Artist Spotlight: Jeremy Short
Courtesy of Jeremy Short
The Appalachian Preservation Project is proud to present Jeremy Short as this week’s artist spotlight.
Tell me about your background. Who are you at your core? Why did you become a musician?
I'm just a kid from Southeastern Kentucky who loves all kinds of music, and I want to share that love with everyone I meet. I became a musician because it was the only logical choice I had, I absolutely would not have been as happy or fulfilled with myself if I were to have pursued another career. It's the pursuit of capturing a feeling in the sound you make, and being able to share that with people, that drives me to do what I do.
How long have you been recording/gigging?
My first gigs were when I was 15 years old (around 2002 or 2003) at a Mexican restaurant in Hazard, KY, and I have been gigging fairly regularly ever since then. My first serious recording with a band was in 2012, with Sasha Colette and the Magnolias. We released an EP called "Ridin' Away" that I'm still very proud of. Since then, I have recorded albums with several different bands. I also recently released my own solo project, an album called "Happy Trees", featuring KY musicians John Clay on drums and Jose Oreta on bass. John Clay also helped produce the album with "Fat" Sam Rogers at the Fat Cave studios in Jackson and Slade, KY.
Why did you begin pursuing professional music?
There was nothing else that really interested me as a pursuit, honestly. My grandfather on my mother's side was a preacher, and I knew early on that wasn't gonna be my path. My mother was a teacher, and there was a short period I tried to be a guitar instructor, but I never had the patience to be what I would consider a "good" teacher. Playing music was just something I knew I was good at, and I absolutely knew that if I didn't give myself a chance to share that with people, I'd likely never have forgiven myself.
What is the most challenging part of recording/gigging? The most rewarding part?
I think everyone is going to have vastly different answers on this one! For me, the actual recording process is always fun and easy, especially if I've got a solid grasp on what I'm trying to get out of the track/project before I go into the studio to track it. I always tell myself if I'm not feeling a particular moment or having a hard time with a track, to just move on to the next thing and come back to it with fresh ears. You definitely don't want to force creativity in those moments, if it doesn't immediately "vibe" with the track, just move on and circle back around. It takes many hours to get a song where you want it to be, and once you know you've reached that point with a track, it is incredibly rewarding.
Gigs are a different beast, where you are playing what you know, and hopefully are able to bring something fresh to it, even though you've played the same song for the last 12 gigs. On top of making sure you're on top of your game from a musical standpoint, you're dealing with making sure people get paid, traveling from one city to the next, loading your gear in and out of the venue everyday/night, figuring out where to eat, etc etc etc. Just dealing with whatever hurdles are inevitably thrown your way in general. But the reward is the time you get to spend on a stage sharing those emotions with the people who are there to listen. Sometimes you tap into this special place on your instrument where you're especially in tune with what you're feeling, and everyone is able to ride that wave with you.
What artists inspire your songwriting the most?
This particular list is never-ending, and is always changing in regards to what I'm listening to from week to week. It's hard for me to pin down one artist who has had the most impact. In the back of my mind though, I'm always asking myself stuff like "would Ray Charles think this vocal is cool? How would Gregg Allman feel about this musical moment? How would Randy Newman approach this lyric?", so I would definitely say that there are people who influence what I do more than others, whether I realize it or not.
What life experiences inform your music?
All of 'em! Life is an experience, and there is something new to learn every single day. Saying goodbye to a loved one. Laughing too loud with your friends. Smoking weed in the morning. Cooking food with someone you love. Taking a walk in the afternoon. It's all able to be channeled into words and music if you're crafty enough!
You describe your music as "Eastern Kentucky Space Funk," what does that mean for you and your sound?
I'm just searching for something different, musically speaking, than what most people would expect to hear from someone who grew up in Jackson, KY. I think "Eastern Kentucky Space Funk" is just a way of letting the listener know that they're in store for something different when they press play on the album or go to the show!
How do you hope your music impacts people?
I hope people get something positive from my music, and that I give them a moment of their day where they're not worried about whatever it is they're going through.
What has been the most personally impactful moment in your career so far?
There have been a multitude of cool musical moments that I've been fortunate enough to have been a part of. Opening for Taj Mahal was pretty intense, that guy is such a legend who has been everywhere and done everything. It was like "ok, you got to this point where you're opening for TAJ MAHAL, you definitely got this"
Are you currently touring? Where can people find your show dates?
5.19 - Fallsburg Fest - Louisa, KY
5.20 - Trail Days - Damascus, VA
5.28 - Taste Of Cinci - Cinci, OH
6.03 - Weather Oar Knot - Union, KY
6.07 - Pop's Blue Moon - St Louis, MO
6.08 - Night Shop - Bloomington, IN
6.09 - Jack's on Adams - Peoria, IL
6.10 - Fitzgeralds - Chicago, IL
6.23 - Festival of The Red - Slade, KY
6.24 - Beast & Bottle - Waverly, OH
6.25 - Mellwood Tavern - Louisville, KY
6.29 - Pullman Square - Huntington, WV
7.01 - Boone Saloon - Boone, NC
7.07 - One Stop - Asheville, NC
7.15 - Weather Oar Knot - Union, KY
7.20 - Roots Revival - Cinci, OH
7.21 - The Bridge - Pittsburgh, PA
8.09 - Mountain Health Arena - Huntington, WV
8.11 - Live on The Levee - Charleston, WV
8.25 - LivFree Fest - Summersville, WV
You can find all my current tour dates at https://jeremyshortmusic.com/tour
