James Taylor once said he believed musicians have a duty and responsibility to reach out and share their love or pain with others. It is this sense of honesty and an acoustic guitar that has drawn strong comparisons between the legendary Taylor and emerging singer-songwriter Bobby Hamrick. Accepting the call to duty, Hamrick has released his compelling new album Stranded, a frank reflection on life and love as he sees it.
Stranded is a five song EP that spans everything distinctive about Hamrick’s take on creating music. Inspired by the world around him, Hamrick’s songs each have an underlying story running though their veins. “It would be boring and unconvincing if its always either happy or sad or fast or slow - it just has to be compelling,” he describes. "There is a quality to this music that makes people feel something – whether that is pain or happiness, or just makes them want to dance. For music to do that well, there has to be an equal balance between the expected and the unexpected.”
What is unexpected is how Hamrick can take so many styles - anything from classical, Latin, gospel and traditional country and bluegrass - and not come across as schizophrenic. Not easily packaged under a certain genre title, Hamrick focuses on creating good music that connects to listeners and draws them in.
“My music is song-centered. Whatever the song is, that is treatment it will get. If the song is real and authentic and something I can sing about from my own life, then I will sing it and worry about how it fits later,” Hamrick explains. “People have eclectic tastes. This whole business about people belonging in a certain demographic and liking one kind of music doesn’t make sense to me. I like all kinds of music and I think other people do too.”
Hamrick muses that each song he writes and records is like a tattoo. “Once people have heard your music it's permanent. You can’t take it back. Tattoos are visual and symbolic evidence of the person you used to be. Songs are the same way.”
Feeling too “outside the box,” Hamrick wrote the title track of his new EP “Stranded” as a way to release musically. “I love stretching out harmonically. ‘Stranded’ is one of those cases where I felt like I could cut loose and go a lot of different places with the chords.” Putting his rigorous music education to use, Hamrick’s impressive guitar skills shine on this song.
Hamrick first picked up the guitar and taught himself to play at age twelve. His musical journey has led him in many directions since; playing the clarinet on street corners in Boston, jamming with a blues band in Latvia, leading cowboy church services in the heartland, entertaining the American Embassy in England, supporting Grammy winning artists in the studio, gracing the stage of the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville - the list goes on and on.
A key turning point for Hamrick happened in high school while he was living near London. Having brought in standing-room-only crowds to local pubs, he felt it was time to take it to the next level by booking a gig at Leicester Square in central London. After attracting crowds there in the hundreds - which became a summer residency - he was hooked. He knew he had found his calling.
But when American-born Hamrick returned to the US to go to college in Nashville in 2003 he was back to square one – stepping into a new city and new beginning with just a couple suitcases and his guitar. Nonetheless, he continued practicing, honing his songwriting craft, and recording CDs from his dorm room that he would sell on summer tours.
Then Nashville discovered Bobby Hamrick. Performing at Belmont University’s Best of the Best showcase as a winner of a prior songwriter’s showcase, Hamrick wowed crowds with his stirring performance of “Push On Through.” His performance brought an audience of thousands to their feet in a standing ovation with just one microphone, a guitar and a powerful song.
Found on his 2007 album In The Pines, “Push On Through” has served as an anthem for Hamrick. “Something that I love to do is write new chords to existing melodies and as I was re-harmonizing ‘Amazing Grace,’ I started singing a new melody. The words appeared immediately because they came from this real place. If you listen carefully to the solo in the middle of the song you’ll hear elements of the melody of ‘Amazing Grace,’ that I left in intentionally as homage to the inspiration.”
Hamrick is currently working on releasing a digital-only bluegrass infused album called I Need the Money and They Need the Love. Influenced more by music styles rather than a certain artist, he began picking the songs and creating the record with a bluegrass feel because those were the instruments closest to reach. With the freedom found recording at home and outside the walls of a studio, these eight songs are his latest musical evolution.
One song that will definitely have listeners talking is the title track “I Need The Money and They Need The Love.” Hamrick explains, "The narrator of the story visits a strip club and sees someone he knows and becomes outraged. The dancer turns the tables on him, pointing out that his presence perpetuates her job there." The song uses the setting of a strip club simply to make a point; to encourage people to delay judgement and to look at themselves before pointing fingers at others.
Bobby Hamrick will always be a songwriter and musician. As he puts it – he’ll continue to write and perform music until there nothing left to write and sing about. For him, it is all about relating to others. Getting them to sing or dance – whatever the emotion of the song calls for – and leaving them remembering a song, saying, “Wow. That is so true.”
Just want to remind everyone to get their fine selves to the Saxon and show how cool Austin music scene really is. Let's rock the place! It's The Ruby Jane Show being filmed for tv. Be in the audience and get yourself on tv, all you dudes, dancers, and wonderful Austinites!!!! Let's show the Austin music love to the world! 4:30-5:30! Ruby Jane
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Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane. I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Love Shades of Grey Bobby. Very visual. It makes me want to plant a tree. I hope fans will take time to listen to your lyrics. I know it's easy to get swept away by your melody.
Since you’re one of my friends… I thought you'd want to know- I’m starring on a TV show on CMT in August! AND I will be at CMA Music Festival June 11th- 14th, performing at 11am on the 14th! To get all the details, enter your email address on my red & brown email sign up box on my MySpace page!. I’m psyched about being on it and I have a feeling you’ll love the TV show! Ha! Sage Keffer .com PS Country legend, Lee Roy Parnell, just left me a great note. See my top blog. It's incredible to get such a great endorsement from him!
Hey, It's Dave Clupper. If I haven't told you thank you for your support yet, thank you! Check out the video below for a live clip shot from Downtown Tulsa with my daughter Ellen. Also, stop by my profile and enjoy a majority of my new record "Letting Go" released earlier this month. If you want to own a copy, look for the Buy Now Button on my profile or to just own a track, visit iTunes by clicking here. Talk soon!
Hello! Just wanted to drop in and let you know that pre-orders for my new jazz standards album "Bittersweet" are now taking place! The first 100 pre-orders will receive a signed copy! Release date is set for May 5th, but you will get your copy a few days earlier! Kate and I are very excited about the record, and we can't wait for you to hear it. Head over to www.bittersweetthealbum.com to pre-order! Thanks! ~Mark
Just listened to Jealousy - LOVE IT! I think that one just became my new Bobby Hamrick favorite (until I hear the next one I'm sure!) Great job! Hope you're doing great. I'll put something on my page about your "song of the week" and try to send some traffic your way!
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