We recently featured the new single “Your Time Is Coming” from Nashville-based Americana rock artist Jameson Elder. I had the opportunity to grab this brief interview with him.
Find more music and info by visiting Jameson’s website.
Who is Jameson Elder? Are you originally from Nashville or a transplant?
I grew up in John’s Creek, GA, just outside of Atlanta, but I’ve been here in Nashville for a little over 8 years now
How’s life in Music City? Seen any good shows recently?
It’s great! There’s a lot to keep up with, but I do my best. The best show I’ve seen recently was Andrew Osenga at the Basement. He recorded a great concept album a couple years ago and played the whole thing start to finish. Great songs! Great guitarist!
What was the last song you listened to?
I caught the intro to Adele’s Hello as I pulled into my driveway last night.
Who or what inspires and influences your sound and your songwriting?
I remember the first time I heard Tom Petty’s Greatest Hits. Musically, it just made sense to me. The melodies, the parts, all seemed like something I could do. Since then I’ve been influenced by many more including Bruce Springsteen, Dawes, Drew Holcomb, Jon Foreman, Ryan Adams, and The Beatles.
How long have you been making music? What keeps you going?
I’ve been playing or singing in some capacity for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first song at 15, and I’ve been and recording my own songs for about 7 years now
“Your Time Is Coming Soon” is a solid single. What can we expect from the forthcoming project, Prodigals & Thieves?
Musically, Your Time Is Coming Soon is a pretty strong center point. It hits the main lyrical and musical themes that flow through the album. Overall, the whole project is very organic. Almost every sound you hear on the album are sounds we captured in the studio (or in my house).
Lyrically, it’s more narrative than anything I’ve ever done before. Each song tells a different part of the old Prodigal Son story. The characters are all somewhere in between losing their way and dealing with the fallout from mistakes, and then having to make that long journey back home.
Who did you reach out to help with this album? (Assuming you didn’t record and produce it yourself.)
I actually co-produced the album with Dewey Boyd. Dewey and I met several years ago when we were both working under Paul Moak at the Smoakstack in Nashville. We’ve been producing my music together ever since. Dewey owns a great studio in East Nashville called Forty-One Fifteen. We tracked drums, bass, vocals, and keys there and then I took the songs home and recorded all of the electric guitar and background vocals at my house. It’s a pretty unique way of making an album. I like being able to sit and work out the guitar parts without the pressure of a studio setting. It gives me the time to really figure out what I want.
Where can we connect with you online and hear more music?
jamesonelder.com is a great place to start! I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. “Your Time Is Coming Soon” just went live on Spotify, so that’s another great place.
Any shows in Nashville coming up? Any tours?
Yes! A couple shows in Nashville next month, including the Bluebird Cafe. I’m in the process of booking some shows for mid-February, and then i’ll hit the road pretty hard come April and May!
Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
I have to give a shoutout to all of the people who helped to fund this project through PledgeMusic. They gave me the freedom to record this album in the way I wanted, and I couldn’t be happier to have them all on board!
