Photo credit: Bob Bayne
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
I am currently on tour in my 2002 Nissan Maxima with my gorgeous wife and our two little ones. It has about 165k miles on it. Let me tell you, it is without a doubt the best way to travel on tour. I love them so much!
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Whole Foods buffet is healthy option for lunch, but overpriced.
On a budget, eat the breakfast at the hotel and prepare a sandwich for later in the day. Especially in Europe.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
Drum sticks are crazy expensive. I have a deal with Vic Firth and it still costs around $50 to replace a dozen pairs of sticks.
Side note the Vic Firth Felt Beater is incredible and I highly recommend buying one. They feel great.
For guitar strings I just steal my brother’s, thank you very much. His licks too. Also highly recommended!
Where do you rehearse?
I have a killer home studio in Southaven Mississippi called Checkerboard Lounge. Every note of my new album Homemade was recorded there. That’s also where I do most of my shedding when I have to learn new music. I memorize instead of using charts. I like to be in the moment as much as possible on stage.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I can tell you the most recent lyric I wrote- it’s a note on my iPhone, called “Nothing Burger”. I’m pretty stoked about how it’s turning out.
Describe your first gig.
I played the Rossville, Tennessee talent show in kindergarten. I played guitar and sang “Johnny B Goode”. I beat the kid who got nervous trying to sing “Zippity Do Dah” and wound up performing at the high school for the whole town. Showbiz, baby.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’ve been a professional musician my whole life. First paying gig was in Memphis, Tennessee at the Memphis Music Heritage Fest for the Center for Southern Folklore. Thank you Judy Peiser and Dr Bill Ferris. I was fourteen years old and made about fifty bucks, I think.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
All of my income is music related. It fluctuates greatly. Sometimes I am flush with cash, sometimes the money is tight. It has zero impact on my creativity. Money is literally a means to an end.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Don’t waste money and time on tour buses.