Link:
www.argusleader.com/story/scotthudson/2015/03/04/aaron-watson-country-music-jelly/24364733/Country chart-topper Aaron Watson: 'Music is like jelly'
Too Many Notes
Scott Hudson For the Argus Leader 11:03 a.m. CST March 4, 2015
A couple of weeks ago, Sony Nashville CEO Gary Overton raised quite a few eyebrows with a shocking quote that he gave to the Tennessean. "If you're not on country radio, you don't exist."
Just a few days later, independent country music traditionalist Aaron Watson topped the country album charts with his brand new album, "The Underdog." Watson managed to accomplish this feat despite no major label backing, no high profile media campaign, and very little country radio play.
While Watson chooses his words carefully, he does admit that he'd love to have a little conversation with one of the industry's most powerful titans. "I've been asked a hundred times what my response would be to Overton, and it would be, 'hi, my name is Aaron Watson. I don't get played on the radio, but I've got the number one record in the country. I'd say I exist'."
Watson goes on to joke that maybe Overton was having a bit of a senior moment not unlike when he talks to his father about the internet. "I don't know where that comment was coming from, but it's not 1995. It's 2015. There are other ways to go about (becoming known). First off, you should never ever count out what hard work, determination, and heart and soul can do out in the world. You should never rule those qualities out."
Aaron Watson will perform tracks from "The Underdog", along with highlights from his entire fifteen year career, when he appears at The District Thursday with Jason Cassidy.
Question: Congratulations on topping the country album charts!
Answer: Thank you. It's incredible, but I really can't take much credit for it. That's a David and Goliath kind of story. We've got to give God all the glory. We worked hard, but he's blessed me with a great group of people that work for me. He's blessed me with very loyal fans, and he's blessed me with songs, a loving supportive wife, and beautiful children. I'm just blessed.
Q: Where were you when you were told the news?
A: I was at home with my wife. We kind of had an idea. You can kind of follow those things throughout the week, and the record had been selling really well. It was kind of catching on like hotcakes, so we knew we had a chance. It was exciting. It's been fun. I've been doing this for fifteen years. Fifteen years, twelve albums, and 2,000 shows! It was a great feeling, and it was awesome that I got to share that with my wife. I may have picked her up and spun her around a few times.
Q: It is strange in some ways that you're considered a new artist despite being around for fifteen years.
A: Yeah, that's interesting. A lot of people are calling me up and coming, but I think it's more like slow and steady. But I'm thankful. I've had a very, very successful music career. You don't have to have billions of fans. You just have to have enough to pay the bills.
Q: In some respects it's not that surprising that you topped the charts, as each record has reached a higher spot than the previous, including hitting the top ten with 2012's "Real Good Time".
A: Absolutely. We've been growing. When we cracked the top ten three years ago, I thought that maybe we could have the number one record in the country. We worked hard, but we really put it in God's hands. He's opened a lot of doors that have completely blown my mind. There's no way it's coincidence. It's just divine intervention. I'll go down to the very end giving him all the glory.
Q: I know this is the question you've been getting all week, but as a traditionalist what do you think of the modern pop country that receives most of the attention?
A: I do get these questions a lot. They ask me about Luke Bryan. They ask me about Sam Hunt. I just say that at the end of the day those guys are just trying to make a living for their families as well, just like me. Obviously, pop country is not really my cup of tea, but if that's the music that comes out of their heart and soul, who am I to say anything about that. Music is like jelly. Wouldn't it be a sad world if there was only one kind of jelly?
Q: Does the success of a more traditional artist like you show that the labels and radio should expand their horizons a bit?
A: I don't know what it shows. I think it probably opened some eyes, but some of the most talented artists ever have never been on the radio. Buffett, for crying out loud, never really got played on the radio. I think his first number one came thirty-something years after he started when he sang with George Strait and Alan Jackson on "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere". Look at all the great songwriters - Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell - that never got on the radio. I think in my younger days I would have probably been a lot more mouthy about it, but as I've gotten older I try to step outside my little comfort zone and try to be a little more respectful. I just try to focus on my faith, my family, and my fans.
Q: When you went in to record this album, "The Underdog", did you have anything in mind that you wanted to do differently than in the past?
A: I wanted to make a better record. I wanted to work with someone who was going to push me to be the best I can be. I wanted to work with someone who would tell me to write better songs, sing better, (create) better melodies, and make better arrangements. Just to work with (producer) Keith Stegall inspired me to be better. He's turned out to be a dear friend. It was a really good working relationship. Not only did I get a great sounding record, but I felt like I got my master's degree just getting to work with him. I worked hard on writing songs. I tried to pick a wide variety of songs to keep it interesting and keep it entertaining. There's waltzes and shuffles and uptempo, four on the floor type of songs. There's acoustic songs and more rockin' country songs. Then there's "saw on the fiddle" kinds of songs. I wanted there to be all different flavors, and every song on that record means something to me in a different way.
Q: "Fencepost" tells the story of a Texas songwriter who can't get the attention of Nashville music executives. That really is your story.
A: It really is. You know, I don't have anything against Nashville or mainstream country music. I love Nashville. I love mainstream country music. I love Texas. I love this Texas music scene that I've been involved with for a decade and a half. I can love all of these things. This is America. People think that I have to choose sides. I don't have to choose sides. The mainstream Nashville machine has never been too receptive to me. That's not their fault. I haven't been their cup of tea. At the end of the day, I have to ask myself, "because they don't like me, are you going to give up or find a different route?" That's what I've done. But (this song) is my story. It's a fun song, but it does make a little bit of a statement. We're going after mainstream radio. I believe there should be more cowboy in country music. I'm not going to fold just because they didn't play me the first fifteen years. I'm looking forward to the next fifteen years.
Q: Is it a bit uncomfortable to suddenly be the voice of the independent country artist?
A: it's an honor. I don't know if I am the voice of the independent artist, but I don't mind being that because I'm passionate about the independent artists. I sure don't mind sticking up for them and waving that flag. I was raised on Willie and Waylon, so you can say that I have a little bit of an outlaw spirit in me. Perhaps I'm the first outlaw in the history of country music that doesn't smoke weed or drink whiskey, but I'm blessed. At the end of the day, I'm just grateful that I have a job where I can that care of my family. I really mean that. With all of this success, I'm not thinking about me. I'm just thinking about my family.
