Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Josh Hughes
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
. My earliest memory was when I was around five or six years old listening to my grandfather and dad playing old Hank Williams and classic country songs. I’d fall asleep hearing my grandfather turn the radio on to WSM in Nashville, Tennesse and listen to the Grand Ole Opry and Midnight Jamboree before he would go to bed. I don’t think he ever knew that I was in the other room hanging on to every note. I’ll never forget those moments. They made a huge impact on me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
It began very therapeuticly. I have always struggled with being able to express my feelings face-to-face with someone in the moment so I turned to writing about those things around 10 years old. It allowed me the space and peace to be able to sort through what was going on in my head. When I put it down on paper, I could make sense of it all a little better. That ultimately turned into creating the melodies that also expressed those feelings. I believe the melody has to say emotionally what the lyrics are expressing and they have to dance intimately together. I don’t believe one is complete without the other.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
. Honesty and vulnerability I would say are the biggest concepts behind this project. I wanted to dive in to many subjects within the human element that are sometimes lost in the fray. It’s a very personal thing for me on these projects coming out because it’s extremely transparent. That is scary because the truth is scary. I embrace that truth in these songs and feel as though if I have gone through these struggles, surely I am not alone. I hope that those things may help others and they can find solidarity in it.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
. This has always been a head scratcher to me because I am not genre specific and don’t ever write to one genre in particular. I am merely a host for the music and let it come out as it will. I would say if anything I fall into the Americana/singer songwriter category. As far as describing it to others, it’s a very organic sound with raw emotions, flowing melodies and intimate harmonies. I love stringed instruments as well as the piano and try to stay away from anything too electronic. I feel those kinds of instruments recorded in that way tell their own stories of the lives they have lived from the hands that have played them throughout the years. I’m extremely respectful to that and to those instruments. I realize that I am just another piece of the timeline in their story and it’s an honor to use them to tell my own.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? . I had an album one time where I tried so hard to get everything perfect because
at my core I’m a perfectionist. I realized that the overproduction and the micro analysis of it actually made it extremely boring and vanilla. By doing that it took out all of the life and energy of the piece. From then on I discovered that perfection is in the imperfections. I feel as if our lives are like a song and all of the flaws make us beautiful, unique and captivating. My music is just an extension of the deepest corners of my heart and I do not do myself justice or any of my fans justice if I do not tell that story and include the flaws and imperfections. From then on, I’ve tried to keep that life and energy in every piece that I create. It’s vital.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? . I record very simply in my personal studio— usually into Logic on a Mac.
Sometimes if I need to use a larger piano or a particular mic or room reverb environment though, I will go to my producer’s studio, (AM Namee at Zeptepland) and record it there. I have several guitars that I will use based on what the song needs. My top guitars though are a 1950 J45, a 2004 Martin HD 28, a 1985 Taylor Dan Crary, and a 1920 Washburn 5203. Those are my faves!
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
. I’m a huge fan of the Avett Brothers, Brandi Carlile, the Milk Carton Kids and John Fullbright. They say so much on a depth level that is unmatched in my opinion through very relatable sonic structures and words. They have definitely been just a few of my heroes and ones whom I have benchmarked in my own work.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? . This goes back to the human element I believe. I have had so many challenges
and hardships and failures, it’s not even funny. I have a choice to either dwell in those things and get bogged down by them or else use them as a medium by which to create and become better. I feel as though viewing those things in a different light and turning them in to art is a way to give back to others that have surely experienced some of the same issues. I think that makes it worthwhile for me and gives me a more clear purpose through it all.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? . That they are not alone. All of the differences and challenges that make us who
we are, even the ones that we tend to hide, should not be swept under the rug but rather embraced and celebrated. The best and healthiest way is “through”.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
. To not give up. I create because it is an involuntary muscle and my art and talents are something that I can use to help others by saying or playing it in a way maybe that they could not express on their own but needed to hear. It’s medicine— medicine to me and hopefully others. As I said before, I firmly believe I am just a host and a tool in this crazy life we live and I don’t want to get to the end of it all and look back and say that I did not use it in a beneficial way. Helping others is my purpose, music is the tool that accomplishes that.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
. I would always love to be able to play at the Newport Folk festival or the Cambridge Folk festival or somewhere like Madison Square Garden. There are so many incredible venues that I salivate over!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? . Probably the Avett Brothers, John Fulbright or Guy Clark. They all have been
huge inspirations in my personal journey and collaborating with them would be affirmation of my own work as well as my own way of saying thank you to them for all they have done for me.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) . Folks can find me pretty much anywhere online but I’ll attach some of the main
links here.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/44WK43aZb9IBWJ4KuxvEEk?si=5BKAovRGRdmTon5nP 2vAMg
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/josh-hughes/905056392
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCq7MlorAeRJRuWxYBg61r8w?si=KZcJZZlGMP_B h-2B
https://www.instagram.com/joshhughesmusic?igsh=MTdlam5wcHV0ajJzbQ%3D%3D&u tm_source=qr
https://www.facebook.com/josh.hughes.7965?
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
. Obviously I’d like to reach more people with my music and have a larger following and retention of fans but I’m currently trying to get some of my songs in to some movies and television shows which would be super super cool!
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? . I’ve got a big heart for people, especially ones who are struggling or hurting and
alienated or for whatever reason feel different. I want them to know they have a friend in it all. Again, this music stuff is some good medicine.
Links
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2pmfLm7iq6Ov1UwYrWYkZA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2pmfLm7iq6Ov1UwYrWYkZA Thank you for the interview. It was an honor! Josh
