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10 Questions with ... Marcus King Band
September 9, 2019
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1. Now that we are more than half-way through the year, how has 2019 been treating you?
2019 has been even better than 2018, and I thought that was gonna be a hard one to beat! Health has been a goal of mine all year. I'm hoping for the band to become tighter and grow more individually and as a unit, in the eyes of ourselves and the public.
2. Growing up, how important was music in your life? Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be a musician?
There was never a definitive moment for me except "This is what I'm going to do." Because I never thought otherwise. This was just what it was. Music, for me, was the only thing when I was a kid. The only thing that mattered other than family.
3.What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career?
The biggest surprise about music being my career would be how much time you spend away from home. And how often people try to put makeup on ya. (ha ha)
4. Tell us about the third annual The Marcus King Band Family Reunion.
When we started traveling a lot more, I started missing all the family reunions and the family get togethers. So, I just decided to build a music festival around the core concept of getting the family together and fellowshipping over music and family and home-cooked meals. Just like we used to do when I was a kid. In addition to the three or four thousand closest friends!
We try to keep the lineup pretty in line with the concept of the festival, which is, family. So, if you're an artist that we have come across on the road and care about, and have come to be like road family, we like to have you at the family reunion. Or if you are like an extended family member that we know through someone else that we have worked with. This year, we have Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, who I have not spent much time with personally, but we have mutual friends and almost family member, Dave Cobb. We like to pick vendors from the same thread. People that we have met at various festivals through the years that have struck us with their passion for what they do. That also matches the passion for what we do and same thing with the artists. We like to find people that love what they do and understand what a blessing it is to do this.
5. Why is the Pisgah Brewing Company in Western North Carolina the perfect place for this festival?
We used to play at Pisgah all the time. And we would kind of hone our chops as a group there. And it became like a second home for us. Western NC -- Asheville and Black Mountain -- became like a second home for the band in the early days. And that venue has always felt like home, so it was an obvious choice.
6. How do you think you have grown as a musician since you first started making music?
Musically, I have learned to listen a lot more. And it's still something I work on. And I think the most important part of music is just to listen more than you speak.
7. What has it been like keeping up with your social media accounts and all the different platforms?
Social media is a really big help and huge asset in today's music world. It really gives you a leg up, as far as getting the word out to your people. We have been really blessed with a diligent team of individuals with our management, who keep a steady eye on it and a close watch. We also like to stay in touch with our fans with Instagram messages and various other platforms like Twitter.
8. Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music?
Nathaniel Rateliff continues to be somebody that inspires me, and he has been a good friend. Obviously, Dan Auerbach is one of the hardest working people that I have had the pleasure of working with. I would also have to honorably mention Dave Cobb as a really hardworking, intelligent individual.
9. If you had an unlimited budget and your schedule was free, what would your dream music video look like?
I'd like to do something like what Pink Floyd did in Pompeii. I'd like to find a decommissioned feeder over in Europe and find something that has been through it. The main part of the budget would just be running tower and getting our gear there.
10. At the end of the day, what do you hope people take away from your music?
It's up to their own interpretation, that's my goal with my music. I would like people to receive it in the way that they hear it. We have a lot of big news to announce, a lot of living to do, and a lot of good times to be had.
Interview by Leah Brungardt
Photo Credit: David McClis -
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