Singer-Songwriter Q&A
How old were you when you started playing guitar?
I was in 5th or 6th grade so that makes me about 10 or 11 years old.
What was your first guitar? Did you buy it yourself? Do you still have it?
My first guitar was a Peavey Raptor electric guitar. My mom bought it for me on the condition that I would go to manners class. I still have it today! It became a franken guitar over the years.
A Peavey Raptor.
Did your parents or grandparents play any instruments? If so, what did they play? Did you ever get a chance to play with them?
My grandfather on my dad's side played the drums but I never got to meet him. Nobody else in my immediate family really ever played any instruments. I've heard stories of great grandparents who were singers or one who played piano at silent pictures.
Drew with his mom and dad.
What are the guitars that you play? Do you have a favorite? If so, why is it your favorite?
I play a D'Angelico Tammany Excel for my main acoustic guitar and my Fender SRV Strat or my Gretsch Electromatic Jet in blue sparkle for my electrics.
Photo credit: Lieback Supercrack
What strings do you use (brands and gauges)? How often do you change your strings?
I use D'Addario strings exclusively. On my acoustic I use custom lights .11-.52 and on my electrics I use 11's. I change them as needed!
Do you use a pick? If so, what brand and thickness?
Right now I like the Delrin medium grip picks.
Do you use any effect pedals? If so, what are your favorites?
I use a Klon clone, a Tube Screamer, an SP Compressor and a Strymon Flint for my electric rig.
For my acoustic, I use a Fishman Aura DI.
Do you work on your own guitars or do you bring them to a guitar tech? Are there any guitar techs that you would like to recommend?
I do some of the light work on my guitars but I like to use Frank from Moe's to do most of the bigger stuff.
At what age did you start writing songs?
I started at 14 or 15.
What is your songwriting process? Is it the music or the lyrics that usually come to you first? Do you write old school on paper, or electronically?
Right now it's mostly at the same time, music and lyrics. Melody usually comes first though. Right now my notes app is the most organized its ever been. I write electronically.
Who are the top three musicians or bands that have had a major influence on you?
Tom Petty
Stevie Ray Vaughn
John Mayer
If you could jam with one person, living or dead, who would it be?
Tom Petty.
What was the first concert you attended? What was the last concert you attended?
First: Simon and Garfunkel
Last: John Fogerty
The Beatles or the Stones?
Beatles.
Where and when was your first paid gig? How much did you make?
Probably a local teen center and maybe $50.
What has been the highlight of your musical career so far?
Singing on the Apollo Theater stage.
What are some of the venues you enjoy performing at the most? What things make the venue enjoyable for the performer (location, equipment, setup, organizers)?
Grounded electric and a bathroom in the greenroom.
How do you work out your setlist?
I pick the first song and then I build it from there and try to tell a story with my songs.
Is there any advice you wish someone had given you when you were first starting out in the music business?
Run!
Do you have any suggestions for a guitarist or songwriter who might be stuck in a musical rut?
Go for a walk, go see a show, do your morning pages.
If you weren’t a singer-songwriter, what would you be doing for work?
I'd be a carpenter or the president.
Please list some of your upcoming shows, plug your music and provide links to your merchandise.
