In this series, Joselyn explores what it takes to make the leap from campground picker to professional performer. In this forth installment, we hear from Danny Paisley, whose many accolades as a guitarist, singer, and bandleader include four-time IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year.
Joselyn Sky: Who were some of your biggest musical influences and mentors when you were starting out?
Danny Paisley: My biggest mentors were the first generation: Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs. Those bands that were readily available by record back when I was young. Then I got to see a lot of them on stage live at performances. There was an old country music park near my home, about 5 miles away, called Sunset Park. Every Sunday, they had bluegrass and country artists. That was a thrill. We could go there regularly and see a lot of great music, a lot of great people, and meet other friends. So I very much enjoyed that.
Then, of course, my father Bob Paisley. He was a wonderful guitar player; he played a style that was in between today’s bluegrass and the old-time mountain string bands. A lot of “running guitar runs” they called them, because they played a lot of fiddle tunes. He played with a thumbpick. And that’s how I grew up playing also; with a thumbpick on the old thumb.
Of course, Ted Lundy, a gentleman my father played music with. His family is interconnected with ours a great deal. The Lundy boys are still playing with me. So Ted Lundy was one of the early mentors.
We were very lucky when we were kids because bands and different musicians would stop by and visit for a while, and they were always quick to give a little advice or show you what to do on the instrument.
Did any of those mentors give you any advice that you still remember today?
Much of it; just be yourself. Every one of them say “just be yourself,” because audiences can very much pick up on if you’re fake and not sincere. Not so much in today’s world, but back ago when you played bluegrass, people wanted to relate to see how true you were being. So I’ve always kept that in my mind.
How do you engage with the audience and make them excited about your music, especially if the energy of the room feels low?
Get them to feel a part of what you’re doing right then … Try to get them involved with maybe clapping their hands and doing some of the older tunes they can relate to, such as, “Rolling In My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” or something along that way. Keeping the music more upbeat, getting them to sing along, getting them to clap along, and things like that.
Can you identify any particular things that you believe contributed to the success of your career?
Yeah, I sing from the heart, and that goes back to being true. Being true to the audience, being true to yourself. I sing songs that have a personal feeling, a personal connection with me. And I think my singing expresses that. I think that really helps me in my career, not hiding that emotion.
Do you have any tips for coming up with song or setlist arrangements?
Songs; I think it’s basically something you can relate to … Songs like living hard way back in the mountains, in a cabin, down an old dirt lane. These are all great songs and themes, but we have to venture away from those because we no longer do that to a great extent. That’s a past way of life. People in today’s generations and today’s world can’t really understand that. So I try to stay away from songs like that, although I have done plenty and they’re fun to sing, but that’s my big advice …
Pick songs that mean something to you. As far as arranging them, I sing one song, “Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away” … we’ve arranged it in a way it’s a little more up-tempo. People are caught by the arrangement as much as the words of the song.
Do you improvise a lot while you’re performing?
All the time. We set out the basic arrangement, and everybody takes a break. But when you take a break today, I don’t expect you to take it exactly the same way as you do the next show. That keeps your music fresh, keeps you fresh, keeps your mind working. I never sing the same way twice in a whole lot of things. You listen closely, some days I’m more louder, some days I’m more softer. Some days, I improvised the lines. “Go off,” I call it; stray off a little bit. Then the next day, it might be a much more subtle way of singing it. I never set out on purpose to do that. It’s just what at that moment comes out. We stay true to the basic outline, but everyone is free to branch a little bit.
What was your experience like working with booking agents or managers at the beginning of your career?
At the beginning of my career, my father handled much of the bookings. He taught me how to do things in the music business per bluegrass music. Which is a lot more handshakes and word of mouth. And your word was good, that was very much to be honored between promoter and musician and band. Then over the years, things became much busier and there were lots of jobs out there that I couldn’t really figure out how to book… Now, the last several years, there’s a young lady Laura Mainer. She’s done an excellent job because she’s incorporated some of the modern techniques such as social media, and just the old-timey way of hard work, getting out and communicating and networking with people … It’s just like the old-timey way; your word meant something. It does for her, and it does to us.
What was it like recording your first album, and then how does it compare to your process now?
The first album I did was with my father Bob Paisley. That band was Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley, and the Southern Mountain Boys. It was done at a studio in Washington, D.C. It was done on tape, big analog tape, and they tracked it. Each instrument had its own microphone, and each voice had its own microphone. That was the first one I did, and that was in 1976 … Now, you lay out the basic tracks, and then each instrument just goes back and redoes its recording by itself individually, and it’s done on a computer. It’s so much easier, so much better … I very much embrace it.
Since that first album you made, is there anything that you do differently to prepare?
Before, you would practice, practice, practice. To get it as right as you can, and make sure you had it right so you didn’t mess it up, so everybody could play as clean and right as possible. Now, in the more modern days, it’s much quicker. You don’t have to practice quite as much, because you have a much easier time fixing it if you didn’t get it exactly right. And when you fix it, it’s much faster. I feel you capture the energy a lot better with the more modern way of doing it.
How do you advise a young musician to go about recording their first album?
Basically, pick out songs that fit you. Don’t try to record a song that maybe is over your head for your level, at this particular time in your career. Pick out solid songs. You don’t want songs that are overdone, so find you some nice songs. Don’t get too worried if somebody else has already recorded it just yet, but, very important: make the song yours. Even if it’s a song from somebody else, put your own little spin on it. And have good people around you to help you. Don’t worry if somebody says “well, that’s not really good” because that’s what you want them to do. Just do your very best at what you’re doing. Enjoy the process, because it’s also a very good learning experience.
What is your pre-show routine?
Mine is just to sort of focus my head. We maybe go over a song, just to play a little bit. Might sing a little something just to loosen the voice up. Typically, I like to just sort of be quiet and relaxed. I drink a lot of water … I just play my guitar, get it in tune and tinker with it, and enjoy more quiet time.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind as a piece of advice for someone looking to make a career as a performing musician?
Hard work. Hard work, dedication, and practice are my big advice.
