MissMolly Chats with Dustin Lynch About His Eventful Year, Working On His Album, What’s In Store Next and More!
Earlier this afternoon, I got the chance to chat via phone with country newbie, Dustin Lynch, and I gotta say, I was digging his sound before and now I really am a full blown fan! Lynch is down to earth, gracious, and quite honestly shows every sign of being the real deal. There’s no doubt that we’re going to keep seeing and hearing more from this talented young man in the future. So, take a couple minutes and get to know him a little better below with excerpts from our chat! Cheers!
Interview with Dustin Lynch:
Dustin shared a little bit about the recording process, telling me that he worked with his two producers, Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten who are also two of his buddies, for three years on his debut album. There were a lot of long days, long nights and long weeks, but ultimately they came up with an end result that they were satisfied with.
“We’re super proud of the sound we got off this album. I’m not an artist that’s gonna have just a couple hits and then filler songs. Top to bottom its gonna be solid.”
Creating such a great album (my words, Lynch proved to be very humble when I praised his work!) right out the gate definitely takes a lot of hard work, and Dustin shared that he approached creating songs and the album a lot of different ways.
“With songwriting it really depends. A lot of my writing I try to find the melody and phrasing that works with it. We might go, hey here’s a hook, and then we’ll start banging around on what music fits that, and then it kind of falls into place. With “Cowboys and Angels” that was a lyric that came first not the whole song but some pretty decent lines. Then we sat and thought what could make this an epic love song? And we got that guitar riff and off it went. With “She Cranks My Tractor” we tried to get something up beat, but the song is really built out of that line, “She’s ten pounds of sugar in a five pound sack.” It set the tone for that song. But it happens different ways. If we find something we think is a hit, we try to work it out.“
There are 13 tracks on the album, and I tried to get Lynch to choose a favorite. It shouldn’t be surprising that that was a tall order from the young man that wrote or co-wrote ten of the songs off the record, and clearly put so much love and sweat into it. While he couldn’t pick a favorite, he did have this to say:
There are a couple I love to do live. Though, “Your Plan” is my most personal song…I was getting kicked around pretty hard in Nashville, the business can be hard. It was driving me nuts. I couldn’t sleep one night. So, I went down to the basement and wrote that prayer. We tried to keep it as stripped as possible and keep it raw.
It’s definitely hard to imagine after this past year that Dustin was ever getting kicked around in Nashville! Besides releasing his debut album and it being so well received, the up and comer can claim several accolades from 2012 including ranking as the only new male act to debut at #1 on the Country Album Chart, having his debut single “Cowboy and Angels” almost certified platinum and hitting #2 on both Billboard and Mediabase Hot Country Songs charts, being nominated for two of the fan voted American Country Awards categories, and many, many more. So, I asked him if there were any stand out moments from the year.
Golly, a truck load of them. I debuted at the Grand Ole Opry in March. Probably my brightest moment. An unbelievable dream come true. I’ve looked at that circle for years and dreamed of singing there. Its been amazing, they’re big fans of mine and I’m big fans of theirs. I got to travel the country, play at Buck Owens Crystal Palace, another iconic place. There are just too many to count…Every night is a new stage and new faces…I’m so lucky. It’s been an amazing ride.
Lynch has been performing all over the place this year, and I was curious to hear about what he considered to be the best part of performing live. Whether the folks in the crowd know his songs or not, he and his crew are ready to make sure they have a great time!
“Each night the fun part is taking the stage and its new faces right now. Its a question mark. These are towns we’ve never been to. Some of the people only know “Cowboys and Angels” or they’re just there to get a beer, and that’s fun! Its a challenge! You just kind of shoot from the hip and have a good ole time with the crowd. Then you kind of get lost in it together. That’s the moment I look forward to the whole night.”
So, it’s been a wild ride so far, and there is definitely more to come in the future. Dustin will be hitting the road in 2013 as part of Keith Urban’s tour along with Little Big Town. I wanted to know how/when Lynch decided that he wanted to be country singer and get this whole show on the road!
“Honestly, there were several moments that convinced me that I wanted to try. I think it started in the 6th grade. I remember waking up in Math class from a dream and I was singing or something and I was like, I want to be in band. I started to learn how to play, and by the time I was 15 tried to write my own songs. I was in a band and that was a blast. The guys hated county music, and so I was doing Incubus covers…When highschool eneded I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter. I went to college as a pre-med major…pulling all nighters, studying and doing the bar thing. There were lots of moments, and it started with a weird dream…Music isn’t a thing like football or golf, where you score and win. I had to get a thumbs up and approval from tourists and industry people and radio. Its exciting. Its never going to get rote. It’s fun. It’s a challenge.”
One thing we all wonder about our favorite artists is where they find their inspiration, and who their favorites are! So, I just had to ask Dustin that very question!
“Garth Brooks is pretty much my main dude. He was pretty much my batman. I would hold my guitar like him, sing like him, dress like him. I blame all this on him. He was like a superhero to me, and I actually got to tell him that.”
I just love that answer! It was absolutely fantastic getting to chat with Dustin! So, many thanks to him for taking the time, and to his management for setting it up. If you want more, be sure to check out my review of his debut album! Be sure to read on for his answers to fan questions!
Fan Questions via Twitter!
@SherriDawnRph said: I’d be interested to know one thing on his bucket list he’d like to accomplish in 2013! 2012 held quite a few!
- Dustin Lynch: I want to play as many shows and meet as many people as possible. Music wise that’s probably it. And its looking like we’re gonna get to do that. Outside of music, I want to learn how to scuba dive. Oh and I want to get to do bow hunting. I didn’t get to do it last year.
@DustinLynchFans said: Ask him what his go to dance move is?! (I think I already know the answer) lol
- Dustin Lynch: Post up and get my grind on. (You can’t handle these hips). *Author’s Note: Please know that DL told me to get that quote exact, and that this question also made him laugh out loud.
