ryman Auditorium. There’s actually two or three months where they have the Grand Ole Opry back at the Ryman Auditorium every year-round the holidays. I got to play then, and maybe 5 or 6 times now since then. I’m actually playing again Tuesday night. They are having a St. Jude show for raising money and awareness. A my distant cousin, Brad Paisley, is going to be there. I’ll actually get to talk to him on Tuesday.
KS: That is so awesome!
EP: I remember I was standing next to Ricky Skaggs the first time I played the Opry, and I was about to walk on and he said, “Are you nervous?” I was like “Yeah man! I’m about to walk onto the Opry stage,and you’re Ricky Skaggs”. It was a cool thing. Darryl Worley was also playing that night, and I told him “Ricky kept asking if I was nervous, yeah I’m nervous”. The cool thing is, I still get nervous…but in a good way, kinda. When you’re out on the stage a lot, that kinda wears away and that’s a good thing. So you’re having fun and not too shaky in front of people. I think when you play so many stages and then you come back to the Opry, you think about everyone I’ve ever looked up to has played here including rock artists and pop artists. On the Ryman stage, especially where the Grand Ole Opry started. Darryl said, “Man, if you’re not nervous on the Opry stage, your heart’s not in the right place.” So I try to make sure I’m a little nervous when I walk out on the Opry stage.
KS: I’m going to switch gears here for a second. I learned a long time ago as I was doing some research for my first article on you that you are a graduate from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). I actually grew up until 5th grade in Murfreesboro, TN where MTSU is. One day I’ll get back down there. I remember it being a very community oriented school.
EP: Its built up a lot.
KS: Has it really? I’m sure it has!! Talk to me a little about your choice of schooling and MTSU and what brought you to choose MTSU, being from Texas.
EP: I wanted to be up near Nashville and they had a Recording Music Program and Record Industry Program. I ended up doing a Music Business degree just so I could know what the business is about. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to work on the creative side of it. I was hoping that would work out, and I’m glad it has. So I chose MTSU because they had the Business Music Degree…
KS: Do you think getting your degree in music has helped to pave your path to where you are today, giving you more of an understanding of the ins and outs of the music business?
EP: When you know the basis of a business, and show up and talk to a professional you’ll actually learn something. As opposed to just going “You’re a music publisher? How many books do you all sell?” No..they don’t sell songs, they license songs and they don’t deal with books at all. Which happens a lot. You have an intern come in or someone wanting an internship to get to hang around it,and they are asking how many songs you sell. That’s the first thing you don’t say to a publisher. They don’t sell songs…they always own them. And it’s just learning little inside things like that about the business on the label side or the management side or any side of it. When someone’s wanting to go into (the business)when you show up you know the very simple parts of their business. That way you can talk about deeper things,and they might open up to teach you things that not everybody knows to help you in your career and just the understanding of how crazy the business can be.
KS: I give you a lot of credit learning the business from the bottom up, worked hard, and as I talk to you I know you will have a long career. Any future goals or projects we can look forward to? And future collaborations?
EP: I’ve had some pretty cool collaborations this past year from Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Amy Grant, and Sheryl Crow. I don’t know where I’ll go from there, but I’m always willing to collaborate and write and even sing with someone. We’re not done with this album, but we are looking towards the making of the next sophomore album. I am just kinda going through and rediscovering songs I wrote a long time ago. So, I’m doing that, and writing a lot still. Just looking forward to making the next album, and having at least a couple more singles come off this album.
KS: We’re looking forward to that too! I do something I call a social speed round to let my readers know a little bit about the performers outside of the regular questions. Are you willing to play along? It’s painless..I promise!!
EP: Sure.
KS: Okay..you’re on the road..you see this and make your tour bus pull off every time.
EP: Antique store. Well, not every time…there’s a lot of them.
KS: Fill in the blank…On the tour, my band mates think I’m a _________.
EP: Um…I don’t know what they think of me….haha…Good Guy!! They think I’m a good guy!
KS: Sport of choice?
EP: Baseball
KS: Team?
EP: Texas Rangers.
KS: What’s on your iPod right now?
EP: Actually I have the new U2 album. I’ve just been kinda playing that seeing it’s about.
KS: You’re on your time off, you can’t wait to do this.
EP: Projects. I like handy man projects.
KS: You just got home…you can’t wait to see or do this.
EP: See my girlfriend.
KS: Thank you so much Eric, I can’t wait to see you this Saturday and again in November when you come here to the Utica area.
EP: Thank you for doing what you do.
As I hung up the phone from the interview I couldn’t believe what a down to earth, intelligent, normal guy he was. This young man was wise beyond his years. It’s one thing to have talent, a dream, and ambition. But Eric had something else that is critical in the success of any and every career. He had the understanding that you must know your business and market to succeed. By going to school to learn this business, by being willing to listen, and by being willing to work hard, he’s made a name in the business in a positive way that will give him opportunities beyond many others.
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After speaking to Eric, and learning so much more about him, I was super pumped to see him perform live. Arriving early to the show, I was given a meet and greet pass to meet Eric in person, and now the anticipation began to boil over. That was such a treat as I was not expecting that.
First to the stage was local band, Hoot’n Anges, who rocked the crowd and warmed them up with a list of original music and covers of some of todays biggest hits. The three-piece band certainly had the sound of a full band with vocals being covered by husband and wife team of Angela and Lucas Marino and fiddle player Gregory Mach.
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They were really good, and I was enjoying shooting photos of the opening act. A little too much though. I unfortunately was so wrapped up in taking photos, that by the time I realized it, I had missed the meet and greet. Seriously!! Who does that? I must be the only person in the world to get so caught up in taking photos, that I miss a meet and greet with an a one of today’s country music stars! Sorry Eric, wasn’t intentional. For my readers that don’t know me, yes, I am a blonde and I’m easily distracted. Hopefully I’ll have another opportunity one day, and I promise to not miss that one.
Eric took the stage immediately after the opening act completed, and what a performance he gave the packed house. Singing songs he’s written over the years, and covering covers as though they were his own, he owned the crowd the minute he took the stage. His current hit and ballad “She Don’t Love You”, co written with Jennifer Wayne, granddaughter to John Wayne, has to be one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a long time. Originally meant for George Straight, I am glad he kept it as his own as I feel that it was meant for him to sing. He delivers it with such emotion that you don’t hear the song, you feel the song. The crowd concurred. As he sang his song’s “Song About A Girl”, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night”, “Angel Eyes”, and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”, the crowd joined in and sang along word for word. I absolutely loved his covers too. His choices of “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, and “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty were spot on and showcased his musical skills. If there’s one thing I can categorize about Eric’s singing, he sings with his soul. He’s not just on stage delivering words, he’s delivering an emotion alongside the words. This ultimately translates to a connection with the audience that not every artist can achieve. There’s nothing fake about this young man. He truly loves what he does, and he truly loves sharing it with us, his fans.
As I left the show and reflected back on my conversation with him and watching him perform for the audience, I felt that he’s a so much more than just a performer. He’s got the know how to work within this industry his entire life, he has the talent to achieve whatever he sets his mind to, and he’s got the heart to appreciate those nerves each time he goes out on the Opry stage. My favorite thing about Eric though, besides the fact that he graduated from MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN where I grew up, or the analogies to sports throughout his interview, was that he “wanted to be awake for life”!!!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QJW4JB5IeI] Setlist: Like A Song> Here Comes Love > Never Really Wanted > Barefoot Blue Jean Night> All or Nothing> She Don’t Love You> Angel Eyes> Fish Don’t Bite> Ain’t No Sunshine> Good With Wine> Free Fallin> Even If It Breaks Your Heart> Less Than Whole> Keep On Fallin’> Friday Night
Syracuse’s own Country Swagg Band, opened for Colt Ford at Toby Keith’s Syracuse, Friday night September 26. Performing covers of big stars such as Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, Country Swagg brought their “A” game to get the party started. As always, they did not disappoint. The show was packed with high intensity and yes, lots of fun too.
Lead guitarist, Tim Horst, just amazes me with that guitar. It’s hard enough playing it while in front of you, but he plays it backwards and up behind his head. During a sweet sentimental moment just after singing “Say Yes” written by lead vocalist Mike Johnson, he professed his love for his new bride of two weeks to the crowd. The fans, of course, just ate it up. Nothing like a country fairytale. The crowd sang along to every song and showed their support for this local country group; several Country Swagg T-shirts were even seen in the sea of people.
Country Swagg Band
Georgia native, Colt Ford hit the stage with his bass thumping mix of country/rock and hip hop to a huge crowd of fans ready to bring down the house. Colt Ford and his guys showed their love of the USA through some of their music and of course the American flag that hung from Colt’s shotgun mic stand. They saluted our veterans and troops with heartfelt lyrics that brought a few tears to the fans. Then it was back to the high energy, chest thumping bass that just takes control of your body and you’re unconsciously dancing away. He was set to party all night. Ford rocked the stage all while showing the crowd his fancy footwork and shaking his hips – reaching into the crowd grabbing cell phones to take selfies, handing them back to aw struck fans was the highlight of the evening.
Another highlight of this performance was when he asked the drummer for a stick and reached out into the crowd handing it to a young boy. Following that, one of the crew members approached the boy with a stack of picks. The smile on his face was priceless. Such a class act;
Ford sang of everything country, farmers to home cooked meals and truckers and hot country girls. They knew how to party and strike a chord in every fan there. The guys left the stage only to come back out to a chanting crowd to perform a cover of Eminem’s song “Lose Yourself”. Then they saluted the crows and America, all bowing together while Colt Fold raised his mic stand and waved the American Flag.
Since opening their doors at Destiny USA in Syracuse, NY, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill has consistently brought the party to town. This Saturday, September 20th, at 10pm, join in welcoming Eric Paslay, one country music’s newest favorites to town.
Eric Paslay
Eric Paslay best known for his current hits “Song About A Girl” and “Friday Night”, is a multi-talented performer who not only plays but is one of Nashville’s most talented songwriters, co-penning hits such as “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” recorded by Jake Owens, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” recorded by Eli Young Band, and Love & Theft’s “Angel Eyes”.
This young man standing 6’4″ not only makes a presence physically on stage, but he also brings the party and gets the crowd a rocking. will be there to cover and bring you highlights from the evening. Show starts at 9pm with opening act Hootn’ Anges, immediately followed by Eric. Advanced tickets can be purchased online or at the door the evening of.
