Usually you won’t find me up too early. Spending most nights listening to music and working keeps me from seeing that bed until way after midnight. So I was a little surprised when Seth Savage told me he wanted to do his interview at 8 in the morning, after some “breakfast tacos or something”. I acquiesce his request and found myself early talking to him about his newest album, My Dear. My Dear has been a long time coming, having been recorded at Trinidad World Studios in Fort Worth and produced by the accomplished Drew Womack. Seth had set his sights on releasing it earlier, but like all good things it was worth the wait. As we strolled the streets of the Fort Worth Stockyards, taking pics for this article, we discussed his first meeting with Drew at a venue in Lubbock. After a chance meeting, the ever bold Seth flat out told him he wanted him to produce his album. That meeting evolved into the collaboration that produced an amazing album.
On The Road
Seth’s journey began in New Mexico where he grew up, learning to tend to cattle and livestock. Eventually he would take up interest in playing music with a friend, but it was his experience with animals that sent him to college. While playing in a college band in Lubbock, Seth was given the opportunity to tour opening up for some big names within the scene. He found himself travelling the backroads and highways of the American West, opening in big venues and dive bars along the way. Those early experiences in New Mexico and being on the road helped shape several of the songs off My Dear.
We moseyed through the stockyards, stopping ever so often to snap a photo, each time he told another tidbit about the album, like how Broken was written by him and Drew Womack over a case of beer after a long day of recording.
The sun begin to beat down pretty hard, as it usually does in Texas. We turn a corner and find ourselves in a cool spot. Seth is pretty down to Earth as musicians go, but he loves to talk. So much, that its hard to keep up. He jumps from stories about playing the owners box at the FC Dallas games, partying with William Clark Green and Brandon Adams in Lubbock. I’m treated to how he thought someone had stolen his trailer, only to find it on a chance in a property known for acquiring stolen goods. He lets me in on how he acquired his prized dogo, Hayes Caryl, and how he met the real Hayes at The Blue Light, and how he gave him some of the best advice in his career and reaffirmed his choice of being a musician in a competitive market like the Texas Music scene. Then, he tells me the heart wrenching tale of one of his songs, Solid Ground, and how it was inspired by the strength of a friend and her recovering from a sexual assault as a child. He visibly becomes saddened, but brushes it off and flows into his next tale.
After his streak in Lubbock, Seth found himself moving to Houston with his girlfriend. After a short time there, they both ended up in Fort Worth. He’s been out hitting the scene, playing with his band and solo acoustic shows. He is very positive about the release of My Dear, a labor of love that has been mixed, remixed, mastered, remastered and meticulously gone over. Seth is quite the perfectionist, and of course he would be. His first dabblings with recordings had, to him, been subpar. With My Dear, he hoped to achieve a professional sound that could be played on all radio stations, not just the Texas Country scene. The mixture of Country, Rock and that spice of Drew Womack’s producing skills shows he accomplished a tight album. I was lucky enough to be given a copy for this article and can say it is solid.
As we made our way back to Seth’s vehicle, we discussed the future and where he hopes this album will lead. He has his mind set on hitting the road again, playing those venues he once played as an opening act, but this time he hopes to be the headlining artist. And why not? With a kickass album, a competent band and his positive outlook, I can see Seth tearing it up across the country. As far as new material, he hopes to head into the studio soon to cut a few songs he has been working on, some of which I had the pleasure to hear and record during an acoustic set.
After reading this article, go ahead and check out Seth’s new album which is available on Itunes & Amazon, as well as Google Play and Spotify. Give my favorite, Red Light, a spin and let us know what you think! You can find him out on the usual social media sites like facebook and twitter, and be on the lookout for him hitting your local honky tonk or music venue playing these kick ass tunes and sharing more stories up there on the stage!
Listen to “My Dear” now.
