Nate Jones
Twenty-year-old Nate Jones is busy right now working on his self-designed Music Industry degree at Tulane University, and he could use a breather. In between building his new website, finishing up his new CD and catching up with other artists on YouTube, I manage to snag him in cyberspace for a brief chat about the fragmented music biz and how he started his singing. What I really want to figure out is what goes on in the mind of a burgeoning artist who's written a song that's been playing over and over again in my head for weeks now. (I've posted the clip below.) I figured Nate must have been that kid who was doing musicals at age 8, smiling constantly and hopping behind the mic before he started puberty. Having shared stages with such notable artists as Missy Higgins, Ari Hes, Eric Hutchinson, Brendan James and the Rebirth Brass Band, Nate straightens out some of my notions, talks about the 70s and dishes on the Grammys.
LW You have a few covers up on YouTube. Can you tell us about those particular choices?
NJ I learned music through pouring over the songbooks of Paul Simon, James Taylor, and their peers. By the time I was 13 or 14 I was developing a good ear, emulating the tones and phrasings these artists used in recordings. YouTube has just been an extension of that. The covers I've put up are mostly tunes I've been playing for years. They draw a very interesting audience, too; these people really loved the songs in their original form, and I'm delighted at how warmly my renditions have been received.
LW How do you feel about the comparisons to James Taylor?
NJ The James Taylor comparisons are great. Granted, I don't sing my own songs the same way I sing JT songs. My natural vocal tone is slightly more in the chest, while his comes straight out of the nose and throat. It's a pretty cool exercise, to notice the difference in vocal placement. Jim Croce sings very similarly.
LW You were born in?
NJ I was born in Cleveland, OH in 1989.
LW Even though you're pretty versed in some classic 70s, you've got a range of material your fans are waiting to hear. How would you describe your sound?
NJ I'd say my music would best be described as singer/songwriter pop/rock with elements of folk, soul, blues, country, and jazz.
LW Would you cut a track with a rap artist if given the chance?
NJ I would consider working with someone in the hip-hop world, but I'd have to respect the other artist's work. There's plenty of garbage rap out there, and yet some that is very socially important. But I think such an experiment would be great, because it would allow me to introduce my music to a new audience.
LW Were you a writer before you became a singer or a guitarist before you became a songwriter? What was your artistic chain of events?
NJ I started playing guitar at 13. I'd known for years that I could sing, but just couldn't work up the courage to do it in public. I also knew I had some ability to write, since I'd penned some poems and short stories in the years leading up to high school. I practiced my guitar technique for almost two full years before I first performed in public. And I started writing songs at 15, and by the end of high school and freshman year of college, I started to write at a slightly more sophisticated level.LW How does it feel to be an up-and-coming musician in 2010 as opposed to what you know about the music biz circa 1980?
NJ There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the music industry these days. Under the old system, four major companies controlled everything. The whole issue of illegal downloading has, in a way, been a blessing. It has been solely responsible for the demise of the major labels. Some people complain that it ruins the chances of up-and-coming artists, but I couldn't disagree more. First of all, 20 years ago, you'd need tens of thousands of dollars to produce an album, but today, anyone can do it for next to nothing. And when you sell that album at a gig, or through your website, you get every cent. In the 60s and 70s, artists could go gold and never see a dime. This era is an exciting one because it promotes entrepreneurship and a closer connection with the audience. Live performance is the key to success, and the days of the "artist" on a pedestal and the "fans" down below are over. The only way to build and maintain an audience is to connect with them consistently on a personal level. That's why networking sites like Twitter are so valuable.
LW Any thoughts on this year's Grammys? Representative of what's out there in today's music?
NJ I didn't see the Grammys this year, but I read some blogs and articles about what I missed. The Grammys is an important event, but some of the most important awards are not on the telecast. The show clearly doesn't represent today's music industry. It represents the entertainment industry. In fact, there really is no more music industry; the huge corporations are dying, and now it's just thousands of small businesses.
The one part of the telecast I saw (on YouTube) was Taylor Swift's performance, which was painful. I think Auto-Tune deserved to win for Best Album.
LW Where can we hope to see you? Any venues planned?
NJ For the time being, I'm working on getting my debut album pressed, booking summer shows, and putting up a new website, which should be ready soon: natejoneslive.com. As of yet, I don't have concrete dates planned, but I should before too long.
NJ For the time being, I'm working on getting my debut album pressed, booking summer shows, and putting up a new website, which should be ready soon: natejoneslive.com. As of yet, I don't have concrete dates planned, but I should before too long.
LW Looking forward to it. Thanks Nate.
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