Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Suitcase Willy
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest memory connected to music is singing with my Mother around the house when I was about 3 years old. My Mom has a great voice and she used to sing a mix of 50’s and 60’s and 70’s Rock & Roll. I was hooked at a young age.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I joined the choir when I started school at 5 and stayed in the quite for my elementary years. I learned to play recorder and read music early and then learned viola and played in the school orchestra until grade 8.
When I was 8 I started taking guitar lessons which reinforced my music theory and reading skills. I loved guitar right away and went through 6 books in a series over several years as well as supplemental instruction from my guitar teacher Drew Ackerman.
I learned to play Trumpet in grade 8 and then I learned keyboards (basic) on my own in my 20’s.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Suitcase Willy is a character-driven blues/rock project that blends storytelling, humour, and classic rock attitude into something that feels both vintage and modern. Built around the persona of a wandering musician with a suitcase full of songs, the project mixes gritty blues, rock energy, and clever lyrical narratives that give every track its own little world.
What makes Suitcase Willy buzzworthy is the concept-meets-personality approach. The music isn’t just songs—it’s stories. Tracks range from humorous and irreverent (like Public Toilets) to thought-provoking dystopian storytelling (Disconnected), all delivered with a tongue-in-cheek rock sensibility.
The project also leans heavily into fan engagement and creative promotion—running things like the Suitcase Willy Rock Challenge, video challenges for creators, and interactive social posts that invite listeners to participate rather than just consume.
At its core, Suitcase Willy celebrates the spirit of classic blues-rock storytelling, but with modern DIY energy and a strong online presence. It’s a mix of music, character, and community that gives audiences something memorable to latch onto.
For platforms and curators, Suitcase Willy offers something unique: a recognizable persona, story-driven songs, and a growing fan interaction model that turns listeners into participants.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
The best one line description I can think of is:
“Story-driven blues rock with grit, humour, and a suitcase full of characters.”
For a comparison I would say:
👉 Blues rock foundation
👉 A bit of The Tragically Hip storytelling DNA
👉 With touches of groove like The Black Keys
👉 And occasional instrumental vibe explorations
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
How to use Garageband, then Logic Pro. I spent years writing songs out on paper with chord notations even writing notes on a bar staff for melodies and riffs etc, but it was so slow, I often left songs unfinished. (I’ve fot a song i’m working on called Suitcase of Paper songs based on that). I started recording and overdubbing 8 track at a young age (11 or 12), then moved to cassette, but it just didnt feel organic and it was frustrating because I could never get the sound i wanted.
I continued to play guitar and write music through highschool and university, business school and later college for micro computer networking but mostly for my own pleasure. I DJ’s at weddings and Bars in Uni for a company call Dr. MUSIC.
Buying my first MacBook pro in 2008 was a gamechanger for me. Disconnected was created in GarageBand in 2013 using samples and loops.
I moved to logic pro in 2020 and i’ve been getting better at it a little at a time and working on more songs and refining my craft
Keep in mind I work full time as an IT Manager and Systems Engineer for an SMB with about a hundred employees and have been for 27 years as of March 1st 2026.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
See the question above and add keyboard, looper, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, mics, headphones etc.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I don’t really follow indie trends too closely—I go more by feel. Crown Lands has been in rotation for me (digging Lady of the Lake), and Badflower (the jester) as well. I’m always drawn to strong songwriting and something that feels real. I’ve been following Logan Paul Murphy for several years and bought some of his CD’s and DVDs to do my part to help him…he’s a really talented kid and a true instrumentalist. Plus he plays a lot of the classic rock covers i love. I’m watching his original work evolve and its a beautiful thing to see.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I write stories with music based on what i’ve experienced read about, postulate about and sometimes just made up.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
joy, despair, love, hate, humour, all of them. See that life is a journey not a destination. Be in it. Feel it. See its “Rich Tapestry” and take it all in. If anyone can hear my stories and gain something or think about it, i’ve achieved my goal.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music has taught me to dig deep, stay humble, and be open to my own expression as it is. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be real. That honesty is probably the one truth I trust the most.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Really not sure. Maybe some of the famous clubs around the world that are known for great music. Working my way up to bigger venues with a full band. I think I need a full band to truly realize my dream. A record deal and resources would help too 😆. If anyone out there is listening 🤣
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Bilky Joel or Sting I think, also Annie Lennox. Although Ry Cooder or any of the Tragically Hip members would also be an amazing experience too.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, link)
https://hyperfollow.com/suitcasewilly has links to all my artist bios on all music sites, plus links to all my social sites. Its the “one link to rule them all” ☺
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Start doing more live streams and the odd live gig, but i’m not rushing that as it will come naturally when the time is right. (So say I at 56 years of age ha!)
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That what I have to offer is just my truth and what I know and “take anything you want from me” if it offers you something worthwhile.
