There are no excuses in the independent music industry anymore. Our recent find Grayson Erhard rose up from a small town with his own sound and no one to follow. We had the opportunity to chat with Grayson and get behind his growth and motivation. Enjoy:
Tell us about getting your start in small town Colorado?
It was pretty difficult to be honest. I didn’t have many people to play music with and I lived 6 miles outside of a town that has a population of 2000 people. I really just dove into songwriting, lyric writing, playing guitar, singing, and recording. I did everything myself and it’s become a bit of a habit.
How would you describe the Grayson Erhard sound?
That’s a fantastic question because it’s been nearly impossible for me or anyone else to really conclude on. The closest thing my team and I have right now is “folk rock with percussive fingerstyle guitar.” However, that could very well be changing again in the near future! I just write the music and let other people put it into a box.
Your guitar style is quite unique. How did that come about?
Well. . . I am a metalhead to the core. I used to play a lot of Animals as Leaders, The Human Abstract, Protest the Hero, Between the Buried and Me, Veil of Maya, etc. until I got into college. Living with a roommate in a tiny dorm room really isn’t the best environment to shred all of the time haha! I found myself picking up my acoustic a lot more because of this. I remember seeing the CandyRat Records videos and just getting my mind blown. I learned “Drifting” by Andy Mckee and then started immediately writing my own stuff and experimenting as much as possible.
Which artists have been the biggest influence on you?
Vocally, it’s been Matthew Santos, Matt Corby, Johnny Craig, and Sameer Gadhia (Young the Giant). With guitar, probably Andy Mckee, Antoine Dufour, Tosin Abasi, and Guthrie Govan. All of these vocalists and guitarists represent different things to me, but one thing they all have in common is that they are very good at specific things. I know some of these people so I’m not going to get too into this haha.
I admire technical ability a lot, but over the past several years I’ve taken a break from advancing that side of my playing to focusing mostly on songwriting. Songwriting and lyric writing is completely different than technical skill on an instrument and it really brings you back to why you play in the first place–songs.
A couple of your music videos grabbed some viral attention. How did that happen?
Virility seems to happen wherever Stevie Wonder strolls apparently. . . That was a wild time. However, when “Manifest” went viral it was really hard to explain. I guess it was really fresh for a lot of people in that niche of music. I’m very grateful for those moments.
What do you hope to provide the listener with your songs?
It varies with each song. With my latest song, “Driving in the Rain,” I really wanted to provoke a feeling of peace and self-reflection. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we are doing exactly what we’re meant to be doing (or want to be doing), yet we’re unhappy. I struggle with this a lot myself. The lyrics in the song guide a listener through that emotion and provide a way out. With a lot of my music, I try my best to pack as much meaning into a song as I can while providing a rich listening experience.
Give us some advice for fellow songwriters trying to make a name for themselves?
Don’t get comfortable and find happiness in the process, not the goal. 🙂
What is next for Grayson Erhard?
I’m 40% through releasing my newest EP, “EARTHSHIP.” There’s a lot more music coming with acoustic versions and everything! My main focus is dropping nonstop music and content, but in 2019, the plan is to tour as much as possible. So keep an eye out for my name in a city near you!
Keep up with Grayson Erhard on his WEBSITE.
