Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your musical journey and
background?
My name is Branson Anderson. I grew up in a town an hour outside of Las Vegas, Nevada called Logandale. Most of my musical influence came from family members during my upbringing. My brother taught me guitar, my dad introduced me to Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, and my mom once bought me a Beatles CD when I was very young. It all came from there, really.
- Musical Influences
a. Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound
and style?
I loved The White Stripes when I was in junior high. I loved the old country artists my dad raised me on. I discovered Bob Dylan when I was in high school and that was the most pivotal artist I ever discovered, as far as influence and impact. Jack White got me into the old blues artists while Dylan got me into folk music and the folk revival of the 60s.
b. Can you share a specific artist or album that has had a significant impact on your music?
When I was 16, I opened an issue of Rolling Stone Magazine entitled « 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time ». I read that ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ was number one and I had never heard of the song nor the artist. I looked it up on YouTube when I got home and was jarred by the 1966 Royal Albert Hall performance with the Hawks. I couldn’t get through the whole thing. I left the computer and hadn’t thought much about Dylan until I saw him again months later in a Pepsi commercial during the Super Bowl. It showed him standing there holding his sunglasses and I thought how cool he looked. The interesting thing was that it was his personal appearance that for whatever reason really struck me. I sought out a CD of his soon after that, choosing ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ at complete random. I was impressed with a sticker on it that claimed it was the fourth greatest album of all time once again according to Rolling Stone. I was with some friends at the time so I didn’t get to listen to it right away. I remember the only way I could listen to it was when everyone had left to do something else and I played it over a TV through an X-Box gaming system. I’d never heard songwriting like that before, especially ‘Desolation Row’. I was quite awed by it and the more I listened the more intrigued I became. It began to be all I thought or cared about almost. I wanted to write songs like that.
- Creative Process
a. What’s your creative process like when you’re composing or writing a new song?
I have different approaches. Sometimes I like a chord progression and pick out a melody, then add words. Sometimes I have words laying around and put them to music. I try to read a lot and pay attention to dialogue in movies and build characters in my mind that way. The more practice I have with language, I hope, the better writer I’ll be. I don’t know about this though. I have friends who are far more articulate and intelligent than me and all they do is play video games.
- Favorite Song
a. Among all the songs you’ve created, do you have a personal favorite? If so, what makes it
special to you?
I have songs that I’ll always be proud of, ones where I know my writing was at its best and is superior to others that I have written, but I get sick of songs easily. Any song that is more special to me than others is whatever I have written latest. Probably why I ever bother to write new songs at all: because I’m bored of the old ones.
b. Can you share the story or inspiration behind that particular song?
One song I’m proud of that is available is called ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ from my album « Applecore, Baltimore ». It’s difficult to share a story behind some songs because they are so personal. I was living in a camp trailer on a cattle ranch where I worked in Utah. I had a lot of time to myself in those days and wrote a lot after work because of the solitude. The song is about the feelings of pain caused by other people, I guess. I don’t really think about my song meanings or try to put the meaning into words. I just put the songs down and what’s there is there.
- Latest Song
a. Let’s talk about your latest song. What’s the title, and what’s the story or message behind it?
The latest serious song I’ve written is called ‘My Favorite Cowboy’. It’s about a friend of mine I used to work for repairing fences on ranches in Nebraska. He passed away leaving a one year old son and widow. They were good to me when I would come stay with them and play shows in their town. I wrote the song hoping it would cheer up his surviving family members. I’ll release it one day because I thought it turned out really beautifully and was a nice ode to Bobby.
- Live Performances
a. Share a memorable or unique experience from one of your live performances.
I used to play in a punk/blues band with my brother. When we were first starting out I remember the first moment I felt real energy coming off the audience. It made me do crazy things. It made us get into the music in ways we never knew possible. During a guitar solo I fell down on my knees and played harder than I ever had. When I looked up I saw the audience crowding the stage reaching their fingers out to me as I played. It was like when people in church fall down convulsing or speak in tongues. In fact, the venue WAS a church. I’ll never forget that very moment. It’s a feeling I chase in this career and strive for at every show, regardless of the turnout. Usually falls short because everything has to be just right but when it’s achieved it’s a natural high unlike any other. It’s never been quite so good as that first time.
- Hobbies and Interests
a. Beyond music, do you have any hobbies or interests that you’re passionate about? How do
they influence your music?
After music became my career, movies became my hobby. I love movies. I can’t even express how much I love them. They influence my writing because of the way they impact my thinking. The way you feel moved for a character as if you knew them in real life is fascinating to me. Storytelling is such a powerful thing and I want to be a great storyteller. One of the greatest, in fact.
- Collaborations
a. Is there a dream collaboration you’d like to pursue in the future?
I would love to play music with Sierra Ferrell. I had always wanted to open for the late Justin Townes Earle but I at least hope to carry on his legacy in some way through Americana music.
- Advice for Aspiring Musicians
a. What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting their journey in the
music industry?
It can be done if you’re willing to make the sacrifices necessary. Are you willing to lose money on a gig for the sake of networking and exposure? Are you willing to work and suffer humiliation? Think of your losses as investments but try to make smart losses. Don’t do anything that doesn’t make you happy. For example, I hate the online marketing stuff and it just stresses me out. So I do it half-heartedly and it doesn’t yield results and therefore becomes a waste of time and effort and money. But I found a way that works for me to do the bare minimum of online work and can do more face-to-face, sincere interaction at my shows by sharing and handing out flyers and having conversations with people after I perform. It’s a more effective way for me personally that doesn’t suck my soul. I can still feel genuine with people while also getting my music out there. I let the connection and sincere conversation come first and if the timing is right, I can pass along a flyer with a QR code or something. But some people don’t mind the stuff that doesn’t resonate with me and it works really well for them but if you don’t like something, there is another way. You can figure it out. Once you find your way, stick with it and maybe you’ll make history.
- Upcoming Projects
a. Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or new music you have in the
works? What can your fans and listeners look forward to from you in the near future?
For now, I’ll just be releasing singles. It isn’t worth it to me to release an album and have two songs recognized off of it and the rest discarded. It’s too expensive and too personal of pearls to be casting like that. Releasing singles will help me to stay relevant and active as well. I have a song called ‘Colorado’ coming out March 8 that I’m doing my best to get out there. I had a music video made for it that I’m really proud of and pleased with so keep an eye out for both. It’s a song about a contemporary cowboy.
Thank you for having me.