For singer, songwriter, and guitarist Clint Roberts, music isn’t about fitting into a small, well-defined box; it’s about forcing that box to grow bigger and making its borders more permeable.
“I aspire to make records with reverence to what I borrow from,” he explained, “but not too concerned with staying in my lane.”
Roberts is doing just that with his current project, a blend of old-time, bluegrass and “extra” folk sounds; it fits well with the Americana vibe. Called Holler Choir, the project comprises Roberts at the center, with a rotating roster of accompanying artists orbiting in and out around him.
“There’s clearly an old-time and bluegrass influence to what we’re doing, but through a contemporary lens,” Roberts explained. “I have a deep and tremendous respect for everyone doing the traditional thing, but as a young Appalachian growing up in Asheville (North Carolina), the most sincere thing is combining the past and present.”
He said it’s all “more introspective than what you’ll typically find in bluegrass,” adding that his songwriting is very “personal” to his life experiences. There’s also “a big Texas influence” on the songwriting side of things.
“Lyle Lovett is a big influence on me,” he said while citing additional inspiration from Austin-area singer-songwriter David Ramirez.
The first Holler Choir full-length album was Songs Before They Write Themselves, released in January. Roberts described it as “a bit of a cultural kaleidoscope.”
“We did not want to be pigeon-holed,” he said.
The record starts fairly traditional and progresses away from that with each track. For instance, there’s no drum on the beginning tracks…, but then they show up. On even later tracks of the record, Roberts said he incorporated unconventional things such as an organ and “distorted pedal steel, to make it sound like lap steel.”
He said during live shows, this “kaleidoscope” approach comes even more into play.
“There’s some Latin grooves we mess with; some New Orleans sounds we mess with…to keep audiences engaged.”
Holler Choir first emerged during the recording of Roberts' EP Mountain Air. Although it was a solo release, his work with various artists “lit the fuse” for what would soon become Holler Choir. The album following would be a full-fledged Holler Choir release.
“We booked a session at Echo Mountain,” Roberts said, “The most famous studio that Asheville offers.”
Used by some big acts–including The Avett Brothers–the historic studio’s “church room” was where “Songs Before They Write Themselves” was tracked. Michael Ashworth (of the Steep Canyon Rangers) produced it, and Jason Richmond, who worked on records by The Avett Brothers, Clem Snide, and more, engineered it. Grammy-winner Kim Rosen mastered it.
“We’re proud of it,” Roberts said. “Everybody who plays on it is a peer of mine in Asheville.”
He likes to think of the Holler Choir project as similar to a “circus,” wherein “the acts within the circus are kind of rotating.”
When performing, he appears with different musicians from the Holler Choir roster–sometimes certain people are available to do a show, sometimes others. Roberts said each show has a different format, but all are “largely emulating the record.”
“We hope to make it a consistent cast of characters in the long term,” he added.
He said that, within the limitations of working with a changing roster of performers, there’s one huge bonus that is not available to those who gig together constantly. There’s no way for things to get stagnant, and according to Roberts, it allows for “a lot of creativity.”
It’s important for Roberts to work with quality singers. He said the drummer, bass player, and banjo player in Holler Choir are all great singers and could hold their own as leads. He said he and his bandmates “enjoy the challenge of every leg of the tour being different.”
Among Holler Choir’s upcoming dates are an appearance during the first week of August at Asheville’s AVL Fest and a gig in Greensboro at the NC Folk Fest, happening September 6 through 8. For more information and updates, visit Hollerchoir.com or follow the band’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/Hollerchoirmusic.
Comments