Music
Press
Carolina Songwriter Hits Nashville
by TJ Royal
Carolina boy and country artist Benton Blount signed his first record deal with Golden Music this year without his producers even seeing him play live first. It was the strength of his songwriting that convinced Noel Golden to sign the Valdese, N.C. native to the brand new label, the reason why big things are expected from him and label mate The Williams Riley Band.
And with ballads like “Remember” and “You Walked In,” Blount’s versatile singing style goes against people’s expectations when they see his tattooed, bald-headed exterior.
Blount admitted that he thinks he has the “mean business” with his look. But he also said his song repertoire has more ballads than anything, and so far, he feels his strongest songwriting is for love songs.
“I like to sing the ballads to freak people out. I start into a slow song, and it sort of blows people away, a big guy singing a cheesy song,” Blount said.
The Village Idiot caught up with Blount over the phone before he played an acoustic set at Oysters On the West End in Greenville, S.C.
Village Idiot: How’s Nashville? What made you want to move there?
Blount: Nashville’s good. (But) I can only take so much of the traffic. It’s pretty diverse, people just think of it for country music, but there’s a lot more going on there than that. The funny part is it wasn’t music really, at all (that made me want to move). I’ve been so comfortable being in North Carolina. (My band and I) had gotten used to playing in the area, we got used to the people, we wanted a change for a little something different. Wanted a place where we’d be a little fish in a big pond, so we moved to Nashville. It was really cool to have a lot of hometown fans, and we still have (them). It was just, I watched TV every day, and I’d see these country artists, see where they’re at. For me, (Nashville is) more of a creative place to be. It’ll make me work harder.
VI: How’s the new CD coming? When’s it gonna hit?
Blount: The CD is amazing. Noel Golden, he produced it. David Thoener mixed the album. Both of them worked with Guns ‘N Roses, Edwin McCain, Matchbox Twenty. To get them to take my ideas and put (them) into an album, there is nothing I would want to change. We’ll have the first EP ready sometime soon, in the next month or so.
VI: How did you get into songwriting?
Blount: I kinda stumbled across it. I started playing in church, and they wanted me to write an original song. Kinda forced me into writing my first few songs. I Learned three chords (on the guitar), wrote three songs. Learned five chords, wrote five more songs, kind of went from there. Started off kind of like poetry. Floated out of my head at the time.
VI: How much of your songwriting inspiration comes from your life experience, personality, quirks, etc.?
Blount: I would say 80 percent of everything I write about is my life experience, stuff I’ve actually been through. I’ve only got one song that I wrote where I have no idea where it came from. I woke up at 6 o’clock in the morning, wrote it, didn’t know where it came from. It was the song called “Remember.” I saw the movie The Notebook, it didn’t even occur to me it had anything to do with that movie. They’ve been married for many years, one of them went crazy. Just two fictional characters. I even have their faces in my head, I still remember. That’s actually one of the songs on the new record. It’s one of my favorite songs on the record, which is funny, because it has nothing to do with me.
VI: Looking to write material just for yourself or for other artists as well?
Blount: I actually would like to write for other people. I got my record deal, with Golden Music, and I was starting to write songs in Nashville and pitch them to different artists, working on a publishing deal. I came across Larry Chaney, (who) plays with the Edwin McCain band, and he listened to some of the songs, thought they were great, wanted me to get in touch with Noel Golden. Within a couple of weeks, (Golden) got in touch with me and wanted to do a record deal. I hopefully can do that as well as write some songs for other people too.
VI: How did you get to cover Parmalee’s song “Carolina?”
Blount: They’re actually friends of mine who we met through (my) label, Golden Music. We were just sitting around one day, one of the guys from Parmalee was there, and we were listening to Carolina. Just happened that we were in the right place at the right time. ... I missed being in Carolina so much, (the song) reminded me of my wife so much, I couldn’t help but cover that song. ... We just wanted to countrify it a little bit more, because I’m as country as cornbread.
VI: Got any good horror stories from the road?
Blount: We’ve had some really good luck on the road. We’ve had a lot of flat tires and stuff, but we usually end up having a good time when we have a flat tire. Short form of the story, we actually blew - Village Idiot TJ Royal
Discography
Benton Blount (promotional EP) / Golden Music
Benton Blount (full length cd) / Golden Music
Photos
Bio
BENTON BLOUNT
Benton Blount knows to trust his instincts. Repeatedly through his career, hes moved forward by walking through an open door, even if making that step defied logic at the time.
Ive had to stop wondering why all my dreams seem to keep coming true and moving me forward, Blount says. Ive learned to trust that singing and writing songs is what Im supposed to do, because every time I focus on my music, new opportunities suddenly present themselves.
Blount cites fate, and his faith, in guiding him along his path. But those whove heard his vividly passionate songwriting and his strong, soulful voice know why doors keep opening for him. It comes down to one word: Talent.
The first time I tried to sing, I found I had this unusual voice that people liked, says the native of Valdese, a small town in the North Carolina mountains near the artistic hamlet of Asheville. Then when I started songwriting, I realized I enjoyed figuring out how to express emotion through words and melodies. Ive worked hard, you have to if you want to achieve anything good, but when I sing or write, it seems like this is what I was put here to do.
Blount didnt grow up dreaming of music as his career. A star football player, he at first focused more on sports and body strength than on developing any artistic talents. But he picked up a bass guitar in order to play in a church band, because it looked like they were having fun. When the youth director, without warning, put a microphone in front of him and told him to sing, Blount discovered he had a deep, expressive voice no one had realized was inside him.
With Blount as the lead vocalist, the band proved incredibly popular, and eventually it evolved into a thriving act with a popularity beyond Sunday services. One opportunity led to another, and before long the band had matured into a full-fledged recording group, 7-Miles, with Blount as lead singer and songwriter. The group earned a big following among Christian music fans and toured regionally.
But Blount eventually felt another tug on his talents. His intense focus on physical fitness led to his becoming a personal trainer, which in turn led to an introduction to a woman who would become his wife. Feeling his band had gone as far as it could in Carolina, Blount and his new bride decided to give Nashville a try.
This always surprises people, but I didnt move to Nashville wanting to be a country music songwriter or singer, he said. But when I got here, I realized my songwriting, and the way I like to tell positive stories about real people, fit naturally with what country music is doing today. I met other songwriters in town, and it inspired me to work more on my craft. And the songs matched up with where country music seems to be headed.
Blount realized country music was where his songs fit bestand suddenly his move to Nashville seemed like another positive twist of fate. With this new direction in mind, Blount began writing with fervent energy, inspired by the possibilities of sharing his music with a new genre of fans.
Once again, every time he played his new songs, fresh opportunities presented themselves. In Nashville, Blount met accomplished guitarist Larry Chaney through a chance encounter. Blount sent Chaney some songs, and the veteran instrumentalist recognized immediately that Blount had a rare and distinctive voice, both as a writer and singer.
Chaney, longtime lead guitarist for million-selling artist Edwin McCain, forwarded the songs to McCains producer, Noel Golden. A veteran producer and engineer who has worked with Guns N Roses and Matchbox 20, among scores of other successful rock acts, Golden also heard how unique and special Blounts talents were. He quickly signed him to his Golden Music record label.
As might be expected, Blounts recordings, as produced by Golden, feature a rocking, soul-deep collection of contemporary country songs. Fittingly, Golden lined up an intriguing mix of country and rock musicians to back Blount.
As McCains producer, Golden knew that guitarist Chaney and drummer Dave Harrison could bring energy to contemporary country rock. The producer and the singer also added several country music veterans, including fiddle master Rob Hajacos, well-regarded steel guitarist Russ Pahl and versatile Nashville keyboardist John Deaderick.
The result is a one-of-a-kind sound that brings soulful passion to the cutting-edge of contemporary country music. Blount realizes he doesnt sound like a stereotypical country singer, and with the carved muscles from his fitness work, he doesnt look like a typical country artist either.
But country music in the 21st Century is moving in new directions, and accepting a wider range of sounds and influences. And everyone who hears Blounts work puts him at the forefront of that new, progressive sound.
I know people look at me, with my tattoos and body, and they dont think I look like a country singer, he says. When I
Links
