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10 Questions with ... Joel Crouse
June 16, 2013
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1) Joel, your current single is called "If You Want Some." What kind of reactions have you been getting from Country fans and Country radio on this latest song?
Lately country fans have been referring to the song as their summer anthem, which is pretty cool. Since this is my first single, it's really cool to see people digging your music- it actually lets me re-live the song.
2) You co-wrote this single with Jamie Houston and Luke Laird. Can you tell us a little about what went into making this come to life?
Well, at the time we were in the studio day in and day out, and I was living with three other dudes in a two bedroom apartment. So to unwind a little, we would throw these pretty cool apartment parties. When going into the write with Luke and Jamie, they asked what I had been up to lately, and I just said 'well, other than writing and recording, I've just been partying!'"
3) How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you play before?
Well, I got to grow up with three different generations of Country, from the outlaws to Garth to Keith Urban. Also, being from the Boston, area I love Classic Rock sounds with the Fleetwood Mac and Eagles harmonies.
4) Who and what are some of the greatest influences on your music?
I think my influences come from all over the place, but to name a few would be Keith Urban, The Outlaws, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band and that Fleetwood Mac- Eagles sound.
5) You began singing in church, after all you are a preacher's son and your mom worked in the church. Looking back, what role do you think that played in shaping your career?
I think it helped me get over a fear of performing in front of people at a young age, and also, I was just around music more often.
6) You wrote your first song at age 14. How do you think your writing has changed and grown since that first set of lyrics?
Ha Ha! Well, now I'm not just trying to rhyme every little word, but being in Nashville and learning from some of the best songwriters here has been a truly incredible experience.
7) You've opened shows for people like Toby Keith, Darius Rucker, Rodney Atkins, Sara Evans and even the Goo Goo Dolls. What are some of the highlights from those experiences?
The highlights would definitely be the performances- just being able to step on the stage and perform your own songs is a blessing in itself.
8) Your personal motto is "Always Be Yourself." How can we find this incorporated into your music and in the lyrics you sing?
I try to write songs from personal experiences, and not be afraid to hold the truth back.
9) There is a rumor that you have a goal of a certain restaurant sponsoring one of your tours. Which chain eatery is it, and why did you pick that particular one?
Shoneys. No, it's really Chipotle of course!
10) What can we expect from you and your music moving forward?
I've said this a lot, but I just hope that my music will just keep the same integrity it had from the start.
Bonus Questions
1) What are some of your hobbies when you aren't out on the road touring or somewhere writing and playing some music?
Then I'm probably sitting somewhere listening to some music.
2) So you once determined "how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop." What was the magic number?
Ha Ha! I believe it was somewhere between 500-600 licks.
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