Photo credit: Steve Rapport
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
Well, my car for local shows was totaled while parked a few months ago. It was a 2005 Chevy Malibu that I named White Noise because of the noise the engine made. White Noise had over 206,000 miles when it was totaled. RIP White Noise.
Now I’m doing a considerable amount of flying and renting cars for tour dates. It can get really expensive, but it’s nice to not have to worry about repairs at the moment. I look forward to the time where I have a trusty vehicle so I can have a bit more freedom between dates.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Eating cheaply and healthy on tour is the struggle. My eating is all over the place. Sometimes between driving, load in and soundcheck, I totally forget to sit down and have a meal. I start with making sure I’m always sipping water, and I try to stop at a local grocery store, and there I stock up on fresh fruits for snacking. I like to keep avocados around because I put them on my sandwich between meals. And I always recycle what I can from my rider that the venue’s hospitality team puts together. That’s a big one. Alas, I’m always trying to crack the code for myself.
Do you prefer to use your own mic while performing or do you rely on venue/studio mics?
When I perform at venues, I absolutely prefer to use my own mic. The only time I’ll opt to use theirs is if it’s wireless. I used to be a little more relaxed about this, but I’d rather not share mics. I’ve gotta do all I can to stay healthy on the road!
Where do you rehearse?
My rehearsal space right now is my home office. My guitars are all on the stand that lines the wall, there are two windows so I get lots of natural light. I’ve got notable framed show posters and accomplishments on display, like my Recording Academy Certificate for playing on Allison Russell’s Grammy winning performance of “Eve Was Black.’ A lot of ‘Tell it to the Wind’ was written in my office via facetime with my producer Margaret Becker. My rehearsal space is also my cat’s favorite place to hang out, but she promptly leaves the room whenever I start working on a song. She has no interest in my art (laugh).
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
The title of my first lyrical song was, “Come With Me.” I call it my very optimistic love song, “Take my hand. We don’t even have to have a plan”. I was in a whirlwind of an intense crush in college. And those lines just came out after I played a line on the guitar. I remember feeling like I found the perfect piece to a puzzle when I sang them together. It felt good, memorable and a little familiar. It feels amazing to create something that didn’t exist before.
Describe your first gig.
My very first gig was at a supper club in uptown New Orleans. It was a small room with really a low ceiling and the aroma of creole favorites filled the room. I learned about ten songs on lead guitar. The repertoire included songs like Stagger Lee by Lloyd Price, Let the Good Times Roll – Earl King. Big Chief Doucette, who was the bandleader, adapted Lil’ Liza Jane to Marie Laveaux, a prolific Voodoo Queen of New Orleans to honor the At the time I played a Fender Esquire – you don’t see those very often, but I really enjoyed the twang of the bridge pickup. I ripped some solos that night and held down the rhythm. I remember feeling proud that I learned those tunes and executed them with the band. After that night I just kept getting called for gigs and I enjoyed it.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
My last day job was tutoring and mentoring kids at The Jefferson Youth Foundation in Marrero, LA. led students in enrichment activities and helped them with homework. Sometimes I would bring my guitar to class and teach them about the instrument, and show them different songs. I had a lot of fun at that job, mainly because I had a great boss in Audrey Warren, who allowed me to improvise and share cool things with the kids. That job helped me build a talent into a skill.
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?
My income at that time was really random. Sometimes I’d play in a number of bands, accompany singers or give guitar lessons here and there. Whatever it was that I was being compensated for, I just always wanted to enjoy the thing I was asked to do. I think the money just followed that practice. I’m touring a lot now, and I feel at home on stage more than I ever have before. It’s weird. It almost feels like the beginning even though I’ve been performing for a while now. I hope to still be playing shows in the next 5-10 years, absolutely. As long as I’m living I’ll always be writing and releasing music. That’s the journey.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
I knew I wanted to be a performer pretty early on. I remember performing for family members, but I always felt there was too much I didn’t know and developed a bit of a complex around being “good enough”. Now that I am actually doing what it is I always wanted to do, I know now that you don’t need to know everything. It’s all about putting your art out there and constantly growing with every chapter.