Today, we speak with the Texas singer-songwriter-bus-driver, Larry Hopper. I hope you enjoy. (Also, he's taking over Galleywinter's FB page Thursday.)
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FTM: Hello, Hopper! It’s been a while since we last spoke. I’ve been meaning to ask you, are you related to Jim Hopper from Stranger Things?
Larry: I said no to this interview.
FTM: Your denial didn’t take. So what have you been doing in the 9 1/2 years since our last interview? Prison time?
Larry: I had some good toast about 4 years ago. I wanted to make sure and tell you about that toast. It wasn’t any special kind of bread, it was just the EXACT right amount of toasted. Not burnt, not under toasted. Can you imagine? It was so good!! I have some pictures of the toast if you need them.
FTM: I'm good. What are you doing to pass the time during quarantine, besides (insert tired beard grooming joke here)?
Larry: During what? No idea what you’re talking about.
FTM: These crazy times, buddy! Hey, when you and your wife are teaching your kids for in-home school, are you in charge of bad jokes and puns training, while she teaches all the other subjects?
Larry: My wife will be offended that you would think for ONE SECOND I would be the one who would teach puns. She has her doctorate in Punning.
FTM: Is it true you co-wrote a song for Cody Jinks?
Larry: With.
FTM: Yeah right, Hopper; is it one that “accidentally got left off the album?”
Larry: It was the title cut of his 2019 release “After the Fire.” It was the number one country album for one whole week. Then he released another album the next week and kicked himself off the top spot.
FTM: Oh really? Does Cody owe you money or something?
Larry: I wish. I keep hoping someone will remember that they owe me money. Nobody does.
FTM: Most artists, and I use that term carefully, consume lots of art to keep their creativity flowing. What sort of books, movies, and music keep your muse alive? I’m assuming there will be a follow up question about coloring books, Tom Green films, and Hoobastank.
Larry: I only watch my extensive collection of Puppy Bowl recordings. I recently read a book about a little dog named Meli that went to the vet. It was quite the thrill ride. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but page 12 will surprise you!!! As for what I listen to, mostly my interior monologue of self doubt and fear and neurosis and anxiety and guilt . Also John Prine.
FTM: So I see you’ve been doing streaming concerts during the pandemic. What does that mean?
Larry: It just makes sense. Staying home is the best way for people to come see me.
FTM: No, I meant “pandemic,” I’ve always assumed that had something to do with pandas.
Larry: This is why I said no to the interview. Plus you barely even seemed interested in my really good toast story. The toast was excellent, the story was really good.
FTM: You live a wild life, Barry. I haven’t been stalking you, I promise, but I’ve noticed there are always a ton of kids in your social media photos. Are you starting a cult?
Larry: I hear there’s good money in it.
FTM: If your cult will have brisket and singalongs, I’m interested. Let’s talk about that later. Right now, I need to know what you think about how Red Dirt, independent country, and Americana music are kinda sorta mainstream these days. When we did that first interview, I’d have never dreamed that our buddy Drew Kennedy would be modestly more well known in 2020. It's wild.
Larry: I don’t know who that is, but the meshing of all the different musical subsets is bound to happen. It’s a cycle. Some kids get sick of mainstream music and there’s a movement of a new sound, it becomes popular and in that popularity gets watered down and pushed towards a more generic sound to appeal to more people. theres art and then there’s business and the 2 can only coexist in a small window before it becomes more business. That’s not to say anyone is wrong for that that’s just the nature of the beast. Radio stations have to sell ads to keep the lights on. They have the seemingly impossible task of staying true to their format but appealing to as many people as possible. People get mad at radio stations if they play a song that that person doesn’t think belongs. That’s bizarre to me. Just.. don’t listen to that song? I don’t like calling myself an artist but I’m sure not a business man. That’s why most people reading this think you’re interviewing the guy from the Lawrence Welk show, But there’s always good music to listen to. Mainstream or not. I’ll check out Drew Kennedy though.
FTM: Oh you know who he is; he asked me to tell you to stop texting him asking to open his shows all the time. It's getting awkward for everyone. Next question: Are you working on any new music?
Larry: I’m always writing. I have plenty of songs for a new album I just haven’t had time or money to record. And with the covidteen going on I have no idea what everything will look like when shows start up again.
FTM: You didn’t have to go on for so long. I don’t really care, it’s just something I have to ask since this is a music blog. But since we’re on the subject, will you be doing any boyfriend country songs?
Larry: I don’t know what that means.
FTM: Nobody does. Hey, it’s bizarre that I’ve “known” you online for over 15 years and I still don’t know your favorite N-Sync member. Care to elaborate?
Larry: Timberlake is the only one I can even name.
FTM: Who are some of your favorite songwriters these days?
Larry: Other than the standards, Lori Mckenna is just unspeakably good. I keep expecting to move on from my Isbell fanboyness but he’s just such a great writer. The writing BJ did on the new AA record is so good. Courtney Patton is better than most. So are Jacob Furr and Gabe Wootton. Mike Ethan Messick. Jackie Darlene for sure.
FTM: Again, don’t actually care. Did you watch Tiger King? That was some crazy sh*t.
Larry: I did. It was sad.
FTM: I see you’re still not going to come out and admit that you were the fake Cowboy Troy troll on that Americana message board we used to frequent. Why is that?
Larry: I think the record will show that the Cowboy Troy user had better spelling and grammar than me.
FTM: Okay, I think this has gone on for long enough. I’m as bored as you are, if not more. Let’s do the lightning round! Do you have a Larry Hopper face Covid mask on your merch site?
Larry: yes. It comes in the shape of a shirt and you have to DIY your mask.
FTM: That’s a missed opportunity. Alright, favorite flavor of Swisher Sweets?
Larry: I don’t use them because of poisons. I need to stay healthy so I can overeat for longer.
FTM: That’s a hoax. Tobacco is grown from the earth, so it’s healthy. Bigly. Do your research. Next question is multiple choice: Are these times A)uncertain B)crazy C)troubling 4)frowsty?
Larry: Can I put “exhausting” as a write in answer?
FTM: If Sam Hunt asked to cowrite a song with you, what color would the Land Rover you bought with the royalties be?
Larry: I don’t think you can buy a Land Rover with royalty money anymore. I might could get me an old Isuzu trooper.
FTM: Jay or Jeff?
Larry: Jay
FTM: No, I meant Jay Cutler or Jeff Garcia. Read the room.
Larry: Jeff Garcia from the Grateful Dead?
FTM: You don’t know soccer at all, Lawrence. Who is the coolest celebrity you’ve ever met?
Larry: Henry Winkler
FTM: Ayyyy! Favorite Juice WRLD song?
Larry:
FTM: That is an acceptable answer. What’s the first restaurant you’re going to sit down and eat at when it’s finally safe again?
Larry: Somewhere with chips and salsa
FTM: You thought that was going to be a trick question, but these are very serious. What is the highest number of feral hogs that has ever run into your yard?
Larry: 28-48
FTM: When you’re writing a song: lyrics or music first?
Larry: Lyrics
FTM: Another serious question! I’m getting good at this! Spell “Thibodaux.”
Larry: Thibodeaux. I learned that from an episode of King of the Hill.
FTM: I was talking about the city in Louisiana and with this being an email interview, I gave you the answer and you still missed it. Anyway.. if you were doing a big nationwide tour, what particular food or drink would be on your tour rider?
Larry: 4 fried chickens and a coke.
FTM: Alright, now it’s the requisite time in a Farce the Music interview when we give you the opportunity to speak poorly of mainstream country. If you don’t say something funny, pithy, or meaningful here, you may lose legions of fans. No pressure.
Larry: jokes on you, I don’t have legions of fans.
Mainstream Country is awful but so is a lot of other stuff. I just don’t listen. I don’t care what they’re doing. It’s not for me. I am not their target. Honestly the only reason I even know the names of most of them is because of Farce The Music, haha. And it’s just name recognition. If I’m in a store and mainstream country is playing it lets me know that I still am not interested, but that’s the extent of how much I think about it. I don’t like most Jazz music, so I just don’t listen to Jazz music.i don’t have to make shirts about how much I hate it. I used to get worked up about what they were calling country music but labels are for the masses and the record execs. Something I work hard on reminding myself, and I wish more people understood: you don’t have to have an opinion on everything. In the time of this constant barrage of new information or media or whatever, we feel like we have to know about it all and have an informed opinion on every single thing. Just pick a few. I just choose to not care, as you can fell by the massive paragraph I just wrote on the matter.
FTM: So much for “lightning.” What do you think the water from inside a waterbed would taste like?
Larry: Pall Mall cigarettes and bad decisions.
FTM: Possibly. It’s just something I’ve been wondering about. Okay, last question: Would you rather have a sack full of punch or a punch in the sack?
Larry: I really said I wasn’t going to do another one of these interviews.
When somebody says country music is the music of the country of America
Kip Moore fans be like...
When you're holding an axe and somebody asks if you want to hear some Kane Brown music and you have to keep your psychotic urges in check for a moment.
New Cody Jinks last week. New Cody Jinks this week.
"You shouldn't talk about Brantley Gilbert like that. Everybody liked his MNF performance."
When somebody plays new Zac Brown music
Make your own caption. This one had to be included.
Courtney Patton was in a good place, a really good one. And
she had been for a little while, having settled into a marriage with her
songwriting soul mate, the kind and humble Jason Eady. Having received critical
acclaim for her 2015 album So This Is
Life, followed up by the husband-and-wife collection of duets Something Together, Patton was finally
happy and content as she set about to write, record and produce her own record
for the first time.
But happy ain’t country. Fortunately, though, like the
scorpion catching a ride from the frog, Patton’s nature prevails on an album
full of truth, three chords at a time on What
It’s Like To Fly Alone. Collaborating with heavy-hitting songwriters like
Micky Braun and Larry Hooper (who along with Eady helped pen “Barabbas” on
Eady’s self-titled album), she captures heartbreak, hope and a dash of
redemption throughout. Her vocals combine the boldness of Kim Richey and the
sweet, quavering vulnerability of Kelly Willis, while telling stories of
characters both real and familiar.
Patton, with her self-effacing, hearty laugh and genuine
humility, is a woman comfortable in her own skin. Her gregarious wit stands in
contrast to the darkness of her songs’ characters, but the common thread is a
genuineness that pervades. This is a compelling album by a woman serious about
her craft.
She’s between Dallas and Houston when we connect to talk
about hawks, snakes, rats, cigarette smoke and Botox.
A few years back on Jack Ingram’s Songwriters Series, you said, “I think sad songs, the way
they’re produced and written, are the fabric of real country music.” It seems
like you’ve really put your money where your mouth is on this album. We’ll get
into some specific tracks in a minute, but how did this album come about
thematically?
If I’m being 100 percent truthful, I was in a rut. I was in
a writer’s rut, because I was happy for the first time in a really long time.
And it’s hard to be the kind of songwriter I am when you’re happy. Happy songs
are so hard for me, because you’ve really got to know how to do it without
being cheesy.
And I had never co-written before, so I had made a goal
after So This Is Life came out in 2015
that I was going to co-write with some of my friends and really get better at
it. So I’m really proud that seven out of the 12 songs on this record are
co-writes.
That being said, I couldn’t go about it this time with a
theme. Every other time I’ve said, “Okay, the theme for this record is this.” This album, I just wanted to
write songs and have a big pot of them to choose from. But when it came down to
it and I started singing these songs, I realized they all kind of centered on
the idea that we have to make ourselves happy. At the end of the day, we have
to choose the person we’re with; we have to choose to get over addiction. Or
whatever it is. We have to decide to
make the best of what we have.
What about the title
track?
I was driving home from Austin, where I’d had a really bad
gig. A couple of fans had gotten up and left during the first song – and asked
for their money back -- because they had driven in from out of town to see
someone else -- who happened to be my husband. Jason was supposed to be there but wasn't, so Josh Grider was filling in for him. It had nothing to do with me, but it threw me off. I started
forgetting lyrics and doubting myself.
I was crying the whole way home. I called Jason and told him
I was going to quit: “I’m gonna go back to college and get my master’s, and
teach public speaking in college. That’s what I’m want to do!” He said, “Get
home, go to bed and wake up tomorrow. It’ll all be okay.”
And right as I’m wiping my tears away, this hawk shoots out
and flies almost into my car. It shocked me out of my stupor and forced me to
say, “Okay, focus, you’re almost home.” And it was 2:00 in the morning and I
got home and wrote the whole song. And the whole point of it is at the end of
the day, that hawk’s out to find a snake or a rat or whatever he can to
survive, and he’s gotta do it by himself. I’m out here playing songs, singing
songs that come from deep inside of me, and I’ve gotta do it by myself. I have
to choose; when those two couples walk out, I have to be able to say, “I’m good
enough. My songs are good enough. I can do this.” I made the choice to do this;
I’ve gotta play that show and not let it affect me. I’m doing what I love, and
I don’t want to go back to college
right now.
You’re a big fan of
waltzes. Why? (And I have a follow-up question.)
So…I don’t know why, but all my life I’ve liked slow, sadder
songs. I’ve listened to Counting Crows and Carole King and they’ve been huge
influences on me. Willie Nelson…I love Merle Haggard. I just love slow songs.
People have told me, “You’re in a waltz rut,” and I just can’t help it. The way
that I write poetry it phrases itself in a waltz meter without my trying.
That was another challenge because I thought I was gonna end
up with another slew of waltzes – and again, I’m not apologizing – but some
people think it’s too much.
I asked Jason this last year, and I’m curious about your take. How does
one go about writing a waltz? I mean, do you have lyrics ahead of time and bend
them into a One-two-three cadence? Do
you write the words with a ¾ time in your head? Or is it something else
entirely?
Man, for me it just really comes out that way, in a waltz
meter. I’ll have a phrase in mind and I’ll write the phrase out and as the
words start coming, I realize that’s just the way it’s going to be. I really
don’t try, “This is a melody, let’s write a song to it,” I never do that. I
guess my heart beats in the rhythm of a waltz.
On the surface one
would think, you know, you & Jason have been married for going on 4 years
now, and y’all are perfect for each other – you should be in a really good
place in life. But so many of these songs are dark and sad. How much of this
album is autobiographical? I mean, obviously“Fourteen Years” is about the sister you lost…
Yes…
…but, for instance,
“Round Mountain,”
Completely fictional.
Oh it is? Good!
Yeah! This was one of the first challenges I gave myself. I
drove between two towns -- I wanna say Johnson City and Fredericksburg – maybe
just past Johnson City, and it was literally just a sign: “Round Mountain.” And
I looked into the history and around 1900 there was a church there, and so people started settling there. And when the
church closed they all went back to Johnson City.
So I just made up a fictional story of a character named
Emily, and she had an affair. And I don’t know if that kind of stuff happened
back then, but I kind of wanted to go for a Chris Knight-type of song. I saw a
head stone that said something like “Fare the well, Emily Bell,” and just made
up a story about her, and her not wanting anybody to know she’d had a bastard
baby.” I’m sure she doesn’t appreciate that, if she can hear me. (Laughs)
And she had died young, I should mention that, probably of
dysentery or smallpox or something that actually happened back then. I just
made it way darker. (Laughs)
Yes. Dark. And
fictional.
You know, I got a Face Book message from a fan who said,
“I’m kind of concerned, are you and Jason okay? The title of your album concerns
me, and I don’t see any pictures of y’all together.” And I said, “You know it’s
actually nice to have a private life where we don’t have to share everything we’re doing! But we’re
sitting here having dinner, laughing at the absurdity of your concern. It’s a
song about the music business. Calm down.” (Laughs)
You mentioned dealing
with addiction; speaking from any kind of experience there?
Uh, not necessarily,
but I have a grandfather who struggled with alcoholism and a brother who just
celebrated two years of sobriety. But it’s hard for all of us, watching him
struggle with that and not knowing what to do to help. But it’s not me; there’s
nothing in me that says “I’ve gotta have that,” and then I’ve gotta have it
more. I can have a drink, and I can not
have a drink for three months and not think about it. Luckily it wasn’t
something that was passed on to me. I just think everybody struggles with their
own thing.
You’re on your way to
a house show to help finance this record, and as best I can tell, your albums
have all been self-released. Was this a business decision on your part to
forsake getting a label and do it all on your own?
I’ve never looked for one, and I’ve never had anybody
approach me. So I guess it’s mutual. I enjoy having creative control over my
material and I think I’d be very disheartened if anyone told me I couldn’t do
it the way I wanted to. I just think we’re very fortunate to live in Texas
where you can make a living touring and driving around playing guitar. I don’t
even play with a band. And I make more money doing this than I did at my day
job…which wasn’t much, you know, but
it’s a pride thing. At the end of the day I look at my guitar and say, “Me and
you: we did that.”
And nobody told me, you know, that I had to shoot Botox in
my lips…
Ha!
…or lose 40 pounds. I mean, I think of all the things – I
hear horror stories from my friends in Nashville…these girls in their twenties
who are gorgeous, but with these
ridiculously plump lips and no wrinkles on their foreheads. And that’s just not country music! Country music is
supposed to have wrinkles. And cigarette smoke and beer.
And that’s just not – I would not want anything put on me
that way, because it’s frightening to me. I think they’d take one look at me –
I’m a curvy girl – and say, “You don’t belong here.” So it’s never anything
that’s come into the realm of the possible with me. And I’m okay with that.
Drew Kennedy produced
the last album, and you did this one yourself. What was the recording process
like? Did y’all lay everything down live?
I was nervous about it. But I’ve been missing a lot over the
last few years. I’m a mom – going to basketball games and soccer games. But I
had the opportunity to make and album in my hometown and I’ve never done that
before, so I jumped on it.So two
of the guys who tour with Jason – Jerry Abrams on bass and Giovanni Carnuccio
on drums – we went in the studio and tracked it live. I was in the control room
and they were in the main room, and what you hear is what we did. There are no
overdubs on that part.
Now when you hear Lloyd Maines, he did that from home. But
the basic tracks – guitar, bass drums and vocals – we did that live, in about
two and a half days. But I’m just so fortunate to have Lloyd and a bunch of
other friends and people I trust who helped out. I just sent them my songs. And
the thing is, they – and especially Lloyd – they listen to words, and they play
things that match. A lot of musicians don’t do that. But Lloyd can hear me take
a deep breath, and you can hear it correspond on the steel – inhaling.
It’s just cool things like that; I don’t think I could have
asked for better people to play on it. But I was very excited to try and do it
myself, and it’s been a very proud moment for me. I don’t know if I’ll ever do
it again, but I loved it.
Some would imagine that the fan-friendly, honest Americana music scene would not be as likely to contain divas and d-bags as the more mainstream genres of music. However, thanks to critic and hipster love for the buzzworthy genre, things have changed of late. This groundswell has slowly created a context wherein all manner of unlikely aspirants are more apt to let their jerk flag fly. Here are some of the genre's most egregious offenders.
10. Brent Cobb
"Forgets" to invite cousin Dave to family functions
Band members only allowed to speak to him by text message
9. Rhiannon Giddens
Borrows band members' phones and logs out of everything
Once put a fan who accidentally called her 'Rihanna' in a triangle choke submission hold
8. Amanda Shires
Wouldn't speak to husband, Jason, for a month when he opposed the name "Taco Lucinda" for their daughter
Performed an entire show of Rob Thomas covers when one crowd was smaller than anticipated
7. Rob Baird
Always eats the middle cinnamon roll out of the pan first
Spends hours a day leaving 1 star iTunes reviews on other Americana artists
Will only autograph thongs
6. Shooter Jennings
Puffs, doesn't pass
Got a secret tip and sold all his Bitcoin to Marilyn Manson just before Bitcoin crashed
Plans to do an all-EDM tour later this year
5. Ward Davis
Secretly bullies Cody Jinks
Still says "Dilly Dilly!"
Keeps telling everybody new music is coming "soon" but it never does
4. Holly Williams
First person to ingest a Tide Pod on video
Can only name 3 Hank Sr. songs
Drives 10 mph below speed limit in left lane
3. Drew Kennedy
Never cleans stations in the gym after using them
Doesn't wash out the sink after beard grooming
Tour rider includes "organic kale candy" and "fitted hemp Phillies cap"
2. Courtney Patton
Spreads rumors about Jamie Lin Wilson on Snapchat
Tells dirty jokes at funerals
Vapes dill pickle flavor at songwriting sessions
1. Paul Thorn
Does the old "replace the vodka with water" trick on his tour bus
