Q&A with Ben Rector

Q: What are the 5 albums that changed your life? 
Rector: I feel like artists always work hard to pick deep cuts for this, want to seem very artistic, when we all know if you are my age and play guitar, you wore dave matthews out. I'll do my best to answer honestly and not pick obscure stuff to make you think I'm learned and cool.

The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour 
Billy Joel - The Stranger 
Dave Matthews - Live at Luther College 
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James 
Huey Lewis and The News - Sports

 

Q: What are your favorite musicians of all time? 
The Beatles/Paul Mccartney
Billy Joel
James Taylor
Randy Newman

Q: What are the 10 songs you're listening to right now, or what are inspiring your music at the moment? 
The Valley- Ethan Gruska
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant- Billy Joel (have worked out to this recently? kind of an odd choice)
Back in the High Life Again - Steve Winwood
All Night - Big Boi
Crack the Case - Dawes
Action Bronson's last two albums
Josie Dunne - Old School 
Slow Burn - Kacey Musgraves 
Beastly - Vulfpeck 
Darkness and Light - John Legend

Q: 5 words to describe your new album: 
Nostalgic 
Fun 
Bold(er than my last few records) 
Cinematic 
Sound (like, structurally sound, like you'd say about a building)

Q: How is this album an evolution from your last one? How have you grown as an artist in the years since? 
I'd like to think this album is an evolution both sonically and lyrically. After having done this a while, I needed to find some new ground sonically that would pull out different things lyrically and musically, but also that felt familiar enough that I could stay true to who I am as an artist. I wanted to be willing to record a power ballad, to see if I could tap into the DNA of classic guilty pleasures. As far as growth, I'd like to think I've grown and improved and grow as a writer and a singer, though I guess other people will be the judge of that. 

Q: What is the significance of the album title, 'Magic'? 
Rector: It felt like it connected the lyrical themes of looking back and looking forward. There are nostalgic songs, and there are also moments where I'm looking forward, at my life as a father and watching Jane grow up and become a person. I think there's genuine magic in both of those things.

Q: Which song do you find to be the most autobiographical and why? 
Probably 'Extraordinary Magic' for the season I'm in right now. It so accurately represents what becoming a father felt like to me. 

Q: Your upbringing and the past are major themes throughout - what was your childhood like and what specific events did you feel compelled to include? 
My childhood was really wonderful, probably about as straight down the middle stereotypical American as you can get. Lived in a modest suburban neighborhood, thirty year old 2200 square foot houses. Looking back I missed not only the naivety of that time of life but also that world, no one trying to be famous, no one chasing or trying to showcase an extravagant lifestyle on instagram, no hype, no spin, no hustle. Just people trying to provide a reasonable honest life for their families. So as much as I miss my old friends and being young, I also miss being around people who aren't concerned with some of the things people in the entertainment industry are. 

Q: Talk about the most prevalent ideas/themes/inspiration on your album. 
Nostalgia is a big one. Lyrically I was drawn to looking back and remembering, and I thought it was fitting to dress the record sonically in that as well. Sounds that made you feel something familiar. The album cover is supposed to look like an 80's movie poster. When I say that, you probably don't think of one specific image, but when you see the cover your brain kind of recognizes all those things at once: the proportion of dark negative space to the subject, that lighting, a person in kind exaggerated motion, and it feels familiar and nostalgic. I wanted to do that lyrically and sonically too. You might not know what a Roland Juno is, but when you hear it, it just feels like a familiar texture that brings up really specific images. I wanted that to leak through all the parts of the album and brand. 

Q: What did you learn about yourself making this record? 
I feel like I wouldn't use this word to describe myself but I end up being really persistent about things I care about. There were a few songs that I recorded a number of times with different people to get the way I wanted. I recorded 'Old Friends' three times with three different people. I took the album cover photos twice because the first shoot wasn't good enough, I ended up hiring a different stylist and a different photographer. It was expensive. And it was worth it. 

Q: Where did this album take you that you didn't expect to go? 
To taking real direction and references from 'guilty pleasure' type songs. 

Q: What is the most interesting thing about the record to you? 
I'd say the sonic landscape and then maybe some of the lyrical risks? Duo is bold but I really like it. 

Q: What are your creative spaces -- the places where you've inspired to write/create?  
I write downstairs on a Yamaha upright. I like writing anywhere with reflective surfaces so you can hear a little bit of the natural reverb. Also I like natural light.

Q: Hobbies / passions? 
I really love golf, am an avid golfer. Coffee, frisbee, real estate, food, exercise. 

Q: What is a typical weekend for you?
Wake up early, grab coffee, take care of some emails and noodle on the piano. Probably go to the Green Hills Y and work out in the late morning. In the afternoon we'd go for a walk with Jane or I'd head out to the Golf Club of TN and practice or play. At night we'd eat dinner and grab a drink with friends. Sunday would be the same, we might go to St. Augustine's in the morning but Jane pretty much just squawks so we might just watch CBS Sunday morning and drink coffee. I'd go work out again, maybe get together with friends. Wow this was too thorough. 

Q: What are your top five favorite spots (bars, restaurants, clubs, etc) in Nashville? How does living in Nashville inspire you? 
I love Butcher and Bee, Dozen, Box, Rolf and Daughters, Burger up. I love that it's creative but approachable.