Travelin’ Taylor Tour
Putting our heart into a custom-made Taylor Guitar
Watch the video of of the Travelin' Taylor Tour
Putting our heart into a custom-made Taylor Guitar
"I try to write songs from the human experience as I know it. You can find inspiration anywhere."
For Kelsey Waldon, country music is very much a part of who she is, a part of who she’s always been. The Kentucky singer/songwriter hails from Monkey’s Eyebrow, in rural Ballard County where her family put down roots several generations ago, metaphorically and otherwise. "Farming and planting tobacco were some of the first jobs I had growing up," she recounts.
Even so, Waldon’s musical tastes reach well beyond those borders, as evidenced on her new release, I’ve Got a Way. From classic crooners like Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn, to bluegrass greats like Ralph Stanley and Ricky Skaggs, to iconic songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, she wears her influences on her sleeve… and proudly so. "I’ve spent a huge majority of my life studying my favorite records, my favorite songs, and my most-favorite singers," she says, adding, "and you never stop learning or gaining from it. I’m still doing it all the time."
"Songwriting process is always different. For me, I have to have lived a little bit of life to have anything to write about."
Sara Watkins is a singer-songwriter and fiddler from California. She debuted in 1989 as fiddler and founding member of the progressive bluegrass group Nickel Creek along with her brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile. In addition to singing and playing fiddle, she also plays ukulele and guitar, and played percussion while touring with The Decemberists. She has two solo albums, Sara Watkins and Sun Midnight Sun on Nonesuch Records. In addition to touring on her own, she just completed a Nickel Creek reunion tour in celebration of the band’s first release in seven years, A Dotted Line. Sara and Sean Watkins also produce the Watkins Family Hour, a monthly residency and podcast at the Los Angeles venue Largo, featuring an eclectic group of guest musicians, comedy, and more.
"Take as little as possible; always leave something behind; and never listen to anyone else."
East Nashville-based musician Aaron Lee Tasjan has always considered himself a songwriter first and foremost, writing his own off-kilter folk-inflected songs since he picked up his first acoustic as a teen guitar prodigy. While prior stints may have never been his main destination, each one has been a stepping stone that has uniquely informed his songwriting and made him a compelling singular artist.
"For new artists, make sure that you are traveling with people that you love because they are going to be your family."
Nashville-based artist Devon Gilfillian fires twin barrels of gospel-blues and southern soul on his debut EP. Fueled by groove, guitar, and the powerful punch of Gilfillian's voice, the songs shine a light on a young songwriter who grew up outside of Philadelphia, absorbing everything from the R&B swagger of Al Green and Ray Charles to the rock & roll heroics of Jimi Hendrix. Gilfillian puts a personalized stamp on those childhood influences, rolling them into five original songs that showcase not only his songwriting and singing, but also his talent as an instrumentalist.
"That’s how I work. I plant little seeds in my life and then I give a little light to them and energy–then wait. Then slowly, slowly, slowly things come to you."
Brooklyn based Valerie June is hard to classify. She effortlessly melds folk, blues, rock, and country into her own sound. She connects her fans on stage with an energy that exudes kindness and positivity. And her positivity is explained on how she makes her intentions come true.