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10 Questions with ... Russell Dickerson
April 9, 2017
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/russelled Instagram: www.instagram.com/russelled Facebook: www.facebook.com/russelled
Triple Tigers Records artist Russell Dickerson was the first signed to the recently-formed label. A Tennessee native, Dickerson forged his own path by creating an underground following via streaming releases, energetic live shows, and eventual support from SiriusXM's "The Highway." Since signing as Triple Tigers' flagship artist, Dickerson has embarked on his first radio tour and is poised for the terrestrial radio release of his single, "Yours," from his EP of the same name. With over 30 million streams on Spotify, three million YouTube views, and a skyrocketing social media following, Dickerson has found himself out on tour with established artists like Canaan Smith, Billy Currington, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, and others. As he prepares for a busy 2017 summer tour season, Dickerson took the time to sit down with All Access to discuss his single, touring, his musical influences, and the importance of terrestrial radio.
1. Russell, thanks for taking the time for "10 Questions" today. I know you're out in Colorado on part of a radio promo tour right now. You have a lot going on: millions of Spotify and YouTube streams, plus social media awareness and iTunes success. Sirius XM has been a supporter - so tell me: Why is getting out to terrestrial radio still important to you?
Regardless of all of the reach online and on Spotify, there are still those people who drive to work every single day and listen to radio, and radio is still a huge, intricate part of music. Radio is still valuable to Country music, especially. I've only made it to a certain point, and the reason we are going to Country radio is to take it to the top. We can't do it without them. My mom used to joke with me that I used to play the radio presets like a piano. I would just ride those buttons. That was a huge part of when I could drive and before I could drive. Radio was a huge part of my musical listening.
2. It's obvious you have momentum that many people aren't even aware of - so, for those who don't know Russell Dickerson, talk about your music and what kind of an artist you are.
I really feel like every artist has their thing, and mine is fun-loving, upbeat, happy, joyful music. Not that I'm never going to write a sad song or don't have sad songs. If you ask anybody that knows me, I am always the bundle of joy that walks into the room and picks everybody up wherever I go; my music is great representation of that. I can't wait to get the album out and get the full representation. Even though my first single is a ballad, it's a very energetic, upbeat ballad. It's not a sad, sappy, acoustic vocal. It's full-on energy.
3. How did you get the traction - Spotify, etc? Tell us how the Russell Dickerson mojo got rolling!
It all boils down to the music video that we shot. My wife shot the music video. It's the infamous six dollar music video that was spent on gasoline to drive my SUV up and down the road 15 times shooting this music video. She directed it; she edited it. The lightning storm is all real. The rain is all real. It was just a total act of God that we happened to be on this certain road shooting this certain way, and this certain time that it just started pouring down rain on us. We took that video in to John Marks. He was at [SiriusXM's "The Highway"] at the time, and he was just blown away by it. He was like, "well, I can't not add this." He said he was going to add it in six weeks, and then it was added to XM - and as he transitioned to Spotify, he was my champion there, as well. It's not just because he put it on there. He said the reaction was almost bigger than anything he has ever seen. The response online and all of the spreadsheets and graphs that they do, he just said it's performing over and above anything he has ever seen. The song just speaks for itself.
4. I have this theory that today's generation of young, emerging artists were exposed to so many kinds of music growing up thanks to technology - is that true about you? Are you a product of the "iPod generation?"
Absolutely. I am the epitome of the iPod generation. There is just so music available so easily, and it's gotten cheaper. The albums used to be $19.99, and now they are $9.99 and maybe $7.99. I used to spend so many hours loading CDs onto my computer so I could upload them on to my iPod. Buying the music was so easy, I would just get any and everything. From Lil Wayne to Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits to Garth Brooks to Dixie Chicks to Red Hot Chili Peppers. All of it.
5. You listened to different stuff growing up - can we say that you decided to pursue Country? Or, are you just making music that inspires you, and leaving any labels for others to determine?
I am born and raised in West Tennessee in a corn field town. So, there is no way that is ever going to leave me. That being said, I moved to Nashville when I was 10 years old. Nashville is a big city. I went to school with people who listened to Nirvana. We listened to Limp Bizkit. We listened to Lil Wayne, Dixie Chicks, all of it. It was just so all over the map, and those things definitely influenced me. When I started writing music, Country just kind of came out. I wouldn't say genre ambiguous at all. There are definitely influences of other music that come out through my artistry.
6. And, describe how that vast exposure helped to form you as an artist.
I love Garth Brooks. When Garth Brooks came out - I was talking to a lot of people at radio - it was just the most earth shattering music. When he came out, people were like, "Oh my gosh, this is the craziest thing we have ever heard." But, in the same way, it was the most massive explosion that Country music has ever seen. I just really look up to that. I feel like Garth just came out of the gate with no fear, not really trying to prove anything at all. He was doing what he does. He's very passionate; I'm extremely passionate, as well. Just to follow that and really use that as a template to step out in confidence in this whole music business. A good song is going to speak for itself. There's a lot of people trying to do this Pop-Country fusion thing, but I'm just trying to write a great song, be honest, and just trying to make Country music as famous as possible. [Garth's] not just the biggest selling Country artist, he is the highest selling artist of all time. He's a Country artist. That gets me so excited to embark on this crazy journey. Because, it shows how wide the reach of Country music is and how passionate fans can be. I'm so excited to be a part of it.
7. Also, can you share with us what you - as a young millennial - want from Country music? What do you expect it to do for you? Stir emotions? Get up and dance? What?
On my album, I have a song called "Girl's Night Out" which is a straight dance song. It's super high-energy about going downtown with your girls and all that. I think it should be an array of emotions. As for single to single, I think what connects the most is a great melody. It really comes down to a great song. I hate to put it that simply, but, just like Miranda [Lambert]'s team said, just write from the heart, and that's what people want to hear. I really do think that's why [with] my music, I just try to be as honest as possible. I wrote "Yours" with people I went to college with and have seen my relationship with my wife since day one. There is no way I could make up and lie, make up a fake story. No, you didn't do that. That's not true. I can't do that. We knew how to write a true, honest song.
8. You are kind of rare in one sense, and fit into a common path in another - you're from Tennessee - but you, like so many young music pros, went to Belmont and pursued a music degree. Do you think you could have achieved your early success without college, by grinding it out as so many others have?
I do. Not to discredit Belmont in anyway. I wouldn't have the connections I have, I wouldn't have the vocal training I have - which is extremely invaluable right now. I'm singing all day, every day, and the fact that I have not lost my voice yet is incredible. Thank you, Henry Smiley at Belmont. I think it really started happening for me after college. In the same breath, what got me started were the connections I had made at Belmont. I went to college with Brian [Kelley] and Tyler [Hubbard] from Florida Georgia Line. Some of the very first songs we had ever written were with them. Greg Bates, as well. We would all play writers rounds together. We would be out playing shows, so that Belmont community is what got me started. But then, it was the grind after Belmont that has brought me to where I am now. My parents were very supportive of me going to Belmont. They've been supportive of my music career and from there on out.
9. I'm looking at your tour itinerary, and you're out with Country's who's-who - Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum - Kenny Chesney for God's sake! Tell us how those bookings happened - again, with little to no terrestrial airplay?
Because of the success, it is way easier when you have a story to tell, and you're out there selling tickets. So, it's definitely easier when you have that going on. But, I've experienced the other side of trying to get on any opening slot - two hundred dollars playing in Wisconsin somewhere. It's definitely way, way easier to be on major shows when you've had some success and just prove that you're selling tickets. That's what it is. I cannot wait to see [Kenny Chesney]. It's not even just the show. I love to see how people treat their crew and how people run their entire business. I'm just getting started, and I want to learn. Being able to watch Thomas Rhett every night has been the biggest thing. To see how he interacts night to night - how he responds to the crowd. Does he bring them up, does he help them? Getting to watch Kelsea [Ballerini], as well. I just want to learn, learn, learn. I definitely have. They are superstars. It's been great to watch them.
10. So, now that you've been out visiting radio, what are a couple of myths about it that have proven to be untrue? What have been the biggest a-ha or eye-popping moments?
For me, we've had an absolutely great response from radio. A lot of people are like, "You know, it's tough out there. Nobody really gives a crap about any new artist. Much less a new label and all this stuff." We've been going since late last year. We go into these stations with a very humble attitude, and I'm very grateful to have label that supports me, because I know what it's like to not have a label. I know what it's like to not have radio. I know what it's like for people to not give a crap about my music. I am very humbled to be able to just go in there and make friends. I love the relationship side of it. I think that's a huge plus, because that's what they want, as well. I want to create a lasting relationship of just success after success. Just going there was very intimidating at first, because people made it sound so scary. But, we are just going in there with normal dudes. They have a job, just like I got a job. It's a partnership. I just go in there with humility and just create relationships. Where were sitting right now, we are a month out, and we've got a great amount of out-of-the-box adds. An abnormal amount.
Bonus Questions
We know about the single out now - what's coming after that?
There is the single, and there's the EP. We just finished recording the album, the full length, which will be the EP plus probably six or seven more songs. That will be my first full-length release. It will be pre-order mid-June, and release will be early fall. Part of me wants to call it "Yours" - the full length album - because, it's kind of a follow up to the EP. That's the superstar of the record for now.
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