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Hendersonville, N.C. band Vagabond Crowe began as an alternative American\/folk band, and recently recorded and released its debut album, Fortune Teller<\/i>. But as co-leader, songwriter Mitch Stewart explains, creativity often means change, and today the group looks and sounds different from before.<\/p>\n
Your website says that the songs on <\/b>Fortune Teller<\/b><\/i> were \u201cwritten in the midst of turmoil and life change.\u201d What can you share about that?<\/b>
\nThe songs were written over the course of a year. During that time I was going through a divorce and breaking ties with toxic members of my family. I felt alone in a lot of ways, and I didn’t know what was next for me in life. During that time, I was searching for who I was and trying to re-frame my worldview. Fortune Teller<\/i>‘s fifth track, \u201cCalling Me Home\u201d probably should have been put at the end of the album, because it’s a picture of my future and the peace I’ve found in my new life.<\/p>\n
Do you find that writing songs is a form of catharsis?<\/b>
\nFor sure. Songwriting has been my coping mechanism since my childhood. In a song, I can say whatever I want, however I want without any judgment or concern. For example, the last song on the album, \u201cYou’re A Spirit,\u201d was written right after an intense argument with someone that I care very deeply about. It was a way for me to say, \u201cEven if I lose you, I’m still glad that I had the fortune to know you and have you in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tell me about your songwriting process.<\/b>
\nAll of the songs on our recent album release are extremely personal. It has always seemed that my process was born out of emotion or experience. It’s never been a systematic thing, or really even something that I could do with someone else. But now that we play as a full band, everyone has input on the instrumental structure of the songs; I want the creative input from everyone in the band.<\/p>\n
What’s your primary goal as a songwriter?<\/b>
\nI am aim to connect with people. And I hope that the music we put out there is something that can comfort people and help them to feel less alone in some small way.<\/p>\n
From your perspective, what are the hallmarks of a great song?<\/b>
\nA great song is one that digs down into your soul and reminds you of who you are; it’s something that wakes you up. Whether it’s a song from your childhood or something brand new, if it moves you to feel \u2013 happy, sad, angry, regretful or hopeful \u2013 then the song did its job.<\/p>\n
You recorded a cover of Paul Williams’ \u201cRainbow Connection.\u201d What’s special to you about that song?<\/b>
\nNo one else has asked us about that recording! I recorded that song at the request of the gentleman that funded our album, Josh Thigpen; I understand that he has a lifelong connection to the song. That was his only request, and I was happy to do it for him. I also think that he thought it would be fun to have me sing something \u201cinnocent,\u201d since most of my lyrics tend to be on the darker side.<\/p>\n
How does the band’s onstage\/live music differ from the studio recordings?<\/b>
\nWell, right now the live experience is much different. Vagabond Crowe is now a five-piece band. On Fortune Teller<\/i> you’ll hear something more Americana, but we’ve since morphed slightly, into a folk-rock band. Of course we still play the songs from the album, but the fiddle has been replaced by lead guitar and harmonica. We’re headed in a new direction, but we’ll always have our roots in the folk sound.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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